What do you Eat? Seriously... :)

[gfxdave99]

So here is where I'm coming from, I've grown up living off a lot of fast food and semi-fast food. My mom (bless her) she is a horrible a cook so growing up I never many decent home cooked meals. Now there's thousands upon thousands of recipe books out there for cooking for single people yada yada yada..

But realistically for those of you who cook your own dinner on a regular basis, what do you do? I mean most frozen veggies for example serve 3+ people etc..

I have been cutting the low-end fast food as much as I can as a start but I need some ideas of some simple stuff to start with so I can get off the going out every night for food cycle...

[kscottw]

Im a personal trainer, so for a little cashola....or trades i can hook ya up:lol: ;)

[Wales Garage]

im not very good with an oven, but grilling is what i do best when it comes to food prep. grilled steak with peas and mashet spuds. grilled chick with yellow or brown rice. hamburgers, hotdogs, and grilled fish. all easy plus there is nothing like cooking over an open fire.

[gfxdave99]

Im a personal trainer, so for a little cashola....or trades i can hook ya up:lol: ;)

You want some chrome wheels? ;)

[gfxdave99]

im not very good with an oven, but grilling is what i do best when it comes to food prep. grilled steak with peas and mashet spuds. grilled chick with yellow or brown rice. hamburgers, hotdogs, and grilled fish. all easy plus there is nothing like cooking over an open fire.

Yeah I have had good luck with my George Foreman when I use it. And I really like doing stuff on the grille outside unfortunately Naperville wont let you have charcoal if you have a condo but I have had some good eats using some mesquite chips wrapped in foil..

Hmm maybe thats what i'll do.. I'm going out to buy a camcorder maybe i'll stop by lowes and pick up a nice mini grille for my patio :)

[Hanger]

Get some sushi!

[Wales Garage]

get a mini propaine grill, the camping size 12x24 in

[NSFW]

I don't eat fast food, but I nuke frozen food a couple times a week at least. i I wouldn't eat most of what's in the freezer section, but there is some reasonably healthy stuff out there if you look around.

& yogurt, apples, bananas, and the occasional PB&J sandwich
& cereal for breakfast (not the sugary stuff) (well not much :) )
& premade salad-type stuff from a local healthfood store.
The latter is kind of expensive, but it's pretty healthy.

[BoxerGT2.5]

I lived off ham and cheese sammiches and Jacks Natural Rising Crust Pizza in college (Sober). Drunk was a whole other story.


My advice.....find a chick who can cook. :D

[Penguin]

Jack Daniels is all you will ever need.

[SnoDork]

My Rule...can't eat at a place that has a drive-thru...

[BoxerGT2.5]

My Rule...can't eat at a place that has a drive-thru...



I could, but that was back in high school when I was more daring.

[ZinFreak]

Rice-a-roni(tm) -- Dude, it is like $1 a box.

Zin's cheap-skate version. Big bag of rice from Costco and Minor's Chicken or Beef Stock. Rice-a-roni(tm) taste, sort of, for like half the price.

Lived off the stuff in college. Except when I got high, then it was toast with peanut butter and raspberry jam and a big glass of milk. The PB had to be melted onto the toast in the microwave tho...

Now that I'm a big boy, I eat steaks, salmon fillets, roast duck, baby-back ribs, risotto, chicken under a brick, ...

Life is short, eat well.

[Gire]

I lived off ham and cheese sammiches and Jacks Natural Rising Crust Pizza in college (Sober). Drunk was a whole other story.


My advice.....find a chick who can cook. :D

+1
My wife doesn't eat meat but can cook a mean fish! Most of my meals at home are fish, big salads, and brown rice.


I eat a lot of sushi too, but living in Vancouver makes that easy. I have had bad sushi before and, like a snob, can't imagine how sushi is in the rest of N America.

Sushi will make you live to 100. Bad sushi will make you want to off yourself right there...

[sebberry]

+1
Sushi will make you live to 100. Bad sushi will make you want to off yourself right there...
:lol: :lol:

Not a fan of raw fish tho.. the "California rolls" are good, but mostly sticky white rice high in carbs and sugars.


One of the grocery stores around here carries packs of chopped veggies. It is meant for stir-fry, but I just steam them and serve them over brown rice. Broccoli, carrots, peppers, onions, etc... all in there.. $2.50 for enough for a couple of meals. Beats having to buy it all seperately and chop it up. (Not branded, they do it in-store)

I also like fish from there. They have stuffed salmon rolls (think sushi, but instead of rice, it's a big roll of salmon with shrimp and crabmeat in the middle). Downside is they go for $7 a piece or so, but mmmm good!

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts are easy too. Rince them under water after unwrapping, dry them off with paper towel, and smear a bit of margarine on them. Then I use "Club house" brand "Montreal Chicken" seasoning on them and throw them in the oven. Two meals and a lunch right there. Enjoy with some rice and veggies.

I love pasta too.. quick, easy... pre-made sauces can be quite healthy and tasty (tomato based, not the cream ones). Sometimes I will fry some shrimp up in margarine and garlic to put in with the pasta, or I will pick up some pre-marinaded prawns to throw in there.

