Dr Skull used to do most of the cooking around here, which was how I liked it. But his spinal issues have left him with less than stellar use of his hands, and also he cannot stand for very long. This means cooking has devolved on me.
I dislike cooking. Well, let me revise that. I like to cook occasionally, but this cooking dinner ever single day is for the fucking birds. Also, sometimes he wants lunch!
Also, I have discovered that I can only cook about three things that Dr Skull will eat. (My staple, pasta in cream sauce, he will not touch. Or beans and rice, which is the other thing I am truly suited to cooking. He also hates curry.)
Here is what I am cooking these days:
(1) Tuna casserole
(2) Bagels (which we eat with lox and cream cheese and -- Dr Skull -- a slice of red onion)
(3) Roast chicken and asparagus
(4) Something with the leftover chicken. Like chicken pie, or chicken and noodles
(5) Takeout
I am asking you for suggestions for something I could cook which isn't pasta or beans. Help.
13 comments:
Some things my kids reliably eat (though they also love curry and anything with cheese):
Taco bar
Pasta salad with turkey sausage, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, sun-dried tomato, and a light italian-herb dressing
Homemade pizza
Salade nicoise
Baked fish with pesto
Adobo chicken
Pea pesto pasta (basil, olive oil, nut of choice, garlic, whole bag of cooked peas, food processor, cheese optional)
Chicken caesar salad (surprisingly easy!)
P.S. my 91 year old grandma hates cooking and survives, as far as I can tell, on Trader Joe's
I suggest embracing pre-made food. Sadly the only Costco in Arkansas is in little rock or I could tell you what we're currently enjoying from there. I would go to your grocery store's website and search on freezer-> meals and sides and see what pops up. Freezer dishes have gotten a lot better (and healthier!) than they were even 10-20 years ago. Looks like you don't have TJ's, but you do have an Aldi. Might be worth checking their freezer aisle as well.
What DO both you and Dr. Skull like besides what you've been cooking? Like is he ok with chinese food? mexican if it doesn't have beans? does he hate all indian or just curry? Is pasta in tomato sauce a no-go? eggs? I would also look up one pan oven dishes-- they're similar to chicken and asparagus but even less work. Also bree at kit rocha recently got the easy chopper thing that is all over tiktok (Fullstar The Original Pro Chopper) and it's made it easier for her to dice which would help with one-pan dishes. --n&m
I bet I could get him to eat tacos. And I should start making pizza again -- he'll eat that! Ditto the chicken caesar salad, which I could do with the leftover chicken. Thanks!
I would kill for a Trader Joe's in Fayetteville.
One pan oven dishes is a great suggestion! Thanks!
If you can bake 1 chicken - you can bake 2. From the extra chicken, you can freeze some, chicken with salad, chicken in tacos, chicken pot pie, chicken and biscuits, chicken hash (warm up with fried onions), chicken soup with rice or noodles . . . and yes to pre-made food too. I like to cook but once in a while, after a long day, so worth it. Sneakers
I'm so sorry to hear your chef is ailing! Peggy Bracken's I Hate to Cook had lots of quick-n-easy recipes; a revised anniversary edition came out in 2010. Hugs.
I have the 1974 I Hate to Cook Book. I'll look for the updated one!
That's a good idea!
Doc Marten's mix from there is a good go-to, and the technique is very versatile (you don't have to do the OG pork and green peppers). If you look on our blog we have a post of different ways to use it. That is, if he's ok with rice mixed together with meat and veg and sauce so long as it's not beans or curry.
It seems like you could cook his recipes, maybe with him sitting comfortably nearby with hints and advice, but I'm guessing there's something wrong with that plan.
My other general advice is to cook in big batches so you can have leftovers sometimes instead of cooking again, but I know some people hate leftovers.
I like baked ziti--it tastes like lasagna but is much quicker, especially if you get one of the recipes where you don't even cook the pasta first. (And it doesn't have to be ziti, either.)
I like tomato basil soup made by adding cream to my favorite jarred tomato sauce; then add grilled cheese and maybe a salad and it's a whole meal!
You might like breakfast for dinner. Individual things like pancakes and fried eggs can be time-consuming, but scrambled eggs or breakfast casserole can be more hands-off.
I like some of the chili kits at the store (like Carroll Shelby). Chili goes great with corn bread (such as the Really Southern Corn Bread in the I Hate to Cook Book where, fyi, 1 tablespoon of baking powder works in place of the '2 heaped teaspoons' for me, and just a normal 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish also works for me--just looked it up and I have the 1986 version). Or mix chili with spaghetti for chili mac. Or add corn chips, cheese, and maybe raw onions for frito pie. Or make chili dogs.
Go with eggs. egg pies, scrambled, quiche, frittatas. Lots of variable veggies go in them. get premade pie shells at grocery store.
Soups. Lentils.
Baked potatoes with lots of veggies and cheeses stuffed in them.
One pan baked root veggies(carrots/potato /turnips/parsnips/ broccoli/sprouts/etc), plus mushrooms, green beans, and small peppers( sweet not hot ones!)/etc.
Have no idea what fresh fish is available or prices. With lemon and capers.
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