I cook at least once every day. This is usually dinner, but in the summer I like a bigger lunch and light dinner. My youngest, who just turned 7, is totally against this! He has definite opinions about what is proper lunch or dinner food (rolling eyes!) We'll eat out or order something about once a month. Usually when I've had enough! Breakfast during the week is cereal, but I will cook something on the weekends during the school year. Usually scrambled eggs with biscuits, toast or bagels. Sometimes biscuits and gravy when I need them to stay filled up that day. I don't eat breakfast, just not ready to eat until around noon. Summertime is nice because I'll do the "breakfast" for lunch if we're all at home. I make the kids' lunches for school and DH will help with that since he has week days off from work. Sandwiches, fruit, snack food but occasionally I'll make calzones or send leftovers that are easy to pack. I cook something quick for myself or heat up leftovers. Dinner is the production. I admit, I get tired of it. Lately I've enjoyed myself because I've indulged in some new equipment, new cookbooks, or found something at the library for inspiration. I've been using Ina Garten's recipes here and there and have found them to be fairly simple yet so delicious! I'm reading one by Marcella Hazan and we've enjoyed some simple sauces. The Gorgonzola Sauce is to die for! I've found that kitchen equipment that helps me, rather than having to work around the negatives, which really ups my enjoyment factor. I'm an appliance junkie, though! My oven is fantastic and I have a new induction cooktop that keeps my kitchen MUCH cooler and is incredibly responsive. My Breville toaster oven is used constantly for smaller portions and it also helps keep things cooler. I'm experimenting with my pressure cooker and am thrilled with it's economy as well as the food it produces. Finally, my mixer is a godsend. Food I've prepared this week. Bake sandwich bread for kids' lunches. They like Japanese milk bread and I do two loaves for the week. I'm hoping to lead them to more whole grains, but it's slow going! Short ribs and mashed potatoes using pressure cooker. Peanutty Noodles for DH's birthday dinner. Cheesecake was his dessert choice, made in pressure cooker. A quick blueberry topping for it. Youngest's birthday was easy! Hot dogs and french fries. DH took care of the hot dogs on the grill while he made himself a steak. The child did require me to make cookies for his class, so the day before I made chocolate chip and peanut butter for his birthday dessert. Roasted chicken with root veggies cooked along with it. One day we ordered pizza, which was lunch the next day. We had left overs of chicken/veg and peanutty noodles last night, yay! I frequent the cooking forum, too. Looking for ideas, inspiration when I feel negative about cooking, and they are so nice. I'm looking forward to the day when cooking is a choice, instead of a duty. It makes all the difference for me! I love good food, so I cook. I like knowing what's in there, so I prepare a lot of homemade items. It's also more economical with 3 growing kids! Luckily, they eat a wide variety of foods. KSWL, I also do NOT enjoy grocery shopping.

Almost nothing on our counter. KA mixmaster is on the counter because it is used several times a week, and it's so heavy that it is a disincentive to baking if I have to pull it out. My husband keeps a small milk frother on the counter (drives me nuts) and a single cup stovetop coffee maker on the cooktop (uses it several times a day so it's always too hot to put away). Other than that, there is absolutely nothing on our counter. Microwave is in a cupboard. Toaster oven is on an open shelf above the counter. Fruit bowl is in a lower drawer. Salt & pepper and oils are in a pull out cabinet to the right of the range. I guess we do keep a soap dispenser and little bowl with a sponge and Dutchboy scrub by the sink. Paper towel dispenser is tucked away above the sink. I hate stuff and planned my kitchen to have none.

Yum. I'd choose the bread pudding, too. Glenda can have some extra bites for US! However...I'll be having our grandson's apple pie this evening at our 'kid's' home in the city. DGS has been the family baker since he was about 10; now 13. I'm so happy I'm doing well enough today to go tonight. I just want to SEE everyone!

Since my husband retired it's a whole new routine. We don't eat early, we are not real early people. He will get up and make coffee and we will sit and talk, watch news, drink coffee. Around noontime we head to the kitchen and make our "breakfast" which usually consists of breakfast foods. Sometimes an omelet, some times fried egg with a meat, bacon or sausage or Canadian bacon, or ham. I cook the bacon in the oven. Occasionally we have toast. I just bought some oatmeal for the winter, I love it but he is not a fan. It never takes me long to cook any of it. And he helps. When we get hungry later in the evening we have something light, a small meal. It used to be neither of us ate breakfast, he never ate lunch, I would usually have a little bite of something for a late lunch, and then I would cook a big dinner for us. It was the only meal he ate each day. I was glad to get that situation changed. Apples and peanut butter or banana and peanut butter are often my meal. I also have Leg cramps and restless leg. I have to take something or rub my legs with potassium lotion right before bed. I take supplements too. And some nights no matter what I do I have them. If I ate my banana and peanut butter early in the day it would have no effect I have to have it later closer to bed time.