A little over a year ago I started cooking one wholesome meal per week, on Sunday nights.  I didn't have an goal or time span in mind, it just seemed like a fun thing to do and a way to counteract the bad meal plans that had come to dominate our family suppers.  Supper is typically cooked by the work-at-home parent, not me, and a combination of boredom and back pain had dramatically reduced his interest in cooking.  Our typical dinner had become barbeque on white bread or frozen Philly beef subs.

I also tried to make extras for leftovers or even prepare an occasional second dinner, like a casserole that could be baked later in the week.

So how'd I do?  (One note--shortly after I started, I read An Omnivore's Dilemma and decided I was never going to purchase or prepare meat that wasn't free range.  Witha  few exceptions in the early weeks, all beef mentioned is free-range, grass fed; the chicken is free range and the pork is from local farmers, raised on pasture.  The eggs are from the farm down the street.  The veggies, however, are seldom organic unless they came from my garden.)

August

Fish stew and rice -- Edward and I loved it; the others tolerated it. GG
Grilled spicy garlic shrimp, pepper and pineapple Kabobs -- Edward and I liked it okay, the others tolerated it. P
Stouffer's lasagne and garlic bread -- it needed a salad or some fresh fruit to make a meal ~
Homemade "Olive Garden" copycat minestrone, frozen breadsticks, crab cakes -- Great, great, great!  The boys liked it; Callie wouldn't touch it. GG

September

   

• Chicken gnocchi soup, hot ham and cheese sandwiches with poppyseed dressing -- Pretty good for three of us; Callie (luckily) absent. GG
• Carne deshebrada burritos, refried beans, baked Mexican brown rice and guacamole -- great!  The boys liked it; Callie wouldn't touch it.
• Frozen fish sandwiches and frozen shrimp, corn on cob -- no brainer
• Italian meatloaf, country green beans, and Jeff's potato pancakes -- good, maybe great, but too fattening for me GG
• Mini pizzas with homemade crust, ambrosia -- me:decent;family, ok
• Fish creole, baked brown rice, roasted brocolli with sesame seeds - me:heavenly, family: too
• Chile rellenos casserole and chipotle black bean stew -- me: heavenly; the boys ate it; Callie was blessedly absent GG
• Baked chicken, half in mole sauce and half in normal barbeque sauce, leftover beans, salad with avocado, brocolli w cheese -- nobody liked mole X

October

Tofu stir fry, brocolli beef, hot and sour soup, baked brown rice -- a great and three goods GG
Magianno's rip-off lasagne, garlic bread, Swiss chard -- mostly okay ~
Dr. Bruce's Awesome Grilled Salmon, mashed potatoes, garlic buttered green beans and baked apples -- good but hardly "awesome" G
Lemon roasted chicken with herbs, rosemary roasted new potatoes, brocolli with cheese, apple crisp -- 2 greats and 2 goods GG
Whole wheat tuna/cheddar rolls, rattatouie, sweet potatoes, grapefruit -- great (me), two goods and an abstain GG

November

Clam chowder and pan toasted croutons, salmon patties, spinach with cream cheese, tropical chef salad - a great, two goods, and someone wouldn't touch it GG
My own grilled chicken wrap, Santa Fe black bean salad, guacamole and chips, pumpkin pie - double awesome (me and who cares about anyone else?) GG
Hoppin' John from Cookus Interruptus, corn bread muffins, turnip greens, pork cutlets in mustard sauce - no complaints G
Turkey, dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, giblet gravy.  Dietary nightmare (me) but everyone liked it G

December

• Thai grilled shrimp pinapple, wild and brown rice pilaf, roasted vegetables, fried tofu - not spectacular but edible G
• Turkey enchiladas, refried beans without the refry, guacamole, raw vegetable medley - I liked it but my enchilada technique needs work G
• Hand's oysters casino, steamed fish Oriental style, rosemary roasted potatoes, turnip greens, grapefruit - we didn't like the oysters much ~

January

• Coq Au Vin a la Italiana, white bean and kale(collards) minestroni, rice, grapefruit - not great M
  Flounder with spinach and cheese by Hands, scalloped tomatoes by Hands, corn muffins, grapefruit - I liked it, okay? ~
  Turkey and dumplings, deviled eggs, Hoppin John, brocolli, apple crisp - someone doesn't like corn in his blackeyed peas G
  Smoked Salmon Reuben sandwiches from Cookus, frozen fish, spinach mashed potatoes, grapefruit - bad recipes poorly executed X

February

Sausage and eggs, fluffy pancakes, brocolli with cheese, and grapefruit-orange medley - nothing to complain about GG
Country green beans, Maple butter nut granola - ha, ha, cheated!  Family went to a potluck G
My own grilled chicken wraps, three sisters stew, fresh veggies & ranch dip, guacamole - I THOUGHT 3 SISTERS STEW WAS GREAT! GG
Salmon on the Half Shell by Hands, frozen fried shrimp, turnip greens, fresh fruit salad - Callie ate the salmon (shocker!) but I don't remember about the rest of us ~

