Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Cooking Challenge 2010

Up until about 2 years ago I used to plan a couple of meals, but mostly I would go to the grocery store and buy whatever sounded yummy to me. I would have a wide range of meats, veggies and other odds and ends. I would just make up a creation every night. Sometimes it was meat and veggies and other times it was simply something that came to me to combine. At times, it was great and other times it was gross. Sometimes I randomly had everything I needed to follow a recipe and I did. It was fly by the seat of my pants cooking. I love to cook that way. I think it is fun and lets me make what sounds good at the moment. There are clear issues with this method and I found that in real life I don't always have time to be creative. I have to have dinner ready or ready quickly. I also found that it is cheaper to meal plan. For the most part, meal planning works really well for me. This week, however, I have decided to just create something from whatever I have on hand. I am going to try to use up random things in the pantry. It should be interesting. Right now, I have a Mexican casserole of sorts being made. Casseroles can be scary, but I was able to rid myself of several things in one meal. Anyway, should be a weird food week with each meal being a toss up between awesome and disgusting. There is no in between in my mind.

7 comments:

amy said...

great idea. there is always random stuff in the pantry or freezer to use up. unfortunately for me I am NOT creative. my dishes would stay in the gross category....

Melanie said...

Mystery mexican casserole was a hit! AWESOME!

Sara D. said...

Mike has BEGGED me,for at least 5 years, to use up the stuff in my pantry. But I don't know how!!! Cooking without a recipe scares me--I could use some inspiration!

the Jennings secede from the South said...

I am a once-a-week, grocery list type of girl...but I admire your creativity!

Andi said...

love it! i've been trying to shop from my pantry & freezer 1st for the last 2 weeks. we've saved $$ & had some good meals!

one of john's favorite for your next mystery mexican casserole: (this is GREAT for leftover taco fixings...)
2 pie crusts
in bottom crust dump leftover taco meat, beans, corn, 1 can of drained tomatoes, 1 can tomato paste & top with cheese- then put the 2nd crust over the top of all of it & bake

Jane-Ellis Griggs said...

On the talk show "Splendid Table" on NPR Saturdays, they play a game where a listener calls in with 5 ingredients and the host has to tell him or her how to make a delicious dish from those ingredients (plus salt, Pepper, water). It is my favorite part of the show!

Graham said...

we call this "clearing the bases" at our house.