# What do you cook when you feel washed out?



## di reston

There are times when we all feel too tired to cook. My staple quick meal standby is 'hay and straw' tagliatelle with butter, parmesan, black pepper and sage. It's quick and easy, and my OH loves it. What are your fall-backs? I'd love to know!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## medtran49

Delivery or take-out usually.  Sometimes, we'll do a frozen pizza and doctor it up.


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## Aunt Bea

Scrambled eggs with whatever odds and ends I find in the dark corners of the refrigerator.


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## Sagittarius

Tapas.


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## Sir_Loin_of_Beef

Definitely take-out, usually fast food take-out. Panda Express would be on my list, along with a burger and fries from McDonalds, Carl's Jr/Hardees, and Wendy's. I don't like Burger King's burgers, but their hot dogs are to die for.

Of course, my all-time favorite is an In-N-Out double double and an order of fries, but I always have to eat it there because In-N-Out is too far from my house to get the food home while it's still hot.


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## roadfix

Fast food!


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## Dawgluver

Take out or delivery, usually pizza or Thai, Hardee's.


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## Kayelle

Leftovers, or generally scrounge for yourself. Often the SC will make a sandwich for himself.


Di, if I'm too tired to cook, I just don't prepare anything. Your meal sounds delicious. 


di reston said:


> There are times when we all feel too tired to cook. My staple quick meal standby is 'hay and straw' tagliatelle with butter, parmesan, black pepper and sage. It's quick and easy, and my OH loves it. What are your fall-backs? I'd love to know!


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## Andy M.

Either a frozen meal from the freezer such as chili, soup, etc. or Chinese take-out (most often) or pizza.


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## bethzaring

peanut butter and jelly or a fried egg sandwich or cold cereal


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## CakePoet

Chicken  fried rice from the students  cookbook or oven pancake with smoked bacon.


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## blissful

A baked bean sandwich.


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## CakePoet

Yeah baked beans on toast is my husband and daughters go to food when they dont want to cook.


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## roadfix

Beans and cheese tacos


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## Cooking Goddess

If I'm "too tired to cook", I don't cook, *di*! No real stand-by meal for this girl. Unless you call opening a can of Progresso soup "cooking". 

If I go on strike in the kitchen, I'll send Himself out for Chinese or to the local pizza joint for a calzone. That's if we don't have sufficient leftovers in the fridge. Most nights I think the leftovers get together and make more leftovers...


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## GotGarlic

Cooking Goddess said:


> If I'm "too tired to cook", I don't cook, *di*! No real stand-by meal for this girl. Unless you call opening a can of Progresso soup "cooking".
> 
> If I go on strike in the kitchen, I'll send Himself out for Chinese or to the local pizza joint for a calzone. That's if we don't have sufficient leftovers in the fridge. Most nights I think the leftovers get together and make more leftovers...


Same here. If I'm too tired to cook, I don't. Usually it's takeout pizza. If we have a frozen meal, like PF Chang's or Bertolli, DH will cook that up.


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## Uncle Bob

bethzaring said:


> peanut butter and jelly or a fried egg sandwich or cold cereal



Yep!


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## Cheryl J

+2 to what Beth and Uncle Bob said.  My fave go to for "those evenings" are eggs of some kind.  Doesn't take too much energy to fry up an egg for a sandwich or scramble a couple.


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## rodentraiser

If I'm too tired to cook, it's a lead cinch bet I'll be too tired to do any dishes, too. So yeah, takeout. I keep those coupons from Burger King and all the other hamburger places for just such an emergency. That way when I do get takeout, I'm not spending every cent I have.


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## Caslon

Too tired to cook last night I craved a cheap Aunt Jemima microwaveable scramble eggs, 2 strips of bacon and hash brown patty. I didn't have any so today I looked for them at 2 major grocery stores and they didn't have ANY Aunt Jemima products on the shelves! It must be due to that recent recall of some Aunt Jemima products.


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## caseydog

I always have eggs, cheese and tortillas in the house. So, I can whip up some combination of them, along with whatever leftovers are in the fridge. 

