"Cooking from scratch" tips for a woman on the go - help

[Maha Vailo]

I'm concerned about limiting my intake of processed foods (for environmental, budget, and health considerations), but I'm also a very busy woman who often has little time to cook. What cooking-from-scratch tips can you offer for someone who always on the go, and what kinds of minimally processed meals are both cheap, easy and quick to make, and can be taken with one to work?

- Maha Vailo

[kashi]

It's easy to whip up a nice pasta in under 30 minutes. Quiches/tarts are also very easy.

[Donnie B.]

Is there any point in the week that you have more free time?

I cook for myself, and I do most recipe-type cooking (as opposed to sandwiches and such) on the weekends. I make enough so I have lunches and/or dinners for the whole week.

To mix things up a bit, I sometimes freeze one or two meals' worth and save them for a week or two; that way I'm not eating the same two meals all week. You can also add variety with salads and fruit.

I used to eat quite a bit of processed food (frozen dinners etc.) but this system has almost entirely eliminated that.

[Lord Jubjub]

Most canned vegetables are minimally processed. Some have added salt but there are unsalted varieties available.

A crockpot is a very good way to cook stuff. Put it in the pot in the morning and take it out in the evening, pretty much finished.

[Gillianren]

And the nice thing about a roast (which you can cook in a crockpot or when you have spare time) is that there's practically always leftovers, which is sandwiches for sometimes days, depending on the size of your roast.

Actually, I have several (make and eat for three days) recipes, plus a lot in various cookbooks that I don't use, because they have too many vegetables for my taste (ie, any). If you'd like, I can do a scan through my (many) cookbooks for you.

[Tinaa]

I cook 5-6 nights a week. I'm also quite busy so I cook kabobs a lot and they taste great for lunch the next day. Beef, chicken, shrimp or pork, it is all good. You can use most any veggie. Fire up the grill (or broiler) and they are cooked in no time! I cook outside all year long.

Are you cooking for a family or just yourself? If you'll take the time, after bringing your groceries home, to repackage meats into meal-sized packages for freezing. You can then put the frozen meat in the the fridge to thaw so that it is ready to cook when you get home. Wash your veggies when you get home and store them so they are ready to use.

Spaghetti is easy and freezes well too. Add a salad and you are good to go!

[Cylinder]

Casserole dishes are also good time and cost savers per serving. Among my favorites are chicken spaghetti and lasangas. They are also very easy to pack and most reheat in the microwave with very good results.

[PhantomWolf]

well what I had tonight took about an hour. Dry (ie without oil or fat) roasted Potatoes, Pumpkin and Onion, Garden Peas and Corn on the Cob for vegetables. Salmon steak, baked with a little salt, pepper and dill for the meat.

[Tog_]

To steal a thing or two from Rachel Ray *shudder*, on the main shopping day, wash all the veggies before you put them away. That way when it comes time to use them, they are ready to go. Anything that you can prep in advance then store will save time in the end.

The GF and I will sometimes get a roasted chicken from the store, then hand shred it and mix it in with rice and gravy to make a one bowl dinner. You can also do it with broccoli.

[Doodler]

Microwave is king.

Steaks from frozen to medium rare in 10 minutes, about 12-13 for fairly well done. Sliced onions, peppers, and mushrooms are usually better sauteed. Highly recommend a can of beef consomme to go with it. I did the sautee version this weekend, and after doing the steak medium rare, I threw a half a box of shell pasta on, boiled it al dente in about 5 or so minutes (i just throw the pasta in and boil the water around it, MUCH faster, and just as effective), then poured the liquid remains on the pasta with the mushrooms. Made a nice side for the steak.

I do a wicked lemon butter salmon in about 10 minutes from frozen, maybe seven from fresh. I can usually find a slab of it under four dollars at a local grocery store. Just gotta look. Just watch, when the thickest part goes from dark salmon pink to pale, you're about a minute from done. Prep usually means putting the salmon slab on a glass pie plate, light covering with butter (or heavier, whatever floats your cholesterol count), and sprinkle with lemon pepper. I've also used lemon juice in the past, but the pepper gives a much sharper flavor.

If all else fails and I just don't feel like screwing with it, I hit the salad bar.

[Frantic Freddie]

Most people don't do it,or even know it can be done,but it's easy to make scrambled eggs in the microwave.You can even kinda saute some chopped veggies in butter,then put the eggs in the same bowl,saves cleanup time too.

[danscope]

I'm concerned about limiting my intake of processed foods (for environmental, budget, and health considerations), but I'm also a very busy woman who often has little time to cook. What cooking-from-scratch tips can you offer for someone who always on the go, and what kinds of minimally processed meals are both cheap, easy and quick to make, and can be taken with one to work?

