Help with a lack of inspiration in the kitchen

[andiesenji]

I have a folder that lives on my Mac desktop and has for years. The title is simple "Recipes - Interesting" and at present it contains 735 items. Most are recipes, some are photos that accompanied the recipes and they all are dishes that seemed interesting when I read about them or heard about them and then searched for them. Some are folders with groups of recipes under a specific heading and one of these folders is titled simply "Food, etc." and it contains 656 items, none duplicating the recipes in the main folder. Another folder is "Christmas Recipes" and it contains 487 recipes, all related to Christmas.

Some of these many recipes are scanned from my collection of cookbooks (long before I joined this forum) and some are typed from notes I took while talking to someone. Many are from the internet and from user groups when all I had was Compuserve, before the internet as we know it came into being.

I will never live long enough to try them all because there are always new recipes and ideas falling into my notice.

In fact, I was looking through this folder earlier today to find plantain recipes as yesterday my neighbor picked up a bunch from the Mexican market and when she got home learned that her husband and sons wanted to go fishing in Baja, so she gave me some of the perishables that won't keep till they get back and she isn't going to cook them just for herself.

So, I'm going to make Plantains with stewed pork.

The recipe sounds interesting and a bit different. It was dictated to me by one of the patients that came to my boss while I was still working.

I added it to the folder in June, 2002.

PLANTAINS with STEW

Recipe from Mickey Delooie, from Grand Cayman

3 yellow plantains (close to ripe)

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tsp. chile powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (or more if you like the flavor)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice, ground

2 lg. red tomatoes

1 cup cooked chicken, pork or beef - cut into bite-size pieces

Peel plantains and cut into 3/4 inch slices.

Heat oil in deep skillet or saucier, then fry plantain slices until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels and transfer to a covered dish.

Pour hot oil into a heat-proof measure, discard all but 1/4 cup.

Turn burner to medium, return 1/4 cup of oil to the pan.

Add onions, saute until just translucent

Add salt and spices

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly

Add chopped tomatoes

Add chicken, pork or beef.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Pour over warm plantains and serve with a green salad.

So that's how I get inspired to cook something new and different.

I've decided that I am going to convert this recipe (except for frying the plantains) for the Thermomix.

Edited September 30, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[Tri2Cook]

I used to use the TGRWT and Royal Foodie Joust challenges to give me a kick in the pants. Having to create something from ingredients or a theme determined by others (sometimes with an intentional nasty little twist ala Chopped) that you are going to post publicly alongside many other creations can light the fire during the worst kitchen blues. Those challenges seem to have fallen into not happening very often these days. I know from reading through the pastry forum index and checking out old posts that some pretty cool challenges used to take place here on eGullet. They were before my time here but it would be awesome to see that sort of thing make a new appearance.

[Katie Meadow]

The cure may depend upon the reasons for your non-inspiration. Mine always has to do with the fact that since I cook just about every night (only for two now, which is actually less inspiring than cooking for three) I just get sick of it and need a break. My solution is to cook large pots of very easy things (to create meals of left-overs) and supplement them with raw vegetables, coleslaws, tuna melts, popcorn and, when totally desperate, cold cereal (usually lunch, not dinner, unless I happen to be alone.)

I make a big pot of beans, a simple mac and cheese, etc; whatever I can do in my sleep, essentially, and lay in a good supply of stuff for sandwiches, cucumbers, radishes, carrots and fruit that needs nothing more than washing, peeling and salting. After about a week of this I am rested and ready to contemplate cooking interesting food again.

[CaliPoutine]

The cure may depend upon the reasons for your non-inspiration. Mine always has to do with the fact that since I cook just about every night (only for two now, which is actually less inspiring than cooking for three) I just get sick of it and need a break. My solution is to cook large pots of very easy things (to create meals of left-overs) and supplement them with raw vegetables, coleslaws, tuna melts, popcorn and, when totally desperate, cold cereal (usually lunch, not dinner, unless I happen to be alone.)

I make a big pot of beans, a simple mac and cheese, etc; whatever I can do in my sleep, essentially, and lay in a good supply of stuff for sandwiches, cucumbers, radishes, carrots and fruit that needs nothing more than washing, peeling and salting. After about a week of this I am rested and ready to contemplate cooking interesting food again.

I have zero inspiration. I recently divorced and moved from Ontario, Canada back to sunny So Cal. My partner works until 9pm( often later with overtime) She usually eats at work and doesnt really want to eat anything other than cereal or a PB&J when she gets home. Additionally, I had a gorgeous, remodeled kitchen in Canada with tons of space. My kitchen here is in serious need of an overhall and its about the size of a postage stamp.

Last night I had 8 frozen shrimp/lobster( buitoni) ravioli(ok, but the sauce was gross) and the night before I had a lean cuisine(sucked). I really miss cooking/baking but I dont know what to make anymore. Unlike my previous spouse( she ate anything and everything), my partner is super picky. I dont have the freezer space to store huge quantities of food. Also, its still hot as hell here and I can't fathom eating traditional cold weather foods. On the bright side, I do have access to farmer's markets, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joes, etc. I dont have to keep a huge stock of food like I did when I lived in Small town Ontario.

Help!!

PS: I still dont eat beef( I do eat chicken( white only) and fish. My partner eats beef, but needs to cut back.

Edited September 30, 2010 by CaliPoutine (log)

[IndyRob]

Pictures usually do it for me. I have one cookbook that is generally unremarkable except for the fact that all the recipes are pictorially represented in a thumbnail format in a large section at the front. Or I use Google/Bing image searches.

