Thoughts on cooking

Cooking is a big part of my life. I love to be in the kitchen, cooking and baking, preferably for a ton of people. Last year we started a few traditions at the school – Homecoming tailgating for staff and a great holiday cocktail party. I catered both – about 50 people for each event. I love to spend a whole day in the kitchen.

What I find more difficult, however, is day-to-day eating. Cooking a traditional meal for one just doesn’t appeal to me very often. I have a thousand recipes in my “to try” binder, but unless it’s a baked good, I doubt I will ever make the majority of them.

Stumbling around on the internet lately I found more information on Once A Month Cooking (OAMC). Through my participation on a cooking board, I know people who do this, or even once a week cooking. Spend one day a week/month prepping and cooking, freeze, and have meals prepared. As far as this concerns my lifestyle, I’m of 2 minds. On the one side I think “I’m better than this – I can put a meal together perfectly well without having to resort to a recipe that is designed for a heat and eat meal, thank you very much.” The other side of my brain is saying “Yeah, but you don’t do it. You can, but you don’t.” *sigh*

So, I’ve decided to give it a shot. Save the great creative recipes for tailgating and the cocktail party, and try stocking the freezer. I already stock with things like homemade pasta sauce (Lindrusso’s Marinara, for those interested), Cincinatti chili (with the elk that my dad shot last fall), and lasagna – things that are best done in large batches. I’ve decided to add things like individual shepherd’s pies, marinated chicken recipes, Hungarian goulash, and chicken with dumplings. I’m also hoping that, although my food spending isn’t huge (I’m more likely to skip dinner or just have cheese and crackers and a few grapes!), that this will help me better track and spend my food dollars.

And, for those days that I’m craving comfort foods… there is a recipe for gravy that I can freeze in ice cube trays to serve over mashed potatoes. Rock on.