- Maha Vailo
Hi, I cook some of the time, as my wife is a teacher and often has less time than I. Most people think that cooking takes a lot of time. Actually, once the timer is set, it frees you for other things. Here's a few tips:
If I make mashed potatoes, I make enough for at least another meal.
Either warmed up or made as potato panckes , they will be enjoyed later. Yum.
Fresh vegetables seldom require much time to cook, in fact, do your self a favour and try a little less cooking time. Get the vitamins you paid for. Severe cooking takes their value as food downhill fast....IN A Big Way.
Here's a great recipie to enjoy...and it travels well for a party.
SET OVEN TO 400 Degrees .....do it now :)
1 tsp. of ginger .dry or (if you like it, grate it fresh...I use even more )
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 minced cloves of garlic ( smash and chop ....done)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup veg oil (don't use canola for ANYTHING..just...you know don't)
1 Tablespoon of molasses
celery salt and black pepper .....some
measure the veg oil and pour into a small container ...like a small food processor or use a hand blender....or maybe just a blender.
pour the molasses into the veg oil measuring cup you just used. The molasses will slide right out...no problem...less time.
add all of the other ingredients and blend well.
Line a 9 by 12 pan with aluminum foil ( easy clean up ) because if you don't, it's VERY tough cleaning..so..use the foil...or use a disposable aluminum pan.
Get some chicken parts.....thighs , legs or breast. 2 to three pounds .
sprinkle some pepper and celerysalt onto the chicken...a little bit.
I'll crowd the pan a little, but not much. Loose pieces might cook too fast.
Mix up sauce and pour on top evenly. Put pan into a 400 degree oven for an hour. Meanwhile set the timer. Now, enjoy your self. Do a nice bath.
Relax....call your friends. This chicken comes out great, and it's dead simple. If you want more sauce, just scale it up some.
This recipie works! It keeps well for re-heating for a few days, and makes a great finger food for a pot luck dinner with no pan to bring home or worry about. We call it Oriental Chicken . Hope you like it.

----------------
By the way: we avoid processed food, and save a bundle making our own.
Now, if I can just save enough money for that 12 inch mirror....


Best regards, Dan

[Gillianren]

We kind of have to have processed foods around my place, since I'm the main cook, and I have serious health problems that mean that I can't cook every day. I try, but do you know how difficult it is to stand over a pot or pan for even just fifteen minutes when you're having back spasms?

But money-saving is also a concern, since there are two people in this apartment right now living exclusively on my income. ($156 in food stamps and $339 in disability money, and that has to cover everything, from bus passes to Christmas presents--except the expenses Graham pays, which is rent, utilities, phone, and internet.) We buy the jumbo packs of meat--only when they're on sale. I don't spend more than $2.50 a pound on meat; I can't afford to. Actually, there have been several times where we have only bought things on sale during the entire shopping expedition.

I home-make soup, when I'm up to it. I saute the chunks of meat (about 1" or so square) after dredging them in a mix of flour and powdered pesto sauce mix, then drop them into the soup. (You can even use packaged low-sodium stock for this to make it even more flavorful.) Then, I make a gravy of sorts from the pan drippings and pour it in to thicken the soup. About an hour later, I add potato chunks of about the same size as the meat (you can use beef or pork or even lamb, though I don't like lamb). Simmer for another hour. If you want vegetables, add them maybe fifteen minutes before serving. Serve with breadsticks or biscuits or something--excellent for sopping up the last of the broth. No, it's not a short recipe, but you can make about a ton of it and pack it into single-serving tupperware containers and eat it for days.

[danscope]

I'm concerned about limiting my intake of processed foods (for environmental, budget, and health considerations), but I'm also a very busy woman who often has little time to cook. What cooking-from-scratch tips can you offer for someone who always on the go, and what kinds of minimally processed meals are both cheap, easy and quick to make, and can be taken with one to work?

