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sac
Citizen
Username: Sac
Post Number: 860
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, January 9, 2004 - 10:20 pm: |     |
Over the holidays, we visited my husband's family and my mother-in-law made a number of recipes from a subscription magazine called "Quick Cooking". After looking through a couple of issues, I think that I'm going to subscribe for a year because there was quite a good variety of recipes and quite a few of them looked like they might be popular in our family. They sometimes have "themes" for particular types of cooking (e.g. slow cooker, pressure cooker, etc.) as well as features in each issue for kid-friendly, under 30 minutes, etc. Website is www.quickcooking.com. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 265
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:01 am: | |
I more or less meal plan for 2 weeks at a shot, and it's not unlike the ffof approach. I assume most "real" cooking on Sat and Sun. I assume take out on Fridays (pizza, Chinese, wings, or go to a restaurant). Whatever I cook Sunday (meatloaf, for example, or roast chicken, serious homemade soup/stew or ham or something timeconsuming), assumes a Monday leftover. As a result, T-W-Th are the challenges. Among my recent work-week resorts:
Grilled cheese and soup; fruit
Pasta, purchased sauce (Tomato, Alfredo or pesto) with purchased meatballs or chicken; bag salad
Baked chicken thighs or breasts; rice mix; frozen veg
Baked salmon (or flounder); rice; frozen veg (green beans or other green)
Stouffers mac/cheese or other casserole; veg or bag salad
Tacos; fruit
Pork tenderloin; noodles or rice mix; frozen veg or salad. Those pork tenderloins have become a real hit in my family.
Hamburgers; frenchfries; fruit
Hotdogs; beans; fruit
Purchased roast chicken; bag salad; rice mix
Personally, I can't get it together to stress on the Tue-Thur offerings so long as they hit the groups and are quick. Most of any effort goes into Sat or Sun cooking. I like to make pot roast of various types which goes over well and leads to various leftovers...Usually have qties of rice and noodle mixes in the cupboard, frozen veg, canned fruit in juice, pasta/sauce and a frozen entree or 2, Knorr sauces |
Joan
Citizen
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 2341
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 4:08 pm: | |
Kosher Diabetic can be even more limiting than Vegan. How many traditional kosher dishes do you know of which are low in fat and include green veggies? Add to that the fact that we somply do not have time to food shop during the week or much time to prepare dinner week nights for that matter and the problem compounds further.
My solution has been to store a variety of canned or frozen veggies, dried starches such as rice and pasta, and make ahead frozen dishes which use mainly of poultry or low fat cheese (never mixed together)as the major protein. I also keep a box or bag of frozen fish fillets on hand for nights when I need to cook something quickly.
These meals are usually of the one from column A, one from column B variety and I try not to duplicate a meal within a given week (Sunday to Friday) with Saturday usually our going out to dinner night. |
silkcity
Citizen
Username: Silkcity
Post Number: 175
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 5:05 pm: | |
I'm in Gretchen's camp, relying on monthly plans and Cooking Light (and we are a vegetarian household). I used to use recipe cards that had the ingredients on the back. (Now I use a computer, btu same idea.) So when I choose artichoke quiche, I have all the stuff listed on back, and I check against what we have. I list what we need, shop, and have some backup stuff on hand. I think this works without boring me silly b/c I buy lots of sauces at Trader Joe's -- Thai, Cuban, Masala, and so on. These really perk up the basic meal and provide a little change.
This project takes a little work at the beginning, and I expect to panic and shop when guests come. But it works for us well. I learned this skill in 9th grade home ec, by the way, along with the recipe for snickerdoodles. |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1534
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:16 pm: | |
menu plan for the week of January 11th:
Sunday -- JJ's Chinese or Samuri Sushi
Monday -- Pasta w/ Meat sauce
Tuesday -- Lean Cuisines/tuna sandwich/PB&J
Wednesday -- Pub
Thursday -- Scotty's or Toro Loco
Friday -- Pizza
Saturday -- Dinner out |
shh
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 856
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, January 10, 2004 - 6:53 pm: | |
Algebra, you really spend a lot of time in the kitchen, huh? 
