Does Your Creativity Spill Over To Your Cooking?

No, the kitchen is not my favorite place in the house. I cook to feed my sweetie and I. By the time we get home from the studio I'm wiped out. Cooking takes energy, creative cooking takes lots of energy. The faster I can whip up a meal and eat the faster I can sit on the couch and decompress from the day.

When I make a Salad I picture a painting and add as many colours as possible

Well Darice I know you make up for it in the studio, your artwork shows it! I know cooking is not for everyone.

Only when I use to do wedding cakes and since we can not post images here is a link for the curious
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/wedding-cake-and-red-roses-andee-photography.html

Maybe for a salad when I was able to shoot more and did a few set ups for photos. Conor's comment
about salad reminding me of one I did on for that was pretty colorful I love bold colors.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/macaroni-salad-1-andee-photography.html

That's interesting Conor, I never really draw anything from my art to create a dish or at least nothing tangible yet I draw that sense of instant gratification from both my sculptures and cooking, what I mean is that when I make a sculpture I really enjoy making it, it gives me pleasure as I'm making it, seeing it take on a life of it's own, a need to see it finished today, soon so I can share it with other which also gives me great pleasure, especially when they like it, this is the same with cooking, I want to eat it, taste it , that hunger has to be satisfied, pleasure comes from gathering the ingredients, mixing them in anticipation of the fished dish, eating it but also sharing it with others that enjoy it. This is where I associate art and cooking.

Yes. =)

Mario, if you ask my mom, she'll tell you how much I dislike the kitchen....LOL. I was the only one of her daughters (she has 5) that would do anything to get out of kitchen duty hehehe. I sure like it when other people cook. I appreciate all the effort that goes into making a beautiful meal.

Andee, the cake is beautiful! Love the red& white. The salad also very colorful.

@Angelina, would you say that you use colors like in your art, or more on an intangible level having to do more with just a need to create?

Darice, my mother raised four boys only 2 of us really cook. I think it was important that I saw my father in the kitchen and never thought of it as some thing only women do in the kitchen.

Boy that lamb is smelling so good, the house has filled with the smell of rosemary,wine and all the spices cooking, that's another thing cooking encompasses so many of the senses, it's visual, touch, taste, smell, hearing the sizzle.

I cooked these up. My wife is the queen of the kitchen most of the time.

Good combination Edward, were they grilled or stove top? I love balsamic, I use a balsamic glaze a lot, so good it even goes well in desserts.

For a hot meal, "...peanut butter on toast"


Off-topic somewhat, but anyone remember which movie that line is that from?

Thanks Mario.

Greg never hard that one before but then I do not see many new movies these days.

Yes!

I do sometimes. I made horseradish pasta with sauteed mushrooms and strips of blackened pork-roast. I used a horseradish cheddar (Yancy's Fancy, makes the best). then added fresh grated horseradish as well. Some bell peppers, and red and yellow Capsicums, and shaved cauliflower. YUM!!

All this food talk is making me hungry! :)

@Angelina, would you say that you use colors like in your art, or more on an intangible level having to do more with just a need to create?

Yes to both. When I have the time to cook, I like the artful presentation. A variety of colors, making a rainbow out of food is fun. =) Even having selective colors with a variety of flavor is a challenge I enjoy.

Now that I am working full time my opportunities/time to make art has become limited. When I can cook...I would identify it as an intangible need to create. Even if It is temporary, it's enjoyed in the moment.

That's creative Dan! and sounds very delicious. My leg of lamb is going full swing and the smells are making me so hungry that with a little Ras El Hanout on it I could eat anything.lol

@Andee, that's the Idea.

Angie, yep I understand and that's where that instant gratification need kicks in.

When I am too lazy ( I mean busy...) to go to the store and I look in the fridge, I can be pretty creative. Have too. Just don't ask, it is all trial and error, but since everybody still walks straight, I guess it turns out OK most of the time.

I have at least 10 cookbooks and never used them. I get those recipe cards at the grocery store and put them in a binder "for the future";

I do make a killer Indonesian peanut butter sauce though

Mario, good for you! I really admire a cook, because I am with Darice on this. Cooking bores me out of my wits, but I love baking, mostly because I like sweet things. Somebody else can make the meal, I'll make dessert!

Patricia I started making bunt cakes as a child, that's actually where I made a name for myself, haha, however it never went beyond that in the desserts department, maybe my crepes with home made dulce de leche. I am a main course kinda guy.
@ Rudy, it's the effort that counts, unless you have a house full of hungry guests! I think everyone has least one dish they really well.

