Unable To Cook!

[Juliebove]

Long story short... Nail went through bottom of my boot and into my foot. Did not notice the damage till 12 hours later. Felt pain but put hand in boot and could not find the source of the pain so assumed it was diabetic neuropathy pain. Oops! So... Infection set in. Hospital stay, operation and now home where I must keep the foot elevated above my heart for perhaps 2 months!

Survived the hospital but did bring some food with me. My dad had been in there prior so I already knew the menu. The black beans, rice and pico de gallo were yummy though!

Now home and want to cook. Family wants me to cook. Have a large stockpile but.... Most stuff needs cooked. Daughter is willing to microwave but both she and her dad fear the stove/oven. Did talk her through heating a can of soup and using the oven for frozen food once. But she would prefer not to.

Did buy microwave pasta and rice cookers. The pasta cooker will only do small shapes and both are designed to cook only one serving so, PITA. Have been living off of canned beans and tortilla chips, precooked hamburger patties, microwave baked potatoes, salad and other veg and fruit.

Sent out for huge Chinese order, mainly so I could get rice. Most of that food went to husband. Placed two grocery delivery orders and ordered more stuff online but that's expensive! Plus there is not a lot of prepared food that daughter can eat and even less that I can. Daughter and husband are rather hopeless to send to the store. Tried that twice! SIL has helped but I have only asked her for a few specific things.

I guess this is mostly a rant. Daughter should be able to cook at 15 and so should husband, but neither have an interest. I do have a nice bar stool. Am hoping in a few weeks I can at least sit there for long enough to cut up a block of cheese and make a big batch of that chicken that my family loves! I can't eat these things but at least it would save me money. I had been making tostadas but even in the microwave, too many steps for daughter so she won't make. Just ordered more canned chili and a few Amy's things that I can eat. Plus plenty of nuts. This is such a drag! I see all sorts of frozen prepared meals for sale, but I can't eat them. Wah!

Long story short... Nail went through bottom of my boot and into my foot. Did not notice the damage till 12 hours later. Felt pain but put hand in boot and could not find the source of the pain so assumed it was diabetic neuropathy pain. Oops! So... Infection set in. Hospital stay, operation and now home where I must keep the foot elevated above my heart for perhaps 2 months!

Survived the hospital but did bring some food with me. My dad had been in there prior so I already knew the menu. The black beans, rice and pico de gallo were yummy though!

Now home and want to cook. Family wants me to cook. Have a large stockpile but.... Most stuff needs cooked. Daughter is willing to microwave but both she and her dad fear the stove/oven. Did talk her through heating a can of soup and using the oven for frozen food once. But she would prefer not to.

Did buy microwave pasta and rice cookers. The pasta cooker will only do small shapes and both are designed to cook only one serving so, PITA. Have been living off of canned beans and tortilla chips, precook end hamburger patties, microwave baked potatoes, salad and other veg and fruit.

Sent out for huge Chinese order, mainly so I could get rice. Most of that food went to husband. Placed two grocery delivery orders and ordered more stuff online but that's expensive! Plus there is not a lot of prepared food that daughter can eat and even less that I can. Daughter and husband are rather hopeless to send to the store. Tried that twice! SIL has helped but I have only asked her for a few specific things.

I guess this is mostly a rant. Daughter should be able to cook at 15 and so should husband, but neither have an interest. I do have a nice bar stool. Am hoping in a few weeks I can at least sit there for long enough to cut up a block of cheese and make a big batch of that chicken that my family loves! I can't eat these things but at least it would save me money. I had been making tostadas but even in the microwave, too many steps for daughter so she won't make. Just ordered more canned chili and a few Amy's things that I can eat. Plus plenty of nuts. This is such a drag! I see all sorts of frozen prepared meals for sale, but I can't eat them. Wah!

[Juliebove]

Don't know what I did. Tried to edit. Stupid IPad!

[kareng]

 Daughter should be able to cook at 15 and so should husband, but neither have an interest. 

 

 

If they have an interest in eating...........

[cyclinglady]

So sorry to hear about your foot. Glad you are recovering.

Have any friends who can come to your house to cook? At least in big batches?

I can relate. I was on bed rest during my pregnancy. Hubby made me a ham sandwich every single day packed in a mini cooler.

