The first is on cooking.
I never took the time to learn to cook while growing up or while in school or while teaching school--okay, I still haven't. The thing is that I've always hated spending money and time on something as fleeting as food. Especially when I could just eat toast for dinner and spend my money on a shirt and spend the hour or three it takes to plan, cook, and clean up a meal on finishing grading a stack of papers hanging over my head.
And sometimes I would eat frozen peas too--so don't worry, it's not like my diet wasn't balanced.
Then the other day we gave Zoë solid food:
Granted, she hated it (and still does). You can see that she would much rather eat a tomato or her bib. However, I realized that in not too long, I'm going to need to start cooking dinners. Dinners that are delicious and healthy for my little girl. And also isn't the number one measure of good parenting whether you have dinner as a family? So these dinners are going to need to be nightly--and new concept--and preferably before 9pm.
I always told myself that when I was ready to cook, knowing that day would find me sooner or later, it would be easy. Because how hard is it to follow a recipe? And I still agree with that sentiment. Recipe following--not that hard.
Instead, the hard part is figuring out what to cook, how to make more than one thing at the same time, and how to do it fast. So, here's where my requests come in:
1. What are your favorite cooking resources? A tried and true cookbook? A trusty blog? (I like referring to blogs because they tend to have more practical suggestions and step-by-step photos.)
2. What are your strategies for planning meals? Do you shop with a menu in mind? Make do with what you have? (My mom is a magician when it comes to the latter.) And how do you end up not spending a fortune on groceries if you do the former?
3. Any tips on speeding things up? For instance, I learned a new way to cut an onion the other day and it changed my life. And, if you have one, what do you do with your baby while cooking?
And now for cameras.
It seems like everyone I know is either a professional photographer or on their way to becoming one. So I assume you all have more knowledge about cameras than I do. I was always fine with a basic point-and-shoot until, you guessed it, I had a baby. Now it drives me nuts that I can't get really good pictures of her. So I've been thinking about saving up for a nice camera. But which one? There seems to be as many cameras as recipes. Here are my criteria:
1. It can't be too fancy. Never say never, but I'm not going to do this professionally. Ever. I just want something that will make it easier to capture the cuteness that is my babe.
2. It shouldn't be much over $1,000--and preferably much less. The more expensive, the more time I have to make do with my point-and-shoot.
3. It should take pictures that look really nice on auto mode but also allow for growth. I do plan on learning how to manually set things, so I'd like a good amount of room to do that when I get the chance.
I don't know enough to even know what other criteria I should have.
Suggestions all around, please!
19 comments:
Oh, I wish I still lived in Provo! Then I would say, "Come over! We'll cook together!"
But since I can't...
1) Get yourself some good "staple" cookbooks. I'll email you a copy of the one our family compiled. Aside from that, I really recommend the Better Homes and Gardens big pink book--it's pretty exhaustive. After that, start adding in your specialty cookbooks based on various regions, styles, etc. I really like Julia Child's books; that said, the recipes can be complex (and fattening!) But I'll tell you this: cooking is a heck of a lot more fun/easier when you've got really fun cookbooks. I have a huge stash, plus I'm always checking new ones out of the library. And I get Bon Appetit magazine, which focuses exclusively on cooking, plus a bunch of other magazines that have recipe sections (like MS Living). As far as blogs go, I don't cook much by those--I post stuff on my own blog and occasionally check something out at Pioneer Woman Cooks. Good websites are the Food Network and Epicurious.
2) Meal planning: I ALWAYS plan for an entire week at a time, write everything out, and then go shopping. Otherwise you'll be at the grocery store every day, which is like a death sentence with small children. Seriously, this is the best advice I can give you! The less you go to the store, the less you'll spend--this is really the key. Be aware of various prices--do you still get store ads, or did you discontinue those (I think I rememember a post about that before...). Anyway, someplace like Walmart will price-match any competitor's ad, so you can take advantage of the prices at Smith's, Macey's and Albertson's if you go to Walmart. I also found that Macey's was way better in terms of keeping costs down than Smith's or Albertson's. Shop at some specialty grocers (like Many Lands) for spices. I shoot for around $250 a month to feed our family. And when you think about the cost of groceries, you can probably feed your family for a week on what a dinner or two out would cost.
Occasionally I'll just cook from whatever I have (usually on Sat. nights), but it's hard to do this every night. I also really recommend baking your own bread--it opens up a huge new world of tastiness and dresses up any and every meal. It's also minimum time input for maximum taste.
