Day Twenty-Two: Disappointing Chicken

Tonight I am newly motivated and ready to cook a great meal.  I'm also willing to leave my comfort zone and try something new.  I haven't cooked any Barefoot Contessa recipes yet this month, so I turned to her newest book to find some inspiration.

Everything I've tried out of this cookbook has been great.  Tonight I picked Chicken with Shallots.  Supposedly, it was "easy and quick."  First you fry one side of the chicken in a skillet.

If I had read the recipe in advance, I might have skipped it.  I really hate frying in a skillet.  The little grease balls fly all over the counter, the floor, my clothes, and possible into my sweet baby's upturned face.  No me gusta.

After the frying, the chicken gets flipped over and roasted in the oven.  This worked fine, since I was already roasting cauliflower. 

The cauliflower recipe also came from the Barefoot Contessa cookbook.  I took a lot of shortcuts, so I wasn't sure if it would turn out right.  For instance, instead of peeling and boiling an entire head of garlic, I just threw in a few teaspoons of minced garlic.  Purists might lose some respect for me here, but I love buying already minced garlic.  It's the greatest thing since bagged salad.

While the caulifower and chicken baked, I made the sauce.  I had to simmer some white wine, shallots, and lemon juice.  Once this reduced, I needed to add cream.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find the cream in the fridge.  I know I had cream on the grocery list, and I'm pretty sure I picked it up at the store.  My memory is pretty doubtful, though.  Let's consider the parcel pickup incident.  When I checked out at the grocery store they offered me parcel pickup.  This is when you drive your car around and they load your groceries for you.  It's a nice service, and very helpful.  Unless you get in your car and drive home.  Without the groceries.

So... instead of cream I had to use Jack's whole milk.  Close enough, I told myself. 

The chicken turned out good.  After all that work, however, I wanted amazing.  The cauliflower was amazing.  I loved it!  I had to plead with Mike to take one bite.  He did, and admitted that it wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be.  He just didn't feel like he could stomach another bite, though.  Jack sided with Mike, and shouted "NO!" each time I tried to give him a bite.

Unfortunately, once I got the dinner on the plate I realized that everything was white.  I like to have a colorful plate, and this tabula rosa really put a damper on my mood. 

Add to that the so-so chicken, vegetable-refusing boys, and a toddler who wouldn't even eat the noodles cooked specifically for him, and you get a pretty disappointing meal. 

On the plus side, Jack got some good practice with his fork. 

We were happy to watch him experiment to see which foods were best eaten with a fork.  Oranges are not a fork-friendly food- unless you like the taste of orange peel. 

This dinner was a swing and a miss, but I'm not letting it get me down.  I'm ready to try another new recipe tomorrow which is sure to be a homerun!

Day Twenty-One: A Little Cheating

Let's revisit the origin of Home Cook Challenge.   Mike wanted to try eating only homemade meals for 30 days, thinking of all the mouth-watering bacon he could grill in 30 days.  I agreed, thinking of how much money we could save in 30 days.  I also had the secret objective of gradually and sneakily transfering more of the family cooking responsibility to Mike's broad shoulders. 

We are 21 days into this challenge, and we are fatigued.  We've had some unexpected obstacles, such as Mike leaving town for a few days, my suddenly very busy work schedule, and some parties.  There have been a few transgressions.

While Mike was out of town we all know he relished in fast food and barbeque.  In the meantime I held true to the challenge, but was later derailed at my dad's retirement party.  I didn't want to be rude, and who has the iron will to turn down a free meal at Metropolitan Grill when the 30 other guests are chowing down?  Since I had cooked a homemade dinner and eaten it already, I didn't feel that the infraction was grave.

We attended a benefit party for Springfield Little Theatre tonight, which was catered by Ocean Zen, Flo, and 5 SPice.  Again, what was the sense in being rude?  The open bar weakened our resolve and we weren't an hour in before we were hitting the buffet lines.  We love all three of those restaurants, so we ate like starved hyenas. 

Honestly, we weren't even hungry.  We had made a homemade meal, which we enjoyed as a family, before the party.  Tonight we made my very favorite meal in the world: pork tenderloin sandwiches.  All you need to start this meals is a warm loaf of french bread.

I used the second loaf of homemade bread our friend Jane gave us.  It smelled glorious as it warmed in the oven. 

Next step, thinly slice a red onion.  Add the onion, warmed leftover pork, and some lettuce to the bread.

Here comes the most important step, so read carefully.  You must pour on a boatload of Newman's Own dressing.

If you have done it properly, the dressing will run down your arms and drip off your elbows as you eat. 

Now you have the perfect sandwich.  Mmm... I want another right now!

In the interest of full disclosure, you now know about our indescretions. Our cards are on the table.  We know we're not perfect.  After 21 days, though, it would silly to give in.  We are resolved to venture forth with contrite hearts, making the final 9 days of Home Cook Challenge the best yet. 

Day Twenty: Back to Normal

Finally this week is over, and we are back to normal... mostly. 

