discussion Do you cook

[Guest]

How many here cook ?

About 2 years ago I decided that I would prepare the evening meal every Saturday Night.

At that time all I could do was to conjure up a passable bacon & eggs. Yolk 50% broken. Even boiled eggs werecracked & leaked. Poached aggs seem to disappear to the four quarters of the round pan.

Found this Ainsley Heriott book which has very tasty arrangements. Pictures a great help if only to be surprised when it turns out to look the same. Tasting the same---- another department.

But I have soldiered on and can now usually produce an edible if not a cordon what you me call it. Few disasters over cooked meat (some would be daring & call it burnt). To much in the spice corner phew burnt throat syndrome.

But I really look forward to choosing preparing & cooking. Sometimes I think Pauline likes my culinary objects. Other times she is in rather a silent mode. Whoops eee.

However on my birthday she bought me Mary Berry's 1000 recipe book. It has all about cutting trimming roasting etc in small tuition pieces. Bit optomistic as I doubt I have enough Saturdays left to cover 1000 recipes.

But her thinking here. Does she want me to branch out or is she pointing out that my techniques need improving ?

Laurie

 

[Guest]

I do 99% of the cooking in our house including full family Sunday dinners, Christmas etc and I do the washing up to. I just love cooking, bit like model making. The shopping list is the kit, recipe is the instructions and the dishing up is the scenic base. I do get odd looks when I airbrush the gravy onto the mash though :cooking:

Do not take the new cook book as criticism of your techniques, think of it as a catalogue of kits and get making them.

 

[Dave W]

I do about half the cooking in my house.The wife's a top cook but I can do a Sunday roast . Beef,chicken or pork plus proper roast potatoes in goose fat and all the veg.I was single up to the age of 42, so I learned to cook.Cant say I'm mad about it,but I don't mind doing it.

 

[Ian M]

I cook. Quite a lot actually. I would say most of the time. The wife cooks and does it very well. She just dont like doing it. I however enjoy it. A roast beef or a nice pork roast is more her department. I'm more to the "faffing about" type of things. lasagne, curry, stir fry,

I did teach Carina to bake bread and she enjoys that, so if I can't be bothered she bakes and vise versa. I made her soda bread a while ago and she loved it. She wasn't to keen on the one that had brown ale, dates and Walnuts in.....Hmm.

Made an apple pie yesterday, that went down well.

I like to watch the cooking shows on the TV and quite often rustle some thing up from what I have seen.

What can I say I like food....

Ian M

 

[AlanG]

Yeah i can cook. I tend to prepare and cook all the fish, rabbit, pheasant that i catch/shoot.

 

[mossiepilot]

I love cooking, but recipes are a short walk to disaster for me, I'm a Red Arrows Harrier sort of bloke, throwing stuff together and cooking what ever I find most pleasing.

Throw your cook book away and have fun with your culinary endevours, where ever it leads you :surprise:and don't worry if it dosen't work out right, they'll eat it cos hey love you, I hope.

Tony.

 

[Guest]

I do all the cooking, my second job in 1981 was in a restaurant and i was shipped out on day release to college, ended up with City and Guilds 7061/7062 .... my main thing was soups and sauces but had to drop in for head chef when he was on days off ....... i love it and find it relaxing even now

 

[Guest]

all the fish, rabbit, pheasant that i catch/shoot.

Fish is no problem up here with all the lochs but i had to surrender my section 1 firearms certificate when i came up here as i couln't find any land that was even .22 rimfire rated... never mind .303 ... so now my "baby" 1963 remington nylon 12 and 1944 lee-enfield are sitting in a RFD in england ... i sold my .30 cal and .245 ... bad times

 

[AlanG]

I only use an air rifle as i cannot get land to shoot a FAC on

 

[Gern]

Livin' on my own I have to cook for myself. Betcha nobody can open a can better than me!

