Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

As I scroll down that "what's for dinner" thread, I'm wondering, How many of you are actually cooking those dishes FROM SCRATCH? I hardly cook things from scratch anymore... dh considers me more of a "preparer" than a cook. I keep telling him though - "I'll GLADLY cook him homemade meals every day if works two jobs and I can quit mine." He usually quiets right up, but I still feel guilty that I'm not the proper wifey.

If you DO cook from scratch frequently, what's your secret?

Message edited 7/17/2007 5:16:17 PM.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Well I guess you could say i'm making tonight's dinner from scratch... I have the chicken and i'm going to bread it and bake it, make my own yellow rice and heat up the frozen broccoli. Sometimes "from scratch" can be easy!

Now when it comes to pasta and sauce... it's usually from the jar.

Message edited 7/17/2007 5:19:47 PM.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I had a late lunch a salad..so tonight I will try to only have fruit..I ate so much yesterday that my stomach did not even make a peep telling me it was hungry..and that was at 4:30

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I basically cook from scratch (I am not making the whole wheat pasta though ). I do it because I enjoy cooking. SO even though I work full time and have a baby I make time for cooking because I it is something I like to do.

other things take a back seat - like folding laundry

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Many times during the week, I do not cook from scratch. I like to make things on the weekends and have leftovers.

Besides DH isn't home for dinner 3-4 nights a week so I just have leftovers or a salad or myself. When he is home we will cook (lately it has been BBQing).

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

from scratch.

I hate all things prepared.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

OMG, my DH makes dinner 90% of the time during the week! He doesn't do a ton of from scratch cooking, except for things like chicken, seitan, rice, cous-cous, etc.. Our pasta sauce always comes from a jar.

I do more from scratch, but mostly on the weekends, because I get home from work too late to start cooking. I would love to cook from scratch more often, but it doesn't really mesh with my schedule.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

tonight's dinner is 100% from scratch, except I do use a package of taco seasoning, instead of trying to mix my own.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

You ladies cease to amaze me...


I'd love to cook more things from scratch, but my list of favorite recipes are few and far between. I love cooking when I DO have something that we like, and something that doesn't require crazy ingredients. I usually think of cooking last minute, and by the time I do, I never have all the ingredients in the house. For someone such as myself who is so organized in every other aspect of life, it annoys me that I don't have that organization in the kitchen.


How do you go about preparing? Do you know what you want to cook days in advance when you go shopping? Or, do you shop more frequently to get those odds/ends you might need? I really want to get better with this! (before children, preferably - I'm going to be that parent who COOKS meals and doesn't do takeout 3-4 times a week like now)

Message edited 7/17/2007 5:41:30 PM.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I cook 'from scratch' - but I cheat. I make meals that can be prepared very quickly becuase I don't generally get home until almost 7. For example - tonight I am making cod - shouldn't take more than 20 minutes. The rice can be started as soon as I get home and should be done around the same time as the cod. And when I make the almondine I already have thinly sliced almonds on hand to toast - cause they take no time at all. Often I will get most of the prep done the night before - slicing, chopping.. whatever. It cuts down on the cook time.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I usually eat alone so I make simple things. But if it's 5 or 6 and I decide that I want pasta and sauce - well, then I make it, suck it up and wait until it's ready before I eat.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Posted by nyteacher13

How do you go about preparing? Do you know what you want to cook days in advance when you go shopping? Or, do you shop more frequently to get those odds/ends you might need? I really want to get better with this! (before children, preferably - I'm going to be that parent who COOKS meals and doesn't do takeout 3-4 times a week like now)

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

everythings usually from scratch except the side dishes like au gratin potatoes or rice a roni.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

During the week, I'm more likely to take some shortcuts. I almost always doctor stuff with my own spices, sauces, etc.... I'd like to make everything from scratch but there just aren't enough hours in the day. By the time we get home from work, feed/bathe the boys and get them ready for bed, we are not in the mood to spend an hour in front of the stove.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Mostly everything from scratch.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Posted by alnem

everythings usually from scratch except the side dishes like au gratin potatoes or rice a roni.

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I cook from scratch 99% of the time....

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I am making his family's recipe for homemade pasta sauce which I will use to make dinners with for the next two weeks.

I rarely cook from "scratch"...I'm more of a semi-homemade klinda chef and if he complains...guess who becomes the cook then!

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

i usually make things "from scratch" but that can be made quickly... like tonight, i'm making meatloaf. i just took the ground meat, and added my own spices and herbs. its "from scratch", but took literally 5 minutes. i also make fajitas from scratch the same way... just season the chicken myself and put it in the frying pan with some peppers and onions.
so its all "from scratch", but easily done
side dishes are usually prepared though- rice a roni or those"stean fresh" veggies that you microwave in the bag...

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

With 2 kids, it is hard to do things from scratch as I want to get dinner on the table right away after work.
Tonight we had:
Chicken-made marinade from scratch-bbq'd
Egg Noodles with Butter
Frozen Corn

Re: Spinoff to "what's for dinner"

I almost always cook from scratch and do it with a precocious 13 month old tearing up the house at the same time. I might not make fancy meals anymore, but I've certainly mastered simple, from scratch meals now that I have a baby and a husband that works nights. I can't eat any other way.

ETA:
I buy things that make cooking from scratch easier...
Thinkly sliced chicken breasts
Already cut veggies
etc...

Message edited 7/17/2007 7:02:25 PM.