someone’s in the kitchen i knoooww

happy eating

for once in my life my winco bill wasn’t over $100.  i was wondering if it had anything to the fact that there were only four things on my list that weren’t produce, bulk (i.e. nuts, coconut, dates, etc.), or dairy.  like, what the heck are the rest of the aisles for anyways?  in the end, i was very much pleased to have a fun, healthy menu and it wasn’t terribly expensive.  strawberries were on sale even.  ($1.50 for two pounds, i bought 8.)  let’s cook this.

dinner:

m.  homemade mushroom soup + french bread + fresh strawberries and cream

t.  crunchy cashew thai quinoa salad with ginger peanut dressing + sweet potato fries + chocolate dipped strawberries

w.  west african peanut soup + rice + garlic rubbed cabbage steaks + strawberry shortcake

thrs.  chickpea fritters with courgette salad + paleo coconut bread

fri.  deer burgers + chips + grilled onions

lunch:

m.  del taco (my new favorite taco), $12

t. fried egg avocado sandwich + strawberries!

w.  skinny black bean quesadillas + apples

thrs.  brown rice and beans + ginger chile salsa

fri.  broccoli quinoa casserole  + homemade bread

breakfast:

m.  cinnamon quinoa + tea

t.  cereal + egg cups

w.  buttermilk strawberry breakfast cake + egg cups

thrs.  poached eggs on toast + tea + strawberries

fri.  baked apple oatmeal + yogurt

weekend, a.k.a. bountiful basket, $16

total = $124

keepers:

i know you’re going to find this hard to believe – but it was all good.  we’ll be coming back for round two.

in the kitchen with anastasia and druzilla

you just can’t shake them.  they see me walk in the kitchen and they run in behind me grabbing chairs, dragging them across the floor, slamming them into the cabinets, trying to climb over each other to the top, while screaming, “mine, mine, mine!”  those are the conditions i have to work in.  then they fight over who dumps the baking soda, who stirs, who get’s the eggs.  tufts of hair start flying.  someone ends up getting bit.  crying ensues.

fortunately for jael, rahab (a.k.a. druzilla) was napping.  she was able to give in to her inner baking goddess in peace.  everything is lovely when you get your own way.

see?

we made cinnamon rolls with a caramel glaze.  they were good, but not enough butter by half.

rabbers woke up just in time for the after party.  i like to throw my leftovers to the wolves.  and then run.

jael observing rahab’s substandard technique.

showing her how it’s done.

cutest girls ever.  can’t wait until we get cinderella in there too, then we will have all three.  so much fun.

but i’d start warning your sons now.

you know those talks about strangers and candy?  there should also be one about pretty girls and baked goods.

life

miranda et la torte

or so it says on a piece of embroidery my friend mackenzie made for me.  only i had no cakes.  truly.  so yesterday we made one.  it was zesty.

and involved lemon curd.  painstakingly prepared by slaves.

and oranges.  daddy even went out of his way to pick up a blood orange for me.  the kids were disgusted.

and there she blows.  cake.

7 sticks of butter and 7 eggs.  i made it for my friend’s lemon themed baby shower last night.  i thought, if i don’t make this cake for an actual citrus party, when would i ever make it?  that’s right.  anyways, now i’m armed and dangerous.  i think i’ll make this next.

pictures from today

starting with breakfast.  make you some.

literature reading.  i gave gideon the wizard of oz when he was done with his bath.

he finished it before his hair was dry.

deflecting all inquiries as to whether he skipped anything.  deny, deny, deny.  i was eventually forced to conclude that he was just a freak of nature.

jael giving the baby pencils.

she was so thoughtful as to not put the sharp one in her hand so she didn’t poke out her eye.  that’s thinking.  then she proceeded to write her name with the baby’s toes.

mommy’s new gel manicure.  the technician assured me it was going to be hideous.  and that’s the way i like it.

how mommy pays for her gel manicures.  the hands of a working man.

