claritygolden's Profile

Yeah, I can't usually do 30 minutes on "recipes", which is why lately even 30 minute meal recipes are relegated to the weekend. For me, having a little one under foot pretty much guarantees that an actual recipe will take a while, but even if he's being cooperative I find the prep nearly always takes longer than the recipe suggests. If it's something I cook routinely and don't need to consult a recipe, I can manage it. I only have about 60 minutes to cook, eat and clean up before my son's bedtime, so weeknights mean the simplest dinners I can scrounge up, like something grilled with a salad, scrambled eggs, simple tacos, etc.

I agree with those who said non-grain based breakfasts. I've been working to eat less grains, but breakfast is the place I struggle most. I'd love some new ideas, especially if they're quick or make ahead!

How much alcohol evaporates depends on the cooking time, vessel, heat level, etc. Yes, some alcohol always does cook off, and depending on the method and cook time the majority of the alcohol can be cooked off, but it is never completely gone. So if someone does have a serious health (or moral) issue with alcohol, you'll need to use a substitute that's completely free of alcohol. But if someone just prefers to avoid alcohol and you are cooking something in an open vessel for a long enough period of time, it is probably fine. Cook's Illustrated did a whole series of tests about this. I remember stew cooked for several hours in a closed vessel retained something like 60% of the alcohol, but something like a sauce made with alcohol in an open saute pan ended up with only like 5% alcohol. Again, 5% would be fine for most people who just prefer not to have alcohol (like pregnant women for instance), but perhaps not for people with a very serious health issue.

I'd say no to the knives---you can get a decent quality knife that's not outrageously expensive. See the cook's illustrated knife ratings--their top one is under $30. I'd also say no to the kitchen aid UNLESS you really do a ton of baking. If you do it might be worthwhile, but otherwise I'd save up and get one in a few years. Before I bought anything else, I'd invest in a good quality saute pan (all clad if you can) or else a dutch oven. Le crueset is awesome, but there are a few other decent enameled cast iron brands out there that aren't quite as pricey (lodge makes one, I've heard good things about the Mario Batali brand one too). Honestly, a good saute pan or dutch oven will probably get a lot more use than a stand mixer in most kitchens. I guess that's the best tip--think about what you personally do the most in the kitchen. If you do a lot of stove top cooking, invest in a good saute pan. If you do a lot of baking, invest in a kitchen aid or maybe a high quality set of baking pans. If you do a lot of roasting, get a good roasting pan, Etc. Buy an item that will make your own life a little easier or more fun!

Wow, I love that kitchen. To me it looks very functional. My kitchen actually has a similar layout, though it's not open like this. (Oh if only it was!) I understand how you have to work within the existing layout, which can really cramp your style. But to me it looks like they did a wonderful job. I would be thrilled with that kitchen!

Jen

I agree with what everyone else here said. I think lots of people struggle to eat on family trips like this--there are a lot of likes and needs to accommodate! Try explaining what you need first. Offer to cook one or more meals so everyone can see "your" food is tasty too. If your in laws are not terribly supportive (which I know can happen!), just resign yourself to having your own meals. Explain to the cooks that you're not trying to be rude, just that you won't be able to enjoy the trip if you are worried about the food. Then bring yourself some easy staples, like salads, oatmeal (or some other kind of cereal/porridge if you can have it), etc. Focus on meals you can prep easily and quickly for yourself in the corner of the kitchen. If it's an option, bring some food along that you prepare at home. Basically just try to plan something you can eat with a minimum of effort. It won't be the best eating of your life, but sometimes family harmony is more important. Plus, if you don't have to worry about the food thing any more, you'll be more likely to enjoy yourself on the trip. Sounds like you could use a little vacation! Good luck!

I definitely agree with everyone who suggested finding what the students currently eat or want to eat as well as what kind of challenges they may have to cope with (kitchen facilities, time, dietary restrictions, food preferences, etc). For people who haven't ever cooked, they may need you to start REALLY basic, literally how to boil water, how to scramble an egg, etc. Depending on how many classes you have with them and what cooking skills they already have, you might have to lower your expectations significantly, but that's ok. I don't teach cooking classes but I do teach other kinds of classes. Sometimes I want to just shove all this information at the students because I know it's so important, but people can't take that much info in at once. They need time to develop skills and process it all. Even if you only taught them 1 or 2 real meals, you'll be teaching them a hundred little skills along the way (what are you looking for when boiling water, what does a cooked egg look like, how can you tell if your baked potato is done, how do you chop an onion, what should you look for when buying a particular ingredient at the store, how do you safely store food, etc). You just have to give people a foundation and hope that they will continue building on it after they leave the class. Be ready to adjust based on student interest or any unexpected issues that come up along the way, and give the students notes/handouts so they will know what to do later. Best of luck!

I'd agree about snacks. You could make a few treats like some cookies and then a few healthier options like granola, homemade fruit leather, or maybe some spiced nuts. A custom made fruit/nut mix might be nice too. If you're on a budget a few homemade snacks would make a really lovely gift. If you want to spend a little extra, though, you could also send one of those fruit arrangements to arrive the same time as your homemade goodies. They're a little kitschy but when I had my son I would have LOVED to get one. It's hard to find the time to go shopping and then cut up healthy stuff like fruit, so it would have been a dream to get a big basket of pre-cut, properly ripened fruit.

I do this too! It avoids that "oh crap I forgot to start the potatoes" thing that happens when you're trying to account for so many details. Don't forget to add things on the list like taking food out of the fridge to warm up (I forget that often!).

I actually think it wouldn't be too hard to cook a traditional american meal without lots of spices or specialty equipment. Just keep the seasonings straightforward and focus on simple-to-prepare dishes. If you have an oven, you could roast a small turkey breast or a turkey-alternative (roast beef, whole chicken, etc). Just buy a foil roasting pan at the store if you need it, and season with just salt and pepper. Gravy can be made with just a little flour, stock, and salt/pepper, or just make a pan sauce with some stock or wine to scrape up drippings. If you don't have an oven or just want something quicker, you could do a sauteed turkey dish. My grocery store has turkey cutlets this time of year--that would give you the flavor but cook up quickly on the stove. Mashed potatoes (regular or sweet) are easy too, just keep them simple (salt, pepper, butter, and milk). You would need some way to mash them, either a simple hand mixer or a manual potato masher, but a dollar or grocery store should have a cheap masher if you need one. Make your favorite veggie, either raw in a salad, steamed on the stove or microwave, or even roasted if you have that option. If stuffing is a must, you can definitely make a simple version (just bread, a couple fresh herbs, a few veggies, and stock). Either make a simple cranberry sauce the day before, buy a can (some people love that stuff) or just skip it. Buy rolls if you want them, and buy a dessert like pie or ice cream. You could make a simple dessert too, though that would involve buying more ingredients. Stove top pudding or bread pudding (if you have an oven) come to mind as possibilities that don't require lots of specialty pans or expensive spices (maybe some vanilla but that would be about it). Good luck!