Do they EVER cook from scratch? or garden?

[SoybeanQueen]

Today I looked up a recipe and landed on the Duggar Family site. I had to laugh at the fact that one of their recipes calls for a 9x9 pan. There are seven of us here and I rarely bring pans that small out of hiding.

My husband looked visibly ill when I read one of the recipes to him. This is what they put in public as their special family recipes. Don't you usually put your best stuff out there? Ick.

The recipes also say you need to have permission from the Duggars to use them commercially. OK, sure Jan.

[VelociRapture]

7 hours ago, Percy said:

My girls cook one night a week each, but they cook because that is the expectation in this house not because they want too.  

We have not had Junior Materchef in Australia for a long time, but you are right, there hopefully always be young people who love to took.

My fear is that with each generation we will lose some skills, I have not taught my girls to bake.  I can't bake! I am looking at learning how to pickle veggies 

My mom didn't really teach us to cook or bake - we learned by watching her and being lucky enough to be born with a bit of common cooking sense (meaning we find it easy enough to follow recipes.)

My husband is the same way. He loved helping his parents and grandparents in the kitchen and he loves cooking for me. I'm the cook in the house now most nights because I don't work and he does (and he works a lot right now because tax season.)

I think if people want future generations to know how to cook then they need to invest time and effort into teaching them when they're young. That's what we intend to do with our future kids - I want to teach them our family recipes. It's tough for a lot of adults to do that though because so many families need two parents working to get by. 

[PennySycamore]

I think there's a real push among young people for wanting to learn the old ways of doing things.  I'd like to say this started with the hippies -and it did in a big way- but my dad who would be almost 90 made his own soap and candles as a hobby.  A generation ago, people were baking bread and they still are, but folks are making their own cheese, brewing their own beer and so on. 

I read recently that the US Navy is requiring their sailors to learn to use a sextant and celestial navigation.  They don't want the navigators of their ships to be too dependent on GPS technology.

There is satisfaction in creating something whether it's a knitted sweater or a Beef Wellington.

[Gossamer1]

20 hours ago, quiverofdoubt said:

I know a lot of people complain about their husbands being unable to find the hamper.  Mine just used to leave his dirty clothes in the bathroom, because as a kid he had a hamper in there, and it just became habit.  I told him it would make me life easier if he could just toss them in the hamper. He's managed ever since. Not rocket science.  

The dog I had at the time I was married trained my ex to use the hamper. If she found his socks on the floor she would lick and chew them until there was a hole in them. She wouldn't go in the hamper to get anything,  just take  what was easily accessible. He learned!

I have lamb shanks in my CP right now and the house smells amazing!

 

[Valerie3kids]

7 hours ago, VelociRapture said:

My mom didn't really teach us to cook or bake - we learned by watching her and being lucky enough to be born with a bit of common cooking sense (meaning we find it easy enough to follow recipes.)

My husband is the same way. He loved helping his parents and grandparents in the kitchen and he loves cooking for me. I'm the cook in the house now most nights because I don't work and he does (and he works a lot right now because tax season.)

I think if people want future generations to know how to cook then they need to invest time and effort into teaching them when they're young. That's what we intend to do with our future kids - I want to teach them our family recipes. It's tough for a lot of adults to do that though because so many families need two parents working to get by. 

We cook with my granddaughter. Mostly baking at this point. We started with slice and bake cookies. We have now moved on to baking from scratch. She loves it. She is very careful and listens very well. Actually it is her time with my husband while I watch her little sister.

My husband and I take turns cooking. Some times I will admit it is a frozen pizza. But, he makes some really good meals. That was our new year's resolution to look into some new recipes and find some new meals. We tend to go back to the same ones over and over again.

[MoonFace]

First husband avoided putting laundry in a hamper at all costs.   Just because.   Would leave his socks on the dining room floor where he'd take his boots off.   THerapist said that I had to decide if it bothered me more to pick them up or see them.   

I came up with a third option.   I'd kick them into a corner where I didn't see them because I was no longer going to pick up after him.   

I also made him do his own laundry.   

[MatthewDuggar]

I was lucky to have a mother, grandmother and a great aunt that loved to cook and taught me from a very young age.  I was also fascinated with my mother's cookbooks.  She had a thick Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that has hundreds of recipes with photos showing the preparation.  I would read through it and find something I wanted to make and then my parents would get the needed ingredients on the weekly grocery trip.  My mom was usually nearby so I didn't burn the house down or cut my fingers off, but I was making cinnamon rolls, cakes, and other fairly complicated stuff at about 10 years old.  Today it's like second nature.

