DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
---------------------------------------------------------
Jack's House
HTML https://jackshouse.createaforum.com
---------------------------------------------------------
*****************************************************
DIR Return to: Jack's Blog
*****************************************************
#Post#: 9386--------------------------------------------------
15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Jack Date: October 15, 2018, 5:28 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I thought it might be interesting for some for me to post this.
We chat most evenings for an hour or so starting at 5pm Central
Time. I have to leave normally between 6 and 6:30 pm, because
of our dinner time.
Normally, Kenny and I sit down on Wednesday evening and make out
a menu for the following week. For a long time, Thursday was my
weekday off work, so that was when I did the grocery shopping.
Even now that I'm working half-days each weekday, that's just
the traditional day.
Sunday
Last night we had baked chicken, roast potatoes, sauteed
spinach, a cucumber salad, and pan-roasted tomatoes and
mushrooms. We had ice cream available for those with room for
dessert.
Monday
Beef Ragout... I don't know what this is really called, but it's
just round steak which simmers all day in a crock pot with some
'cream soup' - we prefer cream of mushroom. I normally make
mashed potatoes and egg noodles to serve it over, though it goes
well with rice as well.
Slow cook grean beans (a family favorite), roast carrots,
roasted Brussels sprouts.
I have to take Mom to the doctor again this afternoon, but
Jeremy volunteered to make brownies for dessert.
Tuesday
I had planned for this to be Taco Tuesday (which we do ever
couple of weeks right now). However, we had a cold front come in
yesterday evening, and it's raining and 45 degrees is our
projected high for today and tomorrow... With that in mind, I'm
thinking comfort food, so...
Pancakes, scrambled eggs, breakfast meats, hash brown casserole,
fried apples, biscuits and sausage gravy, and hot cereal. I'm
thinking I'll have some coffee cake available for dessert, but
few non-teens can finish all that and have room for it.
Wednesday
It's supposed to warm up by then, but that's only comparable, as
they're still projecting only 55F/12 C as the high, which makes
it perfect weather for
Chicken Fried Steak
The 'traditional' fixings with CFS are mashed potatoes, cream
gravy, slow cooker green beans, fried okra, and biscuits. I
always try to cook three veggies and, this being fall, I'll
probably have roast corn on the cob to round it out. Chocolate
frosted chocolate cake finishes the evening.
Thursday
I'm leaning towards Crock Pot luck for Thursday night. This
will be the third weekend upcoming, so I'll have the grands, and
crock pot luck always leaves leftovers.
When I say 'crock pot luck', it means I cook several different
crock pot meals. It means a little extra work in the morning,
but it's easy to serve at night, and the boys are able to come
and go more easily, which will be important for what is expected
to be a cool and rainy evening of soccer practice.
While what I make for crock pot luck can vary, it usually
includes chili, chicken and dumplings, beef stew, and spaghetti.
Breakfast is more of an impulse item, though this morning I have
a breakfast casserole I made in the slow cookers. Usually we
just do some type of eggs and meat, there are usually a variety
of muffins around, as well as English muffins, bagels, or just
plain bread to toast, and we always have hot and cold cereal. I
have coffee or hot tea for those who like it, and we always have
a variety of juices and fruit available.
No one gets out of here hungry.
I've spoken about how I do the kids' lunch before. My kids
mostly brown bag it, though they have the option of buying if
they want - on the other hand, standing in line to get a hot
lunch has always been a pain.
Yesterday, Van and I made meatloafs (meatloaves?), so the kids
can have meatloaf sandwiches for lunch. This being an odd day,
they're getting carrot sticks, and cookies for dessert.
Tomorrow, they'll get chips, but fruit or yogurt for dessert.
I do have a rough plan for their sandwiches, and for Tuesday
through Friday, it's going to be chicken patty, Salisbury steak,
cold cuts, and hamburger patty or fish fillet.
I tend to pack the parts of a sandwich separately, which keeps
it crisper and allows the kids to put it together the way they
want it. I sometimes send a small container of gravy for
something like Salisbury's steak, but I actually buy boxes of
those little packets of condiments for them. I also prefer to
cook their treats when I can, and they often have brownies or
homemade cookies, though they're happy to get store bought when
that happens.
#Post#: 9388--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Zyngaru Date: October 15, 2018, 8:46 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Ah. Leftover Meatloaf sandwiches. Yummy.
It has been so long since I lived with a menu and regular cooked
meals, I forget how good they are.
Your grocery bill, must be outrageous. (No I am not asking what
you spend on groceries. It's none of my business.) ;D
But eating at your house would be an adventure.
Do you have sit down meals, with the entire family sitting
together at one table to eat. If you do, that has to be one big
table.
I realize with extra curricular activities as the boys get
older, it becomes difficult to sit together as a family to eat,
but hopefully you can still do that. I personally think it is
good for a family to have that time together as a group.
I'm not an okra fan, but love Brussel sprouts.
I like the way you pack items separately for brown bag lunches
so the boys can put their sandwich together themselves.
Advantage: Not accidently putting mayo on someone's sandwich
that prefers mustard.
