QOTD 4/24/2009

What do you consider 'cooking dinner'? (Like, a big deal dinner)

A friend and I were talking about this recently and a mutual friend was making a HUGE deal that she was boiling pasta and throwing in some type of jar of something or a premade seasoning pouch and making 'break-n-bake' cookies for her DH. I don't think she cooks dinner often so maybe this WAS her idea of cooking and it was a big deal to her IDK.

So, do you consider it 'cooking dinner' when you throw a pre-made sauce on something or open a can of something, throw it on chicken and bake it?

To me, cooking almost never involves shortcuts. We MAKE sauce and meatballs, etc. No jars allowed. Making sauce is really not that hard to do anyway)



Maybe this example will clarify...

I used to make quick dinner for DH and I. I would make a Lipton's rice packet and brown some chop meat then mix it all together.

Sure, it was quick, it was premade stuff, it was dinner, we ate it at dinnertime. But I sure as hell didn't go bragging about how I made this special dinner for DH

I've never cooked then LOL

no honestly, even though my entrees are usually 'from scratch' my side dishes are often rice dishes from the box or just veggies that are steamed in the microwave. I consider it cooking because its not just warming something up AND we are not ordering out.

Even my 'from scratch' stuff often involves something like a McCormick seasoning packet or a Campbells soup can or Bisquick . . .

I dont know, I think I am cooking ;)

I would call it 'preparing' dinner I think...

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Posted by ant n tilde

I've never cooked then LOL

no honestly, even though my entrees are usually 'from scratch' my side dishes are often rice dishes from the box or just veggies that are steamed in the microwave. I consider it cooking because its not just warming something up AND we are not ordering out.

Even my 'from scratch' stuff often involves something like a McCormick seasoning packet or a Campbells soup can or Bisquick . . .

I dont know, I think I am cooking ;)

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same here tilde! i dont exactly make EVERYTHING from scratch but I'm still over the stove or chopping up stuff so its cooking to me..

if we're not ordering in, eating leftovers, or going out its cooking!

I'll use rice sides and stuff like that.

I think it was just weird to us that an Italian girl was cooking her DH JAR SAUCE!!

I'm all for using spices, or mccormicks taco seasoning, etc

idk, maybe I SHOULD use more jar crap and make it easier on myself

I like the 'preparing dinner' thing

My Nan calls it 'repairing dinner'. She is too cute, she has her own words for things.

I've never made a sauce from scratch . We like the jarred kind.
I do chop, cut up, slice, boil, fry, grill so I can consider that cooking.

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

I'll use rice sides and stuff like that.

I think it was just weird to us that an Italian girl was cooking her DH JAR SAUCE!!

I'm all for using spices, or mccormicks taco seasoning, etc

idk, maybe I SHOULD use more jar crap and make it easier on myself

I like the 'preparing dinner' thing

My Nan calls it 'repairing dinner'. She is too cute, she has her own words for things.

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well i dont use jarred sauce but i also dont make it bc DH isnt a huge fan of sauce and we have it like every time we eat by our mom's LOL so we get our fill of sauce then. . .

ive never eat jar sauce nor will i ever

oh except for stop and shop - they have a good refrigerated alfredo!

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Posted by SB7308

I've never made a sauce from scratch . We like the jarred kind.
I do chop, cut up, slice, boil, fry, grill so I can consider that cooking.

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funny story. my sister doesnt really cook, she uses jarred sauce. so everyone always teases her bc we come from such an italian family SO for her husband's birthday seh makes sauce from scratch - meat sauce no less and it was very hard for her bc she is NOT a cook at all.

He eats it and she is like oh do you like it? and he just answers 'Oh yeah it tastes different - it tastes just like xxxx brand did you switch brands?'

LOL after that she never made sauce from scratch again!

Maybe this example will clarify...

I used to make quick dinner for DH and I. I would make a Lipton's rice packet and brown some chop meat then mix it all together.

Sure, it was quick, it was premade stuff, it was dinner, we ate it at dinnertime. But I sure as hell didn't go bragging about how I made this special dinner for DH

i would say i do 'cook' most things.....
but when it comes to sauces such as tomato or alfredo there is not an italian bone in my body so i have to use a jar
but i do make my own marinades and other things like scampi and such
as for sides i sometimes use packaged stuff and sometimes not.....
depends on night and time i have and whats in the cupboard

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

I'll use rice sides and stuff like that.

I think it was just weird to us that an Italian girl was cooking her DH JAR SAUCE!!

