Dinner Survival Tips

Typically, the boys and I arrive home around 5:35 - 5:45 p.m.  Needless to say, kids are tired and hungry.  "K" usually exclaims, "I want to see the food!" when we walk through the door.  Thankfully, Mr. Fixit gets off work an hour or so before we do.  So, operation dinner, begins!

Generally, I plan about 6 meals per week.  Normally, I make 4 of those meals over the weekend (Saturday lunch and dinner and Sunday lunch and dinner).  Then, I try to have 2 easier items planned for week night prep.  This will usually get us through to the weekend, when I am a kitchen chef, once again.

I plan the menu, write the grocery list and purchase items for our week -- once a week.  I dash out over the noon hour, and get back in time to find parking before the next round of classes starts.  I write my list according to the store layout.  Mr. Fixit has even commented on this - so yeah - he noticed!

As far as dinner prep, I have everything out - pans, utensils, pantry items, etc. ready for Mr. Fixit to prepare.  I leave instructions on the dry erase board, and times for everything to commence.  Generally, it works well.  We are ready to eat at 5:45, and then I am usually finishing up dishes at 6:45.  What a night!

It's a Doughnut!

I ran upstairs to retrieve a file, and well, was instructed to eat a doughnut.  For those of you who know me, probably are wondering if I really ate this doughnut.  Well, I did.  I am not doughnut person.  I mean this in the most sincerest of ways.  I do not crave or dream about doughnuts; so I really do not miss them.

So, I thought, if I must choose a doughnut -- I am going to choose red velvet.  Why?  Just look at how decadent it is.  So beautiful, and that pretty deep red color?  Yup, this doughnut was calling for me.

It was a cake doughnut - which I think cake doughnuts are way better than the other kinds of doughnuts - cake is awesome!  So, in honor of finals week, I ate a doughnut.  I really would recommend this type of donate again :)

Grapes Galore

I love grapes!  I really think the seedless technology is brilliant - and really have a hard time choosing.  Should I try green, red or black?  Well, fortunately, I could try them all -- so I did!  I purchased these grapes at Eastside Westside Market.  Yummy!

The market is like a step back in time.  Produce is displayed so beautifully in bins, baskets, barrels and such.  All three grape varieties were side by side, and the same price.  So, I mixed all options in my brown paper bag.  I asked if this was ok -- and yes, it was quite fine!

I must say, these grapes did not last long.  My parents gobbled them up while visiting.  I really can't blame them because they were to delicious to resist!

Oktoberfest

I love delicious, yummy, tasty Volga German food!  The stuff I grew up with, and never realized that it was unique -- that is what I am talking about!

Last week I buzzed home for a bit to check out the Oktoberfest festivities.  The weather was beautiful, and the park was filled with craft booths, German music and, of course, FOOD!  My sister and I strolled around the park and scoped out the vendors.  We picked our favorite vendors (good price, and large serving size) before making our purchase.  We each purchased a bierock and green bean dumpling soup.  Heaven.  Yummy.  Oh .... my .... gosh.  I was simply in carb heaven!

My sis also purchased a t-shirt -- every student organization/group was selling one.  They had clever sayings and were in a rainbow of colors.  I opted for just the food items.  Then we gobbled our lunch up before she headed back to work.  I snapped a shot of the Polka band before we left.  I was going to take a pic of my food, but well, I forgot about that as I totally enjoyed every bite!!

Back to Cooking

After about a week of eating at the fair -- I am always ready to experiment a bit in the kitchen! The menu of sloppy joes, hot dogs and nachos can get a bit monotonous, so off to cooking I went.

Last night I was super tired, so I coated some pork chops (already in my freezer) made some scalloped potatoes and sliced some cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden. It was all quite yummy - and best of all - there was a bit left over for lunch today!

Tonight I made a sausage and rice casserole. I started with some celery, chopped up some chicken sausage and added a chicken rice mix. It is a really simple one dish meal. We enjoyed a romaine salad, complete with cucumbers and tomatoes. I so love summer produce!!

Tomorrow I am baking Italian chicken, bread crumb coated potatoes and California style vegetables. Of course, since the cucumber plants and tomato plants are still quite happily creating fruit -- I believe we will have a few more slices of these too.

I have already decided that Friday is my pasta night. The jury is still out on which recipe I will land on. I am sorta still in an inventive mode, so I am not sure what I will mix together -- yet =)