The last time I got 'volunteered' to cook something special was a five-course chinese meal for nine people. Next time I'll send out! :lol

Gern

 

[Guest]

Live on my own, still cook many meals from scratch. And yes I do get funny looks from my mates for cooking from scratch a big dinner just for myself!

I look at it this way, Serves 4 = 1 dinner, 3 portions frozen, works lunches when I can't be a&&&d making sandwiches

Stuart

 

[colin m]

Laurie,

Only two years ago. You have been missing out on serious brownie points. I do nearly all the cooking here, only because I'm normally home first and I think she likes that, however come Sunday and Christmas, the reserve forces come into action (the wife) and I take on a supporting role.

Colin M

 

[Andy2035]

I'm on my own so do everything myself, my dog Dixon uses the "I can't reach the cooker etc" excuse...

 

[Guest]

Wow great admiration to all of you.

Bread pastry roasts. That really has put me to shame. Try harder. Thinks was I wise in starting this thread.

I think I will have to move to a new regime of two days a week cooking. Providing Pauline can stand it.

I am OK on breakfasts. Now mastered toasting to perfection. White & brown bread.

Laurie

 

[Ian M]

Don't feel bad about it Laurie. I think that you can see a pattern in the replies.

Most of those that cook live alone, or have lived alone at some point in time or come home with dead animals of some kind that need plucking/skinning and cleaning and there ain't many women that will do that!!!

I started early. to avoid being dragged to the grand parents who lived a two hour drive away, I had to prove that I could feed my self and not burn the house down. A good motivation and from humble beans on toast it just went upwards from there.

Ian M

 

[Andy2035]

With bird day fast approaching here's a turkey tip that was passed on to me by a friend from the Colonies in the Americas, I never thought of trying this... If you already know about it, forgive me, I'm cooking challenged...

I thought this sounded good! here is a turkey recipe that also includes the use of popcorn as a stuffing ingredient -- imagine that!

When I found this recipe, I thought it was perfect for people like me, who just are not sure how to tell when turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out, give this a try...

8 - 15 lb. Turkey

1 cup melted butter

1 cup stuffing (Pepperidge Farm is Good)

1 cup un-popped popcorn

(ORVILLE REDENBACHER'S LOW FAT IS BEST) Salt/pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush turkey well with melted butter,

salt, and pepper...

Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan making

sure the neck end is toward the front of the oven, not the back...

After about 4 hours listen for the popping sounds...

When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the bird flies

across the room, it's done...

Hope you enjoy...

 

[Guest]

Did a turkey Tortillo wraps with salsa and all that. Pauline had two Tortillos then a third to clean all the dishes.

My best result to date. Simple but then that is my level.

A Mary Berry so thanks Mary.

Laurie

PS I had 1.5 Tortillos.

 

[colin m]

The chap I work with is in his early 50's and just started cooking. He's gone from zero to a very good banana bread in about 2 months. Some of the other dishes he's created sound great. If it's any help, he's a bit of a fan of the Hairy Bikers and their work !

 

[Guest]

The chap I work with is in his early 50's and just started cooking. He's gone from zero to a very good banana bread in about 2 months. Some of the other dishes he's created sound great. If it's any help, he's a bit of a fan of the Hairy Bikers and there work !

Yes I watch the Hairybikers. Great programme. Very practical stuff. Be there soon after the simpletons stage. Hope. Pauline prays.

Laurie

 

[Andy2035]

I find Kelsey's Essentials (Food Network - 262 on Sky) very helpful also, I found that the way she breaks things right down and shows you how to do things properly really helps...

She also has a section (with some great videos) on the Cooking Channel web-site - Kelsey's Essentials : Kelsey Nixon : Cooking Channel

You could also check the rest of the Cooking Channel, there are some great recipes, hints & tips plus loads of videos - Cooking Channel - Recipes, Shows and Cooking Videos from Top Global Chefs : Cooking Channel

Hope they help you as they have helped me...