Meems is a sweet girl and if she doesn't like to cook I don't think she has to learn a whole lot of cooking techniques that fit someone else's lifestyle. I think that's what AnnT is getting at. Everyone needs to find their own system of what works for them. My brother and BF are "plain food" people. They eat like LindaC suggests, a good cut of meat, a cooked vegetable, a quick salad and some kind of starch, all in their neatly arranged individual corners on the plate, lol! Me on the other hand, I like stir fry, a jumble of pasta, a melange of soup. That's why I can't really give quickie advice here, my quickie stuff is mostly some version of rice and beans, something most folks don't eat for dinner as the sole dish. My system is to cook some larger, more complicated dishes on the weekends and freeze them. And I love leftovers. Someone else's system might be to throw something fresh together every night. There are lots of quick and dirty ways to get a fast meal on the table. I am learning more and more of them everyday as I venture into the wonderful world of "cooking for two." Sooner or later you'll get a repertoire together that suits your new lifestyle realities. Seems like that's what you're asking for here, not a treatise on how to get along with your adult children. There are certain dishes I just won't do, not because I can't do them or they are particularly difficult, but because I just do not want to fuss with the process of making them. Pie is one example. I love pie, so I make it, but I rarely do the crust from scratch, I don't care how easy someone tells me it is or how much they enjoy homeade pie crust. I buy boxed pie crust, haven't found it to be all that much worse than my own homeade, and a whole lot less trouble. It is a compromise I'm willing to make. This week I'm making a quiche with one, which then makes quiche one of those easy, delicious, semi homeade meals. Add a salad, some good rolls and you're good to go. The pre-shredded gruyere at the market was actually way cheaper than the whole cheese, what a boon!! Sometimes it's not just the process of cooking that makes getting a meal on the table a no-fun endeavor. My kitchen set up is so awkward it has greatly reduced what I'm in the mood to cook. No matter how I've reconfigured it, it is still a pain. I love to cook with a good music or other NPR show on the radio as accompaniment. Maybe that is one part of motivating yourself to cook dinner--make the kitchen environment seem fun and welcoming to you when you come home tired from work. Unfortunately, mine is not, which explains a lot of why I don't like to cook. The other thing for me is cooking with someone else. I am WAY more motivated to cook something if someone else is helping. I am an extrovert who loves to be with friends, I love to cook with others so when BF helps me in the kitchen I am way more motivated to make things. Being a craftsman by profession, he loves the process of dicing and slicing, which I hate. So I would suggest that is part of the equation. Take a look at your kitchen and see if there are ways to arrange things that make cooking faster, easier and more enjoyable. I rotate my crockpot and my bread machine, one or the other is going on my counter almost every day. The joy of those appliances is not that they do such a spectacular job of cooking food, but that they fill up the house with wonderful, homey, mouth watering aromas, which makes you feel good about both cooking and eating. That's part of the process. A bowl of fresh fruit and nuts or a tray of muffins in a see through glass container on the counter, etc. I once lived in a big old farmhouse and the kitchen was loaded with counter space and was by far the biggest room in the house. I lived with some great roomates, we cooked together and hung out most of the time at the kitchen table. I cooked WAY more in that set up than I do now. I can't believe the baking and cooking I did back then, having no more time than I do now. Anyway Susie, I know I tend to be the alpha wolf in a lot of situations and sometimes what I need to do is ask for help, tell others I need help. Sure, you can cook everything all by yourself, but if you tell the kids you would really appreciate some help, they will find ways I'm sure!! Somtimes all you have to do is ask, because what one person automatically knows to do isn't the same for every other person.

OP would have to verify, but I'm thinking NOT "sweetened/comdemsed", since significant amount of sugar(s) added... but DON'T take my word on that. BUT I've made a pretty tasty caramel sauce from sweetened condensed... actually dulche de leche. UNopened can (remove paper wrapper) in pot deep enough to cover by an inch or so. Bring up to simmer and let go for... 1 hour will give you something about the color of posted picture... 2 hours darker and thicker. DO not attempt to open can till COOL. Makes for a nice cheese cake... layer on crust before base goes in, swirled thru base before baking or drizzled over finished/chilled cheese cake. A spoonful in your coffee is a nice change from sugar. It's addictive!

Oh, catmom, you have just brought back some great memories!! When I was a young girl, perhaps once or twice a year my grandma and her niece would come to our house to make pierogies. My mom and I would round out the foursome for this process. I was always given some easy job, like mix the filling, but I never got to work with the dough. They were always so wonderful to eat for supper those evenings. Fast forward about 15 years, and I am a new bride living across the continent from my family. I want to treat my husband to a special dinner, something he has never tried but I am sure he will love. I attempt to prepare pierogies myself, and the whole effort was a failure. I made them too big, the dough was tearing in the water, I had filling floating...I threw everything out and cried over my disaster. Can't quite remember what we did have for dinner, but I was sooo looking forward to the taste treat I had remembered. I never tried to make them again. Thanks to your luscious pictures, I will do so soon. After all, my cooking talents have undoubtedly improved in 25 years. Thank you, catmom!!

Sorry bout that: Here is the Recipe. Lot of words but very easy after the dough is made. Lou-s Cinnamon Buns ------ SS Pan ,9 1/2 in by 12 in by 2 1/2 in deep Or Pyrex baking dish 3/4 stick of butter and 1 tablesp. Of Vegetable oil Pancake syrup , Brown Sugar and a little granulated sugar Cinnamon and Raisins Melt the butter in the pan and let it cool ( put it in the refrig. a few minutes) Level it across the pan and back into the refrig to harden. Take it out and Sprinkle very little oil and move it around with the back of a spoon. Dribble some pancake syrup all around the pan , then a little gran. Sugar Then lay in some brown sugar . Don�t be chincey , leave some lumps. Last sprinkle ( good bit ) of Cinnamon and Raisins. You can also add some walnuts, If you want to. If you don�t want to , don�t do it but don�t blame me , if you didn�t Do and wish you had done , etc. Take half + of the recipe of the Braided Bread dough and roll it out to about 3/16 in thick ( 3 pennies ) You can do the dough in 2 pieces if it is easier. Try to roll them out to at least 16 in long. x 12 in. Sprinkle some pancake syrup, Sugar and cinnamon on the dough , then some raisins. Roll the dough up loosely, Making a 12 in. long Roll and cut into 1 in. pieces. Mark the roll ,at half way and half again before cutting., into 8 pieces. Do the same to the other piece of dough Place these pieces in the pan that you prepared , leaving spaces in between , because the dough will grow. Push them around with your fingers, to fill the pan evenly. When the dough is doubled , bake in a 320 degree oven , on a shelf near the top, for about 25 to 35 minutes or golden brown. You can Baste , with an egg milk mix, while baking. When it is removed from the oven , place a piece of aluminum foil over it and a large cutting board or cookie tin and then flip it over and remove the pan. If some of the goodies stay in the pan take them out right away and patch the Buns while the goo is still hot. WARNING !!!! Get away from them until they cool. !!!!!!!! You will burn your lips Now you can see if you used enough brown sugar and gooey stuff.