March

Tacos, refried beans (half black) in the crock pot, tomatilla salsa, guacamole & chips - the salsa was bad but the rest okay P
Penne pasta with meatballs and vegetables - potentially great except I left it for Ed to bake in the oven and it took too long and got a little crunchy around the edges  GG
Brocolli beef, teriyaki chicken, stir-fried vegetables & tofu, brown rice - A good time was had by all  GG
Bayou country seafood casserole, mixed vegetables from freezer, fish creole, dessert tart from paper - good as usual  GG

April

Fried tofu,  egg McMuffins, sweet potato corn muffins, fruit salad - the corn muffins were dry but interesting PP
Beef and shrimp fajitas, leftover refried beans; baked brown Spanish rice; guacamole - great and Callie had a second helping  GG
Barbequed ribs, potato salad, corn on cob, strawberry crisp - I messed up on the ribs but they were still pretty good GG
Eggs, sausage, biscuits, veggie platter - family staple G
Potato salad, sloppy joes, veggie platter - (couple of extra meals this month--Ed was out)  G
Penne Arabiata, frozen vegetable, garlic toast - fabulous  GG
Spinach quesadillas, chorizo quesadillas, turkey enchiladas; guacamole, refried beans, queso and chips  GG

May

Salmon cakes, baked scallops, brocolli with garlic butter and cashews - not great recipes ~
Swedish meatball casserole and no vegetables - disappointing (no vegetables) but the family liked it G
Roasted chicken with herbs, roasted corn on cob, sauteed Swiss chard, country green beans - I thought it was great but the kids didn't eat for other reasons P
Omelettes, sausage, hash browns, sauteed Swiss chard, cinnamon rolls - no one complained and we all overate GG
Sweet and sour pork, fried tofu, brocolli beef, chinese green beans, baked brown rice - a lot of work but delightful results GG

June

Fajitas, sauteed Swiss chard, purple hull peas, guacamole, sliced ripe tomatoes - good staple, no complaints GG
Barbequed meatballs, potato salad, sphaghetti squash - meatballs were dry and boring and no one liked the squash X

July

Grilled fish, shrimp fried rice, brocolli with cheese sauce, fruit salad with whipped cream - decent reviews GG
Ground beef enchiladas, Hoppin' John, guacamole, leftover fruit from yesterday - I didn't care for the recipe X
Boeuf Borgiononne, garlic mashed potatoes, corn, peas, fruit salad - beef was great but we didn't care for the sides G

August

Sausage, scrambled eggs, fried apple & cherry turnovers, frozen vegetables with cheese sauce - I scored a hit on the turnovers but required Callie's help to finish them.  Trickly little blighters  GG
Grilled mongolian pork chops, baked potatoes, Julia Child's spinach, salad with avocado - the chops were overcooked and needed longer marinade time but the spinach was great G
Broiled swai parmesan, frozen fried shrimp, blackeyed peas, turnip greens, canned biscuits - I thought the fish was awesome!  Who cares what anyone else thinks? GG

September

• Enchiladas verdes, beef fajitas, spanish rice, queso, guac and chips, fruit salad - yum, yum, but the rice was mushy GG
  
• Minestrone, salmon patties, spinach feta quiche, baked sweet potatoes - very good (me) except for the quiche but the other guys weren't impressed ~
• Penne pasta with meatballs and vegetable sauce, garlic bread, salad - no record of results ~
• Sausage, eggs, turnovers (apple and cherry), brocolli with cheese - good again G

October

Red beans and rice, cole slaw, devilled eggs - I liked it but no record of the others G
Chicken pie with liver pate, turnip greens, ambrosia - everyone hated the pate flavor X
Frozen fish, frozen shrimp, french fries, leftover succotash - no one ever complains about frozen fast food G
Crab and shrimp pasta, peas with mushrooms, creamed tuna, cookies - great, with cookies GG

So, this is fourteen months of cooking, 64 meals, and about 120 recipes that were either new or at least complicated enough that I had to consult the directions.  For example: baked sphaghetti squash was a recipe because I had to look up the directions on line; baked sweet potatoes was not.

The distribution of meal results are:
GG great - 30
G   good - 19
~   so-so - 9
X  bomb - 6

I think that's a pretty good achievement, even considering that I only chose recipes that I expected one or more of the family members to like.  Nothing too healthy, too spicy, or too vegetarian as much as I would have liked to.  If I went back and looked at the percentage of meals that I would consider decently nutritious...at least 48 or so.

I also noticed that my photography got better as time went on and that fruit salads make prettier pictures than meat dishes.

Ideas for the future:
1. More fish
2. Keep pushing the vegetables
3. Less Mexican unless you come up with some healthier side dishes
4. More fresh fruit.  I learned that kids will eat all kinds of fruit if it's mixed up in a chunky fruit salad.
5. Stir fries are a lot of work but worth it.
and last,
6. If I love a dish, does it really matter who else hates it?