There is also some evidence that the slower, lower heat, method of cooking is much healthier as long as we pick good ingredients to go into the pot. I just wrote an article on my site about the frustrations of trying to find quaality fish in the supermarket. Then yesterday, the Associated Press reported that 3 types of fish imported from China for supermarket sales contained unapproved drugs and chemicals. Guess I will have to write a follow up on that!

I love to cook and experiment a lot. When I make something, I think of how I could improve it or change it around a bit. Form a hypothesis as if you were a scientist. Like the chicken and succotash, you could say, how would that taste if I used green beans instead of limas?.

Herbs are a good way to keep it interesting. I found a food dehydrator at a yard sale for $1 a few years ago. It collected dust for a while, but lately I have been dehydrating herbs, fruits, etc. in it. The stuff you get in the store has little taste and is far more expensive in my opinion.

One of my favorite cooking activities is to go to the library, check out a random “ethnic” cookbook (ethnic means not American in this case) and make a recipe from it. It is usually more expensive than my own meals because I have to buy special ingredients, but it helps with variety.

Thanks for the book recommendation, and (still) great work on the site!!!

My advice is to cook for 3 days at the most (preferably 2 days dish) and then try something else during the next cooking session. Or cook 2 separate dishes which will last 2 days each. This will keep your food part of your life a little bit more interesting.

My .02 cents/euros or whatever….

I went on a crock pot binge a few months ago. So easy, so inexpensive, such good smells, and great leftovers. A win win situation and a good way to start food in the morning so I know I have to go home to eat instead of stopping to eat something I shouldn’t be eating or paying for.