Skillet Meal: Quick Lasagna Recipe

Great weeknight meal idea! 3 cheeses…. yum. I’d eat this for breakfast this instant!

Mmm… your skillet lasagna looks tasty! Can’t wait to try it!

I continue to learn to cook by teaching myself… my mom gave the the very basics (like how NOT to boil all of the water out of the pan when boiling cabbage) and I’ve worked to build on those skills since becoming a wife and mother to five little people who have a variety of special dietary needs. I’ve reached a point where I can improvise and create my own simple recipes, and enjoy surprising my family with the occasional twist on an old favourite!

Learned on my own since I was living away from family. My Better Homes & Gardens cookbook was my bible!!

My family’s favorite meals are the ones we have on repeat right now: grilled cheese paninis, chicken salad, spaghetti, pizza, and nachos. Not very original, but fast, filling, and all four of us will eat these meals! 😉

I really love your website and your posts seem to come at just the right times! I’ve been learning to cook since I was five years old! I loved to watch and help my grandma in the kitchen – my favorite thing to do with her was to make fudge the old fashioned way where you stir, stir, stir and then drop a piece into a cup of water – if it forms a ball it is ready! Mostly I have learned through trial and error on my own, and now I have three daughters and a son of my own who love to cook right along side of me which makes it much more enjoyable!

Yummies! I learned to cook from my dad. He is an amazing cook! I’m trying to take his recipes and make them a tad healthier for my family.

When I discovered that my kidneys needed a little TLC and pre-packaged or convenience-type meals were suddenly off-limits, I had to quickly find new, healthy alternatives that fit into our busy family schedule. Following the kidney- and heart-healthy recipes from the American Heart Association’s cookbooks has really helped me revamp my family’s eating habits; now I’m filling their plates with healthy, well-rounded meals instead of fillers and questionable ingredients. I also love websites like this, where the recipes have been tested and tried by real women for their families. My comfort in the kitchen has skyrocketed and I don’t shy away from scary-sounding dishes anymore. Thank you for giving me even more quick and healthy options for my family!

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I come from a long line of fabulous cooks, so it’s in my genes. I love to try new recipes, sometimes following the directions and sometimes winging it. 🙂 I think it comes down to just spending time in the kitchen, getting ccomfortable with cooking and with yourself.

I learned to cook from my mom and my Grammy! 4-H helped. Now I’m relearning healthier versions with fresh ingredients that are also gluten free. Blogs and Grammy’s trusty Pillsbury Cookbook are my go to places for recipes.

Learned to cook from my mom and grandma. I am inspired to try new recipes from momables and various websites! Thanks for the chance to win!! Gayla

I’m still learning to cook. My quick go to is a chicken pot pie. I try to buy chicken when it’s on sale and cook and use it to freeze. It thaws quick and with frozen veggies I can whip it up in 30-45 minutes.

Yay for awesome one skillet dinners! I have one I’ve made a half dozen times with butternut squash, but bowtie pasta?? Definitely going to try next time its on the menu.
I am a newbie in the kitchen…. my boyfriend… now husband always loved to cook. He taught me how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch (apparently plain tomato sauce didn’t cut it!), then I moved up to sous chef haha… See how he suckered me into this cooking thing?!! Five years later I am trying to cook for my two year old and crazy busy husband without cooking the same thing over and over- except pizza… homemade pizza-almost-every-Friday yum!

I learned how to cook from my mom and also my mother-in-law. We have two favorite meals in our house, chili and tacos! Two things my daughter is always asking for!

I learned to cook from recipe cards. I’m still learning creativity in the kitchen. I’m learning more with food sensitivities and how to balance.

I learned to cook through trial and erro. Oh and many nights spent drinking wine at my aunts kitchen counter watching her cook!

Cooking was not my favorite thing growing up but I did learn some key dishes from my mom and even my sister. As I got older, I asked everyone what they made for quick dinners.

I love to browse momables.com and other gluten free sites and save recipes with my Evernote web clipper!

My favorite meal to whip up are my crock pot pork chops. I love this recipe because I make it in the morning after the kids leave and don’t have to worry about it until it is time to eat!

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Learned to cook from family and on my own. Thanks for sharing this recipe!

I get my inspiration for weeknight dinners (and breakfasts, snacks, kids’ lunches, desserts, etc…) from a variety of sources. I love Laura’s website and emails and I have made dozens of her recipes. Thank you, Laura! Magazines, cookbooks, and family recipes are other sources for me. I listen to podcasts and watch cooking shows while I’m on the treadmill at the gym. Whenever I get excited about a recipe (which is several times a day), I incorporate it into my menu plan. The fact that I try several new recipes each week makes menu planning a joy, not a chore. It keeps the kitchen a fresh and happy place to be.

I had no idea how to cook when we got married. It was a lot of trial and error. 15 years later, we now try to make most things from scratch! If I failed to plan ahead, our favorite go to is pancakes. Who doesn’t love breakfast for supper? Plus, it is quick!

I learned to cook from my mom and my grandmother. I follow different cooks , exercise trainers and cookbooks I find who cook with simple ingredients and spices more like the way my grandmother used to cook. I find most of the recipes i got from my mom growing up was just part of that generation and wasn’t always the healthiest. Love learning to cook good healthy food simply and quickly and so excited to learn more here. Thanks for the chance to win.

I can’t cook, but I’m trying like hell to learn. Every day is a struggle even when I follow the recipe to a “t”. I continue to try though because making healthy meals for my son is a priority, now all I need to do is get it to taste good LOL

My inspiration comes from saving money, feeding my family healthy meals and hearing, “Mom, you hit a home run with this one!” from my boys. 🙂

My mom made a skillet lasagna whenI was growing up and it was one of my favorite meals! I taught myself how to cook using a cookbook my mom’s friend gave me as a graduation present.

My favorite go to is homemade sloppy joes. It’s healthier and tastes better than any canned version – plus I sneak in extra veggies and the kids don’t seem to mind!

