So we meet again...

I realized today (about 10 minutes ago actually), that when I attempted this blog, I made our meals much more interesting than they are these days. Granted, I didn't have a high-maintenance almost-3 year old, and I didn't realize how much work that'd be, but that's just beside the point here... I WANT to keep up with this blog, but, well, I'm not good at keeping up with things. Ideas are great in my head, but they rarely come to fruition. (Raise your hand if you're with me on that one. Okay, you can put your hand down now, nobody can see you anyway.)

SO much has changed since I last posted in August, but I'll save those boring details for another day. I just wanted to get the ball rolling. This is a totally random, do I really want to attempt this again, kind of post. So, I'll tell you what we're having for dinner...

Spinach. Easiest veggie ever. Throw it in a pan, add a little butter, garlic, salt & pepper, then a splash of stock or water. (Yes, those are exact measurements.) Put a lid on it & cook it on med high heat for just a few minutes (toss it around while the lid is on, just like the tv chefs do. If you can't do that, then go ahead & open it to stir. Fun ruiner.). Then, eat. Easy, easy, easy.

Carrots. I like to add the carrots to a pan, then add enough stock (water will work) to cover them. I let them cook at a low simmer (read: NOT BOILING), until the are tender. Keep an eye on them, you might have to add more stock. Once they are tender, I either go sweet with a dollop of coconut oil (butter works just fine) , a pinch of salt, a pinch of brown sugar & a little maple syrup; or savory with a dollop of butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, some garlic, and any fresh herbs I might have handy. If I don't have any fresh herbs, I skip it. NBD as I tell my son (No Big Deal).

Oh sweet, glorious Mother's Day. This one is new for me. I can make bread with little to no effort. Best. present. ever. Kinda makes all those hours of labor worthwhile... Okay, the kid himself makes those worthwhile. I guess. That's what I'm suppose to say anyway.
I got a little spoiled this year, with a fancy Panasonic bread maker, complete with a delay timer, a yeast release, and lots of different functions/options.
...anyway, in here is our (hopefully) yummy bread for the night - spicy cheddar. I got the recipe from the instruction manual. Good job using my degree, huh?

The meat - spicy cheddar bbq chicken. I'll throw a little Stubbs (best sauce around!) Spicy on it while it bakes, then I'll finish it off with some chopped tomatoes (I'd add onion if I had it) & cheddar cheese on top, melted all ooey gooey... yummmmm.

Granola. Great on yogurt or ice cream. We'll see who feels like what tonight...

Recipe: hmmmm this is my best guess 'cause I just throw stuff in there.

2 c oatmeal (not the instant stuff you goon!)

2 tbs butter

2 tbsp honey (+ more later if you want)

3 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1.5 tsp cinnamon

.5 tsp salt

Mix everything but the oatmeal together in a pan over med heat.

Once it's all melted, pour it over the oatmeal (which you should probably put in a bowl), & mix it up really well.

Bake at 300* for 30 min. <--Stir every 10 min so you don't end up with burnt pieces.

Once I take it out, I like to add about 1 tbsp more honey, mix it together, and pat it down tight. Then it will make small clumps when you pour it into a storage container later, after it cools. You don't have to do that extra honey step though, especially if you don't like really sweet granola.

*You can add any kind of nuts to the mix, but don't add them until the last 10-15 min or they might burn. You can also add coconut (I add it in the beginning, with the oatmeal). Or, you can add any kind of dried fruit you like, but I'd add them after you take it out of the oven. You don't really need to cook your raisins, you know?

The mess that is my kitchen. This is real stuff folks. See the hair clip, kiddo's school papers, dishes... That's my life. You can click on it & make it bigger, if you're really that into other people's messes.

Keeping it really real... here's my pantry. It used to be organized & pretty. Then I became a crazy busy, working mom. Now I'm just lucky there's anything in there. ;)

(Sure, you can click on it & see a bigger version, if you really want to. Weirdo.)

On top we've got the teas (I spy 7 boxes, we need to get to drinking!), the cereals (organic "Cheerios" & Kashi Autumn Wheat), Late July crackers (they're seriously the best!), & some Newman's Own popcorn 'cause the guys in this house love popcorn

Next we've got kiddo snacks - Annie's Cheddar Bunnies, Veggie Booty, raisins, organic suckers, graham crackers, I spy some of daddy's tortilla chips, some sandwich bread, honey, maple syrup, and I probably don't even want to know what else.

Then comes "mommy's" shelf. Baking soda, baking powder, meringue powder, dry milk, powdered sugar, brown sugar, all kinds of flours, choc chips, walnuts, and other misc baking things.

Then we've got oils (coconut, vegetable, olive, sesame), cooking spray, pizza quick sauce, refried beans ('cause mommy always forgets to cook the beans to make her own, so she gave up), tomato sauce, chicken broth, and other what-nots.

At the bottom we keep dog food, dog treats, potatoes, and an ice cream maker.

That's it folks. We'll meet again another day. Hopefully soon... but I make no promises.

If you're reading this, post a comment & let me know if I should attempt a come-back, or if you think I suck & I just need to go away. I'm all about honesty, so bring it!