Monday, May 16, 2005
Blogvoidance
I've just been cruising the web-log-world.
Very cool.
Good words. Strong Voices.
Unfortunately I've also been avoiding my current chore.
Making The Menu.
Does anyone do this anymore?
I taught myself how to plan a menu probably fifteen years ago out of sheer desperation.
Young pastor's wife. Young pastor's salary.
I was ending up with far too much month at the end of the money.
So, I discovered that if I planned a menu for the month, and did all of the non-perishable shopping for it when the pay stub was still warm, I could pretty much get through til the next paycheck.
I haven't needed to plan menus for self / family preservation for a long time, but it's still a helpful habit. I like thinking through the meals for a couple of weeks ahead. I like knowing what's there to cook. If I spend one evening or morning... or afternoon... ONE block of time doing this, I don't have to think hard again for a few weeks. I like reading my cookbooks and trying new recipes. When a new recipe is included in the menu it gets shopped for. It gets cooked. It gets tried.
sigh
Now it's 11:00 and I'd better get back to it.
Maybe if I bribe myself with a cup of tea.
There's always the new Asian cookbook to consider...
posted by Lauralea | 10:47 PM
7 Comments:
Reminds me of when I used to do a whole month's shopping in one go. 3 hours non-stop in a supermarket. Chris just isn't a shopping person, and it was natural for me to do it, as I found the whole cooking thing easy.
Now the kids have grown up and eat so much of certain things I HAVE to go weekly.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
I plan our menu too. I used to do it on a week-to-week basis, but found it quite tiresome.
I now plan a month at a time, get it out of the way, and then let other stuff rent space in my thoughts for the month!
I am also young and married to a pastor, but do it out of a necessity to eat better, as my husband and I both work full-time and find that time is a very precious commodity.
It does save from many headaches down the road.
Sorry, I posted the same thing twice, and then removed the one!
I also like having the menus for the month -or the week, or 2 weeks... planned. It takes so much brain power to think of what to cook, that I'm quite happy to expend most of that energy in one sitting and then not think about it again for a long time. My favourite appliance? The Crock Pot. If you don't have one, you must put it on your Christmas list. If you do, you must also have the Company's Coming Slow Cooker Cook book. (Honestly, I should earn royaltys for the number of those books I've shamelessly flogged!) Whether I'm out for the day, or just doing laundry, it is SO freeing to stick everything into the crock pot after breakfast and leave it all day. Sorry. I think I'm blogging on the comments! (Is that proper blogger etiquette?) The menu is good for that too. Instead of going to bed thinking... what will we have for breakfast/ lunch/ supper... I've looked on the menu and taken the meat out. Freeing.
I love my Crock Pot, and my mother-in-law already gave me the Company's Coming Slow Cooker Cook book for Christmas. One of my favorite places for recipes is www.allrecipes.com. It has a great rating system, and helpful comments from people who have tried the recipes.
I am one of those people who have to have everything for the next day sorted out in my mind, before I can fall asleep at night (what I'll wear the next morning, what to pack for lunch...). I think that a lot of it comes from NOT being a morning person, and I need to find a way to function when my alarm goes off at 6:25am.
I think I need to get my Crock Pot out.
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