|
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1537
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 11:30 am: | |
I may mix it up and throw in a King's chicken, Pep Farms Stuffing (made in disposable pan to minimize mess), a freshly open can of cranberry sauce and maybe frozen corn -- if you're careful and eat on paper plates this could be almost a mess free meal -- no dirty dishes (maybe one or two). Hmm, maybe just one or two.
or a #8 from Cravings or Bunny's! |
cam1
Citizen
Username: Cam1
Post Number: 69
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 2:53 pm: | |
I like having healthy homemade meals nightly, but time and teduim are issues. I rely on big batches of soup, enhanced by bread and salad in the winter, always making double batches of course. I also frequently use recipes from the Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home which contains wonderful healthful meals, all of which can be prepared in 30 min or less (has veg and fish meals). And, make huge salad (minus dressing) every 3 days or so, so that is not a nightly chore. |
Cedar
Citizen
Username: Cedar
Post Number: 109
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 11, 2004 - 5:10 pm: | |
cam1 -
The undressed salads in advance is a great idea I'd never considered...I'll try it!
And back to the thread...We cannot live without the weekly plan and I'm envious of those who do longer term plans, although my weekly plans do involve cooking extra for freezing. There is so little time to shop, so many meals to cook. Even so, there are the occasional runs for fresh foods or things forgotten. I can't motivate myself for the "what's for dinner tonight?" runs. We'd end up eating out five nights a week! |
chickadee
Citizen
Username: Chickadee
Post Number: 8
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 2:55 pm: | |
Am I the only person that can't stand menu planning? I grew up with menu planning-my mom with six children wrote the dinner menu out for the week, and we would all troop to the grocery store on Thursday night(sandwich night) and buy the groceries for the week. Boring!! I am a more spontaneous eater. Something might sound good to me on shopping day, but unappetizing the day I plan to make it.
I tend to go through cook books(Cooking Light-a personal favorite) the day before or morning of. That way if something looks good or if the kids have mentioned something they would like, I don't have to feel guilty about preparing it and not using the food I already purchased. And I usually have enough staples, spices on hand, it's just a matter of running to the store for one or two more indgredients. It's worth it for me. |
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1725
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 6:53 pm: | |
I can't stand menu planning, but I also hate worrying about dinner right before dinner time. I'll admit that the weeks where we've planned the menus have been more peaceful and economical and tasty and nutritious. I've got to do something. Maybe I'd hire a personal chef, but I doubt I could afford that. I'd probably benefit from learning to cook and plan meals.
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
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joy
Citizen
Username: Joy
Post Number: 133
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 13, 2004 - 7:52 pm: | |
When I came back from amternity leave - I had a rolling 3 month plan. Now -2 years later, it's a week planned on Sunday before I shopping. It goes something like this:
Monday - always pasta and red sauce - easy first day back to work meal.
Tues, Wed, Thur - alternate chicken, pork, fish and vegetarian mains with sides made up of what ever looked fresh at the market that week. Couscous is a easy favorite for a side - mix in the veg and protein of your choice - and you ahve a one pot meal.
Friday - take out.
Love the chicken sausages from Trader Joes or Whole Foods. I admit I use the G. Forman grill and I try to plan meals that can be done all in the oven/mwave/one pot etc...
Lunches are always dinner the night before.
Love Everday Food mag and my Joy of cooking book.
Always try to make more and freeze it.
Still, there are days that Tinga, Tratorria and whatever the favorite chinese place is at the moment get a phone call for take out.
Thing is - I love cooking - I just don't have the time! |
gozerbrown
Citizen
Username: Gozerbrown
Post Number: 300
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 5:52 pm: | |
I just started a new menu-planning habit and it has really helped me get in and out of the store a bit faster. In addition to planning the menu, which varies each week (I'm not big on routine, which is why I was initially resistant to plan menus), I make the grocery list and group them based on where they are in the store. I write all the produce on the list together, the dairy products together, etc. I just started doing this a few weeks ago and it seems to be working out pretty well. |
Lydia
Citizen
Username: Lydial
Post Number: 210
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 14, 2004 - 8:00 pm: | |
I menu plan - most of my menus resemble Ffof's - it cuts down on the old " What's for dinner Mom? Let's order pizza" syndrome!
