The Dinner Ritual

This began like 2 weeks ago. And anytime we are all at the dinner table together, about 4 out of the 7 evenings, it happens. Daddy comes home and everyone's excited. Especially me! I've usually got dinner timed just about perfectly to being ready when he walks through the door. We're all at the table, except for Andy, because well, he needs to do about 10 things before he can sit down. And I see it - the fly. I have usually killed about 2 flies in the process of making dinner because they hover around my head for some reason. (no laughing or snide remarks) That purple fly swatter I bought at Wal Mart has the battle scars of my wrath. Its missing a few slats. For some reason, I stink at trying to kill them. I try to ignore them until I can't take it anymore. I am always positive I've gotten every last one until that moment when Andy sits down at the table. They must all be in the same family and think they're funny, because its at the exact same time every night. Or maybe they are wanting revenge for killing their brother, sister, mother, grandfather, I don't know. I try not to think I've hurt they're family. Okay, anyway, it becomes quite the game of "Where is the fly"? We each try to spot it before the other. It always lands somewhere on the table or the light fixture. And of course, you can't swat it on the table or light fixture because then it could bounce onto someone's plate. So it takes a good while to get the fly. But I'm going to brag on my husband here a minute. He can swat a fly in mid-air and kill it. I know, I'm a lucky gal. While its been a fun game, I'm getting tired of it. But I wanted to pass this info along to you if you're looking for a family bonding game to play at the dinner table, just open the back door and let the bonding begin.

Martha, its all about you baby

I got the homemaking gene. I think it is one, because well, everyone doesn't have it. There is also the creative gene, that I do NOT have. My mother got the gardening half of homemaking, but definitely not the cooking half. She passed that one on to me. And tonight, I proudly exercised it. It was a nice cloudy day here, almost fall, if it wasn't for the 80 degree heat and 99% humidity. Anyway, I had this whole chicken I had bought and it absolutely had to be cooked today. And like a proud mom, I've posted my kitchen artwork. If I had a really great digital camera, you could see the specks of fresh basil under the skin. I have never roasted a whole anything and I even stuck my fingers between the skin and bird and rubbed my homemade seasoning. I was tempted to begin my cooking show persona I developed as a small girl making boxed macaroni and cheese for the camera, but I refrained. And the thing I am most proud of is the gravy. I actually made gravy....from the pan drippings.....on the stove. I added some mashed potatoes and green beans and called it good. Paige just ate the green beans and Zak the potatoes, so I'd call it a hit in the toddler world. I can't promise anything more than cereal tomorrow night.

And I hope you've noticed my new blog picture to the right. It expresses my heartfelt feelings about coffee. I heart coffee - get it?

Whats for dinner

I'm running low on blog material. Not that things around here haven't been busy or blogworthy - I just can't seem to put it in word form. So I'm giving you a dinner idea. I think I could eat these every day they are so good and so easy. We had these last night. Next time I'll post you a picture of it.

Turkey wrap

whole wheat flour tortilla
turkey
shredded cheese
salsa
avacado
salt and pepper

I heat mine up in the microwave for 10 seconds to get it a little warm.

Delish!!!!!

Humble Pie

One of the things on my "to do" list is to go to culinary school. In fact, I wish I would have done that instead of getting an accounting degree. So I put myself in the adventurous category when it comes to dinnertime. I probably should have started this when I first got married, because when you have picky eating toddlers, nothing makes the "cook again" list very often.

It started yesterday at the store when I had a weak moment. I was strolling down the cereal aisle, looking for a sale. I always steer clear of the sugar cereals. I don't want to start my children's day out with a sugar high. I have no problem starting myself off on a sugar high, but just can't bring myself to do it to my children.(Except Saturday's, thats donut day - I know exactly which ones of you are cringing at that) So the stand bys are usually Honey Nut Cheerios and Rice Chex. Well, growing up, I do remember a time or two when my mom bought Fruit Loops, or Cinnamon Toast Crunch. So I thought I'd buy my kids a treat box of cereal. I would only do it every so often, just to let them taste the good things in life. I settled on the large $2 box of Lucky Charms. One of my personal fav's. This morning I brought it out proudly and told the children I bought them a treat. They were as excited as I was to eat it. Within 1 minute of serving them, Zak says to me "Mom, I don't like this - it tastes funny." I came from the kitchen just knowing I had heard him completely wrong and that he was saying how much he liked it. So I said "The marshmallows are great, aren't they?". He said "No, those colored things have a funny taste. Can I just have a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios?". I was floored. What kid didn't like marshmallows in his cereal? I gave him his Honey Nut Cheerios and the Lucky Charms off to Andy. (On a normal day, I would have eaten them, but it is day 1 of my "diet" - don't laugh) Now Paige, made me proud. When I heard her say "more Mommy", it was just as I had suspected. Every marshmallow was in her mouth at one time and there was a bowl full of "the other stuff".

Your probably wondering what cooking has to do with cold cereal. We're getting there, I promise.

So tonight I'm pumped because I am cooking something called Shrimp Teriayaki Noodles. I've never cooked with shrimp before and decided it was time. Plus the recipe was super easy and healthy. We have this rule at the table. Its called the "No thank you bite". The kids have to take at least one bite of what I cook and if they don't like it, they can say "No thank you" and not eat it. I'm not cooking them anything else, but they don't have to eat it. Anyway, we are having a great conversation about shrimp and where it comes from and Zak gets one on his fork and says - okay, I'll try it. Immediately he says - "Um, no thank you". I told him I was very proud of him trying the shrimp and he didn't have to eat anymore. Then it happened........the gagging. I'm like "spit it on your plate if you don't like it - SPIT IT ON YOUR PLATE!!!!". But it was too late. Up came the shrimp and everything else he had eaten in the last few hours. I was totally and completely grossed out. He said he wasn't sick, it was just the shrimp. My excitement at my semi-ethnic meal was totally gone. And after the clean up, I couldn't stomach but one bite.

Those Lucky Charms sure tasted good. And I will have to redo day 1 of my "diet" tomorrow.