I like roasting whole chickens too... taste better than the store-roasted ones, IMO. Occasionally I will do a pork roast with onions and potatoes in the pan, but until I get my kitchen re-done I don't do a lot of experimenting with my crappy stove that struggles to boil water.

I guess never being in college, I never ate like a college kid, except for all the mcdonalds when I worked next to one.. and Quiznos when I worked next to it... and.. never mind, you get the point. I still have some boxes of macaroni and cheese in the cupboard that I haven't eaten in 4 years!!!!

[Strabismo]

Anything that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.

[isuace]

Boneless skinless chicken breast ftw. You can grill it, bake it, fry it....you can cut it up and use it for fajitas, chicken tacos, in pasta, on a salad. The possibilities are endless.

[drej16]

Sushi will make you live to 100. Bad sushi will make you want to off yourself right there...

MMMM Sushi, is it lunch time yet???

With so much food out there to choose from, fast food has really never appealed to me. With summertime coming, I can't wait for the fresh fruit to ripen up! I love spicey food my self, so Thai and Indian food really apeals to me, but I also love Italian, Greek, French, German... ok, I just love food, most of it anyway definately not eggplant. Just grab a cookbook and start expermenting with it. Some ofit you will through out and some you will make twice a week! Keep it changing, between grilled, fried, cooked, sauted and baked. Remember variety is good!

I know that it isn't always practical, but go out and eat at an expensive restaurant to experience different foods prepared in very different ways. Also go to different Ethnic restaurants, exposure to the different spices and ways of preparing the food may give you ideas of what you like or don't like.

Also something that I have been wanting to do is a couple of specialty cooking classes just for fun to learn more about how to prepare and put different foods together.

Remember food is a personal taste; some of it may be liked imediately, some may be hated just as fast. Others, you may learn/grow to like. I didn't care much for sushi the first couple of times I had it. But now, I could eat it 3 or 4 times a week if I could afford it. ;)

[gfxdave99]

Thanks for the input so far..

And boxer, im suprised you dont live on cigarettes and coffee only ;)

[Abandonhope16]

Usually have a salad with red peppers at lunch.
Dinner usually have something involving boneless, skinless, chicken. Also, various dishes including pasta. Casseroles, meat loaf, chili are also thrown into the mix to have some variety. Love having rice as a side dish. Some pretty easy and tastey meals can be made incorporating cambells soup, particularly cream of chicken/mushroom. Now, I'm hungry.

[BoxerGT2.5]

I eat a lot of sushi too, but living in Vancouver makes that easy. I have had bad sushi before and, like a snob, can't imagine how sushi is in the rest of N America.

Sushi will make you live to 100. Bad sushi will make you want to off yourself right there...



The Va-Ja-Ja in college was enough sushi for me. I'd say I have a 50/50 chance of making it to 100. :lol:

[SeattleLegacy]

Usually have a salad with red peppers at lunch.
Dinner usually have something involving boneless, skinless, chicken. Also, various dishes including pasta. Casseroles, meat loaf, chili are also thrown into the mix to have some variety. Love having rice as a side dish. Some pretty easy and tastey meals can be made incorporating cambells soup, particularly cream of chicken/mushroom. Now, I'm hungry.
i do a similar thing. one night i'll have a salad with chicken, the next night maybe hamburger steaks (big patties, no buns) with rice a roni, and green beans. its "almost" home cooking. just made stroganoff the other day using some cambells soups...mmmm (and 2-days worth of leftovers. that's the kicker)

[sebberry]

Thanks for the input so far..



You're welcome.. now I just need you to give me dating advice ;)

[godwhomismike]

- my favorite meal is: grilled lamb chops, white rice w/ black beans. I do this once a week. :)

- As for bagged veggies - cut a small enough hole where you could knot the bag up and put the bag into a zip-lock back (to keep freezer burn out).

- Pasta w/ sauce. Prepare a homemade sauce on a sunday, freeze the left over sauce, and use that one more time for another pasta meal.

- chicken cutlets. With left over chicken cutlets - there are other things you can do with them - such as chicken cutlet parmigiana.

- steak (you should have red meat once a week, and should be limited to that) along with a veggy and a potatoes.

- For a treat - stuffed salmon one night along with a veggy. You could pick up stuffed salmon from the fresh seafood section of your local supermarket

.

[robinlsb]

Buy a "Joy of Cooking" cookbook and learn how to cook.

[gfxdave99]

Buy a "Joy of Cooking" cookbook and learn how to cook.


:P I know that... I was just curious as to what people make themselves

[godwhomismike]

lamb chops are verrrrrrrrrry good

http://www.jandrhanson.com/rh/lamb.jpg

[SeattleLegacy]

dumb question: is pork a red or white meat? i always associate red meat with beef.

[Gire]

I suck at cooking (I have no basic skills other than boiling spaghetti and using sauce in a can) but I am a sandwich maniac.

I truly think I could live off of sandwich's all my life. Good bread, good deli meats like roast beef and roasted chicken, fresh veggies and all the right sauces and I'm in heaven.


