This makes me feel a little better about my complete lack of desire to do anything even remotely related to pre-studying.
I have, however, been researching anything that might make my life a little easier next year.
I've started up a wish list on Amazon full of stuff I've found that may be of useful next year: rice cooker/vegetable steamer, programmable crock pot (i didn't know these existed), a reasonable set of cookware, a good coffee maker, dry erase boards, vacuum food sealer, grill, a good lunch bag, etc. I'm at a point where my budget can take a $100 hit each month so I'm buying some things (not books) piece by piece.
I've been trying out quick, easy, affordable recipes. I bought a chest freezer last year, so my plan is to cook in bulk and freeze next year. I'm still figuring out what freezes well and what doesn't. In case anyone else is looking, my sources have been:
http://allrecipes.com/
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus
http://thepauperedchef.com/
http://the99centchef.blogspot.com/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/category/recipes
http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/
A couple weekends ago I learned how to use an entire rotisserie chicken, a first for me. The breast meat went into pitas for the week's lunches (chicken, cucumbers, spinach, and Sabra brand roasted red pepper hummus. They're great!). The carcass went into the slow cooker with some water overnight to make chicken stock. Some chicken stock and half the dark meat went into some black beans and rice. The rest of the chicken stock and the other half of the dark meat went into a chicken, barley, and vegetable soup. All that from a $5 rotisserie chicken. I was totally stoked.