I learned how to bake simple cakes at home, but I didn’t start cooking entrees until fall break of my freshman year at college. I called my mom to make sure I had all the ingredients and steps right! I browse cookbooks and blogs for recipe ideas. A quick weeknight meal that everyone in our house will eat is pasta with marinara (usually homemade and already in the fridge or freezer) and sausage.

I learned to cook by hanging out with my mom in the kitchen. My kids love being involved in the kitchen too.

I learned to cook from my parents. I love any one pot meal but getting the little people on board isn’t always easy. I continue to browse websites and the cookbooks I have. This one I can definitely do after work one night. Thanks

I learned to cook when I was big enough to stand on a chair at the stove. My Italian grandma lived with us, and she taught us to make everything from scratch, like pasta of all kinds, pastries, ravioli, sauces, and of course, killer lasagna. My Celtic/Irish mom taught us how to make everything else from scratch, like cakes, puddings (her chocolate pie filling is so rich you can’t even eat a whole slice!), a mean tuna casserole, summer salads, and meats of all kinds. Then my caterer sister taught me to make all sorts of gourmet meals (her Beef Stroganoff is off the charts!), and I still call her all the time with questions – “how do I make your perfect fried chicken?”

I learned quick, healthy meals by watching Xanthe Clay’s weekly show on the UK Telegraph website, “Ten Minutes to Table” and later “Five Minute Foods.” My favorite quick, healthy family dinner is her Parmesan Chicken with tomato salad and quinoa. The chicken is not breaded, and the Parmesan is freshly grated in a larger shred. Egg makes it stick, then it’s fried in a pre-heated HOT, dry skillet – no fat or oils at all. It’s crispy, cooks quickly, and comes out moist and tender. I’m not as expert as Xanthe, of course, so it takes me 20 minutes to put this dinner together, but it’s still faster and healthier than calling out for pizza! And Xanthe’s show got me so interested in cooking that I took a course in cooking at our local culinary academy, where I got a certificate.

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I learned to cook by trial and error when I had my first baby. I was not a good cook at all because I never had to, my hubby always did! I got a lot of support from him and my parents. My go-to meal is Vegan burrito bowl. I always have rice/quinoa, beans & fixins around! Filling, tasty & healthy! I’m inspired by Momables, various Pinterest recipes & my passion for health & wellness!

Still trying to get in a good routine for planning meals. I get over-whelmed so easily, that I tend to just give up 🙁

I’m definitely still in the learning phase too. I need recipes… I feel pretty comfortable modifying breakfast and baked typed recipes, but come dinner time I need a recipe (cookbook, Pinterest, or a favorite blog). Breakfast for dinner is a definite favorite of mine since that is where I’m most comfortable. Fish is something else I can handle on the nights we need something extra quick. Thanks for all you share Laura!

My husband taught me a lot of what I know about cooking! I came into our marriage with very few skills in the culinary department. Over the years, I have expanded on my skills, thanks largely to following recipes I’ve gotten from friends or see online. I’ve also had to learn a lot due to having a child who has many food allergies. Cooking does not come naturally to me but I have come to learn to enjoy the creativity of cooking and I love to nourish my family with healthy, home-cooked meals.

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My mother-in-law gets credit for teaching me to cook. A sweet Christian lady and a hard worker, she was a housewife supreme. I believe my greatest strength in meal preperation has been the process of learning that it takes time and experience to save time and gain experience. Planning ahead and being organized is the secret of stress free meal times. Take the time to prepare bulk meals, prepackage staples in premeasured containers, set up ‘Select A Meal’ days with titles such as “Mama’s Choice”, “Daddy’s Favorites”, “Kid’s Free-For-All”, “Meatless Wonders”, or “Let’s Have Fun!” Don’t be afraid to experiment. All experiences set you up for maximum success. Give fun names to favorite dishes, keep the kids involved in prep work. Make sure you teach hubby some survival meals. Fifty years of cooking/life experience and still having a blast. Let the olders teach their secrets to the youngers per God’s plan!

Our current favorite quick family meal is Buffalo (meat not flavoring) Kale Tacos! It’d be the perfect recipe for this skillet!

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I just did trial and error to learn and followed recipes then adapted them to what we like. Crockpot cooking is my favorite.

I learned to cook from my mom and my grandma. They some how worked all day and almost always we had a good dinner to eat ! It’s just me on my own now and I sometimes only have energy to make hummus and carrots !

I learned to cook from my mom, dad, and a cooking class in school. I find my inspiration for weeknight meals from the cooking magazines I subscribe to, and my cookbooks. I have several family meals I can make quick, especially fish recipes.

I learned to cook from my momma back on the farm growing up. We also had a family catering business that was my summer job through high school and college. My cooking has changed in some ways since then, but I still make some of the old family favorites. Weeknight meals are much the same as any other meals. I check the garden, freezer, root cellar, fridge and pantry to see what needs to be used up, or make whatever I have a taste for.

For quick meals, i love stir fries and loaded omelets. The boys can manage homemade spaghetti and tacos quite reliably now, so I’ll have them make those meals if I’m stuck with a tight deadline for blogging.

I learned to cook with my dad. We would make Chinese food in a real wok at his house on sundays. He taught me how to prep and follow a recipe. I’ll always remember those meals that we made together!

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My go-to meal is grilled chicken. When I buy chicken breasts, I always bag and marinate enough for one meal. Then, I quickly defrost and grill them when life throws my weekly meal plan for a loop.

I’m still learning how to cook! Our kitchen was pretty small when I was growing up, so I wasn’t able to watch my mom cook (admittedly I wasn’t very interested in cooking at that time in my life). I don’t really like to cook, so I really appreciate all of your helpful tips and recipes.

