Sick of cooking

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty tired
of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep that
up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all. DH
does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really up to
me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that doesn't
work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Dimitri

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:18:26 GMT, "Bell Jar" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty
tired of it.

Keep things really simple, use the microwave to thaw frozen
vegetables, make big batches of stuff and freeze portions for later
use.

I've found that when I can get dinner together in 10 min by reheating
leftovers and plannedovers, it's less onerous to deal with day-to-day
cooking.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Fri, 27 May 2005 00:08:39 GMT, "Dimitri" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty tired
of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep that
up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all. DH
does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really up to
me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that doesn't
work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Or re-do the kitchen! (the cook's equivalent of a new hat; it'll lift
your spirits and inspire). Buy a new appliance. If that's out of the
budget, try something less ambitious like painting the walls and
hanging new prints. Do something to change the environment; the old
one is bringing her down.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Dimitri said:

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty tired
of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep that
up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all. DH
does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really up to
me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that doesn't
work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

You beat me to it, Dimitri. 🙂

BellJar, are there any types of dishes you've never made that you'd like to
try? I'll bet we could dig up some recipes for you.

Carol

--
CLICK DAILY TO FEED THE HUNGRY
United States:
http://www.stopthehunger.com/
International:
http://www.thehungersite.com/

Dimitri wrote on 26 May 2005 in rec.food.cooking

Quoted message said:

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm
pretty tired of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we
can't keep that up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters
at all. DH does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of
hours so it's really up to me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if
that doesn't work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Dimitri

Pick a style of cooking...say chinese or italian or mexican or thai.
Cook that style for a while. New tastes, new ingredients and new
procedures should allow you to shake off the dulldrums.

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic Since Aug 2004
1AC- 7.2, 7.3, 5.5, 5.6 mmol
Weight from 265 down to 219 lbs. and dropping.
Continuing to be Manitoban

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Curly Sue) said:

Or re-do the kitchen! (the cook's equivalent of a new hat; it'll lift
your spirits and inspire). Buy a new appliance. If that's out of the
budget, try something less ambitious like painting the walls and
hanging new prints. Do something to change the environment; the old
one is bringing her down.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

She's already re-done the bathroom, Sue. <grin>
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 5/8/05.
"Are we going to measure, or are we going to cook?" -Food Critic Mimi Sheraton

In article <[email hidden]>, "Bell Jar"

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm
pretty tired of it. For the last couple of wks we have gone out for
dinner but we can't keep that up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁 How do
I get myself re-motivated? btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook
for, if that matters at all. DH does cook from time to time, but he
works a lot of hours so it's really up to me.

Wake up, brush your teeth, comb your hair, have a cup of coffee and
start on supper!! Do as much in advance as you can and stick it in the
fridge. I know you're not looking forward to summer heat. Do the pot
roast at 5:30 a.m. and re-heat it for supper. Then make hash from the
leftover spuds, carrots, and meat a couple nights later. Tear up the
lettuces and throw them in a plastic bag. Salad? Reach into the bag
and put it on the plates. Don't marinate chicken in an acidic marinade
for too long -- it can get mushy.

Teach the twerp the fine art of a PB&J supper.

Put the hotdish together in the a.m. or the night before and have it
ready to stick into the oven 45 minutes before supper. I know what
you're like when you've a mind to. :-)
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 5/8/05.
"Are we going to measure, or are we going to cook?" -Food Critic Mimi Sheraton

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:18:26 GMT, "Bell Jar" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty
tired of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep
that up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all. DH
does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really up
to me.

is it the cooking or the menu planning that's getting you down? I am
ok once I know what we're having, but I hate hate HATE that part. I
have even subscribed to services where yoiu get a weekly menu sent to
you to cook (this was ok but lots of "add a can of soup to some other
processed thing" recipes, and also lots of things I can't get here).
Anyway I wondered if it was the cookingor the planning that you're
hating.

Hope

In article <[email hidden]>,

Bell Jar said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty
tired of it.

Me too. And I'm the DH (I thought it meant "[censored]" the first
time I saw it, but as long as it means "dear husband" I guess I
don't mind).

What I like is when my wife and I collaborate on a meal. This
generally happens on weekends, often results in an elaborate
multi-course meal, and we make enough so that the leftovers last
through most of the week.

So, lately, we end up cooking just 2 or 3 times a week when we don't
want to eat leftovers, or when we run out (the leftovers are used
for our lunches at work too). We also eat out once a week, maybe
twice.