3) Speeding this up/cooking with a baby--give your baby a snack or dinner while you cook. Depending on when Josh gets home, you may be eating after her feeding time anyway. I also put my babies in the bouncy seat on the kitchen floor right next to me, have my kids color or use Play-Doh while I'm cooking (I have a little kid table in the kitchen for this purpose), or turn on music and let them dance.
I think my best advice is to look at it as an experiment and an adventure, and not cook exclusively to what you know people love, or the recipes that you know you can make. I try to make at least two meals every week that we've never tried before, simply because it keeps me interested in cooking and expands my repertoire. My MIL has 30 meals that she makes--and that's it. I think that would cause me to burn out so fast!!--I really look at cooking as an opportunity to be creative and do something I love. It's so soothing, and it's time that I really enjoy. And I love experimenting with tastes and textures and ingredients. Love it!!! And I think the more you cook, the more free you'll feel to experiment without a recipe--you'll have a sense of what goes well together. And that's where it really gets fun.
Oh, and one of the best ways to make things go quickly is to have good equipment--a good nonstick skillet that's at least 14 inches in diameter, very sharp knives, big cutting boards, and a crock pot (excellent for very busy days). I also always take into account (in my meal planning) what I'm going to be doing that day--for instance, on Monday I planned for a dinner that took about an hour to make, plus baking bread in the morning, but on Tuesday I opted for coleslaw (made earlier in the day), herbed biscuits, and grilled salmon, because I wasn't getting home until half an hour before dinner and that was something that I could have ready in about fifteen minutes. And if I'm chopping onions for chili on Wednesday and I know I'm making pizza on Saturday, I'll chop extra onions and save myself the step on Saturday. Same thing with mushrooms or peppers. And baking bread is a great thing to do while you're playing with Zoe or working--ten minutes to get it started, then it rises while you work, then you spend another five minutes shaping it, then you stick it in the oven. And presto! That's half your dinner right there (or so. All of it if you're eating toast! :-)
Cooking...my favorite resources are http://mommy-recipes.blogspot.com/ and http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Pages/home.aspx ESPECIALLY Kraft Foods which has hundreds of super simple recipes and a "shopping list" option as well.
Cameras...I'm certainly no expert but I'm a huge Kodak fan. Their software is incredibly simple and I've never had a complaint about the functionality of my 2 kodaks.
Good luck!
Since Rachael is the cooking expert and gave you tons of advice, I'll leave that one alone and talk about cameras where I happen to know a bit more.
As you know I recently got myself a big fancy camera and did tons of research before hand. From what you said, you don't need the camera I got and you don't need to spend even close to $1000. You could get the Nikon D40 right now for $450 with a lens on Amazon. The D40 is a great camera from everything I've read and is Nikon's cheapest SLR. You should also look into Canon Rebels. I did less research on these but I know people who have them and really like them.
The best legit deals for cameras are on Amazon, Adorama, and Ritz. Also check out KenRockwell.com. He has lots of good advice on what to buy. Hope this helps!
Well I was just going to say that I had tons of advice about the cooking stuff, but it looks like Rachael covered it, plus I don't have time right now as Avery just woke up...I'll leave it later.
I can't help you out with dinners because I wonder the same things myself. I may steal some ideas from your replies though. With cameras there are a few I am looking at (well mostly drooling over right now) and they are Nikon D40, D60, or D80 depending on how much you want to spend on it.
In my opinion the cooking thing will take years of practice. Try to make things you enjoy and look forward to eating, that always helps me. I will often think of a few things I want to make that week and google them, looking through blogs and other sites, find the best looking recipe or combine a few and make that...
As for the camera, I have a D40. Its two years old and I love it. It's well under $1000 now but you'll need a speed flash to do with it for better pics. Something around that area is always a good choice. They are fairly easy to learn to use. You can fancy with them if you want, but you can stick with the auto also.
I don't know anything about cameras, but I'm more than willing to share recipes. I know that we have different tastes when it comes to food, but I'm sure I could come up with a few recipes that you and Josh would enjoy. And we both like recipes that are simple.