I learned to cook by watching my parents, following recipes for baking and trial and error on most everything else! The inspiration for my weeknight meals comes from the produce aisle: whatever looks the freshest and has a decent price. Then I just switch up the proteins all week. Our meal in a hurry is steamed salmon steaks, stir-fried veg (whatever we have on hand) and boiled rice for those who can eat grains. There is a yummy teriyaki sauce at Costco that we put on the veggies sometimes.

This looks delicious! I find inspiration for quick meals by frequenting our local “Let’s Dish” store – the meal prep place 🙂 Fresh, healthy ingredients; you can customize meals, they’re mostly one pan meals and/or really simple to prepare, and most now come with a side dish too! I spend about an hour or two, once a month “dishing” with my husband and we end up with 8 to 24 meals to throw in our freezer to make at will. (Number of meals depends on how many dishes on the menu look good to us.)

I taught myself how to cook!

I learned to cook from my mom. I grew up with home cooked meals every night and I inspire to do that with my family.

I learned to cook slowly, with the basics, spaghetti, Salads. My husband thought me how to cook a roast when we were just dating. Now I follow recipes, ask for tips or recipes from my mother in law, try new methinks and new things. Now I give recipes to my mother in law! I use the meal plans mostly for dinners and it helps me to keep to our budget if I have a specific list to follow 🙂

I learned to cook helping my mother when growing up, working in restaurants, and studying cookbooks and practice.
I am unfortunately in a rut right now, disliking my cooking and getting no pleasure out of it. I need some inspiration- recipes like this that are quick and easy with limited cleanup. Thanks!

I’ve taught myself how to cook. Growing up with 4 kids my mom did not prefer to have us in the kitchen so when I moved out I lived on processed/packaged food. Since having kids I’ve been working on my cooking skills. I try to let my kiddos in the kitchen as much as I can so they move out with more cooking skills than just toast. Sadly, breakfast for dinner is my best quick dinner meal. With a 4 yr old, 2 yr old and 3 month old I sometimes don’t have time for something more than pancakes and eggs. I make up a bunch of batches of your pancake mix and keep them in the fridge (since I use spelt flour) so they are super quick to throw together. Thanks for your all your inspirational emails 🙂

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I’m still learning how to cook! 🙂

For inspiration, I love the ideas from your website and newsletters. I also look to the few I am on regularly 🙂

My favorite one pot meal is either pasta with some kind of meat and veggie or fried rice with brown rice, tofu, eggs, and veggies.

I learned to cook when I introduced a a cooking and nutriton program called Cookshop to my second grade class. We had to prepare a meal together each week, and i learned the basics along with my class. Now i can prepare healthy meals for my family.

I learned to cook watching the Food Network. I regularly watched Giada and Ina. I even met Giada in San Francisco during a book tour in 2006. After watching different chefs and experimenting I kept wanting to try more and new things. I love Indian!

I learned to cook with my mom, who gave my younger brother and I full reign of the kitchen when I was only 13! My quick family favourite is now taco salad – I even freeze pre-cooked and seasoned Turkey or beef to make the meal prep extra quick for the super busy days. We find a lot of our weeknight inspiration from the Looneytunes and Rachel Ray 30 Minute Meals cookbook- great for a quick prep meal that everyone enjoys!

I learned to bake as a child, but didn’t really learn to cook until I moved out on my own in college. My mother mostly cooked from the hip, rarely using recipes (at least, that I noticed) unless she was baking something. Now, I find my inspiration from a few sources. Pinterest is a main, source, which is how I found several of my go-to recipe blogs (Momables, DamnDelicious, etc.). Homemade mac ‘n cheese is probably my go-to whip up in a hurry meal. I generally use Alton Brown’s recipe, but have been known to try others.

looks good! i trace my learning how to cook to two things. first, my mom always let us help in the kitchen. i especially remember her letting us make our own concoctions of whatever we thought would be good. we’d mix some eggs, sugar, butter and whatever else we could think of together and then cook it for a while. then we’d proudly feed it to our parents! i think the second, and equally important, reason i learned how to cook was i took a job as a hostess on a sailing boat that took 10 people out on 3 day 2 night cruises. my job was to make all the meals (!). there was a fixed menu, but then i got to play also. and on my time off i could use all the leftovers. and i had a cookbook (nikki and david gold beck’s American Wholefoods Cuisine) with me that i read through cover to cover at least three times as i adjusted ingredients to fit what i had on hand. that experience was priceless!

Thank you for providing inspiration from your kitchen to mine! I learned to cook from my mom who would ask me to help start dinner many weeknights before my parents got home. A lot of it was microwaved or pre-packaged, but as I start my own family, I’m thankful for those chances to be trusted to provide for my family as a teen. Now, I’m learning new takes on old favorites and how to make meals more wholesome and real. Thanks again for being there on my journey.

This skillet lasagna looks awesome! My go to quick meals are grilled cheese ( I put sun dried tomatoes in them) & soup and homemade Mac & cheese.

I learned to cook from my mom and through lots of practice and trial and error on my own. (I’ve been at this for years…have 4 kids age 18-25.) Am still learning new tricks! I love that my 25 yr old son is an avid cooking show fan, likes to cook, and loves to teach me new things too. Because of recent health issues/food allergies and sensitivities I have had to abandon many of my old tried and true recipes and been forced to learn and develop new recipes and meal plans. Am still learning and refining!!! Baking used to be my passion. On the back burner is learning to bake grain free, dairy free, and egg free. Blogs like yours are very helpful!

I learned to cook mostly from my hubby (who went to culinary school) but I wanted to learn because I’m a stay at home mom of 3 kids and I cook 99% of our meals.

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I mostly learned to cook by trial and error. There were a few things that I learned from my Mom, (creamy, lump free gravy every time!!).

I have just found your site and am in love with it!!!

I am adopting my Granddaughter and have just learned that she is Glute intolerant. Life has just gotten more interesting….Thank you.

Love your website!

