for whom the cook cooks...

[buckytom]

when you cook, do you usually make things that you like, and hope that your family or s.o. will enjoy it (if not, too bad)? or do you always try to cook for their enjoyment, and try to like the same things (if not, you make something else for yourself)? or do you compromise most of the time, only making things that you know you all like?

i am a combination of the second two. i cook for dw's enjoyment, and try to like such plain albeit healthy things, and i also try to make things we both enjoy.
if i make something she doesn't like, she will just make her own dinner, VERY LOUDLY, so i only make those kinds of dishes when she's not gonna be home.

how 'bout choo??????????

 

[jkath]

I make things that will please
1. the h
2. the kids

I love many foods that h doesn't, so I don't make them unless he is working late. For example, he is disgusted at the thought of anything sweet at dinner. (Turkey gets no cranberry, pork loin gets no orange cinnamon glaze, etc)
I also have to accommadate the boys, where one believes cheese is a sin (unless it's on a pizza) and the other truly believes beans should only come in green.

But, I relish the idea of those days when I get to cook whatever I want!
(which is probably why I bake so many desserts!)

 

[college_cook]

i usually end up making something I like, but before I fancy it up with glazes or sauces or garnishes, etc., I make a plain version of it for the g/f. It works rather well, b/c I don't end up making 2 different meals.

 

[luvs]

i cook for myself, and my family and my jakie usually want to try it, so i cook extra for them sometimes, even if that means cooking twice.
if someone asks me to make a dish for them and to make it a certian way, i certainly will.
other than that, i'm not a very accomodating cook when it comes to something i'm going to have to eat, too.

 

[IcyMist]

I am always trying new recipes and if I find something that everybody seems to like (which is rare because my mother doesn't like any type of tomato with chicken.....GASP, grilled foods, etc.). BUT if I find something we all enjoy then I will put that in my keep file. Have learned to cook foods that my sister and her family and I like and my poor mom will pull something out of the freezer and fix for herself. We keep leftovers vaccum packed so is easy to heat something up she will like.

 

[Spice1133]

I enjoy cooking things others like. Will go out of my way to make things DH enjoys but once in a while I revolt and say "this is what we are having and you will eat it if you ever want any of your favorites again." Sometimes it is the only way I can get them to try something new. I am so bad.

 

[crewsk]

I do all 3. If I make something that I like, the next night I'll either make something we all like or something hubby & the kids like.

 

[Andy M.]

At different times it's any one of the three. I usually cook what SO and I will both like. I have broader tastes then she so there are some things I don't cook because she has no interest in trying them (such as duck or anything with beans in it). Sometimes we just eat different things for dinner.

 

[texasgirl]

I normally cook what everyone likes.
If I cook something new, they let me know if they like it or not. If DH an I like it but the boys don't, I'll still make it for us and they can buy something for that night to replace it. {They are grown with jobs and if they don't like what I made, too bad} )

 

[pdswife]

I always try to make things Paul likes. Luckily for me he likes almost everything I cook these days.

If we have company for dinner I
find out what they like and make it.




When Paul goes hunting or on a work trip
I celebrate by making one of my favorites ( like
fried potatoes with tons of garlic and onion. He likes it too
but, frowns at the unhealthiness of it.)

 

[PA Baker]

I do a little of all three. Nights when DH is around, I try to make sure it's something he likes, even if it's not his favorite. He wasn't raised eating much fruit or veggies--and what they did have came out of a can--so it's a challenge to try a lot of different veggie recipes. I could have vegetarian meals several times a week! I don't like to cook two dinners for the two of us, so I try to find compromises. Sometimes it works better than others!

 

[ironchef]

For family dinners, I'll usually cook things that either:

a. They've never tried before, or
b. That they would never think of ordering at a restaurant

I'll sometimes use them as guinea pigs for dishes that I am considering to run at the restaurant, and then tweak and adjust the dish from there, depending on how it turns out.

When we used to do dinners pot luck style, it used to be weird since the dish that I brought would be very different from everyone elses. They solved that problem by not doing anymore pot lucks and making me cook everything.

 

[jkath]

Iron Chef, I want to be adopted into your family so I can test the foods too!

 

[kadesma]

NIce post Bucky..

I think since I enjoy it so much just cooking is what pleases me My dh is so easy to please it bugs me at times I could serve up my Whimpy a burger every night and he'd be happy..I do have to admit he has been telling people about how I cook for all of us each Sunday and how good it is..So, I guess I land in the middle and cook to please all of us...
kadesma, off to put a glaze on the ham

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

I make something nice when friends are over. I HAVE something nice when the ladies come over.

Haaaaaaaa? Nudge nudge, wink, wink.........

 

[Dove]

Follow me Sushie..to you know where...I've taught you better than that. But then....................forget it.

Just treat them right.
G.ma Dove

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Hee... hee hee.... you spelled my name wrong. Guess youre talking to someone else. Theres still the woodshed. No one would tear it down. *running into Cafe*

 

[AllenOK]

I have very broad tastes. I love foreign cuisines and exotic foods. I also like my foods well-seasoned (not necessarily spiced, just well-flavored). PeppA is used to plain, unseasoned foods, usually fried, and other sides out of a box or can.

PeppA usually likes what I cook. There are a few things that she doesn't go for. The real challenge is the kids. The older two boys are somewhat picky, with the oldest one being VERY picky (that's the autism kicking in, mostly). They won't touch any soup/stew that I make. Usually, something new or different goes uneaten. That said, they love my Fried Chicken, Roast Chicken, Smoked Chicken, and Smoked turkey legs (notice a pattern?). If I make my homemade Beef Stroganoff, they'll usually choke some down, but I know they'd rather have what PeppA makes (Hamburger Helper, bleck!)

I usually try to accomodate everyone. Sometimes, PeppA wants me to make something that I know the kids just won't eat (soups/stews in the winter). There have been times that I've told them to "Eat what I put in front of you, or do without", like when I was a kid. Sometimes we go ahead and cook something quick for them.

The really big problem is when PeppA or her Mom cooks. I usually just don't eat those nights. This is mostly my own predjudices kicking in, from what I was raised on, how I was trained, and my experience. I realize that I do not really go for plain food. I just have a really hard time eating it.

 

[SierraCook]

Being single I cook whatever I want. But if I am having company for dinner I cook according to their tastes. For example, my dad hates bellpeppers, so I cook dishes without them when my parents are over for a meal.

 

[Spice1133]

Reading the post from men who cook makes me drool with envy. I do love to cook but it would be nice if husband could give me a day off now and then. He is the most cooking impaired man I know. I rember when I was working and at trial balance we all had to work late for 3 nights. I told him to just throw some hotdogs and beans on and go ahead and eat. Well!! when I got home he was waiting for me at the door very upset. He said he couldn't cook them because he didn't know how to turn on the oven!!! I did show him how to turn it on and explained they were done on top of the stove. The next night I came home to an awful smell, he had bought a daisy ham (I hate them) and put it in the oven along with some cabbage and NO water. Of course the cabbage was burnt as was the inner plastic casing of the ham he had negleted to remove. I have tried different methods of teaching him but each time was a disaster. My oldest son is a wonderful cook and has worked as a chef but he's 1500 miles away. I am doomed to be the only one in the house that can cook.