lately I don't feel like cooking very often....

[mike_c]

Tonight was typical-- took some beef for stir fry out of the freezer this morning, then sliced it and set it to marinade in some bulgogi sauce when I got home from work around 6:00 PM. Poured boiling water over some dried mushrooms. I was hungry, so I ate a small bowl fruit salad and drank a glass of wine while the meat marinated. That was two hours ago and my appetite is totally gone now. I'm still a little hungry-- it wasn't much fruit salad-- but not so much that the effort of finishing dinner seems appealing, especially this late. Guess I'll put the meat back in the fridge for tomorrow night.

This happens more often than not lately-- I'll either eat a snack and lose interest in dinner or simply never be interested anyway. I love to cook, and I love good food, but I've been very busy at work for the last several weeks and usually don't feel much like cooking when I get home.

on edit-- I posted this because it feels somehow WRONG to not cook dinner.

[eleny]

1. It's been happening to some of us here

These past two weeks have been hell. I'm getting back into it slowly. But even tonight, KFC chicken crossed my mind.

Maybe crock pot cooking would resolve your situation? Put it together in the evening and leave it in the fridge. Then in the morning, get it going on a very low setting. Just a thought.

[mike_c]

2. hmmm-- that's an idea that never occurred to me....

I wonder if crock-pots for one are available? All I ever remember seeing are the big ones. Going off to search the web now. Thanks for the suggestion.

on edit: well I'll be damned-- here's a "personal crock-pot cooker:" http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=6437&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=45&iSubCat=220&iProductID=6437&searchid=inceptor

I just ordered one!

[eleny]

3. It has the removable stoneware crock, too

That's good. Easy to clean up and also it can sit in the fridge overnight.

Putting the crockpot on in the morning and coming home to a fragrant kitchen is like going to someone else's house for supper. :)

[wryter2000]

5. Thank you

I've been meaning to look for a site for the Vermont Country Store but keep forgetting. They sell a quilted, fiberfill wrap for sitting around in cold weather. The heat isn't going to be on this winter. Even if I have the $$$, I'll be damned if I'm going to pay those pirates to heat my house. With one of those wraps, I can sit in my cold house and read, write, watch football, etc. and only heat the house for a couple of hours a day. Under tank heaters will keep the snakeys warm.

BTW, I live on Oaktown. It seldom gets below 40 here. Not an option for most folks.

Fuck PG&E!

[eleny]

6. About turning down the heat

This is off topic but - I'm going to be hanging our wash instead of using the gas dryer. I have one of those collapsible dryer things. It's old and literally held together with a bungee chord. So, today I'm going to Target to get two new ones.

We have an attic furnace so our registers are in the ceilings. I can sit one of these air dryers underneath a register and get double duty from the furnace. If the clothes or towels are stiff, I can pop them in the dryer for a few minutes on the "air only" setting and never use the gas.

Next summer I'm going to install one of those umbrella style clothes lines outdoors.

The point is that I feel the same as you. I won't pay the pirates either if I can help it. It does get chilly here in Colorado. But we have lots of sunshine, too. I'm already hinting at getting some solar panels and an electric hot water heater -or- an on demand water heater.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. On demand water heaters are very efficient, but also VERY expensive

The cost of the units are huge. But given the cost of heating fuels, the payback may well be accelerated.

[NMDemDist2]

12. i have a whole house "on demand" water heater. It was only about

$60 more than the big tank unit we looked at. It was a lot more expensive in the long run cuz we had to have extra power dropped in to heat it.

It works well for us as we never need multiple outlets working at the same time. Good for couples or singles, families... not so much

[Lars39]

8. I've got three wooden clothes "dryers".

I put 'em over the air vents, too. Towels are dry overnight.
Every little bit helps.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. A byproduct of this is increased humidity .....

a problem for houses with forced air heat.

So that's an extra benefit of this methind of energy savings.

[Lars39]

10. It does make a difference; our humidifier doesn't kick on as much.

on edit: need more coffee...

[mike_c]

11. I use a small wood stove for most heat...

...and usually only turn the furnace on for 15 or 20 minutes in the AM to take the chill off before I shower. Otherwise it's wood heat, and last year I only burned about 1/2 cord of wood all winter. Like you, I rarely (never) have serious cold to deal with here in coastal NorCal, my house is small and well insulated, and I prefer it rather cool anyway.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. We did chinese tonight

Last night was quiznos

Night before that Sparkly did some salmon

Before that was macaroni with jarred sauce .....

I know wutcha mean.

Must be the bad newz on teevee and the impending season change.

Come fall you'll get back into it ... apples and spice and stews and soups and chowders and hearty stuff.