Though I'm creative in many ways, when it comes to food, I draw a complete blank. And when I do cook, I'm such a freak about the meal turning out perfectly that I completely stress out about it ...as if I'm cooking for The Queen. It always ends up tasting good, but the process is just such a train wreck/headache that it's pointless really to put myself -and the husband- through it ...especially on a daily basis.
I always thought I'd start cooking when I had kids to feed though. Obviously I want to raise healthy kids but since we're not getting anywhere in the kid department, I think the only thing that will actually inspire me to cook at this point ...is to start a food blog. I know.
SOOOOOOOOOO, as embarrassing as this is to admit . . .the husband and I eat out/order in at least 6 days a week ...and sometimes 7. I love it and hate it simultaneously. I love it because of everything I said above and I don't really have time to cook and I can get anything I want. I hate it because of the waste it creates ...especially when it's delivered in styrofoam containers.
When we lived in our very small condo with our ridiculously small kitchen I created this binder to organize all of our menus . . . and over time, we have been less than organized with it and have also accumulated more menus.
Yesterday I finally had enough of all the menus falling out every time I pulled the binder out of the cupboard and I purged {though I hate that word because it reminds me of vomit, sorry sis ;}
...and finally got our old menu binder back down to a normal size
...and then we ordered dinner from Aromi Cafe, delivered in styrofoam containers. But man was my Caprese Panino & Chicken with Wild Rice Soup delish!
and a few pastries, of course
yes, we're total assholes. but we do own a Prius, so that should make up for it a little, right?
it should also be known that all the local restaurants know us by name & the husband brought them all cupcakes last Christmas ...yep, it's confirmed, we're total douches
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45 comments:
HaHa... we dont get to 6-7 times a week but pretty close... :) I normally cook something ridiculously simple like an omlet or a salad and call it a day! :)
xxx
http://gypsy-diaries.blogspot.com/
WoW! You DO eat out a lot.... This post made me laugh (especially the husband buying cupcakes for all restaurants part), you are so funny :)
Fashion Fractions
As much as I love eating out, I prefer to do so occasionally. A year ago when we were renovating the apartment we ate out every day for two weeks and I got so annoyed with it. I pined for the simple home cooked meals like a vegetable soup with noodles prepeared just the way I like it.
Preparing your own meals also means you can monitor the quality of the ingredients.
HAHA I love everything about this!
We only have 4 restaurants in my town,so choice is pretty limited.But trust me,if I had the money,I would also order in at least 4-5 times a week.
I don't do what you do ( I live in small-town New Zealand!) . . . but I probably would if I could!
Holy cow! That's a lot of menus. I live in NYC and could definitely spend half my salary on takeout, but I think I'd weigh a ton. How do you stay so fit eating out/ordering in?
I feel like such an oddity because I too hate that word. (I'm not even going to repeat it).
I like cooking a lot. I also just use a few ingredients to make something relatively simple. For this week's menu it is rice, fish, and zuchinni or black bean tacos. I'm on a ridiculously tight budget, so keeping my ingredients simple and also keeping in mind that its just food. It is just nourishment, I don't need to have an orgasm every time I eat... that helps a lot.
So glad you got organized though. I definitely should create a menu binder, or a weekly calendar listing all my favorite happy hours.
I'd love to do this but it must work out really expensive! There's a different culture towards takeaway in the UK, it's more of a Friday night treat. (Even then, I haven't done it for like the last six months, just because I live on my own and takeaway for one is definitely not done here, IME.)
I'd love a leaf through those menus, tho! I bet the takeaway quality is much higher here than in the UK. man, I'd love to order in every day!
x
(and thanks, I'm now craving takeaway chinese and it's 12 noon. lolz.)
