[Sca-cooks] a few questions/requests (long)

[Kathleen Madsen]

Terry, I am so happy to hear that you are on the road
to recovery after such a traumatic accident.  While I
haven't had the extensive physical damage as you have
- I have had to make similar accommodations when it
comes to cooking at home.

> it is taking me 2 to 4 times as long to prepare a
> recipe; whether
> it is baking or cooking a meal. i become worn out
> just baking two
> loaves of banana-pumpkin bread or preparing two
> acorn squash as
> a side dish for supper. i am becoming frustrated
> with baking and
> cooking. it is no longer enjoyable as before the
> head on collision.

This is a natural thing to experience after your long
hospital stay.  It takes time to build up your
strength and the reserves your body has used up
working to heal itself.  Give yourself time.

Meanwhile, keep all the things you use the most in the
kitchen in a place that is convenient to you - like a
drawer or one spot on your kitchen counter.  You want
to keep moving around fetching things at a minimum.  I
would prep at my kitchen worktable so I could sit as I
worked if I needed to.  It was also very close to
everything I had to get to, sink, stove, refrigerator,
etc.  I also found it easier if I assembled all my
ingredients and tools at the beginning and put them
right next to where I would work.

You could also make larger servings than you would eat
in one meal and freeze it for later evenings.

> 
> would members of the list have any tips, shortcuts,
> advice, etc
> for making cooking and baking enjoyable once again?
> 

Work with simple recipes that require minimal prep
work.  I've got a vegetable soup cooking away on the
stove right now that, while it takes a while to cook,
the results are a hearty meal that requires little
time chopping or measuring.  Just boil some water,
throw the beans in, and give it an occasional stir
until it's ready for the seasoning and noodles.

Meals that use only 4-5 ingredients and take 5 minutes
to assemble were a staple in our house for about 18
months.  By the time I got home from work in the
evenings all my energy was gone, I was lucky to stay
awake through dinner!  So our rule was quick and easy.
 There are some very tasty meals that can be made with
only a few ingredients.

You may also be dealing with appetite changes due to
your forced inactivity and the medications.  I found
that when I wasn't that hungry that it was more
difficult to get the energy up to cook.  I realized
that even if *I* wasn't hungry, my husband was!  So I
started cooking for him instead.  It made it easier
too if I consistently tried to put the food on the
table at the same time each day.  If I was working on
a deadline for someone else then I found I was more
likely to get it made and on the table.

> 
> how do members of the list prepare event meals and
> accommodate
> the needs of people taking medications? i realize
> this is a
> sensitive question because some people do not
> disclose that they
> are even taking any medications for privacy reasons.
> 

When my diet was at it's most strict we didn't
participate in feast.  We would either bring food with
us to prepare onsite or we would leave early and eat
dinner at home.  The closer we got to my surgery (I
had a kidney transplant) the more we would leave
earlier and eat at home as I just couldn't make it
past about 4pm without needing a lie-down anyway - so
we just didn't even think about attending a feast when
they were available.

> -- 
> terry l. ridder ><>
> 
> 
> 

I hope that you might find something helpful in what
worked for us - and that you heal quickly!

Good luck,
Eibhlin