Cooking?

So, I'm trying to eat healthier, to lose weight (cuz, well, I need to) and feel better and save money and whatnot.  The sad part is, I used to cook all the time in grad school (broke college student, anyone? Anyone? No? okay...) but then I moved back home (literally, back into my old bedroom in my parent's house...eek!  No, really, I very much appreciated that I could! But still, I had so much stuff!!!!!!) Anyways, after leaving Orlando and moving back in with mom and dad, I didn't really cook too often anymore.  There was no need, because Mom cooks most everyday.  And when I finally got my own place again, I was teaching 3-4 classes AND working full-time...  So really, not much time.  So I never really got back into cooking.

So now I'm not teaching as much (okay, now I'm not teaching at all... SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER, BABY!!!!!!!!!!) and I am, quite frankly, overweight, and I'm gonna be broke here soon, 'cuz I don't get paid when I'm not teaching (the joy of being an adjunct).  So, gotta get cooking.  Literally.  And hey, it saves me money, and I eat healthier!

I made my first ever pot roast a few weeks ago.  Amy and Sara said it was good.  Amy's is better (but also, she's got a family of 5 and cooks CONSTANTLY! And feeds me quite often... :) Love her!) And then I made a lasagna, but really, I don't think that counts, because lasagna is, at heart, a baked good, and I can bake my butt off.... So a good friend of mine, Deb (of "My Deb has Moved") is also a very good cook, and before she left, she gave me a number of pointers for makin' dinner fancy-ish but simple (orange-cranberry-glazed pork chops... oh so yummy.  with HOMEMADE scalloped potatoes.  OMGGOOD!!!!!!!! I didn't even know I liked scalloped potatoes!)  I also made my first steak a few weeks ago, marinated in orange juice and teriyaki glaze, and I've been eating a lot of chicken marinated in various things, as well.  See, that's kinda the thing. I am REALLY good at planning meals, and marinating meats, and all that stuff.  But the actually cooking, the heat and stuff, yeah, that sometimes gets me... When to saute, when to broil, etc... and there will be NO frying (one, not real good for me, and two, kinda scary!)

But, my friends on Facebook are stepping up and offering suggestions on HOW to cook things, and giving me links to helpful hints.  They rock! So tonight I had chicken quesadillas.  YUMMY!  Tomorrow, no idea, but I'll figure something out!

Eat well!

RLW