it's better to burn out than to fade away (name that quote)

I've got burn-out.  Like nobody's business.

Since the race (like 3 weeks ago!) I've been dragging, dragging, draaaagging.  We took a week "off" after the race and ignored house projects, exercising, and any other unnecessary activities, and it's been super difficult getting up and going again.  I feel like I'm doing the bare minimum and sometimes not even that. 

So even though I pressed on in my race training and hit my PR, I feel like I'm barely keeping pace with everything else.  I haven't put on my running shoes in weeks and I find myself having a date with the couch every night.  I also started a new position at work and now as trainee I am uber-conscious of the fact that I'm a sloooow little newbie. 

The holidays are quickly approaching with Lila's birthday just a few weeks after.  My God, why didn't I plan her birthday in August like I did in good ol' 2010?  Simpler times, y'all.

Lessons learned I guess.  Now excuse me while I polish off a bag of sweet potato chips.  In my bed.

I'm disgusting.

meal list thursday

It's been a good couple of weeks.

We're back on track with the basement and holy cow, I'm pretty sure it's gonna get done before the end of the year.  Keep your fingers crossed and pray to Jesus with me that it does!  I'm super excited about the extra living space and I get all giddy thinking about how soonverysoon I'll get to reorganize the main level of our house and put everything back where it's supposed to go instead of tripping over Rubbermaid bins, random boxes, and misplaced toys.

And if I really let my mind go there I can daydream about all the ways I'd like to update and redecorate our house.  You know, if I'd found a hidden bag of cash in the basement rafters.  Or if Craig from Craigslist would just be a good friend and hook me up with awesome stuff in the Free section. 

(Tangent: have you ever READ the stuff in the Free section?  It provides me with much entertainment.  Like this post, and this and this and this.  These people/posts just make me laugh.  God love 'em.)

It's also been a good couple of weeks because I have officially transitioned to a different role at work.  I enjoyed my previous position as well, but I'm kinda pleased that I was chosen to do something different.   So now I just have to remind myself not to screw up royally. 


This week's meal list:

Grilled Top Sirloin Steak and Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Breasts With Cheddar Mustard Sauce and Steamed Broccoli (omg)
Pan-Grilled Salmon, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Parmesan Tomatoes

Recipes here.  Remember: these recipes will make enough food for 2+ people for 2+ meals.

meal list thursday: lessons learned (and TGINovember)

It's been a nice, quiet week.  We've had few commitments the last week or two which has given us a bit of time to chill out on the couch, enjoy a few Halloween festivities (and eat lots of halloween "nandy" as Lila calls it), and act like normal people NOT trying to race against the clock.

Next time?  We'll not refinish a basement whilst mutually training for a half-marathon, training on alternating nights for 2+ months.  So long, long runs.  I miss my couch, I miss my kids, and I miss FB my husband.  But he has a rock-solid hot bod now (and he's sporting a new tattoo) so I'll shut my trap.   

And now that it's November, I have some Very Important Goals:
     1) sign up for Pinterest.  Invite me please.
     2) online-Christmas-shop until my fingers bleed.
     3) help Eric finish the basement.  Like for real finish this time.

(which segues to...)

Man, our basement is CRUSTY!  Earlier today I was on all fours scrubbing the concrete floors and cursing the previous owners when I realized: Uh-oh, we've owned this house for 7+ years so it's *kinda* our fault that it's still dirty. 

Next time?  I'll not buy a 70+ year-old house.  Nevermind that.  It's clean now, or at least that's what I'll tell you.  I have other things to tend to.  Like this week's meal list:

Braised Balsamic Chicken over Rice with Steamed Broccoli
Slow-Cooker Pot Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Garden Salad (waaay down the list)

Recipes here.

b(re)aking bread

So I have a mental list of cooking techniques I'd like to master attempt, and bread-baking is pretty much at the top of the list.  I have no bread machine and I don't even know if I want one.  (Do I want one?)  I just want to learn how to make awesome bread!  And then eat it.

Coincidentally, I've been on the hunt for the perfect cooking class to attend so that I may use the Dierbergs giftcard my ridiculously pretty sister Becki gave me for Christmas a couple years ago.  (Which she gave to me knowing I'd use it for a class and not for apples made of 14k gold.)