Answer to Question “How did you learn to cook”: I taught myself to cook, or should say am teaching myself to cook. I follow recipes pretty closely but am starting to very slowly feel comfortable making changes. I use cookbooks, the internet and YouTube to learn new skills (like taking apart a whole chicken, how to cut a mango, etc). I love cooking but would like to get better at it and better at “winging” it with no plan, no recipe, just ingredients on hand that need used up and be able to whip up something without breaking a sweat!

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Nobody really taught me how to cook. Most of what I know is self-taught or learned from reading magazines, cookbooks, or internet. I feel I have come a long way, but still learning everyday. I made three new vegan recipes this week, and they all turned out great!! Very exciting!

I learned to cook (and bake!) from my mother, who majored in home economics. She is a fantastic cook!
If I’m looking for new recipes, I usually look at a few websites like everydayfood.com, then if I don’t find what I’m looking for, I check through my stash of cookbooks and magazines.
Our favorite quick meal I one pot pasta. Cook any short pasta, 2 minutes before its done, add vegetables (broccoli & bell pepper are favs at our house). Just before straining, add pre-cooked meat (leftover chicken, canned tuna or salmon). Strain and return to pot with 1 Tblsp butter. Once melted, dish up kids. Then add red pepper flakes for adults. Top with parmesan cheese.

I learned to cook from mom. My mother-in-law stepped in once I got married. But mostly I’ve learned by practicing myself 😉

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My mom taught me how to cook. I was also in a cooking/sewing 4-H group for many years when I was growing up and learned a lot of skills there and even won prizes for entries in the county fair, which was great!

A favorite family recipe is turkey chili. It’s hearty, easy, and everyone loves it. Plus it’s great in any season.

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I learned to cook from recipes. I also helped my mom prep vegetables for her South indian meals, but I’ve never been brave enough to just throw in pinches and handfuls of spices like she does, so I rarely make any South Indian food. My sister-in-law from India has also taught me a few quick recipes as well. I love Italian food, and so does the family, so this is the kind of recipe (the one you wrote above) I make on a regular basis but I omit the meat. We eat a lot of quick pasta meals and I throw in veggies and a meat-free protein since we are vegetarian. I am going to try this recipe out tomorrow night and hope it goes well! Thank you for sharing all your wisdom. I have truly learned so much…still have a ways to go!

I learned to cook by watching my mom, and then doing some on my own while in High School to help the family while parents worked.
I had always like to bake, so did that along the way.

I learned to cook by my mom and just practicing. I love to find new recipes and try them out!

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I learned to cook when I was younger, my mom worked nights and my dad would either take us out to eat or burn food on the grill. So I took it upon myself to start cooking.

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I learned to cook from a variety of sources – watching my parents woke growing up, trial and error as a grown up, cook books, websites and cooking shows! I like cooking but wish I didn’t have to cook every day. One of my fast go-to meals is chicken stir fry.

I love your recipes. Your recipe is very close to one of mine which my son calls “Three Cheese Pasta, so of course, it sounds great! I throw in some minced carrots, celery and onion to sneak in some more vegies. About age 10-11 I learned to cook from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook in the afternoons after school trying to make things we didn’t have around the house. As a kid with no preconceived notion of what goes together or doesn’t, I tried making my own concoctions as well. I remember making my own version of ‘candy’ from corn flakes which turned out so well that it became a sweet snack for years. Not everything was a success, failures were common, but the food was nearly always edible and that made it worth trying again to get better.

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I had to learn to cook for myself and after, family. Unfortunately I grew up in the foster system. Not to much teaching went on there:(. Now I show my love for husband and family through our meals. The Internet is awesome!! Favorite in my house is taco’s. Without the fresh mushrooms!!

I have been learning to cook on my own for health reasons and the desire to give my husband and kids healthy meals. I still get overwhelmed and frustrated, though.

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I learned to cook after I was married. I cooked a little before, but mostly would eat cereal for meals or eat out when I was single. I couldn’t find a job at first, so I would sit in our tiny apartment and think about dinner. It was so fun! Once I gained confidence, I really stated to like cooking more.

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I love all of your meal plan ideas and how to take short cuts when you can! 🙂

I mainly learned to cook from my mom and also have learned a thing or two from my husband. He likes to just throw things and spices together when it comes to dishes and desserts, but I’m more a recipe kind of person. I need a list to work from! I’ve become better about letting go of that and if I don’t have something listed, I try to sub it with something else.

I have a deep admiration for all mothers out there who give their all at work (including SAHM’s– that’s work too!) and then find the energy to juggle the precious little time left before bedtime to bathe, feed, put their kids to sleep (thank goodness my kids don’t have homework. Yet.) as well as do dishes and prepare meals for everyone for the following day! I really love the stories behind the recipes I pin on Pinterest, especially ones about mamas and their little ones!

The meals that my husband loves are my spinach lasagna, spicy killer shrimp and won ton soup. Of course these were all recipes I learned from and adapted in my own way. 🙂 The first two aren’t really fast “whip up” type recipes, but I’ve made them so often that I don’t worry about the outcome!

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I learned to cook by watching my mom and one of my older sisters. Then I started experimenting on my own when I was older. Love your website!!

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I learned to cook from my mom…ah, who am I kidding, I’m 37 and I still call my mom with cooking questions. She is able to create a meal out of anything and she has an amazing gift at being able to turn one meal’s left-overs into a completly different and appealing meal…it’s like magic.
My inspiration for cooking comes from many resources…of course calling my mom to talk me through one of her creative recipes (that only exists in her mind because she won’t write it down), also 100 days of real food and Momable as of lately, and I can’t forget my crock pot go to recipe book with 5 ingrediants or less recipes.
When I’m in a hurry and need to throw something together, it’s usually a frozen pizza (thanks for not judging me), tuna melts, fish sticks, etc.
I’m kinda knew to this whole cooking healthy and real thing, still working out the bugs. You have a been a great resource and encouragement. Thank you.

