Linkage

I get all excited like when another perfect cooking blog comes marching forth with intention. Making everyday family favorites like Hawaiian Haystacks that I know my children will love and Chicken Chili Casserole that seems so easy and will likely get devoured.  Salads are right up her alley as well, a cilantro-honey-lime dressing flowing perfectly over a Barbecue Chicken Salad, with an Antipasto Salad shouting for a little more attention in the background.  I'll make you, I'll make you! Even you, Fiesta Ranch Vinaigrette Salad, I'll make you too.

Never forget for the life of you that Jello Salads are indeed her forte, especially when Cabbage Rolls come knockin' on your window, being brazen.  A bite of meat, cabbage, and sauce being addicting to young ones?  Oh, I'd agree.  Mexican crockpot chicken, anyone?  Fine, me.

Boundless

I am just determined to do two important things, and that it's only 2 o'clock both floats my boat and is my cup of tea.  One, is make Ranch dressing.  What with all the vegetables I have cut up, or crudités I guess you could call them...all I need is to get the cilantro and parsley minced and dancing with some light mayo and light sour cream.  Don't leave out the tablespoons of olive oil and lemon juice, nor the garlic, green onions or buttermilk, or you'd kill yourself.  I mean what's stopping you from taking a knife and getting your mincing on, is it the granola you just can't get your mind off of?

A skillet toasting of slivered almonds, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds and old-fashioned rolled oats, baked at 325 after mixing with canola oil and honey.  Salt and raisins are the least of your worries when you have to memorize all those measurements, 1/4 cup each, 3 cups those, 3 T, 1/4 cup, 1/4 tsp, and a whole cup.  You know.

Sightless

Toasted walnuts, definitely.  You can't just wander around the house aimlessly, observing task after task that you already accomplished yesterday.  Choosing wisely to start those loads even if it meant emptying the dryer, folding and putting away half a basket upstairs.  My intentions were all good, I'll admit it, to take it one step further each time, never looking back and realizing all I'd accomplished.  So yes, here I am about to make banana bread, two loaves 'cause I'm lucky, actually bought extra bunches for the future, not even knowing what I could've had planned.

Amicable means

Had I not just invented a recipe this morning, combining that dang hot Italian leftover sausage and some mushrooms and peppers that have near literally gone astray.  I'd assume everyone had this good of fortune in the kitchen.  Now I know better, you can't just be anyone and take what was meant to be a calzone and rebirth it into Quick Cherry Cheesecake bars and a Sausage with Spinach, Mushrooms, and Peppers Penne.  Takes Jesus, and three finely minced cloves of garlic AND 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth (and 3-1/2 cups o' water), simmered with as many diced sun dried tomatoes as your fridge is currently providing.  Stir in 6 ounces of baby spinach and 3/4 cup grated parm, until all that liquid's absorbed and pasta's tender.  Salt and pepper your signature all over it, oh and don't forget to refrigerate it topped with cherry pie filling.  Delightful!

Night two

Mel's meatball recipes should be famous, all four varieties satisfy the what's-for-dinner question with a modicum of preparation.  I mean, don't get me wrong, sweet and sour and pineapple are as essential as those with cream sauce, but tonight's teriyaki goodness has got me amped about the process.  I can already hear my skillet sizzling with 2 T oil as I brown the goodness out of 2 lbs of lean ground beef rolled into 1-in portions.  Of course you have to mix together the binder first, nothing more than 2 eggs, 2/3 cup bread crumbs, a teaspoon of salt, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and pepper, 1-1/2 tsp Worcestershire, and 3 T milk.  Have that sauce all ready and on the side and simmer the browned meatballs in it for 10-15 minutes.  Cook up some rice in chicken broth, and a delectable dinner have you!

Error code

Not necessarily a flop, but I can't say my Jumbo Stuffed Shells with meat sauce was exactly what I was looking for.  Lightening up the filling with a 20 ounce tub of nonfat cottage cheese, paired with a cup-and-a-half of mozz, a half cup of Parmesan, a half teaspoon of salt, two minced cloves of garlic and two T of basil, and don't forget 12 saltines...may bask in its own perfection.  But to include only 6 ounces of ground beef with an entire onion, two cloves of garlic, two T of paste, 1 T soy sauce and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 3 cans of diced tomatoes later, stirring in 4 T of basil off the heat, a sauce that tasted great but leaned a tad heavily towards meat-free and onion-y.

Already plotting tomorrow's delectable dealing, teriyaki meatballs over rice, makes a school night worthwhile AND divine.

Old school

A girl can't go wrong with a fully stocked fridge, even if a 5 lb bag of Yukon Gold potatoes and a package of fresh basil really are the answer.  They are the beginning, anyway, of a three day shortened school week, one where overnight oatmeal is on hand, a supply of ready-cooked sausage and scrambled egg burritos appealing to my young ones.

A no-bake Eclair cake pairing with Stuffed Jumbo Shells one of those same weeknights, but tonight relax.  A fridge filled with grilled hot Italian sausages, and steaks for the panini grill at the cabin, sliced for sandwiches.