Do you like to cook?

[AARPRachelA]

Having hobbies that ignite your curiosity and passion helps improve your well-being. One of my favorite hobbies is cooking. Are there other cooks here? If so, what are some of your favorite things to make?

I like cooking because it’s one way I get into flow. Eating nutritious and delicious foods is also how I take care of myself and others. One of my favorite things to make is soup. It’s the perfect no-recipe meal! It allows me to use my foundational cooking knowledge while expressing my creativity.

Did you know that cooking can help activate your recall memory? It requires you to memorize ingredients and the right proportions to achieve your desired flavors.

Looking for more ways to stimulate your recall memory? Play Shopping List, an AARP Staying Sharp game!

[PaulH627938]

usually, my mode of cooking is the microwave but when having hamburger helper i must use the stove. only the store brands give microwave directions. i spareingly use the oven. as i said in other messages my favorite dish is Lasagna. you know what it takes to make that!

[LeslieA797971]

I grew up learning to cook from my mom & mammae since age 6 but now, at age 58, Chronic Pain and Rheumatoid Arthritis limits me to making a lean meat with a healthy vegetable (steamed broccoli with Velveeta cheese). Baked cauliflower coated with extra virgin olive oil is our favorite! Eating vegetables (without adding much to them other than seasoning) really is the way to go! My husband of 34 years helps me and in doing the cleanup... Blessings all around! 

[JonathanD676550]

I cook and bake. My fried chicken is always asked for. Some of my favorites are simple old family meals, like a roast with potatoes and carrots. Really dislike when someone hand me a box cake mix and ask me to make it. Some one did that with a brownie mix. I did it and my homemade brownies. Others only ate the box mix ones after the homemade ones where gone. Also like the family tradition of roast and sauckraut. 

[rs48566761]

I love cooking with fresh herbs from my herbal garden.Renee's healing garden

[AARPRachelA]

What a gorgeous garden you have @rs48566761! I have a balcony herb garden as well, but it gets too cold here so it's only seasonal for me. I dry the herbs I have left at the end of the season!

[rs48566761]

Awh, thanks for the compliment!  I do the same.  I'm on the East Coast and I enjoy the outdoor growth typically late March through early November.  I dry the herbs also for the harvest holidays.  

[AnnaD973074]

I love to cook! Baking mostly, I do try new recipes to see if it something I would like. Breakfast foods for my grandchildren is my mom's recipe for pancakes. It's more like crepes. The recipe came from her mom who lived in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Recipe: French pancakes

1 cup Flour

1 egg

1/2 t. salt

1 T. sugar

1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. water

1 T. melted butter

Mix all ingredients except water together. Add water a lit bit at a time until the mixtures looks not to thick. Add 1 Tablespoon of melted butter into mixture. Heat griddle medium heat until you can sprinkle water on it. Once hot use melted butter or butter pam spray to pan. Spoon about 1/4 cup of mixture on to griddle making sure you lift griddle to spread mixture on the griddle. Let it cook until you see it browning a little on bottom before turning over to cook other side. This those take time, since you must cook one at a time. It can make up to 12 pancakes. You can also double the recipe. Enjoy!

[AARPRachelA]

This sounds so good, thank you for sharing @AnnaD973074! I love connecting with other cultures via food. Venezuelan arepas are one of my favorite dishes to make!

[dmackillop]

I would try to make this recipe more nutritional for my grandson and better for our planet, so those lessons are a part of the fun.  Egg replacer or a mashed banana for the egg; maple syrup or vanilla for sugar; plant-based (nondairy) milk, vegan butter or coconut oil, a more nutritious flour and could be gluten-free too, like oat flour.  Can add cinnamon which is healthful spice. Rather than butter, serve fruit and nuts as toppings to add to nutrition of morning meal.

[slywlf54]

I enjoy cooking and love using herbs and spices from around the world. For the last couple years I have been gradually cutting back on my meat and using more plant protein - love me some beans! Because I could never keep track of all the online recipes I had bookmarked I finally started using Pinterest, which has one big folder called Favorite Foods with dozens of sub-folders inside for the different types of recipes - soups, stews & chilies are together, desserts, chicken & other fowl, each have a place so I can find the recipe I want. Most useful site I have found! 

[AARPRachelA]

My parents got me a subscription to Piquant Post for the holidays and it's so great! Every month I get four herb and spice blends with four recipes from around the world. I'm being introduced to so many new, unique and delicious dishes!

[RubblaP696075]

My favorite food to cook is shrimps and fettuccine with pepper’s. and vegetables. .

[AARPRachelA]

I love shrimp! One of my favorite foods for sure 🦐

[8strts]

I love to cook when feel like it. The other day I made sweet potato biscuits and they were so good!

I love to make tumeric crackers and Pizza crackers that have no sugar! Those I have to eat straight out of the oven with organic butter. Is to die for.

I try to make a new vegetarian recipe as much as possible. I did find one it was Almond, Tofu, Spinach Casserole and it was divine! My son and son in law love to try it because they can smell the delicious aroma coming from the oven.

Just try recipes online, and if doesn’t work out, dump it, I do, who cares?! Keep on trying because you will find an awesome one!!

[AARPRachelA]

Sweet potato biscuits yuuummm 🤤

[2Papa]

I make a mean pot of Chili!  

[c210721b]

I absolutely love to cook. I'm not really a recipe follower per se; I generally use them to see what ingredients are being used and then go. My favorite things to cook are soups and stews. I stay away from cakes because they are science and the ingredients work together for a reason. Pies and cookies though - I'm off and running! Most of my best recipes were made up during snow days like my chocolate mousse banana pudding. Cook on good people. 🍽

[AARPRachelA]

I'm similar - I read recipes to get a general feel for a dish, and then I make it using my own flair. I just learned that January is National Soup Month!

[ds45442176]

Hi, I have been baking over 43 years.  For the first ten years, my food was barely edible.  I liked to bake, but few of my baked goods ever looked like the photo.  Yet, they did taste like the photo.  Move ahead to this past month.  I bake bread every 3 days.  I bake dessert every other day.  I always have fresh baked cookies on hand.  I have made pies that people can't have enoughof!  Not to toot my own horn (but, I just gotta!), I have people visit that ask that I bake a pie or cheesecake for them.    Now I need to learn to cook a dinner!

[AARPRachelA]

Wow! So much baking and it all sounds delicious!

[TheSuzyQ]

Here is my super simple Sweet Chili & Corn Bread! Enjoy.

 

[Olif]

Has anyone tried to cook roasted track beans?

[AARPRachelA]

I've never heard of them...what are track beans?

[LindaB671]

I am making these recipes tonight. Thank you @TheSuzyQ !

[Rhymesometimes]

@AARPRachelA  I finally tried the "Adda Veggie" product.  It's where you take their pea protein and a packet of their herbs and spices, then mixed with a veggie.  Did one with "riced" broccoli.  Made "meat" broccoli balls to go along with some pasta.  Delicious! This product is a game changer.

[AARPRachelA]

Glad you tried it and enjoyed it @Rhymesometimes! I'll have to try doing a veggie ball and pasta recipe. I like to use it to make veggie patties that I can use for lunch sandwiches throughout the week!

[Rhymesometimes]

@AARPRachelA  That's great idea!  I'm thinking there are all kinds of uses for this product.  Combining it with pasta, quinoa, brown rice would all be awesome!

[TheSuzyQ]

Does Chili count as a soup? 🙂  I think I will post my favorite Chili Recipe + Corn Bread

xo

[AARPRachelA]

@TheSuzyQ, I second the request to post your favorite chili and cornbread recipes!