[Chickenbutt]

I told my husband and later my kids that I only did the laundry that was in the hamper. I refused to pick up clothes off the floor. Hubby learned really quick. Took the boys a time or two of having to wear dirty/stinky/sweaty clothes to school to get the point. Now in their early 30's and their girlfriends are thanking me cuz they always use the hamper.

[quiverofdoubt]

Learning to cook is so incredibly important. There are a huge list of ways that cooking with children is beneficial: they learn what goes into food, so are more willing to make healthy choices. They get the math and chemistry from measuring and boiling/baking etc etc.  Fine motor skills from chopping and stirring and cracking eggs (and then some).  They learn to be more self sufficient, and become more aware of raw ingredients, how things are made etc. Gives them an outlet for creativity.  For me it's a big part of my "homeschooling" with my 3 year old. She started as a small toddler though, helping to put cut veggies in a pot for soup (obviously with tons of help and supervision).  She'll be four this spring, and loves to do the pouring and stirring for baking projects, or to help stir things on the stove (again, supervised).  

Cooking is a valuable skill.  You don't have to be top chef material, but most people are capable of more than heating up cans. When I went to college i really was surprised at the lack of cooking knowledge people had, or food knowledge in general. And that was a decade ago. It isn't just an art form or hobby. Cooking has been a fundamental life sustaining skill since man discovered fire. We have the luxury of canned goods and fast food now, but knowing how to steam a vegetable shouldn't be considered an optional skill like playing violin or....Well, I can't think of another hobby or skill the duggar's allow their children. Waiting for "prince charming" isn't really a hobby, or is it?

[princessmahina]

Here's some of the recipes they took down:

 

http://jujube2407.weebly.com/duggar-family-recipes.html

 

That broccoli cheese soup recipe just kills me.

[3KidsAndStopped]

Somehow I missed the whole "Duggar's how-to cause cardiovascular disease recipe book". Poor mans pizza just sounds vile http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2624505/Breakfast-lunch-dinner-5-Michelle-Duggar-reveals-strict-grocery-budget-sticks-20-person-household.html

No longer feel guilty for any of the meal choices in our household!

[quiverofdoubt]

3 minutes ago, 3KidsAndStopped said:

Somehow I missed the whole "Duggar's how-to cause cardiovascular disease recipe book". Poor mans pizza just sounds vile http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2624505/Breakfast-lunch-dinner-5-Michelle-Duggar-reveals-strict-grocery-budget-sticks-20-person-household.html

No longer feel guilty for any of the meal choices in our household!

I had hope for broccoli casserole. Then the first ingredient was velveeta..... sadness.  the "pizza".  yee gods, that doesn't even sound like it would save you any real money over making real food.  They didn't post a recipe, but i can get on board with 3 bean chili.

[3KidsAndStopped]

Just now, quiverofdoubt said:

I had hope for broccoli casserole. Then the first ingredient was velveeta..... sadness.  the "pizza".  yee gods, that doesn't even sound like it would save you any real money over making real food.  They didn't post a recipe, but i can get on board with 3 bean chili.

What is Velveeta? I don't think I've ever seen it in our shops? It just contradicts everything they are supposed to stand for really doesn't it? Buy used and save the difference,  waste it on processed crap instead of making the effort to cook from scratch...baking your own bread on the one hand, then making it into poor mans pizza in the other just doesn't compute for me. 

 

We only have a small garden and we grow a few small veg/herbs each year...They could be practically self sustaining with their land! Maybe seeing nature work its magic would slightly detract from the magic fairy dust of jebus being the foundation of creation education programme though...

[Percy]

43 minutes ago, quiverofdoubt said:

Learning to cook is so incredibly important. There are a huge list of ways that cooking with children is beneficial: they learn what goes into food, so are more willing to make healthy choices. They get the math and chemistry from measuring and boiling/baking etc etc.  Fine motor skills from chopping and stirring and cracking eggs (and then some).  They learn to be more self sufficient, and become more aware of raw ingredients, how things are made etc. Gives them an outlet for creativity.  For me it's a big part of my "homeschooling" with my 3 year old. She started as a small toddler though, helping to put cut veggies in a pot for soup (obviously with tons of help and supervision).  She'll be four this spring, and loves to do the pouring and stirring for baking projects, or to help stir things on the stove (again, supervised).  

