ReNe: forays into cooking

Friends who knew me back in Singapore knew I don't cook. Or that I didn't cook. Whether it's because chemistry skills do not readily transfer to the kitchen or because it's just so easy and cheap to eat out in Singapore or because it's a feminist issue (Mike's opinion) or because it's bad for my skin (drying on the hands)....

People have expressed worry about whether I could feed myself once I'm in the US.

So far, no smoke alarm has been set off, no case of the runs. (The former is actually a valid concern; a classmate of mine who stays in an apartment just down the hallway from me actually did set off the alarm before.) The menu has been a little monotonous but simple is also good. Can't afford the time or money to make elaborate multi-course meals...

Some early attempts:
Fried rice. Possibly one of the simplest things to cook.


Yaki soba. Er. It tastes as appetizing as it looks... In fact, it tastes like yaki 'instant noodles'.


An attempt one night to finish the stuff in the fridge, hence the odd combination of bread and dishes that normally go with rice. I actually like this; it's rather 'creative'. The bread was the kind that I bought half-baked, that is to say all the yeast rising had been done, and all I had to do was pop it in the oven. Even though it was 2 weeks past expiry (and THAT problem deserved a blog post all on its own, about how half the stuff I have is past expiry), it was pretty tasty still. Very tasty in fact. Probably because it was 'freshly' baked. The asparagus was also withered but unlike the bread, it was beyond recovery. It tasted terrible. The pork and mushroom dish, to be honest, wasn't too good either.


Pasta. Another simple dish.

Salad. What I usually have for lunch. This was taken before classes started. These days, I pack the same thing in... doesn't look quite as nice.

What I had one night when I got back past 9 and was too tired to contemplate cooking. So I simply popped a biscuit (at least what they call a biscuit here in the US; it's a puffy pastry-like thing) into the oven, peeled off a couple of lettuce leaves and turkey ham.

Later attempts at cooking:


Fried rice, a few attempts later. Looking and tasting better now. The reason it seems like a lot is because I was making enough for lunch the next day. Turned out I made so much I had enough for lunch the next day... and the day after that... and the day after that as well.

Pasta. Also improving.

And now, my dinner tonight: rice; beef and peppers; and brussell sprouts, broccoli and carrots. I'm trying to finish the beef, brussell sprouts and broccoli (1 week old) and bell pepper (2 weeks old). The rice is fresh though. But though the ingredients were a little old, I rate tonight's dinner as more than decent.