cook

prompted me to make a full dinner again the next evening.

I really don’t know how to cook too much, but I did learn not too long ago how easy it was to buy a salmon fillet, put some salad dressing on top, and throw it in the oven for 20 minutes. I had squash and yams left over, so I cut up some more (this time, remembering to cut off the squash rind first! I am such a rookie) and made the same side dish I made last night.

I was so pleased with myself. The side dish turned out as well as it did the night before, but I think next time I can use less oil and make it even healthier. The salmon was delicious. I’m going to have some of last night’s leftovers right now.

where they had a sample of a turnip, squash, and yam dish that was really yummy. I almost bought the premade bag they were selling, and then thought- wait! I can buy a butternut squash, we have yams at home already, and I can make it myself for much cheaper!

So I added a squash to my shopping cart and went home, cut up the squash and yams, sauteed them in olive oil, added cinnamon, and served it as a side dish to the delicious meal Frog was making. It turned out nicely, and I felt so good about contributing to the meal, not just cleaning up afterward.

Keep it simple, silly!

I keep thinking that I have to do something major to cook. The reality is, when Frog isn’t home, I can make a nice simple dinner as long as I have the right foods in the house. I don’t have to do things from scratch or fully homemade- it still counts as cooking!

Last night, I took out some chicken breasts from the freezer, defrosted them in the microwave, and put them in a skillet to cook. Then I took a box of rice pilaf from the pantry, measured two cups of water, stirred in the rice and the seasoning, and let it simmer. I took out a frozen bag of edamame beans, put them in a bowl, and microwaved them.

Frogette and I had a delicious, nutritious dinner. It wasn’t gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but it was fine. I have to start planning to have more food in the house that I can make simple meals with, and make it more of a habit to cook like this. It isn’t rocket science.

I cooked some salmon for dinner last night. Frogette likes it plain, so I just preheated the oven and threw in the fish for 15 minutes.

It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Stir-fry with fake beef. Really, I cheated a bit, because it was a prepared frozen vegetable stir fry which I just put in the pan, and then cooked the fake beef with a 21-spice seasoning mix. But if I am using the stove, I am counting it as cooking, even if it wasn’t very difficult. :)

Also, it was healthy and tasted great, albeit perhaps a little too spicy.

I made Frogette and I a dinner of teriaki chicken wings, french fries, and Israeli salad. Emma liked it so much that she requested the exact same thing the next night.

That’s a good start, I guess. Now I have to try something a little more complicated.

Now that Frog is out of the house working until far after dinner hours, I have to make good on this cooking thing.
I’ve been meaning to track down some of my collected recipies and buy the ingredients for them, but I’ve been running ragged with regard to time as of late.

Tonight, though, I think I’ll dive right in, and do something really simple: chicken. I know that we have teriaki sauce in the fridge, and even I should be able to pick up some chicken from the supermarket and slap some teriaki sauce on it to broil in the oven. I’ll make edamame beans and some baked french fries for a side. :)

I’ve collected a few simple and healthy recipies, but I haven’t done anything with them. I have to defeat the inertia and just get in the kitchen and TRY!

Tomorrow, I will choose one recipie, make the list of ingredients I need to buy, and go shopping for them.

But given that I have a family, I should really learn to cook a few easy, simple dinners. Husband has been making us wonderful dinners, but if he goes out for the evening, I need to pick up the slack.

If I could learn to make five simple meals, I would be satisfied. Husband has offered to teach me, but there is something that holds me back from taking him up on his offer. I think I need to just do this for myself. Trial and error.

I have a few recipies with not too many ingredients and not too long a preparation time. I need to bite the bullet despite my trepidations and insecurities and get the ingredients. Also, lock Husband out of the kitchen so he can’t micromanage me.