Sometimes I'm intrigued and want to learn more and look up the recipe. Other times, I just imagine what I want that picture to be about, and go after that.

[Lilith]

I put all of my cookbooks into an Excel spreadsheet and created a randomizer to select a book to cook out of. It's worked pretty well so far - marinated pork sandwiches with caramelized onions from "Lobel's Meat and Wine Cookbook" to start.

[Zacky]

Challenges, eh? hmmmm! Good idea.

Let me cogitate a while and get back to you.

[Kerry Beal]

I used to use the TGRWT and Royal Foodie Joust challenges to give me a kick in the pants. Having to create something from ingredients or a theme determined by others (sometimes with an intentional nasty little twist ala Chopped) that you are going to post publicly alongside many other creations can light the fire during the worst kitchen blues. Those challenges seem to have fallen into not happening very often these days. I know from reading through the pastry forum index and checking out old posts that some pretty cool challenges used to take place here on eGullet. They were before my time here but it would be awesome to see that sort of thing make a new appearance.

Good plan - you want to start the next one?

[Jenni]

Do something new. Something different. Step outside of your comfort zone.

All of these could be accomplished by trying to learn about and experiment with a new cuisine. Thai? Mexican? Chinese? Moroccan? Lebanese? Italian? Peruvian? Why not pick a country that you've always quite admired food-wise (or not - maybe pick a country you know nothing about!). Then pick a region. Then get googling, looking through books, etc. Then post your results in the correct regional forum for us all to drool over!

[Rico]

This happened to me yesterday, and I just got out my Flavor Bible and started leafing through it. Five minutes later, I had (almost inadvertently) mixed and matched my way to a dinner plan ...

[Tri2Cook]

Good plan - you want to start the next one?

I'll have to give it some thought. If I can figure out something that will be more than a "yeah, we could do that..." that drifts off the radar in a few days, I just might do it. The trick to the challenges I've participated in (and the old ones I've read about here) was that it got passed along from person to person in some manner so that it encouraged participation and kept going for more than one round. I'll see if I can come up with something... and if anybody else is interested and comes up with something, they can jump in at any time.

[Kerry Beal]

Good plan - you want to start the next one?

I'll have to give it some thought. If I can figure out something that will be more than a "yeah, we could do that..." that drifts off the radar in a few days, I just might do it. The trick to the challenges I've participated in (and the old ones I've read about here) was that it got passed along from person to person in some manner so that it encouraged participation and kept going for more than one round. I'll see if I can come up with something... and if anybody else is interested and comes up with something, they can jump in at any time.

The last ones were fun while they lasted - would be good to play that way again!

[Prawncrackers]

This is the very reason this forum exists for me. I get inspiration all the time from it, so far it's worked and thankfully I've never been in any kind of long term food rut. Inspiration drives motivation and being a greedy bugger helps too, because I just want to eat good food at every meal. If you're dining-out options are limited then the only guarantee is to cook it yourself. I think that is what it comes down to for me, I want to eat good stuff so either I can spend £££s on good restaurant food or spend £s on the raw ingredients and do it myself. For me there's definitely more pleasure in the latter!

Fat Guy's idea of keeping a list is exactly what I've been doing for the past few years but in photo form (have a click on my tagline if you've never checked it out before). If I need inspiration I can always have a flick through and think wow that Osso Bucco dish was nice or it's time to make Chicken Rice again. I'm only surprised that not more people do it! As for inspiration for new ideas, I follow the others here in thinking there's quite a big world of food out there. There are enough great dishes out there that I could cook a different one every day for the rest of my life, inspiration enough. I crave variety, my idea of food hell would be to eat the same thing day after day, even if it's a favourite.

[plum tart]

This is the very reason this forum exists for me. I get inspiration all the time from it, so far it's worked and thankfully I've never been in any kind of long term food rut. Inspiration drives motivation and being a greedy bugger helps too, because I just want to eat good food at every meal. If you're dining-out options are limited then the only guarantee is to cook it yourself. I think that is what it comes down to for me, I want to eat good stuff so either I can spend £££s on good restaurant food or spend £s on the raw ingredients and do it myself. For me there's definitely more pleasure in the latter!

Fat Guy's idea of keeping a list is exactly what I've been doing for the past few years but in photo form (have a click on my tagline if you've never checked it out before). If I need inspiration I can always have a flick through and think wow that Osso Bucco dish was nice or it's time to make Chicken Rice again. I'm only surprised that not more people do it! As for inspiration for new ideas, I follow the others here in thinking there's quite a big world of food out there. There are enough great dishes out there that I could cook a different one every day for the rest of my life, inspiration enough. I crave variety, my idea of food hell would be to eat the same thing day after day, even if it's a favourite.

I agree with you completely - that has always been my idea of food hell too. I know people who make a pot of soup and EAT IT EVERY DAY!!! Noooooooooo!

I commute a long distance to work every day so that I can't prepare a delicious meal every day but I do prepare enough different meals on the weekend so that I won't have any repeats. Mostly the meals that suit this habit are braises, daubes, ragus, curries, and stews. Fish is fast so I will cook that fresh, as well as steak, chops and sausages. And if I have duck confit on hand, that is fast too.

I am completely incapable of repeating a meal over the period of a week no matter how much I love it. I don't regard the meals prepared in advance as left overs either, they are all dishes whose flavor improves over time.