I find it funny that this forum is hardly being used. Are we saying that boomer women no longer cook? I do recall the queen wanted vending machines in her kitchen. What's going on ladies?

Funny you should bring this up just today. I'm currently writing an article called, "Me, My Stove, and Eye." You see...my stove is possessed. There is something evil living beneath the "eyes" on my stove. Has to be cause everything I attempt to cook, gets burnt. I ain't kidding either.

JJ

I don't cook any more unless it's absolutely required, like maybe Thanksgiving or if the mood should hit me, which it hardly ever does anymore.

I've become very spoiled.

I don't want to asume anything but I think I am or was the resident Boomer Gourmet chef until recently. Even since my illiness I have been trying to make my meager meals as fancy and interssting as possible. I am finishing a ccokbook from before I was ill. I have posted many recipes in the recipe section which Dotsie used to serve her relatives and Smilinize has become addicted to my cheesy grape recipe. I have a million recipes to share. I love to cook and eat too....bad for the diet and diabetes unless you cook and eat wisely...not as muh fun but necessary. JJ want me to perform an exorcism of that nasty possessed stove of yours...?

Oh hon, could you? Like turn it into one of those big square vending machines? hmm? That would do it for me...just make sure it's got pimento cheese in it, and ahhh...what else...Oreo's. I could live on those two things.

JJ

I will repeat this pearl of wisdom, only because there are a lot of new gals in here who haven't heard it yet:

My cooking is an acquired taste, and so far I seem to be the only person who's acquired it.

Early in our marriage, my husband said he didn't think I could cook. This coming from a man whose mother burnt EVERYTHING!! So I stopped cooking for him, and stocked our freezer with Nuke Cuisine.

Maybe once a week I'll cook something interesting. If he wants to eat it, he has to help chop veggies and wash dishes. If not, tough luck. If he complains about it, I tell him to eat Stouffers.

Most of the time, I don't prepare hardly anything. Breakfast is coffee, juice and bagel or bread, maybe farina in the winter. Lunch is either fresh fruit and nuts, dairy something or nuke quiche. Dinner is a humongo salad, pasta, tuna or Nukebox du Jour. Once a week broiled fish and whole grains, and twice a month tofu stir fry. Mainly I keep it simple so there's not many dishes to wash.

Help!!!! Am I the only one who cooks every day? I used to love cooking and spend time making different recipes, etc. But lately, I wish I could get a super break from the kitchen. It would be much easier for my diet too.

Songbird, I'm interested...are you cooking full meals everyday? Breakfast, lunch, and supper? Or just supper? Are you cooking for just two? or do you have children still at home? Refresh my memory and maybe we could all give suggestions. Real ones too, not the ones I would normally give like unplugging your stove and saying it's broken...you can buy two to three weeks with that one. No joke, you give details, and we boomers will put our heads together and see what's cooking...what's cooking? hahah...Lord...I should write humor! hahahah....ahem...

JJ

Songbird, I cook almost every day too. We sit down to dinner almost every night. In the summer I don't use the oven as much, but I still prepare food on the stove or microwave. We eat lots of salads, chicken salad, tuna, tomatoes, corn on the cob, fruit salads, and grilled food. Gotta have the fresh foods while they're in season.

When the season changes I'll get back to using the oven.

I love to cook, but rarely try new recipes. There was at time when I read recipe books and tried new dishes weekly. That's when the kids were little and I was home ALL the time. I also baked bread, cookies, and fruit breads. Now that my daughter makes the second diabetic in the family I've given up on most of that.

Jaw Jaw: You made my day! Girl, you are toooo much! I've laughed so hard!

Dotsie: I'm glad to know I'm not the only one!

I used to bake desserts at least once a week. I spent hours looking for some new ways to prepare things, etc. I even tried writing down my recipes, in hopes of writing a cookbook. Man! I used to LOVE to cook, and enjoyed so much cooking for the crowd. (Being the oldest at home, I've been cooking daily since I was 10).Whenever the family (my siblings) gets together, guess who is the cook?

Now, with the kids grown, different schedules, and a husband that (I think that's what's wrong and I sure do hope it is that... ) yearns for his salvadoran food... well, I don't feel like there's anything I can please him with, you know what I mean ?

I just cook but don't enjoy it as much (the process). Now, I don't bother to go the extra mile as often. I have one kid who eats at home, another who rarely eats at home and a husband who eats but never seems content with whatever I prepare.During summer, I have a husband and two kids who eat regularly at home. Sometimes, the third one decides he'll have some.

Some days I cook breakfast, unless they want bagels, cereal, etc. Or I'll fix them a fresh fruit salad. I always have one kid coming home for lunch (during his summer job). My husband sometimes comes home for lunch. And I always cook dinner.

So you see? Lots of time in kitchen. Another problem is that my dear husband doesn't have a specific time to come. 6, 7, 10 pm, who knows?
And let me tell ya-if I've only had fruits, by then I'm gonna have to cheat and eat something else!!!!