If you have tortillas and cheese, you always have something to eat. 

CD


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## tenspeed

Just the thought of fast food gives me a jolt of energy to cook.  Shrimp and linguine (sauteed shrimp tossed with linguine, and there is almost always a bag of shrimp in the freezer), pastisada (ground beef with tomatoes and macaroni), spaghetti with meat sauce (again, almost always in the freezer), or burgers on the grill.


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## Vinylhanger

Frozen Pizza is our go to.

My wife's go to is street tacos.  I can eat those every day if need be.


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## Cooking Goddess

I'm with you on the fast food thing, *tenspeed*. In our house it's "fast food is the last food". Although, truth be told, I do like to make a stop at a Chick-fil-a when we go on vacation.



Cheryl J said:


> ...My fave go to for "those evenings" are eggs of some kind.  Doesn't take too much energy to fry up an egg for a sandwich or scramble a couple.


MY problem with going to "fry up an egg" is that it becomes an adventure similar to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I'll get the bread from the bread box for toasting, and the eggs from the fridge. But when I get the eggs I'll see the mushrooms...which need a quick wash and chop. If I open the "long drawer" for tortillas I'll see the blocks of cheese...which need grating once we agree on a cheese. And on and on and on... It seems like EVERY meal I make, no matter how simple my plan may be, turns into a production.  Except leftovers. I can usually just heat-and-eat and be happy.


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## Cheryl J

My grandsons love the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" series! Sometimes it applies to me  but when I'm reaaaallly draggin', and don't want to even call out for delivery or dig through the fridge, a fried egg sandwich will do. One pan, one spatula. Done and done.  Of course, if there's some leftovers in the fridge, I'll go for that first. 

I rarely even consider fast foods on "those nights". I'm usually in my comfies, and I sure don't want to open up the garage, get some decent clothes on in case I'm in an accident , back the car out, and drive out to get something. There's always something in the house easier than that.


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## caseydog

Aunt Bea said:


> Scrambled eggs with whatever odds and ends I find in the dark corners of the refrigerator.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7kOyt9dPB4


From _*Big Night*_, one of the great food movies of all time. 

CD


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## LPBeier

I feel washed out all the time! But I seem to lean more toward comfort foods. The trouble is most comfort foods don't fit into the guidelines in my signature. So I improvise. Common items are soup, chicken strips with baked wedges, sandwiches, stir-fry veggies, rice noodles, etc.


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## Aunt Bea

caseydog said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7kOyt9dPB4
> 
> 
> From _*Big Night*_, one of the great food movies of all time.
> 
> CD



Exactly!


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## Mad Cook

di reston said:


> There are times when we all feel too tired to cook. My staple quick meal standby is 'hay and straw' tagliatelle with butter, parmesan, black pepper and sage. It's quick and easy, and my OH loves it. What are your fall-backs? I'd love to know!
> 
> di reston
> 
> 
> Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


Scrambled eggs on toast. or home-made soup if there's any in the freezer


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

I'm a big fan of leftover spaghetti sauce with meat on whole wheat toast when I'm feeling to tired to cook.  The microwaved is so good for heating the sauce.  Next go-to is leftovers.  After that, my next favorite is a hot dog in a bowl, and the dog has to be whole, covered in VanCamp's pork and beans, or even better, I can't remember the brand name right now, but baked beans in a brown jar, made with molasses, might be S&W's Boston Baked Beans.  DW and I rarely eat the same thing on those nights.  I usually have to cook something for her.  One of her favorites is way to involved when I'm tired, but I make it anyways.  She loves my homemade chicken fingers, with some kind of fried potatoes on the side.  And I always have to make ranch dipping sauce to go with it.  But, what is a guy to do?

Use to love making pancakes, waffles, or french toast.  But blood sugar has to be kept in check.

