Meals most frequently cooked

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

Chicken chicken chicken and chicken... I hate beef except ground beef
occasionally, and lamb is way too expensive. We have chicken three or
four times a week because a) a whole roasted chicken from the
supermarket does us for two or three meals, and b)chicken breast
tenders are very economical. You can do a million and one things with
a chicken breast and it's not expensive. For a change sometimes we
have drumsticks but they're not as economical because of all that
bone.

We use a lot of ground turkey and sometimes ground beef in hamburgers
or chilli or meatloaf.

We have skinless boneless pork 'chops' in some form once a week, and
we have tilapia every few weeks for a change.

We like eggs, and we use quite a bit of bacon.

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

On 24 Apr 2006 08:22:17 -0700, "Anthony" <[email hidden]> wrote:

chicken breast tenders are very economical.

Are you talking chicken tenderloins? Not economical where I live!
Sometimes I can get boneless chicken breast halves on sale for around
$2/lb., but the tenderloins are more expensive and don't go on sale.

Quoted message said:

You can do a million and one things with
a chicken breast and it's not expensive. For a change sometimes we
have drumsticks but they're not as economical because of all that
bone.

Maybe, but boneless poultry has nothing going for it flavorwise. I
never use it unless I'm specifically making something *requiring*
skinless boneless breast (to be stuffed or pounded into scallopini).
Poultry on the bone always tastes better, and tends to go on sale at a
much greater discount...59 cents a pound vs. $3.99 a pound...that's
easy to figure out. Save the bones for stock.

Quoted message said:

We have skinless boneless pork 'chops' in some form once a week,

Again, meat on the bone for me, please!

Sandy

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

'Most frequently' is a very different animal from 'favorite.' For us,
it depends on what is growing in the garden, what is in season at the
farmers market, and what meat, fish or poultry is on sale and looks
good. One way to approach the question is in terms of cooking method:

Stirfry. We eat some kind of stirfry of meat and vegetables 3 or
4 times a week. Nearly always with rice. Beef and chicken about 1/3
of the time each, the remaining third split among shrimp, pork, tofu,
or just veggies. A little bit of ground pork often goes into a 'sauce'
for veggies.

Grill. I grill something about twice a week. Could be almost
anything.

Braise or stew. Once a week.

Roast, bake, pasta, simple sauté, or hearty soup the rest of the
time.

Very seldom freeze leftovers, to respond to another thread. Most
leftovers get some kind of modest transformation for a lunch, such as
ad hoc fried rice or chow mein. Stews and braises get refrigerated and
reheated for a second dinner, usually with different sides. -aem

Karen AKA Kajikit said:

Quoted message said:

We have skinless boneless pork 'chops' in some form once a week,

What do you mean by "skinless" pork chops... I've never seen a pork
chop with skin... are you talking tube steak?

Sheldon

I eat healthy, which means lots of casseroles, salads and
stews/curries.

Casseroles are generally layered things, like a great Rick Bayless
recipe I found mixing sliced onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cilantro and
chicken. It's amazing and I'm guessing totally fat-free.

For salads, I like almost anything with pasta (udon or orzo are
favorites) or potatoes. These *always* have a green veg and a yellow
veg (grated carrots, usually) and usually diced red pepper mixed in.

Curries are *real* easy, and really delicious. Chicken, light coconut
milk, curry paste, potatoes, and the usual green veg, yellow veg, red
pepper. Ten minutes to prep but an hour to simmer.

For emergencies, I'll make a pasta with a natural pasta sauce and
either fresh or frozen vegetables.

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

Oh hell, I answered this in the other thread. My brain is on fart mode
lately - I evidently can't read worth a dang.

