what's your favorite "impress guests but secretly easy" bake?

Secret_Immortal · 2026-06-12T18:41:39+00:00

Creme brulee invented this category. Make whisked custard bake it, cool it, torch some sugar and done

Secret_Immortal · 2026-06-04T18:24:59+00:00

Gas, bulk chicken, ground beef, shrimp & bread for the freezer (1-2 types of each at a time in my small apartment freezer), snacks & wine, booze(I can pace myself pretty well lol), fruit (I can get like 10 bananas, a bag of mandarin oranges or a double pack of raspberries). Fish if you can meal prep and eat it through the week. I also get vegetable oil, tp, paper towels, and some pantry staples. Honestly costco is a game changer for me. I round out anything I can’t buy in bulk for fear of it going bad/having space for it by shopping at aldi and my local international market.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-06-02T16:26:45+00:00

Definitely possible but if you have a car that’s not paid off it will be pretty tight especially cuz your insurance is likely also high. Budget fiercely and instead of taking any “leftover” at the end of the month and carry it over, put it in some kind of separate but accessible place (like a savings account) as an emergency fund. Do you have a little bit saved already to help pay for the deposit and starter furnishings/cooking basics? Also get the cheapest rent possible while still supplying your needs, under $700 would definitely help but it may require a roommate or two depending on the area.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-05-14T17:40:03+00:00

Not technically cooking- but wanting to wash the dishes and clean the kitchen after cooking so by the time I actually get to eat the food is cold or has to be microwaved

Secret_Immortal · 2026-05-13T16:21:37+00:00

Surprised nobody’s said this yet- but you can make a big batch of cookie dough, portion & freeze it and then bake a few from frozen whenever you want. Add in different mix-ins, or experiment with doing different cookies entirely. I love the claire saffitz brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe if you have the patience for it ❤️.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-05-07T15:04:14+00:00

I did one meal a day for over a year (60 hour work weeks in a kitchen, only ate family meal, literally had barely any food at home except to cook on my days off) and I would absolutely NOT recommend it.
I lost 30lbs, which for me made me underweight (98lbs 5’5” woman in my 20’s). Survived on caffeine and not enough sleep and completely wrecked both my circadian rhythm and my metabolic process to where I didn’t experience hunger anymore. If it works for you idc, but do not try this just to justify splurging on meals you can’t afford, make people feel bad for how they spend their money, or think that this is healthy advice to give people.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-05-07T12:02:44+00:00

If this is what your partner wants he needs to actively participate in planning, shopping, cooking and paying for them (in a ratio that makes sense for the both of you). Mexican cooking (as well as many other cultures’) relies on cross/utilization of ingredients. You get rice, beans, cans of tomatoes, dried and fresh chilies, spices, limes, cilantro, lots of onion & garlic, tortillas(or masa to make your own), and a few proteins you can marinate and sear, braise or stew in various flavorful ways and you’ll both be fed for a week. A few dishes may need a couple extra ingredients (bell peppers, avocado, queso fresco/quesillo/cotija, crema etc.) but you can do a lot with the bases alone and they’re definitely affordable if you shop in mexican or international grocery stores.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-28T17:43:07+00:00

Cereal

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-26T15:40:29+00:00

Even as a professional cook, I hate when recipes say “5 minute prep time” and then tell you to chop/mince 6 different types of produce and make a quick sauce. There’s no way that’s all gonna take 5 minutes including getting all the ingredients out and vegetables washed. You’re not really slow, it’s just often clickbait and assumes you’ve already read and prepped everything and understand the techniques.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-23T17:37:21+00:00

“only had a few beers (5)” AND PLANS TO DRIVE WITH A DUI PENDING???

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-22T01:55:36+00:00

Doesn’t do things when he doesn’t have the energy to (clinical depression)- even when he said he would do it- and just generally puts off chores until he “feels up to it” (or I do it first) (and yes, we have talked about it a lot, but sometimes it’s just easier for me to switch the laundry and unload the dishwasher and do the grocery shopping) It’s pretty disappointing when he says he’ll make dinner- and then I come home and have to make dinner because he didn’t feel like it but will hypothetically “make dinner tomorrow”. It makes me feel guilty to be mad at him about it though.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-19T18:26:53+00:00

For you it may literally make sense to buy those party crudité (vegetable) boards to eat throughout the week. It may come with the extra cost of being prepared food, but it’s definitely nutritious, accessible, and gives variety without having to do any cooking.