Almost forgot, if I have any leftovers of the world's most perfect food, chili , that is always my first go to when I'm wiped out.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## di reston

My worst times are when I finish doing a long, complicated and very technical translation. They leave me drained, especially because the clients always want them yesterday, or when I'm hired for a convention on something technical like the intricacies of global warming, or pharmaceuticals and the law concerning distribution of same, or building and planting a new vineyard with winery to match. OH doesn't cook, so it's always up to me. Actually, I find washing my hands and getting stuck into the kitchen - my faithful friend - a gentle let-down, preceded by a nice hot bath. But doing something simple and basic is heaven. I love your ideas, and I'm certainly going to do them.

di reston



Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## Addie

I keep a small can of Bush's Boston Recipe beans in the fridge at all times. I will open a can and feed on that, little by little. Or make a bean sandwich with it. 

An egg sandwich.

A couple of slices of white bread smothered with leftover gravy, pasta sauce, or just toasted with butter. What ever I find in the fridge or freezer and can be heated up quickly in the microwave.


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## HeidiCooksSupper

My standard is "patty and two sides."  The two sides are usually a frozen veg and either oven fries or coleslaw.  

Here's a step-by-step of the oven fries meal:
1. Turn on the oven to 400F and throw the griddle or grill pan on one shelf to heat up.
2. Cut potatoes (white or sweet) into cottage fries shapes and toss in olive oil & seasonings.  
3.  Throw the potatoes on a rack over a broiling pan.  Using a rack means I don't even have to flip them.  Throw the potatoes in the oven while it continues to heat.  Plan to cook the potatoes about 30 minutes total.
4.  About 10 minutes after the potatoes go in, throw frozen turkey/chicken/beef/fish or whatever patties on the griddle or grill pan (with a little oil under or on them).
5.  Depending on the patties, cook on one side 8-10 minutes.
6.  Put the frozen veg in the microwave.  After that first 8-10 minutes, flip the patties and microwave the veg for 5-ish minutes.
7.  After the second 8-10 minutes for the patties and 30 minutes for the spuds, it's supper.
8.  Oh, one last step.  Remember to turn the oven off so hubby doesn't ask why it's still on when he goes to do the dishes!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

...After that said:
			
		

> That would be B&M baked beans
> 
> Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## roadfix

Also, in both the pantry and in the freezer, we've got some instant meals.


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## rockey_f_squirrell

Ramen noodles... I've even experimented with fried ramen noodles


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## Cheryl J

Addie said:


> I keep a small can of Bush's Boston Recipe beans in the fridge at all times. I will open a can and feed on that, little by little. Or make a bean *sandwich* with it.
> 
> An egg *sandwich*.
> 
> A couple of slices of white *bread* smothered with leftover gravy, pasta sauce, or just toasted with butter. What ever I find in the fridge or freezer and can be heated up quickly in the microwave.


 
I remember you saying many times that you don't like bread...? Guess it's an emergency type meal in a pinch.


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## Steve Kroll

These days, if I really don't feel like cooking, it's usually just because I'm not that hungry. In those instances, I'll just skip the meal.

Back when I had a family around to feed and felt obligated to provide a meal of some kind, we would just go out. Or get a delivery.


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## Andy M.

"What do you cook when you feel washed out?"

For the most part, it appears we *don't *cook the we feel washed out!


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## CraigC

Andy M. said:


> "What do you cook when you feel washed out?"
> 
> For the most part, it appears we *don't *cook the we feel washed out!



+1, +2, +3,  Oh, reservations are a great thing to make when cooking is not on the agenda. Absolutely no cooking, you get waited on and best of all, absolutely no mess or dishes to clean up!


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## Addie

Cheryl J said:


> I remember you saying many times that you don't like bread...? Guess it's an emergency type meal in a pinch.



I cut off all the crusts on any bread I use. When it is white bread, that leaves very little bread. I also have the bad habit of trying to push back the bread and eat the inside only. By the time I get through, all I usually have left in the small piece of bread I am holding it by. When I use a sauce of any kind, I have enough sauce to make the bread turn into mush. And the sauce covers up the taste of the bread. The only bread I can say I like without hesitation is rye bread. But I still cut off all the crusts. 