So here are my favorites:

Tomato and cuke sandwiches with garlic/sour cream sauce
vegetarian chili
Mexican anything - no beef
Mixed green salad with cauliflower, celery, carrots kidney beans, peas
and grilled chicken
tuna pasta salad
gooey cheese popcorn
cottage cheese with bananas and cinnamon toast
pasta with mixed sauteed veggies in garlic butter
fruit smoothies
fruit salad

-L.
(just call me Assbackwards)

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

hmmm
most frequently...
stir fries and curries with veggies and either beans (chick peas), tofu or
seitan for the protein.

It's quick and easy.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

....

Quoted message said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

1. Eggs: I have an egg over easy as part of my breakfast every day
and I often have scrambled eggs or an omelet in the evening.

2. Beef: We have red meat, usually beef, for our main (mid-day) meal
about every third day.Because steak is so expensive I most often make
either a stew, for which I use chuck and I make a large quantity so
that I can freeze several meals, or I make hamburgers. I'll put a
green vegetable with the stew, usually spinach or Brussel sprouts and
with the hamburgers perhaps caramelized onions and Provencal tomatoes.
Of course now and then we have a steak, usually filet which is Madame's
preference and which I generally pan fry and serve with a salad or
perhaps some leafy veg.

3. Pork, specifically tenderloin. Very often I pan-fry it using a dry
non-stick pan. Takes about twenty minutes and is good to eat! Or I'll
braise it in a quantity large enough to freeze some down. Or I'll make
a Chinese dish, using the usual suspects to provide the flavor.

4. Fish, which we have about every third day. I go to Whole Foods and
pick out whatever looks best, which very often turns out to be Alaskan
salmon which I generally cook seasoned with S&P and wrapped in foil.
If it's cod or halibut or flounder I pan-fry it. Most often have green
beans with fish.

5. Chicken. Skinless breasts only, and not too often as I don't like
the feel of it raw. Usually braise it with veg which I serve with it.

So far as possible I use organic materials and don't buy anything much
that is already prepared. As you can see our diet is quite plain
probably because we're no longer young and plain food best suits our
aging digestive systems!

There's not many things I don't like, and our "rotation" is pretty broad.
Beef, pork and lots of sea food are consumed at our house. A lot grilled
outside, recipe permitting. Some like quality some like quantity... I need
both.

For simple food, it's hard to beat a great big sandwich on rye bread with
some chips on the side and a cold beer... (I'm getting hungry) And Pizza...
man I love a good home made pizza, and even though it's a bit of work, we
make that several times a month...(I wish more often)

But pasta... I have a hard time making a meal of that, though it's nice for
a side dish with a big hunk of steak.

But, invite me for dinner, and you need not worry... just about anything
that's prepared with care I'll eat and enjoy.

Larry T

Larry T

One thing I fall back on time and again - shrimp chow mein. I always
have the ingredients in the house (frozen raw shrimp), it's quick and
easy clean up too.

Quoted message said:

I eat healthy, which means lots of casseroles, salads and
stews/curries.

<snip>

I try to. But every now and then I stray to the dark side. Tonight I
indulged my son and husband with great big burgers; ground round
seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled until brown and crispy on the
outside and still pink towards the middle. These were topped with
cheese and served on sesame buns that had been brushed with garlic
butter and browned on the grill. Toppings offered were ketchup,
mustard, mayo, grilled vidalia onions and green leaf lettuce (the
tomatoes were pathetic). No salad or fries were offered or required.

Tonite I am a goddess.

Kathleen

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

1. Eggs: I have an egg over easy as part of my breakfast every day
and I often have scrambled eggs or an omelet in the evening.

Eggs are a healthy and delicious food. I prefer mine basted, and if
scrambling I usually trash some of the albumen.

Quoted message said:

2. Beef: We have red meat, usually beef, for our main (mid-day) meal
about every third day.Because steak is so expensive I most often make
either a stew, for which I use chuck and I make a large quantity so
that I can freeze several meals, or I make hamburgers. I'll put a
green vegetable with the stew, usually spinach or Brussel sprouts and
with the hamburgers perhaps caramelized onions and Provencal tomatoes.
Of course now and then we have a steak, usually filet which is Madame's
preference and which I generally pan fry and serve with a salad or
perhaps some leafy veg.

