CantCookStillTry

And on to tonight's dinner.. A tale of Love. So my Hub is taking this low Carb thing very seriously, which means I, as head food maker, have to as well. I weigh every ingredient before I use it, log it all on a nutrient counting app whilst cooking and so on and so forth. It's a little bit of a Pita (not the bread) to be honest. So after our easy omelette dinner last night I thought I'd get ahead. I have been dreaming of Chili ever since I asked robirdstx for the recipe. Couldn't quite pull that off so I riffed on a low as possible carb Chili. Prepped it all, threw it in the slow cooker bowl, and fridged it. This smart time saving cookie just plonked it in before work this morning, turned it on and walked in 9 hours later to an easy scoop and serve dinner... or so I thought. I had no weight for the final cooked recipe did I. Soooo I had to decant and weigh and put back in to warm so I knew how much I was to be serving himself when he got in. I tried to weigh it all at once but it was more weight than my scale could handle. So I had to find another bowl to dirty and repeat. Alot. (good job I love washing up! ). Splatters everywhere (yes I was wearing white). I may update with a final picture when served but I am not sure its worth it! I'm off to weigh Sour Cream, Jalepeno's and Cheese.....

Thank You so very much Tropicalsenior, it may be praise too high but it really put a smile on my face all morning. I think that may be your special talent, you are so kind and uplifting and positive to all. One of the many reasons I love learning here from all these exceptionally talented people.

Last night was Pork Belly and only Pork belly. Tonight we had Omelette filled with bacon, Kale, Tomato, Gouda and Vintage Cheddar. I don't think my omelette is close to traditional... but very very close to those I ate on touristy Spanish islands as a child.. apart from the Kale.

Straya' to me is all about sausage in bread. In fact thats what my kid had for breakfast today, from Bunnings of course . Being as hub is low carb I couldn't do the bread but low and behold I found a low carb Snag! Not very Stralian but hey ho. No wait I lied, he says hes a Snag man, Australian enough! And so there you have it. Snag on no bread on plate for Australia day And forgive me, whilst we are keeping it culinary, I have no idea how to 'sex up' a plain old sausage!

Chicken 'Curry' for Little M and myself. Stealth whizz up of capsicum, zucchini, celery, cauliflower, spinach and kale to go in the sauce. And the final result. Served over rice. With minimal inspection of the green bits.

Twofer special tonight. Spinach & Ricotta Eggs with hot sauce for big m. And my 'you'lleatmorevegesifitkillsme' meat sauce with pasta for little m. Before the meat is added, finely processed mushroom, carrot, courgette, kale and capsicum. Cooking after addition of ground meat, tomatoes etc (and a we're going to need a bigger boat moment ). Not the most attractive meat sauce, but it does its job.

Oh why did you send me back there! Ann does have an absolutely beautiful blog , and now, trapped in my low carb nightmare, I will be dreaming about her Gorgonzola garlic bread. It will be a good dream. Tonight we had Porterhouse (Its really not great, this batch, a bulk pack with 3 beautiful steaks on top and 3 less than ordinary underneath), creamed Kale and an "Evening Egg"

Ssshhh! It's Friday, the men are asleep, fed on zoodles and turkey meat sauce. It's carb time Now I personally call this cheese on toast although there is much debate. Staring Snowdonia cheese company's offerings 'Black Bomber' and 'Red Storm'. So, so good.

Do you think you could send me your recipe? That looks like every Chili I have wanted, tried, and failed, to make!

Modern art? Tar pit? Not quite. The desperate attempt of a time poor mum, whose only child starts school for the first time on Monday, and who stupidly joined a group called 'lunchbox mums' on Fb? You got it. So I spent every spare second at work ( all 5) Googling 'easy freezable lunchbox'. Baking is not my thing, hate it, I am no alchemist . But I will try. Any one have any ideas, please share. Cheese & Vegemite Scrolls. I tried... but it certainly won't meet the lunch box mums standard!

Low Carb Crispy Calamari- coated with Almond Meal. Doubt I'll make it again. While I am not a fan of squid, and the boys said it was good, it strikes me as one of those foods to be left for when you inevitably fail your diet . Some things just cannot be substituted!

Meat. Edited to Add: As you can see, I am still working on how to frame a picture, however, you do get a perfect example of my actual real life. Thanks Thomas

Sorry guys in my hands, no fancy new phone camera (I quite like it - don't yet understand how to work it), close ups or 'food styling' (I can't style myself let alone my dinner) is going to save tonight's photo. It was however, delicious. I riffed off of a "pioneer woman" recipe, although when I was doing the nutritional breakdown for Mr.MustCountEverything, I panicked somewhat and where her sauce is designed for two serves, I stretched it to 4 (and it was plenty) after nearly suffering a coronary just looking at the results . Porterhouse Steak (Can any one please tell me, what the British name for this cut might be?? I have done some googling and it comes up with T-bone, I am assuming one side as this is obviously boneless) on a blue cheese, cream and onion sauce served with spinach. I have dared to share a cut image of my undressed steak, so near and yet so far. One day I'll convince Mr I have room for a sousvide set up.

I just asked him and brutally honest as he is - he said 'nothing' . He grated and microwaved it I believe, was the first time I tried it and I really liked it. The sauce was enough to flavour it. I did learn however that grated cauliflower smells like.. well I know what I think it smells like. but this is polite company, I will say it certainly didn't taste like it smells. .

Chicken Curry Meatballs served on Cauliflower Rice with a Coconut cream sauce. Made by Mr Cancookbutrarelyhasthetime.

