Saturday, January 31, 2009

Cookbook or "Whatever" ?

While reading some of my favorite blogs, it occured to me that many moms out there actually use cookbooks (or recipes off the internet) to plot out their grocery list.  Then I was talking to some friends, only to find out that they pretty much do the same thing.  I am obviously a freak.  Almost every day around 4 pm, I just open my freezer and cupboards and decide what to cook.  If I'm having a good day, I'll start cooking around 10 am - in the crockpot.  

I hate cooking.  Most of our meals are a meat, frozen vegetable and a starch (Rice-A-Roni, Betty Crocker Potatoes, etc).  If not that, it's either something out of the crockpot or spaghetti.  I have always thought cookbooks were something you whipped out at Christmas time to find cookie recipes.  I hate trying to cook new things, only because I usually screw them up (following directions is not my thing).  Gourmet Cooking for me means heating up Totino's Pizza Rolls in the toaster over instead of the microwave.  My husband gets all giddy when they're a little crunchy thanks to the toaster oven's magic ways and not all limpy and goopy from the microwave.  Sometimes I'm nice to him like that (but it's usually only because I want him to do something on the house).  

I've tried to be a good "homemaker" and make some things, but my husband, my wallet and I all  know it's best if I just stick to the basics.  If you're bored and feel like commenting, let me know if you are like Martha Stewart's long lost twin who prepares and cooks to the nines, or are you more like me (a.k.a. a real life Peg Bundy).  

(Thanks for reading - I haven't been to the store in a few days and needed to blog.  It's an addiction).

4 comments:

Patty said...

No worries Becky, I too am the open the freezer at 4 pm type of cook. Chicken nuggets, frozen pizza are common when it is my turn to cook. I do have a few wow items, lasanga, beef stew or shepard's pie once in awhile. My dislike for touching and looking at raw meat make chicken and pork a Glen type of meal and let's not forget the Friday night take out meal! You are not alone!

Heidi said...

I am the "plan a week's worth of dinners" cook. I lack the imagination to simply look in the cupboards and see what we have. I do try to shop around what we already have, but I gotta have a plan for each day otherwise it's too much pressure! I think it's miraculous that you cook with two little ones underfoot... I tend to wait to start til hubby's home to keep them out of my hair!

ps i like the redesign!

sarah marie said...

I think I'm somewhere in between; I don't always open my cookbooks or even look up online recipes, and I totally look around in the fridge and freezer to see what we have and await inspiration! But I definitely can't do chicken nuggets or Totino's much (although my husband is a pizza and fried food junkie and would love it if I did) or I'll blow up like a balloon. :) My husband is super picky, and would you believe it, he even complains if the jarred spaghetti sauce isn't just the kind he likes... there goes my standby quickie meal, if he refuses to eat Ragu or Prego!

Kara said...

I plan out the weekly menu - it helps me buy only what we need and not waste produce, and it saves me making multiple trips to the store during the week (since my children turn into devil spawn at the grocery store). I decide the menu for the week based around what protein I already have on hand or is on sale at Shaw's - like this week, with chicken breast at $1.88/lb, we'll be having chicken most nights.