Mario - I usually have a house full of guests on Sundays and I am the only one that makes breakfast, lunch, and diner. Nobody else has a clue. The kitchen is my home away from home.

it sounded like I was kidding, but I am really pretty good in making something out of nothing. I don't use recipes because I really don't feel like buying a jar of something only to use 1/2 teaspoon for a recipe and then never use it again

My creativity definitely bleeds over to cooking! I have a big cookbook collection and I love to read through them in my spare time. My husband teases me because I read so many cookbooks but rarely follow a recipie as written. I always put a twist of my own on a dish. Childhood flavors are a big part of what I like to cook. Southwestern, Kansas City BBQ, wild game, Italian. I also enjoy baking sweets and usually make a variety of candies at Christmas.

Ah ha, I had a feeling Rudy, some thing tells me your like a New Orleans kinda guy, what is it, Gumbo? Shrimp and grits? lol

I love the weekends, both for cooking and for creating art, they are both important to me. Today I made a sculpture and feel very satisfied with it, it's titled "Why, Why God". Now on to the cooking, I'm making "Langosta Enchilladas" Lobster tails in a hot tomato base sauce" Hooter's style fried Chicken wings, steamed little neck clams and celery with chunky blue cheese dip, all served with cold, cold Dos XX's beer in frosted mugs, so it goes down cool. (My Version Of Surf and Turf)

"Does Your Creativity Spill Over To Your Cooking?"

Heck no.

Lois, that was not even a maybe or just a little bit or once in a while, that was a heck no, no way in heck I got better things to do than be in the kitchen no. Lol That's quite all right Lois all that means is that you channel all your creative energy into to your art work and from looking at your gallery you do that extremely well! We can't all be artist in the same medium.

Yes, absolutely. Not only cooking but when I set the table, since there are only two of us now I plate the food in an attractive manner. After all presentation is everything. Each year I do a limited calendar for family and friends. This year it was my photos (abstract) coupled with our favorite family recipes.

Many of my personal foods are what I call 15 minute recipes so no slaving in the kitchen required. I have been doing much of the cooking for years. Although my wife is an outstanding cook. Since I work at home it seemed simple that I prepared many of our meals.

Creative cooking, I don't know. Creative sandwich making, at least.

Yes... Absolutely. I love to cook. Especially Thai style curries/stir fries and other Asian dishes. I love to experiment with food which is very creative, although when cooking for myself everything usually ends up tasting of turmeric and coconut milk.. my favourites :-)

I would say my creativity spills over to preventing me from cooking lol, I have my 15 year old cook more so I can paint and she loves to cook so it all works out and I clean after her cooking

@Kevin, I understand exactly about setting the table , even when every once in a long while we order take out I find myself throwing out all the packaging and serving it with nice plating and such. I often make my 22 year old son rearrange the table cloth if it hangs more on one end of the table than the other, he does not get it, lol. I also have an arsenal of quick but delicious dishes for those days where I'm just not in the mood but don't want take out.

@ Antonin, that is a very creative sandwich you have there, they certainly count and I enjoy a good sandwich myself, I make a mean Italian grinder, with mortadella, cappicoa, large soppressata, provalone cheese and mayo, banna peppers, viniger and olive oil, on a freash crusty french or Italian loaf, wash down with cold beer(spelling might off) but it makes one good sandwich.

@ Barry, I have not experimented much with thai food or stir fries, but I' always open for new things to try, I do make my own curry spice blend and I love turmeric in my stews and brazed dishes. I aslo make a few seafood dishes which I use the coconut milk with hot spices and it's amazing!

@Leah, but of course! Your the painting Maniac how could you possibly have time? lol, It's sounds like you got it covered with your 15 year old, Now one thing I failed to mention here is I DON'T DO DISHES, lol but my wife does not mind one bit, but some dishes, I came make one heck of a good mess.

@ Mario Carta ... you got dat right. Cooking is a pain in the ... neck. You basically give up three hours of your life each and every day ... stand there, stirring, getting your fingers burned, your legs and feet tired, bored out of your head, turn your back and everything burns or boils over. And don't even get me started on chopping things (I have a scar to prove I know whereof I speaketh). Sit down with the family and 5 minutes later they're off doing something else, then ... THEN ... oh joy of joys ... you get to clean the whole mess up.

Yep. Heck no.

Lois, your not alone, I know a lot of people who share your sentiments about cooking, but I also know that many such as yourself make the perfect dinner guest and I enjoy serving because they are the quintessential epicurist and further they don't rant about there special family recipes and under mine the dinner. Lol

I almost live off my home grown tomato salsa in the summer. I grow a bounty of tomatoes and peppers every summer. Chopped onions and peppers, diced tomatoes, Trader Joes hot sauce, Trader Joes organic unsalted chips. It's quick, cheap, healthy, and nutritious. I eat it everyday until the tomatoes finally give out and don't get tired of it. It is perfect for summer when you don't want as much hardier comfort food as in winter.

