Tonight: Rice and baked chicken in sauce made of OJ concentrate, ginger, soy sauce and brown sugar.
Tuesday: Whole Foods roasted chicken, potatoes, corn and stir fry veggies. The white meat came out dry though.
Monday: Grilled steak, artichokes, green beans and potatoes.
Sunday: Chicken in mushroom sauce.
Saturday: Grilled short ribs and vietnamese noodles with steamed veggies.
Friday: Spaghetti with italian sausage.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how much is fantasy and how much is reality. I am a SAHM with housekeeper and yard service and we don't eat like this. With all of your kids activities in the evenings, there is no way I would have time to shop and cook for these meals and there is no way we are home 5 nights a week for a complete sit down meal.

Amen to that!!

Are you much of a cook to begin with? I think that's where the divide in this thread is coming from. Cooking really is effortless and enjoyable for a lot of people, including me. I work full-time, have no housekeeper or yard person, and cook almost every night. But then, my husband does the laundry....

Yeah, I tend to agree. I also cook almost every night and posted here (although my meals weren't on teh top of the impressive-sounding list). But I enjoy cooking and maybe more significantly we cannot afford to eat out hardly ever so it's a necessity for us and I try to make it healthy and tasty. I work full-time, but both of our kids are preschoolers still so no evening activities. I know it gets more complicated when the kids are older and have stuff in the evenings - my sister, who only works part-time, said they eat Chipotles and/or pizza probably 4 nights a week and she has 2 kids aged 9 and 11.

FWIW we (and by we I mean my DH) grocery shops once a week.

Agree with PP that how hard cooking seems on a daily basis is largely a reflection of whether it is something you like to do (and would do more if you had time) or hate to do (it is a chore you would rather not have to do at all).

I am FT WOHM (lawyer) but I like to cook.

This week's menus:

Sunday: Roast beef, rice, carrots
Monday: Chicken fajitas, tortillas, beans
Tuesday: I'm at a meeting tonight. DH is serving store bought roast chicken, mashed potatoes, and a veg (probably a salad)
Wednesday: Roast beef hash (recipe from my mom that's not really hash but is a potato and onion and leftover meat dish), broccolli
Thursday: Pasta with chicken (not sure exactly what sauce yet), steamed artichokes
Friday: everyone is out and about or travelling so no cooking for me

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how much is fantasy and how much is reality. I am a SAHM with housekeeper and yard service and we don't eat like this. With all of your kids activities in the evenings, there is no way I would have time to shop and cook for these meals and there is no way we are home 5 nights a week for a complete sit down meal.

Amen to that!!

Are you much of a cook to begin with? I think that's where the divide in this thread is coming from. Cooking really is effortless and enjoyable for a lot of people, including me. I work full-time, have no housekeeper or yard person, and cook almost every night. But then, my husband does the laundry....

Anonymous wrote:Ha! I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how much is fantasy and how much is reality. I am a SAHM with housekeeper and yard service and we don't eat like this. With all of your kids activities in the evenings, there is no way I would have time to shop and cook for these meals and there is no way we are home 5 nights a week for a complete sit down meal.

Amen to that!!

Anonymous wrote:

Not jealous. Incredulous. I guess it is a matter of priorities. Shopping and cooking ala 1960 is not my idea of a good use of time..

No one in the 1960s would have eaten some of the stuff I've seen posted here. We ate real food back then.

Did I read ELK meat? And DEER meat? And (not that I want it) where do you get that? Don't tell me DH hunts.

We have a freezer full of deer meat. My dad killed the last buck, but yes, most of the men in our family hunt. The only ones who don't would if they lived closer to the family land.

I like your style! We have a freezer full of deer meat too (ahem, "venison"). And half a side of beef from the family farm. But no June Cleaver here -- last week we had --

Pot roast (from farm-raised beef) with potatoes, onions, and carrots in a mushroom/garlic sauce, crock pot
roast chicken in the crockpot with tomatoes (from garden), olives, garlic, white wine and pepper, side of rice
Beef steaks with Annies Mac N Cheese and cut up veggies
Deer steaks rolled in flour and sage, side of wild rice and corn
Leftovers from pot roast, steak and chicken dishes in pot; add broth; meld flavors for 15 minutes, serve over egg noodles (tasted great)

Key is that all of these are fridge to table in about 20 minutes. Crock pot meals you throw everything in, turn on and done. Easy. Faster than DiGiornio's, trust me, I know -- we do that sometimes too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sunday: eggplant parm with whole wheat angel hair pasta and side of green beans and garlic bread
Monday: crockpot mushroom risotto
Tuesday: stuffed zucchini with white bean and tomato ragu
Wed: crockpot yellow Thai curry
Thursday: bean tacos and veggie fajitas
Tonight: make pizza at home with salad

* we are vegetarians

Would you be willing to post the crockpot recipes? I'm trying to use mine more and these sound fab!

Sure...here's the Thai curry one:
This made enough for 4 servings. Use any veggies you want. I used:
1/2 green pepper, cubed
1/2 red pepper, cubed
1/2 yellow squash, cubed
1/2 zucchini, cubed
1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 onion, slivered
1 large carrot
6 oz fresh green beans, cut into thirds
2 small potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tablespoon curry powder (I used McCormick's)
1/2 tbsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1. Put 1 tsp of oil in crockpot and make sure ceramic pot is coated evenly.
2. Add everything except coconut milk. Stir to mix. Add water if needed to cover veggies.
3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours, until veggies are tender. Add coconut milk half hour before serving.
4. Garnish with fresh cilantro and scallions.
5. Serve with basmati or jasmine rice.
You could probably add some protein to this but I forgot to put in tofu. Don't know about meats.