I too sometimes pan sear steak, but if possible, cook it over fire. I
use hickory wood or hickory wood + charcoal, but even a gas grill is
better than pan searing. Salads and leafy greens are always a good
thing. There's nothing healthier than leafy green veggies.

Quoted message said:

3. Pork, specifically tenderloin. Very often I pan-fry it using a dry
non-stick pan. Takes about twenty minutes and is good to eat! Or I'll
braise it in a quantity large enough to freeze some down. Or I'll make
a Chinese dish, using the usual suspects to provide the flavor.

Pork is much better pan fried than beef is.

Quoted message said:

4. Fish, which we have about every third day. I go to Whole Foods and
pick out whatever looks best, which very often turns out to be Alaskan
salmon which I generally cook seasoned with S&P and wrapped in foil.
If it's cod or halibut or flounder I pan-fry it. Most often have green
beans with fish.

I can't possibly suggest any improvement. Wild Pacific Salmon are the
only salmon I ever prepare. Green beans are a great choice. Spinach
is nice too.

Quoted message said:

5. Chicken. Skinless breasts only, and not too often as I don't like
the feel of it raw. Usually braise it with veg which I serve with it.

I'm not a big fan of chicken breast, but braised is the way to do it,
because the problem with is that it's difficult to get it done without
getting it dry.

Quoted message said:

So far as possible I use organic materials and don't buy anything much
that is already prepared. As you can see our diet is quite plain
probably because we're no longer young and plain food best suits our
aging digestive systems!

Well, I come off as really negative most often on r.f.cooking, but I
give your post high praise. I'll look for your posts in the future.

--Bryan http://myspace.com/BoboBonobo

aem said:

'Most frequently' is a very different animal from 'favorite.' For us, it
depends on what is growing in the garden, what is in season at the farmers
market, and what meat, fish or poultry is on sale and looks good.

That's exactly the approach I take as well. Well, except for the garden,
because I have the proverbial black thumb.

Quoted message said:

One way to approach the question is in terms of cooking method:

Stirfry. We eat some kind of stirfry of meat and vegetables 3 or 4
times a week. Nearly always with rice. Beef and chicken about 1/3 of the
time each, the remaining third split among shrimp, pork, tofu, or just
veggies. A little bit of ground pork often goes into a 'sauce' for
veggies.

Grill. I grill something about twice a week. Could be almost anything.

Braise or stew. Once a week.

Roast, bake, pasta, simple sauté, or hearty soup the rest of the time.

Very seldom freeze leftovers, to respond to another thread. Most
leftovers get some kind of modest transformation for a lunch, such as ad
hoc fried rice or chow mein. Stews and braises get refrigerated and
reheated for a second dinner, usually with different sides.

I'm a big fan of one-dish meals like chicken baked with broccoli. Chicken
and rice can be made in many different ways, and is one of my staples at
home. (I have the Cooks Illustrated article on chicken and rice saved on my
computer at home. It gives a "master" recipe and half-a-dozen variations --
and that's not NEARLY an exhaustive treatment of the subject.)

I like steamed vegetables, and I've got one of those multi-tiered electric
steamers. It gets a lot of use.

At the moment, my refrigerator contains broccolini, asparagus, haricots
verts, chard, rhubarb, scallions, broccoli, carrots, and bok choy. It's
also got a whole chicken, bacon, eggs, beer, and a bunch of miscellaneous
stuff. I've got potatoes, onions, and garlic in my pantry, as well as lots
of rice, beans, pastas, and canned stuff.

