Monday, November 12, 2007

If you thought the picture of bad dog was scary, you should see what came out of my crockpot yesterday

All right, internets. The time has come for a cooking intervention. I served this to my less-than-thrilled family last night:

I know, I know.

So I've decided to stage my own intervention. And every recovery process begins with admitting you have a problem:

Hi. My name is Stie and I cannot cook.

Now those of you who know me in real life, let me clarify that statement by saying that, yes, I can bake like nobody's business. I have never met a baking recipe that I cannot master. But give me a piece of meat? Ten times out of ten I will ruin it.

A large portion of the problem is not really knowing what to make. I tend to recycle the same four recipes each week. My poor, long-suffering husband can take no more. After almost 14 years of marriage, it is time I got some new recipes. He can only smile politely across the table for so long.

So.

What I am proposing is this: I need you to send me your VERY BEST dinner recipes. Send me one; or send me five; but please IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, send me something. Please send me things that you KNOW are good. Your tried-and-trues. Recipes my picky kids will eat, but also recipes decent enough for the husband's slightly more gourmet palate.

[However, I do need to ask that whatever you send me does not include any form of fish. I do not like the fish. I will not eat it in a house. I will not eat it with a mouse. I do not like fish, Sam I am. I do not like fish, that's my stand.]

Here's the kicker, internets. I will try each and every recipe I get. My family will review it, and the overall favorite recipe will receive a $25 giftcard from Amazon for you to spend on yourself (you don't even have to tell your husband you won it, hee hee). It will probably take us a few weeks to get through them all (as I really only tend to cook a few times per week), but before January 1, I promise to have declared a winner.

You can email me the recipes at stiesthoughts@gmail.com or leave your recipe here in the comments. Enter as often as you like. But please help. You do not want my family to eat that soggy beef stew again.

I leave my fate in your hands.

25 comments:

Lisa-Marie said...

I just sent you a recipe! Very fun idea. I hope that you will share all the great ideas. And good luck. By the way. I hope you didn't tell your hubby what you are up to so he can be so impressed with your new skill!!

Scrapbooks by Amanda said...

How fun! If you get some really great recipes will you share them with me? My husband and kids have got to be sick of tacos and spaghetti. I'll send you a couple of recipes though.

Brit said...

I just sent you a few to try! I have a little 2 year old and he loves them all so maybe your kids will like them too.

Bridget said...

I need this intervention more than you girlfriend! I'll send you a recipe although I am more curious about the other ones you get that are good. Let us know.

Paige said...

This is a good idea that I have been contemplating for a while on my blog. Thanks for doing it. I have no recipes other than tacos, which everyone loves. And the Amazon giftcard is really a fabulous idea. I really want the recipes you get. Make sure you get some from Jessica R. She's a great cook and I really want to try her recipes.

Mique (as in Mickey) said...

Stie-
We would make the perfect pair. I can cook like nobody's business but I LACK in the baking department. What do you say? You and me?
And I do believe I have a recipe blog that is called Tried & Trues (last I checked...though I have not posted anything new for weeks now)....so I think I win the $25 gift card.
AND I think (maybe you were just tried to flatter me for no reason) that your family approved of the Zesty Crockpot Chicken...add that to the list of reasons why I should win.
If none of those are good enough reasons, I guess I can email you some of my faves. If you beg.

Chatter said...

I sent one your way. Good luck with all these recipes coming your way!

Travelin'Oma said...

Ruth's Chris Steak House. Order steak.

Jessica said...

Why thank you, Paige! I am so all over this. I love allrecipes.com...so I will be emailing you a bunch of my favorite from there, as well as few others. I'm contemplating a weekly recipe post, so you can stay tuned in and see if that helps.

Celia Fae said...

Barking up the wrong blog here, Stie. Sorry about that. I'm all about pre-prepared meals. Do they have Girlfriend's Kitchen or Dream Dinners where you live? Those places where you pay and then assemble and then freeze? Those places have changed my life. I don't feel bad about being a crappy cook any more.

mama jo said...

i think marty's idea is the very best...

Michelle said...

THis is a great way to get recipes. I'm loving it!!

Diane said...

Your grandmother would be proud of the fact that you recycle the same recipes week after week. I think I still remember the ones she used. It was a roast on Sunday, leftovers on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (this only because Grandpa would cut the roast so thin that there would be leftovers). Thursday was a whatever was in the house night. Friday was hot dogs and mashed potatoes, and Saturday was grandpa's famous tacos. I'm with Marty! Besides, don't you hate to mess up your new kitchen?!

Jake said...

Stie...two words---SAUSAGE STUFFING! That recipe should qualify me for a prize. Although you've given me sooo many good ones, I probably owe you way more. Let's just call it even...but please post your favorites.

I hear you. I would much rather bake than cook. Why can't we just have cookies for dinner?

danandcindy said...

This blog is getting lamer and lamer every minute, and I didn't think that was possible...

Lisa said...

I'm going to send you a couple that are weeknight staples around here. what a great idea! Maybe you can share some of the really good ones, I can use all the help in meal planning that I can get!

Holly said...

I just sent some of our favorites your way. There are also some on my recipe blog. If you get a chance to share some of your faves, I'd love to try them!

Happy cooking, Betty!

I agree with Gabi--can't we just eat cookies or cake for supper?

Family Adventure said...

Stie - can I suggest one of my favourite blogger's recipe site? It's http://becksrecipes.blogspot.com/

and I'm sure you'll find lots of good suggestions there. That's where I go for inspiration!

Heidi :)

Anonymous said...

good luck :P i think i make spaghetti, steak, pork chops, meatloaf, and homemade chicken nuggets.

all with either rice, stuffing, pasta with marinara, or Kraft Deluxe mac n cheese.

SAD. no wonder my boyfriend won't marry me! ;P

Unknown said...

What a fun idea! I'll try to find some super delicious recipe to send you...but I think you really need to post all the ones you get once you're done! I wish I could say I didn't have the same problem, but unfortunately I do!

Hollyween said...

Okay. You don't know me, I'm linking from Celia, but I'm sending a fool-proof kid lovin' recipe your way. I have the PICKIEST kid on the planet and he LOVES it.

laina kay said...

Oh, you must share your favorites!

Unfortunately, I can't send you a recipe that my whole family loves, only the sane ones!

The kids have some sort of agreement that there cannot be a meal that all three enjoy on the same day! This has driven me to non-cooking status, so if you come up with any crowd pleasers... pass them on!

I will send you my favorite Head 'Em Off at the Pass White Bean Chili recipe. My husband loves this, too. Sometimes I make it and we enjoy it while we listen to the children cry. Mean, I know, but it's worth it!

D-dawg said...

I'm going to send you one too! I'm not the best cook but I don't mind doing it and I like trying new things. My kids are picky though so we don't eat fancy at all. This will be fun!

Lori said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Emily said...

Well, all I can say is the guys at Macaroni Grill know our take-out order so well when Chris didn't order his Dr. Pepper for diet reasons they included it anyway assuming we had forgot. Oh well, I'll see if I can rustle up something. How long can we submit?