Are you a good cook?

Ruth Ann Reyes
Ruth Ann Reyes Posts: 577 admin
edited November 2020 in Cooking

Do you consider yourself a good home chef?

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Comments

  • Marjory Wildcraft
    Marjory Wildcraft Posts: 1,615 admin

    Hey @Ruth Reyes-Loiacano , can we make quizzes?

  • kbmbillups1
    kbmbillups1 Posts: 1,390 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Like @shllnzl we have been through many varieties of cooking. I also changed the way I cook to help my husband with his diabetes. We have been on a journey through so many different types of cooking. All of which have one thing in common and that's cooking from scratch.

    Originally I learned to cook from scratch to cut out all the chemicals, but then it was to cut out the added sugar, and then it was to learn to cook gluten free, and then it was to cook mostly plant based with a small amount of meat a couple times a week. I took a free Rouxbe cooking class where I learned a lot about plant based cooking.

    One thing we can all attest to is that we feel better and we don't have all of the aches and pains anymore (even my daughters were having them and they were way to young for it to be called age related). Another thing we've all noticed is that when we do eat fast food or at someones house who cooks from packages with all the chemicals is that we feel sick to our stomachs afterwards, bloated, and it just doesn't taste as good as we remember. Most times it's way too salty and/or too sweet.

    Like @LaurieLovesLearning I taught both of my daughters to cook from scratch. One was a lot more interested than the other but they both learned. We spent every summer for years having cooking and cleaning lessons.

    I thought it would be hard having people over for dinner as well but we have found some favorites from each style of cooking that we really like. I usually make one of those dishes when we have friends over and they rarely say they felt like they were missing something even to my kids later. The thing they'd be missing most is the meat b/c if I cook meat it's mostly as a condiment as they say - for flavoring. So, Wedding Soup (with some ground beef instead of meat balls), Veggie Chili (or with some ground beef added), Curries, Bean Burritos, etc.

    Even though my husband is a meat eater and LOVES it, not eating so much has really helped his diabetes. I'd read several places that excess protein turns to glucose in your body. He's gotten used to it now since we've been eating this way for several years. But he does like to go to Publix to pick something up for me so he can buy chicken wings.

    There is a farmer's market about 45 minutes from us that we love to go to every once in a while. I'm missing not being able to go right now! They have an entire wall of spices! Normal spices and spices from every country you can think of. I love experimenting with them!

  • OhiohillsLouise
    OhiohillsLouise Posts: 120 ✭✭✭

    I can echo many comments that are already posted. So many dietary changes over my life. My mother was a meat and potatoes cook, canned soup, lunch meat, boxed cereal. Not me! Still meat but all the others are gone. Now my family gets fresh whenever possible, a large variety of tastes and colors. Yup, I think I’m a good cook and definitely not like my mother.

  • sallyhoward
    sallyhoward Posts: 106 ✭✭✭

    yes

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I do most of my cooking from scratch. We eat basic foods, and several of our favorite recipes have been either by accident, desperation or just what we like to call concoctions, where I just throw a few things that look or sound interesting in the pot or pan. One of our favorite ways to cook salmon came about because I was elected at the last second to fix salmon for a family member's wedding, just as everyone else headed out the door with a casual..."Oh, while your making the wedding cake...there's some salmon in the sink. Can you fix that and bring with you?" Since the Bride's other doesn't cook much there was very little to work with. I had been shopping earlier for my own house. I cut the salmon into serving size pieces and dropped in a baking pan. Poured some ranch dressing on top, sprinkled with parmesan and paprika and baked. The new Father in law liked it so much he wouldn't let anyone else have any and he took what was left home with him. l guess he liked it. 😁

  • csinclair461
    csinclair461 Posts: 159 ✭✭✭

    I cook so differently than I did when I was young. Food sensitivities have taken many of my signature dishes away. I loved baking most, I think. I baked bread and cookies, homemade pizza and apple pie. Now we don’t eat wheat. I have made the pie with oat flour crust. It works, but its not the same.

