Cooking for the week

[VeraBlue]

I rarely cook during the week at home. I work in a kitchen all day, every day, so cooking at home just doesn't happen any longer. However, I love to cook at home on the weekends.
Today, sunday, I managed to cook so there could possibly be food for my two kids (17 and 20) for the week. I made pasta with bolognese sauce, baked chicken breasts coated with bread crumbs, pesto and ground walnuts, tuna salad, vegetable pealla, and grilled eggplant. I'm not quite sure how long it will last, but until it does run out, at least I know they won't starve.

Does anyone else cook on the weekends, hoping it will last well into the work week?

[amber]

When I cooked at home on the weekends, it was pretty much the same as what you make, and also chili and chicken parmesan. Do your teens know how to cook? I taught my daughter how to cook when she was quite young, but she didnt start to cook on her own until she was around 12 (supervised), and then by age 14, I trusted her enough to cook safely on her own, but the cleaning up part was another story!

[cjs]

Oh man, I remember those days! Seems like I spent one of the two of my days off cooking for the coming week!! I was so glad when it was just the two of us and we could have meatloaf sandwiches for dinner if we wanted!!

I was of the old school the kids had to have five "plops" on their plates - meat, veggie, salad, bread, fruit.

[Andy M.]

I have cooked large batches of food at once, but not for consumption the following week. I freeze portions for later use whenever.

[Alix]

VeraBlue, I am filling in for our regular cook at work this week (thank goodness I am halfway thru this run!) so I completely relate. The last thing you want to be doing when you get home is COOKING.

We are supposed to be hitting some more heat this coming week too so I went a different route for dinners for the family. I roasted a chicken yesterday so there are leftovers of that, and I did a ton of blanching of veggies so the freezer is loaded too. I bought a pile of lunch meat and sprouts and pitas and things like that so we can do pita pockets instead of real meals. I also loaded up on all the wonderful fruit that just came in. We have a pile of nectarines, blueberries and FINALLY some decent bananas. My raspberry canes are just about done now darn it so we will only get a few more of those, but that ought to do. I'm going to do a bunch of pasta today for salad, and probably some eggs too. That way I can just toss things together when I get home and I don't really feel like I am "cooking".

[Yakuta]

Hi Verablue, I do that from time to time. My aunt though does this all the time. My uncle is a chef and after years of doing this he is very picky about food. His pickiness is although is to have something very simple, vegetarian homecooked food.

What my aunt does is that on Sunday, she is up early morning and she preps about 7 different vegetables. My uncle then cranks up their outdoor stove and cooks them one by one. They store it in air tight containers. They eat each of them per day (so they have variety). Given it's only the two of them they don't need to cook a ton. The only thing that is made fresh everyday is bread (Indians eat Roti similar to tortillas) and it taste best if it's made fresh.

I on the other hand have a larger family. I have two kids and my parents as well and I personally like fresh food and so do my kids. I normally come home after work and quickly prepare something. I use pressure cooker and other devices that can make my life easy.

[VeraBlue]

Originally Posted by amber

When I cooked at home on the weekends, it was pretty much the same as what you make, and also chili and chicken parmesan. Do your teens know how to cook? I taught my daughter how to cook when she was quite young, but she didnt start to cook on her own until she was around 12 (supervised), and then by age 14, I trusted her enough to cook safely on her own, but the cleaning up part was another story!

Haha, Amber! Yes, growing up with a mother who's a chef, naturally, they know how to cook...but getting them to actually do it is like getting them to remember to take out the trash, or empty the dishwasher! Coco, my daughter, is actually more inclined to cook than my son is. He's good at eggs and other breakfast fare. I remember a recent mother's day when they prepared a really special breakfast for me...then proceeded to return to bed, leaving me to clean up!

[VeraBlue]

Originally Posted by Alix

VeraBlue, I am filling in for our regular cook at work this week (thank goodness I am halfway thru this run!) so I completely relate. The last thing you want to be doing when you get home is COOKING.

You gave the cook the week off, didn't you?? Have you asked yourself yet :what was I thinking? I do everytime I approve a vacation other than my own!

[VeraBlue]

Originally Posted by Yakuta

Hi Verablue, I do that from time to time. My aunt though does this all the time. My uncle is a chef and after years of doing this he is very picky about food. His pickiness is although is to have something very simple, vegetarian homecooked food.

What my aunt does is that on Sunday, she is up early morning and she preps about 7 different vegetables. My uncle then cranks up their outdoor stove and cooks them one by one. They store it in air tight containers. They eat each of them per day (so they have variety). Given it's only the two of them they don't need to cook a ton. The only thing that is made fresh everyday is bread (Indians eat Roti similar to tortillas) and it taste best if it's made fresh.

I on the other hand have a larger family. I have two kids and my parents as well and I personally like fresh food and so do my kids. I normally come home after work and quickly prepare something. I use pressure cooker and other devices that can make my life easy.

I used to come home and cook, too; but only when the kids were younger. Now, they are usually on their own.