Someone's in the Kitchen...Oh Wait, That's Me

Wow, I feel like I need a nap.  I have been cooking dinners this afternoon for the next few nights.  CraZy.  I grouse, but you know I love it.  Especially since I'm cooking some of the things the fam has been asking me to cook for at least the last month.  :)  I hope it is like a happy little surprise.  Hopson will get his chicken meatballs, Harry his Friday special, and they all like the hamburger pie.  Wins all around, and a mom who will be at peace because no throwing something together last minute.  :)

Yea!!!  I think I may have to start doing this more often, especially once school starts.  It's kind of a pain while you're cooking, but now that I'm done I feel such a sense of accomplishment.  It's not that what I was cooking was difficult; it just takes time to get all the ingredients together and cook each thing.  I used three different kinds of meat for the meals this week, but normally I'll use the same meat in a different dish at least once a week.

Do you have any recipes that are your fam's faves?  If so, I would love to know them!!!  Always looking for something different.  I think as moms we tend to get into a cooking rut, or at least I do.  My mom's rut was baked chicken.  She would bake chicken, plain chicken at that, at least four times a week.  Do you have any idea how turned off I am by baked chicken?  Yuck!  And because of my distaste for baked chicken this is what I do at least once a week...

...O snap, it's already 7!  Ok, ok, ok.  Don't panic, but what to cook.  "Yes, (insert child's name here) I know you're starving, well actually you're just hungry, starving is what children in 3rd world countries are."  What can I throw together that is healthy & yummy.  Do I want leftovers or not?  What is our schedule this week?  "Hey, (insert child's name here) will you look on my calendar & see what we have the rest of this week.  Yes, I know I forget a lot of stuff, but please do this for me it will take you less than a minute.  Thank you!"  :)   (I will sometimes stand with the fridge door open or in the pantry waiting for something to jump out and say 'here, feed them this'.  So far that hasn't happened, I'll let you know if it does.)  Quickly defrost meat for said dinner & then cook it.  While meat is defrosting, get out veggie and get it ready.  Be prepared to have an in depth argument with Harry about the benefits of eating said veggies, and no, a fruit is not the same as a vegetable.  Should we have something starchy?  I'm not even hungry, I wish we were a cereal for dinner kind of family.  I really hope we have some leftovers, because I don't want to cook on Thursday.  (that is our usual leftover day.)  Finish dinner, throw it on some plates for those who are home, have it 'heat up ready' for those who aren't & we're good to go!  Now the cleaning-up can get somewhat started.

Whew.  I know, I'm crazy.  I know any guy who reads this will think that there is no way that much stuff is going through my head.  Go ask your wife or mom & she'll tell you the same thing.  I can't compartmentalize anything because everything wants to creep into another's compartment.  That  makes me even crazier.  :)  Well, I'm going to start thinking about what I can cook next week for dinner.  Remember, if you have any recipes that you love, please pass them on!!!

Celebrating Life & bein' in the kitchen!
~ashley