Cooking is a valuable skill.  You don't have to be top chef material, but most people are capable of more than heating up cans. When I went to college i really was surprised at the lack of cooking knowledge people had, or food knowledge in general. And that was a decade ago. It isn't just an art form or hobby. Cooking has been a fundamental life sustaining skill since man discovered fire. We have the luxury of canned goods and fast food now, but knowing how to steam a vegetable shouldn't be considered an optional skill like playing violin or....Well, I can't think of another hobby or skill the duggar's allow their children. Waiting for "prince charming" isn't really a hobby, or is it?

I agree learning to cook is very important.  My girls started at around 7 and 8.  By 10 and 11 they were cooking themselves a night a week.  It taught them weights and measures and how to follow a recipe.  The youngest loves to experiment on her night to cook and she is going through a vegetarian phase.  The eldest does not like to cook but does her share as we all work and study and share the jobs.  I know  that they can care for themselves and their surroundings when they leave home.

I was lucky enough to work part time when they were little so had the time and energy to teach them.  I wonder why Michelle did not teach her children better and use the time as lessons in her homeschool curriculum.

[MatthewDuggar]

1 hour ago, 3KidsAndStopped said:

What is Velveeta? I don't think I've ever seen it in our shops? It just contradicts everything they are supposed to stand for really doesn't it? Buy used and save the difference,  waste it on processed crap instead of making the effort to cook from scratch...baking your own bread on the one hand, then making it into poor mans pizza in the other just doesn't compute for me. 

 

We only have a small garden and we grow a few small veg/herbs each year...They could be practically self sustaining with their land! Maybe seeing nature work its magic would slightly detract from the magic fairy dust of jebus being the foundation of creation education programme though...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velveeta

I've only used it for melted cheese dips, otherwise it's a bit too plasticy.

[Hera]

2 hours ago, 3KidsAndStopped said:

Somehow I missed the whole "Duggar's how-to cause cardiovascular disease recipe book". Poor mans pizza just sounds vile http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2624505/Breakfast-lunch-dinner-5-Michelle-Duggar-reveals-strict-grocery-budget-sticks-20-person-household.html

No longer feel guilty for any of the meal choices in our household!

I'm resigned to the fact that vegetables and non-processed foods are never going to happen in this house. But if they're going to go with this abomination of a "meal," at least call it Grilled Cheeses with Marinara Dipping Sauce.  Calling it Poor Man's Pizza is an offense to both poor men and pizza.  More to the point, instead of that "pizza", why can't they just swap out the bread for a couple boxes of $1/box pasta and have pasta marinara? They can even throw some Parmesan cheese on top.  Not only will the pasta and one round plastic of jar of parm cost nearly the same (or less) than the bread and 4(!!) pounds of cheese, pasta marinara is also an actual simple meal.   Why instead make this pseudo meal that sounds like something a couple of college kids came up with one night when they were too drunk to go to the store and the pizza delivery place was closed?  

I have no words for a soup recipe that starts with Velveeta. 

Edit: I see it's a recipe for Broccoli Casserole, not Broccoli and Cheese soup. Still disgusting. 

[MsSourPickle]

On 1/25/2016 at 8:26 PM, SledCat said:

Not everyone is great at gardening (I have no interest in it either), but the Duggars can easily afford fresh or frozen veggies. They have no excuse.

At this time of year, they could have a giant vat of veggie soup going every day. Add some legumes or other protein, and it's a complete meal. Throw some veggies and protein in a wok, it's a stir fry. Throw some lentils and spices into some broth and make some rice, they've got a dal. What it boils down to is the Duggars are just lazy in the kitchen, basically.

The Veggie Soup sounds good. I think I will make some tomorrow.

[3KidsAndStopped]

8 hours ago, Hera said:

I'm resigned to the fact that vegetables and non-processed foods are never going to happen in this house. But if they're going to go with this abomination of a "meal," at least call it Grilled Cheeses with Marinara Dipping Sauce.  Calling it Poor Man's Pizza is an offense to both poor men and pizza.  More to the point, instead of that "pizza", why can't they just swap out the bread for a couple boxes of $1/box pasta and have pasta marinara? They can even throw some Parmesan cheese on top.  Not only will the pasta and one round plastic of jar of parm cost nearly the same (or less) than the bread and 4(!!) pounds of cheese, pasta marinara is also an actual simple meal.   Why instead make this pseudo meal that sounds like something a couple of college kids came up with one night when they were too drunk to go to the store and the pizza delivery place was closed?  