My only PLANNED cooking this week is to make that yummy Rhubarb Custard Cake
on Thursday. (My girlfriend is trying to suck up to her boss because she
wants a job that just opened.) I might roast the chicken when I get home
from work tomorrow morning, but there's also the Broadway Deli recipe for
"Chicken In A Pot" that I've been meaning to try. Leftover chicken will get
stir-fried with bok choy, garlic, carrots, hot chiles, and Szechuan
peppercorns. I expect to have the asparagus, broccolini, and scallions in a
frittata (or strata or lasagna; I haven't decided) sometime this week,
either for breakfast or lunch.

I tend to like a lot of variety in what I eat; I don't have anything like a
"rotation." Unless there's something REALLY good in the market, I'm not
likely to eat the same thing for dinner twice in a month, or even twice in
SIX months. (In tomato season, though, I'll happily eat a BLT several times
a week. And I'll have corn on the cob at least once a week in season, but
I'll still vary what I do with it.) There are so many great recipes
available that I don't HAVE to repeat my meals. I've got lots and lots of
old cooking magazines; I'll sometimes look through them for seasonal dishes
I could make. Or I'll just read the posts here for inspiration!

Bob

Anthony said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

1. Eggs: I have an egg over easy as part of my breakfast every day
and I often have scrambled eggs or an omelet in the evening.

2. Beef: We have red meat, usually beef, for our main (mid-day) meal
about every third day.Because steak is so expensive I most often make
either a stew, for which I use chuck and I make a large quantity so
that I can freeze several meals, or I make hamburgers. I'll put a
green vegetable with the stew, usually spinach or Brussel sprouts and
with the hamburgers perhaps caramelized onions and Provencal tomatoes.
Of course now and then we have a steak, usually filet which is Madame's
preference and which I generally pan fry and serve with a salad or
perhaps some leafy veg.

3. Pork, specifically tenderloin. Very often I pan-fry it using a dry
non-stick pan. Takes about twenty minutes and is good to eat! Or I'll
braise it in a quantity large enough to freeze some down. Or I'll make
a Chinese dish, using the usual suspects to provide the flavor.

4. Fish, which we have about every third day. I go to Whole Foods and
pick out whatever looks best, which very often turns out to be Alaskan
salmon which I generally cook seasoned with S&P and wrapped in foil.
If it's cod or halibut or flounder I pan-fry it. Most often have green
beans with fish.

5. Chicken. Skinless breasts only, and not too often as I don't like
the feel of it raw. Usually braise it with veg which I serve with it.

So far as possible I use organic materials and don't buy anything much
that is already prepared. As you can see our diet is quite plain
probably because we're no longer young and plain food best suits our
aging digestive systems!

I agree that there's a difference between favourite and most frequently
cooked, though the two categories inevitably overlap.

I have a roast almost every week, partly so as to have cold meat for
sandwiches at lunchtime. I cycle beef, lamb, meat loaf and chicken, with
pork less often. Corned beef is also a reguler on the menu, for the same
reason. In the winter we'll have a casserole or braise of some sort once
a week (which often means twice if there is enough left over); this
includes curry of lamb or chicken and various forms of lamb or beef
stew. We have sausages of various varieties most weeks, frequently with
my pet lentil, onion and tomato stew. I very rarely buy chicken breasts,
they dry out too quickly - I much prefer thighs, boned and skinned or
not as the recipe requires.

I find frittatta is a handy way of disposing of odd veggies, and risotto
is ridiculously easy and infinitely variable.

In the winter I also make a lot of soup, which does for lunch. I have a
repertoire which cycles depending on what we fancy and what else I have
in mind for the next few days - no good making tomato soup if I'm going
to do goulash, for example.

In the summer there's rather more grilling. The butcher smokes boned
lamb loins which we have often. And of course there's salads - I do a
tarted up version of tabbouli with avocado, and chicken caesar salad
using smoked chicken breast.

Nobody seems to have mentioned veal. I am rather fond of veal rib chops,
and scallopini when it's available. I really think I prefer veal chops
to beef rib eye.

We don't have dessert much, though in winter I tend to stew fruit a bit
and have periodic cravings for rice pudding - well, if the oven's
already on for a casserole I may as well...

