Spicy Saturday, Sunday and Everyday

In another life, after the one where I'm a groupie for an 80's rock band and before the one where I'm a Japanese Geisha, I'd like to be a food critic. I'll eat anything. And I like to tell people what I think. So long as those are the only two qualifications then I'm in the money. I'll get to use phrases like 'swoonworthy spoonfuls' and such.

I'm a tad pre-occupied doing the nurse, mommy,  wife thing but next time...

This time around I can still eat and tell you what I think- just no one's going to pay me for it. It's okay though. We'll call this one a freebie.

Spicy Mango Salad

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's that good.

Once a Month Work Out

I decided to try the Once A Month Cooking thing after my sister bought the cookbook, tried it, and endorsed the recipes. Not only is cooking an entire month's worth of meals an exercise in every domestic skill I possess, but quite a workout too. Do you know how heavy it makes your cart at Costco? I was a crappy driver before but now, forget it! Step in front of my cart and you're likely to end up in the E.R.

Three and half hours of shopping at three different stores, seven of cooking, and too many taste tests to count- I am still not finished. That's what Wednesday is for. I couldn't have done this without my poor husband's help. A nanny would be nice but I'll keep my helpful husband any day. His contribution was keeping Scrunch happy and five dozen Chocolate-Craisin Oatmeal cookies. Scrunch's contribution was feeding herself airplane style as much cottage cheese as I could shovel her direction.

Before- Counter space? What counter space? Don't hate the green. It's going. That's the other thing Wednesday is for- painting the perfect shade of green. Not this Carter's unisex puke you see here.

During- My husbands other contribution. Don't even mention the boots. Or cooking to Ace of Base. I love them both.

After- No pictures. Two words for you. Tempur-pedic. Thankfully our new bed was delivered today or this work-out might leave me unable to walk for the next month.

Utterly Domestic

I made a goal a few weeks ago that I would make something utterly domestic every week. Which is how I ended up canning. Last week it was tortillas. I have one of these now.

Thanks Flickr!

I am totally sold. I never want to buy tortillas again! That may have something to do with having to drive a round trip total of at least 45 minutes. For tortillas? Nuh uh. Not worth it.

Nothing goes better with fresh tortillas than my mother's salsa and guacamole. But something from my mother's kitchen may have rubbed off on me. I only know how to make salsa in ginormous proportions. (i.e. enough to fill a bathtub. Our master bathtub.)

This week? Using leftovers. I hate leftovers. So does my husband. But I think it is written into the regulations of domesticity that you must be willing and able to use leftovers. Totally lame. But if those are the rules, what can you do?

Monday: Grilled Steak and Cheese Quesadillas with leftover guacamole, Strawberry Lemonade If you make this lemonade I need to warn you. You will thank me, but you will think, "I used to pay $3.00 a refill for this stuff." And then you will think, "I must be saving enough to buy a new pair of shoes." And the you will find, buy, and justify these boots- all because you're saving by making your own lemonade.

Tuesday: Salsa Roast Potatoes, Grilled Garlic Chicken

Wednesday: By now I will need a break from salsa and tortillas. Sesame Ginger Spinach Salad

Thursday:I think Mexican Mozzarella is a great substitution for Swiss cheese. And I still can't face more tortillas. Chicken Cordon Bleu, Rice

Friday: Homemade Sopes with Fresh Cream, Beans

Saturday: Fair Food. Mmmmm... jalapeno nachos and a corn dog. Maybe a funnel cake. Or two.

And we made it. By now whatever is left will see itself down the disposal.

Sunday: French Toast with strawberries

My Service to Humanity

I thought I would do something nice for someone today, but it's raining which is not nice for me. What can I do without leaving my house? And then in a stroke of genius (for the second day in a row) it came to me. I will share my meal plan for the week with you complete with links. Forget the fact that it was something I had to do anyway. Now I get a check mark next to meal plan AND service. Because it's all about the check marks, right? That's how we get to heaven. (hehe)
It must be raining sarcasm.

And remember, there are two options when it comes to dinner
1) take it 2) leave it.

Monday
Pork Chops with Garden Rice

Tuesday
Pot Sticker Salad with Snap Peas
Rice

Wednesday
Bacon Wrapped Apple Chicken in Crockpot
Broccoli
Sweet Potatoes

Thursday
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Friday
Gnocchi with Pesto Sauce

Saturday
Marinated Salmon Fillets (Trader Joe's)
Rice
Salad
Bread

Sunday
Thai Red Curry Soup
Crusty Bread

Dinner at our house.

For the record... I am not entirely devoid of cooking skills. In fact if it has butter or garlic (it must have both) I can handle it. Or butter and brown sugar. Scrunch is in total awe of my cooking prowess. And that I cook things especially fun for her to play with. It will be a sad, sad day when she is forced to discover that she is not the center of this world's axis. For now, me lives to serve.

If you like it, at our house you put in your hair. Well, she puts in her hair and then I haul her away to the tub, but on the way I forget why we're going there in the first place and she slimes it in my hair. By the time we make it to the tub I have called for husband to bring the camera and we all end up soaking wet and covered in sweet potato.

I want a brownie badge AND a chest to pin it on.

I've spent the last hour and half planning menus and researching recipes. And I want credit. So yeah! I want a Brownie badge, AND a chest to pin it on.

But I'll also take a good brownie recipe if you got it.

Wednesday- Park Day, Library day
Red Potato Soup
Bake muffins

Thursday- Crafting day (Think felt food.)
B- Muffins
L- Chicken Nuggets
D- Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes

Friday-
B-Yogurt and rest of muffins
L- Cucumber Sandwiches
D- Gyoza, Rice, Edamame

Saturday
B- Tortilla Egg Bake
L- Left overs
D- Asian Chicken Wraps with Steamed Snap Peas, Pineapple
soak beans
make Chimichangas to freeze

Sunday
B-Oatmeal
L-Left overs
D- Quesadillas with Corn and Black Bean Salsa, rest of Pineapple
bake Birthday cake and cupcakes
Crockpot applesauce

The greatest inventions of all time.

The crock pot and the rice cooker. God bless the Rival company and Japanese ingenuity!

Enough said.

Breakfast for Dinner

It's no secret that my kitchen skills are limited. I just figure there are different professions for a reason. I'm not a cook or a chef. Had I wanted to be, I would have studied something different in school. The only real reason I cook is so that I know what is in the food I'm eating and so that we don't starve. Can I help it that some of my favorite foods are dehydrated or available in can form? Little Miss thinks I'm the greatest cook in the world because I can whip up a mean batch of formula and smashed whatever vege-of-the-day. I consult cookbooks for instructions on boiling water. OK, I'm not that bad but that is one of my dad's oldest and lamest jokes.

One of my memories of Grandma is having breakfast for dinner. It was this special thing that I LOVED when we were little and living with her. I was thinking about it and now I realize it is because breakfast foods are fast and easy- totally worthy of conning small children into thinking it's cool. Last night that's exactly what I did. And I have bragging rights today!!!! I even called my parents who were suitably impressed. I made PERFECT crepes stuffed with Parmesan, mushroom, spinach and TEMPERED a lemon egg sauce. That's only after I Googled what the heck temper meant, but it worked. No one was more surprised than me that it actually worked, trust me. It is such a momentous occasion, I considered taking on a new name. Stands with a Spatula (Another memory of a fabulous movie!) Now you can come to my house and not starve. Good thing crepes are versatile- mushroom spinach crepes, berry filled crepes, bacon bit crepes, crepes with syrup, shrimp crepes. OK, I have to stop before the movie references get out of hand. I've got breakfast to make.