I look in the fridge on Monday and see what looks ready to go and build the menu around that. I usually start the week with a roast chicken in cold weather and assume we'll have left-overs the next day - I combine that with whatever vegetable looks good and's on sale. Somewhere along the line I schedule a casserole or tortillas (both code for glorified leftovers). Saturday we make our own pizzas and Sunday is catch as catch can.
We added a "cookie of the week" and that's been a hit - Sunday evenings the girls go through cookbooks and choose a cookie they want for the week in their lunchboxes. We make the cookies together and it's fun.
Most of our meals aren't glamorous, but before we had menus we were ordering out twice a week and that was predictable and expensive! My girls are learning how to plan meals and if they don't like it there's always PB & J.
I post the "menu" on the fridge and so far few complaints - |
Chalmers
Citizen
Username: Chalmers
Post Number: 35
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 10:55 am: | |
One suggestion to streamline your shopping is to use a Master Grocery List. My computer has one in its Microsoft Works Program. You type in the things you usually buy by aisle, for example, under "Produce" lettuce, tomato, etc., print it out, check off what you're buying that week and then you don't have to write it every week. Another good source of inspiration for weeknight cooking is the TV show "30 Minute Meals" on Food Network. The chef, Rachael Ray, has a couple bestselling cookbooks and the recipes are available for free on www.foodtv.com Some recipes that involve a lot of chopping (jambalaya, caponata -both delicious) took me more than 30 minutes, but many can be made in 30 minutes and she has a great 5 minute marinara sauce that beats a jarred sauce. |
lizzyr
Citizen
Username: Lizzyr
Post Number: 93
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 4:51 pm: | |
I'm surprised no one has mentioned a crock pot. It is a lifesaver. I prepare it the night before, put in fridge and pop in the base in the morning and come home to wonderfully cooked food with limited prep. The family favorite is whole chicken, followed by roast pork and beef. You can use a really cheap cut of meat and the slow cooking makes it tender. |
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1853
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 5:36 pm: | |
How much does a crock pot cost? Anyone care to post a favorite chicken or fish or vegetarian recipe?
I have been disappointed with recipes I get from the web. I guess it's because they can be published by anyone without an editor.
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
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Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 141
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 6:21 pm: | |
We should have a separate thread for recipes. |
shh
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 894
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 6:56 pm: | |
I have a crock pot too. Got it a few years ago at Costco for about $30 and it's big.
Unfortunately, I have yet to find a vegetarian recipe that would make me use that instead of a regular pot.
The only way I have used it in the past is to make tortellini for a crowd—the precooked kind, from Costco's freezer section. All I do is throw in a bag of tortellini, some cream, sauteed mushrooms, peas, diced tomato and spices and let it cook. It's perfect for serving at Open house type parties because it stays warm. |
Deb G
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 759
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 25, 2004 - 8:48 pm: | |
I LOVE my crockpot. Great recipes: Lora Brody's Slow Cooker Meals. I will also be glad to post some faves on a recipe thread.... |
algebra2
Citizen
Username: Algebra2
Post Number: 1576
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:25 am: | |
How long can a crock pot be left on for? I am a bit paranoid about something plugged in and cooking in my house all day. We both commute into the city -- is it irresponsible to have a crock pot on for 11 hours? I worry that I'd be stuck on a broken down train and my house would burn down. Also, most meals are just for two people, our son doesn't eat much other than PB&J and Pasta Bee Houses (aka Annie's Shells and Cheese). |
Tom Reingold
Citizen
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 1855
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 26, 2004 - 9:28 am: | |
I think it only consumes about 75 watts, so it only gets about as hot as a 75 watt light bulb. It contains the heat well, so the risk of fire is negligible.
Tom Reingold the prissy-pants
There is nothing
|
shh
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 902
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 27, 2004 - 9:30 pm: | |
FLipping through the channels the other night I saw Nigella Lawson prepare a kind of shrimp cake. Made a mental note. Had a few frozen shrimp on hand, added some lump crabmeat to supplement, some garlic, scallion, a bit of flour and an egg. Fried them. My ENTIRE family loved them. This was previously unheard of in our house! I told my kids it was the best night of my life...everyone ate their dinner! Next time I make more! |
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