Mario ... so true ... funny we should be having this conversation as I come from a loooooong line of GREAT cooks ... my mom would sit down and read a cookbook the way the rest of us read novels (well, those of us who still read, lol!!). And my cousins will bat recipes back and forth to each other like tennis balls. It actually wasn't until recently that I finally stood up, broke the shackles of family tradition and admitted ... I hate to cook!!!

Jim, I like tomatoes, but every day no way! I need variety in my life, now I'm not at all against a pico de gallo with my quesadillas or tacos but I could not eat the same thing ever day even if it were lobster or filet mignon. How do you do it?

@Lois, that was very funny, I could just imagine the looks you must have gotten when you said that. Lol

TODAY'S EASY RECIPE "CHICKEN RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS" my own.

I box jumbo stuffed shell
3-4 cups of mozzarella shreded cheese
1 large onion
1 small pack fresh button mushrooms
1 small pack fresh baby spinach
4 garlic cloves
1 tbs oregano
1 bay leaf
4 chicken thighs (fresh)
1 lbs fresh Italian sausgae (Mild)
1 large can 8 0z Tomatoe puree & 1 can of water
1/4cup red wine
2 tbs sugar
salt & pepper
1 large whole milk Ricotta cheese 12 0z.

In a large pot add tomatoe puree and 1 can of water, 1/4 cup red wine, 2tbs sugar, 1teaspoon salt,1/2 teaspon black pepper, 1 bay leave, 1 tbs oregano, and start to cook on medium or medium low. Cook this for 2 -3 hours really slow with it barley bubbling for best results.

In frying pan salt and pepper your chicken and add some oilve oil and brown chicken 6 or 7 min each side, start skin side down and turn once. Add chicken to sauce, cut Italian sausage in 1-2 inch pieces and brown in same oilve oil 4-5 min each side, add that to sauce also.

Now chop onion fine, and add to frying pan in same oil you cooked sausage, cook them slow on low heat about 20 min, or till they start turning golden brown, when almost done add the chopped garlic gloves and cook 2-3 min more, add the onions and garlic to the sauce, stir often sides and bottom of sauce.

Blanch your spinach in hot water, 1 min. remove and drain, when cool chop the spinach and but in large bowl, saute the mushrooms chopped small until browned, add to the spinach, add the ricotta when every thing is cooled to spinach, add 2tbs parmigano grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for now.

Now remove only the chicken from the sauce, the sauce should be done. Cut the chicken in small pieces cutting around the bone, cut it small leave the sauce on the chicken and maybe add 1/4 cup of the sauce (let it cool) into the ricotta mix with the chicken you just chopped, mix everything loosely and set aside.

Boil your Jumbo shells in boiling water for 9 min., they don't have to be totally cooked at this point, drain them and rinse in cold to stop the cooking and sticking. Now With a teaspoon stuff the ricotta mixture into each of the shells, about 2 teaspoons or so in each shell, place in a baking dish, when done top the shells with most of the sauce, and sprinkle 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, place in oven at 350 for 30 min, the last 5 min on broil so cheese starts to brown, watch it don't burn the cheese. You are now ready to serve the shells with the sausage and remaining sauce, Crusty Italian bread, and a cezars salad, paired with a bottle of your favorite Red or white wine. ENJOY

This is how my stuffed shells turned out. They were mighty tasty. These images are just snap shots as I was hungry and wanted to sit down and eat.

Today is Friday, I don't need much of a reason to celebrate with my favorite meal A traditional Argentine Parrillada ( Mixed Grilled Argentine cut meats) served with the famous chimi chuirri sauce (home made of course). Today's asado which happens to be the Argentine signature meal is composed of Italian sausage (large Italian influence in Argentina's cooking), I would prefer chorizos Argentino, not like Spanish chorizo at all, blood saugae Morcilla, and Mollejas, better known as sweet breads, a cut of meat from the neck glands of a cow. Back ribs or short ribs, called tira de asado, all grilled over a bed of real hardwoods or charcoal. Serve this with a salad some mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, some cold beer or a nice Mendoza red wine and this becomes a most memorable experience, one I repeat almost weekly. What does this have to do with art? Everything!

When I was 17, I was an enlisted sailor in the U.S.Navy and worked as a Mess Management Specialist on the U.S.S. Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7) for two years. But I don't really like working in the kitchen as fast as i had to back then. Now I just grab whatever is available and don't enjoy cooking at all.Is cooking creative? Yep but I like drawing better,Plus I can look at the drawing for years afterwards. Cooked art...is gone quick.

Jerry, cooked art is gone quick, but boy can it be good! Lol Today I'm making an Italian dish, Linguine with muscles and putanesca sauce. Here is my recipe if you decide to try it.