More to come. Have to get the kid to school and i am typing for the first time on my ipad's new bluetooth keyboard. ugh!

[GottaSki]

Sounds like a wonderful time for them to learn.  Set up a supervisor chair in your kitchen to walk them thru prep.   

 

If they dislike the stove start with a crock pot.  No reason they can't chop veggies and dump ingredients in the crock pot in the morning or prepare the night before, place crock in frig and then just turn it on in the morning.

[IrishHeart]

Nobody is that hopeless, Julie. Write a list, have them follow it.

 

This is like my friend Gerry who "could not tell a weed from a flower" (he claims) so he pulled all the plants and his wife got mad and he hasn't had to help in the garden for 30 years. It's a crock. He knows how to do it; he does not want to do it and so, she does it all.

That would not happen in my house, I can assure you.

 

Speaking of crocks, I second the crock pot idea. It's idiot-proof cooking and I third the "no time like the present" for everyone in the house to start learning how to cook. Too many steps? pulleeze, it's l-a-z-i-n-e-s-s. Sorry, I call 'em as I see 'em.

 

If they want to eat, they'll come around to the idea of helping in the kitchen. It's going to be a long 2 months if you do not start enlisting some help right now. 

 

You know the old expression "give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats a boatload of awesome

seafood" ? okay, maybe I changed that a bit, but you get my drift...

 

Hope you heal up fast! 

[bartfull]

Yeah, if something happened that put you in the hospital for two months, what would they do - eat every meal at a restaurant? A husband, yeah, I hate to say it but they CAN be helpless in the kitchen. But he needs to learn how to take care of himself. It doesn't have to be complicated, but he needs to be able to feed himself.

 

And a 15 year old daughter? I would tell her to snap out of it and get her butt into the kitchen. SHE needs to learn to cook and NOW. What is she going to do at college? What about when she's out of college? What about when she gets married? Does she expect her husband to do all the cooking?

 

I am a lousy cook who hates to cook. But my Mom made sure I could at least do the basics - broil a steak, make spaghetti, bake some potatoes, open a package of frozen veggies and cook them. I knew how to make hamburgers. I even learned how to fry an egg. (Thanks Mom. I'll never be as good a cook as you were, but I can feed myself!)

[Juliebove]

So sorry to hear about your foot. Glad you are recovering.

Have any friends who can come to your house to cook? At least in big batches?

I can relate. I was on bed rest during my pregnancy. Hubby made me a ham sandwich every single day packed in a mini cooler.

More to come. Have to get the kid to school and i am typing for the first time on my ipad's new bluetooth keyboard. ugh!

Ha! No. Don't know anyone who cooks. They go out to eat, get takeout, etc. Plus none of my friends live around here. To complicate things, I wouldn't trust anyone but daughter to make food for me (exception being restaurants where I know the cook) . Just too many food intolerances and people don' t understand. As for sandwiches, I truly dislike them. I have eaten one since all this happened. But I 'd rather not.

[Juliebove]

Sounds like a wonderful time for them to learn.  Set up a supervisor chair in your kitchen to walk them thru prep.   

 

If they dislike the stove start with a crock pot.  No reason they can't chop veggies and dump ingredients in the crock pot in the morning or prepare the night before, place crock in frig and then just turn it on in the morning.

I can't sit in a chair. Must stay on couch. Nurse comes daily to change dressing. None of us like the Crockpot much. We think it gives a funny flavor to the food. And there are few meals we will/can all eat. We all have to follow special diets. Just different ones.

[Juliebove]

Yeah, if something happened that put you in the hospital for two months, what would they do - eat every meal at a restaurant? A husband, yeah, I hate to say it but they CAN be helpless in the kitchen. But he needs to learn how to take care of himself. It doesn't have to be complicated, but he needs to be able to feed himself.

 

And a 15 year old daughter? I would tell her to snap out of it and get her butt into the kitchen. SHE needs to learn to cook and NOW. What is she going to do at college? What about when she's out of college? What about when she gets married? Does she expect her husband to do all the cooking?

