How often do you cook?

[Cottage Foods]

On average, how many nights a week do you cook (including leftovers, semi-homemade meals, and homemade meals)? How long do you spend in the kitchen (on weeknights vs. weekends)? Do you like to prepare large meals on weekends to use as leftovers during the week? What are some of your favorites?

[Trellis]

I cook about 5 nights out of the week and rarely use leftovers to create another meal (although I occaisonally eat them for lunch - DH won't touch it). On weeknights I try to keep the cooking time under 30 minutes but on the weekend I'll take a little longer. We love just about all types of cuisine but cook a lot of shrimp, chicken and beef. I am intimidated by a lot of fish recipes but can prepare a wonderful grilled tuna!

[sararose]

I used to cook 5-6 nights per week, but I felt like I was being underappreciated. Now I rotate between Super Suppers (a "restaurant" with twelve stations where I assemble different entrees to be frozen), frozen entrees at Trader Joes', and then of course my own cooking that everyone seems to appreciate much more now!

When I cook, I try not to have leftovers because no one will eat them. In the summer we grill out often (chicken, beef, pork, and lamb) and in the winter we eat a lot of stews, roasts, and noodles.

If I do end up with leftover roast, carrots, potatoes, etc. then I like to make hash. I've never seen a recipe for hash in a magazine, but I'd love some new ways to make it--corned beef hash, pot roast hash, etc.

I usually spend 30 minutes or less in the kitchen.

[Jenny]

My family is grown so I cook a "date night" dinner at least once a week which can take quite a while to prepare. A couple of evenings we dine out. Three or four nights a week I have soup and sandwhich or a salad and bread.

For a while our very big family meal was Sunday Brunch -- but then our schedules began to clash. My favorite part of Sunday Brunch was all the leftovers. Quiche and crepes and blintzes, oh my.

Jenny

[Trellis]

Sara Rose - How do you like the Super Suppers? I am been curious to try them in my area.

[Lisa S]

I usually cook 6 nights a week.

I will use left over pot roast for a stew, left over ham for Yaki Soba or potato soup and left over chicken for a chicken noodle soup. On Sundays, I pull out my food processor and chop up onions, cheese and carrots to use through the week ~ it really helps to cut down on prep time.

It seems as though I spend a half and hour to an hour in the kitchen most evenings, but I drink a glass of wine, (sometimes dance!) and putter around. It's a winding down time ~ after a hectic day and before the get the kids to bed routine.

[Jenny]

I just heard of these "Super Supper Station" places in my area recently. I'd like to try them....

The other thing I do, because I often "cook" for one, is to stop at the deli at the grocery store for a little of this and a little of that. Better than a drive-thru -- at least what comes from the deli looks like real food.

Jenny

[ChrisNH53]

Well, I usually cook 6-7 nights a week. I occasionally go to friends house for a dinner or a work event but mostly I cook and often have people in. What can I say-I like to cook! I only like to eat out if it is a really good restaurant with different entrees that I am not likely to make myself.

Chris in NH

[mckenzygirl]

I love to cook And bake!
I make homemade meals every night.
We don't go out to eat, unless we are in town doing our shopping.
I cook 7 nights a week, for suppers, and I hardly ever have leftovers.
For lunch, I grab a salad and a sandwich, or soup and a sandwich.
I stay home, so I am painting all the time.
It's just my Husband and I.
I like using fresh herbs and veggies when available.
I love making my own homemade pasta!
I love anything made with chicken!
We raise our own chickens(Free range) for meat and eggs.
Anything made with potatoes, rice, veggies and beans.
I also like tofu dishes.
I always have cookies cuz of the grandbabies!
I spend most of my day in the kitchen puzin' around cooking and baking.

[sararose]

Trellis,
I like Super Suppers for the most part. Some of their recipes are great, some are just okay, but all are nutritious and convenient.

[PLB]

I cook every day of the week but Sunday. My DH usually figures out Sunday dinner for us. He enjoys grilling so bbq happens a lot on Sundays and in the winter he likes to make soup or stews. I vary our week day meals by having a hamburger dish then chicken, next steak, next pork or fish and we try to have one meatless dish each week. Sometimes Saturday evenings we pool our dinner ingredients with our next door neighbors and eat in a group. We may have the main dish and they supply the bread or veggie and salad or visa- versa. That's always fun.

[Cottage Foods]

Wow! These are great responses- keep up the conversation. We try to make sure the food in the magazine represents what you guys like to cook and eat so we always love to hear from you. Your comments will definitely be considered as we work on future line-ups. Thanks! -Rachel

[FlowerLady6]

I love to cook. My love started in home economics classes in jr. high back in the 60's. As a newly wed I collected recipes from magazines, my late MIL gave me lots of recipes, and I joined a cookbook club. DH was in the US Navy at the time and our pay was small. I realized that by following recipes I could make wonderful meals, some gourmet, and have left-overs too. Over the years my collection of cookbooks has grown to over 300. ;)

I cook every night, and we do eat left-overs, sometimes they are better than the first night. I love making really special meals for DH and myself. They take time, but are well worth it. It is so satisfying to create a delicious meal. I love making pizza from scratch. Easier now that I have a bread machine to make the dough.

I enjoy reading and trying recipes from magazines also.

DH and I are working on decluttering so I'm not collecting any more cookbooks. I've tried to get rid of some of my cookbooks, but have only gotten rid of very few. Who knows when I might want to try a recipe out of a certain book. It's nice have such a wide selection to choose from.

I need to do more cooking in one day for several meals during the week, because I work part-time and don't always feel like making up a new meal. But on days off, I'd rather be out playing in my gardens rather than inside. :) The crockpot is very handy. I love chicken pot pies for comforting, do nothing meals. I don't usually make those, but have found a wonderful homemade recipe called Savory Pot Pies that is really delicious. I have several Southern Living Cookbook annuals and they are some of my favorites. I have several other of their cookbooks also. I have bought most of my cookbooks from flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores.

Recently I've gotten into Thai recipes since friends of ours have taken us to a wonderful Thai restaurant. Delicious!!!!

Another favorite, happy, comfort meal is tacos, the tortillas being either corn or flour and heated in a little olive oil until hot and softened, not crispy. I first had tacos as a little girl in CA, and whenever we had them it was usually for happy occasions.

Guess that's it for now.

[Jilliebean]

I cook about 5 times/week. I have a young family and so dinner time has to be quick. I try to be as nutritious as possible, too. I do enjoy cooking but not during the week. I like cooking when I want to cook, not when I have to, so weekends leave more time for experimenting. In the summer, I experiment much less because we are outside all weekend and DH mans the grill and side dishes are usually whatever veg is in season prepared simply. In winter, I like to take whole Sundays and cook ahead for the week.

I love the concept of Super Suppers but we don't have anything like that in our area yet.

We don't do dessert much, although last night we roasted marshmallows by the fire. It was a nice reward for a long day's work in the garden and yard.