<p>I gladly admit / concede that I don’t have a sophisticated palate!</p>
<p>My mother was a terrible cook. I know that she resented the fact that she worked bull time, did all the cooking and cleanup. She made two things well: matzoh ball soup and stuffed cabbage. Everything else was well done meat and overcooked vegetables.</p>
<p>When Mr. Ellebud and I married my mil asked my mother (I found this out recently) if I could cook. My mom said that if I wanted to learn I would. </p>
<p>When our kids were young I really cooked. We had fulltime help so any messes that I made were cleaned up. I do have cooking down to a science. Two or more guests…if I am cooking or reserving…no problem. As for takeout done all the time. I like people around our tables. </p>
<p>The one thing that I have in my bag of tricks? Trader Joe’s…</p>
<p>And when you grill, you can make a little extra that goes in the fridge or freezer, much like Thursday’s casserole. </p>
<p>On the hoarder thread, I wanted to add that I keep cookbooks and recipes (including MIL’s old ones- definitely a lot from magazines or swaps with friends. Good enough to hang onto, for sure.) But, with a few exceptions, nothing says we have to follow them to the letter. You just get an idea. </p>
<p>DH wanted me to use some credit card points to get a food processor. I’m torn about adding more gear when I have knives and cutting boards. The time spent cleaning another piece of equipment drives me crazier than slicing carrots by hand. Really, the clean-up is my hurdle. :)</p>
<p>Someone else mentioned TJ’s; we love the Chinese beef and broccoli.</p>
<p>This is so eye opening. What is most eye opening is that some people don’t have (for whatever reason, none of which is your “fault” or a negative to you) a palette to enjoy or appreciate the process of preparing food , enjoying the taste or distinguishing the taste differences - that kind of thing. It’s so interesting to me because food plays such a big role in my life and my extended families life- most if usage full on foodies who love to try new dishes, flavors and a get tighter is an experience in new tastes! </p>
<p>I work daily too and also don’t generally spend a lot of time on preparation - as said above, usually 30 mins or less, but definitely think I cook healthier than what I would buy in the frozen food section AND save $$ over buying the convenience of the healthier take out meals that are available. Magazines can be full of calorie laden recipes but that’s not what I choose to cook on a regular basis. </p>
<p>We all make choices and as long as it works for us and keeps us happy, great! Just very interesting to read!!</p>
<p>I keep raw peeled 20/pond shrimp from Costco, and make one of Bittman’s recipes, with some rice and some salad. I recently tried a rice add in from whole spice In Napa that makes It easy to make what I will call a pilaf. </p>
<p>“Shrimp My Way”
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<p>I think PG is on the same track with what she thinks of as simple foods- my grandmother (she and my gf owned a restaurant) was a huge proponent of what she called “clean cooking.” You don’t have to detect “layers of flavor” a la the cooking shows. Sometimes, it’s just a bit of salt and a favorite add. She could make roast chicken to die for, with just a little butter and salt. My friends would rave- for years. </p>
<p>About our kids–plenty of times, they’ve surprised me by deciding to eat here or bringing home more than we expected. What they like, no matter what’s in front of them, is when I sit with them for a bit, listen to them. </p>
<p>That’s really the recipe to look for- whatever just makes your peeps feel the bonds. For some it’s the smell of the grill, for some it’s that you made from scratch. And for some, it may very well be the sweet potato casserole, at holidays. My D2 would be thrilled with Stoufffer’s lasagna, think I had really done that for her.</p>
<p>On the subject of chicken. </p>
<p>Palates vary wildly. But if I subjected this palate to chicken one more time, it would be too soon. I have eaten enough chicken to last a lifetime. I know that it’s cheap and easy (much like I used to be 
) but for me it’s time to move on. And that’s another reason to expand ones techniques. Legumes, fish, more fish, fish, lean pork and lean beef(did I mention fish?) are our go-to proteins. The only “problem” with these proteins is the prep involved requires a certain amount of strategic thinking. The lean beef , pork and legumes require longer cooking times (that’s what the at home husband is for) than chicken and the fish requires the presence of a really good supplier. One does not have to use a legnthy list of ingredients or a long time at the stove, but they do require thought. And I understand that if your palate does not require variety then chicken is just fine. But personally…I only eat chicken if it’s served to me by others.