I'll try to post the risotto one soon too.

Just gettting to check this thread again, thanks so much! I am going to try it 2nite, it's a great recipe for using up leftover veggies. Haven't had a chance to read through the thread to see if you've posted the mushroom risotto, but I'm going to look up a recipe as I have mushrooms in the house

We use our good china every Saturday night. We got it, we might as well use it. Holidays don't come around that often. We use cloth napkins every day. We use our for 2-3 meals or once we've eaten something really messy like BBQ.

This week:
Mon - Pasta Carbonara
Tues - Stir-fry shrimp with lemon sauce*
Wed - Quick Chicken and Dumplings*
Thurs - Still not sure, my mom is coming to town for a few days - might be some $6 dinners from Wegs.
Fri - Homemade Pizza
Sat - Ribs, cornbread etc...

DH and I eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
I really like the "Best Simple Recipe*" book from the Cook's Illustrated folks.

I forget....

pp here, I'm pretty sure I just identified myself to anyone who knows me and is reading this thread

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday: Northern Thai Curry, rice and stir fried broccoli
Tuesday: Stewed chicken with lemon grass and kaffir lime, rice and stir fried cauliflower
Wednesday: Green Curry, rice and stir fried baby bok choy and shiitake mushrooms.
Thursday: Spaghetti squash,marinara sauce, meatballs and salad.

Recipes please! These meals sound delish.

Unfortunately the Northern Thai Curry requires a special spice mix that my mom got in Thailand.

But for the stewed chicken:

saute a table spoon of red curry paste in a bit of oil
add chicken pieces (can be any part, though thighs taste best) and brown
add just enough water to surround the chicken and a little bit of fish sauce (maybe a teaspoon - you can always add more later)
add two stalks of lemon grass cut into 2 inch pieces and 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
simmer until chicken is done
add 1/2 cup cilantro and 1/2 cup scallions (chopped) and stir until wilted
add fish sauce to taste
serve over rice!

Green Curry:

saute a table spoon green curry paste in a bit of oil
add chicken pieces and a little fish sauce and brown (add a little water if it starts to smoke)
add diced Thai eggplants (or any Asian egg plant)
add enough water to just immerse the chicken and eggplant and simmer until chicken is done and eggplant is cooked but still firm
add 1 can unsweetened coconut milk and stir
add 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
add about 1/2 cup of whole Thai basil leaves
add 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
simmer until basil is wilted - about 5-10 minutes
add fish sauce to taste
serve over rice!

Sorry the recipes aren't very exact, these are family recipes that have never been written down so I adjust according to how things taste. Having the right ingredients are very important. I've been able to find most things at the Thai grocery in Silver Spring.

Satuday: Arby's. Ate on the 3-hour drive home after going to support DH in a race he was running. We all had some version of beef 'n cheddar w/ curly fries.
Sunday: Homemade baked buffalo chicken tenders on salad
Monday: Frozen TJ's meatballs cooked in their Arrabiata sauce, served on whole wheat hot dog buns, with some mozzarella & a side of broccoli
Tuesday: Whole wheat pasta tossed with sauteed garlic, olive oil & basil. Added some spinach.
Wednesday: Made pizzas on the grill
Thursday: Chicken stir fry with brown rice
Friday: Grilled steaks and asparagus

Come on, it's not that hard to cook most of these meals at home. In fact, I find it impossible to go OUT for dinner these days with my long commute, baby's early bedtime and mounds of chores I have to get done before heading to bed myself.

Cooking dinner takes me, MAX, 15 minutes of prep time and ten minutes of cleanup. The rest of the time I'm doing other stuff. We grocery shop ONCE per week. If you can't manage to cook dinner for your family at least most of the week you're just probably not very good in the kitchen!

Anyway...

Sunday: Pioneer Woman tortilla soup
Monday: Spaghetti with turkey meatballs, salad
Tuesday: Rack of Lamb, roasted broccoli
Wednesday: Lentil Soup with poached eggs and garlic toast
Thursday: Pizza (ordered in), salad
Friday: Burritos (beef and bean), radish & cucumber salad with cilantro/lime vinagrette
Saturday: Orange Chicken (TJ's frozen), steamed green beans.

So, a combination of premade and homemade, and one pizza. Not a bad week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, I don't really understand the hate on this thread. I've posted a couple times now. I hardly think it is a flashback to Leave it to Beaver that we value healthy, home-cooked meals in our home. We do eat out from time to time (maybe once every two weeks?), usually Indian food or a nice brunch.

Eating healthy and sharing meals together are something we make a priority in our family. When I was growing up, my mom rarely cooked much that didn't involve a microwave, and we almost never ate together as a family... if we did, the television was always on. Not what I want for my family now.

I'm not a hater on this thread. When I was growing up we ate dinner as a family as often as we could (probably about 4 nights a week) and I strive to do that too. And you're right, it's not that hard.

But elk and deer meat? Really?

I am not from a hunter's family, but venison is actually quite tasty. Often families who get a deer do not have to purchase meat for the entire year.

Also, you should be grateful to these hunters for keeping the deer population in check. They help prevent diseased dear populations due to overcrowding and over population.

I use a big crock pot I got at Costco a few years ago. It is wonderful and it holds big roasts. My favorite thing to cook in the crockpot is a whole chicken. I just wash it really good, then season the inside with garlic and onions, and sage, then I sprinkle kosher salt all over it. I put it in the crock pot on low with no liquid added. I also put onions and pepper and a little olive oil on top. It is wonderful!! I beats any rotisserie chicken I have had, and so easy. I use the meat for lots of meals. Super cheap too.