I would say I’m mostly a self-taught cook. Lots and lots of trial and error, using cookbooks and watching cooking shows, getting advice from my mom (she’s an amazing home cook), and reading blogs! My go-to, pull-together-quickly meal is chicken and black bean enchiladas, using Trader Joe’s yummy sauce. No recipe required, and my picky-eater in the family says, “Mom! You make the best enchiladas!”

The kids will love cooking this one! I learned to cook very young out of necessity. I was the oldest and my single mom worked a lot. If I wanted more than a PBJ while she was at work, it was up to me. Now I cook with my kiddos and they love it!

I have loved food for as long as I could remember especially trying new things. My dad loved to cook and taught me the adventures of cooking however my real skills came from watching the cooks on Food Network. For fast recipes it seems to involve eggs or pasta like a frittata or pasta and fresh tomatoes or an easy red pepper sauce from jarred roasted peppers warmed and cooked with garlic, creme and a limitless broth then use an immersion blender to smooth it out.

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How did you learn to cook?
Food network and just cooking for myself when I became a vegetarian and it was difficult to find meals to eat out of the home.

Where do you find your inspiration for quick weeknight meals?
I use my pinterest board to pin recipes that would work for week night meals, then I do online shopping for the ingredients and then I am easily able to prepare meals with all the ingredients. I still have to use recipes for inspiration and to cook, i’m not quite there with cooking just from my head and what is in the fridge.

Do you have any family favorite meals you whip up in a hurry?
I love saag paneer and lentil dahl;
Black Bean Nachos
Salmon Soft Tacos

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My family’s favorite go-to meal is penne with spicy ground sausage, peppers, tomato sauce, and cream cheese mixed in with it. Not only is it absolutely delicious…. But it takes me between 20-30 minutes to make. I make sure to have those ingredients on hand at all times for when I’m in a pinch, or when nothing else sounds any good!!

I learned to cook…well I’m still learning. I have never been good at cooking what’s in my fridge. I can’t seem to put the ingredients together in my head. I usually have a recipie in mind and then have to go to tge store to get ingredients. It’s frustrating but I have been reading your emails and blogs and have finally started weekly lunches for my 2 boys in school. I am able to use what I have so thats great. I occasionally throw a lunch in for me and that is becoming more frequent. So, your message is coming through and sinking in. Thank you for all you do!

I learned to cook by watching my mum, but didn’t hone my skills until I left university and started following recipes. I now am confident enough to make things up according to what is in my fridge and I love that feeling of creativity combining different flavours, textures and colours to create something delicious.
My go to quick meal is pasta with vegetables and pesto. I cook frozen spinach and peas in the witg the pasta drain then stir in pesto. Delicious quick and i always have the ingredients in my kitchen.

I learned to cook by watching shows on the food network. I love Ina Garten! My favorite go to weeknight meal is probably pasta. I always have pesto in the freezer and I always throw in whatever veggies I have in the fridge.

Looks yummy and I’m going to try subbing coconut oil in more often! I learned to cook from both of my parents and hope to pass on skills to my two boys. I’m find inspiration from many of my fellow foodie coworkers as we compare notes on how to feed our young kiddos. I was also inspired by The Lego Movie to institute Taco Tuesday at our house – no joke! Not a new concept but it’s one night that’s easy and my 6 year old loves it! Another go to meal that’s fast and happens at least every 2 weeks is breakfast for dinner. I can stuff all kinds of healthy things in pancakes with eggs.

i learned more how of not to cook from my grandma(she burned a lot cause she liked to put everything on high) and continue to have insperation from my son and his food allergies, so we try to cook new and gret things that are safe for him

i learned to cook , from my Mother, Still learning. i love to read cook books and websites,

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i learned to cook from my Mother. Still learning, i love to read cook books and websites,

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I learned to cook from my mom and grew up on food network! Now my go to for a quick week night meal is pinterest!!

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I grew up with my Dad so we taught each other to cook LOL. I get most of my quick meal ideas from surfing the net or my Mom friends. Turkey Robinson kids my favor quick meal served with rice and salad.

My crockpot is a favorite way to whip up a quick meal. Though it may cook “all day” the prep to get an entree started is typically minimal. My kids love homemade crockpot meatballs. I add jarred sauce and fresh veggies into the mix for a hearty, kid friendly supper! I love it when there’s left overs to freeze, too:)

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I learned to cook by watching and helping my mother. Fave to go meals are spaghetti and chicken salad.

I learned to cook mostly from trial and error – and great resources from the internet. Love all your ideas, thanks so much, very helpful!

Laura, I loved hearing that you learned to cook through following recipes to gain confidence in the kitchen. This is how I learned (and still learning!!) as well, and I was inspired because I just assumed you were a natural born cook!! As a full time working mom with two young children, my motivation is to provide a healthy variety of foods to my girls to instill good eating habits as well as promote a healthy body image. Thank you for your blog, your creative recipes and your dedication to the momables community!!

When I first got married, I was an awful cook. I can admit I it…. My mom had tried to teach me the basics, and I could do simple things but I had not really “tried” to learn when she tried to teach me. As a teenager, I thought it was not something that I needed to do…. So once I got married, I ended up learning from the Internet. I followed other people’s suggestions and ideas and learned to become a good cook. I am still not great at whipping something up from scratch (I think I will be a recipe follower for life), but I have tried to have my kids learn from a younger age that it is fun (and important) to learn to cook!

The recipe looks delicious! I learned to cook from a cookbook, while I was in college.

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I am learning to cook from my mother and from the Internet thanks to talented bloggers such as yourself or my girlfriend Amy from MomAdvice. Even 10 years of marriage and 3 kids I learn something new every day. Except how to boil an egg. I have to look that each time!
For a quick go to meal we like quinoa and chicken “fried rice”. I can toss in any leftover fixed veggies from the week and add a bit sesame oil and soy sauce for that fried rice taste. We also use crock pot quite a bit on those busy days and busier evenings.
One thing I have learned over the years is that great quality kitchen products will help you to get great quality results. I wasn’t a bad cook in college, I just had the world’s cheapest pots and pans, no wonder that everything burned on the bottom!