Mike got home this afternoon, leaving me just enough time to run to the grocery store and pick something for dinner.  I chose on of our old standbys, pork tenderloin.  Mike loves to grill pork tenderloin and eating way too much for dinner.  I love making sandwiches with the leftovers the next day.

It's a win-win.  I wanted to try something different and fun, so I googled a recipe for baked apples.  I cored the apples, filled them with cinnamon, raisins, and brown sugar, and popped them in the oven.   I wanted everything to be ready at the same time.  I tried to pin Mike down to an answer on when the pork would be finished.  His answer?  15-45 minutes.  Helpful, Mike, very helpful!

The apples were supposed to bake for 40 minutes, so I popped them in the oven.  Not surprisingly, they ended up being finished before the pork.  This means they sat on the counter and got cool and saggy while we waited on the rest of dinner. 

I nuked some baked potatoes and they were ready right on time.

By the time we got everyone's plate filled and sat down, we had forgotten all about the apples.  It had only been a few days since we'd been sat down at the table together, but it already felt foreign.  We all commented on how long it seemed since we'd sat at the table together, except for Jack, who repeatedly demanded that we "watch this!" as he stabbed various items with his fork.

We lingered at dinner, unwilling to leave our cozy table.  When we started to clean up, I noticed the apples.  They could be salvaged for dessert, surely.  I sliced one open and scooped some ice-cream on top.  Mike and I both had a few bites.  The apple was too firm, and too cold, and so we just tossed it out.

Even though the apples didn't turn out, we loved our dinner.  It was so nice to be back to normal!

Day Nineteen: Dinner on the Run

Tonight I taught all day and night, and Mike was still out of town.  Jack spent the evening with my mom, where he enjoyed a lovely meal of Spaghetti-Os and raspberries.  My mom actually had to hide the raspberries because he was eating them so fast she couldn't even get them rinsed off first.  She proudly told me that she even got him to eat a few green beans.  He caught on pretty quickly, however, and that was the end of that!

By the time I got Jack home and in bed, I was exhausted myself.  I had lots more work to do before I could turn in, though, so I had to rustle up something warm and satisfying. I had nowhere near enough energy to cook something.  After a long time looking in the cupboard, I finally found the right meal.

Oatmeal!  I used to think oatmeal was only for breakfast, and for old people.  After college, though, I worked as a graduate assistant at Drury.  My boss worked so hard every day, she only spent about 5 minutes eating lunch.  I worried about her a lot (this was before I became a teacher and a speed eater).  Starting at noon, I used to pop in her office every five or ten minutes and remind her that it was lunchtime.  After a few reminders she would finally acquiesce.  She would get up, walk across her office to the microwave, and make a bowl of oatmeal.  This did not allay my worries, since oatmeal was clearly a breakfast meal for old people, and not sufficient to sustain a working adult. 

She seemed to thrive on this thin fare, and I began to wonder if oatmeal might deserve another glance.  Soon after, I began eating it, and loving it, on cold winter mornings.  Bare cupboards gave me
the opportunity to break oatmeal out of its breakfast confines and invite it to the dinner table.

My oatmeal was a great dinner tonight.  Plus, I got to eat while I worked.

Day Eighteen: Dinner with Elmo

Wednesdays are always busy, busy.  I don't get home from teaching Spanish classes until about 7:45.  Usually, this means Jack is waiting to be bathed and put to bed, after having had dinner with Mike.  Tonight, though, Mike is travelling.  Jack had a lovely homecooked meal with his GaGa (Mike's mom).  I picked him up there and drove him home.  Since Jack asked so nicely (six times) I sang the Elmo theme song the entire way home.  It's a short song.  Every time it finished I heard his sweet little "more?" coming from the backseat, and I couldn't help but sing out with gusto once more.

By the time we got home Jack nearly fell over himself running to his spot on the couch to watch Elmo's World.  This is part of our nighttime routine, developed by yours truly.  I am normally anti-television, especially for Jack.  However, after his bath I have to grease him down in Eucerin.  Eucerin is extremely thick and laggy, and smearing it all over a baby is neither fun nor easy.  The only way I can do it is if Jack is distracted by his 15 minute Elmo show. 

My requirements for my own dinner tonight were as follows: I needed to be able to prepare it, eat it, and clean it up by the time Elmo's World was over.  Since I am a teacher, I am also a speed eater.  Really, tonight's challenge posed no problem to me at all.  I grabbed some leftovers from the fridge, warmed them up, and two minutes later dinner was over. 

Some of you are thinking how sad and banal this sounds, but guess what?  I like it!  This is one of the perks to Mike travelling: I don't have to worry about cooking some tasty, balanced meal.  I will eat anything old thing that's sitting around, and Jack is always pleased to get to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. 

Guess what else?  I don't have to clean up the kitchen!  Ha! 

Let's all please turn our attention to Mike.  Right now he is probably lounging in his hotel room in Mississippi, watching ESPN with the volume turned as loud as he pleases, eating... what?  Eating what?  I will tell you, it is not homecooked.  We have our first violation.