One day Pirate was watching me eat a bean sandwich. He asked me why I make it a sandwich when I take off the top piece of bread and scraped all the beans off. And I leave the bottom piece behind. 

Even though Pirate loves bread, it has been at least three weeks since I bought the last loaf for him. And it will probably be three weeks before I buy another loaf.


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## dragnlaw

When I feel bleh and not wanting to cook...  I don't even want to wait or defrost.  I just stand in front of the fridge waiting for something to jump into my hand. It is important to leave the fridge door open long enough to warm up the food and then it doesn't take so long in the micro. 

I will zap a frozen hot dog and grab a chunk of cheese or two...  or three...  or four...  and then finally throw out the empty wrapper.

I used to try to keep a can of Baked Beans in the cupboard for emergencies. The emergency always happens about the 2nd day when it calls my name and I stand in front of the sink with an open can and a spoon.  So I don't keep them in the house anymore


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## Just Cooking

Our go to is a hot dog... We always have wieners and buns in the freezer, mustard, mayo and relish in the fridge and an onion handy..

Because of our love for hot dogs, I try to not be too lazy or washed out to cook, too often..

Ross


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## CWS4322

My fall-back is salmon fillets. If not that, it is chicken breasts. We live too far away for take-out or delivery. I usually thaw the salmon (takes about 15 minutes), pat them dry, rub with Dijon mustard, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper. Put them under the broiler for 6 minutes, flip, cook for another 6 minutes and dot with butter and lemon/lime juice when serving. Side of green veggie and wild rice or mashed potatoes. Side salad for my Dad, fruit for my Mom. Or, I rub with mustard and then sprinkle with Tamari sauce and some garlic paste.


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## Just Cooking

CWS4322 said:


> My fall-back is salmon fillets. If not that, it is chicken breasts. We live too far away for take-out or delivery. I usually thaw the salmon (takes about 15 minutes), pat them dry, rub with Dijon mustard, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper. Put them under the broiler for 6 minutes, flip, cook for another 6 minutes and dot with butter and lemon/lime juice when serving. Side of green veggie and wild rice or mashed potatoes. Side salad for my Dad, fruit for my Mom. Or, I rub with mustard and then sprinkle with Tamari sauce and some garlic paste.




I would just like to express my enjoyment reading your posts about the variety of dishes you prepare for your mom and dad... 

Ross


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## Vinylhanger

Cooking Goddess said:


> I'm with you on the fast food thing, *tenspeed*. In our house it's "fast food is the last food". Although, truth be told, I do like to make a stop at a Chick-fil-a when we go on vacation.
> 
> 
> MY problem with going to "fry up an egg" is that it becomes an adventure similar to If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. I'll get the bread from the bread box for toasting, and the eggs from the fridge. But when I get the eggs I'll see the mushrooms...which need a quick wash and chop. If I open the "long drawer" for tortillas I'll see the blocks of cheese...which need grating once we agree on a cheese. And on and on and on... It seems like EVERY meal I make, no matter how simple my plan may be, turns into a production.  Except leftovers. I can usually just heat-and-eat and be happy.


This usually my problem too.  I once was going to do just hot dogs on the grill.  Went to the store, bought a 5 dollar pack of cheap dogs, then needed buns, then fancy mustard, then...  Ended up being a 30 dollar hot dog meal.  25 dollars in "stuff" to add to my 20 for 5 dollar hot dogs.

It was good, but I really only wanted hot dogs and relish to start.


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## letscook

bowl of Soup or if I am out will stop and get some Lo mien from Chinese resturant


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

CWS4322 said:


> My fall-back is salmon fillets. If not that, it is chicken breasts. We live too far away for take-out or delivery. I usually thaw the salmon (takes about 15 minutes), pat them dry, rub with Dijon mustard, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper. Put them under the broiler for 6 minutes, flip, cook for another 6 minutes and dot with butter and lemon/lime juice when serving. Side of green veggie and wild rice or mashed potatoes. Side salad for my Dad, fruit for my Mom. Or, I rub with mustard and then sprinkle with Tamari sauce and some garlic paste.