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I learned to cook when my mom went to work. I was the first one home from college so I was in charge of cooking. I love to cook and have come up with some easy week night meals. When my boys were home I relied on the crockpot on the weekends to make meals that would take us into the week when life got really busy. Now it is just my husband and myself and it is even easier but some of our week nights are still crazy. I can’t wait to try this lasagna. My husband and I love lasagna but our sons didn’t so I have made it more inthe last 2 years than the 10 years before that.

Love your emails and your blogs. It gives me great ideas to make for myself for lunch.

Yum – looks good! I’m still in the process of learning how to cook – it is not my favorite thing but with recipes like this, hopefully I’ll continue to get better.

This looks great! My mom taught me to cook. She worked and I would have to help start dinner many nights. I love it now and make sure that my toddler is always int he kitchen with me learning and loving how to cook

Looks great! I will have to try this!!

I learned to cook from my Mom and Husband. My husband is the better cook by far, but is rarely home early enough to cook. My favorite, easy weeknight dinner is salsa verde enchiladas.

How did I learn to cook?
My Mom is my biggest mentor when it comes to cooking. She’s great at throwing things together to make a yummy meal and I’m still working on that skill. I mostly follow recipes but love to try new ones all the time – that in itself can be more time-consuming than I’d like. I’m currently trying to put a list together of my family’s favourite meals that I can return to try to simplify meal time.

I learned to cook working along side my mom. I truly gained confidence when she let me bake my first boxed cake mix! Cooking for your husband and family is a bit different than that, but you learn as you go and practice makes almost perfect. My husband is vegetarian and I was raised in a meat and potatoes family. I’ve had to learn a lot! We are now a family of 10 with allergies. I love skillet meals. One of our favorites is using leftovers from taco night to make mexican skillet!

I learned to cook from my dad, cookbooks, and now the internet!

I’m still learning to cook and become more adventurous in the kitchen. I learned the basics from my mother. Thank goodness for the internet!

Where did I learn to cook? I’m not sure I ever did — lol. I just keep trying, using your recipes and other incredible blogs as inspiration, and when all else fails, whipping up our family favorite of breakfast for dinner. Thanks for all that you do.

I’ve loved to cook since I was young, but don’t always have the time, so love sites like yours that help with quick, healthy ideas. My go-to dinner lately when we don’t have a lot of time is burrito bowls with rice, beans, and whatever veggies I have on hand. I sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top, and the kids eat it up!

I learned to cook from my mother. I would watch her make cakes, frostings, bread, beef stew, etc. I learned patience from my mom. I watched how she was so calm, nothing razzed her. She would also let me try. I remember cracking an egg on the side of the Kitchen Aid and it fell in the bowl (shell and all). I felt so bad, it ruined the mixture. I thought mom was going to be upset. All she said was, no problem, we will just start over.

She allowed me to make mistakes and enjoy baking and cooking. Because she loved it, I enjoyed it as well. It is hard not to be in the kitchen and think of my mom.

Laura, I have enjoyed watching you “grow” as a blogger, author, and cook. You are always there for a quick word of encouragement, a quick word about how something you made failed, and a quick word to say keep plugging along. I like what you said in a recent email about your journey. You said I am not where I want to be, but I am not where I was. What a perfect summation for those who fear growth.

Thanks for all you do!!!

I’m still learning to cook. I still get frazzled with making dinner once I get home from work…my go to meal is grilled cheese. I’ll usually add a fresh veggie on the side. I find inspiration from your website or pinterest. Thank you for keeping your recipes simple so someone who isn’t quite comfortable cooking yet isn’t overwhlemed by trying to make a helathy meal for her family!

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I learned to cook from my two grandmas. They were Italian and polish.

I learned how NOT to cook from my mother. I love her dearly but she would always overcook meat – so I never liked meat. Since I learned how to use an oven thermometer, now I cook meat to a certain degree instead of too much time! Taste so much better. In my mother’s defense, she didn’t have the internet to help her along. We ate the same rotation of meals every week. I totally understand why now – she wasn’t into planning much so she knew exactly what to get from the store. Sad thing is she was a stay at home mom, so she had much more time than I do with working full time. Makes me feel good when I can accomplish things like plan a week’s worth of meals successfully! But I couldn’t do it without the help of Momables.

My mom had my sister and I take turns cooking every summer holiday. We would pick a recipe and she would help direct us. A part from that I have mostly learned from doing. I am still learning! I would love to spend more time learning and trying.

This recipe looks yummy and all but my special diet one could eat it. I love quick meals with 4 kids a husband who loves to eat and all the activities! I have been trying to use my crockpot more because even the the best laid plans don’t work out some nights. I made 22 crockpot meals for the freezer yesterday and will finish some more with the rest from my store trip today:)

My mom taught me how to cook. Sometimes when she was busy, I’d cook for my family instead. But I’m still learning. After the kids, I’m finding it more challenging. I often look up recipes on Pinterest and that’s how I found your wonderful recipes! My go to dish is fried rice. I’m Japanese, so we almost always have cooked rice and all you have to do is to throw some veggie and egg in the pan. I also love pasta, like yours 🙂

I’m still learning to cook. My mom was a great cook but I didn’t pay much attention while growing up, and she just did all the cooking and didn’t involve us kids in the preparation. Our job was always dishes. I learn a lot by watching Food Network and just by trying different recipes I find on the internet and Pinterest. I love to try recipes though and the ones that don’t work out to so well, we pitch those recipes.

Where did you learn how to cook? In my own home while attempting to make great tasting meals for my husband and myself and to entertain house guests and friends.

Where do you find your inspiration for your weeknight meals? In a variety of places. This blog and also 100 Days of Real Food. I also make recipes I have seen prepared on the Food Network. Occasionally I will modify recipes I find from Kraft.

