I Cooked Dinner For A Week And Here's What Happened

I'm not a cook by any means. I can hardly open a can of tuna without cutting my finger off, neither can I cook pancakes without setting the neighborhood ablaze. I have set my toaster on fire on three different occasions.

So I thought it would be a great idea to cook dinner for the week.

My first idea was to just make salad every night, since that is the only thing I can make without putting anyone around me in danger. I am actually pretty good at salads, but then I remembered my intent was to use this experiment to get out of my comfort zone and learn something new.

My inspiration started when I was working out and watching Netflix. After a couple episodes of Psych, I got bored and turned on Kids' Cook Off. I watched eight year olds roll out their own homeade pasta and mix up beautiful cupcakes, and I got pretty embarrassed. Especially when I thought about how good my mom was at making scrumptious desserts and delicious meals, I seemed a little inadequate.

Look at me, fifteen years old, and I can't tell you what ingredients make up a chocolate chip cookie.

I have now set out on my mission. I can't gauruntee that my house won't be burned down after this week.

UPDATE: Sorry! I didn't take any pictures of my meals. The pictures you see are from the recipe.

Monday:

I'm pretty nervous, very fearful, but mostly excited.

I have decided to make pasta.

Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo by Iowa Girl Eats

Skill Level: Easy

This recipe was't too difficult, even for me. The recipe calls for boxed pasta. I needed a little help from the mumsie on the sauce, but I was able to cook the pasta with no problemo.

Note: The sauce turned out SUPER thick because we cooked it longer than the recommended time thinking it wasn't thick enough, but once you add in the cheese, that is when it gets thick. So just make sure to follow the instructions on the cooking time.

My rating: 5/5 STARS

This recipe was easy, fast, and super yummy! Even though I made the sauce a little too thick, if I would have followed the instructions exactly, it would have been perfect.

Would I make it again? Definitely

Tuesday:

Turkey Tacos by A Big Mouthful

Skill Level: Easy

These were so quick and easy, no help was needed! The only "real" cooking part was cooking the turkey. Included in the recipe was homemade taco seasoning, but to save time I just used store bought seasoning.

My rating: 5/5 STARS

This recipe was great for a weeknight. It took only about 15 minutes to prepare, and everyone loved it!

Would I make it again? Every Taco Tuesday!

Wednesday and Thursday:

Off

Friday:

Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli by Whole Foods Market

Skill Level: Easy

I skipped the pine nuts in this recipe. Also, my brown rice and chicken was already cooked. I cooked some onion and garlic in the olive oil and then added my broccoli and some of the broth. Then after the broccoli was softer, I added the rest of the broth with the brown rice and chicken.

My rating: 3.5/5 STARS

It was overall pretty easy to make, but I found it a little bland.

Would I make it again? Maybe, I would probably try another recipe first.

Saturday:

Jane Brody's Pumpkin Oat Pancakes from Bread and Love

Skill Level: Easy

We have had Jane Brody's Good Food Book for years now. My mom has been making this recipe from her book since we were able to eat solid foods. These have always been our favorite pancakes.

My Rating: 5/5 STARS

I love this recipe and even made it once before. It wasn't too difficult for me. But I accidentally put oil in the pan instead of cooking spray and it started smoking. Yikes! But that was a minor hiccup for me, and the rest of the process went smoothly.

Would I make it again? Obviously!

Sunday:

Weight Watchers Mexican Casserole by Recipe Diaries

Skill Level: Easy

This casserole was a breeze to make! Didn't need any help at all, and used very few dishes!

My Rating: 5/5 Stars

This was super yummy! Instead of the jalapeno, I used rotel tomatoes with green chilis for the kick factor. I also made a small batch of homemade tace seasoning, which was much tastier than the storebought kind! If you don't like spice, I would skip the jalapeno and green chiles and maybe add more cilantro for flavor.

Would I make it again? For sure

Conclusion:

This was a great experience for me. I learned a ton from this, and no house was burned down during this experiment.

It has also sparked more of an interest for me in cooking. Could this possibly be my next hobby? :)

This was so much fun, and so practical. I challenge you to try this too, if you don't ever cook!

Lots of Love,

Kat