Your skin must take on such a yellow tint after rubbing wih mustard.  After rubbing with garlic paste, the moquitoes must keep there distance.  Good strategy.
Myself, I rub with soap and hot water.

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## blissful

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Your skin must take on such a yellow tint after rubbing wih mustard.  After rubbing with garlic paste, the moquitoes must keep there distance.  Good strategy.
> Myself, I rub with soap and hot water.
> 
> Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



I've been using the garlic paste for years and I can't remember the last time I got a mosquito or tick bite.
Soap and water? No wonder you get bit.


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## Sagittarius

*Hay & Straw !*



di reston said:


> There are times when we all feel too tired to cook. My staple quick meal standby is 'hay and straw' tagliatelle with butter, parmesan, black pepper and sage. It's quick and easy, and my OH loves it. What are your fall-backs? I'd love to know!
> 
> di reston
> 
> 
> Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde




Definitely an amazingly lovely quick pasta dish !

I  do Tapas at the Corner classic Bar,  50 metres from the apartment.  I like Canapès, fresh cod in Romesçu,  Squid with Ali Oli on side, Fried Calamari and Russian Salad, a tuna, potato, carrot & vegetable salad served with canapè, slices of bread.  



If, home, I too, do a quick Pasta or Tuna Salad .. 

Thanks for posting. Have a lovely weekend ..


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## CharlieD

di reston said:


> There are times when we all feel too tired to cook. My staple quick meal standby is 'hay and straw' tagliatelle with butter, parmesan, black pepper and sage. It's quick and easy, and my OH loves it. What are your fall-backs? I'd love to know!
> 
> di reston
> 
> 
> Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde



What is it?


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## di reston

'Hay and straw' tagliatelle are simply plain egg tagliatelle (Straw) and spinach tagiatelle, which are green (straw) I usually buy fresh made from the pasta shop and freeze them. They sell them already mixed. The way of serving them, with butter, freshly grated parmesan, black pepper and sage finish the dish. Easy as winking - and almost as quick!

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## Kaneohegirlinaz

di, when I don't feel like cooking and cleaning up, 
I go freezer diving.
I mean to say that I always have some sort of dish that I've made
previously and I ALWAYS make too much. 
So I divvy it up into portion sizes, package it up in a freezer bag, 
squeeze out most of the air (or I use my Food Saver).

The other night I just plain didn't feel like making dinner, so I did a quick defrost of a package of my Kalua Pig, chopped up some green Cabbage and Sweet White Onions, a jiffy saute and Bob's your Uncle, DONE!
I keep it to a one pot supper and the pot goes into the oven (out of sight) til morning and I do a wash up after breakfast.


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## dragnlaw

Well, I can't believe what the majority of you go to when you feel "washed out"!  For me, even boiling water for pasta is too much work... too much thinking...  salt, don't over cook, watch the time, sauce, which?, cheese, grate.. 

nope that's all too much, although* di,* yours sure sound delish and I'm going to have to try it.

I grab some crackers and any cheese, a knife and a small cutting board. And of course, some wine.  Sometimes I will also grab a chutney - if it's at the front of the fridge - and a small spoon. Then I choose a slightly bigger cutting board.


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## dragnlaw

I do admit I sometimes grab a freezer meal, but only if it can go straight into the oven, come out and be dumped on a plate and eaten - never if there has to be anything else done with it.  Only sometimes those freezer meals take a good 40 minutes in the oven.  Can I wait that long?  do I really want to eat that late? Ahh, then it's back to cheese and crackers it is.


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## CWS4322

Just Cooking said:


> I would just like to express my enjoyment reading your posts about the variety of dishes you prepare for your mom and dad...
> 
> Ross


Thanks--I try to provide variety within the scope of my Dad's limited palette and what my Mom will eat--finger food (and stuff she can digest--I'm just glad she gained some the weight back she had lost from when she was in hospital and before I got here). This has been a cooking challenge for me. It has also been an emotional challenge coping with this without my deceased brother.

