So after two attempts with two different Dell computers, I am now the owner of a MacBook.
This week marks the last week of school for the kids, and the last week of my full time employment. I have voluntarily taken a huge cut in hours, down to 1.5 shifts a week from 5 full shifts, in order to be home with my kids this summer. I think I remember what it is like to be home with the kids. And I'm pretty sure I remember how to cook and bake with them home as well.
This week also marks my 15th wedding anniversary, which both the hubby and I have off of work, so we will get to spend some time together!
Short plan, but here we go, my entry for this week's Menu Plan Monday:
Sunday: Dinner with family to celebrate a birthday and anniversary (yummy ribs and potato salad)
Monday: Chicken caesar salad with garlic bread
Tuesday: Hamburgers, coleslaw and watermelon (oh yes, fries in the freezer if needed)
Wednesday: Pork tenderloin with pears and apples
Thursday: Anniversary night, but dinner tucked in between music, so either Wendy's or Subway.
Friday: Last day of school - whatever the kids pick that night (one year it was funnel cake, another year it was go out for pizza, the year before, waffles with fruit - so who knows what it will be?)
It is Father's Day today, and I've already missed my chance to wish my Dad a Happy Father's Day (even though I called shortly after 8 am on a Sunday, I was still too late, he was gone!)
My boys greeted their father with breakfast, which they made with only supervision from me. My oldest has gotten more comfortable in the kitchen and made some lovely, crisp bacon, as well as scrambling eggs all on his own.
Think I will put him in charge of making breakfast for dinner next week.
Which has nothing, whatsoever, to do with I Heart Cooking Clubs and making something for Father's Day from one of Mark Bittman's recipes. I went simple, picked a recipe I know all my dad's would like (my own father, my grandfather and my father-in-law), and my husband would like as well: Peanut Brittle.
We haven't broken into this brittle yet, it was still warm when I took the picture, but I'm sure it will be great. Afterall, peanuts and sugar, with a touch of salt, how can you go wrong?
I will say, though, that this was the oddest instructions for candy I've ever made. I've made candy before, and it always involved a candy thermometer and not stirring the sugar (so as not to cause crystalization.) This recipe calls for stirring the sugar until it is melted and adding the peanuts in when you achieved the color you were looking for. Simple, yes, but if you aren't comfortable with sugar, or don't realize how quickly it can go from amber to burnt, a bit too simple.
I'll be bringing this with me this afternoon, when I see my father-in-law, to share it between him and my husband. My own father won't get any, this time, and neither with my grandfather. But we will be thinking of all the dad's out there and wishing all of them a Happy Father's Day.
You can find the recipe for Peanut Brittle on page 679 of How to Cook Everything. Other Mark Bittman recipes can be found at I Heart Cooking Clubs.
I had a lovely week off from work (more details about that still to come), but reality had to happen, so back to work I go this morning.
And while I did have a menu plan for last week that I did not post, we also tried to be very flexible. After all, I was going to be in a kitchen all day, every day, and while it was fun, it was also very tiring.
So here we go for the week, my contribution to Menu Plan Monday!
Sunday: Bbq'd steak with salad and garlic bread
Monday: Taco's
Tuesday: Lasagna, made ahead of time for ease and convenience
Wednesday: Chicken wings (probably bbq'd) with veggies and dip
Thursday: Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with fruit
Friday: No plans, leaving it open
I'm off, have a happy week!
It is a beautifully sunny day outside. About 25C outside, not too hot, not too cold. Perfect for a light, summery meal.
Which is why I'm posting about pot roast and popovers for this week's I Heart Cooking Clubs, Mark Bittman Edition.
Don't laugh. It's all I had pictures of, despite the stacks of recipes made recently. This was it.
And somewhere in the world, there is a Mark Bittman fan, a reader of my blog, who is going into winter and could use some warm comfort, the kind you can only get from a good pot roast.
This pot roast was fine, but the star of the meal was the popovers, or Yorkshire Puddings. Light and fluffy on the inside, crisp on the outside, the right shape for sucking up gravy. I had not made these for quite some time, so all my boys, husband included, were quite excited when I placed the bowl on the table. And they are so simple to make, made me wonder why I don't make them more often.
Recipes for both of these can be found in How to Cook Everything. The Pot Roast on page 437, and the Popovers on page 253.
If you like Mark Bittman, or are just curious, go check out the I Heart Cooking Clubs page and see what everyone else made.
Just a quick note on the computer problems I've had lately: they aren't over yet. I bought a new computer, much needed, however my new computer was defective, so I have been waiting for my new new computer. Basically, right now, I'm stuck between two bad computer options, which makes it very difficult to do things that require a computer.
I'm told my replacement computer will be here this week, and if works when it gets here, I will be on the road to computer recovery. If it doesn't work, then I'm sending it back and going to go look at a Mac.
And you'll never guess where I am!!!
I've gone back to school for the week, to college of all places (cause that's what you do when you take time off of work!)
Today was day one of Introduction to Baking and Pastry, the first course I will need to get my culinary certificate. For the next 4 days, I will be in a baking lab, wearing my chef's coat and little black hat, saying, "Yes Chef" and baking up a storm. I don't expect to learn alot (as there is nothing on the sylabus that I have not already made multiple times), but is sure is fun to be in such a huge kitchen, with mammoth ovens, multiple restaurant style dishwashers, and baking up a storm!
I'll be taking pictures as I can this week, so will do an update when I am all done.
Have a lovely week!
Computer problems continue, waiting for the new one, but for now, here is a quick menu plan for the week:
Sunday: Roast chicken with rice and creamed corn
Monday: Pork chops with yellow carrots
Tuesday: Pasta with tomatoes, garlic and chili peppers
Wednesday: Bbq`d steak with grilled veggies
Thursday: Bbq`d hamburgers with salad
Friday: Left overs
Go to Menu Plan Monday for more plans and ideas.