Oh god those pastries look so good. I am on a really restrictive anti-inflammatory diet right now and I could literally eat all of those in about 5 seconds. nomnomnomnom
xxx
Maegan
Watching cooking shows is a way to get started on the cooking thing. They have so many tips on how to cook stuff or how to season that particular food. I've never reproduced at home any of Jamie Oliver's recipes, but I've learned soooooo much. I love Nigella too. And they make not so hard dishes. After you learn a bit about flavour combination and how to do things, you'll start creating your own easy, 15 minute diners.
xo, Roberta. (the girl from Brazil that emailed you a couple of months ago)
Is that a full Cheesecake Factory menu in the 2nd picture?? haha
I agree, seriously, how do you stay so small eating out every night?!
hey girly, some styrofoam is recyclable. like the tons of sonic cups that get used everyday...yup, recycle symbol on the bottom of the cup. so you could check that out, look for the symbol, rinse the container and viola-
iralee
That was totally me before I got married! Thankfully hubs is an amazing cook and I learned a little from him, so now I can tear it up in the kitchen! ;)
http://sweetandsassy-sherry.blogspot.com/
Wow! You take the cake for having the most menus all in one place! We used to order out 4 days/week or so but over time we got into cooking more and more. It was gradual for me. My husband enjoys it wayyyy more than I do so lately he's been cooking and I clean up. Start gathering recipies that make your mouth water and it will push you to reach the goal of creating a satisfying meal. That seems to work for me..
I would like to eat out at least ONCE a week. Sometimes its nice not to not have to decide what you are going to make, relax with a glass of wine and NO cooking :) But I can see where you may crave a good home cooked meal every once in awhile too.
P.S My last comment was full of spelling errors..that's what happens when you type on your iphone. So I deleted it
I think the most hysterical part of this whole post is the fact that the hubs brought cupcakes to all the local restaurants last Xmas! I do love the binder organization idea, I use a giant plastic envelope, but I think I'm going to step up my game and organize better! Thanks for the inspiration as always! PS, I wonder, if since it seems you guys have a "relationship" with the local restaurants, you could drop off some tupperware containers for them to use when you order? Just a thought.
xoxo
Lia
I hate to admit how much the bf and I eat out too. It gets to be expensive over time. I try to cook too but I experience the same overwhelming feeling you do.
i love your gut honesty in all your posts. and for that you are not assholes. oh, and the prius thing helps too i guess. haha :)
I also really really HATE cooking at the end of a long day but one thing that has helped is a crock pot. I bought a 10 minute or less crockpot cookbook and you basically dump some meat, veggies, spices, and some type of liquid (chicken/beef broth, BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes + water) and let it cook while you're at work. I also use those crock pot liners so there is no cleanup- Just toss the liner in the garbage.
When we have company over I rather order take out then cook something in the kitchen. I want to enjoy the company I have then slave over a hot stove, and stress that everything will be on time and people will like it. right now I have all the menus stuck on the fridge close to the wall in a plastic protective sleeve. Everyone laughs when I breakout the huge stack. I'm going to use your idea and set them in a cute binder. Thanks for sharing and can't wait for more yummy take out photos.
xo-AlbeeLucky.blogspot.com
i have a feeling that is really common in LA though, esp since so many places deliver. i remember visitng a friend there and she wanted to order food at like 10pm from bossanova and i was like, HA! whats open now? uhhh...everything was.
and ive got a prius too, yay to that!
You are so organized love!!! Totally inspire me. :)
Both my bf and i like to cook, but sometimes we like to order food - even in the middle of the night. :/ I feel bad sometimes, but hey if they're open, then they're open for business, right! :)
Have a lovely day!
xoxo,
Mel
this post's ending sort of made me snort out loud at work.. haha thank you for that ;)
Ha...ha...those menu'e crack me up.
Wish we could order out more often but it's way too pricey. I enjoy cooking anyway. You and the hubs should buy an entertainment book. We get one every year and we NEVER out to dinner without it. We get awesome 2 for 1 dinner deals and they also have coupons for dry cleaning and takeout as well. Check it out.
The entertainment book rocks, you will recoup the money you spent on it the first time you use it.