 

I am a lousy cook who hates to cook. But my Mom made sure I could at least do the basics - broil a steak, make spaghetti, bake some potatoes, open a package of frozen veggies and cook them. I knew how to make hamburgers. I even learned how to fry an egg. (Thanks Mom. I'll never be as good a cook as you were, but I can feed myself!)

Yes, they would do that. I grew up pretty much doing that. My parents loved to dine out. We only ate at home if we couldn't afford to go out. Daughter does eat plenty of stuff that doesn't require cooking. Dairy products, raw fruit and veg. I just miss my own cooking! I have spoiled myself.

As I said in another reply, the people I know do not cook. Seems to be pretty common here.

[Juliebove]

Nobody is that hopeless, Julie. Write a list, have them follow it.

 

This is like my friend Gerry who "could not tell a weed from a flower" (he claims) so he pulled all the plants and his wife got mad and he hasn't had to help in the garden for 30 years. It's a crock. He knows how to do it; he does not want to do it and so, she does it all.

That would not happen in my house, I can assure you.

 

Speaking of crocks, I second the crock pot idea. It's idiot-proof cooking and I third the "no time like the present" for everyone in the house to start learning how to cook. Too many steps? pulleeze, it's l-a-z-i-n-e-s-s. Sorry, I call 'em as I see 'em.

 

If they want to eat, they'll come around to the idea of helping in the kitchen. It's going to be a long 2 months if you do not start enlisting

some help right now. 

 

You know the old expression "give a man a fish, he eats for a day; teach a man to fish, he eats a boatload of awesome

seafood" ? okay, maybe I changed that a bit, but you get my drift...

 

Hope you heal up fast!

I'm glad the Crockpot worked for you. I used mine for a few years until daughter pointed out that the food cooked in it tasted wrong. And she was right. I have not used them since except for baked potatoes or baked beans. Would be nice if she could make one meal for us all, but there's not much that we can all eat.

We're all eating. That's not the problem. I just want to cook!

[Leapoffaithgirl]

I'm new and really have no right to say anything...but can't cook? Seriously? How do they survive, other than takeout? I do have to confess that after I had a serious health problem a few years ago, and was in the hospital for almost 3 weeks, my family survived on Subway, McDonalds, and my kids (both teens) relying on the kindness of friends's families.  If I lived near you, don't know where you are, I'd help.

[Juliebove]

I'm new and really have no right to say anything...but can't cook? Seriously? How do they survive, other than takeout? I do have to confess that after I had a serious health problem a few years ago, and was in the hospital for almost 3 weeks, my family survived on Subway, McDonalds, and my kids (both teens) relying on the kindness of friends's families. If I lived near you, don't know where you are, I'd help.

Thanks! My extended family mostly dines out. Friends eat cereal, salad, yogurt and prepared food. Just wanted to throttle husband who had the nerve to complain of the quality of the food I am buying. I am paying a fortune for delivery. Have to rely on places like Walmart, Safeway and the Fresh dept. of that place whose name is a big river. As such, I have limited fare to chose from. Have already spent over $1,000 in two weeks! But some is to replace things like cat litter and trash bags that husband hid when he "cleaned" the garage. I know these things will eventually be found but now I can't go look for them. SIL straightened out my extra paper goods and canned foods. He took them from the bins and holders they were in and put them randomly all over the floor. Also filled the broken freezer with beverages. But the Propel is missing. Really ticked about that as some has likely expired now. I had those few bottles in a bag so daughter would know to eat them first.

What really gets me is that I sent him to the store twice. I had a list of foods for me, only some of which were purchased. And I told him and daughter to pick up food for them for the week that they could prepare. What did they buy? Jerky, chips, beer... No real food. Then they complained that there was nothing to eat! I thought at least daughter could handle this task as she normally goes shopping with me.

[kareng]

Thanks! My extended family mostly dines out. Friends eat cereal, salad, yogurt and prepared food. Just wanted to throttle husband who had the nerve to complain of the quality of the food I am buying. I am paying a fortune for delivery. Have to rely on places like Walmart, Safeway and the Fresh dept. of that place whose name is a big river. As such, I have limited fare to chose from. Have already spent over $1,000 in two weeks! But some is to replace things like cat litter and trash bags that husband hid when he "cleaned" the garage. I know these things will eventually be found but now I can't go look for them. SIL straightened out my extra paper goods and canned foods. He took them from the bins and holders they were in and put them randomly all over the floor. Also filled the broken freezer with beverages. But the Propel is missing. Really ticked about that as some has likely expired now. I had those few bottles in a bag so daughter would know to eat them first.

