Sweet Potatoes make it all better!

What a good Sunday! I made an amazing crock pot meal - possibly the easiest meal I have cooked all week =-). I did all the prep work around 8am and enjoyed dinner at 6! I had not realized that sweet potatoes are harder to cut the normal potatoes - my poor hand hurt like the dickens! They are considerably easier to peel =-).


My sister and her two children joined us for dinner tonight - the youngest (Randy 3 and Jeni 2) had PB&J's after staring wild eyed at the stew in their bowls! My annoying, yet sweet younger brother (Henry 11) made them the wonderful sandwiches - which they devoured! My sister, my brother and I loved the stew which consisted of sweet potatoes, gold potatoes, chicken, carrots and seasonings. My daughter tried it once and then ate some tuna fish later. Can't win them all now can we? I even have leftovers for lunch - yum! =-)

Here's hoping we do not get the predicted snow fall!!

Mushrooms and Shrimp....oh my!

My daughter agreed to retry Mushrooms tonight - she sits on the floor next to me with one precariously perch on a fork breathing heavy. "1...2...3...here goes nothing".....gag, gag and she runs from the room as theatrical as possible. She may have a career someday. She is now proceeding to down water as if it will wash away the memory of the nasty fungus she inflicted upon herself!

I, personally, love mushrooms! Tonight we had the joy of making Shrimp & Mushroom stir fry - well I had the joy =-). My lovely sweet Rosie won the job of peeling and deveining  the raw shrimp. After 30 minutes and all other prep was completed I joined her. My favorite part of the whole evening was listening to my darling screech and moan as she peeled and cut the innards from dead shrimp. She spoke to them "I am sooo sorry poor shrimp, but I love you cooked." "eewwwww, your so slimy and gross." "WHAT JUST TOUCHED ME???" I could barely contain my laughter. Such a girlie girl. Then as I sauteed the shrimp, mushrooms and green onion (with garlic) she made the rice =-). it turned out very good. Although I may NEVER buy raw tail on, shell on shrimp again. Dinner at 9:30 is just sad!     

Thursday

I recently had a marvelous and horrid realization - first I love good home cooked food and second my mom will someday pass on leaving me with no place to eat said good food. Then I realized I also need to budget our food bill and plan - I have never been a meal planner, but more of a how do I feel today? So I am experimenting. I want to learn to cook and I am making my 9 year old take the journey with me. In a very interesting turn of events we both just finished watching Julia & Julie - it was quite fitting to watch.

I made my menu over the weekend, made a grocery list and Monday evening - for the very first time - I made Mushroom Beef Tenderloin.Basically Tenderloin steaks w/ Mushroom sauce - I learned not to crowd my Mushrooms, not to cook tenderloins to much and that cream can make an amazing sauce. It was a success accompanied by perogies and steamed vegetables.

Tuesday we had Honey Chicken Stir fry - It was heavenly. The honey added a sweet touch to the chicken. I served it with white rice (which Rosie made!) I learned that if you dry chicken it browns better and you have no weird white pieces..

Wednesday I learned to preread recipes as the chosen recipe had to marinate overnite! It turned into leftover night - live and learn!  Right?

Thursday (which happens to be tonight!) I used the other half of the Tenderloin roast and marinated it in a wonderful sauce after cutting it into steaks. The sauce sounded awful - OJ, Brown sugar, soy sauce, mustard, garlic? It was highly praised but I was skeptical Wednesday night as I set it in the fridge. It was FANTASTIC! The meat after fried in the juice literally fell apart in my mouth. It was not sweet or tart - it was like a combination of all the latter mentioned ingredients yet totally different. It was perfect. So perfect in fact my 3 year old (who only loves chicken nuggets and fish sticks) asked for seconds! I served it w/ garlic shells (kinda like shells and cheese except w/ a cheese sauce) and corn. next time I will up the sides as this main course deserves perfect sides! I learned tonight that a citrus marinade will tenderize (well break down) tough meats - so I will try this on some deer steaks we have acquired (as I had NO idea what to do with them!)  

Thank goodness I have also taken up Zumba with some good friends - I may need it! Rosie and I made a White Chocolate pie also tonight - looks good, but we will find out tomorrow! =-) 

Welcome to blogging.......

This is my first blog in a long, long time. I thought it might be enjoyable to share my thoughts, experiences, trials and laughter somewhere other then my journal. welcome to my life.....more to come later!

~Tinabug