So I chose a bread-baking class and Becki also signed up.  The assignment was to make a baguette of New York Rye and a loaf of Whole Grain Wheat.  It was taught by this adorable old lady who shared many tips for successful bread-baking and earnestly expressed how bread-baking "is a wonderful, womanly art" and how "you should always make an extra loaf to share with a friend."  How sweet is that?!? 

At that point Becki (who shares my dream of being a SAHM and eating bonbons all day raising our children) turned to me and whispered, "Don't you wish you could stay home all day and do wonderful womanly things like bake bread?" 

"Yes, Becki.  That WOULD be my very biggest dream come true."  [Actual, more colorful response omitted per the FCC's Eric's request.] 

i told you she was adorable.

she was too.

however, i look greasy and pasty.  kind of like the dough.

exhibit 1: whole wheat.
"eelicious!" as Finn would say.

exhibit 2: ny rye.
"get in my mouth."  as I would say.

We walked out with paper bags containing our hot-from-the-oven loaves.  And of course we filled a shopping basket with honey butter and apple butter to go with it. (I also found chocolate soy-nut butter for Finn. Fancy, Dierbergs, fancy!) The bread smelled incredible and tasted even better. And both loaves were gone in 3 days.  EEE-licious!

meal list thursday: sit, sleep, eat.

I don't know if I'm in decompression-mode after the race and all of its ridonkulous training, burned-out from general busyness, or if I'm saving my energy for a half-marathon of eating Halloween candy.  But I don't wanna do nothin'.  I don't wanna write nothin'.  I got nothin' to say.

But I still want to eat.  That, friends, will never change.  Here's this week's meal list: 

Sharp White Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Butternut Squash
Slow-Cooker Steak Soft Tacos and Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes
Crockpot Beef Stew

Recipes here. (Beef Stew waaay at the bottom.)

(Remember: these recipes will make enough food for 2+ people for 2+ meals.)

finish line

The Rock&Roll race was so much fun!  20,000 runners, rock bands at every mile, high-school cheerleading squads pushing us on, and a route that took us through so many great city neighborhoods.

I did it!  And I did it without dying, and more importantly, without stopping to walk.    Or pooping my pants, which is more than I can say for one girl.

We finished in the time I was hoping for, down to the exact minute: 2:30.  And now my knees hate me.  But it's OK, I won't put them through this kind of torture again, at least until next year.

As for Eric? He says this is his last race, but we all know that April Fool's Day is right around the corner.

meal list thursday: MLB edition

Dang y'all, it's the World Series.  And we are THERE!  To celebrate this momentous occasion (and drawing inspiration from my brother who also prepared baseball-themed dinners last week during the playoffs), I will create a meal plan loosely based on our national favorite pasttime: watching the St. Louis Cardinals.  ;)


Here is this week's meal plan:

Pretzel-Wrapped Hotdogs, fresh sliced vegetables, and Oven Fries (I was going to follow this recipe for the hotdogs until I realized that refrigerated pretzel dough is on sale this week at Aldi.  So I'll just use that instead of making my own dough.  I'll let you know if I fail miserably.  Yes, I'll be following this recipe.  More power to you if your Aldi store still has pretzel dough in stock.) 

Slow-Cooker Spicy Chicken Nachos (Recipe here.  Serve over chips, top with queso, and garnish with diced peppers and jalapenos to get your quota of vegetables.)

St. Louis Style Thin-Crust Veggie Pizza with Provel Cheese  (Recipe here.)


Go Cards! 

HAPPY 31RTHDAY!

Today is Eric's birthday. Somewhat ironically, I have taken the day off work but he has not.  I get to relax and hang out with the kids on HIS birthday.  It's twisted but it works to my advantage.

Most years I make cheesecake for him.  This year I opted to make Dark Chocolate Extra Stout Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Irish Whipped Cream.  Quite the mouthful, and I haven't even eaten one yet.

It's really quite easy: you use your favorite chocolate cake mix, add stout in place of the water, and stir in chopped chocolate.  The recipe calls for Guinness beer but I find that Guinness leaves a bit to be desired in the taste department.  So I used Schlafly Oatmeal Stout instead.  Yum!

