I am 41 So I remember what home cooking is from my mother to grandmothers even to my great-grand mother( who lived to be 106 and never at in a cafe or resturant). What is home cooking to the different generations today. I still cook at home for my 16 yr old and I don't use the microwave except for veg cooking and I still use gas and an iron skillet that is over 85Yrs old. I will shut up now. And let the real world talk

Home cooking, for me, consists of, in order of use:
Microwave
George Foreman Grill
Stovetop
Oven

I only have to cook for myself, so cooking is a lot simpler.

Well my mom tries to cook for us whenever she can(most of the time). It's usually a normal home-cooked meal, soups, pastas, seafood, grill. She just made me chicken soup this afternoon.

Home cooking in 2003 to a lot of working women/men is whatever can be cooked in the microwave. Restaurants offer good homecooked meal, and just think..you don't even have to wash dishes.

I cook a lot of homecooked meals, but if I'm really tired or doesn't feel good...it's Burger King.

When I'm in the MOOD to do some cooking - I like to make a "batch"!

I make a large pot of seafood chowder and freeze it in several containers for future use. Same with lasagna, cabbage rolls, meat balls, spaghetti sauce, and the list goes on.

The initial job is a major pain, but it's well worth it.

Normally ... it's easy fixin's.

Home cooking then:

Making your own bread.
Making your own sauces.
Boiling a whole chicken and then saving the broth for other recipes.
Having a garden and tonight's veggies were whatever was ready to be picked.
Baking with fresh, fertilized eggs.
Baking a pie, a cake, or cookies from scratch.

And, sitting at the table to eat with the family!

I think NC hit it right on the head. All sitting down as a family eating dinner is as close to home cooking as you can get these days. No TV, No fighting. No rush.

My dad was a chef for over 20 years and he would do most of the cooking around our house. He would do the batch technic. We were his "Test subjects". Put meals away in the freezer. I almost think he invent "Frozen Dinners" but I know better now. Still trying to figure out his recipe for Leak and Potato soup. It make about 200 servings. LOL

My fondest childhood memory is going to the markets with him picking out his FRESH veg and HANGING side of beef. Picking up the FRESH Live lobsters and oysters from the RAILEXPRESS station.

Today, cooking for one or two is a chore but still is my first choice. There is a resturant near us that has good, "Home Cooked" meals for a reasonable price. Around $8 for soup, salad and entree with all the trimings. Dessert and beverage (free refills) is extra but I never get to the dessert. To full from everything else. Still can't figure how they do it.....

No, there is no kennel next to it.

i make a lot of stuff from (mostly) scratch.
i do cheat a bit, like using the electric mixer instead of hand beaters, or the bread machine instead of over heating the house.
i make my own jams and jellies, pies, cookies, cakes.

we do use a lot of time and energy saving things too. i love my rice cooker and vegi steamer. the bbq is good as well.
microwaves are for unthawing or reheating. not for cooking.

To me, "Home Cooking" is cooking fresh vegetables and meats, making breads, pies and cakes "from scratch", etc.
(And it sure is nice when I can get someone to do it for me! )

Actually, we do a fair amount of "home cooking" - my husband has his specialties, and so do I.
But I do cook a lot of canned, instant and frozen food too.
What we have depends a lot on what else is going on that day.
The one thing I do enjoy making myself is pumpkin pie (and I do use frozen pie crusts). I scoop the "meat" out of the pumpkin I carve my Jack-O'-Lantern out of for Hallowe'en. Then I have enough for pies at Thanksgiving and Christmas!

And don't forget "out cooking"! (My favorite! )