What really gets me is that I sent him to the store twice. I had a list of foods for me, only some of which were purchased. And I told him and daughter to pick up food for them for the week that they could prepare. What did they buy? Jerky, chips, beer... No real food. Then they complained that there was nothing to eat! I thought at least daughter could handle this task as she normally goes shopping with me.

 

 

Are you kidding?  This is a grown man and an almost grown daughter.  Why would you be spending money on delivery for groceries?  Why would a grown man act like that?  More importantly, why have you tolerated this behavior for so long?  

 

Really, Julie, I worry about you.  You seem like a really nice lady - maybe too nice?  I think you let them walk all over you.  This is not normal behavior.  If they don't get anything they can eat - tough s#!#  Maybe they will learn something from some consequences. 

 

A few years ago, before my boys could drive, they volunteered to ride bikes to the grocery and load their backpacks if I couldn't do it.  They would have followed a simple & specific list - brands & sizes.  My neighbor  would be happy to pick up a few things for me at the store when she is going.  My hub stops at the store on his way home and only buys the brands he has seen me have before or ones that say gluten-free on them.   Sometimes he brings home extra treats he sees that say gluten-free on them (which my thighs really don't need).

[w8in4dave]

I say buy hamburger and some canned veggies. It's not hard! I know you need your foot up but ok set in a chair, put your foot up on the table... it isn't hard to cook a steak and some veggies. This is not hard. Back to basics. Give the kids some eggs and some spinach. I mean my goodness If my mom was in bed! I'd try and do the best I could do! Microwave and ok the crock pot doesn't taste right. Well it's dinner, either learn another way or get over it. But really a lil steak and some veggies in the microwave. The problem is what? Let them go hungry they will figure it out. My hubbs did that when he divorced his 1st wife. He got tired of sandwiches, then learned how to cook. Tell them to pull their big kid panties up and figure it out! It's not rocket science. 

[luvs2eat]

Geez... potatoes baked in the crockpot, microwavable veggies and a rotisserie chicken could feed everyone, including the celiac. Frozen French fries, fried eggs on top of steamed or creamed spinach is a meal everyone could share. Anyone can boil up gluten free spaghetti and dump a jar of sauce on it and make a salad. My kids would make the spaghetti noodles and toss them w/ sautéed (canned) diced tomatoes w/ garlic and sprinkled w/ pine nuts. There are tons of super easy recipes you should be able to hand them. Time for them to step up!! Get mad mom!!

[Juliebove]

I say buy hamburger and some canned veggies. It's not hard! I know you need your foot up but ok set in a chair, put your foot up on the table... it isn't hard to cook a steak and some veggies. This is not hard. Back to basics. Give the kids some eggs and some spinach. I mean my goodness If my mom was in bed! I'd try and do the best I could do! Microwave and ok the crock pot doesn't taste right. Well it's dinner, either learn another way or get over it. But really a lil steak and some veggies in the microwave. The problem is what? Let them go hungry they will figure it out. My hubbs did that when he divorced his 1st wife. He got tired of sandwiches, then learned how to cook. Tell them to pull their big kid panties up and figure it out! It's not rocket science.

Put my foot on *what* table? And this is a thread for food intolerances. No eggs here. Can't digest steak. And the let them go hungry just won't work. They will just eat my food. The problem here is that *i* miss *my* cooking!

[Juliebove]

Geez... potatoes baked in the crockpot, microwavable veggies and a rotisserie chicken could feed everyone, including the celiac. Frozen French fries, fried eggs on top of steamed or creamed spinach is a meal everyone could share. Anyone can boil up gluten free spaghetti and dump a jar of sauce on it and make a salad. My kids would make the spaghetti noodles and toss them w/ sautéed (canned) diced tomatoes w/ garlic and sprinkled w/ pine nuts. There are tons of super easy recipes you should be able to hand them. Time for them to step up!! Get mad mom!!