Eric took a dozen to work with him to share with his team.  I hope they enjoy these as much as they did the last time Eric shared cupcakes at work.

photo op

I'll have to interrupt this (not) regularly-scheduled blog to give a super-loud shout out to Sherry Lane Photography for the photos she took of my family just a few weeks ago.  Sherry has been a long-time friend of my family and is a wonderful, sweet, creative chick. 

Sherry went way beyond the call of duty with more ideas and energy than I could have imagined.  To keep two little kids not only corralled but focused and happy for two hours?  Well, I just think that's a gift that not everyone has.  ;)

I look at some of the photos and wonder, "Who ARE these people?"   Where are the dark circles under my eyes or the toddler-snot on my shirt?   I look at Eric's face (handsome dude that he is) and think back to the first time I met him over 11 years ago.  And I look at our kids and my mind goes blank and I can't think of a word to say.   I'm just blessed beyond measure and uncharacteristically speechless.  These photos just capture their darling personalities perfectly. 

If you like what you see, visit Sherry here.  And here are a few of my favorites:

meal list thursday: what big squash you have

Yes, I am still trying to use up the bounty of summer squash that was bestowed upon me by our kids' babysitter.  But I ain't complainin'!  She occasionally gets extra produce from a friend and passes it along to me, knowing I won't let it go to waste.  She knows me well. ;)  It's always a nice surprise when I pick up the kids on a Monday afternoon and she has a bag of squash waiting for me.   

Here is this week's meal list:

Stuffed Peppers
Italian Roasted Sausage & Squash
Grilled Vegetable Lasagna
Chicken Croquettes served with Salad  (Recipe here.  I used shredded chicken from a batch of Sticky Chicken and froze the rest for another time.)


Recipes here.  (Italian Roasted Sausage & Squash waaay down the list.)

meal list thursday: out of commission

So I'm posting this a couple of days late but I have a good excuse.  Swear.  The 24-stomach bug just ain't for the weak of heart. 

But here I am just one day later: alive and well, with a gut full of wicked hot salsa and beefy Mexican goodness from Lily's Mexican Restaurant.  I feel like Rocky Balboa, or maybe Shooter McGavin.  Really I just feel awesome again.

That's how I roll though.  I can't STAND the chicken-soup-and-Gatorade diet for more than 2 meals in a row and I'd rather take my chances of blowing a hole in my gut than eat one more bowl of condensed nastiness and white bread.  Bleh.  Gatorade's pretty good though.  (Cue Rocky or Shooter montage.)

So I'll post the meal list and hope for better next week.  Bonus: Eric will be on a fishing trip later in the week so I'll get to internet until the wee hours of dawn and we'll all be better because of it.  Yes, internet is a verb.


This week's meal list:

Penne Alfredo with Zucchini and Yellow Squash (summer's last hoo-rah)
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches (found here) and Coleslaw (here)
Chili (love chili weather!) served with Salad (because we HAF to have a veggie.)

Recipes here (chili waaay down on the list)

meal list thursday: livin' the dream

This part of the week always sneaks up on me.

So I spend a minute here and there while staring blankly at my cube walls, sitting in a meeting (j/k, Boss Man), or on my lunch-hour drive taking Finn to preschool-- trying to figure out what the heck we're going to eat for dinner the following week.  Luckily I just downloaded the sweet Aldi app so I can see what weird German food is on sale this week.  Sweet bavarian mustard?  Why yes, I'll take some.  Dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets?  No thanks.

I'm living the dream, I tell ya.

You know what else you should be jealous of?  My saint of a husband has finagled me into helping him mud and sand the newly-hung drywall in our basement.  Me.  Sand.  Drywall.  I've officially become a roommate. 

(I'mjustkiddingbabykissykissyiloveyouandthanksfortheawesomebasement.)


Here is this week's meal list:

Pizza with Chicken, Tri-Colored Bell Peppers and Mushrooms
Crockpot Mexican Chicken Soup
Black Bean Cakes with Pico de Gallo (Recipes here and here.  Don't be scared.  It will change your life.)
Sausage-Corn Soup (Yes, two soups this week. It is autumn you know.)


Recipes here.

Mr. Harry's Carnival Foods

Dude have you been here yet?

We took Finn to Mr. Harry's Carnival Foods for dinner on his birthday a couple weeks ago and had so much fun!  The place is totally bonkerific.  They have vintage carnival decor, free popcorn, and toys and hula-hoops to occupy the kids.  (Not to mention, Super Mario games on their website!)

