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French style green beans, spaghetti, grilled veggies and Texas toast |
Chef Boyardee has disappeared, Aunt Millie moved out and Mrs. Dash ran off with Uncle Ben. That leaves me to do the cooking. On those rare occasions when I prepare healthy, well presented meals, the kids don’t want what’s for dinner.
On a recent week night I wanted to make a quick meal so I made spaghetti, Texas toast and French cut green beans. When my 13 year old son looked at the green beans he said, “Why are the green beans broken?”
My son’s
statement led me to conclude that I needed to spend more time in the kitchen…and
take him with me. What do you do if you’re a “sometime” cook? Change your
routine, find ways to motivate you to want to cook. Here are a few ways to get
you started.
1. Purchase something new for the
kitchen – It always feels good to get something new. Purchase a new
(inexpensive) kitchen gadget. Having the right tools can make cooking a fun and
creative experience.
2. Try a new recipe – If the family gets
tired of eating the same meals all the time, chances are you get tired of
preparing them. Click here for a Sesame Chicken recipe that I’ve tried and the
family asked for it again.
3. Don’t stress about cooking everyday –
cook enough the first day to have leftovers the next day. Add a different
vegetable to the meal for a new appeal the next day. Maybe your routine is to
prepare a different meal every other day, see what works best for your
situation.
My true
confession (pause), come a little closer so you can hear it…I like to cook, shhh. However, there are just times when I’d
rather do something else.
What advice
would you give to someone who rarely cooks?
As I have gotten "older" and have been married "longer" I feel I have earned the right not to pressure myself to cook every day. Subway, Zaxby's, O'Charley's, or even my local grocer's deli can do it for me sometimes. :)
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way. I love cooking, but there are days when it's the last thing I want to do. I like taking my time and trying new things, but sometimes I'm tired or don't have the energy.
ReplyDeleteI think your second tip is really important. I try to make something different at least once every couple of weeks. I think my family appreciates the variety. I find tons of great recipes at allrecipes.com. :)
Linda - I like your selection eateries, quick and easy always works for me.
ReplyDeleteDana - thanks for the reminder about allrecipes.com, I've gotten a couple of recipes there before, but it's been awhile. Who am I kidding, it's been awhile since I've tried a new recipe. I'll check out the site today (-:
ReplyDelete