Not too long, OMG! Those recipes are awesome because they don't have amounts, which means I can just throw stuff around. I like to throw stuff around, but I never know what to put in. Then I get out recipes and it all starts seeming so complicated, and all of them require quite a few ingredients. When really I just wanna throw 3-5 things together. So, awesome.
Thanks for the stocking up advice. Should be common sense (and I DID see it on Rachel Ray), but I usually shop for specific recipes, and then have all this left over random seasoning crap I don't know how to use, and no generic stuff to use on more widespread stuff (though I'm not very good at using the generic stuff either. I should be able to use up my Worcestire sauce, dammit).
I stress over bread too. I stopped buying it. I stopped buying pasta for a while, but then I just craved something carby all the time.
Oh, good idea about stuff in jars. I like asparagus. And I know artichokes come in jars. Frozen peas are great, but the only thing I know to do with them is--uh, cook them and eat them!
I don't go to the butcher because that is very expensive. Should've mentioned I have a pretty small budget. Part of my whole issue with fresh veggies is they cost so much--I don't like the waste as well, but yeah. So a lot of the individually wrapped stuff feels so expensive for just one meal.
Thank you so much for your advice! Very cool and I'm definitely going to try these things. And totally hit you up for more cooking advice one day ;o)
...I'm really curious about the pizza, too. The egg confuses me.
My mother never used recipes, and they tend to stress me out because they're so fussy and you need to have a list when shopping for them (and then you have a breakdown in aisle three when you realise they're out of cornstarch! ... this is why I don't bake), so I prefer to look at a recipe that seems interesting and then wing it and taste as I go along. What I've done instead is write down a short list of taste combinations that I like: citrus and chicken; pork, sweet sauce and pepper (honey and pepper glazed short ribs are amazing); seafood, coconut milk and ginger; grilled meats and yogurt; etc. Once you figure out what you like, you can look at a bunch of ingredients and make something up, and it's easier to change things around when you get bored. It also makes it easier to shop. :)
Re: not being able to use onions and things, I have an idea - can you use shallots instead? They're tiny, and I cant imagine one stretching further than a couple of meals. Or scallions. They taste onion-y too! I have no problem using up an entire small onion by myself, but that's because I have a horrible weakness for caramelised onions and think they go with lots of sandwiches.
Dude, I have no idea who you are, but we should really get together and cook sometime. I like your style. The taste combos, the use of caramelized onions, pasta with whatever, egg on pizza... I'm a fan!
She also had mad mastery of color coding, organizing, and spreadsheets. She speaks French and German, covers screens, and I know not what. Not to mention the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.
But just to spite us, she lives in the Philippines.
Inspired by you, I just cooked (and ate) a rather nice meal. (Spinach salad, cous cous with fixin's, and chicken stirfry)
Part of my problem is if the food isn't to-die-for I figure, "why bother?" This was just beyond mediocre, and in the end I probably prefer my Pasta Roni. But I think this is better for me and also doesn't depress me as much as Pasta Roni every night. I feel very chuffed!
I would totally make you chili if you came here :o)
Yeah, recipes suck. But I love baking. If I'm baking I get so excited about it that I don't mind going to the shop to pick up JUST THAT, although it does suck when they're out of cornstarch.
Yeah, I do think I just don't have a handle on what flavors go together. I mean, I know I like rosemary and chicken, but then . . . I end up having rosemary and chicken every single night, you know, which is one of my problems.
Shallots! Good idea. I do love carmelised onions, but I don't eat that many sandwiches because of the bread thing. Well, and I try not to have carbs, which means even though sandwiches are like my favorite food, I just don't have many of them. But I should have carmelized onions with more things!
Thanks for the peas advice. I particularly love your idea of lazy pesto! Cool.
I'll have to try the wax paper.
Thanks so much for all this cool advice, T! I feel that under your tutelage I shall be a lazy grand master!
Thanks for the stocking up advice. Should be common sense (and I DID see it on Rachel Ray), but I usually shop for specific recipes, and then have all this left over random seasoning crap I don't know how to use, and no generic stuff to use on more widespread stuff (though I'm not very good at using the generic stuff either. I should be able to use up my Worcestire sauce, dammit).
I stress over bread too. I stopped buying it. I stopped buying pasta for a while, but then I just craved something carby all the time.
Oh, good idea about stuff in jars. I like asparagus. And I know artichokes come in jars. Frozen peas are great, but the only thing I know to do with them is--uh, cook them and eat them!
I don't go to the butcher because that is very expensive. Should've mentioned I have a pretty small budget. Part of my whole issue with fresh veggies is they cost so much--I don't like the waste as well, but yeah. So a lot of the individually wrapped stuff feels so expensive for just one meal.
Thank you so much for your advice! Very cool and I'm definitely going to try these things. And totally hit you up for more cooking advice one day ;o)
...I'm really curious about the pizza, too. The egg confuses me.
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Re: not being able to use onions and things, I have an idea - can you use shallots instead? They're tiny, and I cant imagine one stretching further than a couple of meals. Or scallions. They taste onion-y too! I have no problem using up an entire small onion by myself, but that's because I have a horrible weakness for caramelised onions and think they go with lots of sandwiches.
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But just to spite us, she lives in the Philippines.
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Excellent Austen shout-out there, by the way.
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Part of my problem is if the food isn't to-die-for I figure, "why bother?" This was just beyond mediocre, and in the end I probably prefer my Pasta Roni. But I think this is better for me and also doesn't depress me as much as Pasta Roni every night. I feel very chuffed!
I would totally make you chili if you came here :o)
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Yeah, I do think I just don't have a handle on what flavors go together. I mean, I know I like rosemary and chicken, but then . . . I end up having rosemary and chicken every single night, you know, which is one of my problems.
Shallots! Good idea. I do love carmelised onions, but I don't eat that many sandwiches because of the bread thing. Well, and I try not to have carbs, which means even though sandwiches are like my favorite food, I just don't have many of them. But I should have carmelized onions with more things!
Thanks for the peas advice. I particularly love your idea of lazy pesto! Cool.
I'll have to try the wax paper.
Thanks so much for all this cool advice, T! I feel that under your tutelage I shall be a lazy grand master!
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