If you cook, do you vary your meals?

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
Ron and I make our own breakfasts and lunches during the work week, but I cook dinner every night. He LOVES not knowing what I'm going to put in front of him! :love::ROFLMAO: I'm an adventurous cook, and enjoy making up recipes or varying ones I find, so most dinners are a surprise adventure for Ron.

Some of my friends who cook tell me their partners would hate that, that there is an expectation of the same routine of meals, predictable as to day and meal, and that it's an established routine. Some have a one week rotation, some two, a couple a month. But it just doesn't vary. A few don't have a schedule of meals but don't introduce new meals into the mix. I only know of one other couple who are like us, who experiment, and vary, and are always trying new recipes or new twists on old ones.

We do have some tried and true meals....lamb with mint sauce (prolly Ron's fave) white chicken chili with cornbread, chicken tacos with homemade pico, beef barley soup with my homemade bread, mushroom spinach torte, pot roast, homemade veggie pizza, liver and onions, pork tenderloin...wow, more than I thought, and there are even more than this! Ron makes a pork steak on the grill that is to die for! And he's a master at stir fry, and what we call refrigerator omelettes (all the leftovers in the fridge!)

So, what about you? If you cook, are you someone who cooks the same things same days, or do you like to change it up?
 

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It's great that you vary your meals, @Ronni. Spice of life! I know people that will only eat eggs for breakfast and nothing else. Unless it's sweets.

I've always tried to vary my small family's meals too. Mostly with success. I was lucky to have Central European, Italian and lots of Middle Eastern influences to bring to the table.
 
I always vary the meals even now when I'm on my own, and no-one else to cook for... I have to have variety or I wouldn't eat through sheer boredom

My ex M-I-L was a professional cook..yet at home she served the same thing on the same day every week... Fish on Fridays.. Roast beef on Sundays, cottage pie on Mondays..etc... that would drive me insane...
 

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hollydolly said:
I always vary the meals even now when I'm on my own, and no-one else to cook for... I have to have variety or I wouldn't eat through sheer boredom

My ex M-I-L was a prfessional cook..yet at home she served the same thing on the same day every week... Fish on Fridays.. Roast beef on Sundays, cottage pie on Mondays..etc... that would drive me insane...
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We did those same meals, Holly. Except for Cottage Pie. Any leftover Sun. roast was carved for sandwiches instead.
 
I try and vary my cooking but we like certain meals too,since it is getting cooler it is time to start cooking more things like chili, soups and stews.I try and make what my husband likes most of the time. We rarely eat out either .
 
Ronni said:
Ron and I make our own breakfasts and lunches during the work week, but I cook dinner every night. He LOVES not knowing what I'm going to put in front of him! :love::ROFLMAO: I'm an adventurous cook, and enjoy making up recipes or varying ones I find, so most dinners are a surprise adventure for Ron.

Some of my friends who cook tell me their partners would hate that, that there is an expectation of the same routine of meals, predictable as to day and meal, and that it's an established routine. Some have a one week rotation, some two, a couple a month. But it just doesn't vary. A few don't have a schedule of meals but don't introduce new meals into the mix. I only know of one other couple who are like us, who experiment, and vary, and are always trying new recipes or new twists on old ones.

We do have some tried and true meals....lamb with mint sauce (prolly Ron's fave) white chicken chili with cornbread, chicken tacos with homemade pico, beef barley soup with my homemade bread, mushroom spinach torte, pot roast, homemade veggie pizza, liver and onions, pork tenderloin...wow, more than I thought, and there are even more than this! Ron makes a pork steak on the grill that is to die for! And he's a master at stir fry, and what we call refrigerator omelettes (all the leftovers in the fridge!)

So, what about you? If you cook, are you someone who cooks the same things same days, or do you like to change it up?
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Reading your post made me hungry...yummmm lol. I have to change it up a bit. Like you and your hubby, my hubby and I fix our own breakfast and lunches. I cook dinner. I like to surprise him but sometimes I let him know. Doesn't really matter to him, he goes with the flow of whatever I cook - he enjoys my cooking. He cooks at times. I love his steel head trout and lamb chops - yummm!!
 
hollydolly said:
I always vary the meals even now when I'm on my own, and no-one else to cook for... I have to have variety or I wouldn't eat through sheer boredom

My ex M-I-L was a professional cook..yet at home she served the same thing on the same day every week... Fish on Fridays.. Roast beef on Sundays, cottage pie on Mondays..etc... that would drive me insane...
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That would drive me insane as well Holly. I have to mix it up. Even if we had chicken 3x a week - I would fix it 3 different ways..:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
Marie5656 said:
Not really. Mostly chicken or pork as meats. Try to do different things....but as it is JUST me, not a huge variety in meals. Ove the past couple of weeks I made big batches of chicken soup and some chili. Froze in single portions
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If it was just me, I would make a batch of different foods and freeze them. My grocery bill would be cut in half. My husb is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. I can do without meat all the time. Sometimes when I fix his dinner to take to work, I fix something different for myself.
 
I am the dinner cook and I try to vary stuff but I need to follow guidelines for sickly people... lol. A lot of times I create my own recipies and even though they are the same basic food (steak, chops, ribs, shrimp, salmon, tuna, etc...) the preparation is different.

I avoid any pre packaged meals, and usually make scratch stuff. And I make mega meals too like home made enchiladas and spaghetti that takes 2 days to cook. I get bored easily. I usually do prime rib and severe smoking of stuff - ribs, chuckies, etc... We don't do that stuff too often tho. Texas summer is a little hot to run the oven. And all day outside with the smoker is a lotta work in the heat. ''

Pam makes a monster Chicken Pot Pie, awesome roast beef and a great meatloaf too.
 