The owner couldn't have been nicer, even going so far as to put a birthday candle in Finn's green sno-cone and joining us in singing Happy Birthday.  Finn was beyond excited!

They offer standard carnival fare like pretzels, funnel cake, nachos, and cotton candy, in addition to sandwiches, barbecue, and THIS gut-buster, which you know is what I ordered:

Mr. Joe's Triple Dog Dare You

It was uh-mazing.  A hot dog covered in chili, jalepeno mac&cheese, and bacon.  Seriously?  I thought I died and went to heaven.  They were playing JoyFM in the background too so for a second there I really thought Jesus might pop out from behind the sno-cone machine.  (Which would probably be the best birthday ever!)

If you have kids you MUST take them.  You will be the bestest parent ever.

is eating fast-food cheaper?

This weekend I was reminded of an Oprah episode I watched last year which featured a family who said that their lifestyle of eating fast food was actually more cost-effective than going to the grocery store, buying food, and preparing it at home.  Fast-forward to this article that I read over the weekend and I was reminded yet again.

Is it true that you can spend less money on meals from the drive-thru than a meal prepared at home with fresh ingredients purchased at any average grocery store?  Uh, no.

Case in point: a few nights ago I, Parent Of The Year, made the judgment call to pick up Burger King for dinner.  It was Friday night, cooking was the last thing I felt like doing, we had $13 cash AND a coupon for a free Kids Meal.  We were also pressed for time.  We'd be stupid not to go, right? 

So I ordered our food, kept the cost within $13, and brought it home.  Passing it out to the kids I realized that I didn't get 2 of the items I'd ordered (but paid for).  I drove back to get the rest of the food.   In total, both trips took me about 20 minutes. 

We spent $13 on two Whoppers, 1 large fry, 1 4-pc chicken tenders, and 1 Kids Meal (which was free because of the coupon).  Lila barely touched her food and Finn took only a few bites of his little burger.  I think I speak for the little darlings when I say we would've been better off if Mama had instead prepared a meal like this:

1 lb. top sirloin steak - $8 (avg.) 
2 large baking potatoes - $1.50
1 lb. green beans - $2

We could have had a delicious, reasonably healthy meal prepared in the same amount of time and money.  But we didn't, and it was all in the name of convenience.  Yes, there are definitely things wrong with our food industry, but just as importantly, with our attitudes about what food is and what it should do for us.

The BK slogan is "Have it your way."  I totally should have.  :)

meal list thursday

This week is on more of a steady pace than the last few, and I am grateful for the small amount of downtime.  Although we are super blessed for the reasons we've been so busy: celebrating Finn's 4th birthday, organizing his party, and enjoying a weeklong visit from Eric's family while they helped transform our basement into something that resembles a clean, comfortable, future-living-space.  I've been taking pictures of the progress and I CAN'T WAIT to see and enjoy the end result!

And so this week we rest.  Sort of.  I've had the time to race-train a couple of times and I'm determined to get myself on track with where I should be in my training.  Wish me luck-- I have no doubt that I can survive the distance (with or without pooping my pants), but rather, survive the 'hood.  While the side-streets in my neighborhood are nice and hilly, it's pitch-dark by the the time I get outside and killers and thugs can hide out anywhere.  Even behind Woofies.  So Killers and Thugs, I'd appreciate it if you could lie low until after race day.  Thanks.


Here is this week's meal list:

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast, Baked Potatoes, and Green Beans
Crispy Lemon Tilapia with Rice and Broccoli
Smoked Porkloin with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus (Eric usually cooks the meat the evening before so that it has plenty of time on the smoker.)

Recipes here.

dinnertime discussion

Finn: Mom, there's something in my shoe.
Me: Umm, is it toes?
Finn: (Laughs)  No!
Me: Umm, is it a foot?
Finn: No!  (Laughs again)  It's small!
Me: Oh, I know!  It's a toenail!
Finn: (Digs around in his shoe)  Oops.  It's just meat.

meal list thursday & my downward spiral

So I take back what I said last week about not being worried about the half-marathon I signed up for which is just FIVE WEEKS AWAY.  I take it all back!  I'm freaking out!  Lately I can't seem to squeeze in training more than twice a week... which is hecka worse than where I was in my training this time last year. 