I try to keep things simple, partly because things unavoidably take me
longer. Either it's something you can cook quickly at the last minute,
or something that may take a bit of time in the prep but then gets
bunged in the oven to look after itself for a couple of hours and needs
no more work. I adore my pressure cooker.

And we always have Latina Pasta in the fridge for when I can't be
bothered or I've left it too late and Derrick takes over the cooking!

Christine

Most frequent main courses? In descending order:

Pasta with tomato sauce. May include pork sausage, meatless
"meatballs", or a legume ingredient either in the pasta
or in a salad or side dish.

Salmon, during salmon season -- either braised, or Weber'ed.

Something Mexican, if that can be combined into a single
category for the purposes of "most frequent": tacos,
enchiladas, burritos, chili. Either vegetarian, or pork
or sometimes beef.

Frozen vegetarian burgers or tofu sandwiches.

Stir-fry including tofu over rice.

Entree-sized salad, which might include cheese, smoked
or leftover salmon, beans, or sometimes ham to make it
main-course worthy.

Chicken, either roast or in a stew or pie.

Steve

at Mon, 24 Apr 2006 15:22:17 GMT in <1145892137.021313.300360
@i39g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, [email hidden] (Anthony) wrote :

Quoted message said:

Under the favorite Meals thread Peter A suggested that it'd be more
interesting to see what people cooked most frequently, so here's a
start:

I notice that your thinking revolves around animal proteins as a central
axis. It appears to be the "default" assumption in Western societies and I
often wonder why. To my mind at least, there's no a priori reason to single
out any particular food group as being the basis for "defining" meal
patterns and I'm curious as to how this became the custom.

Also to many in Western societies beans and grains by and large are "off
the radar screen" so that they don't enter into meal planning, except in a
peripheral sort of way. Vegetarians are the exception but of course for
them animal foods are off the radar screen so that their pattern is more
inverted than it is a completely different system altogether.

My meal planning tends to be dictated by a need for calories. I have a high
metabolism and thus I need good, substantive foods with each meal.
Perversely, I don't particularly care for fat so that complicates choices.
I need a lot of protein, which means that meat and fish are a big part of
the diet but I have an almost equal number of meals that use beans and
grains as a central element. It's rare for me that vegetables or fruits
form the backbone of a meal simply because they don't have the calorie
content necessary. I'll pig out on berries in the summer but this isn't
really a part of meal planning per se.

I love milk and use it in many things - and I also have a fondness for ice
cream in the summer. But I really hate cheese, and butter is something I
can pretty much take or leave. Dairy in general does work well for me
because it's satisfying and nutritionally dense. I'm not as prone to eggs -
for reasons that I'm not clear on. They're just not a central part of my
thinking.

Easily my 2 most common cooking methods are roasting/baking and
braising/stewing. Frying for me is a very rare exception indeed. Grilling
and broiling I do a fair amount in the summer and with certain items such
as salmon. In Seattle we have many important salmon runs that come in and
for a few weeks I often have little else - and a very large percentage of
it ends up being broiled because for me at least it produces the best
results for minimum effort.

Breakfast for me is usually cereal. Hot cereal is more common for me that
cold, except for the summer months. I have an awful lot of semolina (it
turns out like a super-smooth cream of wheat), and also a lot of porridge
made with steel cut oats. I used to be able to get steel cut barley (which
I really liked) but this wasn't popular with the consuming public and seems
to have been discontinued. It's irksome to me, but the popular cereals,
both hot and cold, seem to be the ones with the highest glycemic indices (=
strong blood sugar spike). I like things with minimal GI values (more long-
term satisfaction). Other than cereal, the other thing I often have is
sausage, which is intensely satisfying but rather fatty so it's not as
frequent as the cereals (which helps to save money as well).