- Maha Vailo
Hi, I cook some of the time, as my wife is a teacher and often has less time than I. Most people think that cooking takes a lot of time. Actually, once the timer is set, it frees you for other things. Here's a few tips:
If I make mashed potatoes, I make enough for at least another meal.
Either warmed up or made as potato panckes , they will be enjoyed later. Yum.
Fresh vegetables seldom require much time to cook, in fact, do your self a favour and try a little less cooking time. Get the vitamins you paid for. Severe cooking takes their value as food downhill fast....IN A Big Way.
Here's a great recipie to enjoy...and it travels well for a party.
SET OVEN TO 400 Degrees .....do it now :)
1 tsp. of ginger .dry or (if you like it, grate it fresh...I use even more )
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 minced cloves of garlic ( smash and chop ....done)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup veg oil (don't use canola for ANYTHING..just...you know don't)
1 Tablespoon of molasses
celery salt and black pepper .....some
measure the veg oil and pour into a small container ...like a small food processor or use a hand blender....or maybe just a blender.
pour the molasses into the veg oil measuring cup you just used. The molasses will slide right out...no problem...less time.
add all of the other ingredients and blend well.
Line a 9 by 12 pan with aluminum foil ( easy clean up ) because if you don't, it's VERY tough cleaning..so..use the foil...or use a disposable aluminum pan.
Get some chicken parts.....thighs , legs or breast. 2 to three pounds .
sprinkle some pepper and celerysalt onto the chicken...a little bit.
I'll crowd the pan a little, but not much. Loose pieces might cook too fast.
Mix up sauce and pour on top evenly. Put pan into a 400 degree oven for an hour. Meanwhile set the timer. Now, enjoy your self. Do a nice bath.
Relax....call your friends. This chicken comes out great, and it's dead simple. If you want more sauce, just scale it up some.
This recipie works! It keeps well for re-heating for a few days, and makes a great finger food for a pot luck dinner with no pan to bring home or worry about. We call it Oriental Chicken . Hope you like it.

----------------
By the way: we avoid processed food, and save a bundle making our own.
Now, if I can just save enough money for that 12 inch mirror....


Best regards, Dan

[Maha Vailo]

I cook mostly for myself, and I usually have more free time on Tuesdays and Thursdays than I do the rest of the time. Problem is, I'm not the main buyer of food in the house - my parents are. Therefore, I can't always whip up kabobs or chicken for lunch on those days since there usually isn't any in the freezer. How might I change this situation for me?

I'm also thinking of switching to more low-carb stuff since my father has developed health problems. Is there any way to do this on the cheap with a minimum of processed stuff?

I also can't cook too well. Got any general cooking tips?

- Maha Vailo

[Frantic Freddie]

I'm also thinking of switching to more low-carb stuff since my father has developed health problems. Is there any way to do this on the cheap with a minimum of processed stuff?

Well,since it's basically meat & veggies,it's pretty easy to avoid processed stuff.

I also can't cook too well. Got any general cooking tips?



Practice makes perfect,but your 1st step should be to get a basic cookbook like the Better Homes & Gardens (available anywhere),lots of good tips for beginners & lots of easy,healthy recipes.Also,find someone who is a good cook & pick their brain,us folks who like to cook are always eager to share tips & recipes.

[Doodler]

I also can't cook too well. Got any general cooking tips?

- Maha Vailo

A few pointers from my own experience.

1) Don't hesitate to sample while cooking. Small bits SHOULD be tried before declaring anything complete.

2) Err on the side of undercooked. If its not done yet, you can always put it back in for a few minutes. Once its burnt, its usually unedible.

3) Don't feel guilty about "mutilating" what you're cooking. Slice a steak open without guilt if you're not sure about how done it is. Same for chicken, fish, or whatever. You lose points on presentation, but until you're comfortable with what you're making, better to aim for flavor and completeness than neatness.

4) If you have trouble cooking larger portions evenly, smaller pieces are easier to manage. If you get a foot long piece of steak, like some of the nicer London broils can be, cut it into sections before you cook it. Smaller portions also tend to cook MUCH faster, if you're pressed for time. Chicken breasts are notoriously irritating when they're whole. You can often find the style that are thin cut already, those tend to be a easier to cope with. If you end up with whole breasts, strip cutting lengthwise is good, or if you feel like challenging yourself, you can slice them in half along the length, keeping the "top" area the same, just half as thick. That's a tricky cut, but its how the pros do chicken breasts in restaurants.

5) If you do cook something that isn't completely cooked through the middle, the microwave can be used to wrap up completely. No more than two minutes, tops, should get the raw center of even a heavy duty steak complete to medium rare, maybe four if you're looking for well done.

[Moose]

I also can't cook too well. Got any general cooking tips?

With most cuts of meat, while baking or BBQing, lower the heat and cook a bit longer. The idea is to cook through rather than burn the surface. You can preserve the juices on the BBQ by using (grocery-store brands for the simpler ingredients if you're looking to avoid preservatives) lots of sauce. The sauce drips first, rather than the inner juices.

Most storebought packaged meat cuts will bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, without pre-heating. Ordinary chicken or turkey pieces of any type. (Thick) ham steaks. Pork chops. Etc. It's a fair rule-of-thumb.

You can also fry chicken pieces in a large pan or wok (without oil, but with your favorite chicken-compatible spices) while pouring in some chicken broth. Medium heat, and for a good while. Until you're just about to start burning the surface of the chicken. Flip the chicken pieces often! The broth makes for a very nice taste to the chicken.