A few websites you might want to try:
http://allrecipes.com/
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/channel/food
http://www.pbs.org/everydayfood/
allrecipes.com has some amazing recipes and ratings on how good and easy they are. (looks like someone beat me at telling you about allrecipes.com)
Make a list of what you want to eat and only buy the things you need. (Keep yourself on a budget)
Also check out the book "The Food Nanny" there are super easy recipes, and it helps you plan them out.
p.s. refrigerate your onions (they won't make you cry when you cut them)
You asked the same questions I've been thinking about, so thank you :)!
As such, I won't be much help. However, one cookbook that I really like is Cooking Light. It's a magazine, but there are books that have compiled the best recipes. Everything I've made has been really good, and it's not hard (otherwise I wouldn't have ever even attempted it), and it's healthy. Good, easy, healthy - those are my criteria!
Let us know if you find any good tips on cooking or if you decide to go with a specific camera! I want a new one, too, but I am a little intimidated since I know nothing about photography. We'll see...
Yeah... I have the same questions. I love to bake, but cooking is a whole other ball game because I have picky kids and a picky husband! Jeff is also looking at getting a new camera so he'll have to email you with his research and final decision.
Check out the link at the bottom of our blog... I use those the most when I am looking for a good, healthy, and quick recipe. Gourmet Mom on the Go has some great ones as well as The Pioneer Woman. Google always turns up lots of recipes that take too long to sort through. I also have a homemade book about cooking for a day to eat for a month (freezer meals)... that could work good for your schedule. Let me know if you're interested and I'll scan it and email it to you.
A cant cook worth a lick nor do I like to even bother, but...
Try the Canon Rebel XSi.
The body is less than $600 and you can buy the 50mm 1.8 lens for less than $100. This would be a fabulous combination for a reasonable price with room to grow.
Good luck!!
I have basics around that are the basis for italian or mexican or for soup.
Italian or Mexican spiced stewed tomatoes.
Onions, garlic
Pasta
Frozen or fresh bell peppers
Beans-refried, garbanzo etc.
lemon, lime
carrots, potatoes
cheese, eggs and milk.
cinnamon, cumin, curry, nutmeg, fresh frozen ginger,
cheeses, good bread and of course...........
tortillas!!!!
but then you already knew all of that.
The best cooking/thinking-of-things-to-cook advice that I can think of - call Marin. That's what I always do. She is absolutely the best resource for this kind of thing. Sometimes, I just call her from the grocery store and say, "I need to cook something tonight. What should I buy?" All of her ideas are very quick, easy, and they actually look like a meal when you serve them. Marin is a genius. Like Rachel Ray. Rachel Ray is another good resource, but it would be weird to call her from the grocery store.
The thing that I cook all the time is noodles.
I don't know much about cameras either. I just go to Target and get the one that's some kind of disease-awareness color (breast cancer pink, aids red, etc.)
The only suggestion I have is making breakfast in the waffle maker. I like it because you can make hashbrowns on one side eggs on the other and then waffles the next time around. That way you have a three item breakfast in minutes and you use only one pan.
Otherwise I have no other suggestions. Keaka still goes out to eat after I make dinner anyway.
I have a cooking problem.... seriously all things domestic seem to elude me!
I use allrecipes.com all the time. I love how people can rate the recipes and give tips on them as well. I have a recipe book that is the best! EVERY recipe I've tried in it is divine.
Also, I've been involved in a "dinner group" and it has changed my life. 4 of us take turns cooking for our 4 families once a week. The other days we get meals from the other girls. I don't have to plan or spend time & money on the other 3 days. Doing this had freed up my days significantly.
I have the Canon Rebel xti. I love it. But if you want a more basic camera...try the Canon Powershot. My friend has one and it's a fun camera and it takes nice pictures.
OK well I am going to skip all my cooking advice because its been mostly covered already by other comments, except to say that you should check out Jamie Oliver...he is a British chef and I LOVE him because aside form having a slight crush on his accent, he cooks in such a simple way. You never need fancy gadgets or anything. And he uses several of the same staple ingredients all the time...lemon, olive oil, fresh herbs, onion...that kind of thing, so its easy to kind of stock up on basics and then make lots of things with it. I just like his whole philosophy. Anyway, when we used to have Netflix we rented every show he ever did. And now he has a free podcast...in fact I am making one of his chicken ideas tonight for dinner. The podcast is called, Jamie's Ministry of Food. Check it out, really I think its a great tool to learn some cooking techniques and they are really short.
Oh and I love that your middle name is Mae...we were so close to using that name for Avery.
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