Do you have lunch bag inspections in Texas? Here the monitoring
teachers at lunch look at what the child brings in their lunch
and makes the determination if their lunch is suitable or not.
I say this because the school filed a complaint against a mother
for sending her children to school with non-nutritious lunches.
It is the schools way to try and force parents to pay for
in-school lunches which the kids don't eat. In this case it
backfired on the school, because the mother in question is a
Dietitian and Nutritionist and the lunches she sent her children
to school with met all nutritional standards.
#Post#: 9395--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Jack Date: October 15, 2018, 3:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
In Texas, what we have are individual ISDs (Independant School
Districts). While the State does set some standards, most
details are decided by the individual districts. While it's
possible some schools in Texas do lunch bag inspections, I think
the ones around here would be too scared to try something like
that. We have had 'progressive' ideas tried around here
occasionally that ended up with parents playing the role of the
villagers in Frankenstein.
We have sit down dinner together. While it's not quite a
requirement, by setting it at 6:30, most of the kids are able to
make it at least several times a week.
The grocery bill is not at all outrageous... Not when you
consider the number of teenage boys I'm feeding... Or when
you're comparing it to the food bill for a zoo.
Breakfast is more a buffet than a sit down meal. Most of the
bathrooms are one for each two bedrooms, and most of the
bedrooms have two boys. Since most of the boys now are teens,
there is a lot of competition for showers in the morning. If I
get involved, I make the boys rotate, but most of the time, they
are able to come to a solution themselves. It works best since
some prefer to hope right in the shower, while others prefer to
come down, eat, and take a little time to wake before they have
to really start moving.
When school's out, it's kind of hit or miss as to whether we eat
as a group or not. It kind of depends on what's on everyone's
schedule.
Going back to your last point and my first answer -- Once, the
kids were all supposed to bring brown bags, because they were
doing a section on nutrition in their health class. I believe
this was Corey. When it came his time to tell what was in his
lunch, it was something like - "Chicken Parmesan sandwich on
sourdough, with Fritos, and apple slices with caramel dipping
sauce." The teacher was mad, because they weren't supposed to
tell. Corey's answer was, "Dad fixes lunches like this every
day." I had several requests to adopt at that point, including
by the teacher.
#Post#: 9396--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Zyngaru Date: October 15, 2018, 5:05 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Jack link=topic=887.msg9395#msg9395
date=1539636601]
Going back to your last point and my first answer -- Once, the
kids were all supposed to bring brown bags, because they were
doing a section on nutrition in their health class. I believe
this was Corey. When it came his time to tell what was in his
lunch, it was something like - "Chicken Parmesan sandwich on
sourdough, with Fritos, and apple slices with caramel dipping
sauce." The teacher was mad, because they weren't supposed to
tell. Corey's answer was, "Dad fixes lunches like this every
day." I had several requests to adopt at that point, including
by the teacher.
[/quote]
Yep. I'd be putting in an adoption request myself. Do the boys
need a Grandpa? :o
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich. Meatloaf Sandwich! Sit down
dinners. Buffet breakfasts. Heck I would even get up early and
take the littles to school for morning buffet breakfasts. ;D
#Post#: 9400--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: mahoover Date: October 15, 2018, 7:38 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I have to admit that I am jealous. I love to cook, but find it
very hard to cook a real meal every day when I get home from
work. It would be great to have the time and energy to cook a
real meal every night. Even if you have helpers, it still takes
time.
#Post#: 9404--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: David M. Katz Date: October 15, 2018, 8:56 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm hungry. ;D
#Post#: 9407--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Zyngaru Date: October 15, 2018, 11:07 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=mahoover link=topic=887.msg9400#msg9400
date=1539650320]
I have to admit that I am jealous. I love to cook, but find it
very hard to cook a real meal every day when I get home from
work. It would be great to have the time and energy to cook a
real meal every night. Even if you have helpers, it still takes
time.
[/quote]
I also love to cook, well did anyway. My issue is that it makes
no sense to cook a full meal for one. Yes I could freeze the
leftovers, but then my freezer would be full of old food. I
never cooked exotic like Jack. I learned to cook basic meals,
that fed 8 kids, plus adults. (cheaply) Chili, Stew, Veggie
Soup, Spaghetti, Meatloaf, Biscuits and gravy, Scrambled eggs
with crackers, Fried potatoes and onions. I have learned to
settle for shrunken versions of these, (out of a can) but of
course they aren't like what I grew up with.
#Post#: 9411--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Jack Date: October 16, 2018, 4:55 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I've never had scrambled eggs with crackers, though my
step-father did used to make them with Frito's, which is
interesting... especially with cheese and a bit of salsa.
When I left home, I wasn't much more than a basic cook, and I'm
really not more than that still. However, even that was
self-taught. When I left home, I wasn't able to cook anything,
and I didn't even know what terms meant. In those days before
the internet, it was pretty hard to learn. I was fortunate with
Patrick's wife when I moved in with them during college - she
taught me more in two or three years when we were both really
busy, than I'd learned in my entire life before that.