I have no words for a soup recipe that starts with Velveeta. 

Edit: I see it's a recipe for Broccoli Casserole, not Broccoli and Cheese soup. Still disgusting. 

I agree with you, I think most families use processed foods at some point, we do-but for the duggars it surely contradicts their ethos is what I meant, unless it was fish fingers  and ribena at their version of the last supper

 

Thanks @matthewduggar for the link on Velveeta, definitely never seen anything like this in the UK but will make sure I try it when I eventually do my road trip in the US   

[ADoyle90815]

10 hours ago, MatthewDuggar said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velveeta

I've only used it for melted cheese dips, otherwise it's a bit too plasticy.

I've mostly used it for cheese dips, but I've also used it to give my dogs pills when I wasn't able to hide it in their food.

[IrishCarrie]

A few years ago Delia Smith (famous British chef) had an excellent show on tv showing how to take shortcuts but still make healthy meals. She used lots of frozen veg, tinned beans etc, batch cooked meats, bought organic stocks and basically made it so cooking dinner was mainly assembly, rather than hard work every evening. It caused uproar in the media at  the time because she was a famous 'everything from scratch' chef, but I thought it was all wonderfully sensible. Everybody needs a few cheats now and then - it's still better for you than ringing Dominos!

[ElegantMajesticPearls]

BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP 
7 lbs. frozen broccoli 
2 lbs. Velveeta™
1 quart sweet whipping cream 
enough water to cook broccoli
1 c. cornstarch w/ cold water to thicken after hot
Cook broccoli first. Add Velveeta™ & whipping cream.
Add corn starch to thicken. Enjoy!

Wow. Just wow. 

[ShepherdontheRock]

I mean, I love Broccoli Cheese Soup.

But reading this recipe...I'll just go to Panera and get some. It's probably not healthy there either, but I feel like Panera of all places wouldn't use Velveeta.

No judgement on people that do.

[PennySycamore]

4 hours ago, ADoyle90815 said:

I've mostly used it for cheese dips, but I've also used it to give my dogs pills when I wasn't able to hide it in their food.

I've used Velveeta to pill my dogs as well, but my girls like peanut butter better.  In our house, we call sliced, wrapped processed cheese "dog cheese" because I used to use it to tease our German shepherd into the house when he escaped our backyard.  My granddog, btw, is picky about the dog cheese he gets with his meds -he only likes Kraft American slices.

[paulypepper]

19 hours ago, Gossamer1 said:

The dog I had at the time I was married trained my ex to use the hamper. If she found his socks on the floor she would lick and chew them until there was a hole in them. She wouldn't go in the hamper to get anything,  just take  what was easily accessible. He learned!

I have lamb shanks in my CP right now and the house smells amazing!

 

CPs are amazing...I have a great recipe for ribs and LOVE the smell all day!

16 hours ago, MatthewDuggar said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velveeta

I've only used it for melted cheese dips, otherwise it's a bit too plasticy.

We make two different cheese dips where I work one with the orange Velveeta type cheese and one with the white Velveeta type cheese and seriously we go through at a minimum 40 pounds + a day and I'm always reminding people that this stuff stays in your intestines for years *shakes head*

[AnnC]

3 hours ago, IrishCarrie said:

A few years ago Delia Smith (famous British chef) had an excellent show on tv showing how to take shortcuts but still make healthy meals. She used lots of frozen veg, tinned beans etc, batch cooked meats, bought organic stocks and basically made it so cooking dinner was mainly assembly, rather than hard work every evening. It caused uproar in the media at  the time because she was a famous 'everything from scratch' chef, but I thought it was all wonderfully sensible. Everybody needs a few cheats now and then - it's still better for you than ringing Dominos!

2

There is a US based show Sandra Lee.  Sandra Lee blended processed foods with homemade techniques, aimed mostly at an audience that was starting with very limited cooking knowledge. 

Most of it seemed strange to me - but then I noticed that her approach really helped some friends going through a rough patch.  They ended up with a lot of shelf stable foods - the cheese log, canned soups and vegetables. 

When choice is limited, it is nice to have options.