Kitchen

[ciao_bella]

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@tends2dogs wrote:

Thank you so much, @ciao_bella , for taking the time to post the article and recipe.  That had to be exciting being on TV.  Do you make this often?  

OT I miss seeing you post on the MAFS thread on ProBoards.  I understand because it has been one boring season. 

TA

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@tends2dogs  Thank you for the kind words.  It was an exciting time and I had a lot of fun. I must admit, Matt Lauer, was very pleasant and kind and we chatted quite a abit in what is called the "Green Room".  This recipe came about because I had a basic recipe for sweet potato soup, and I love sweet potatoes or yams, but the basic recipe was boring.  So, I looked around my pantry and veggies and decided to up the taste with my own spin making it different.  The jalapeno is not strong at all in this soup, it has just a hint of it which balances the sweet from the potato nicely.  When I do make it, it's usually around the fall or holidays.  

As for MAFS, I have been following the show though, as you said, it's been a drag this season.  I'll try popping on the MAFS thread here or on ProBoards, especially since this coming week will be Decision Day..(thankfully!)  What do you think the decisions will be? 

[vermint]

Cooking has always been a chore for me, don't enjoy it at all. But...we live rural, there are NO food delivery options, "good" restaurants are a 40-50 mile round trip, and even fast food is a 20 mile round trip, so add the cost of gas to the cost of the meal and it's just cheaper to eat at home! Eating out is a rare treat, and usually happens when we are out for some other reason.

Luckily, my DH likes to cook more than I do, and is way more creative, so he does at least half of the meals. We both like leftovers, too, which is good since it's just the two of us. We do eat DiGiorno pizza once a week, and occasionally will just have a sandwich.

[wagirl]

A chore for sure!!! I hate cooking anymore--have a tiny kitchen now and not much room to move in there. Then the smoke detector goes off if I try to cook things like burgers on the stove top--have to have the stove vent going as well as a fan blowing and even the slider open a bit--just a hassel. And if I try to use my Breville oven and my airfryer at the same time---that will trip the breaker----am in an apartment now. Just a drag!!!

[Renata22]

I love to cook. One of my favorite things is finding and trying out new recipes. It brings back many good memories of my mom cooking with me.  But, like many others, pain stops me from doing what I want. Sometimes I even buy the ing for the recipe and end up doing something else because it's simpler. Oh, to be pain free again. 

[Moonlady]

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@Danky2 wrote:

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@Moonlady wrote:
I've always loved cooking, so it's still a pleasure. But I now, for example, make rice and frozen ravioli exclusively in the microwave, so I do find that I'm loving the shortcuts! I don't want to "tend" to things on the stove, get a face full of steam, have to keep checking, etc.--that sort of thing, anymore. If I can do something with less fuss and fewer dishes, I will. As long as it tastes just as good.

I also find I'm doing hardly any baking, and I used to love to do that. Of course, I did a lot of that when I worked--endless parade of parties. Also, it's just the two of us now, so I don't need to make 36 bars, for example. I almost caved last winter, though. My recipe needed only ½ cup of flour, so I didn't want to buy either a regular size bag or even the very small bags, which tend not to "move." I'm always wary about that. (Gee, 🤔 can you bake with Wondra lol? I always have that on hand for stews and gravies.)

So I still like to cook, but to keep it pleasurable I've adapted to a different way of cooking, whenever possible.

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@Moonlady     How do you make frozen ravioli in the microwave ? How about pasta ?

                        TIA..

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@Danky2  The ravioli is very easy. No recipe, really. Simply place frozen ravioli (more about that later) in ungreased 2-liter or so microwave -safe casserole, pour your favorite sauce over that, spreading if necessary to cover completely (make sure no corners lol of ravioli are sticking out). Do not stir. Sprinkle no need to measure preferred seasonings (optional, and no need to measure) over sauce. I usually use garlic powder and dried basil. Drizzle olive oil, about 2 TBSPS, over sauce. Cover, and microwave on HIGH for 13 min. Remove, stir, and serve. Top with preferred cheese.

-About the ravioli. If you have Wegmans in your area, you're in luck because their brand is what I use. I only say that because, in the early days of the pandemic, it was sold out. I picked up another brand (Mama Somebody), which turned out pasty cooked this way. 

- This is for cheese ravioli; that's the only variety we eat.

- I use about half of a 20 oz bag for DH and me, and I use a 14-oz jar of pizza sauce. That completely covers it, and it's already seasoned, though I always add more per above, and there's no leftover jar in the fridge lol. Just use 2 cups or so of your favorite sauce.

We've only had 700 ad 900W microwave ovens, and the 13 minute cook time works with both. You may have to experiment, like I did, before you find your perfect time. Once you do, you'll like this. It's fast, no steam, no straining, and no broken or water-logged ravioli.

