1. I cook recreationally - I find it's a great way to destress. I find doing something that's a different sort of creative task helps reset and refocus my mind. I actually don't find I save much money in cooking - often I like to cook exciting creative things, using ingredients you wouldn't use every day, and this tends to make cooking cost about the same as going somewhere mediocre for dinner (~£15 either way).
2. I find planning more than a day ahead pretty tough - you never know when you'll decide that actually going out for a beer with mates is more important than going home and cooking. The one exception to this is large meals on weekends. I enjoy having a few friends around, opening a few bottles of vino, and cooking something exciting - which obviously takes planning. At the extreme end of this, I do a christmas meal for 20+ friends every year, generally involving turkey, beef, ham, two types of potatoes, sprouts, a bunch of veg, home made sauces, christmas puddings, etc. This is great fun, but I need to start planning in October (note to self - remember to start planning that soon).
3. All sorts - often roasts, normally something with a meat centrepiece although occasionally I like cooking risotto or a fish pie or a stew. Depends on the time of year really. This summer, most of my meals have been some meat on the barbeque (butterflied leg of lamb for instance), and a bunch of mezze style items. I also occasionally bake loaves of bread (maybe once or twice a month). This feels really great - nothing is better for de-stressing than baking a loaf of bread.
4. No.
5. For me, the productivity isn't important - I'd much rather take my time and do things the old fashioned, conventional way.
2. I find planning more than a day ahead pretty tough - you never know when you'll decide that actually going out for a beer with mates is more important than going home and cooking. The one exception to this is large meals on weekends. I enjoy having a few friends around, opening a few bottles of vino, and cooking something exciting - which obviously takes planning. At the extreme end of this, I do a christmas meal for 20+ friends every year, generally involving turkey, beef, ham, two types of potatoes, sprouts, a bunch of veg, home made sauces, christmas puddings, etc. This is great fun, but I need to start planning in October (note to self - remember to start planning that soon).
3. All sorts - often roasts, normally something with a meat centrepiece although occasionally I like cooking risotto or a fish pie or a stew. Depends on the time of year really. This summer, most of my meals have been some meat on the barbeque (butterflied leg of lamb for instance), and a bunch of mezze style items. I also occasionally bake loaves of bread (maybe once or twice a month). This feels really great - nothing is better for de-stressing than baking a loaf of bread.
4. No.
5. For me, the productivity isn't important - I'd much rather take my time and do things the old fashioned, conventional way.