Like Zyngaru, I didn't really cook much between 1987 (when I got
my own apartment) and 1993 (when Stevie moved in with me). It
was worse between 1989 and 1991, when I was teaching and running
the comic store, and most of my meals were fast food, cans, or
TV dinners. In 1991, at 26, I was probably as heavy as I got
before I turned 50. When I stopped teaching, I had to spend
probably six months hitting the gym daily to get back into
reasonable shape for a man in his 20s (I think I was down to
about 165 and a 33" waist by the time we had our third
anniversary party in 1992).
Because of that, I try to... more than teach - to install an
understanding in my boys of how much better you feel when you
stay active and eat healthy. I teach them that it's easier to
maintain than repair. I teach them that food will be there when
they want it. I teach them that fast food, soda pop, and candy
are treats, and that you don't do treats daily. I encourage
them to not be afraid to try new things, but not to be wed to
them. I also teach them to cook, and ways to cook for one.
Myself - and after Steve joined me - I did things like make
(reasonably? moderately?) healthy casseroles and then
refrigerate them and alternate the leftovers, to keep them from
going bad, but also so I wasn't eating the same thing over and
over. It worked for two of us, and by the time Cathy and I
separated, there were three of us (and it expanded quickly after
that), so leftovers weren't such a problem anymore.
One of the reasons I make menus goes back (again) to how I was
raised. There were things I loved - chicken and rice casserole,
baked chicken - but my step-dad preferred Mom's pan fried
chicken (which I thought mediocre at best). Guess what we had -
almost every time. Of course, there are meals we all like, and
meals that are easier to prepare than others, so those come up
again. Van and Kenny both like challenging themselves and
trying new things, and people have personal favorites that we
don't have as often, so we do menus to try to rotate things,
keep it fresh, and not leave anyone feeling like their needs and
desires aren't important.
#Post#: 9413--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: mahoover Date: October 16, 2018, 6:47 am
---------------------------------------------------------
I was lucky about learning to cook. When I was in high school,
my mom was working full time and going to law school at night.
She just didn't have time to do everything, so she had my
younger sister and I take over the grocery shopping and cooking
diner. I learned a lot then, about budgeting, about planning,
and about cooking. Mom was always available for advice, but my
sister and I needed to do it all. I grumbled a little at the
time, but looking back, it was a great learning experience for
me.
Its great that you are teaching your boys at least the basics of
cooking. There are a lot of men that can't do more than cook a
steak on a grill.
#Post#: 9416--------------------------------------------------
Re: 15 Oct 2018 - Menus
By: Zyngaru Date: October 16, 2018, 8:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Jack link=topic=887.msg9411#msg9411
date=1539683752]
I've never had scrambled eggs with crackers, though my
step-father did used to make them with Frito's, which is
interesting... especially with cheese and a bit of salsa.
[/quote]
Back then we bought eggs by the 3 dozen basket. Usually 2
baskets at a time. Mom baked, which means she went through a
lot of eggs. Our desserts were all homemade. Cookies, cakes,
cobblers, candies for holidays.
My dad would eat 6 to 12 fried eggs for breakfast. He did that
his entire life.
Mom made us kids scrambled eggs with crackers, so they would go
around and be filling. Since I grew up eating crackers in my
scrambled eggs, that is what I am used to and what I like.
Now, I will sauté onions, green peppers and mushrooms. If I
have ham, I sometimes add some diced ham to the sauté. I crack
three eggs, into a bowl, salt and pepper them. I love garlic so
I add a garlic seasoning to the eggs as well. Then I add
crumbled up saltine crackers. I do this by sight as to how
many. I want a nice consistency of egg covered cracker without
it becoming a paste. Once the sauté is done, I add the
egg/cracker mix and begin cooking them stirring so it stays
separated instead of an egg pancake. When the scrambled eggs
are just about done, I add cheese over the top, turn off the
heat and place a lid on the skillet so the cheese will melt
without over cooking the eggs.
I eat it just like that, but it is also good with ketchup or
salsa, or hot sauce over it. It is also good with chili over
it.
Talking about chili. I was a grown man before I knew that real
chili didn't have spaghetti in it. Mom added pasta to our
chili, so that it would go around and fill 8 hungry children. I
still make it that way. My sisters don't add pasta to their
chili. They make it correctly. So when they bring me a bowl,
the first thing I do is cook up some pasta and add it to it.
I rarely go to fast food places. But if I go to Wendy's I will
get a baked potato and a bowl of chili and then pour my chili
over my baked potato.
I grew up with biscuits and gravy. Scratch made biscuits.
Scratch made gravy. We had hamburger gravy. Why hamburger
gravy? Hamburger was the cheapest meat. Mom bought it by the
10 pound package. Now I prefer meatless gravy. I have never
liked sausage gravy. I do like SOS! I won't say what SOS stands
for, but it is made with chipped beef gravy on toast. From my
military days.
Okay, enough about food. I'm getting hungry. I haven't eaten
breakfast yet.
But honestly. Try the scrambled eggs with crackers. They are
really good and filling. Just don't cook them too long or they
get dry.
*****************************************************
DIR Next Page