BTW…I just noticed that I was spelling palate as palette. It’s a painter thing ;).</p>
<p>My mother would make me boxed mashed potatoes on my birthday and I thought that was the bomb! It wasn’t til I was older I realized that people actually mashed real potatoes!</p>
<p>that’s hilarious^</p>
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<p>That’s very well said. That’s why I predominantly eat chicken or turkey burgers (I am allergic to shellfish) versus red meat or fish. Chicken and turkey burgers are readily available in ways that don’t require that strategic thinking.</p>
<p>I have a long commute in ridiculous traffic. The menu starts in my mind at the office and changes radically by the time I’ve gone through 5-mile-an hour traffic on the So Cal freeways. I phone H the shopping list and after that soul killing commute, a little frantic kitchen time is like a cold beer on a hot afternoon. And of course, each dinner I cook is good for a night or two of leftovers.
But I have my slumps. Last month I lost all inspiration and depended on the Whole Foods salad bar for at least two weeks.</p>
<p>And a lot of this is about inspiration, and not about any sort of female domestic duty.
If the spirit does not move you to this sort of thing: Fugidaboutit.</p>
<p>I think we’re both good cooks here because of our mothers. Now with 4 kids and friends, extra family, etc I’d get darn tired of cooking for that many all the time too. My dad never did a load of laundry and prepare a meal his entire life.</p>
<p>I didn’t know how to cook a thing when I got married and my husband taught me, as well as my betty crocker cookbook. I once made hubby, when we were first dating, and it took me 4 hours to make chicken and dumplings. I could throw that together in 20 minutes now - lol</p>
<p>The worst things I remember about my mothers cooking? It’s a 3 way tie - sloppy joe’s on white bread, barbecue chicken - she’d grill it and burn, literally black on the outside and raw on the inside, and hamburgers - she hated to touch meat so she would just pick it up in clumps and grill it. I remember crying over sloppy joe’s - lol. I ended up living on cereal as a kid. </p>
<p>She still can’t cook.</p>
<p>As for the food processor - I have a good one, and I’ll use it if I’m doing something like french onion soup for tons of onions, but otherwise I can chop faster than it takes to set it up and clean it up. And after dealing with work all day, sometimes a good chopping session with a glass of wine is very therapeutic.</p>
<p>We cook here. Love food. Both girls cook well, too. But I did go thru a period of a few years where I lost interest. Since I’ve moved to a place with amazing local produce and seafood, it’s fun again. </p>
<p>Here’s my go to busy night with guests: roasted chicken, mushrooms sliced, small dice sweet onion, garlic, saffron, chx broth, rice. Take chx off bone. Sweat onions in butter. Add garlic mushrooms til done. Toss in chx. Add rice, broth and saffron. Cook til rice is done. I make a salad to go with. Vinaigrette. </p>
<p>I can eat this compulsively. Even with your loathe for chx. Musica. You would like this.</p>
<p>If these kinds of recipes are your busy nights, what are you making on non-busy nights? Because what you are all describing is “full-on cooking”, not “shortcut for unexpected guests”! </p>
<p>Maybe this is a skill I need to develop. I think I will when I retire :-)</p>
<p>I promise that takes me about 35 minutes, including time to make the salad and vinaigrette while the rice cooks. It’s good the next day, too. Better maybe</p>
<p>I like to think boning a chicken is like what I’ve heard here on CC about practicing math. Anybody can get better at it. </p>
<p>For some reason I have gotten really good at boning a chicken, but still use a calculator for simple math.</p>
<p>I would rather do advanced math without a calculator than bone a chicken! </p>
<p>But that’s just me…:)</p>
<p>There’s a reason they sell boneless chicken breasts.</p>
<p>I start usually start cooking when dh calls to say he’s on his way. 20 minutes later dinner is mostly done with just time for him to make the salad. If anyone wants a simple recipe - this is what we had last night.
Swordfish with Rosemary Lemon Butter
1 lb. sword fish, marinate in 2 Tb lemon juice, 2 Tb olive oil, 1 tsp fresh rosemary for 10-15 minutes
while it’s marinating start the coals for the grill
When they are ready put the fish on and make a butter topping
cream 1 Tb butter, 1 tsp grated lemon peel, 1 tsp fresh rosemary, 1 tsp fresh chives
Total time 30 minutes
We had it with kale, that I steam 5-10 minutes and then sauteed with a bit of garlic in good olive oil. I served it with a squeeze of lemon juice and some sumac powder sprinkled on it. We had some leftover boiled potatoes on the side that I reheated.</p>
<p>I love grilling fish because it’s so fast. I’ll often grill vegetable (especially eggplant or zucchini to eat another day).</p>
<p>OK, so I’m NOT really a FAILURE. . .I’m just UNINSPIRED. And waiting for the spirit to move me. (I used to be more creative and cook all kinds of things from scratch. I know HOW to cook, and we do like a variety of different ethnic foods, but after so many years of so many people depending on me, I’m burned out on cooking.) </p>
<p>Choosing math over boning chicken any day.</p>