Preaching to the choir here….
I am surprised at the large number of people who don’t cook. If there is someone in their household that does, that makes sense. Other than that, I just don’t get it.
Part of my surprise is that it is an activity that I just like to do. Bu there are some very common reasons that people give for not cooking. The Eatocracy blog on CNN had their own take on these reasons which you can see here.
- “I can’t cook” – Wrong. Everyone can cook. A beginner won’t create a culinary masterpiece fit for a king, but everyone can cook. There are these great things called recipes and if you follow the recipes, more often than not, you’ll end up with something pretty good.
- “I don’t want to” – As Eatocracy points out, we all do things we don’t want to, like pay taxes. If you are cooking for others, you are giving something to them. I consider it a gift to them when I cook. If you are cooking for yourself, consider it a gift to yourself.
- “I don’t have time” – It takes more time often to go out than to cook. If you batch your grocery shopping (see this post about how I shop for the week) and focus on low prep or active cooking time recipes, you can save time cooking. Employ a slow cooker and you really save time.
- “It’s expensive” – It is so much cheaper to cook at home than to go out to restaurants. Even fast food is more expensive (for what you get) than if you were to do it at home.
- “I have better things to do” – Get off that smart phone, get up off the couch and cook. I will often watch items I have recorded on my DVR while cooking to help make some watching time a bit more productive.
Sweet Onion and Cherry Pork Chops
This is one that is just so easy and quick and can be an impressive dish to make.
There are a handful of ingredients here, but not many.
Throw everything into a slow cooker.
At the end, thinking the juices through heat and corn starch.
Serve.
Easy and delicious!
Sweet Onion and Cherry Pork Chops
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 180 min | Servings: 2 servings.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cold water
Directions:
1. In a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker, combine the first five ingredients; top with pork chops. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender.
2. Remove meat to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking juices; transfer to a small saucepan. Bring liquid to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with meat.
Nutritional Info: 1 pork chop with 1/4 cup sauce equals 278 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 425 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 28 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 starch, 1/2 fat.
Source: http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sweet-onion—cherry-pork-chops
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
I agree, I may not cook every single day, but compared to some, I absolutely am in love with my kitchen and the art of cooking. It’s almost like therapy to me. To you and I who love the art of food, it doesn’t make sense why not lol. But if you love what gives you pleasure, it’s hard to understand how some don’t enjoy it. Go figure 😕😜😆
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I know how to cook, but I don’t like to cook after working outdoors, which I love to do better than cooking. I can plant it, can it, and butcher it but I never cooked chicken after butchering 30. It was a once said rule to my ex. If I was PG and butchering chickens – I had to fight nausea.
So there are valid excuses for not wanting to cook. I’ve gardened since age 6, in 1960. I am better at gardening than cooking. Of course having had 21 surgeries and 20+ accidents do slow me down – so I take each day as it comes. Some days I cook good with the little or lot that I have and some days, I may as well have frozen meals I made extra for – such occasions. Frankly, that planning ahead has really, helped me to get over those “I don’t want to cook a lot today.” Works for me! 😉
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I lived on an 800 Acre and 400 Acre Cattle Ranch. I know how to make butter, cottage cheese, ice cream, naturally sweet buttermilk, sauerkraut and lard.
I think because my mom was menopausal when I was in the kitchen, I picked up on her nervousness when she cooked. It probably didn’t help that I dragged my finger around the edges of a frosted homemade cake. Anywho. That’s how I got my love/hate complex when I cook.
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Reblogged this on Catholic Glasses.
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You are SO right. Everyone can cook, and families really should make an effort to cook and eat together, not just for their health but for their happiness. Thanks for the great recipes!
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Reblogged this on Yes, I Really Did Just Say That..
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Yes!!!!!!!!
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totally agree, I suspect it’s a cultural phenomenon too – here going out for a meal costs you around 100 dollars for 2 people, and that is very reasonable, a hole in the wall Vietnamese place with cost you 70 dollars for two which is REALLY cheap – a good meal with wine 200 dollars – a great one much more – so going out is not an option all the time – in addition family meals where you sit down together are the norm here, in general no TV or radio on during meals, and you invite your friends over for dinner (which can mean sitting at the table for 3 hours while you talk) and they invite you over – food is so much more than just fuel – it’s a way to nourish your body and soul with people you care about – and if that is cooking for one, I agree with you, it’s still SO worth it!
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I am slowly coming to the hardline position that if you want a special diet (vegetarian) & you don’t want to learn how to cook it then you have 3 optons, starve, live on pb&j or eat the meal made by the adult carnivores in the house. the 4th option is off the table… her learning how to cook. Practically an adult can do what I want blah blah blah. I suspect nothing like earning minimum wage and having to pay her own bills will teach her the value of life skills.
I learned to cook when I was 5 and was left in charge of our kitchen when I was 13 and everyone was at the hospital on death watch for my grampa. PBS made me absolutely LOVE to cook. Dad and I are the chefs in the family. I can not imagine hating it to the degree that I love it. But then… my sibs realized if they kept me around to cook they wouldn’t have to learn. Worked out really well for them until life moved us all around. Hmmm….. I see a pattern.
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Fine, I won’t make excuses anymore! 😀 😛
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