Besides, I CAN'T do worse than I did last year!  I just can't!  Not only did I get beat by a teenager in a wheelchair and a soldier in full army gear (with his backpack and everything and with all due respect to both), I didn't wear a watch to help keep me on pace and ended up averaging like 15 minute miles.  I'm barely exaggerating.  Not to mention, I couldn't walk for two days afterwards. 

ugh.

Not only that but I seem to be gaining weight faster than you can say "birthday cake" and it is of utmost importance that I run off some of these fat cells STAT. My pants-tightness is embarrassing.  I need Jillian Michaels or Richard Simmons or SOMEONE to bust me into shape. 

I run so that I can eat yummy food for dinner and theoretically not worry as much about the calories.  Here is this week's meal list: 

Spaghetti Bolognese, Garlic Bread, and Roasted Green Beans
Hearty Roasted Poblano Corn Chowder (omg, found here)
Fried Chicken Salad

Recipes here.

four

Conversation on June 24:

Me:  Finn, you're going to turn four soon! Is there anything you want for your birthday?

Finn: After a moment of careful consideration, you whisper: 'Apple Cake?' as if you dare not ask for something so extravagant.

Not tickets to Toy Story 3 on Ice, not the latest superhero figurines, not even a new bike.  You just want apple cake. 

You have such a sweet spirit, little Finn.  Your dad and I treasure it so much!   Don't ever lose your wonder, excitement, and hope for the simple and good things in life. You deserve it, and you'll get it! 

Happy 4th Birthday Finn!  I hope you enjoy your Apple Cake!


love, Mama


Recipe here. (Generously shared by my friend Nikki Becker.  Thanks girl!)

meal list thursday: ramblings

Fall has arrived!  The weather this week has been absolutely beautiful.  The temp has gone down, leaves have started falling from the trees, the sun shines golden, and the air has life in it.  I know this because I stare out the window from the 2nd floor of my building and watch the cars race by on I-270. 


This also means that I have to officially begin training for the half-marathon I've signed up for which is just six weeks away.  But it's OK, man, it's OK.  I'm not worried.  The weather no longer makes me want to punch Mother Nature in the face OR fall over and die, so I'm more than happy to go on my long solitary runs 3x/week.  I'll catch up in no time.

I have another excuse for not getting my butt into gear 6 weeks ago to start training: the summer started off busy enough with our day-to-dayness, intensified by the beginnings of a basement remodel, Eric's church commitments, and a stack of books on reserve at the library, all of which (naturally) became available right around the same time.  Now we're neck-deep in basement debris with no end in sight, planning our little boy's 4th birthday party, and, natch, I decided it's the right time to refinish a big-boy bed for his birthday present.  (Yeah for a $50 Craigslist Special!  Twofer at that!  However, my arms and hands hate me for it.) 


I'll stop rambling.  Here's this week's meal list:

Apple-Sausage Rigatoni
Cinnamon Roasted Chicken with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
Beef & Broccoli over Brown Rice

Recipes here.

meal list thursday

Somehow this Labor Day weekend has become a self-fulfilling prophesy because it's going to be full of all kinds of work.  For whatever reason I have a half-dozen things I'd told myself to accomplish in 4 days' time (using PTO on Friday, OH yeah!), which includes: refinishing a bed, making party favors and other planning for Finn's upcoming birthday party, cleaning out my dining room, and helping Eric work on our basement.   I'm also going to talk Eric into backyard-camping with Finn so I can surf the internet for as long as I want and eat all the junk food in the house.  And I am sure that I'm forgetting something... Shower?  Church?  Child-rearing?  It's gonna be a busy weekend. 

Stupid.  I'd love to just order takeout to make things easier.  But that would quickly eat up the $76 surprise check that I just received from Verizon for overcharging me back in 2006 for Godknowswhat.  Yes, I am just now getting that reimbursement check.  Thank you, Verizon.

What are your plans for this Labor Day weekend?  Maybe you should host a BBQ and invite your favorite Francesca.  Otherwise, here's what I think I'll be making:


BBQ Pork Steaks, Mexican Corn, and Coleslaw
Grilled Chicken Legs, Randy's Dandies Baked Beans, and Sautéed Broccoli
Summer Vegetable Pizza

Recipes here.

