Put 'em in the oven, you'll thank me

Strawberry picking will be in season near that lake town we've been seen in, you should come next time, you and that brood.  Totally invited to fess up and get interested, there's a foreign exchange student coming in October, I've familial traditions I intend to implore.  Being American's only half my pride and glory, toasting waffles for sport is the other four.

I bet we have that in common too, among everything.  All my memories growing up of family that is yours.  A common thread of patriotism, a German-Jewish root...recipes upon recipes borrowed and stolen.  Only the best-of-the-best, from now on that is what I promise you.

Seriously

Rainbow quinoa, a head of broccoli, some chicken broth to boil away for 15 minutes until your anger gets the best of you, it always did.  A shining example of eggs, ham and shredded cheese becoming important allies in your Parmesan-cheddar equation, don't get all muffin-tin-y on me, not attractive.

So when you're done moaning and groaning about all the recipes swirling on the to-do list, aiming straight for ta-da but never truly reaching for it, just landing serendipitously where chili Mac would have you.  It's not every pound of ground beef's paradise to assert itself among boisterous green chilies and corn, despite the chili powder that hangs around, then leaves tomato sauce, garlic cloves, and coriander to keep reminding.

Over and over, how stellar black bean pizza on a whole grain crust will be, now that red pepper has reconciled with the cilantro, twice gone without.

Dire need

Two and a quarter cups warm water makes the world go round, when a tablespoon yeast walks right up to you-know-who, and asks nothing of 2 tablespoons sugar, ever!  Shedding some light on the matter (finally!) and ensuring French bread loaves were dang pleased with their half whole wheat status, in case anyone asks, or forgets to mention it, or tweet.

You know with instagram accounts laying around everywhere, sporting pinterest-type personalities, you just can't whip up enough pasta al Forno to please every sixteen year old's birthday.  It takes stamina to direct all your energies towards wholeness, I should know exactly this path, I brandish it, smiling.  Refusing to give credit where it's due, is ridiculous.

God meant for my mushroom gravy swiped from Mel 's kitchen-y Cafe to become my new favorite mashed potatoes coverup, chicken cutlets browned in a med-heat skillet in enough olive oil to make it all worth it, four established minutes per golden, yet straight-forward side.  The vanilla cupcakes admitted faux-heartedly that it would trade places with schoolyard cupcakes in a split second, any day of the week, but it was the easy buttercream frosting that kept us all sane.

It's genetics

If you knew me and skillets you'd decide then and there that a Chicken Parmesan came into being without much fanfare, so long as sun dried tomatoes didn't get offended from the moment I met all the broccoli I desired.  It kinda IS a big deal to brown up some skillet chicken, and at the same time get the method recommended, as a tried and true track towards a steady supply of Asian.

Oh you'll get with the program eventually, don't criticize.  Breading, then browning chicken is a delight I'll never cease to endeavor, but it's the mere marinating several flavors into a skillet worthy of browning chicken goodness, please, I'll apply.  Someday when every shredded carrot meets steamed broccoli where it's actually at, instead of supplying interpretations destined for fiction.

Then we'll agree that taking a longer than necessary break from stir fry was more than useful, it's the highlight of life's journey.  If steel cut oats actually doubled its recipe, then six cups of water with two cups of oats would make perfect sense.  As if a quarter cup each brown sugar and pure maple syrup knew it all along, a teaspoon of cinnamon generally does not endorse such unconventional behaviors, we know, we know.

But then a half teaspoon salt walks right in, sits down, and apologizes for nothing.

Spreads

Overcoming the hurdles of pesto and hummus, much like standing your ground when chickpeas and basil determine your fate, who doesn't crave olive oil and garlic in large doses?  It's an easier than pie feeling when discussing past meals feels wronger than usual, as if a refrigerator full of waiting meatballs wasn't celebration enough with whole wheat bread a victory not yet achieved prior.

Turns out French toast was the perfect investment for all my extra loaves, those incorporated into meatball subs with red sauce notwithstanding.  Not sure what all the blocks are about when a week's worth of meals studded with oatmeal crisp cookies and even baked potatoes topped with homemade chili comes so naturally.

Entering the pantry

It's established that 28 oz crushed tomatoes is the throw-together sauce basil, oregano, garlic powder, sugar and salt would make of it.  Doubling a recipe known to be delicious and freezable makes 50-60 meatballs common sense, when French bread rolls are invited to every grand opening, of cooking inspiration in my kitchen.

Doesn't happen every day, oftentimes I whip up refrigerated deep dark chocolate brownies with nary a whistle, and mistaking rotisserie shredded chicken as a bow tie pasta salad ingredient when it was really meant for albacore tuna in the first place, green olives and artichoke hearts completely aside.

No one's perfect in this family is the point that I was making, when Italian meatball subs barged into my life, stole my lack of ambition and replaced it with a motherly sense like no other.  Took a determination to grill chicken all the way from amateur to expert, before my time, light years ahead they tell me.

Because if you knew how many recipes I have waiting for some leisurely grilled chicken, which will be stockpiled for the coming winter that tries its hardest to be real when it's easiest to feign a comfortable distance, you'd wholeheartedly believe.

IKEA's meatballs with cream

I'm thinking about cooking, I'm making plans about cooking, and cooking enough to feed my family even while on summer vacation.  Cindy's oatmeal peanut butter chocolate bars were stupendous, my blueberry banana muffins an anchor when needed, easiest Spaghetti ever even walked up to my door, rang the doorbell, but then let itself in.  You know how I feel about browned ground beef and pork with Giada's sauce, it's very dear to me.

Turned out whole wheat protein enriched thin spaghetti really did need exactly 8 minutes, al dente. The kids consumed and devoured on many unrelated occasions this Egg Bake as I like to call it, including chopped up biscuit dough immersed in eggs and milk (I'd add a few more, unless bread coated-in-egg's enough for a bland lifetime).  Getting scandalous with sliced microwaved precooked sausage links begs the question you knew everyone had been asking.

What, like a cup and a half of shredded cheddar makes it obviously not about you then.  I'm already happier with my pantry, bottom shelf fully straightened, an opening for inner peace to fill it. Shelf two is in the works as I birth chicken and stars from my seams, and slice triangles of watermelon like there's a child to scarf them.  Oh the novelty.