Poll: Who's the Head Cook at Your House?

[Marathoner]

I did most of the cooking while married. Now that I am living alone, I find that my recipes for two typically last me 3 days. One of the benefits of being single, I suppose (trying to look on the bright side ) I find I have more time at night to read, etc., as long as I am willing to eat leftovers. So far, it's going well!

[BigMoneyJim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marathoner I did most of the cooking while married. Now that I am living alone, I find that my recipes for two typically last me 3 days. One of the benefits of being single, I suppose (trying to look on the bright side ) I find I have more time at night to read, etc., as long as I am willing to eat leftovers. So far, it's going well!

Yup, none of this "cooking for one" stuff. Cook a big batch of something and graze leftovers for days! Repeatedly single-meal prepping for one is not sustainable.

[Nords]

Somehow over the last 25 years the kitchen has become all mine.

I think it started when I showed spouse a more optimal packing method for the dishwasher. Then I showed her how to stow food in the fridge & pantry by rotating the old stock to the front and stacking new containers in the back, but in a staggered pattern to make it easy to access the variety. Then I installed a huge 18-gauge single-bowl stainless-steel sink that holds an entire broiler pan for easier turkey-carving and soaking/cleanup. She's been really impressed by all this submarine experience.

And then, of course, we got Scoobie to clean our tile floors.

Everyone in Hale Nords has always been on their own for breakfasts & lunches, unless we're cooking something like pancakes for company. Head cook duties rotated between us parents when our daughter was growing up, except that somehow I've always ended up in charge of side dishes & salads. Our daughter would do one or two dinners a month and she enjoys baking cakes. She'd clear the table but of course I'd clean the kitchen.

Our daughter left for college over three semesters ago. Since then we've fallen into a habit of weekly Costco pizza with frozen dinners on the other six nights. We supplement that with salad or backyard papaya or other fruit. Zippy's chili once or twice a quarter, or perhaps our curry-cooking neighbor brings something by on holidays. I think I've cooked a couple BBQs in the last 18 months. Otherwise we still have homemade spaghetti sauce in the freezer from July 2010 that I've been meaning to take care of...

[grasshopper]

I chop and wash dishes by hand, no new fangled electric dishwasher here. In exchange Ms G. can, and will use every pot and dish in the house, even for rice and beans.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby The young wife is the cook, and a fine one she is. I am on permanent KP. I think it's a fair trade.

My situation as well. There is absolutely no doubt I have the advantage.

[FIRE'd@51]

DW - I'm intimidated by the kitchen.

[NYEXPAT]

Live-in

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper I chop and wash dishes by hand,

Is that a karate-chop move, or do you use an edged weapon?

Quote:

Originally Posted by grasshopper ... no new fangled electric dishwasher here.

Another reason that I own the kitchen is because spouse has picked up enough Corelle at Goodwill for us to fill the entire dishwasher before we run out of bowls or plates. I can pack the dishwasher so full that we only run it a couple times a month...

[Katsmeow]

I needed an other option here. My 15 year old daughter does most of the cooking. No, we don't require her to do so. She insists as she really enjoys cooking....

[mh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha So single people don't count?

No.. That wouldn't be fun.

[bssc]

DW. I do the dishes.

[Midpack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katsmeow I needed an other option here. My 15 year old daughter does most of the cooking. No, we don't require her to do so. She insists as she really enjoys cooking....

How about #4?

[Midpack]

Amazing that so many men are the primary cooks, a sea change from just a generation ago. I enjoy cooking, DW tells people I am the better cook between the two of us, though she is the master when it comes to baking or desserts in general. Of course she probably says I'm better to keep me enslaved in the kitchen. How did this happen?

[Walt34]

Pretty much evenly distributed as each tends to prepare their own, although large meals such as Thanksgiving turkey or when we're having company, are a jointly shared effort.

[JOHNNIE36]

DW is the cook although I can rustle up a couple dishes when I have to, such as DW being sick. I am also the main soup maker. She is getting to the point where she hates to cook. Says she's done it long enough and she is sick of it. I try to help by doing the clean up. That is totally my job. The only meal we fix is dinner. Never breakfast or lunch. Does cleaning up count at all?

[Blackwoodt]

I do the cooking, the only thing that DH can whip up when I travel, or work late is a bowl of cereal. He's lived on cereal and fast food for weeks at a time....

[Nemo2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackwoodt I do the cooking, the only thing that DH can whip up when I travel, or work late is a bowl of cereal. He's lived on cereal and fast food for weeks at a time....

I figure if a man can't feed himself he deserves to starve.

[HFWR]

Chief kook cook and bottle-washer here...

[Sue J]

I was always the stay at home Mom and he was out in the working world so I was the cook. He always cleaned up so it works well. He's been retired for over a year and a half and we've kept things the same. Breakfast and lunch is on your own but I plan a dinner and cook it. I like to grill in the summer, DH doesn't use the grill. He's capable of cooking, just doesn't do it.

I have no sense of smell and very little sense of taste so I'm kind of a plain cook. DH likes my cooking just fine and he likes when I try a new recipe.

[MBAustin]

I've been the chief cook since the evening back when we were dating that DH invited me over for dinner - a ham slice cooked in fruit cocktail sauce served over minute rice. We still laugh about that meal. Fortunately I love to cook!