1 1/2 lbs. of muscles FRESH LIVE!
1/2 stick butter
1 long hot pepper
3 or 4 green onions
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 small yellow union
1 cup heavy cream
1 lbs. linguine (dry pasta)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup Chardonnay white wine
1 can petite diced tomatoes
3 or 4 garlic gloves chopped

Pour olive oil in a large frying pan, add chopped onion, cook for 10 min on med. then toss in the washed muscles, garlic, hot pepper chopped, cook for 10 min. now add wine, cook 2 min, add tomatoes, and cream and green onions, turn heat down, salt and pepper to taste add butter and simmer on low for 10 min. Cook pasta in large pot for 9 min, drain and add to the cream sauce, cook for 2 or 3 min. more garnish with parsley and ready to serve. with a caesar salad.

enjoy!

I'm Feeling creative today but not for making sculptures as it's very hot outdoors so I will channel that feeling into a nice late afternoon meal. This is what I have in mind, A fresh home made pasta of Tallarines (A type Of noodle) made from scratch. The sauce a red pasta sauce made with crushed tomatoes and flavored with chicken thighs, Italian sausage, and some beef flanken style ribs. As an appetizer I will make some Mollejas Tapas MUST BE FRESH not frozen( fried Beef sweetbreeads) made with garlic parsley, lemon and a splash of wine. This served with a nice baby greens salad with a real blue cheese and a balsamic vinaigrette. The wine, my favorite is an Argentine Malbec From Mendoza, excellent for about $10. dollars, if anyone one wants to try this I'll post my own recipe, just let me know.

.

Antonin,

Your sandwich looks suspiciously like your head shot, maybe you should eat less sandwiches! I'm just say'in...

Mario,

Wow, those grilled meats look amazing, you are a gourmet cooking machine! No wonder your wife doesn't mind cleaning up...Thanks for the easy recipes, list them all if you have the energy, I know they are all really good!

I know what you mean about the photography I want to eat first and sometimes I do and rearrange everything in another dish later!

Jim,

I'm like you I could live off of homegrown tomatoes and salsa!

Barry,

Coconut milk and curries are amazing ingredients. I love Asian and so easy. I just recently made a peanut sauce noodle salad (it had the ingredients I had on hand) recently. Amongst all the recipes, after the fact I found the best one on Chow.com.

And it's Friday again! I'm going to do a repeat of the pasta I made 4 days ago except this time I'm going with The Mostacchioli dry pasta as it carries the sauce so well, the sauce is going to be the same. I will make a simple fresh salad with Bostan lettuce vine ripe tomatoes and onion, salt, pepper, red wine vinger and extra virgin olive oil, a crust bread to soak up the pasta sauce.

Suzanne thanks, those grilled meat dishes are staple food for me and I make it at least once a week, I vary the meats I use. I agree coconut and curries are so good I like making seafood in a stewed manner using those ingredients. I will try to keep this thread going and when I have time I will share my recipes, the part is a bit challenging as I don't use recipes my self I only on occasion refer to recipes to get a general idea of ingredients of dishes I want to try or am unfamiliar with.

I can get pretty creative when cooking--but I think that is largely due to the fact that I live in a rural area. Believe me, when a trip to the grocery store means a 60-mile round trip, you WILL find a way to make something out of whatever you already happen to have in your kitchen!

@Delilah, so true, I lived on a farm as a child for a while and I certainly know what your saying! One also gets a greater appreciation form things purchased from those long trips to the grocery store.

No...but my cooking sometimes spills over on my stove..hehe...I was a cook on board the USS Oliver Hazard Perry FFG-7 for 2 years when i was 17 and learned a lot became professional as a mess management specialist but after i got out in 1982 i worked as a cook on merchant vessels but I really dont like to cook...I perfer to draw and create on paper or whatever. Iam visual but cooking is very popular now, esp on t.v.

Jerry, that must have been some experience, what type of vessel is that ? That was some responsibility for such a young age!

Sunday's were always special in the sense that it was a day that both my mother and father were home and it was a day when my mother would often cook up something just a little extra special.

I to follow in that tradition, and Sunday meals are always just a little more special than any other day of the week, most of the time.

So today I am in the process of cooking up a Cuban dish called Camarones Enchilados, Shrimp Enchilado, funny thing is I learned making this dish from my wife Alina who is Cuban, but now I'm the one that ends up making it every time, she so cleverly says to me yours taste better,Lol I figured that story out a long time ago. This dish is basically a spicy tomatoes base sauce (has Beer in it). Not very difficult to make but you have to have Fresh Non Farm Raised Jumbo Pink Shrimp, No not really but it helps, it's what I like to use. We serve this with a simple hass avacado sliced and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, white rice with Cuban style black beans, and with tostonnes which are green plantains fried to a crisp, also tomatoes sliced in 1/4 slices with olive oil and vinegar.I don't have a recipe written for this one but if it's one you fancy just let me know and I will post mine.

Thanks to all who took part in this thread, I'm closing this one but I plan on another one to share more good food ideas.