I DID cook once...hummm, seems SO long ago...

Since my gastric bypass, I can't eat a lot at a time but eat five or six small meals a day. Dad is on the same program because of the cancer surgery. I am working 40 to 50 hours a week at the bus company, taking care of Dad and then the 91 year old aunt....who has the time or the energy to cook??

I live on nuts, soups, port-wine cheese and breadsticks, salads, fruit, gallons of water and iced tea, coffee and the occasional bagel or English muffin with neufchatel cheese and honey for the most part. I make a messy meat sauce (Classico Four Cheese with lots of ground beef, pork, chicken and turkey (I load my protein that way)and mushrooms)) a few times a month that I put on steamed squash or spinach, and I make a pot roast or a pork roast or chicken once in a while. Dad eats a big breakfast out every day with my uncle and then has lunch at his house while I am at work, and then he has snacks all the time. He seems to crave salty or sour things, or smoked things, and strong-smelling or tasting stuff. He eats a lot of hotdogs, knockwurst and beans, tons of spinach, and a lot of real licorice. The chemo seems to rob him of his appetite and his taste for things. he is down to 150 again....so I need to start to cook, for sure!!

Micki, in the summer we eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. I save the pot roast and pork roast for the cooler months.

I use pork to make bar-b-q in the summer. It's a great recipe. Anyone interested? You soak the meat overnight in vinegar and lots of spices. It's scrumptious. I got it from a Southern friend!

That on a roll with corn on the cob and some Maryland tomatoes...can't beat it!

[ August 20, 2004, 10:05 AM: Message edited by: Dotsie ]

I absolutely LOVE to cook! I haven't been cooking much because my husband is working in MN and it's too much trouble to do it just for myself.

When I visit my sister in Paris, other than seeing her, I go for the food. I have two fantastic cook books from France and will post some of my favorite recipes here but for now, just don't have the time. They are really pretty easy but be warned, they are not low cal! They're so good though, you won't care. I'll try to do this tomorrow.

P.S. I love to entertain too. We always had parties at our house until my husband went to MN. I miss it!

cooking?

We're supposed to cook? I thought once the kids left home it was okay to stop cooking?

My husband is very easy to please. He'd rather have a pizza, calzone, chinese, or burritos, or even a bologna sandwich. That makes it easy for me to stick to my diet, because I can have a salad or something equally as unappetizing (to him) and not feel guilty about not cooking.

Once in a while I'll cook something for dinner. He tolerates my baked chicken (he's not thrilled about chicken at all) as long as I included roasted red potatoes.

I think that ‘enjoying cooking’ is not the issue. Women may enjoy cooking when they can take time to plan and prepare meals free of hassles like time constraints, money shortages, interference from picky eaters and lack of imagination in recipes. Also, at my stage of life (40ish), I have cooked almost everything I ever wanted to make (many, many times) and am bored with repeating menus that include: spaghetti, chicken (in general), casseroles, canned tomatoes, etc. I am actually a good cook, but prefer to bake a batch of muffins rather than prepare dinner. It’s the “What’s for dinner tonight?” syndrome, a one-act play to be repeated tomorrow, and on into infinity. (Sorry, mixed metaphors?)
Of course, if I had more energy, I could work up more enthusiasm. Fibromyalgia and R.A. don’t help. On the positive side, I have found that if I plan a week’s worth of menus, including a variety of dinners, both complex and very easy, then shop to buy all necessary ingredients, I can select a dinner each day based on the families’ needs and my energy level. The list also eliminates rummaging through the cupboards at 5:00pm trying to figure out what to make (a personal favorite way to kill a half hour). I used to start dinner at 3pm when my energy and interest levels were higher, a really good idea. (I work 1/2 days) Well, gotta go rummage in the cupboard.

I've got the men trained to do a lot of the cooking in our house - but my daughter loves to sit on the bench and mash bananas for muffins or mix a cake with me, even peeling carrots is fun for her...

Julie, from the time my kids were little I would sit them up on the counter while I baked and cooked. They stirred, mashed, poured, measured, and placed dished in ovens. They learned the tricks of the trade.

Now my son who is living in an apartment with three other guys is the chief cook. He told the guys if they all pitched in for food he would cook.

Ross is a griller. As a result, our son asked for a grill for his apartment so he could do the same. Of course we obliged him.

Your home sounds so functional!

I couldn't resist posting this here... My friend sent it to me...enjoy!
Martha's Way
Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.
Maxine's Way
Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

Martha's Way
To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Maxine's Way
Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix and keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

Martha's Way
When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Maxine's Way
Go to the bakery. They'll even decorate it for you.

Martha's Way
If you accidentally over salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant "fix-me-up".
Maxine's Way
If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: "I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes. "

Martha's Way
Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Maxine's Way
Celery? Never heard of it .

Martha's Way
Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
Maxine's Way
The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust so I don't.

Martha's Way
Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Maxine's Way
Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink .

Martha's Way
If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
Maxine's Way
Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

Martha's Way
Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Maxine's Way
Leftover wine???????? HEL-LO !!!!!

Tvc15, love it.