Oh, and to make matters worse, there always has to be some icecream around !!!

It's NOT FAIR

As for me, I can live on salad, fruit, raw veggies and cook only once in a while .

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.

A side note here:

I was making dinner last night and cursing at the onion powder. Seems every time I buy some, it hardens quicker than super-glue and all I have is a pretty spice jar filled with onion-smelling cement. Visions of my post were already swirling in my head:

"If I ever buy onion powder again, EVER, can someone just come over here and kill me?"

I wuz gonna pour boiling water over it but I didn't want to crack the lovely little jar. Then I thought, Let's nuke it! Even if it explodes, I can pick out the onion powder from between the glass shards (shows ya just how desperate I was.) I zapped it for 30 seconds

...and it worked!! or at least, softened it enough so I could dig some out. So do the math girlfriends: I've been throwing out onion powder rocks for How many decades? and I've owned a nuke box for how many decades? and it's taken me how long to figure this out? This is probably an apt commentary on my cooking accumen.

If anyone has already called Guido & Co., please cancel the contract...

My dearest Meredith Stewart (hahahah....teehee...)

You aren't by chance storing your spices ABOVE your stove, are ya? I've seen women who do this, or even their coffee. It causes the spices to hardened, and the coffee to go stale...

Just thought I might mention this, just in case.

Hugs,

JJ Childs...

Spices (except for onion powder) are one of the few cooking things I know about. Directions always say "store in a cool dark place." So I do. In my dishwasher, which hasn't been used for dishes in 20 years.

Meredith, a couple weekends ago I was making apple pies and my brown sugar was harder than a rock.

I put it inthe microwave and it became a little softer. There were still some rocks which I broke my masher on, but at least I didn't have to run to the store!

You also mentioned visions of your post swirling in your head. I do the same thing. Isn't that funny?

Depends upon what you mean by "cook"...

I do all the baking but it's usually in the winter when the heat from the oven can be appreciated. Last night we had a salad with cherry tomatoes, artichoke hearts, garbanzo beans, olives, feta cheese, olive oil and herbs; rosemary & olive bread toasted & brushed with olive oil and then covered with brie and farmer's cheese.

I don't suppose that's exactly cooking but it was sure good and good for us!

I'm making a peach pie tomorrow and will probably get a loaf or two of homemade bread made. I've got chicken in the freezer and will stick that in the crock pot for supper. Chicken, that old tomatoe salad from last night and biscuits should make for a good supper tomorrow night. I actually don't care much for chicken but my MIL does so I fix it for her a few times a year.

Dave doesn't like crock pot food but I do so when I cook I will, a lot of times, use the crock pot. Dave likes to grill <UG. me man. me grill. me like fire.> He would *kill* me if he knew I'd written that! HAHAHAHAHA so I'm living dangerously!

For breakfast I'll fix oatmeal...btw, in Russia I had some kind of porridge every morning...LOVE those Russian breaksfasts! or some other kind of hot cereal <9 grain> or my homemade granola cereal or fresh baked muffins. A few years ago I won $200 from Betty Crocker for my 9 grain muffins; those are pretty good.

So...do we still cook. Yeah, I suppose I do. I like to eat though and if I eat junk I plump up like a whale but not as graceful.

I do like those Dove ice cream bars though but that's not junk food. It's health food because if I don't get at least a couple a week someone is gonna die.

And it ain't gonna be ME.

see? see? I'm not the only one who'd kill for their chocolate! I KNEW I liked you for some reason Ms Thistle!

Oh and pass the homemade bread pleaseeee...yum!

JJ

I actually enjoy cooking. After my New York trip I came home and baked cupcakes for the people in my section of the newsroom, just to see if I could make them better than the ones at The Cupcake Cafe or the Magnolia Bakery......sure enough I could. My homemade cherry chip frosting was magnificent! Too bad I never write things down.

But while we were in Pennsylvania we had some really good home-cooking and I was inspired again to make my family food while they're all still at home....or maybe I just missed my family.

Kate

For some reason my onion powder has never gotten hard and I buy it in the super size bottle at Sams Club, I also buy onion chips, little pieces of onion (not like potato chips.) You might try putting the containers into a little sealable plastic bag. That should keep out any moisture. There is apparently enough undectable moisture in that dishwasher. Also ALWAYS enclose the brown sugar package in a plastic bag, sealed tight and it will stay soft from one Thanksgiving to another. Honest Injun!!

Thistle, can I move in? Your food is making my mouth water!

Kate, want to share the cherry chip frosting? It sounds delish.

I made homemade applesauce with a friend last week. She taught me her technique. It's simple, and she uses no sweetener, just cinnamon. Yum!

This forum is making me hungry.

Although I help in the kitchen, have learned some of my mom's recipes and got creative with my grandmother's meals I don't really cook. I bake cookies but even then I teamed up with a baker to write my book!