I made dinner.

[GeneralElectric]

Raspberry-Ginger glazed chicken with strawberry sauce and sliced strawberries as a garnish. Dunno what I'd make as a side...

I cook for a living and I rarely ever cook for myself. I usually eat McDonalds. I made this from scratch and it was the equivalent of 4 servings and cost me roughly $13 including the chicken and the strawberries and raspberries. I still have plenty of both berries too.

How do you guys motivate yourselves for cooking at home?

[jonathan_matos5]

hunger and no leftovers.

[sloasdaylight]

I usually go down to the store, get some fish, some pork chops, and a steak or two, along with 1-2 things each of broccoli and string beans/sugar snap peas and a bag or two of lettuce and feed myself for a week or so.

That is when I'm eating healthy.

[BurningSkies]

I cook at home pretty much all the time. Mostly because I like good food. Also because I hate fast food and 99% of pre-prepared stuff out there. Fresh, local and in season is the way to do it. It can be cheap too, if you do it right.

[MatticusMania]

I won't bother to cook anything more than a sandwich or veggie burger if Im only cooking for myself. Living with my girlfriend and being a better cook than she is helps. Luckily, she can follow a recipe pretty damned well, so I dont have to cook too often.

[standupright]

i cook everyday because i enjoy it. even when i was a chef, i still cooked everyday at home. i refuse to pay what restaurants charge for dinner. it's not worth it to me. for others who can't cook, it makes sense why one would eat out.

[ausf]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

How do you guys motivate yourselves for cooking at home?

I'm a professional sculptor, cooking to me is just another extension of art, just like music.

Improv just as much too.

Bread, pizza, tortillas, all from scratch at this point. Kids love it, wife loves it, dirt cheap and so much better.

[standupright]

also.....strawberries don't belong on chicken.

[i_got_a_mohawk]

I try and vary the diet as much as possible.

Tho on saying that, the butcher near me has a special offer when if you buy 4 sirloin steaks you get 4 free . Granted, not quite as nice as a fillet, but a lot cheaper!

[beggar98]

I cook all the time. I get my Food & Wine and Bon Appetit magazines every month and find 3 or 4 ideas in each one. Last night I did braised short ribs in a sun dried tomato sauce over parsnip puree. A meal that would have cost my wife and I $100 at a restaurant was only about $50, including a good bottle of wine. God, I'm such a BoBo...

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by ausf

I'm a professional sculptor, cooking to me is just another extension of art, just like music.

Improv just as much too.

Bread, pizza, tortillas, all from scratch at this point. Kids love it, wife loves it, dirt cheap and so much better.

I comepletely agree. And my ability to make awesome meals out of whatever I have on hand I attribute to fronting an Improv band.

[beggar98]

Originally Posted by standupright

i cook everyday because i enjoy it. even when i was a chef, i still cooked everyday at home. i refuse to pay what restaurants charge for dinner. it's not worth it to me. for others who can't cook, it makes sense why one would eat out.

I can play bass pretty well, but I'll still pay to see the best do it at a club when they come to town. I'm also pretty good in the kitchen, but when I can go appreciate the work of a master I think its worth every penny.

[standupright]

Originally Posted by beggar98

I can play bass pretty well, but I'll still pay to see the best do it at a club when they come to town. I'm also pretty good in the kitchen, but when I can go appreciate the work of a master I think its worth every penny.

i can appreciate that. the restaurant industry needs people to go out and eat. unfortunatley, around here in phoenix it is so poorly executed 99% of the time, it's not even close to worth it.

[beggar98]

Originally Posted by standupright

i can appreciate that. the restaurant industry needs people to go out and eat. unfortunatley, around here in phoenix it is so poorly executed 99% of the time, it's not even close to worth it.

I know that feeling, but in L.A. there are so many great chefs working at all price points the options can get overwhelming. Dinner for two at Mario Batali's Osteria Mozza is well under $200 with multiple courses, wine, desserts, etc. While I can't afford to do that too often, I've never left feeling like I overpaid.

[elgecko]

Back in the day, I worked as a cook for a few years. The last thing I wanted to do when I got home was cook some more. These days, I find it a lot easier to bring myself to cook...I just miss the pre-prepped veggies/meat and commercial-grade stoves.

[StyleOverShow]

Summer is my cooking time, nothing like burning animal or fish flesh on the grill.

Have been hitting the local farmer's market and the veggies and fruits are so much better.

GE, it's an interesting combo, ginger glazed chicken with Raspberries and Strawberries. Bit sweet?

[iamlowsound]

I like dinner. I motivate myself to cook because I can cook better than 97% of the restaurants around here, I know what goes into it and I can cook healthy.

lowsound

[MJ5150]

I like to spend time with my wife, so cooking is another way to do that for me.

-Mike

[iamlowsound]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I like to spend time with my wife, so cooking is another way to do that for me.

-Mike

This too. I love cooking with my girlfriend.

lowsound

[Joe Gress]

We had breakfast for dinner. Pancakes, potatoes, eggs, and bacon. It was delicious.