Sunday, September 12, 2010

MPM--Relearning the Basics

Happy week, all!

The school year is off and running, and I am lunch planning around this year's constellation of allergies in my son's classroom. So: no nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs, shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, pears, cucumbers, or ranch dressing. Noted.

And in getting ready for the school year, I found myself distracted, with some varied results...see below...meanwhile, the menu for the week:

Monday: leftover chili, noodles, CSA veggies

Tuesday: football night, again, so back to the freezer for hot dogs for the boys and a Dinner A'Fare meal for the grownups

Wednesday: defrosting the pork or the chicken from a week ago for either pork rollups or bbq chicken, with potatoes or rice on the side

Thursday: leftovers, or something else from the freezer

Friday: the final soccer blowout of the year...and due to a field change, we're hosting. Hold me. I am not a carefree entertainer. In some ways I can't wait and in others, I'm having tremendous anxiety. So I will figure out something...maybe chili again, maybe pizza (always a crowd pleaser) and definitely chips & salsa, snacky things, a birthday cake, and the hot pizza dip.

I have to remember: making a recipe once does not make me an expert. For our Best of Summer Dinner last week, I used the last of our plums with the plum crumble that we (I) loved. All went well until the topping, when I grabbed Five Spice Powder instead of cinnamon. Oops. At least cinnamon is one of the five spices, right? Then I mixed the butter in instead of drizzling. All went well. It didn't look as pretty but it did work, and the five spice powder, while I wouldn't do it again, didn't ruin it either. My husband even said it made it taste Christmasy, so I'll keep that in mind when the time comes.

I did the same thing with my so-easy chili when we had unexpected guests on Friday. I took a deep breath and a page from the hostess with the mostess and did what I could and mentally let go what I couldn't. But the chili smelled not-quite-right and I realized: I forgot almost everything that adds flavor. No extra onions or garlic. No chili mix either. But I fixed it with plenty of time to go and we had a lovely evening.

So, that's what's doing here. I hope your Septembers are hitting their strides...go visit I'm an Organizing Junkie! to see what others are making!

2 comments:

Anjali said...

I think there's a little bit of a second-time curse. Every time I try a new recipe, the first time is great, the second time stinks. If I can push through to the third try -- all tends to be right with the world.

Mom24 said...

Sounds like you're in great shape for Friday. You know people will love anything.

That list of no-no's for your son's school is overwhleming. Are you making lunch for the class? Otherwise I can't figure out why your child can't have a pear or ranch dressing. Peanuts I get, those can be airborn, but that list seems pretty excessive.

Thinking of you. Hope things are going well.