March Question Month Part Seven

[kybearfuzz]

The ever brilliant and buff mort_83 asked:

Do you like to cook? If not, what don't you like about it or what's the issue with not doing it? If you do cook, what's your favorite things to make?

I do like to cook, but the only drawback is cooking for one, which for me is often not worth the trouble or time. Paula Poundstone once joked that if it takes more than three steps, you might as well cook. Often when I get home from work, finish a workout, and shower, the longing to cook anything is gone. I don't have a fancy kitchen with pricey pans or utensils. I make due mainly with a lot of hand-me down pans from mom and grandmothers.

When I do cook (usually on weekends), there are usually two dishes I enjoy making. One is a mastaccoli, which is basically pasta, tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and various cheeses. You cook, add, mix and layer into a pan and bake. It's easy, smells great, and reheats well. A coworker gave me the recipe over a decade ago and I still make it (with various tweaks to try stuff out).

The second is a chicken "pocket" that another coworker taught me to make. It's basically chicken (or turkey, getting rid of those Thanksgiving leftovers), cream cheese, onions, garlic, peppers, etc., all mixed together and placed into two crescent rolls pushed together to make a square. Fold it over and bake until brown. I often tweak the recipe here and there, different peppers, flavored cream cheeses, etc. Again, pretty easy and usually with enough for leftovers for the week.

The best meal I ever made was over a decade ago, during my time in Kansas City. Again, the recipe came from a coworker. It was a beef brisket that took over a day to cook properly. With it, I made garlic and horseradish mashed potatoes from a recipe I found in an old Irish cookbook I found at a used bookstore. It was the tastiest dinner I've ever made. I knew it was a hit when two ladies from my office were caught dipping their fingers in the nearly-empty mashed potato bowl when I went to get dessert from the kitchen.

And just what do you like to cook?

----------------------------

BTW -- Only a few days left in March The Question Month. If anyone would like to ask a question, you can post it here. You can ask anonymously if you'd like, IP addresses are not recorded for the month. Comments to this entry are screened and if you would rather I not identify you, please make a note of it in your post there.

Comments

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

When I lived alone, I would cook normally and then divide everything into microwavable storage containers and freeze the extra. Reheated entrée and a salad and I was done.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I should do that more. I'm finding myself eating out at restaurants or snacking for dinner instead. And that needs to change.

[barak.livejournal.com]

Why not start cooking *before* you start working out, and time it so that its done when you're done?

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad idea, but most things I cook wouldn't take that long. I'd be leaving my workout midway to check on things and it would make the workout longer.

Plus, I need to work out as soon as I get home or I am likely to skip it. Strange, I know, but once I get settled in the house, I don't like trying to rebuild the gumption to lift weights or run.

[qbear.livejournal.com]

We both love to cook---Steve likes Italian and Mexican, I like French, and we both love American classic comfort food. We have tons of recipes of our own and others on our website bearcooks.com as well as our little cookbook available as a PDF file here:



When I'm home alone for a week or two as Steve works up in SF, I often make a casserole or two on the weekend, portion it out in Tupperware, and freeze them. Then dinner is just a quick microwave away, with maybe salad from a bag. Quick and easy, and built-in portion control. Much as I love to cook, it's not nearly as much fun without someone to share it with!

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I'm so envious of your cooking skills. I can't tell you the last time I actually cooked something meaningful. All this talk of food is making me want to do it again.

I'll have to download the cookbook!

[labeartorycub.livejournal.com]

Between the two of us, I cook the most and tend to make Mediterranean- or French-style dishes; otherwise, classic American comfort food. Most cooking is on the weekends when there's more time, and we portion them out into containers and freeze them. Or, we simply live on the leftovers until they're gone-- usually within two to three meals (lunch or dinner).

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Ah, so good!

And that icon makes me hungry!

[labeartorycub.livejournal.com]

Chicken Adobo, steamed rice, and cilantro/cherry tomato/red onion salad.

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

*blush*

I was wondering if you had avoided cooking because it sometimes feels a lot like lab benchwork. I know that after a long day at the bench, I wouldn't want to cook. That being said, some of the best cooks that I know of have fantastic hands in lab.

I understand the reluctance to cook for one, but there are ways around it. Saving some of the leftovers for another dinner or lunch works, and for the time issue, you should look into crockpots. The recipes you do have sound great. Did your Mom or Dad cook a lot?

Here's a couple of books that I think you would like that would help that creative streak blossom:

http://www.amazon.com/Ratio-Simple-Behind-Everyday-Cooking/dp/1416571728/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333160935&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Mark-Bittmans-Kitchen-Express-ebook/dp/B002EF2AJS/ref=sr_1_10?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1333161030&sr=1-10

http://www.amazon.com/Minimalist-Cooks-Dinner-Mark-Bittman/dp/0767906713/ref=pd_sim_b_4

I have all three and think that they're great.