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.

Eight kids

Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins have caught my attention, and so has an easier than ever chicken pot pie.  That is, if you're into store bought ingredients like pie crusts, a pair of frozen, a box of refrigerated, a rotisserie, frozen mixed veggies, cream of chicken soup, and of course celery salt and black pepper.  This makes my life so much easier knowing it's everyone's favorite, and the pounds each of ground pork and beef, plus Giada's tomato and basil, some protein enriched thin spaghetti noodles.

So those muffins, and waiting ripened bananas are acknowledged, sweet potato fries still on the back burner until I get all reacquainted with black beans, tons of corn, salsa and frozen chicken.  In a crockpot over chips or wrapped in tortillas.  Hell, you can fry up as many corn tacos this summer as you like.  I've got all day to myself to plan, explore, and take barbecuing and summer salads seriously.

I've an army I can't ignore.

Antioxidants

I could make some homemade bread is my answer to everything.  Not sure slathering a loaf of Italian in pizza dip with cheese would bequeath her queen majesty with enough greatness to swear by pepperoni to make it worth a shot and an entire green pepper, sneaking a few baby orange bells and sliced black olives in for the running.  I lean towards the vegetables in my quest to make beet soup possible.  What, I just pull beet hash salads out my ears?  No standards.

Pineapple hurdles

Might have to break my no Hawaiian Pizza Dip rule and indulge in a block of Neufchâtel destined for eternal greatness when a cup of mozzarella couldn't have worse timing, or planning.  Who confirms gossip better than a half teaspoon oregano and a quarter teaspoon garlic powder...a cup of pineapple and 3 oz of Canadian bacon according to you.  Well, layer that conundrum with any homemade marinara you've laying around there, store bought's not better.

Ten years shy of my fiftieth birthday, I should know by smarts that a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes and 2 T tomato paste can make each teaspoon of oregano and two teaspoons basil you meet seem peculiar.  A teaspoon red pepper flakes does NOT replace the love I have in my heart for two cloves minced garlic sautéed for two minutes over medium.  Browning fragrant garlic turns out to be my specialty, but from bubbling to low for 5-10 minutes happens to add insult to injury, hosting salt and then pepper, like forever unimportant.

Oh, it's a gift, trust me.  So your brand new sauce recipe that will likely make panko breaded mozzarella bites show up unbidden, can be left alone to itself and bask in feeling superior.  Try asking the last cup of pineapple what it wants then, a shell shocked 3 oz of Canadian bacon holding up the fort, while a cup of mozzarella browns the top, at 350 for at least 20 minutes.  Dip with pretzel chips, bread or crackers, or astound your friends and get over it.