Just Create - Cyan Edition

[silvercat17]

Better late than never! Time to check in about last week and tell us your plans about next week.

Remember, you're not limited on getting support about creative projects - chores, homework, whatever is open too

Comments

[althea_valara]

Last week I was working on a hat that I needed to rip back because my stitch count was off. I did the thing! I have reached a point where I can call the hat finished and submit it to my crafting tournament. The hat does fit me but the brim is on the tight side, so I'll probably rip back again and do less decreases. But that can wait a while.

I also crocheted a coaster this week, and am halfway done with another hat.

Now, a query for the group: Does anyone have dinner recipe recommendations? I'm a middle aged adult living with her aging parents, and mom is slowing down and not up to cooking as much. So it will likely fall to me more often. Problem is (a) I don't enjoy cooking, (b) my repertoire of dishes is SMALL.

Dad won't eat cream sauces (and doesn't eat most vegetables but we ignore that limitation and make veggies anyway), so no Chicken Alfredo or creamy soups. I'm technically allergic to mushrooms but I never liked them anyway, so would prefer recipes without them. Otherwise I'm wide open to suggestions.

We have a crockpot and rice cooker but no Instant Pot or air fryer.

[lonespark]

I don't really have specific recipe recs, but I do love using my crockpot. if you can afford it you can get most of the ingredients for stew, soup, etc already prepared, then just dump it in. so like you could buy stew beef and veggies and a sauce mix for any of many flavors of beef stew and just dump it in, wait the right amount of hrs, and have edible food.

It takes a few tries to figure exactly what the right amt of hrs, type & size of meat & veg u like, best, plus sometimes whether u need to stagger adding stuff, but it's just... so good, IMO. Plus when u have bread or biscuits or rice or noodles, too, it really seems like a meal, and depending on crockpot and appetite size, might last for more than one?

Ready-made sauces might have too much sodium or sugar or something, but often you can get them without. Some things are super easy, like just dumping chicken in with salsa, or ribs with BBQ sauce. That's not a whole balanced meal by itself (well, the ribs aren't) but u can get steam-in-bag or frozen veg.

I've also found rotisseries chicken is a good foundation for a lot of meals.

I have a crockpot cookbook I got from Costco, but I've also had great luck just searching online for recipes (in a general way, like "ribs" or "bow tie pasta") and printing them out, and back in the day I was in a Livejournal group for crockpot recipes.

My personal fav is Thai food, for which the crockpot doesn't so much help, but the rice cooker is vital if u like curry, you can often just grab a sauce, add meat & veg, cook in a large pot, pour over rice, pretty easy in terms of prep, a few minutes to cook and a few hrs to simmer til done.

[lonespark]

aaaand I overcooked and almost burned the gravysauce I was trying to make while I typed that. ADHD brain needs alarms! and crockpot is a lifesaver!

[silvercat17]

Oooh, I can help with that. I live with my parents too and we take turns cooking. None of us have a ton of energy so we tend to do quick things.

There are a lot of recipe websites out there and it's pretty easy to find crockpot recipes. I have a couple of recipes on my blog - I should really add more. http://www.silversspace.com/category/shares/recipes/

Here's a couple of ideas:

- Fish tacos. Cook fish sticks as instructed on package. Make pico de gallo or buy it. Optionally chop up some cabbage. I like to have green or red salsa and Japanese mayo to. Everybody makes their own as they like it - we heat up street taco sized tortillas on a cast iron skillet.

- similarly, fajitas. You can get frozen fajita chicken which is really easy, or use rotisserie chicken, then just cut up an onion and a couple of green and red peppers. Fry in a skillet with a good amount of oil. Yum. You can even cheat by microwaving the onion a bit to get it started.

- Same principle for Philly cheese steak (steak-umms are good!) or sausage sandwiches (I use a chicken and apple sausage that's yummy with dijon mustard)

- Stew. Get stew meat, veggies (I do chopped carrots, a can of water chestnuts, red kidney beans, garbanzo beans, garlic, and onions), and a couple of bay leaves. Add them all to the crockpot with a can of French onion soup or beef stock. Let cook on low for six or so hours. Right before dinner time, season if desired (salt, parsley, oregano, and marjoram are all good starts), and add a bag of frozen green beans. Let it all heat up again and serve with crusty bread.

- chicken noodle soup. Cut up an onion or leek, celery, and carrots. Dump them into the water and set it to boil. While it's heating up, cook boneless chicken in the microwave (you can also use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or even canned chicken). Let it cool a little, then cut into bite size pieces. Cook noodles in the water with veggies, then add the chicken. Add some bouillon powder if needed, plus salt, parsley, garlic, etc as you like.

- Boboli pizzas are simple and fun or if you want to get fancy, make calzones. If you can get frozen pizza dough that's best, but even regular dough works although. Grate cheese, add whatever toppings you like (I usually use green pepper, chicken or sausage, fresh spinach, etc), then wrap it in dough and bake.

I like making stir fry but it's a lot of work and clean up.

[silvercat17]

We regularly do 'Mexican food with meat', which is just a pound of hamburger microwaved (about two minutes and a time), drained, and broken up and then add red salsa. Cut up a tomato, optionally lettuce, advocado, and onion, dump cheese in a bowl, and heat up a can of refried beans.

Everyone makes their own burritos or you can warm up tostada or taco shells (Mom and Dad like to do Taco Bell style double-deckers as well). Or you can make nachos (everyone dumps some chips on a plate, adds however much cheese they like, then microwave for 15-45 seconds, and adds the toppings they like)

If I feel fancy I'll make guacamole. Get between one and three ripe advocados. Chop up an equal amount tomato and onion. If you like cilantro, chop some up. If you don't chop up some green pepper. Proportions I use are approximately: 1 part cilantro or green pepper, 2 parts onion, 2 parts tomato, 2 or 3 parts advocado. Here's the secret: add a bit of garlic powder, pre-chopped garlic, or fresh garlic - not enough to make it taste like garlic but enough to make everything else taste stronger. Add a couple of dashes of lemon juice and devour. If you don't finish it all, cover tightly with saran wrap. When you have it again, just stir in the dark bits - they're fine just ugly.