OT: Pandemic Shuttered Benefits

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

If you like to cook, this is kind of a fun time. Hopefully you are being responsible and changing some habits like going to the grocery store every day and not wasting food.

Which the above has led to some unique challenges. For one, many dinners where friends or family come over now aren't happening. So if you roast a chicken or like an Eastern ham, instead of having 4-6 people over, it may only be for 2.

Which is where I am at. I like to cook, I will admit, and fancy myself somewhat accomplished. So this is a challenge. Made a Roast Chicken a couple of days ago, which was great considering this weather. But only 2 of us (the other a real light eater) to eat it. So the next day, made a chicken salad. But man, still had alot left over. I already had homemade stock....so what to do....what to do...

Chicken Enchiladas! I had all the ingredients in the pantry/fridge. Made chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce and everything and they were great. It is kind of fun seeing what you can do with leftovers. By the way, I chopped up some of the leftover ham into my enchilada sauce to give it some flavor. It was great. Of course I didn't serve "hammy" chicken enchiladas, I used it as a base for the sauce and strained it out. But this feels like our duty to figure out how to make due with what we have and not waste things.

Anyone else feel this way? Anyone else like to or can cook?

 

[CougarClaws]

If you like to cook, this is kind of a fun time. Hopefully you are being responsible and changing some habits like going to the grocery store every day and not wasting food.

Which the above has led to some unique challenges. For one, many dinners where friends or family come over now aren't happening. So if you roast a chicken or like an Eastern ham, instead of having 4-6 people over, it may only be for 2.

Which is where I am at. I like to cook, I will admit, and fancy myself somewhat accomplished. So this is a challenge. Made a Roast Chicken a couple of days ago, which was great considering this weather. But only 2 of us (the other a real light eater) to eat it. So the next day, made a chicken salad. But man, still had alot left over. I already had homemade stock....so what to do....what to do...

Chicken Enchiladas! I had all the ingredients in the pantry/fridge. Made chicken enchiladas with homemade enchilada sauce and everything and they were great. It is kind of fun seeing what you can do with leftovers. By the way, I chopped up some of the leftover ham into my enchilada sauce to give it some flavor. It was great. Of course I didn't serve "hammy" chicken enchiladas, I used it as a base for the sauce and strained it out. But this feels like our duty to figure out how to make due with what we have and not waste things.

Anyone else feel this way? Anyone else like to or can cook?

I cooked up a storm for a while - loaded up the freezer for sure. Used some leftover ham for a mango ham & bean curry the other day, came out fantastically good. My creative spark lends itself to cooking for sure.

I have found that staying off the simple carbs is key right now if you don't want to add weight. Have cut way back on pasta, potato, rice, and moved over to sourdough for bread, as it burns a lot slower than regular bread.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

It's funny that since this pandemic started and I have suspended flying and staying overnight, I've lost 6 lbs. I wasn't overweight to begin with, but I wanted to lose about 10 lbs. to get down to my running weight for the Pittsburgh Marathon. That's been canceled, but I'm still running. And I'm not eating out every night as I did when I traveled. That's the secret. Those foods we eat in restaurants have who knows what in them, even if they taste good. I have to remember this when I get back to traveling again.

Give me home cookin'!

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

It's funny that since this pandemic started and I have suspended flying and staying overnight, I've lost 6 lbs. I wasn't overweight to begin with, but I wanted to lose about 10 lbs. to get down to my running weight for the Pittsburgh Marathon. That's been canceled, but I'm still running. And I'm not eating out every night as I did when I traveled. That's the secret. Those foods we eat in restaurants have who knows what in them, even if they taste good. I have to remember this when I get back to traveling again.

Give me home cookin'!

Yeah I have actually started running. I have now made it through a week, running with my two labs, about a mile and a half but it is a start and I feel really good so far so pretty happy.

As for food, really now trying to make a big dent in freezer/pantry stuff which admittedly I had way too much. The only thing, is you got to get stuff like salad and veggies because they don't freeze or keep.

Chili was made yesterday. Without having to buy an ingredient. Flour tortillas today make the chili into enchiladas.

But it is cool, I spied some chickpeas and I have tahini, so I can make hummus this week and have pita chips. So can make like a chicken or beef shwarma with that.

Fresh fish I got from Maine and frozen I can have this week.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

I’ve used the grill 4 times in the last 10 days. I’ve cooked the following: Chicken Wings, Chicken, Steak, Hamburgers, Cheeseburgers, Hot Dogs, Kielbasa, Sausage, and Mixed Vegetables. I have fish and kabobs lined up for this week. My wife handled the air fryer: Tater Tots and French Fries.