    I don’t feel like I am as good a cook anymore. I am easily distracted, more chaotic, less energy.

    I have always been a recipe follower. I can improvise on recipes, but am not someone who can just know what spices would be good in a dish, etc. My daughter can do that, it’s amazing to me.

  • Jens the Beekeeper
    Jens the Beekeeper Posts: 651 admin

    I guess I am a good cook. I do most of the cooking for our family of six on the day to day base and nearly all is from scratch.

    My 13year old daughter demands to have my spaghetti Bolognese for her birthday.

    I try different vegetables and the rule is everyone at least has to try and taste what is on the table. Most of the times they will enjoy it.

    I used to make all of our bread, pizza, sourdough. Like @judsoncarroll4 I love to ferment things.

    We have kids cooking Saturday whenever possible. One of the kids choose what to have for lunch or dinner., gets to buy it if we do not have all ingredients, slice, dice, prepare and cook according to their skills and do the cleaning afterwards.

  • tammyrichardsmt9
    tammyrichardsmt9 Posts: 109 ✭✭✭

    I am a good cook, just not a very creative one. My oldest daughter can create meals with just about anything. I love to make homemade noodles (I just don't do it often because of time constraints).

  • JodieDownUnder
    JodieDownUnder Posts: 1,483 admin

    I believe I'm fairly handy on the cooking front. Now I have more time on my hands(retired) I love to experiment and love having friends and family around to laugh, talk and eat ( although the C virus has put a stop to that atm!) I get a kick out of cooking fresh produce from the garden and combining flavours. We have moved to a more plant based diet these days and very much enjoying that. Loving my herbs for flavour combos and using for medicine etc.

  • Grammyprepper
    Grammyprepper Posts: 168 ✭✭✭

    I have often been complimented on my cooking skills, from family to the kids' friends. I have never been a recipe follower, I will read a couple recipes if I am looking to try something different, and then improvise. No dish ever comes out quite the same every time, but it's usually good.

    The greatest challenge for me has come in adjusting to being empty nesters after years of cooking for a crowd. I also do a great deal more from scratch cooking than I did when I was much younger.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yup..

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @Lisa K If they worked and got eaten with satisfaction, I'd say that is a pass! 👏

  • Homestead Hubby
    Homestead Hubby Posts: 40 ✭✭✭

    Yes? I think so and have been told but hard to say for sure. I just wish I would have found it sooner than I did as I think I would be better than I am and know more.

  • Obiora E
    Obiora E Posts: 517 ✭✭✭✭

    @Ruth Reyes-Loiacano Yes I consider myself a good cook. I have even been complimented on my food tasting better than some of the food made by aspiring chefs.

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    In the immortal words of Justin Wilson (my hero), "I may not be no chef, no... but I am a DAMN GOOD COOK, I guarantee! Whoo boy!!"

  • Leediafastje
    Leediafastje Posts: 97 ✭✭✭

    My family tells me I'm a good cook. But, I think (more than that) I am an expert at using left-overs.

    I agree with @judsoncarroll4 about Justin Wilson ... Onion!

  • dipat2005
    dipat2005 Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I am a from scratch cook and I love to tweak recipes. One of my friends added a half cup of butter and way more sugar than necessary to her whole wheat rolls. Everyone loves those rolls. I tweaked the recipe and the sugar is now nominal and there is no butter. I know the Pioneers used salt, yeast, water and a very small amount of sugar. Her recipe wreaked havoc on her husband's health. He had diabetes and heart problems.

    About nine years ago i changed my eating habits and for a long time I ate more raw vegetables. I always have frozen strawberries and blueberries in the freezer. I have frozen peaches bananas, and pears too.

  • silvertipgrizz
    silvertipgrizz Posts: 1,990 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'm a very good cook........and yet somehow last nights chili I made is lacking....never before happened...Now I have to figure out what I failed to do, how to get it where it always is and if all else fails...smother it with cheese and top that off with Texas sheet cake...the same recipe I posted about 3 weeks or so ago and I made it a few days later...one of the best I've ever eaten, my work or otherwise..