Don't be surprised if I ever get tired of consumer electronics, I'll be buying a Quizno's franchise and really have my dream job.


I may end up 300 lbs though...

[Boostjunkie]

Last night's dinner for my wife and I:

Tilapia fillets stuffed with spinach, ham and parmesan cheese rolled in tarragon bread crumbs. Pan roasted potatoes and a spring mix salad with toasted pine nuts. Took me about 40 minutes to make start to finish.

I am fortunate in that my mom is a bomb-ass cook and she taught me a lot while growing up. I love to eat, so I learned to cook. You don't need a cook book or recipes to make good food. Just pick things you know you like already and experiment. I'd never made what I had for dinner last night. I just looked at what I had in the fridge and winged it. With a bit of experience you can end up imagining what the end product will taste like with the combo of ingredients you have.

[Abandonhope16]

dumb question: is pork a red or white meat? i always associate red meat with beef.

the other white meat.

[iceman]

Well, cooking for one, or even two, is a real pain in the ass!
I have a culinary degree from arguably the best culinary school in the country, and I still go out to eat almost every night...
Get a couple of cook books on Amazon...search "cooking for 1" and tons will pop up.

And I'm with Wales...get a grill. This one is the one I have at home...good for one steak, or a dozen bugers. Portable, or you can get a cart to mount it one. Pretty sweet, and very cheap!

[iceman]

dumb question: is pork a red or white meat? i always associate red meat with beef.

depends on the part of the pig...loin is white. Shoulders, etc. mostly red meat.
Where's Hogger's when you need him???

[iceman]

My advice.....learn how to cook, and you can find yourself a chick :D

fix0red...

[Boostjunkie]

BINGO! Chick dig dudes who can cook, because women who can actually cook are few and far between today.

[Boostjunkie]

Legend and lore in my family is that my mom didn't know how to boil water when she and my dad got married. My dad's family has owned a restaurant in Paris, France for the last 40+ years. He taught my mom to cook and has never been in the kitchen again! :lol: I actually like to cook, but it's always nice when I come home and the wifey has dinner ready for me. She's ain't the best yet, but if she sticks to her well rehersed dishes it turns out pretty good. I'm smart enough to eat whatever the hell in put in front of me, because if I bitch and moan I know she ain't going to make the effort again.

[RuskiBear]

I love to cook. We got all new stainless steel appliances just so I can enjoy cooking. It all starts with having a good kitchen to be able to prep and enjoy spending time cooking.

Check out all the cooking threads in this section and follow suit.

[G.T.Subie]

What the wife makes

[Impulse]

i'm asian:

i make a cup of rice, and one 'side dish', anything tasty: fish, beef+sauces, chicken, pork, what have you, and then a vegetable side. i eat the rice+side for the next two days. done, easy.

then again, i grew up eating rice almost every single day of my life.. and i still love it

[47ka]

Nachos are one of my dishes:

\ Tostitos corn chips
\ Reduced fat Cheddar cheese, shredded (part-skim reduced fat mozzarella can also be used for a different effect, you can also mix in Jack)
\ Shredded lettuce
\ Chopped onions
\ Chopped olives
\ Diced tomatoes, with seeds removed
\ Salsa
\ Crushed red pepper (the sort you put on pizza)
\ Precooked chopped chicken breast

Layer the chips, chicken, lettuce, onions, olives, and tomatoes upon the chips before putting on the cheese. Sprinkle liberally with crushed red pepper before adding another layer of chips, meat, vegetables and cheese. Place in a pre-heated toaster oven at 375 degrees and bake until the cheese melts, usually around 15 minutes. Serve with reduced fat sour cream and salsa.

The reduced fat nonsense is because it was for a nutrition assignment. You can add or omit as you will. These will fill you up and take about ten minutes to make, fifteen to bake.

I like lentils, probably since I'm Indian and thus I grew up eating them. They're a good source of protein, B-vitamins low in carbohydrates, and pretty easy to make (easier still if you have a pressure cooker). They're also cheap and readily available in the international aisle of your grocery store. There are a lot of good recipes online, although the ones that call for bouillon are pretty crappy as they're not authentic Indian. But if that's what you like, go for it! The key is to experiment.

If you haven't done much cooking, eggs are a great place to start. They're very versatile and rather forgiving. Just remember - low to medium heat is your friend. You can ruin a lot of pans with high heat.

[Gire]

I'm smart enough to eat whatever the hell in put in front of me, because if I bitch and moan I know she ain't going to make the effort again.


Probably the best marriage advice I've seen on this forum.

[Penguin]

Step 1: Go to grocery store.

Step 2: Find whiskey.

Step 3: Pay for whiskey.

Step 4: Go home.

Step 5: Unscrew cap on whiskey bottle.

Step 6: Insert bottle opening to mouth and tip up.

Step 7: Swallow.

Step 8: Repeat step 7 as needed.

[gfxdave99]

Probably the best marriage advice I've seen on this forum.

Other then "Don't" ;)

[heightsgtltd]

Bump