Can you only cook 4 dishes? Do you eat spag bol twice a week?

chardonnay_2

we love spag bol too:D but don't have it twice a week

typical meals are roast either beef or chicken + trimmings
enchiladas
chilli with nachips
chilli nachos
chicken nachos
chicken curry (indian)
spicy mince in pasta tubes
steak with chips / roast tots & pepper sauce
chicken fajitas
chicken fried rice
chicken chasseur

plus loads more

kethry

lil_me wrote: »

I don't think there is more than one day this month he [DP] hasn't had a cheese and ham toastie...

you too, huh? i thought i was the only one with a partner who's keeping the cheese people and the ham people in business.. think yourself lucky he doesn't do em with fried eggs on top (as DP does).. and no, i wouldn't suggest it to him! Do you find yourself struggling to buy the cheese/ham?

[yes i know this is way OT.. apologies!]

keth
xx

QueenB.

My kids love spag bol and would have it several times a week if they could. However i normally make it once every two weeks or so. As all my children seem to have different eating habits i rotate meals that i know will be a favourite for each child throughout the week. It encourages them to eat the meal they might not enjoy so much if the next day their favourite one is coming up.

Even though i don't consider myself a great cook and in fact i don't really enjoy cooking that much i was happy to discover i have a huge amount of regular recipes that i use without a cookbook. They range from the basic to the more exotic.

When i plan my weekly menu i try to include at least one new main meal from a cookbook that i have not tried before and one new dessert. That way we all get to try something new and if it goes down well it gets moved to my regular favourites folder.

Personally i don't see a problem with spag bol if it is HM, it can be very healthy, you an add a few extras to make it just a little different and it is quick to prepare and fun to eat. My children have always called the pasta worms (from the TWITS story) and have worm races to see who can suck their pasta up the quickest. Add to that some HM garlic bread and a fantastic salad and what more could you want LOL.

Lyndsay_21

I love spag bol and could easily eat it 2 days in a row however with the amount of time it takes to make it with the recipe i use its so worth it. I make a big pot which and we normally have spag bol for dinner that day then lasagne the next day then the kids may have it for lunch the next day, boring i know but they love it and it has veg in it so why not.

TKP_3

I do at least 3 new recipes (of any cuisine that takes my fancy) each week.
I love trying new things in cooking, and experimenting. I love food from all around the world.
I do have staple meals such as spag bol, lasagne, sausage and mash etc - but as I am so busy trying new stuff they only crop up occasionally. Also there are so many easy staple type melas even fitting them in is fun!
We do 2 nights in the week where the menu does not change much : Sunday roast and Friday steak/chops and chips. The other 5 nights my imagination (and recipe books) are the limit!
There are 2 of us, but I tend to cook for 4 and freeze. These then become our takewaway/mw meals, as I never buy ready meals of any kind.
I love having a vast array of herbs and spices in my cupboard, and pretty much have everything I need for all the experimenting I do. Most don't get used much - but that's okay, they are there if/when I need them. Some get replaced a lot! I don't cook wth salt, and use herbs/spices for all my seasoning.
Perishables are only bought for specific meals - and as I meal plan that is easy to get ahead.
We never have the same meal twice in one week - even frozen meals tend wait 3 or 4 weeks after the origional was cooked before making an apperance.
No, that survey does not apply to me :rotfl:

Anastacia

We love spag bol too but it only gets chance to come up on the list about once every three months. I have tried menu planning etc but it just doesnt work as well as buying whatever looks nice & isnt expensive & cooking with it. There are infinite dishes when you do it this way,
Wonder who is having all the spag bol

Iguana

MATH wrote: »

Who are these poor people eating Spag Bol none stop? I love Spag Bol but once every couple of months is enough IMO. LOL Only 4 different meals would kill me:eek:

I have two unwritten rules at Chez MATH

Never duplicate that style of meal in the same week. So only one rice based dish, one pasta, one stir fry, one Indian etc

Never duplicate a recipe in the same month. So if I made Coronation Turkey today I wouldn't make it again until the next month. If I fancied making something with turkey and rice again next week I would change it to Turkey Merrengo, Turkey Fricase or something similar.

:T :T :beer: Why can't I get my husband to understand this now he does most of the cooking!

MrsTinks

Well I have ust added Risotto to the list of firm favourites

Did a chicken and pea risotto this evening and had to snatch the 2 spare portions meant for freezing from OH before he snaffled those down too... greedy guts :rotfl:

lynzpower

I have to admit, Im starting to limit my repetoire massively since starting to work such long hours. It doenst help really that neither me or OH gets home till gone 8 every night, so my time in the kitchen has become a bit of a chaore, a shame as I do love cooking. Most days, I cant even be bothered to eat, and weve gone for the bowl of cereal/ cheese & crackers option. Its not ideal but we are eating at like 9.30 each night. Much as I cannto stand jarred sauces etc, I hd one the other day ( a freebie) and I could see the appeal, it was OK. Not as nice as homemade, but it saved me 25 mins. this 25 mins is very valuble to me at the mo!

At the moment its all about ease whereas while I was off work it was all about the love of cooking & variety. this weeks meal plan has all the hallmarks of this eg

tonight- pork chops, veg, pepper sauce, roast pots ( we have some time today!)
monday bangers & mash ( ill prep the veg tonight for tomorrow)
tueday fish fingers & oven chips or jackets type number, peas,
weds - for once we are going to have spag bol which Im making today, but we havent had it for at least a month.
thurs Im on a day off so Im going to roast a chicken and the trimmings
friday- Ill do a casserole in the Slow cooker.

Its chilli is our weakness. OH would have it morning noon & night if he could!

Queenie

competitionscafe wrote: »

"Comfort food: Britons stick to just four recipes at home
By Terri Judd
Published: 19 March 2007

Britain's growing reputation as a nation of culinary connoisseurs has been set back by research which shows that most people have a cooking repertoire of just 4.1 dishes.

An increasing number go in search of exotic flavours when eating out, but at home a combination of lack of time and bravado means Britons tend to stick to a familiar comfort zone.

One of the most popular dishes, the 1070s staple, spaghetti bolognese, is cooked at least twice a week by 6.1 million nationwide. The dish is served an estimated 670 million times a year across the UK."

Full article: http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/food_and_drink/news/article2371576.ece

Clearly, they didn't consult any OS'ers :rolleyes:

Lack of time? Oh, that'll be because the Government expect all parents to be out at work as well as try to run a home :rolleyes: as for the "bravado" ... that would have been taken away by those years of food lessons where they taught children to cook pizza by bringing in a pizza base mix :wall:

Actually, the staple of a Brits diet in 1070 was Pottage and it wasn't eaten twice a week, but pretty much every flipping day by the masses :rotfl: