Deeply Annoying

So, most of my page views are coming from Russia and Belarus these days. I suspect this is not due to a newly blossoming interest in suburban American cooking but instead has to do with the malware issue and I am not sure how to solve it. So I think my summer list this year will involve migrating my blog somewhere. But I don't have the time right now to focus on what that might look like.

Meanwhile, thanks to 4everMom for letting me know Feedly was taking readers straight to my blog, which is apparently no longer giving the scary malware warning. Still, I'm wary and trying to back up all the info here.

So this new pattern is worked pretty well for me so far: big meal on Monday, taco Tuesday, Spaghetti Wednesday, leftover Thursdays, Fridays freezer food or out for pizza.

Speaking of eating out--Freddy's has become a problem. The kids want to eat there every day. This is not possible or advisable. But we are happy to go for it sometimes--it's really good.

That said, I was re-inspired by Michael Pollan on Dr. Oz. One part is here. I had to laugh at his one-pot chicken, which is so much like the Armagnac chicken I made last week, only more complex. We had it on Monday and when on Wednesday, someone decided he hated pasta, we used the leftover chicken to make taco chicken meat and we all ate well.

This week:

Monday: Argh, baseball game. So. I am really hoping we can grill some chicken on Sunday to eat on Monday. And I'm now addicted to the asparagus-mushroom-onion combo in the veggie section at Trader Joe's.

Tuesday: Tacos (I have been buying less meat for the boys, and using black beans for myself--and anyone else who wants them, but it's really just me. I did at some point do the black beans for the crockpot, and it made a ton. I froze them in two-serving bags and then just defrosted and heated, which was easy and cheap, but I have to be honest; I'm not sure it's much cheaper or easier than draining a can and sauteeing in the same spices I use for the meat. So while I am happy to report the experiment was successful, the jury is still out on whether it's going to be repeated.)

Wednesday: Spaghetti. I did not try the avocado sauce last week because I forgot the basil. This week, I'll try again.

Thursday: The problem with leftovers Monday is none for Thursday. So I will have to get inspired. London broil is on sale, so maybe that with the leftover potatoes from the bag for the Armagnac chicken last week.

Friday: baseball, so freezer meal tonight. Much as I would love to just get a pizza, young Mr. Picky is again getting fussy about what parts of a pizza he will eat and I have no patience for it because he turns around and gorges on pretzels. So probably TJ's mac and cheese for him (at least there is protein) and either the multigrain "stir fry" or mushroom truffle flatbread for his brother.

And that's about all I can take for the week. I am stressed out beyond my max (not to end on a downer) with a major work event on Sunday, and other big events pretty much for two weeks straight. I am going to need to bow out of some of them because I am very much over my personal limit here of what I can do. Wishing you a week of good food and good times with family!

Spring is Springing All Around

I'm so grateful to those of you who are reading past the malware messages. Thank you.

This is a nice, ordinary week, I hope. A little baseball, a little track (both boys ran a mile in practice last week! They are so proud of themselves, and rightly so), maybe book group if I'm lucky. Wishing you and your loved ones the same.

Monday: Armagnac chicken

Tuesday: taco Tuesday

Wednesday: Wednesday Spaghetti. I am trying the avocado spaghetti from pinterest, but I know that would be of no interest to the boys in the house so we'll see how that goes.

Thursday: Dining Out for Life--a fundraiser night where local restaurants give 33% of your tab to AIDS charities. Our favorite pizza place is on the list so we'll do our usual Friday pizza on Thursday.

Friday: Leftovers. I know, unexciting but sometimes that's how it goes.

Hopefully we'll get a little more springlike weather next week and can grill some of the things still hanging out in the freezer this weekend.

Have a great week!

Deceptive Calm

Oh, Spring, you tease.

Last week brought us 86 degrees--awesome in June, a little less so in April. Then the flu moved in--one boy (small) and one husband (no modifier needed). Add to that the closing of one little league field and the shifting of the schedule and we may just have a "catch our breath" week here on our hands.

Fun development of the (otherwise dominated by state testing) school week: our school is participating in the Bonnie Cabbage Giveaway, so my 3rd grader is growing a cabbage. They are special "oversize" cabbages so we'll see how it goes!

Also: new find for us: Freddy's Steakburgers. Opened in an old Arby's, it's a great little hamburger and custard place. Food is good, prices reasonable, and the kids are hooked. And to be honest, so is mom.