I still have to make breakfast every day though. I've reduced that
to a low-carb high-protein shake which we both like very much and
satiates us until lunch. If anyone's interested, the recipe is as
follows, with plenty of footnotes:

Moderately low-carb chocolate soy breakfast

For each serving:
8 - 10 oz soy milk [1]
1 teaspoon soy lecithin granules [2]
1 round to heaping tablespoon un-sweetened cocoa powder [3]
1 tablespoon flax oil [4]
1 scoop whey protein powder [5]
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon stevia powder, add to taste [6]

Optional additions (pick one or more, or all at once):
1 level tablespoon carob powder (imparts a good flavor)
1/4 cup fresh blueberries [7] or 3-4 strawberries (reduce soy milk
accordingly)
3-4 drops peppermint oil (for essence; goes well with chocolate)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of "greens" powder (healthy and doesn't seem to alter the
flavor)

Notes:
All ingredients can be found at Whole Foods Market, although we buy
soy milk at Trader Joe's or Costco.

[1] I try to use soy milk with the least amount of sugars. Avoid the
"low fat" or "fat free" varieties; there's nothing wrong with the fat,
and it tastes better too. The "Silk" brand soy milk at Costco is
okay, and tasty, and we use it because it's cheap (less than
$1/carton). However, it has 14 g sugars per serving. WestSoy has one
with only 4 g sugars, and Trader Joe's Organic Unsweetened Soy Milk
has only 4 g sugars also, and it's only $1.19/qt. We've been using
Trader Joe's lately.

[2] Lecithin is an emulsifier that allows oil and water to mix without
separating. It imparts no flavor at all. It's in a refrigerator
section of Whole Foods, and you should keep it refrigerated.

[3] The more chocolatey, the better, in my opinion. You can always
offset the bitterness of more cocoa by using more stevia. If you're a
chocolate connoisseur, you might be particular about the unsweetened
cocoa powder you use. I can't tell the difference, but I have been
told that Sharffen Berger cocoa has a "one note" flavor while others
are more complex. We buy based on price, and around here the
Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder is the best deal. Just make sure
it's un-sweetened.

[4] Flax oil: try to buy it refrigerated (not room temperature), and
keep it refrigerated. It can go rancid otherwise. It should never
be cooked; cooking destroys its nutritional value. Pure filtered
flax oil has a tasty nut-like flavor and can be consumed by itself,
or on salads, or instead of olive oil for dipping bread. The "high
lignan" type of flax oil is healthier but has a vile bitter flavor.
High lignan flax oil is fine for this recipe and better for you --
you won't notice the flavor because the cocoa powder is bitter too.

[5] There isn't enough protein in soy milk to last until lunch.
Adding protein powder also thickens the final product slightly.
Most diet books recommend whey protein, in particular brands called
"Designer Whey" and Solgar's "Whey To Go." Whatever you buy must
have NO ADDED SUGAR. Many work-out supplements contain sugar, so
avoid those. We generally use Designer Whey, either plain, vanilla,
or strawberry flavor (strawberry flavor complements chocolate
nicely, although it has artifical sweeteners). The best price
I've found is from http://www.vitaminshoppe.com and they also have
brick-and-mortar stores. They sell it in 2 lb or 5 lb containers.
You might also have some luck finding unsweetened whey protein at
Costco, but all I've ever seen there has added sugar.

[6] The 1/8 teaspoon in this recipe assumes you're using PURE
stevia extract powder, where 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoon has the equivalent
sweetness of 1 cup sugar. I don't actually measure it; I just shake
the jar a couple times over the blender, dip my finger in to taste
it, and repeat as necessary.

In my opinion stevia is the best sweetener for liquids, bar none.
It seems to aid digestion in some people, and has never revealed any
adverse side effects, unlike artificial sweeteners like Sweet'nLow
(saccharin, a carcinogen), NutraSweet (aspartame, proven to leave
formaldehyde deposits in the brain; see the Barcelona Study
described at http://www.presidiotex.com/barcelona/ ), or Splenda
(sucralose, probably the "safest" of the artificial sweeteners,
having adverse affects in only a small minority). Sometimes I
make some cold chocolate soymilk on a hot day with just soy milk,
cocoa powder, and stevia. It's good for sweetening cooking sauces
too. However, Stevia is worthless for making cookies, cake, and ice
cream because those require the crystalline structure of sugar, and
the tiny amount of stevia you need for sweetening doesn't provide
sufficient crystal structure. If you want sugar-free cookies or ice
cream, I say use Splenda.

[7] I have observed that blueberries have a nice reaction with soy
milk causing the final result to be quite thick, thicker than you'd
expect, and thicker than you get from using other berries.

-A

I agree with Hope, we need to know if it's the actual cooking that
you're tired of, or planning of the meals. Then we can better help you.

