Bored...BORED....Bored! That's how I feel about food just now, just plain old fashioned bored. The cause? Who knows? I suspect the real reason is that I love cooler weather foods and find them far easier to be creative about preparing and planning into menus. Come warmer weather and all I can think of are salads and pastas and steaks and burgers. Being the hot foods lover that I am, and I don't mean spicy but as in freshly cooked and served hot, the warmer months truly challenge me. The very season when the most foods are available and at low prices, too and I can't think of a thing I want to eat? I know...Sad, just plain sad.
Well, I'm trying to break out of my rut by preparing some new or seldom used recipes. I tried a new to us pizza for Sabbath dinner. It wasn't quite where it should be flavor-wise but it was good. I'll figure out the seasonings on it and perfect it over time. Now to see what else we might have. And of course with a baby imminently due everything is all up in the air as I've no idea when we'll be taking off to see this grand little girl.
I'm so tired of tossing, or freezing, celery that I have been stuffing it for John and I to snack on. Pimento cheese, pineapple cream cheese and peanut butter are all good stuffing. It's a cool crisp snack, too.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza, Tossed Salad
I drew my inspiration from a television commercial and though I had no idea how theirs was made I did it off the cuff. It was okay. I think it needed to be a little more seasoned and I lay half that blame at the chicken which didn't have much flavor...and frankly chicken seldom does in casseroles or on pizzas unless you season it a little more highly than usual. I didn't. I used the last of the chicken breast from last Sunday's meal, sliced onion, mushrooms, black olives and turkey bacon. I spread the dough with a little (very little because I didn't want it greasy) Ranch dressing and I used homemade not bottled. There are enough leftovers for supper one night.
Sizzled Sirloin Steak, Cheesy Potatoes, Steamed Asparagus
Does any one remember the Sizzle Burgers, where you melted butter in a frying pan, splash in some Worcestershire sauce and then added hamburgers? It was so good and delicious and that was my inspiration for this meal. I did the melted butter and sauce and put the steaks in to cook. It was really good and flavorful without being too highly seasoned.
Macaroni and Cheese, Pan Roasted Italian Vegetables, Green Salad
I think this will do well for dinner after church today. I have mac and cheese in the freezer and will thaw it tonight. I will put in the crock pot on KEEP WARM setting and then when we come home I'll cook the vegetables on stove top rather than in the oven.
BBQ Chicken, Coleslaw, Southern Cream Style Corn, Corn Muffins
I will likely have leftover chicken and that's fine by me. I'll use it in the next meal. I'll make just a few corn muffins then set the rest of the batter aside for breakfast pancakes.
Chicken Fried Rice, Ambrosia
I think I have a container of oranges in the freezer to make ambrosia. If not, there's plenty of fruit here for fruit salad. I had leftover rice from this past week and I'll use the extra chicken and a variety of vegetables from the crisper drawer to make the rice dish.
Meatloaf, Squash Casserole, Green Beans, Coleslaw
I don't mind leftover meat loaf at all, because I think it's terrific for a sandwich. I generally only use 1 pound of beef and stretch it with onions, breadcrumbs, mushrooms, grated carrot.
Jobs This Week
Last Week:
The pansies are done. I need to take them up from the strawberry jar and put in petunias or something.
Start work on front porch...I need to shop, oh how I need to shop! Wonder if I can manage that this week at all? The front porch must be painted, as well as the furniture.
Make a third pair of shorts out of old pants.
Get guest room back in order.
Tag more items for booth and take them to town to put out.
Linen trunk must be straightened up.
Paint cupboard has yet to be sorted out. That's on my list as well.
Minor grocery shop. Chicken tops that list but I do need to pick up a few other items as well.
Go see the new grand baby. She will born this week for sure.
Groceries? Maybe
Finish last week's list.
Plant petunias and coleus I bought a week ago.
7 comments:
You might try some garlic infused olive oil on your pizza crust first. I sprinkle dried herbs right on the cheese and it really boosts the flavor. I am on vacation and we are just eating eating, eating. DIL is a great cook!
I hope you are right about that grand baby coming this week
I do remember those sizzle burgers, they sound really good.
I make a chicken pizza that is one of our favorite meals. I purchase pizza dough from Publix. They now have a prerolled one and it is so much easier to work with. I usually do this when they are on sale BOGO. Jarred Alfredo sauce, onion, Perdue short cuts chicken in grilled italian (when they are BOGO and freeze until I use them), fresh whole milk mozzarella that I shred,and bacon if I have it. Cook the crust until almost done and then add ingredients and finish cooking. I precook my onions in either a little butter or the bacon fat. We also like spinach on ours.
I know what you mean about summer and hot days cooking. Our house does not have air conditioning and when the temperature and humidity climb cooking is not something I enjoy doing. It is hard enough to just want to eat. Seems everyone gets like that when it is hot. Around that time my mind goes blank and getting menus set up are the hardest they are for me for the year. Every year I think I should get a list set up for when they are needed later. Then the months fly by and the heat is here and no menu ideas. We tend to eat out more in the hottest most humid days cause frankly we need to be someplace that is cool for a while. Honestly. Because we are out more often the household chores do not get done as often as I like. I tend to stay up later when it hopefully cools down some to do some of my work at home.
The last grand babies for our family are here now but great grand babies may come some day. What sweet times. Enjoy every single minute of it all. Your talking about it has brought up some beautiful memories here. Thank you for sharing.
We decided to share an Italian sausage tonight along with the other dinner sides. It was not at all greasy and quite good for a change. We all get so tired of the same old vegetables and fruits etc to work with and figure how to combine them. I thought of the Israelites eating all that manna day after day. In comparison I had to shake my head and laugh at my thinking of ever being tired of the same old food!! :)
Well we will all be waiting for the announcement that the baby is here!! won't be long now.:-))) Sarah
I too get quickly bored with food but in all seasons. We have successfully decluttered much of our living room and it seems so much bigger now! I am pleased with it.
Can't wait to hear about the newest little lady! Congrats on what I know will be a joyous week.
So exciting about the new little grand girl! Hope all goes well for Katie! Hope you can share a few pics too.
I am so tired of cooking too. We had my girl's high school graduation friday night and a cookout for family. Happy times, but I don't want to do anything now...so tired, funny how getting the house and food ready can be so tiring.
Hope you have a great week.
Just found your blog this week. Love it! I was able to read May and April blogs. Feel as if I know you. I too am looking at easy (because of health) recipes and things to cook this week. My husband and I eat differently - I'm not a big meat eater and he has managed to cut down in the last few years. I keep a folder of recipes I get out of magazines for inspiration(like you I get my magazines gently used - from my mother in law) Love to cook but we all get in a rut at times. Thanks for making me feel like I know you.
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