Meanwhile...

Monday: Sick dad=lazy dinner. He gets soup, kids get quinoa pesto, mom gets leftovers.

Tuesday: Happy Taco Tuesday to me....

Wednesday: Wednesday Spaghetti, my next-favorite day of the week.

Thursday: Freezer cleanout. I have some Trader Joe's stuff to use up and some other randomness.

Friday: Night out, and not pizza! It's a celebration at my alma mater, and the kids' school night at the Phillies, so it'll be fun and busy.

Have a great week! Sorry for the complete lack of inspirational eating but I really just needed a plan for my sanity!

Springing All Around

Yay! It's spring! So, what's that low moaning sound? Why, it's me, grumpymom, annoyed at the baseball schedule. I'll live. And I'm spoiled. But I am annoyed that I never remember to just jot a note: Can my child PLEASE be on the same team as at least just ONE OTHER CHILD from our town? Please? Because sometimes I need to carpool and even from the town next door it's 20-30 extra minutes in some other busy family's life if I can't make it to the start of a game. 

And then I feel so guilty because I watch the Sandy Hook parents try to keep the rest of our kids safe and the wave of shame is too much to bear.

Anyway. On that cheery note, we plan our week.

Sunday: Grillin'. Big sale at the Co-op means yummy meat for all. Grilling steaks, and I have brussels sprouts, asparagus, and maybe some potatoes? I'll have to check.

Monday: Soccer tryouts, though in a fit of irony, neither of my kids has the slightest hint of interest. Ok then. I am trying to stay all neutral about it in case they change their minds, but my inner mommy is doing a happy dance of joy to escape that logistical nightmare next fall. (Irony, of course, because their dad runs the intramural/peewee soccer leagues in town. And like the cobbler's kids with no shoes...the boys grew up with a dad too tired from playing soccer with all the other kids in town to go play with them Saturday afternoons so they grew up with no great love and some slight resentment of the game. Ah well.) But, since Dad needs to be at the tryouts, something quick and easy, and in this case, that's pulled pork sandwiches from the crockpot at my husband's request. I'm happy to grant it. Might also do kale chips and roasted cauliflower from my pinterest board. To be positive: I really helped out the compost pile last week. Less positive: that's some expensive dirt I got going there. So I'm trying to be better about using the veggies I have.

Tuesday: I love my taco Tuesdays. Really I do.

Wednesday: Wednesday Spaghetti is really gaining in popularity in my book too. Wednesday is also "Eat Your Vegetables" night at my moms' group with the idea being: how do you sneak veggies in to your kids' diets? I don't do much sneaking but will probably make quinoa pesto for the buffet of sneaky veggies. That or the Trader Joe's "stir fry" (multi-grain with veggies frozen concoction)--both good.

Thursday: Leftovers. I can tell you now, it'll be pork for the parents, taco for older boy, and spaghetti for younger boy. Call me Kreskin (if you're old like me).

Friday: The pizza was a big hit last week so we might repeat. But it's also "fun and fitness" night at school and I'm not sure how slamming down pepperoni pizza fits in to that theme. So we'll see. 

So, that's the week I hope will be. The state testing is this week and my oldest (who is taking it for the first time this year) is freaking out. Here's hoping that calms down after Monday. Wishing you a peaceful, successful, freakout-free week!

Recuperation

So, I misled you, dear readers, and off we went to Atlanta and Macon for the break. It was awesome. We ate local or semilocal the whole time--even our chains were Moe's and Waffle House. Shrimp & grits at the Buckhead Diner, home cooking in Macon near Mercer, peach milkshakes and fried green tomato sandwiches at the Rookery....and lots of awesome non-food related moments, too, of course, but this is a food blog.  Possibly my favorite? The seder, with an olive and an orange added to the plate. I adored that.

This week:

April fools! Tuesday on Monday: tacos.

Tuesday: Lego Build (so there's a method to the madness)

Wednesday: fundraiser night at Iron Hill (anyone local: if you want to come out to dinner for a good cause, let me know and I'll get you a coupon; it supports my moms' group this Wed.)

Thursday: Oh, I'll have to cook something. I think I'll make the chicken from the gyros recipe and skip the gyro part. Works for me.

Friday: The kids are doing backflips that Lent is over and we can get back to pepperoni pizza on Fridays, so who am I to say no?

Have a great week!