I don't cook as much as I used to now that I am alone. I do freeze meals so I have something if I don't feel like cooking. I have a great variety of ingriedients I keep on hand so I can usually make anything I get a craving for.

I have been leaning more into Japanese flavors. It is a lot of fun trying new things. The one thing that makes me nuts is I can't find fresh mung bean sprouts near my home. Canned are no replacement IMO. I am going to see if the kids have a source where they live.
 
MikeyDude said:
I am the dinner cook and I try to vary stuff but I need to follow guidelines for sickly people... lol. A lot of times I create my own recipies and even though they are the same basic food (steak, chops, ribs, shrimp, salmon, tuna, etc...) the preparation is different.

I avoid any pre packaged meals, and usually make scratch stuff. And I make mega meals too like home made enchiladas and spaghetti that takes 2 days to cook. I get bored easily. I usually do prime rib and severe smoking of stuff - ribs, chuckies, etc... We don't do that stuff too often tho. Texas summer is a little hot to run the oven. And all day outside with the smoker is a lotta work in the heat. ''

Pam makes a monster Chicken Pot Pie, awesome roast beef and a great meatloaf too.
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:) Can I come? I can bring my famous raspberry wine.
 
Blessed said:
I don't cook as much as I used to now that I am alone. I do freeze meals so I have something if I don't feel like cooking. I have a great variety of ingriedients I keep on hand so I can usually make anything I get a craving for.

I have been leaning more into Japanese flavors. It is a lot of fun trying new things. The one thing that makes me nuts is I can't find fresh mung bean sprouts near my home. Canned are no replacement IMO. I am going to see if the kids have a source where they live.
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:) You can order mung beans for sprouting at Amazon.
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How to Sprout Mung Beans
You can make homegrown mung bean sprouts for a fraction of what you’d pay to buy already-grown sprouts at the grocery store.
1. Rinse your beans. Use a colander or strainer to thoroughly rinse your mung beans with clean water in the sink. Run water through the beans until it runs clear, then run your clean hands through the beans to remove any dust or debris.
2. Soak your beans. Measure half a cup of mung beans and pour them into a large container—a glass jar like a mason jar is a great option—followed by one cup to one and a half cups of cool water. Secure a cheesecloth or paper towel to the top of your container with a rubber band so that your beans can breathe. Soak your beans for eight to twelve hours at room temperature until they swell.
3. Drain and rinse the beans. The next day—or after at least eight hours—strain your beans. You can pour the water out of the top of the jar through a cheesecloth, or use a strainer. Rinse and drain the beans of water once again.
4. Store your beans. You can either store your beans in the empty, dry container that they sprouted in, compress them in layers of paper towels in a bowl or colander, or wrap them in a slightly damp cloth kitchen napkin or cheesecloth and store them in a covered bowl. Make sure to store them in a dark place, away from direct sunlight.
5. Repeat the rinsing and draining process. Continue to rinse and drain the beans once a day over two days until they begin to sprout white tails. If you store your beans in a wet cloth, you only need to check that the cloth is still damp, and sprinkle water on it if it’s become dry. Once they’ve reached your desired length—this will likely happen on day four—give them one last drain and final rinse.
6. Dry the bean sprouts. When you’re ready to make your bean sprouts, layer them on some paper towels and gently press them to squeeze out any excess water.
7. Store the bean sprouts. Keep your sprouted beans in your refrigerator in a container or plastic bag lined with paper towels to maintain a dry atmosphere and keep your sprouts tasting fresh. They will keep for about two weeks in the fridge.
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4 Tips for Sprouting Mung Beans at Home
Sprouting beans to make bean sprouts at home can be a healthy and inexpensive way to add crunch and extra nutrition to your food. When you’re sprouting mung beans at home, you want to follow the tips below.
1. Buy untreated beans. Make sure to buy whole, untreated mung beans from your local health food store or grocery store. Avoid using mung beans in gardener’s packets, because these are more likely to be chemically treated.
2. Keep the beans clean. Mung beans may be dusty or contain gravel when you first remove them from their bag because they’re often left by the side of the road in bags after harvesting. Thoroughly rinse and clean your beans before starting the sprouting process, and run your clean hands through the beans to make sure you haven’t missed any debris.
3. Keep the beans out of direct sunlight. You will leave your beans out of the refrigerator to sprout at room temperature. To prevent your beans from becoming bitter or drying out, you want to make sure to keep them out of direct sunlight. Keep your storage vessel in a shady place on your counter or in a cabinet to prevent any sunlight from creeping in.
4. Leave room for your beans to grow. Mung beans may double or triple in size when they sprout—one cup of untreated beans may yield up to two or three cups of sprouts— so make sure to store them in a large enough container to give them room to grow.
 
We usually eat two meals a day, breakfast which is very simple & late lunch/early dinner.

Over the years I've found different recipes to make meatloaves, chicken, deer, pot roasts, pork roasts, kielbasa/smoked sausages & other beef/pork cuts. All served with veggies & salad fixed different ways. No one likes fish or seafood at the house. I do most of the cooking, but my husband does the grill & smoker. So we do have a variety of flavors even though the basic meats are the same. As far as dessert/cookies, I have a lot of those too.

I also different soups that I make in large batches & then freeze for later meals all year around. I'll also freeze left over meats & potatoess for a quick dinner when we don't have the time or the gumption to cook.
 
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