I wonder if your favourite takeout places would package up your food in re-usable containers?
Or have you considered those places that deliver a weeks worth of pre-made food and all you have to do is heat it up and maybe chop a few veggies....just a thought.
I don't think you are douchy at all!
But you're good at makin' bacon, Maegan! (also French toast)
Ever since you gave the instructions for baking bacon, that's the only way I've made it... so perfectly crispy, so easy to clean up after...
So, yes, I think you should start a food blog.
Those pastries, omg those pastries. I'm such a food whore, good lord. But my college budget forces me to cook many *simple* meals for myself (I'm talking fish and couscous, tuna melts, canned soup and grilled cheese, etc...) so when I do go out, I indulge and very much enjoy :)
xoxo J
My hubs and I used to eat out/order in about 3-4/week until we had kids, then it all ended. Too pricy, impractical and kids inevitably only want to eat Mac n' cheese and ham sandwiches (at least when they're little!) Now I cook most nights and I love it, though we keep things simple.
How do you stay so thin eating "out" so much???! Share your secrets!
You purged! I love it! xoxoxoxo
asses and douches. lol! no you aren't! the people providing such yummy food REALLY SHOULDN'T SERVE IT IN STYROFOAM OR PLASTIC! not sure what they should serve it in? ack!
p.s. i wish i was eating that sandWICH and those PASTRIES rightnow.
lotsa questions about my weight and eating out ...And here's my answer:
I only ate half the sandwich you see above {the other half is in the fridge right now and I'm gonna have it for lunch} and I only had a little of the soup ....and I only like the chocolate pastries ...so I had a few bites of the little tube one. The husband ate the rest, lololol!
I'm very picky lol.
And it's true, I do make delish bacon and french toast ...and yogurt pie and pb squares ...but we can't eat that for dinner every night, lol
These comments are cracking me up today ...thanks lovecats.
Eating out that many times a week I'd be at least 30 pounds more....
However I must admit I am totally jealous, now could I please have a pastry ?
Miss Maegan, I am here admiring your blog like I always do and loving the pics until I see dessert....Now you are forcing me to cheat.....LOL....Here goes the diet....LOL
this may be my favorite post of yours yet. i was laughing at the last line and creeping people in my office out :)
cheers to eating out. i'd do it all the time if i could afford it.
lol, love how you created a folder for all your favorite take out. Hopefully you can do a post on your top 10 or 20. I'm a great cook so I've been told, but I HATE cooking or anything to do with the kitchen. I'm just praying and working on a hubby who will be cooking for us and any future kids.
ps. I'm late, but happy belated birthdays, wishing you many more great yrs to come.
I'm pretty sure if you call yourselves douches, you're not :). I say enjoy your take out (and your Prius).
I am super jealous that you live in a big city and have so many take out options. I live in a smaller town and there aren't many choices besides the big chains.
Have you considered going to dreamdinners.com or dinnermyway.com or one of those places once a month and making all your meals in the 2 to 3 serving size? $240ish a month will make 24 meals, all frozen and ready to cook and eat (and they'll last up to three months in the freezer, so really, you could keep them on hand and use them when you wished).
Also, e-mealz.com has some ridiculously easy menus for 2, complete with shopping lists.
Still...we're at the point where I'd LOVE to eat out more often. Alas, this unemployment thing I'm doing right now doesn't pay so well...
LOL. Glad we aren't the only ones with a menu binder! People come over and are amazed at our empty fridge, OK i'm working on it, but its so hard with sooo many great restaurants in our 'hood!
if you eat out that often, and really do feel guilty, you could give them all a bunch of tupperware in advance, wash, and return it... i always take pyrex with me for leftovers when go out because i hate styrofoam and it takes up a ton of room in our tiny trash bin1
Don't know if you've tried Nata's, but it's delicious. Portuguese pastry place but they serve food too. Owner says it's the only Portuguese place in LA. It's super cute and quaint inside. Next to Casa Vega.
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