Grilled (to me) / Broiled (to a lot of you I think) chicken boob, devoid of the good bits. Made up for with cheese, jalapeño, sriracha and served on Courgette ribbons with Broccoli. I am beyond bored of weighing every. minuscule. thing.

OK. Try, Try & Try again. I have taken some advise from Ann_T & Gfweb today and I have gone and bought an S8, so hopefully it will help with my quality/colour issues! For now its still in its box, its a school night and I am tired! I was loathe for a repeat of yesterday so I found the energy to grab my old sony point and click and made the effort to swap sd cards and so on and so forth until I can get the phone up and running. Tonight was chicken, bacon & tomato salad with a mustard/sour cream dressing in a 'Parmesan bowl' for Mr low carb. My first attempt bowl was more a shallow tray to be honest.

It's my lousy phone! No filter, my phones too old for that. Now I feel even worse! - this was the best of six!

(( Previously there was a photo. But it was awful. So I quit - I think you can still see it below if you must )) I have read and reread the posts on food photography and I am close to giving up! I just don't have that Je ne sais quoi, that every one of you seems to have! I will not break the rules however, and will find an appropriate thread to ask advice on the purchase of a 'proper' camera before my towel is flung - because of course it is the tools and not the operator . Tonight's unattractive meal can be partly blamed on my hub I have decided, for some weird, nay, perverse reason, he can only eat a runny yolk at Breakfast time- I don't get it either . So we have fried 'dead' egg, bacon spinach and mushroom side and a leftover oversized meatball from yesterday. Meatballs were a 50/50 pork and beef mix with some whiskey caramelised onion thrown in, stuffed with a (un) healthy amount of herbed goats cheese. I am not sure I would use the goats cheese again, while I like the fact it stands up to the heat and remains fairly solid and in place, I miss the 'ooey gooey' effect other cheeses would provide.

And voilá! Severe storm, 72 hours with no power and 40c heat has managed what myself and my lack of will power could not. All 3 freezers are completely empty!

My husband has gone low carb for the New Year. I will endeavour to provide (despite the fact my spirit, soul and probably body, are potato shaped). Lamb loin chops, spinach, broc and mushroom. I think he's being a d*** about it.. but I won't tell him.. Verbally.

My husband's trial from the 'holiday menu' in the UK. Beef and Cheese Feast I think it was called. You won't get me trying new things from Maccas, if we go I want something specific, quick, nostalgic and something only they do, the way they do (looking at you big m). We all know what they are and to me it's not the place to branch out! He reports that it was not remarkable! Beef cheese mayo bacon & LTO.

That sounds promising, do you have any general guidelines? I know it sounds stupid, but I hate to try and "wing it" I don't have the, skill set I guess, yet. Perhaps I do but I'm the kind of person that will read six different recipes before making something I have made 1000 times no mater what - no confidence I guess! I do not belong here! Every online guide I found (Saveur, 'luvaduck' ... etc) was stove top. My kingdom for an Asian grocer! You are completely right of course, and I agree on quality and everything, plus this bird was completely squashed when I defrosted it. Not good. There is an 'Asian Supermarket' in the closest town (about an hour), and it is a treasure trove, it is also the size of my lounge room, covers the basics from Vietnam to Japan, all tinned or frozen but still a gem. I did see some ducks in their freezer and may try when I am over my disappointment!

((Quick note I'm sure there is probably already a topic but I'm obviously not punching in the right keywords - could someone do their merge magic for me?)) OK so, we all have them, some alignment of the stars or distractions that prove fatal for our cooking ambitions. I just had one, and I'm still kind of gutted. Anyone else suffered a mishap lately? I bought a duck recently, I don't think they're particularly cheap in my area, a "LuvADuck' brand frozen duck cost $24 Au at my local supermarket. I bought it specifically to try two things, I wanted to try and break down a bird (I have never done it before) and I really really wanted to try rendering my own duck fat (roast potatoes, roast potatoes, roast potatoes). It was going well, I read the post of favourite breaking down methods, watched a heap of videos and gave it a darn good try for my first attempt. So far so good. I then chopped all the skin and fat (there was a lot - a gold mine) into one inch ish pieces, loaded it into my pan, covered with water and let it start to do its thing. I kept checking and checking. it started to do the crackle and spit and it was smelling wonderful. And then life happened, and I was distracted by my little man. Anyway to cut the waffle - when I got back, my golden buttery Duck fat? Well. Well it was not golden. I had burnt the living sh.. out of it. I tried to strain it through the finest thing I had (goodbye stockings) in a attempt to salvage. But it was not to be. And now there is nearly a pint of dark aley looking, burnt tasting bird fat languish in a plastic bottle in the garbage. A fitting portrait of my weekend cooking dreams. The cat loved duck scratchings though - must not have taste receptors for 'acrid'.

We had Risotto (?) for Dinner. If I could get a do-over I'd probably rename myself "ITryReallyHardToCookButIhaveNeverEatenTheseThingsBeforeSoIDon'tKnowIfI'mDoingItRight' - Catchy no? My food experience is extremely limited restaurant wise, all I have to go on are my beloved cook books and the Internet. So I don't know if this is Risotto, I don't know if I got the "slow wave" texture the recipe required (I've lived in the UK and Australia and only know 'No Waves' and 'Frick thats a big Wave'). I used Arborio Rice, Homemade chicken stock (thank you freezer clearing post), white wine, enough butter to make James Martin proud and a (un)Healthy amount of Parmesan. Then I put in some peas because it looked like my Nannys rice pudding. I liked it, my carnivores said they did... have a feeling they were looking for the main course though. Edited to add: I don't think It's 'Gooey' enough... I know it's not quite runny enough.. it was gooey to me but, I'm ooze phobic.