Day 9

Halloween tonight, so it will be sandwiches or something else light.  We are headed to a party and need a little room for treats (or tricks).

Day 8

Tonight is my son's birthday and we went out for Mexican with the family.  It was fine, but next year he has requested we try something new.  Maybe we will eat at home.

Day 7

Tonight was meant to be a celebration of my son's last day of being 11.  I spent the day shopping, tracking down the foods he had requested for dinner.  The menu included grilled mini lamb burgers with  tzatziki sauce, steak fries and lemon custard cake for dessert.  There was an apparent run on ground lamb, because I had to go to three stores before I found some.  The other ingredients were simple to procure.  I did barrow the custard cups from a friend, not knowing for sure that we would like the recipe.

We put the menu together by picking recipes from the new Great Food Fast cookbook by Martha Stewart. I really like the cookbook.  Every recipe has a picture and for a beginner like me this is a plus.

I had the potatoes in the oven and was moving on the the tzatziki sauce, when I heard the front door bell.  This is very unusual and it startled me.  I looked through the window and saw my father-in-law.  He had made a mistake.  He and my mother-in-law were meant to come tomorrow for my son's birthday dinner.  They had come a day early.  Because it is a 2.5 hour drive from their home to ours, we tossed the potatoes, put the other ingredients in the fridge and made our way to a local restaurant.  I didn't have enough food for five.  Even if I I had they would have never eaten the lamb.

I must say thats life make cooking difficult.  Between the shopping and prep I spent hours I will never get back.  I can only be grateful that only the potatoes were lost.  If worse comes to worse we can have a salad and chips with the meal on Thursday, if I don't make it back to the store.

Day 6

Sunday dinner consisted of New York strip steak, baked potatoes and a soaked Cajun salad.  I just need to get my son to try a dressing besides ranch; making two salads is a pain.

Day 5

My son spent the night out tonight and we just ate sandwiches and watched movies.  I made a grilled sandwich with colby pepper jack cheese and tomato- Yum! I also cut up a wonderfully ripe cantaloupe.  I could get used to this eating in stuff.

Day 4

Tonight I used a free pass.  It is Friday and I need some Chinese take-out.

Day Three

Did it again! Tonight I went with Mexican.  We had shrimp fajitas, guacamole, salsa and cantaloupe.  I made the salsa from scratch.  It was made in a blender, but now I wish I had a food processor.  Maybe for Christmas if I keep this up.  Next time I will make the salsa earlier and add the chopped onions last.  I also want to try a white cheese dip recipe.  Maybe Saturday night with carnes asada. 

Day Two

Dinner was much better tonight.  I made a favorite: Bell and Evan chicken tenders, green salad, and mashed potatoes   To tell the truth I would prefer grilled chicken breast, but Miller swims late on Wednesdays and it is getting dark earlier and earlier these days.  I made some cookies in a pan for dessert.  Hoping to make eating at home appealing.

Day One

So we did it! We ate at home.  I made salmon, cauliflower and green beans.  I have to say my friends lied when they said that roasted cauliflower was good.  It made me and my son gag just a bit.  The salmon and the green beans are standards around here, so they were great!  I think I made a mistake in buying the big bag of frozen salmon.  This is the second time I have used its and the fish is dry.  After I finish the bag, I will stick with buying a nice size piece of fish with the skin on; it is definitely the way to go.