Happening in the Kitchen 2026, Musings and Cookery

[Lauralind]

from Harriet

So much goes on in our kitchens!
Chat here about menu planning, grocery shopping,
pantry organization, freezer meals,
product/appliance recommendations,
about dazzling the family with great meals...
... and getting them to actually sit down for them!

The above quote is from Kathryn In Canada in 2008 in her welcome to this whole SHE's in the Kitchen forum as the first topic, above.

Somehow, that introductory, locked topic became unlocked recently. We got some posts there because it began to accept them.

So here they are, hopefully merged successfully into this topic, new for 2026, with a title that incorporates several of our popular ones that have held many pages of enjoyable chat about what goes on in our kitchens!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled kitchen chat, already in progress.

___________________________

and back to Lauralind!

Hi Kathryn. This is something that drives me nuts. Menu planning. I have tried so many ways to do it and I can't seem to follow through. They all last a couple weeks and then somehow changes and I can't do what I planned and then i lose it. Id love to see what you all do that works. For a tru SHE.

[Costumelady]

Laurlind, I too have tried many things and have some success with all of them. We have a set of stock meals we like and I have even had certain days are for certain meals like - Taco Tuesday or Pizza Wednesday. For years that is what we did. I think it is ok to switch things up a bit. What I do best is use chatgpt and read my pantry into it and ask chat to help me plan meals from what I have and if you have food issues like vegan or gluten free etc. just mention that.

[blessedw2]

hello. I am trying to keep up with the menu planning and learning.

I decided to throw out any recipe that is asian - i have had a recipe for pot stickers that we liked but It's such a pain to make - I honestly don't like asian food - mom is "ok" with it - dd's love it.

dh - oh dh - has decided he doesn't want home cooking - he literally. will not eat it. he eats hot dogs daily with lots of mustard, no veg/fruit. frozen dinners of Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese, meat loaf with macaroni and cheese. morning - one egg in microwave, 2 pieces of white toast with lots of margarine, canned soup. he also eats a double cheeseburger and fries from McDonalds.

at first I was a bit hurt but I know the food I make tastes good - it's just him.

tonight mom, dd older and I are having fish tacos and toppings. (coleslaw Mexican) (avocado) also making a non alcoholic drink for us!
cut recipe in half. cut up veggies for mom.

making cinnamon rolls today for the freezer

I am still in the process of learning how to make breads - and sometimes they are terrible - I am going to keep on trying for one year as I planned.

[Nancy]

My menu is easy
each of these with a veg. side or two.
chicken ~ today just for fun I had dinsour shaped chicken tenders!
beef - h.b. patty
pork - none yet might have sausage in the freezer or on a pizza
bfast for dinner
fish - was on a bun
take out
no cook Sun. planned left overs or sandwiches.

-----
That was before I became a widow.
I do not cook as much but still try to stick to it.
-----
I was a delivery driver in a bakery and they had water in the proofing ovens, I put some in a small
bowl when I raise the bread dough in the warm oven. When they did cinn. rolls, a thin layer of
apples like for pie filling prepared filling smaller chopped in then before they rolled them up to
make them really moist. They had white frosting sort of thin on them.
-----
Mom made some from the Betty Crocker red and white plaid cook book with karo syrup, & nuts
very sticky ones, later learned I was already to nuts so there's that. Being diab. I no longer eat cinn. rolls.

My grands luv the ones in the tube!

[blessedw2]

hi d Nancy
good menu plan idea - I may copy it . it reminds me of pam and Peggys from a long time ago.
I will be adjusting my cooking to mom and I and maybe dd. I have been wondering what I will do in the future.
my kiddos used to love the ones in the tube as well.

I am trying to make things that I have been wanting to do for years. I may never make them again but I want to say I accomplished it.

[blessedw2]

tonight: using up the leftover beef from beef and wine I did the other day.
Boston lettuce with a butter milk dressing

need to cut up veggies for the hummus

tomorrow Campanella pasta with asparagus, maybe artichokes, lemon and parm pasta
I can't wait until the chives start growing again
maybe tapenade

[blessedw2]

last night I was going to finish the ravioli but dd older and mom wanted something different - they bought nachos - it's easy to put the recipe to tonight - it just needs putting together as everything is prepped.

I have gained weight and I can feel it. I have to keep an eye on my carbs and sugars.

[Nancy]

So excited I made a perfectly round loaf of bread! Yea!!!!

[blessedw2]

the bread sounds wonderful d Nancy!!!

[blessedw2]

made the fleishnacka yesterday - Alsatian type ravioli - using up the left over meat from the beef with wine.
made the buttermilk green goddess type dressing for Bibb type lettuce with tomatoes - sliced thin red onion for mom
green beans
(trying to eat more veg instead of thinking of a main dish as the the main dish) -

tonight is the Campanella pasta with asparagus, lemon parmesan
left over green beans in salad form dijon mustard salad dressing
tomato and mozzarella salad red onion