Hope you all have a great Labor Day Weekend!

la cocina compartida - summer workshop 2011

"The Shared Kitchen" about sums it up for me.  I can't get nothin' done in my kitchen without tripping over some babies/toys/magnets/papers/cereal.  Such is life.

But this post isn't about me, or even about my kitchen.  This post is about my dear old friend Katie and the super-fun cooking workshop she hosted a couple of weeks ago.  Which I of course jumped at the chance to attend.

Katie: Would you like to come to my cooking class?
Me: Do Mexicans do the Macarena? I'm SO there!

Katie = Awesome.  I've known her since gradeschool, and I miss her tons.  While I'm here living the dream in the same town she and I grew up in, Katie is doing all kinds of amazing things in a city in the middle of Mexico.  She is back in town for a few weeks and decided to organize a cooking class to teach a few friends how to cook authentic Mexican food.  She so graciously invited me to attend, for which I am thankful.

We prepared then gorged ourselves on all kinds of deliciousness, all while she described little tidbits about the local culture in Guanajuato and her experiences while living there.  I'm just grateful that she thought to invite me in the first place.  But next time I expect a real invite to Mexico. 

Here's a sample of the food we made.  Please excuse the pictures.  My camera is a piece of caca:

beautiful katie







ceviche, drunken salsa, and cucumbers



newlyweds

roasted chile and tomatillo salsa.  warm and smoky.
i just wanted to pour the bowl in my glass and drink it.

sopes.  i don't know either, but they were fun to make!



beet root and jicama salad.  i'd never before had either one. 
soooo good.

the main meal:
refried black beans, rajas con cremas, and beef with peanut sauce.



liquid crack, or, coffee with cinnamon and sugar.  served with flan. 
so good you'd smack your mama.





and last but not least, good conversations.


My dear Katie:  thanks for the fun night out, amazing food, and cookbook!  See you again next year? 

picnics rule & meal list thursday

I'll just get this week's meal list out of the way so we can quickly move on to the fun stuff.  Business in front, party in back, am I right?  I am from MO after all.  (And no, I did not intend for this to be a teaser for mullets.  Mullets will not be found further down this post.  Well, OK.  Lila kindof has a mullet.  But it's not her fault.) 

Summer Squash Casserole
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches and Salad
Creamy Avocado Pasta with Roasted  Grape Tomatoes (Found here on tastykitchen.com.  This one might be a bit frou-frou for some dudes but it is an awesome, super easy summer dish.  Heck, if he gets all fussy about it just serve it with chicken and tell him he can EATITANDLIKEIT!  Also, follow her recommendation about not serving this dish left-over.  We all know that an avocado the morning after is not pretty.  Make fresh and devour!)

Recipes here.


Back to bidness.  So does anyone else out there think that picnics are super awesome?  Taking our kids on a low-key weekend picnic dinner is definitely among our favorite activities.   Assuming our schedules and beastly St. Louis weather permit, of course.  They are easy, cheap, and they get the kids out in the fresh air and out of our hair so we can enjoy the view and unwind from the long week. 

Here are the pictures from our picnic dinner last Friday night.  I might need a picnic now, right here on my bed.  Where's the cheese and crackers?

 The important stuff:

"Why yes, I think I will try a tomato."

 "On second thought, I'll just stick with salami."

 Done eating, time to play...

...and run up and down the hill a hundred times.



"Horsey!"  (statue of King Louis IX of France)



Time for a break!



And time to teach the important things...



...like sharing a cookie...

...and sharing a laugh.

("The Wheels on the Bus Go Poop-Poop-Poop.")

...and of course, one last trek up the hill.  (Thanks, Dad!)

meal list thursday: lunchtime edition

We'll deviate a bit this week to fulfill a special request.

My gorgeously smart and stylish sister approached me recently about putting together a list of meal ideas.  Not for dinners, mind you, but for her workaday lunch.  Currently she lives alone and doesn't do much cooking for herself.  My gargantuan family occupies her condo every Easter and Thanksgiving and for the other 363 days a year, I'm pretty sure her fridge holds nothing but Crystal Light and Boca Burgers.  (I know this because I spy in her kitchen.  And I still haven't figured out WHAT Boca Burgers are.) 

