Recipes

[drizzellla]

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@ciao_bella wrote:

@drizzellla   I enjoy making new recipes as I tire of the 'same old, same old'.  But, what you might try doing, as I have, make a smaller amount or make the same amount but use 2 smaller pans and freeze one for another time.  I also don't make 'full size' meals all the time.  If I make a full meal one night, if there are leftovers, it's the next night's meal with maybe a fresh salad.   After that, the following meal or two meals are 'easy' to put together', are maybe something like a cup or bowl of soup or a fresh green salad and a French Dip sandwich made with sliced deli roast beef and provolone melted on a fresh roll.   Or, perhaps some sliced corned beef and swiss cheese at the deli on grilled rye bread with a little saurkraut and Russian dressing to dip it into.  

Make life easier on yourself.  If you make a 'big' meal one night, the next night or two make easy meals, such as above.  Works well for me, especially that I feed 3 of us, including myself every night.  

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Good Point. I never think of a sandwich for dinner. And the corned beef, swiss cheese and sauerkraut is a favorite of mine. And soup is good on the cold snowy days we are having.

Maybe I should go simple once in awhile.

[AuntG]

The first thing I do is look to see if the ingredients are things we normally eat. Then, if I decide to make something, I make modifications based on our preferences (replace cottage cheese in lasagna with ricotta).  Even then, not everything is a success. I haven't had to throw a meal out, but I sometimes say I won't be making it again.

[ciao_bella]

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@drizzellla wrote:

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@ciao_bella wrote:

@drizzellla   I enjoy making new recipes as I tire of the 'same old, same old'.  But, what you might try doing, as I have, make a smaller amount or make the same amount but use 2 smaller pans and freeze one for another time.  I also don't make 'full size' meals all the time.  If I make a full meal one night, if there are leftovers, it's the next night's meal with maybe a fresh salad.   After that, the following meal or two meals are 'easy' to put together', are maybe something like a cup or bowl of soup or a fresh green salad and a French Dip sandwich made with sliced deli roast beef and provolone melted on a fresh roll.   Or, perhaps some sliced corned beef and swiss cheese at the deli on grilled rye bread with a little saurkraut and Russian dressing to dip it into.  

Make life easier on yourself.  If you make a 'big' meal one night, the next night or two make easy meals, such as above.  Works well for me, especially that I feed 3 of us, including myself every night.  

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Good Point. I never think of a sandwich for dinner. And the corned beef, swiss cheese and sauerkraut is a favorite of mine. And soup is good on the cold snowy days we are having.

Maybe I should go simple once in awhile.

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@drizzellla  Absolutely!  Go simple 2 or 3 nights a week.  You'll be surprised that those you cook for will appreciate the change, in a good way.  For lack of better words, it seems to take the boredom out of the same old routine.

[drizzellla]

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@AuntG wrote:

The first thing I do is look to see if the ingredients are things we normally eat. Then, if I decide to make something, I make modifications based on our preferences (replace cottage cheese in lasagna with ricotta).  Even then, not everything is a success. I haven't had to throw a meal out, but I sometimes say I won't be making it again.

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That is the first thing I look at in a recipe. My son does not like so many foods. He doesn't like tomato, onion, peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, avocado, eggs, there are more but you get the idea. So I try and make sure none of those items are used. Except tomato sauce in lasagna. But I make sure there are no tomato chunks, just smooth sauce.

Even tried a simple recipe with diced ham and rice. No one liked it.

[jannabelle1]

Maybe you could get your family's input since they don't seem to like or enjoy the meals you're making (or maybe they're just not that hungry!). Put a sheet of paper on your refrigerator or counter and tell each of them to write down a couple of their favorite meals or something that they're hungry for. Let them know that their meals are in jeopardy if they don't respond! Ha! That would at least give you other choices for meals they'd like....especially if it's something they wrote down.

I agree with the suggestion to give yourself a break. Make some simple soup/stew, sandwiches, pizzas, etc nights. You have a picky eater, but sometimes it's not fair for the others if you always accomodate his dislikes (if that's what you do).

Best of luck to you!

[LizzieInSRQ]

My jaw dropped, literally, when i read you threw out lasagna. 

That would never happen in my world. To me lasagna is like pizza, even bad lasagna is good.  I freeze leftovers. My mom was a Depression baby and i was youngest of 8. I still cant throw food out and I live alone.

[drizzellla]

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@jannabelle1 wrote:

Maybe you could get your family's input since they don't seem to like or enjoy the meals you're making (or maybe they're just not that hungry!). Put a sheet of paper on your refrigerator or counter and tell each of them to write down a couple of their favorite meals or something that they're hungry for. Let them know that their meals are in jeopardy if they don't respond! Ha! That would at least give you other choices for meals they'd like....especially if it's something they wrote down.

I agree with the suggestion to give yourself a break. Make some simple soup/stew, sandwiches, pizzas, etc nights. You have a picky eater, but sometimes it's not fair for the others if you always accomodate his dislikes (if that's what you do).

Best of luck to you!

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@jannabelle1 I am so impressed with all the great suggestions that people have come up with. 

I am putting a sheet of paper on the refrigerator and asking for input. Everyone is to request one meal a week. 

And I know that there will be someone who forgets. SO that night it will be "fend for yourself".

Yes, I like the idea. Give them some more input.

[wagirl]

Yep---that is my life with cooking/baking in general this past month or so. Made tried and true recipes and most of them were a flop--have no idea why--but ended up tossing most of it away. Guess the cooking grinch was lurking about. I used to cook all the time but just lost my mojo I guess. As for trying new recipes--well I usually make only a half the recipe. Not so much to trash. 

[JerseyGirl44]

That's exactly why I like Blue Apron!

[AuntG]

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@LizzieInSRQ wrote:

My jaw dropped, literally, when i read you threw out lasagna. 

That would never happen in my world. To me lasagna is like pizza, even bad lasagna is good.  I freeze leftovers. My mom was a Depression baby and i was youngest of 8. I still cant throw food out and I live alone.

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@LizzieInSRQ I'm with you! We finish almost everything! I did throw out a pound of hamburger that I took out of the freezer and it sat on the counter overnight. I even fried it up, hoping to use it a casserole, but my husband overruled me (wise man that he is).