About pasta, in general. That's been a challenge. It's the starch--the same thing that makes nuked russet and other starchy potatoes unappetizing for my purposes. But I'm still working on that. If there's a way, I'll find it!

[tends2dogs]

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@ciao_bella wrote:

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@tends2dogs wrote:

Thank you so much, @ciao_bella , for taking the time to post the article and recipe.  That had to be exciting being on TV.  Do you make this often?  

OT I miss seeing you post on the MAFS thread on ProBoards.  I understand because it has been one boring season. 

TA

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@tends2dogs  Thank you for the kind words.  It was an exciting time and I had a lot of fun. I must admit, Matt Lauer, was very pleasant and kind and we chatted quite a abit in what is called the "Green Room".  This recipe came about because I had a basic recipe for sweet potato soup, and I love sweet potatoes or yams, but the basic recipe was boring.  So, I looked around my pantry and veggies and decided to up the taste with my own spin making it different.  The jalapeno is not strong at all in this soup, it has just a hint of it which balances the sweet from the potato nicely.  When I do make it, it's usually around the fall or holidays.  

As for MAFS, I have been following the show though, as you said, it's been a drag this season.  I'll try popping on the MAFS thread here or on ProBoards, especially since this coming week will be Decision Day..(thankfully!)  What do you think the decisions will be? 

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@ciao_bella  I think they will all say no except Nicole and Chris.  I think Arris would say yes if he gets to go first.  If Jasmine goes first and says no, I think he would say no, too, to save face.  Shaq and Kerstin may stay together, but I don't see it working in the long run.  

I think Clint should say yes to Hank.  He likes him more than Gina does and should get custody.  Afterall, Hank is a ginger. LOL I think Gina may hook up with Mac. 

[Enufstuff]

@AlsaceGal  Cooking has gotten very old for me, too and no longer fun. I have been providing meals for 60 years now.

After raising five children and cooking for seven people every

day all those years, I wish that I could retire from the kitchen and

just cook when I want to.

My husband will grill sometimes in the summer. I try to order delivered meals  a couple of times a month. We usually only go

to restaurants on special occasions.

Just my son is at home, so there are three of us. My son will

eat everything, but my husband is getting more picky and won't eat certain things any more. He will get himself a bowl

of cereal.

[kindred cats]

For me it's just a necessity.  I wish I enjoyed mealtimes more. 

[ciao_bella]

@tends2dogs  I agree that Nicole and Chris will probably say yes, but I do think Chris has some reservations and it might not last after Decision Day.   Shaq and Kerstin, I'm not sure what they'll each say, and we're not there when the cameras aren't rolling, but it doesn't seem like they have a good chemistry in many aspects of the marriage.   Gina and Clint, well she's made up her mind weeks ago.  Clint can do better and deserves someone who he can enjoy spending time with.  Poor, Hank, he loves Clint!  Arris and Jasmine, were never a match from day one.    

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@tends2dogs wrote:

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@ciao_bella wrote:

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@tends2dogs wrote:

Thank you so much, @ciao_bella , for taking the time to post the article and recipe.  That had to be exciting being on TV.  Do you make this often?  

OT I miss seeing you post on the MAFS thread on ProBoards.  I understand because it has been one boring season. 

TA

---

@tends2dogs  Thank you for the kind words.  It was an exciting time and I had a lot of fun. I must admit, Matt Lauer, was very pleasant and kind and we chatted quite a abit in what is called the "Green Room".  This recipe came about because I had a basic recipe for sweet potato soup, and I love sweet potatoes or yams, but the basic recipe was boring.  So, I looked around my pantry and veggies and decided to up the taste with my own spin making it different.  The jalapeno is not strong at all in this soup, it has just a hint of it which balances the sweet from the potato nicely.  When I do make it, it's usually around the fall or holidays.  

As for MAFS, I have been following the show though, as you said, it's been a drag this season.  I'll try popping on the MAFS thread here or on ProBoards, especially since this coming week will be Decision Day..(thankfully!)  What do you think the decisions will be? 

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@ciao_bella  I think they will all say no except Nicole and Chris.  I think Arris would say yes if he gets to go first.  If Jasmine goes first and says no, I think he would say no, too, to save face.  Shaq and Kerstin may stay together, but I don't see it working in the long run.  

I think Clint should say yes to Hank.  He likes him more than Gina does and should get custody.  Afterall, Hank is a ginger. LOL I think Gina may hook up with Mac. 

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[Mj12]

It's a chore, especially since 2020. I work from home now and I cook most weeknights. We both do the cleanup. I'm really not a great cook. And no baking ever. I'm learning how to grill now and I like that.