I'm all for using spices, or mccormicks taco seasoning, etc

idk, maybe I SHOULD use more jar crap and make it easier on myself

I like the 'preparing dinner' thing

My Nan calls it 'repairing dinner'. She is too cute, she has her own words for things.

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Christine stop hating on us!!!

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Posted by jtgarsik

i agree w/tilde & the other ap's..i consider it cooking so long as ur not ordering in, etc.. everyone is different. I usually make everything from scratch...i'll take a shortcut or two if i get home late...but to me, as long as ur over a stove - ur making dinner..

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ditto. To me it's definitely cooking as long as you're not just ordering in or heating something up (like soup or raviolis). But if you're using your stove or oven to make dinner (whether it's just spaghetti with canned sauce or a meal completely by scratch) you're still cooking it and it can still take work depending on your expertise.

I personally do both. Sometimes I'll make a meal completely by scratch and other times I'll use shortcuts. No matter which way, I still cooked it and it still took time outta my life

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

Maybe this example will clarify...

I used to make quick dinner for DH and I. I would make a Lipton's rice packet and brown some chop meat then mix it all together.

Sure, it was quick, it was premade stuff, it was dinner, we ate it at dinnertime. But I sure as hell didn't go bragging about how I made this special dinner for DH

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well of course not - because u're more of a cook! i'm the same way...but everyone is different.. my sil is NOT a cook at ALL...to her, if she succeeds in a crockpot recipe she is just so proud! and that's fine - because to her, ANYTHING is cooking! so to each is own...i think everyone is different...it doesn't really matter to me what people consider their idea of cooking..all i know is i like to get my hands dirty

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Posted by RockysGirl

ditto. To me it's definitely cooking as long as you're not just ordering in or heating something up (like soup or raviolis). But if you're using your stove or oven to make dinner (whether it's just spaghetti with canned sauce or a meal completely by scratch) you're still cooking it and it can still take work depending on your expertise.

I personally do both. Sometimes I'll make a meal completely by scratch and other times I'll use shortcuts. No matter which way, I still cooked it and it still took time outta my life

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well said

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Posted by KK Holiday

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

I'll use rice sides and stuff like that.

I think it was just weird to us that an Italian girl was cooking her DH JAR SAUCE!!

I'm all for using spices, or mccormicks taco seasoning, etc

idk, maybe I SHOULD use more jar crap and make it easier on myself

I like the 'preparing dinner' thing

My Nan calls it 'repairing dinner'. She is too cute, she has her own words for things.

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Christine stop hating on us!!!

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I'm not hating on anyone

..just a convo about people's ideas of cooking a big deal dinner, shortcut cooking, whatever.

I honestly dont give a shat what any of you cook.

Unless, of course, you plan to have me over for dinner

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

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Posted by KK Holiday

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

I'll use rice sides and stuff like that.

I think it was just weird to us that an Italian girl was cooking her DH JAR SAUCE!!

I'm all for using spices, or mccormicks taco seasoning, etc

idk, maybe I SHOULD use more jar crap and make it easier on myself

I like the 'preparing dinner' thing

My Nan calls it 'repairing dinner'. She is too cute, she has her own words for things.

---

Christine stop hating on us!!!

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I'm not hating on anyone

..just a convo about people's ideas of cooking a big deal dinner, shortcut cooking, whatever.

I honestly dont give a shat what any of you cook.

Unless, of course, you plan to have me over for dinner

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dont lie....I know you're up at night worrying about how all of us cook our dinners

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

Maybe this example will clarify...

I used to make quick dinner for DH and I. I would make a Lipton's rice packet and brown some chop meat then mix it all together.

Sure, it was quick, it was premade stuff, it was dinner, we ate it at dinnertime. But I sure as hell didn't go bragging about how I made this special dinner for DH

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oh yeah i definitely agree! ACTUALLY I am the opposite. I love to say how EASY stuff is to make and how yummy they still are!

Like I make this chicken and dumplings recipe and it tastes like something made from scratch with tons of prep work but really its just all prepared stuff on the stove!!

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Posted by ant n tilde

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Posted by ChristineAaron08

Maybe this example will clarify...

I used to make quick dinner for DH and I. I would make a Lipton's rice packet and brown some chop meat then mix it all together.

Sure, it was quick, it was premade stuff, it was dinner, we ate it at dinnertime. But I sure as hell didn't go bragging about how I made this special dinner for DH

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oh yeah i definitely agree! ACTUALLY I am the opposite. I love to say how EASY stuff is to make and how yummy they still are!

Like I make this chicken and dumplings recipe and it tastes like something made from scratch with tons of prep work but really its just all prepared stuff on the stove!!

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mmm share that recipe!