asmallcontempt's Profile

Throwing it away?? Ugh. Didn't the Kitchn JUST post an article a couple of weeks ago stating that Americans throw away 40% of our food?

AND WE WONDER WHY. Because, somehow, it is altogether too difficult to say "no thank you" to a fellow adult who is in the process of giving you candy. Or give it away. Or take it to the office. Or WHATEVER.

My stars, we are privileged and selfish.

Up until recently, roast chicken has been one of the most affordable and delicious meals for my husband and I, for all the reasons listed above (at LEAST two complete meals and usually far more, plus great stock).

But I live in a town with very little selection in terms of grocers - there are King Soopers, which focuses way more on processed food and doesn't make sense for my cooking habits and a couple of Sprouts grocers and a Whole Foods.

Whole Paycheck is totally out, so Sprouts it is. And a 3-4 lb whole chicken is $7-8 - absolute robbery. I'm used to being able to shop around and have discount stores like Aldi (fantastic for basics and protein)...at this rate, I will have to go vegetarian by NECESSITY. :( It's still a good deal, all told, but our grocery budget just keeps climbing. sigh.

My mother would always chop it and put it in the Tupperware that she had specifically for celery and carrots - a basic rectangular Tupperware with an insert that lifts out entirely, so replacing the water was a cinch.

I don't like celery very much, so I've never felt particularly motivated to save it from the trash. I know, I know...I already feel like a terrible person, but I have no garden in which to compost and very, very few creative uses for those nasty yellowy leafy bits. Not a scrap of cheese can go to waste in my house, but celery? Not so much.

Cute looking but impractical - fine if you prefer form over function (and, hey, don't we all make concessions either way when we make purchasing decisions like this?), but I agree with other commenters that upkeep and grime would make me think twice before committing to something like this.

However, wooden, metal, or some sort of flashy plastic would work like a charm if you need the extra storage - I'd imagine it would be much easier to wipe down a metal box than a basket.

Ha, STH and I must be siblings or something. I grew up on pb and honey sandwiches, which were alternatively sticky, gummy, and disgustingly sweet (the honey would soak into the bread, making one side all soggy). While those harken back to many, many packed lunches and hikes and whatnot, I have little nostalgia for them.

My dad would make fried bologna from time to time - just pan-fried bologna with American cheese - and THAT sandwich makes my stomach grumble thinking about it, even though I have no desire whatsoever to go run and pick up a package of bologna. I think it was more of the frequency of the sandwich-making - I never got tired of fried bologna since it was so rare, but pb and honey is like a special kind of torture (that requires roughly a half-gallon of milk with every sandwich).

Yep, like everyone else says, I'd rather put my money toward knives, good cook/bakeware, and one-time appliance purchases that will last for years.

I can't even fathom justifying a $200 cutting board purchase; I don't have any hard feelings for people that can, but for myself that would be several months of saving and scraping for something that is going to get the full force of daily cooking and baking and will wear down just as fast as a $20 option. Same thing with wooden spoons and stuff - yeah, they feel great in-hand, but stuff in my kitchen gets used, and used A LOT. There just isn't room to buy pretty things for the sake of buying pretty things. Someday, I hope, if the economy ever turns around.

All these ideas are great! As a young person still figuring out a system for cooking and shopping, I find myself pulled in all different directions - there are a ton of good ideas out there. Honestly, though, I doubt I have the attentiveness required for a meal journal or something super-organized like that. I like my ritual with my computer (I don't have a smart phone), recipe books, and a pencil and paper the day before grocery shopping.

I have a friend that has a "favorites" recipe book, which is essentially a collection of all of her favorite recipes that she hopes will eventually become an heirloom of sorts. It has to be special, though, so it feels a bit more personal and absolves her of the responsibility of hand-copying every recipe she discovers. Enough time passes, and you've got an awesome, hand-written recipe "book" that is filled with family recipes.

If anything, that's probably what I will try. :)

@Somewhiteguy - I'm pretty sure one of the creators of HSR went on to help out with Yo Gabba Gabba (aren't we all not at all surprised).

Loved me some HSR in high school. It was the first thing I noticed about the picture. ^_^

I really love the Bacon Corn Hash recipe from Smitten Kitchen - it's a favorite in my house any time of day. I'll add black beans for a bit of a protein kick and maybe some cilantro...yum...(I know that the corn is technically a grain, I think, but it could be easily subbed).

Sometimes, after I cut the butter into the flour mixture (I use my hands because it's like therapy...delicious, cheap therapy...hands in dough...mmm), I pop the whole thing in the freezer for a few minutes to ensure that the butter shards stay in pieces, particularly if I can tell it's getting too warm.

Works for me!