So I thought I'd put together a list of a dozen meals that she can cook, divide into pre-portioned servings, store in the freezer (or quickly prepare in the morning), and grab as she walks out the door for work.  Sounds easy, right?  Then she requests the unrequestable: "Oh, and do calorie counts too.  I want to know what I'm eating."  Uhhh, no deal Missy.  We all know I had to repeat more than one math course in my life and my only working calculator is on my Verizon Razzle.  I'm just the ideas girl, Maria.  You're the brains and you know it.  I'll keep it relatively lean, I just don't have the fancy numbers to back it up.

(I'm secretly doing this because she is an awesome massage therapist and I'm hoping to score a free massage or three.  This is also for my other sister Krissy who lives with a gal pal and doesn't cook very much either.  And because she said she'd design a cookbook for me.)  

(Tangent: Remember that part in Twins when Danny Devito comes to the sobering realization that his brother (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) was created to be the most perfect physical specimen while he, Vincent, was created from the "leftover crap" in the petri dish?  Mmm-hmm.)  

If you're going to give this method a try, you will need to invest in a dozen or so quart-size Pyrex freezer/dishwasher/microwave safe food storage containers.  This way you can store your single-portion meals in one container, keep it in the fridge or freezer, and pop it in the microwave when you're ready to eat.  (You gotta keep it easy for these cute unmarried girls and their fun active lifestyles and gobs of free time.  If they get bored with domestic chores it's no big deal because they don't ACTUALLY have to do them.)

So here is the lunchpail list.  Why not make 2 or 3 of these meals on a weekend, then throw it all in the freezer for a grab-and-go lunch for the next couple of weeks?  DO IT!!!!

The following meals can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer:

Simply Scrumptious Hamburger Soup.  This stuff is the bees knees.

Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken.  Serve with tortilla chips, warm tortillas, or over rice.  YUM.

Chicken Noodle Soup.  A classic.

Turkey Sliders. Make and freeze the burgers ahead of time and prepare with fresh bread and cheese in the morning before you leave for work.

Any of your favorite pasta dish, like Mediterranean Penne Pasta, Pasta Con Broccoli, or Spaghetti and Mini Turkey Meatballs. (Sidenote: Pasta freezes and reheats well, if stored correctly. Adding extra sauce or olive oil to the pasta helps it maintain the right consistency and appearance after you thaw and heat. And if the pasta looks a bit dry after thawing, just add a bit of water or olive oil as it heats, and stir gently.)

Spinach Lasagna


The ideas below can be pre-made and kept in the fridge all week:

Pizza or Calzones.  Better than a Hot Pocket.

Chicken Salad with Sliced Bell Peppers and Tomatoes on Sandwich Thins

Awesome Unnamed Vegetarian Bagel Sandwich.  An idea that I stole from a girl I know circa 1997.  This is another sandwich you can make fresh each morning before work.  It's so darn easy you'd be stupid not to try it.

(All recipes can be found here.)

Other tips: 

• Grill and slice a few skinless chicken breasts and peeled shrimp, then freeze in single-servings in freezer-safe bags or containers.  Add to pastas or salads as an additional lean protein. 
• Add lots of grilled or roasted vegetables to whole-grain pasta to fill you up and help you get your daily dose of veggies, not to mention, a fiber-boost from the pasta. 

if i had an orchard

We spent Saturday morning at an orchard nearby, to pick the last of the season's fresh peaches.  We try to go at least a few times per year to get the best of what they have to offer: peaches, blackberries, apples, pumpkins.  Unfortunately we missed our chance for blackberries this time around as they sold out just last weekend.  But the trip did have its (unplanned) advantages: we learned that the peaches (the "best crop they've had in years," according to one of their workers) were half-price! 

Going to Eckerts is one of my favorite things we do with our kids.  And 23 pounds of peaches later, we were happy. 

So begins the task of eating the heck out of them before they go bad.  Not to worry: in the coming days I'll do my best to make peach sauce for ice cream, individual-sized peach pie pockets, and stock some away in the freezer for a rainy day.

And we're off!

...off to find more!

I think the stains on her shirt say it all.  We had a great time!

 

And we got even more good news: honeycrisp apples will be ready for picking at the end of the month.  Who's coming with me???