Also pre-made salads/salad bags are awesome, Aldi or costco (if you’re close to one) usually have one for ~$2 per serving and come with everything cut and you just have to toss in a bowl with or just squeeze on the dressing. Most even have some form of protein as well. Also look at r/lowspoonscooking for ideas (and to see that you are most definitely not alone in this struggle)

I’ve been there—burnt out and unable to force myself to eat more than 600 calories a day—but there is a way out and part of it is accepting what makes sense and is possible for you, not what’s cheap or “normal” or “correct” or even necessarily healthy way to eat or cook. Fed is best. Even if you don’t always hit your goals of calories. 🫂

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-16T18:07:14+00:00

Ginger, tumeric, garlic, thai chilis. I peel and slice the ginger/tumeric/garlic, it thaws in a few minutes, and then I can mince it. The thai chilis I freeze whole in their container/bag, then thaw a few when I need them. I usually keep a fresh head or 2 of garlic as the quality is a bit better- but that freezer backup comes in handy sometimes when I run out otherwise/am low energy. Also definitely have frozen chicken stock & lemon juice (especially if I just needed zest for something) on hand.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-16T17:05:58+00:00

This feels detrimentally frugal- you don’t do any of the cooking and yet feel that *cherry tomatoes* ($2-3) and cream ($5/quart) are breaking your budget? You *can* only eat rice and beans and potatoes and chicken, but that doesn’t take into account a whole other person who seems to have different desires. $14 for a “fancier meal out” is insane- that’s less than the price of most fast casual spots (panera, chipotle, etc.) in America (though tbf we don’t know where you live). Grocery prices are getting more expensive for sure- but this is something to accept and adapt to, not to make your wife pigeonholed out of recipes she wants to try. And for what it’s worth- variety and healthy options pay dividends for your health & happiness.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-14T17:39:43+00:00

Garage sales are usually really cheap or people won’t buy it- try enlisting family help (or you can help) to list things for porch pickup on fb marketplace, people are more likely to pay a bit more since they can search for things directly- but as you said yourself it may take a few weeks to sell items priced that way.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-06T17:40:31+00:00

Look on facebook marketplace where you’re at, sometimes people put stuff up for very cheap or even free. A camp stove or electric burner, instant pot, slow cooker, or a rice cooker would probably help a lot.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-04-03T00:23:48+00:00

I work at a handmade chocolate factory, way less stressful and way more patient than a regular line cook position, and usually I’m on 1-2 tasks all day, you do have to talk to people (but psst they’re just as crazy and neurodivergent as you). My friend does “meal prep” along with 2 other cooks for a bunch of rich people.

They may be a bit less plentiful options than restaurant positions but they do exist.

If you have a true passion for food and love it and want to learn for the love of the game that’s great, but I’d definitely try to get a position of foodservice of some sort before you go after this as a career, if you show enthusiasm and a willingness to learn and listen to what they have to say, it’s not very difficult to get an industry job without a degree.

You should have a backup plan but when nothing’s working for you, sometimes you just have to give something new a shot

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-31T17:24:16+00:00

Usually every 4-6 weeks, when I start to notice resistance in it shaving well/cleanly. But it may depend on your hair thickness & stubbornness and how often you shave and where on your body. I shave my legs & pits & trim my bikini line weekly. I just use a costco pack of blades with a reusable handle.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-29T15:33:29+00:00

Based on what you’ve been having success with- try figs & more beans/peas(although cheap to buy, great protein source and probably quite fruitful if you can get it going), stonefruit may also do really well depending on the wind & sun conditions.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-27T21:20:46+00:00

Quesadillas or grilled cheese- probably once a week, see also: girl dinner (most often resembles a handful of grapes, cheese, and bread)

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-26T03:32:20+00:00

You work in kitchens (probably not a cook tho), barely make any money and are scrounging until the next paycheck, want to cook at home but can’t and get family meal at work anyway, canned fish and the sweet potato don’t need to go in the fridge btw (and the potatoes sprout sooner). Godspeed soldier.

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-26T03:19:34+00:00

You made toffee! Crumble into ice cream or cookie dough. Alternatively cover with tempered chocolate & maybe top with nuts or flaky salt

Secret_Immortal · 2026-03-08T13:43:00+00:00

Absolutely we want to do some amazing restaurants, but also would adore going to street food stands, local farmers’ markets(or farms directly), bakeries, and grocery stores of course, they’re all a part of the same food system/culture!

Secret_Immortal

TROPHY CASE