If you need to cook veggies (raw is better), a good alternative is steaming. You won't lose as much of the vitamins as you would boiling, you don't need to steam them to limpness if you don't want to, and if you drop a bit of butter on the veggies (or in the water) before steaming, you'll get a nice little buttery taste to the veggies without introducing much fat to the meal. Cleanup is relatively easy with a steamer, too.

If you're BBQing, you can wrap your favorite veggies in alum foil, just a small bit of butter on the veggies before closing the wrapper, and a small slit for steam, and slap that on the grill along with the meats. (This assumes you're cooking the meats to at least medium/medium-well.

You can also slice some raw potatoes about 1/8th inch thick (approx), put them in foil (they don't need to be separated or anything, just so long as the wrapping is flattish.) Then cut up some onion into the package. A tsp of olive oil dripped about the potato, and a pinch of italian seasoning sprinkled on. Wrap, slap it on the grill maybe 10 minutes before you put on the meat. Again, lower the heat and cook a bit longer.

With both the grilled veggies and potatoes, flip the foil packages every time you flip the meat. You should flip the works four or five times before you're done.

[Maksutov]

A lot to be said for fish. Pretty much the less you cook it the better it is. Ditto with vegetables. Root vegetables and the microwave were made for each other.

There, that pretty much covers what I fix and eat.

Takes very little time.

BTW, if you like things hot and spicy, various Cajun preparations do that quite well at almost any stage of cooking. Plus chiles if meant to be used for cooking freeze well and long and still have their flavor and zing when brought up to temperature.

[banquo's_bumble_puppy]

fresh salmon seems to be any easy and quick dish to microwave- 10 minutes and it's done

[Maksutov]

Another item is fresh corn on the cob. Just put it in the microwave, nuke for (IIRC) about 3 minutes, peel back the husks and silk, which come off completely and easily, a little butter, and ambrosia!

[ciderman]

a good alternative is steaming. You won't lose as much of the vitamins as you would boiling, you don't need to steam them to limpness if you don't want to, and if you drop a bit of butter on the veggies (or in the water) before steaming, you'll get a nice little buttery taste to the veggies without introducing much fat to the meal. Cleanup is relatively easy with a steamer, too.

I'll second steaming! It's also fast, & a good way to cook fish.

[farmerjumperdon]

Depends on your criteria for quality, and what you consider cheap, or fast.

To me, cooking follows one of the old project management axioms that there are three fundamental characteristics of performing the task, and you get to pick two:

Quality, Speed, Affordability.

But again, it depends on what you are willing to accept as a quality meal, what you consider as fast, and what affordable means to you.

[MG1962A]

I also can't cook too well. Got any general cooking tips?



Best tip I was ever given. If you have to prepare your meat for cooking, cutting into cubes or strips and stuff. Do the cutting while the meat is still partically frozen. Makes it easier and faster to prepare :)

[PhantomWolf]

I'll second steaming! It's also fast, & a good way to cook fish.

I tend to bake fish, add salt, pepper, dill, lemon, honey or whatever other herbs/spices you want, wrap in tinfoil and bake for 20 minutes, serve with it's juices poured over top.... mmmmmmmmmmmhmmmmmmmmm

[Gillianren]

If you're going to learn to cook in any kind of a serious way, Mr. Probe Thermometer is your friend. It'll run you about $15 (at least around here; your mileage may vary), but it's a marvelous, easy solution. You stick it at about a 45-degree angle into the center of the meat, being careful not to touch any bones (they conduct heat better than the meat and heat up faster, so your temperature will be inaccurate), and leave it in for the duration of cooking! There's a wire sticking out of it that runs to a little electronic gadget that you leave on the counter or the top of the oven (if yours isn't as badly-insulated as mine) that beeps when you've reached the temperature you've entered in.

Try talking with your parents about what you're trying to do, foodwise. Maybe even accompany them to the store--or offer to do the shopping for them (asking them for money with which to do it is perfectly acceptable; they'll be eating, too!). Don't be afraid to consult the people in the meat department; they know more about meat than you do. Probably likewise people in the produce department; definitely in the bakery.

I second the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook suggestion. My poor copy is battered and stained but invaluable--and I already know how to cook fairly well. You can almost certainly find a used copy at a second-hand bookstore or even a local thrift store. I also recommend Alton Brown's cookbooks, which tell you why different cooking methods work for different things.

Also, low-carb is overrated. Your body needs carbs. It's sugars that are usually best to avoid (mostly; you don't want to eliminate any food entirely from your diet), and with proper home cooking, that's far easier to do than with processed foods.