Cooking Resolutions 2005

melinda · Joined: 01 Oct 2004 Posts: 256 Location: Richmond, VA, usa

What are your new year's resolutions regarding cooking in the upcoming year???? What new things do u want to try, new techniques, new foods, etc?? Aside from the usual of wanting to eat healthier, that is.

Barbara · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:06 pm Post subject:

Due to illness I decided to retire from work this year. As soon as I am well again I plan on baking my own bread as often as possible..
_________________
Barbara

Sarape · Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2004 10:08 pm Post subject:

Mine is to gain some weight. This may seem like an easy task, but for some strange reason, my personality thinks I should be thinner than my body requires. I weigh 15 pounds less then when I graduated from college, and that was 22 years ago.
_________________
' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

Delsbread · Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 5 Location: USA

My goal is as it always is--to spend more time cooking at a leisurely pace, trying new recipes, savoring the act of cooking as much as the end product.

Erin · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 5:31 am Post subject:

Sarape, May I recommend a steady diet of yummy cheese! I know that is what keeps the inch on me.
Delsbread, That is a good one. I know I tend to get so involved with intricasies that I let everyone else do the savoring for me.
As for myself I am going to excersise more so I an eat guilt free!
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Sarape · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 6:21 pm Post subject:

monkey · Posted: Tue Dec 28, 2004 9:46 pm Post subject:

serape,

might i recommend that you temper your aerobic conditioning with some muscle building activities? just a thought.

you are not the only primate to treat food as a reward. yet, cooking and eating can be a reward in itself.

happy resolutions everyone!
_________________
monkey

nothing brings primates together like a good snack!
www.TheresAMonkeyInTheKitchenAndHesGotAKnife.com

Erin · Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 3:59 pm Post subject:

Sarape, mmmmmm goat cheese! Just about 10 miles from my house is a farm where they make and sell their own chevre! Heaven!
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

Sarape · Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 4:23 pm Post subject:

Yes Monkey, I should lay off the orbital and lay on the weight machines.

Interesting point that cooking and food and, I assume, the eating of that food can be a reward in itself. I'll have to try that point of view. Right now, I'm using my "comfort" food to placate my food/exercise guilt.

Goat cheese -- here in the wilds of Alabama, there are no specialty food stores. I get my goat cheese from a farmer's market in Atlanta.

Here's my comfort-food recipe -- it sounds strange, but it is very good.

Sarape Comfort Food Recipe: (quantities don't matter, to suit)

oatmeal (cup or 2 or 3)
yellow cornmeal (cup or 2 or 3)
white rice (1/2 cup)
Wheatena (dry cooked cereal, option any dry cereal likt Grape Nuts)
1 banana
pumpkin (fresh cooked or out of a can)
cinnamin
1/3 package of cream cheese
salt

In a large aluminum or steel pot, mash up everything and add plenty of water -- should be the consistency of pancake batter. This is basically a ot cereal, but I cook it with a twist -- no stirring. Leave on burner at low flame or simmer for a couple hours. The corn-meal-oats-rice mixture absorbs the water and congeals and hardens. The mixture at the bottom of the pan turns brown and it cooks like a cheese cake in the oven. But, this is cooked entirely on top of the stove -- again no stirring. After a couple hours on the lowest burner setting, remove and let cool a bit. It should be thick, and about like a cheese cake. Even a little burnt on the bottom is good. I'm sure I'm not the only one who likes the taste of browned or slightly burnt food.
_________________
' She says, 'I am the glamorous type.' I said, 'So what?'

David · Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 7:19 pm Post subject:

I will bake cakes from scratch,
I will bake cakes from scratch,
I will bake cakes from scratch.
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

monkey · Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject:

oooh! did someone get that bundt cake pan he asked santa for?
_________________
monkey

nothing brings primates together like a good snack!
www.TheresAMonkeyInTheKitchenAndHesGotAKnife.com

anna · Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 45 Location: north carolina, usa

my resolution i think will be to try and lay off non-seasonal produce, and buy at least 75% of my groceries from local farmers and manufactures, or at least small-business manufacturers. like twin oaks tofu! sooooo good!

Erin · Posted: Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:06 pm Post subject:

David,
I have to find it, but I have a very simple recipe for a chocolate cake that helped me. I was a terrible baker and this helped me get comfortable. Also it is only a single layer so you aren't stuck with a whole cake if it is just you and Dick.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

brighidsdaughter · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 233 Location: Canton, TX USA

Re-learn or discover a way to cook meals from scratch, or mostly so, that is manageable with my fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue. I want to enjoy cooking again, without being too exhausted to eat the food I've cooked, or do anything else that day. I have eaten so much over-salted rotisserie chicken from the deli section of the supermarket that I can hardly bear to look at the stuff!

And I promise to quit doinig "science experiments" in the refrigerator. Smile

David · Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 5:17 pm Post subject:

Indeed monkey! Yes I did!

Erin, sock it to me, I'd love a simple chocolate cake recipe!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!