I have a confession to make.
Somewhere, somehow, sometime in the last few months, I have gone from the “I-avoid-the-kitchen-at-all-costs” woman to the “Can’t-keep-me-out-of-the-kitchen” woman. It’s like Betty Crocker has invaded my body.
Seriously.
It’s scary. REAL scary. I mean, I met this man and from day one told him that I didn’t cook, clean, or do dishes. I needed him to know that I was not this happy little housewife longing to find a husband to dote over. I needed him to know that and I told him that just like the BFF told me to. I met him in the prime of football season in which Burger King knows us by name and several times I offered to handle dinner, which required me to hit the drive through. The first few times, it was expensive, but I eventually figured out how to feed six through the drive thru for $13.18.
Gotta love the value menu and kids who are happy with chicken nuggets. There was minimal whining over the lack of a toy. I’m sure if I thought ahead, I could’ve scrounged up the 15,000 of them that are strewn about the back of my car and none of them would’ve been any wiser.
But seriously though, this is what I did.
And then, something happened. I’m not sure what it was but I suggested that we were eating out way too much. It’s a struggle getting kids all over the place and coordinating and we found ourselves, both, suggesting that we grab something on the run. It’s expensive. And while I appreciate the fact that the boy would willingly pay for all of us to eat, I have severe issues with him paying all the time, for all three of us, and his crew.
Six mouths are alot to feed.
A few nights, I made dinner. I made a meatloaf that none of the kids complained about. I made mac and cheese one night. That was a hit as well. And the first night of basketball, as we’re shoving corndogs in the kids’ mouths at 8 pm, we realized that we needed a system.
I suggested that we take turns cooking. Me. Heather. The woman who doesn’t cook, clean, or do dishes. Yeah.
My nights are Monday and Thursday. He takes Tuesday and Wednesday. We have a set dinner time. It works out well. I make up the meal the night before and put it in his fridge and when he gets home from work, he puts it in the oven. By the time I finish working and gather up the kids and head over there, dinner’s on the table and we eat and then run the kids all over to what ever activities they have.
Friday and the weekends are leftovers.
But in addition to my twice a week cooking (of which I clean up afterward AND do dishes) I have begun to bake. Like I can’t get enough and can’t stay out of the kitchen, bake. I guess it’s because I’ve been cooking and not killing anyone, setting off smoke dectectors, and having children make what I eat that has spawned this new confidence in the kitchen.
Jo-Lynne posted a recipie for Peanut Butter Balls and I didn’t think twice. Monday night I made up the dough and stuck it in the fridge and got the rest of what I needed at the store Monday night.
Tuesday night, I picked up his kids since he had to work late and we made the peanut butter balls. We then made 4 dozen peanut buttter blossoms. Wednesday, the kids, all four of them and I, made a pumpkin log, 3 dozen gingerbread men, 3 dozen sugar cookies — with sprinkles, a pumpkin cheesecake, and 2 pumpkin pies. This was before I made up the breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. I was in the kitchen ALL DAY LONG. I left long enough to go to church.
And then Christmas Day, I made all the stuff for dinner minus the turkey and the mashed potatoes. (Ok, and the gravy. That came from a jar.) We flew around that kitchen, he and I, quite impressively, and it’s a very small kitchen. Not once did we run into one another, step on toes, get in each other’s way, or anything. All of this while his parents sat at the table and watched.
No pressure or anything, right? Um, yeah.
And we pulled it off.
We made enough for a small army. We have so much left over and so tonight, I have to ask…
Do you have any great recipes for leftover turkey? It’s my night Monday and we have ALOT of food left over.
And tomorrow? I’ll be making another pumpkin roll, because the kids asked me to make another one. Apparently, they loved it.
It’s downright scary…
And on the subject of scary… sometime I’ll have to tell you about the counted cross stitch stockings…
Until next time..
{ 7 comments }
SO PROUD OF YOU!! For not burning anything and for enjoying yourself in the kitchen!
One of my favorite meals with leftover turkey is creamed turkey over toast. I make a homemade gravy/cream sauce but you could use from a jar. You want lots of gravy. Heat it up with the turkey and some frozen peas, then pour it over toast. It’s yummy. We ate it alot when I was growing up, so hopefully the kids will like it too.
NO!!! You did NOT do counted cross stitch stockings!!!! My poor brain couldn`t compute all that domesticity, girl! Where`s my little geeky friend gone? Toss the apron, girl. Bring on the laptop!
Great job on turning in to Betty Crocker…maybe just took inspiration and NEED! LOL! I don’t care to cook, but love to bake! There is a difference!
Turkey Pot Pie is Yummy and a favorite around here!
Agree with Tracy that turkey pot pie is good and kids like it. I make my own gravy with chicken broth and flour but canned would work fine. Mix in some frozen mixed veggies and put in a 9X13 pan. Top it with a can of Pillsbury Grands biscuits that are flattened out a bit with a rolling pin. Bake til biscuits brown.
Here is my very most favorite for turkey or chicken, certainly a comfort food. Feeds 2 adults and 4 kids with some leftovers
1 cube marg or butter….melt in large pan, med high heat
1/2 cup flour….add to melted butter and wisk around, keep moving around off and on for 2 minutes or so
(you have now made a roux–prounounce rew but spelled weird like so many other words I cannot keep track of)
Add chicken broth and milk, my choice would be 2 cups milk and one cup water and the powdered chicken stock–about 2 tbls. The powdered gives more flavor than canned chicken stock, but dont add extra salt.
Wisk this often as it will start to thicken
At this point you can add left over veggies or frx peas and carrots, or what ever you would like. I would add sauteed onion and celery if you have it on hand, and garlic too……..your roux can start right after your sautee onions too……easy stuff.
Add you turkey towards the end so it does not break up too much. Season with pepper, add more powdered chicken stock if you need to.
This can be served over rice, over noodles, over toast or biscuits!
Another fav is just the canned white pasta sauce (tons of varieties) toss in brocoli and turkey, serve over spag noodles and top with parm cheese! super easy. We call that turkey tetrezini.
Noodles cook up great ahead of time, cook till not quite done, rince in cold water and spray a little PAM over them, toss in a zip lock then just throw in boiling water the next day till heated up, about 2 minutes! great for working moms, especially if you have spaghetti one night and fettechini the next night (or mexican spaghetti–ground beef taco seasonings canned corn and black beans and canned toms serve over noodles and top with shredded cheddar)
Dont be afraid to try things out, baking needs exact measurements, so does rice, and just afew other things, but for most cooking I do I dump and taste….no measuring required!
Hello who are you and where’s the Heather I know?
Way to go girl! I think it’s totally awesome all the cooking and baking you’ve been doing. So will you pass on to me some of ‘whatever’ has happened to you so that I’ll turn into a can’t keep me out of the kitchen kind of gal? 
I’ve gotten the baking bug too – and thanks to my sister, I actually have flour! And I made from-scratch sugar cookies! And they were good! Who knew?
Comments on this entry are closed.