Lunch for me gravitates towards good, simple grains and beans. Quinoa pilaf
with lentils and/or pinto beans is a big favourite of mine. I tend to toss
in carrots and celery as the vegetable components of the pilaf. I also make
a lot of risotti. (however I NEVER put any cheese of any form in a risotto)

Dinner is going to be heavy - which means either a large amount of meat or
a dense, satisfying grain/bean combo. I eat dinner right before going to
bed because otherwise my sleep will be a disaster and I will wake up
ravenous, in a terrible mood, and unable to think. Quite a contrast from
the normal person for whom eating right before bed is a big mistake! I love
roast beef, especially with sliced mushrooms cooked in their own stock -
which is a very common vegetable accompaniment to many things I make. Beef
stews in various guises also figure prominently. I like roast chicken a lot
- and it's useful for soup as well, but strangely other than that I somehow
never seem to get around to integrating chicken which is a pity because
it's my favourite bird. Usually I will have a fish at least once a week -
and it will be done simply - baked or broiled, by and large. With meats and
fish, I almost never have a carbohydrate side (because that would cut into
the amount of meat/fish I could have). Instead, I have meals entirely
devoted to the beans and grains which in more usual usage would be
accompaniments. On the beans/grains choices, barley with kidney beans is
the most common, by virtue of it being the most satisfying (it lasts and
lasts). However in the summer it's a bad choice (too heavy and hot), and
meanwhile fresh peas, fava beans, and fresh shell beans cycle through the
calendar. These usually dominate my summer bean choices and I'll pick a
grain that goes best with them. The one grain that's rare for me is rice
because it tends to go through the system too fast and be thus
unsatisfying.

And then finally there's chocolate, which for most people is a treat but
for me is virtually a dietary backbone - usually in the form of 100 g
bittersweet chocolate bars, one a day or so. (It's where I get much of my
fat from...)

--
Alex Rast
[email hidden]
(remove d., .7, not, and .NOSPAM to reply)

Food Snob said:

Well, I come off as really negative most often on r.f.cooking, but I
give your post high praise. I'll look for your posts in the future.

Polite of you to say so, thanks. Actually your responses were so
polite I kept looking for the hidden zinger: too much reading of rfc
creates paranoia! -🙂

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

I eat healthy, which means lots of casseroles, salads and
stews/curries.

Casseroles are generally layered things,

Casseroles generally layered -- is that your definition or someone
else's? I'm curious - I don't ever think of a casserole as being layers
of anything.
--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 4-20-2006 with our visit
to Kramarczuk's.
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Casseroles are generally layered things,

Quoted message said:

Casseroles generally layered -- is that your definition or someone
else's?  I'm curious - I don't ever think of a casserole as being layers
of anything.

Well, rightly or wrongly, I differentiate between types of casseroles
based on how you put them together. The "mix [censored] together and bung
into a baking dish" kind of casseroles are usually unhealthy. They
have canned soup or cheese or meat in them. The "layered" kind of
casserole is usually layers of (healthy) ingredients with something
liquidy dumped on top to help them cook.

I think this just proves that when you put men in the kitchen, weird
theories arise. 😉

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Casseroles are generally layered things,

Quoted message said:

Casseroles generally layered -- is that your definition or someone
else's?  I'm curious - I don't ever think of a casserole as being layers
of anything.

Well, rightly or wrongly, I differentiate between types of casseroles
based on how you put them together. The "mix [censored] together and bung
into a baking dish" kind of casseroles are usually unhealthy. They
have canned soup or cheese or meat in them. The "layered" kind of
casserole is usually layers of (healthy) ingredients with something
liquidy dumped on top to help them cook.

I think this just proves that when you put men in the kitchen, weird
theories arise. 😉

Not really. OK, sometimes.
Share with us a recipe for a layered casserole.
--
-Barb
<http://jamlady.eboard.com> Updated 4-20-2006 with our visit
to Kramarczuk's.
"If it's not worth doing to excess, it's not worth doing at all."