Weekend Recap

When one plans menus, one should always check if everything you need for a recipe is on hand. At the very least, that there is something that can be substituted lurking in the back of your pantry. One should not, however, plan to have chili only to realize Monday that both the tomatoes AND the black beans (or any beans ... except garbanzos) that you were convinced were plenty stocked have actually run dry. Ugh. I like to *think* I have a solid handle on what is or isn't hiding in the pantry, but this week between not checking and not making it to the grocery store until Saturday night (super late), we had to move some things around.

Monday ended up being venison ChiliMac Helper. Low, how I hate the box powdered magic meals, but somehow they still rescue me from time to time. I should just stop acquiring them (for free usually), but it's nights like Monday when I'm happy to have a handful of them.

Tuesday we were on menu mostly, except the family wanted mashed potatoes rather than au gratins. I also made a pot of herbs de provence rice to go with my make believe chikin tenders (I don't eat pork ... or meat, if I can help it ... mostly, ps).

Wednesday we had neither ground beef nor diced tomatoes. I had been planning on shopping Tuesday. Lesson learned: Plan your menu only around things you already have, rather than things you may or may not get to the store to pick up. So, instead we pulled out some freezer meatballs (oh thank you, freezer, for being the keeper of such wonderful surprises!) and build a quick red sauce for spaghetti. I turned a crusty loaf of french bread into garlic cheese bread and we called it good. Yum!

Thursday was supposed to be something ... I don't even know. When I called home to ask someone to take the meat out of the freezer (because I perpetually forget to do it ... our freezer is in the basement of an unattached garage ... can you blame me? out of sight = out of mind), I was informed that my mother was treating the family to take out Chinese. Hooray! Fried rice and lo mein for me, please. We still have leftovers, and I endeavor to think of *something* to do with all the extra white rice they sent us.

Friday and Saturday I was gone at work. I have no clue what they ate, but likely one part leftovers and one part drive thru if I know them well enough.

Sunday was supposed to be a roasted chicken. Yea. After being gone for two days, there wasn't so much a likelihood that I was going to do much of anything. I didn't even change out of my pjs. The boys decided on pork steaks and chicken breasts, potatoes au gratins, and another quick change french loaf turned garlic bread.

The moral of this week's story was flexibility. Sometimes juggling is required, and keeping an open mind keeps us out of the take out window. Stay tuned for the upcoming week's menu, and keep your fingers crossed that I actually go to the grocery store at some point.


Simply,

Em.