Do you have any favorite family meals you can whip up in a hurry? Pancake dinner is probably one of our fastest homemade favorite meals. My recipe makes a ton of leftovers too so then I have breakfasts ready for the nest week or so as well!

I learned to cook by watching my dad, grandma, and even now my mother in law. She is awesome at making the classics- pot roast, meatloaf, meatballs, etc…. I know my husband will be happy when I cook one of her meals.

My mom taught me how to cook, my inspiration now comes from various websites , some of my quick family favorites are an enchilada casserole and skillet taco rice. Love your website and recipes!

I learned to cook from the Betty Crocker cookbook! My mom gave it to me when I got married and I literally followed the directions and pictures in the book. After a while, I became more comfortable making my favorite recipes. Next thing you know, I was branching out and making my own recipes! Thanks, Betty! 🙂

I learned to cook from both my mom & dad. Most of my dinner inspirations come from Pintrest. I love looking at what others are doing and trying new things for our family. 🙂

Where did you learn how to cook?
My parents hired a babysitter/housekeeper when I was very young (not yet in school) and she let me “help” with little things like stirring the pudding (back then you had to cook any pudding) or mixing ingredients.

Where do you find your inspiration for your weeknight meals?
I enjoy looking at cookbooks and clicking on recipe ideas from a variety of online sources.

Do you have any favorite family meals? Crock-pot stroganoff, pesto, chicken enchiladas

I’m still learning to cook 🙂 I usually get ideas from websites like this one, or Pinterest. I’m a recipe follower. Family favorite meals are probably our taco nights

I learned to cook in my parents’ kitchen. Some meals were stock faves; others were thrown-together conglomerations of whatever was in the fridge. If you know enough about what flavours work together, anything can make a meal!

With two littles in the family, now, we have to limit our creativity in the kitchen. Our weeknight meals are pretty standardized with an occasional “new” taste added only when there’s a recognized food also being served.

My quick’n’easy suppertime meal is steamed bok choy with cubed tofu and ramen or soba noodles. Sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame oil, and dump the steamer water over the whole thing to make it “soup.”

I taught myself to cook when I started living on my own in college! Also when I studied in Italy for a semester I took cooking classes there – and loved cooking there – farmer’s markets every day! Can’t wait to try the skillet lasagna.

I learned to cook by watching my parents. I felt it gave me a great foundation. I continue learning by trial and error. I do not always follow recipes to the T and I often great awesome meals that I can not recreate because I did not write it down, lol. But that encourages me to keep going because by some luck I will recreate it again.

I learned to cook when my employer at an assisted living facility asked me to help fill in in the kitchen when they were short of help. I had very little cooking skills but said I would try. Each day there was one cook who was responsible for cooking all three homestyle meals for 30 residents almost from scratch. My cooking skills improved tremendously and I learned many kitchen shortcuts. I did have some flops but overall I became one of the residents’ “favorite” cooks. I ended up being a part time cook there for over two years.

Unfortunately I still don’t know how to cook. I follow recipes and sometimes they work out. I keep trying though (not sure my family is quite happy about that) ! Lol

I have learned some things from my mom, some from my husband, but mostly just from following recipes and hoping all is well.
I am just beginning this journey so I all of my recipes still have a lot of processed foods. I will keep plugging away, but there is a pretty quick and yummy corn chowder that can be done in 1/2 hour.
All kinds of websites inspire me, but I have got to find the time to get organized (Work fulltime, husband travels, kids sports and going to school for my MBA). I will get there.

I learned to cook from watching my older sister and from testing recipes from several sources. I tend to focus mostly on recipes for 30-minute meals because as a working mother of two and a husband with a demanding job, I need to have food on the table as quickly as possible.

I taught myself to cook and it’s still an ongoing process. I learned just by trying, first using recipes from cookbooks, and then ones that I found from various websites and blogs (including yours!). I get my inspiration for weeknight meals from all of these places still. My toddler is pretty picky so I don’t get super creative in the meals I make for him, but I do like to switch it up and try new things a couple times a week. My super quick go to dinner recipe is greek pasta – it’s just pasta, feta, tomato, black olives, olive oil, basil & garlic.

This skillet lasagna looks delicious! I wonder how it would be using alfredo sauce instead of tomato? My 4 1/2 yr old won’t touch tomato- anything!

I became interested in cooking as a child because it was a way for me to connect with my father. He always made breakfast for the family on weekends and worked hard during the week. This time in the kitchen with him was priceless! We started with scrambled eggs. I still have the wooden flat-edged spatula he taught me with. He said it had more surface area to help scramble all the eggs! He was one of those cooks that could go into the cupboard or pantry and add a little of this or that for a delicious meal. Me, I need a recipe, and I continue to learn new tricks in the kitchen.

I am a working mom with a 1 year old and 3 year old so my recipe inspiration comes from time, ease, and being a break from our general recipe rotation. (I love new recipes that break the mealtime rut!) An easy shortcut for saving time in the kitchen that I learned since having kids: when I have some time to spare I cook up a pound or two of ground beef to put in the freezer. It’s amazing how much time/effort this saves when I need to get a meal started fast.

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Learning to cook is a constant adventure! I can’t say when because I’m always learning and trying new things… which is the fun when my daughter is by my side helping.

I learned to cook from my mom but also through trial and error. You can watch someone else do it all you want, but until you do it yourself (and burn a few things along the way), you don’t get it.

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What a great post! I learned to cook from my mom and my Oma; how I miss her. One of my favourite go-to meals is homemade Mac ‘n Cheese or chilli (by the time the rice cooks, the chilli is done! My family is so good to me and, in general, they will eat whatever I prepare. I love to cook, so I guess that makes a difference. My inspiration for fast, healthy meals is from necessity, of course. I have two busy kids and a husband who works long hours. When I reuturned to work almost 6 years ago, my style of cooking needed to change pronto!!