Actually no. I have a chicken intolerance. Also can't have eggs, dairy, most meat, garlic, lots of herbs... So no jarred sauce here. Daughter can't have basil either. I thought I posted this in a thread for multiple food intolerances?

[Juliebove]

Are you kidding?  This is a grown man and an almost grown daughter.  Why would you be spending money on delivery for groceries?  Why would a grown man act like that?  More importantly, why have you tolerated this behavior for so long?  

 

Really, Julie, I worry about you.  You seem like a really nice lady - maybe too nice?  I think you let them walk all over you.  This is not normal behavior.  If they don't get anything they can eat - tough s#!#  Maybe they will learn something from some consequences. 

 

A few years ago, before my boys could drive, they volunteered to ride bikes to the grocery and load their backpacks if I couldn't do it.  They would have followed a simple & specific list - brands & sizes.  My neighbor  would be happy to pick up a few things for me at the store when she is going.  My hub stops at the store on his way home and only buys the brands he has seen me have before or ones that say gluten-free on them.   Sometimes he brings home extra treats he sees that say gluten-free on them (which my thighs really don't need).

There are a whole lot of other issues that I won't get into here. just because someone is grown, does not necessarily make them capable. And that's all I will say on that.

[kareng]

Put my foot on *what* table? And this is a thread for food intolerances. No eggs here. Can't digest steak. And the let them go hungry just won't work. They will just eat my food. The problem here is that *i* miss *my* cooking!

Actually no. I have a chicken intolerance. Also can't have eggs, dairy, most meat, garlic, lots of herbs... So no jarred sauce here. Daughter can't have basil either. I thought I posted this in a thread for multiple food intolerances?

So... If we don't remember what your multiple food intolerances are....how can people help? One person's multiple intolerances might be what another can eat. The one food intolerance we all have in common on this Celiac Forum, is gluten.

Obviously, we don't seem able to help and are just making you angry. People were just trying to help. Good luck.

[IrishHeart]

Hold on a second...

I *thought* you were looking for some help from us because you are unable to cook and needed food prep options.

 

We all rushed to give you good advice on how to get around this while you are healing, by getting some help from your family, but you have made dozens of excuses why they can't or won't do it.

 

I guess we all misunderstood the intent of the thread and rushed to offer good ideas and sympathy.

 

 

IMO, this discussion has run its course because the only thing you wanted was to say this:  "I am mad because I cannot cook"?

 

I just want to make sure I understand....so., is that right?  If so, the thread should be closed so people stop offering ideas.

[Juliebove]

So... If we don't remember what your multiple food intolerances are....how can people help? One person's multiple intolerances might be what another can eat. The one food intolerance we all have in common on this Celiac Forum, is gluten.

Obviously, we don't seem able to help and are just making you angry. People were just trying to help. Good luck.

Did I ask for help? No. I was just venting.

[kareng]

Did I ask for help? No. I was just venting.

I won't make the mistake of trying to help you again. Sorry.

[Juliebove]

I just re-read my post to see if it was in some way unclear. In no way did I ask for help. And I ended it by saying that I guess this is mainly a rant. I also didn't know that other posters had the right to determine which posts should be closed! I guess it is also okay for people here to insult my family. My husband is disabled and works 12 hour shifts. Daughter was getting over the flu and is sick again. She has to go to school, do homework, and go to dance when she can get a ride. She has to do pretty much everything around here now. I did that prior and I did not mind. I too am disabled but I do not work.

The nurse just told me today that I must avoid letting the foot hang down. So... Still am rather useless and I still don't like it. But this is my life for now. Daughter and I miss Mexican food. I can't really even send out for it. There is only one place that delivers. Online ordering so no way to talk to them and make substitutions or leave things off. Also not possible to have anyone bring us food. Nobody we know gets the intolerances and we have sooo many! Chances are if they did bring us anything, it would not be safe for us to eat. And no, making a list does not help. I still get the wrong thing. I have sent SIL for a few things, but she lives in another city and has a lot of other obligations, one of which is now filling in for me, doing the stuff for my blind mom that daughter and I used to do.

[Juliebove]

I won't make the mistake of trying to help you again. Sorry.

I'm really not trying to piss anyone off! I am just sick of being stuck here on the couch and am wanting a good meal. At this point there is no end in sight.