Bell Jar said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty
tired of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep
that up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all. DH
does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really up
to me.

I know the feeling.

The secret for me is to cook things that will make more than
one different meal. Not having to start every meal from
scratch is a big motivational boost for me.

Example: I make a big batch of meatballs, freeze in bags of
12-20. I can use a package to make spaghetti sauce, leftovers
of which will go over pasta and later become the sauce for lasagna
or be served as meatball grinders (subs, Italian sandwiches).

Another package will make a sort of meatball stroganoff or
Swedish meatballs over egg noodles.

I poached 6 giant chicken breast halves a couple of days ago.
I made chicken salad with pineapple, grapes, celery, green onion,
and curried mayo, to be topped with toasted slivered almonds when
I serve it.

The other half was added to a batch of rice which cooked with the
poaching broth, onion, garlic, finely chopped green pepper, celery,
chopped tomatoes, cumin and curry powder.

I could also have used the chicken in fajitas or a chinese-style stirfry
or to make chicken pie.

If you cook ground beef ahead and freeze it in meal-sized portions,
you can make tacos or burritos or a tamale casserole.

Leftover grilled flank steak makes wonderful sandwiches or tops
a green salad. (We have flank often but usually there's none left over.)

Good luck!

gloria p

Dimitri said:

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty

tired

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't keep

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all.

DH

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really

up to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that

doesn't

Quoted message said:

work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Hey Dimitri..why do I think this post is a troll..."Bell Jar" and all that
jazz..."tired of life", etc....

--
Best
"Ann Sexton"

"Gregory Morrow"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dimitri said:

"Bell Jar" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty

tired

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of it.
For the last couple of wks we have gone out for dinner but we can't
keep

that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

up .. it's not in the budget. 🙁
How do I get myself re-motivated?
btw, I have 2 little ones and a DH to cook for, if that matters at all.

DH

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

does cook from time to time, but he works a lot of hours so it's really

up to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

me.

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that

doesn't

Quoted message said:

work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Hey Dimitri..why do I think this post is a troll..."Bell Jar" and all that
jazz..."tired of life", etc....

--
Best
"Ann Sexton"

WTF? I have been posting here for SEVERAL years. get over yourself.

"Dimitri" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:bytle.2012

Quoted message said:

Happen to the best of us - change the rut you're in.

Start experimenting and cooking dishes you never have before - if that
doesn't work get a 2nd job and hire a cook. <g>

Dimitri

hehe ... I like that cook idea ... but only if they clean too 🙂
I think your right, I am in a rut.

"Curly Sue" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Or re-do the kitchen! (the cook's equivalent of a new hat; it'll lift
your spirits and inspire).

hehe ... I'll tell my dh ...

Quoted message said:

Buy a new appliance.

mmmm ... now that sounds like a good idea 🙂
I'll have to check out the budget. I did get a new KA for christmas ...
maybe something for that.

If that's out of the

Quoted message said:

budget, try something less ambitious like painting the walls and
hanging new prints. Do something to change the environment; the old
one is bringing her down.

If you could see my kitchen! ... Lets just say that the ol' broad the lived
here before was big on herbs ... the smoking kind.
You would have to be stoned to pick out this wall paper! And after putting
it up you should be.

Quoted message said:

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

"Melba's Jammin'" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

She's already re-done the bathroom, Sue. <grin>
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 5/8/05.

hehe 😄
And it's the best lookin' room in the house 🙂

The kitchen is a pretty big job to do on my own ... I think I'm a little
afraid 🙁

"Damsel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BellJar, are there any types of dishes you've never made that you'd like
to
try? I'll bet we could dig up some recipes for you.

Carol

Lately I have wanted to try rice rolls, I hesitate to call it sushi because
I'm not interested in making them w/ raw fish. I have seen recipes to use
cooked chicken, beef or even veggies.
I just found out about an Asian market that is not to far from me. It
sounds like I should give it a try.

"Monsur Fromage du Pollet" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pick a style of cooking...say chinese or italian or mexican or thai.
Cook that style for a while. New tastes, new ingredients and new
procedures should allow you to shake off the dulldrums.

Thanks 🙂 This seems to be worth a shot.

"Curly Sue" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Thu, 26 May 2005 22:18:26 GMT, "Bell Jar" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

I am sick of cooking. I used to love cooking but right now, I'm pretty
tired of it.

Keep things really simple, use the microwave to thaw frozen
vegetables, make big batches of stuff and freeze portions for later
use.

I've found that when I can get dinner together in 10 min by reheating
leftovers and plannedovers, it's less onerous to deal with day-to-day
cooking.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Thanks Sue, This is what I have been trying to do lately. It helps 🙂