modeling my new bumper sticker in the parking lot of dillards.   please note jehu hanging out the car window.  we were waiting for daddy to buy me new cake pans.

because he loves me.  and i’ve always wanted cake pans.  plus tonight i’m making this.  which reminds me…it kinda looks like i’m blogging, doesn’t it?

food, woman

that’s the name of the new board my husband made on pinterest.  apparently one can eat tofu for only so long.

dinner:

m.  tuscan pasta with tomato-basil cream + french bread

t.  cauliflower fettuccine alfredo + balsamic roasted brussel sprouts

w.  cheesy roasted broccoli patties + cornbread + black beans

thrs.  tofu tikka masala + rice

f.  vegetarian nut loaf + salad + homemade bread + ginger ale + lemon blossoms (jael’s bake day) + company

sat.  dal makhani + rice

sun.  15-minute white bean soup  + homemade artisan bread

lunch:

m.  spaghetti with spinach, garlic, and lemon

t.  avocado black bean tacos

w.  greek lentil casserole

thrs.  spicy roasted vegetable macaroni and cheese

breakfast:

m.  cereal + egg cups + smoothies

t.  breakfast cookies + yogurt and honey

w.  british bread bread and jam + tea + egg cups

thrs.  baked oatmeal + applesauce

total = $140

yep, read it and weep.  the good news is that i’m getting a pantry this summer and i’m going to spend billions at costco.  then i won’t have to make these embarrassing confessions to you.  it will all be on the sly.  ahha.

keepers:

i think i will keep making tuscan pasta because it is such a cheater meal.  the lemon spaghetti is headed for some repeats as well.  but what really stole the show was boy’s dal makhani and spice fried kale.  holy cow, yum.  the veggie mac and cheese was good too, but i’m not really in the cheese market.

my husband made me breakfast

just like martha told him.

i’m always looking for alternative breakfast recipes and this did the trick.  what a nice husband.  (sorry, i took the picture before i seasoned it.  but you get the idea.)

black rice with scallions and sweet potatoes

my mother-in-law gave me a bag of the emperor’s rice, and we have been making this at the drop of a hat ever since.  it has lots of ginger in it as well.  which i think is the trick.  anyways, the recipe is here, if you’re ever in a similar predicament.

because someone always wants to be fed

we were a little on the fly today.  like, all day.  i put this menu together when it was a flippin’ 100 degrees, while babysitting three children for an hour and a half, on a putting green.  i’m pretty sure when people come to relax at their golf course, enjoying their retirement, they don’t like to be greeted by three heathens running around with the flag markers and chucking golf balls.  i did my best to explain to the small ottos involved that this was neither the the time nor the place.  even though it was so obviously both.  🙂

dinner:

m.  cashew/spinach vegan pesto with w.w. noodles + ginger glazed carrots + salad + mangos

t.  malai bhindi (okra) + potato chaat + rice

w.  chicken (or rather, soy curl) chinese salad (i toss a bag of spring greens in with mine)+ bread

thrs.  w.w. linguine with creamy zucchini sauce + couscous salad + chocolate chunk cookies

fri.  special k/walnut loaf + roast cabbage + bread

sat.  general tao’s tofu + rice

sun.  bountiful basket = $16

lunch:

m.  large veggie lovers at pizza hut = $10

t.  tanzanian spincach and peanut butter curry + mangos

w.  taco bell at the water park (all day fun day)

thrs.  costa rican rice and beans

fri.  tacos!

sat.  indian

sun.  bountiful basket

breakfast:

m.  oatmeal with dried fruit + nuts + peaches

t.  eggs baked in mini bed of pizza dough

w.  eggs cooked in cream and tarragon over toast

thrs.  blueberry muffins + bananas + tea

fri.  cereal + egg cup + honey and yogurt

sat.  waffles + peaches

sun.  pancakes + eggs

total = $ 148

way to use the whole weekly budget on food mavis.  (only i don’t think she really cared.  she just wanted those last two dollars left for a latte.)  it’s all good.