Looks like I'm out of the cooking loop!

G

GeorgiaXplant

Well-known Member
Location
Georgia
On www.thecheatsheet.com today there's an article about "bringing back" seven old standbys: tuna casserole, Salisbury steak, stuffed peppers, chicken and noodles (in the South they're called dumplings), meatloaf, Shepherd's pie, and cabbage rolls. Hm. I guess it's more trendy to decorate the plates of gluten-free, fat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free, low-calorie food with clever garnishes and colorful sauces. Or maybe the whole country eats out of paper bags with fast-food logos on them.

All seven of those dishes are ones that are whipped up in our kitchen regularly; that is, when either my daughter or I are moved to cook. If I lived all by myself, they're things I'd make because the leftovers lend themselves well to being frozen.

Do any or all or some of us still cook "ordinary" food like the things mentioned above?
 

Always loved tuna casserole and meat loaf. Haven't had either for years. My husband does 99% of the cooking and unless we have guests, it's always vegetarian. I do order meat when we eat out though.
 

Yes, I do. All but Shepherd's pie. I never did like that. Those above are comfort foods, mainly prepared during the winter months. I cook everyday from scratch, regardless if my husband is home or not. Today, it's pork and sauerkraut, with mashed potatoes, baby peas, cranberry relish and apple pie for dessert. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten fast food.
 
Gemma said:
Yes, I do. All but Shepherd's pie. I never did like that. Those above are comfort foods, mainly prepared during the winter months. I cook everyday from scratch, regardless if my husband is home or not. Today, it's pork and sauerkraut, with mashed potatoes, baby peas, cranberry relish and apple pie for dessert. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten fast food.
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What time is dinner?☺
 
I cook the comfort foods that I grew up with because they are tasty, inexpensive and most importantly because of the memories of the old souls that made those dishes for me.

On those rare occasions when I do go out I'm more adventurous but I do not enjoy restaurants that use gigantic white plates to serve minuscule amounts of food that have been splattered with various sauces and dusted with who knows what. I find that type of plating to be pretentious and silly.
 
bluebreezes said:
Tuna casserole with egg noodles, peas and a Ritz cracker topping, you bet!
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When our potato chip bags have only crumbs left, we have tuna casserole and use the crumbs for the topping. Never tried Ritz crackers for topping, gotta use egg noodles and peas, though! My mother used elbow macaroni and put sliced hard boiled eggs on top as soon as it came out of the oven, and I used to hope that my portion was minus the hard boiled eggs (not that I didn't like them, just not on tuna casserole).
 
Aunt Bea said:
I cook the comfort foods that I grew up with because they are tasty, inexpensive and most importantly because of the memories of the old souls that made those dishes for me.

On those rare occasions when I do go out I'm more adventurous but I do not enjoy restaurants that use gigantic white plates to serve minuscule amounts of food that have been splattered with various sauces and dusted with who knows what. I find that type of plating to be pretentious and silly.
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Ditto! To both the memories and the "pretentious and silly" (and usually overpriced!).

Gemma, I'm in the Atlanta area....is it doable?
 
Gemma said:
I doubt you can make it from there, within an hour and a half. :(
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Maybe to Shali's for stroganoff and apple pie. Never mind, she's in Canada.

BW, I figure I'm old enough that I can eat pretty much what I darned well please. I stay away from cured meats, go lightly on red meat, but figure that at my age, indulging myself ain't gonna hurt. And isn't it nice that dark chocolate is GOOD for us?

Gemma, I don't use lamb in Shepherd's pie because I don't like it, and I don't go wild with spices, either...ground round or sirloin, diced onion, minced garlic, an eyeful of Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, green beans, a little shredded cheese over that, mashed potatoes that I add some ranch dressing to, bake, eat. It may have originated in the UK, but I make it Yankee style. Some might call it bland. I call it perfect wintertime food☺
 
I haven't had any of those things for years either --- now I make vegetarian loafs and shepherd's pies that are simply scrumptious.
 
To-night is a salad, mac and cheese(home made) lemon loaf(home made). In the freezer I have meatloaf,
curried chicken, Swedish meatballs, chicken soup, lentil soup, muffins, scones, all home made.
 
We ate a lot of tuna casserole while growing up but always made a fuss when Mom tried to sneak peas into it. Never liked that but I found myself sneaking veggies into my dishes when cooking for kids. Finely shredded carrots are inconspicuous in spaghetti sauce. :)

I have tried to cut back on carbs so we usually just have meat and vegetables but once in a while noodle or brown rice win out.
 
When I was married the first time, we were dirt poor. My husband spent three times more than our income. We had little to eat. So I fixed tuna casserole with cream of mushroom soup and elbow macaroni mixed in. We had that a lot. Once I dumped my husband, who gave me VD several times, I never had tuna casserole again. Forty-two years later I still can't stand the thought of it.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I cook the comfort foods that I grew up with because they are tasty, inexpensive and most importantly because of the memories of the old souls that made those dishes for me.

On those rare occasions when I do go out I'm more adventurous but I do not enjoy restaurants that use gigantic white plates to serve minuscule amounts of food that have been splattered with various sauces and dusted with who knows what. I find that type of plating to be pretentious and silly.
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I do, too -- thought maybe I was the only Philistine who thought so. Why in the world drizzle a strip of sauce over a bare plate? l wouldn't eat at places like that even if I could afford to, but I do sometimes watch cooking shows, like Iron Chef, etc., and I see it on there. I always think, "don't they have the right sized plates?" And with those teensy portions, I'd have to go home and eat afterwards. You're right -- its pretentious and silly. Wonder why they do that?
 
Gemma said:
Yes, I do. All but Shepherd's pie. I never did like that. Those above are comfort foods, mainly prepared during the winter months. I cook everyday from scratch, regardless if my husband is home or not. Today, it's pork and sauerkraut, with mashed potatoes, baby peas, cranberry relish and apple pie for dessert. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten fast food.
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I cook from scratch, too. I don't like the idea of using mixes, etc. with god knows how many unpronounceable ingredients. I cook real fresh food, and like you, I can't remember the last time I had fast food. All it does is make you fat. I don't like shepherd's pie, either -- usually it's lamb and I don't like lamb. There's something about the smell of it that I find repugnant.
 
Cooking is considered a creative process and an art form to some. Food served in smaller portions and plates would discourage over-eating, especially if you are serving up high fat and carbohydrate meals made with potato chips and canned soup. I value quality over quantity and consider it smart to eat healthy good quality food.
 
I've been thinking exactly the same lately, reading a few Women's magazines that include recipes and meal suggestions I've never heard of most of the ingredients and don't know what the hell theyre talking about !

I live alone but cook every day as I enjoy it, using fresh vegetables, meat and fish most of the above mentioned dishes with plenty of hearty stews during winter, never use mixes or tinned sauce etc.
 

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