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M>I agree, Lynn! A sense of adventure in eating allows you to try new
M>things. I just used a cornbread recipe to make a brown rice and tapioca
M>quick bread; it was exciting to discover a new flavor. Roast beef and
M>roast chicken are so easy to make in the oven; the prepackaged versions
M>are slimy, salty, and loaded with nitrates/nitrites. A robust salad (skip
M>the bland lettuces) of broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, celery, and red bell
M>peppers (not the hot ones) is so sweet, crunchy, and flavorful it really
M>doesn't need a lot of dressing. If some batchelor-guy like me who's all
M>thumbs in the kitchen (and never follows a recipe correctly) can get
M>compliments from dinner guests, you can cook from scratch too!
M>
M>Ron in Seattle
 
Lynn & Ron:
I think you have both ignored something. It's nice that you both enjoy
cooking.
 
However, Ron, unless you own a rice pattie and grew that brown rice
yourself, just how sure are you that IT was processed correctly and
does not have extraneous additives? I use brown rice all the time and
have checked its source. I feel comfortable using it. Some of the brown
rice packages could scare  you into having kittens! How do you know if
your fresh fruits and vegetables were sprayed with some preservative
that does NOT WASH OUT?
 
Don't negate other's questions so easily, please!
 
I never received a compliment from a dinner guest. That has never been
my ambition in life. I clean bathtubs, not because I enjoy cleaning
bathtubs,but, because I like to bathe in clean tubs! I cook because I
have to eat. Some of us have other interests.
 
I think many of us cook from scratch at home. A celiac's problem is
getting out in the world! Traveling, seminars, even training meetings
can have dinner items or snacks that can force us to go home and stay
there for awhile! Imagine eating some mystery food in a hospital
cafeteria, then being expected to monitor pediatric cardiology surgery
patients in ICU without incident! I'd like to see your "cooking from
scratch" ideas under those conditions. Please join in the discussions!
Don't condescend to the rest of us poor peons. AMS