Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580757)

I wrote a nothing story yesterday and when I was about to push send I got a text. I clicked on the text and lost my post. So I'll start over. Nucky when I was 11 we also had a dog named Barney. My dad was an early adopter and loved his gadgets and gizmos. He bought Barney a flea and tick gizmo that looked like a microphone about the size of a quarter in diameter attached to his collar. One day my Aunt Patty visits, we're alone, with Barney and she asks me what it was. I told her that Barney is older and the vet said he needed this hearing aid. When you talk to Barney you need to talk louder and try to speak facing the hearing aid. So now she is leaning way forward and practically yelling, "Poor Barney, I am sorry to hear about your hearing problems." And that's when my father walks and asks Aunt Patty why she is talking so loud. I couldn't stop laughing. My mother, her sister loved that story and I repeated it whenever the family got together. Aunt Patty loved it too. Upon reflection, for the very first time, I wonder if my Aunt was putting me on just to give me a good story.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580757)

I wrote a nothing story yesterday and when I was about to push send I got a text. I clicked on the text and lost my post. So I'll start over. Nucky when I was 11 we also had a dog named Barney. My dad was an early adopter and loved his gadgets and gizmos. He bought Barney a flea and tick gizmo that looked like a microphone about the size of a quarter in diameter attached to his collar. One day my Aunt Patty visits, we're alone, with Barney and she asks me what it was. I told her that Barney is older and the vet said he needed this hearing aid. When you talk to Barney you need to talk louder and try to speak facing the hearing aid. So now she is leaning way forward and practically yelling, "Poor Barney, I am sorry to hear about your hearing problems." And that's when my father walks and asks Aunt Patty why she is talking so loud. I couldn't stop laughing. My mother, her sister loved that story and I repeated it whenever the family got together. Aunt Patty loved it too. Upon reflection, for the very first time, I wonder if my Aunt was putting me on just to give me a good story.

Originally Posted by Abby10 (Post 1580765)

Better than a recipe because I feel like serving up NOTHING for dinner anyway. Thanks, tomwed, good one! Sounds like a fun aunt no matter which way the story was meant to be. :)

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580778)

Here's something for nothing when it comes to cooking. If you don't feel like cooking on a regular bases why not make stuff by the pound. I made a pound of ziti. Why make 2 servings when it refrigerates well? I made a crock pot of pork that can be served all kids of ways for the week. Now whenever I cook I'm thinking about making things in batches.

Originally Posted by fw102807 (Post 1580779)

Yes and if you would be kind enough to detail those ideas we would be NOTHING but grateful. How about one a day recipes from Tom?

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580778)

Here's something for nothing when it comes to cooking. If you don't feel like cooking on a regular bases why not make stuff by the pound. I made a pound of ziti. Why make 2 servings when it refrigerates well? I made a crock pot of pork that can be served all kids of ways for the week. Now whenever I cook I'm thinking about making things in batches.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580800)

2 days ago, 1 lb ziti boil in large pot 13-15 minutes--don't rinse
1] trim fat from boneless pork. /add to crockpot pork 1onion, S&P, garlic powder 1 t, add enough water half way up the pork, cook low 5 hours, drain and save liquids in the frig--when the fat gets hard in the frig scrape that off and discard.

I made pork and onion sandwiches when it was done.

Next day I boiled frozen shrimp in the pork liquid 3 minutes, poured a little over some cold ziti, added 1 T olive oil and 1/4 can of little green peas nuked for 3 minutes then mix in cooked shrimp.

Next day --nuked frozen meatballs 4 min, with ziti and tomato sauce.

nothing goes to waste

Originally Posted by Abby10 (Post 1580808)

Here's my NOTHING tip for working smarter not harder -

Marry someone who knows how to, and better yet, loves to cook so you don't have to.

Unfortunately I learned that tip 35 years too late.

Originally Posted by fw102807 (Post 1580813)

My husband cooks but doesn't plan, I have to come up with the ideas and make sure we have the ingredients which is NOTHING but the hardest part.

Originally Posted by Abby10 (Post 1580817)

So true. I will ask my husband what he wants for dinner and he will usually come up with NOTHING, so he is no help either way. Or better yet he wants me to cook something I absolutely don't like and won't eat. Do you hear my frustration? :ohdear:

As I type this it makes me wonder - maybe I really don't dislike cooking so much but rather the frustration of it all. Nah, I dislike cooking. I'd rather clean any day over cooking and I don't think that's probably at all normal - lol.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 1580778)

Here's something for nothing when it comes to cooking. If you don't feel like cooking on a regular bases why not make stuff by the pound. I made a pound of ziti. Why make 2 servings when it refrigerates well? I made a crock pot of pork that can be served all kids of ways for the week. Now whenever I cook I'm thinking about making things in batches.

Originally Posted by Abby10 (Post 1580804)

NOTHING better than that idea. I always think I'm just being too lazy by not doing that when in fact I work harder every day and end up with less. I guess that's one example of what the Kommander likes to say - "work smarter not harder".

Originally Posted by Abby10 (Post 1580808)

Here's my NOTHING tip for working smarter not harder -

Marry someone who knows how to, and better yet, loves to cook so you don't have to.

Unfortunately I learned that tip 35 years too late.