I made wild rice turkey soup this week but for my Mom, I strained it so she could just drink the broth. Soup is hard for her to eat, but if I strain it and put it in a glass she can hold, she can drink that. Dad, on the other hand, wants the veggies and wild rice. 

Not to diss long-term care facilities, but I know my Mom is getting better meals here than she would in care.


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## mcrx

LPBeier said:


> I feel washed out all the time! But I seem to lean more toward comfort foods. The trouble is most comfort foods don't fit into the guidelines in my signature. So I improvise. Common items are soup, chicken strips with baked wedges, sandwiches, stir-fry veggies, rice noodles, etc.



oh i hear that! but this reminds me. So I found some gluten free (soba based) ramen noodles. So I guess that's a go-to, but I need to have more with it. I'm usually too lazy to toast sesame seeds, but that's a good option. Oh! Actually, I got the tahini, so in that goes, but it's pretty bleh! by itself. Other times, when I have them, I'll throw in some edamame. 

And yes, beans in general are a good quick meal. Canned beans, just dump them into a pot and simmer till warm. Add red chilli powder, pinch of salt (beans are usually no-salt added) and maybe a few other spices, but the salt and chilli are enough. And voila! 

Tuna sandwiches used to be good, but I don't eat the regular bread and the GF stuff is usually frozen which takes too much time. :P Although, my version of PB&J or just J toast has been used lately. Defrost/toast bread on the frying pan and spread the tahini on one side and jelly on the other. As said before, this is where the tahini flavor is not so great...so another option is to fry up an egg.

(was supposed to use tuna to seque into the next part. oops! :P)



CWS4322 said:


> My fall-back is salmon fillets. If not that, it is chicken breasts. We live too far away for take-out or delivery. I usually thaw the salmon (takes about 15 minutes), pat them dry, rub with Dijon mustard, lemon or lime juice, salt and pepper. Put them under the broiler for 6 minutes, flip, cook for another 6 minutes and dot with butter and lemon/lime juice when serving. Side of green veggie and wild rice or mashed potatoes. Side salad for my Dad, fruit for my Mom. Or, I rub with mustard and then sprinkle with Tamari sauce and some garlic paste.



yeah, salmon or tilapia pan fried with cajun spice or just a mix of spices, with side of rice or greens is an easy meal too. Actually, mashed taters sound so good right now. Thinking we're gonna have to get the local ones (so tasty) and then I'll make my special gravy here pretty soon. Hubby started asking again. I know he loves this one. 



Kaneohegirlinaz said:


> di, when I don't feel like cooking and cleaning up,
> I go freezer diving.
> I mean to say that I always have some sort of dish that I've made
> previously and I ALWAYS make too much.



didn't quote the whole thing, but this is a great idea! I've actually wanted to do this, but the problem is, we usually don't have any extra when I cook! lol There is one dish that I don't really know how to make, but hubby wants and knows and this one is usually prepared in bulk. So might be doing that soon. We will see. He obviously needs to be there and it's not always easy coordinating the time. hehe


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## cjmmytunes

Most times when I don't feel like cooking, I will do a quick cucumber and tomato mix and a sandwich.  Or rolled up lunch meat in Bibb lettuce leaves and a cucumber with a package of nabs.  Cereal makes my blood sugar go up too much.


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## Addie

Mac and cheese on top of the stove. Cook the macaroni in the milk, when it is done add cheese and any other stuff you want. Compliments of ATK. Fast and easy.


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## di reston

That's a really good option! Thanks for posting it.

di reston


Enough is never as good as a feast     Oscar Wilde


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## Aunt Bea

A simple pastina soup is comforting when you are not feeling well or when the wolf is at the door.

1 packet of Goya chicken flavored bouillon 
1 pint of water
1/4 cup of pastina or small soup macaroni

Simmer 5-10 minutes until the pasta is cooked.

Add a 1/4 cup of frozen peas or mixed vegetables, celery, chopped green onions or serve it with a pat of butter, grated cheese etc...


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