I received a Betty Crocker cookbook the day I moved out on my own. I still refer to it for all the basics and then add a little twist of my own. Of course watching You Tube has added a lot to my weekly meals.

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I have learned to cook by trying new recipes: trial and error is the key to learning.

I never really liked to cook. Then after I got married, I knew I had to learn one way or the other. My mother lived near by so she would come over to help cook (basically just cook it for me) so that didn’t do any good for me, I still didn’t attempt it or learn for that matter. Then I moved away to another state & that is when it hit me, I couldn’t cook. Then it took several high phone bills to finally learn. I learned my cooking over the phone. I would talk to my mom, who walked me through the recipes step by step, measurements & all to finally get it done. I can never forget that year. Now it’s been 4 years since then, & two kids later, I can say that I cook like a pro. But still is not one of my fav things to do.

I learned to cook from my mom, cooking shows and blogs like this one!

My Mom taught me how to read and follow a recipe. My Dad taught me how to look into the fridge and cupboard to see what was available and throw it all together into something delicious…much to the chagrin of my Mom, who never really mastered this skill! My current go-to meal when we’re in a hurry is a family recipe that my husband loved as a child that I’ve modified to make healthier. It’s a ground beef and rice skillet curry. I grate a bunch of vegetables into it, and the kids don’t even notice they’re there! My kids (surprisingly) love the curry, and I make it a little spicier every time I make it to gradually grow their taste for ‘hot’ foods!

I learned to cook from a young age, my mum and dad both can cook great food, each with their own twist. My sister and I both picked up a love of cooking when we were little and would take turns cooking a couple of times a week to give our parents a break – my best dish was always Lasagne and yours looks so yummy Laura, I can’t wait to try it out on my family too.

I learned to cook by cooking with my mom as a kid, and then just cooking things a lot. When my husband and I started living together we made a point to do one new/experimental meal per week. I also watched a lot of Barefoot Contessa, who is one of my heroes in the kitchen.

I learned to cook from a variety of sources, with lots of mistakes (not quite failures 🙂 ). My aunt used to call me Becky Crocker because I always seemed to make a laughable mistake when she was visiting – like breaking spaghetti noodles up instead of down, so they went all over the kitchen instead of into the pot! I spent my 18th birthday learning to can beets with my sister. I learned to hardboil eggs from a Senior Chief in the Navy. And I learned a lot from my husband. I still cannot cook successfully without a recipe, but am recently more open to trying new things – whether or not my kids like them! Thanks for all of the insight and ideas Laura!

I learned to cook from my mom and by just trying out new recipes. I also love to watch cooking shows!

I learned to cook some from my grandmother and mostly on my own- reading, experimenting, and observing. I guess I just did it by doing and researching and I am continually educating myself!

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My family’s favorite quick meal is spaghetti with homemade sauce. I make up a big batch of sauce once a month and freeze it. During the week all I have to do is cook the noodles, thaw the sauce, whip up a salad and some homemade bread in the breadmaker. Yum! Thanks for the great recipes and lunch ideas!

I learned to cook by following recipes. When I was 16 years old, my mom was working alot so my younger sister and I would make dinners. We did our best but basically made rice, cooked chicken, and poured a jar of ‘Chicken Tonight’ over the top. My cooking today at age 41 has evolved a bit more (for the better I think) mostly through trial and error!

I’ve learned to cook through trial and error. I’m not afraid to say well that didn’t turn out, anyone else want a sandwich? Hahaha! We always try new things and create new favorites

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I really learned to cook when my son with many food intolerances started eating solids (beyond the purees I made for baby food). Since he was intolerant to dairy, soy, corn, eggs, tomatoes, wheat and some other random things, it meant making everything from scratch. And getting very creative to make my son’s breakfasts and lunches to match what daycare would be serving that day, so he didn’t feel so left out.

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My mom taught me the basics (although she was worried that I would starve when I left for college lol). Like you said it takes practice and trial and error to become better.
My inspiration often comes from Allrecipes.com, Pinterest, and Facebook although I do love my Joy of Cooking cookbook 🙂
Pasta & pizza are our In-a-hurry-We’re-Hungry favorites.

I am still not a good cook. Part of the problem is the picky eaters in my household. No matter what I make there is always someone who wrinkles their nose. This recipe though looks like I may actually have no complainers for a change!

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I learned to cook by both my mom and trial and error. As my confidence grew I started trying new recipes so now I love to follow blogs (like this one) and trying out some of the recipes posted.

Thank you for the great inspiration you provide when it comes to cooking. I appreciate your candid way of admitting it’s a growing and learning process. I often feel I’m falling on my face when it comes to cooking, as I’ve just learned it all as I go. Without a recipe I’m lost. Luckily my husband is the “take what we’ve got and whip something up” type, so when my recipes fail or I forget what that chicken was supposed to be used for he’s great at filling in.

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Sorry, Mom, but the Food Network has taught me how to cook. Right now, it’s more head-knowledge (I can name the technique, answer the Jeopardy food questions, correctly pronounce some French words) than actual cooking successes, but I’m getting braver and trying new things.

This skillet lasagna looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.

Meal planning is one of the most stressful aspects of my life! As a full-time working mom of 4 who is married to a pastor, meal planning is one of the most stressful aspects of my life. I am getting more healthy and enjoying getting inspiration from my two weekly meal plans from eMeals!

My mom taught a 4H cooking class got some friends and me when we were about 8. Since then I always helped my mom in the kitchen and loved the chances I had to spend time with my Grandmothers cooking and baking with them. In high school I was responsible for making dinner a couple nights of the week. I’ve loved my time in the kitchen and professional bakeries since then!

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Unfortunately I didn’t pay attention when I was growing up to the wonderful women present in my life, so now as an adult with my own family I am still learning how to cook.

I learned from my grandma (memaw) who was an awesome cook. She would always cook things from scratch but the one thing I really loved making with her was her homemade buttermilk biscuits and gravy. Her cakes and pies were really good too.