Mike claims exemption during travel.  I'm not so kind to give him full exemption, but I'm also not motivated enough to have packed him a cooler full of homecooked meals for his trip.   Therefore, I will have to think of a proper punishment for this violation.  Any suggestions are appreciated.

Day Seventeen: Lots of hard work

After yesterday's easy supper, I wanted to redeem myself with something a little healthier and more involved.  Of course, this means cooking fish.  I still had a few Sockeye salmon filets in the freezer, so that would be the main course.  I have a great recipe from Texas Ties (remember this cookbook, I used it for chicken noodle soup?) for glazed salmon.  I love the recipe for two equally important reasons.  First, it is yummy.  Second, all the ingredients are things that you already have in the kitchen.  I'm sold!

Now... for the vegetable.  I wanted to do broccoli, and I wanted to do more than just steam it.  I normally always steam broccoli.  And, normally, it is not a crowd pleaser.  My aunt Louise makes a mean roasted broccoli with gremolata, so I asked her for the recipe.  Louise is an amazing cook.  She makes things that normal Ozarks folks can't pronounce, like gremolata and tabouli.  Mike has a natural aversion to any food that is difficult to pronounce and polysyllabic.  However, when Louise cooks Mike cleans his plate.  I was hoping for the same luck with the roasted broccoli.

First, I had to get out some bread and let it sit out on the counter to get stale.  Jack found my stash and made a little snack of it.

Meanwhile, I took Jack with me to visit our friend Jane.  Jane is another great cook.  We used to make homemade jelly together.  This was before Jack came along and put an end to my free time.  Jane has been reading the blog, and noticed how much I liked bread.  She felt sorry for me eating crescent rolls all the time.  She has been on a bread making kick, and offered to give me half the dough she had made the previous day.  She even offered to loan me her cookbook.

Being the breadhead that I am, I got in the car and put the pedal down.  Jane gave me two loaves of rising bread and three jars of jelly.

As soon as I got home I put the bread in the oven to bake.  It makes you feel good to have bread baking in the oven, even if you didn't it yourself.  The house becomes warmer and cozier.  You start to use words like home, hearth, and artisan.  You smile dreamily over your toddler as he plays on the kitchen floor.  For a moment, you feel like a better you.

Jack was busy during this time, too.  He began playing one of his favorite games: use the Swiffer to knock all the keys off the key-holder. 

This game leads to the slow demise of the paint job on our walls, but I like to watch Jack play.  I'm proud of him for using tools to accomplish tricky tasks. 

When Mike groans, I point out that the use of tools is what separates humans from animals... and thumbs, of course. What an exceptional human Jack must be, since he is using tools to solve problems already!

While Jack destroyed the hallway, I happily worked on Louise's gremolata.  My bread wasn't quite stale enough, so I toasted it in the oven.  Then I put it in the Cuisinart and chopped it to smithereens.

All I had left to do was sautee a diced shallot, throw in the bread crumbs, and mix in some lemon zest.  I would sprinkle this mixture over the roasted broccoli.  Perhaps I was excited because I would get to eat bread with my broccoli, but I just knew Mike would love this.  Louise had cautioned that I wouldn't be able to hide the broccoli, but I had assured her it didn't matter.  Mike would acknowledge the vegetable, eat said vegetable, and applaud the cook.

It turned out fantastic.  Our dinner was so nice I even lit the candles. 

The bread was amazing.  Everyone loved it, including Jack.  Once we broke out Jane's homemade strawberry jelly, we couldn't get Jack to eat anything but the bread and jelly.  Thus we have learned not to serve jelly at dinner. 

Sad news.  Mike didn't like the broccoli.  He devoured his salmon, though.  I ate so much bread and broccoli that I wasn't even hungry by the time I got around to the salmon. 

I was happy that tonight had been such a healthy, happy meal.  Things are going to get difficult this week, since Mike will be travelling for work and I'll be teaching at night.  I'm not sure how this is going to work...  

Day Sixteen: Everyday Ordinary

Tonight was my night to cook, but thanks to a busy day teaching and playing with Jack, I didn't think much about dinner until dinner was here.  I had planned to make chili, but it was 60 degrees today.  We spent the afternoon at the park in our jackets, drove with the windows down, and left the doors to the house open to let in the fresh air.  It just didn't seem right to make chili.

So at the last minute I changed my plans.  I found a can of sloppy joe sauce in the cupboard and I threw together some sloppy joes. 

I hardly ever make sloppy joes, but every time I do I'm reminded how good they are.  I could have eaten eight of these sandwiches!

Put some green beans and peaches on the plate and you've got yourself a nice little meal. 

Jack loved his dinner tonight.  His hamburger bun was gone in no time.  He didn't like the meat or the green beans, of course.  Ah well, he ate 50% of the meal, and that is a success. 

Mike and Jack had a good time at dinner giving high fives and knuckles.

Of course this led to some tickling.

We loved our simple meal tonight.  It was easy.  It was yummy.  And, it left us plenty of time to play under the table.