1341 Dinners to Go - Do the Mashed Potato!

 Last night, I realized with a start that I had some potatoes that had begun to sprout, and they needed to be used up. Dinner was officially sort of over, as we had all fended for ourselves with leftovers on an unexpectedly busy Sunday night. 

Potato pancakes are the best food you're not making right now.

But still... the potatoes. 

I struggled with feeling too tired to do anything and rationalizing that another night wouldn't hurt, but I knew I was kidding myself. I had a jam-packed Monday, and those potatoes were gonna end up in the garbage. 

So I got up, peeled them, cubed them, and boiled them with the intention of making them into mashed potatoes for later in the week. Except when I went to mash the potatoes with some homemade broth I had on hand, I used too much and made a potato mess that was halfway between a mash and a soup.

DAMMIT.

"I could add more broth and some milk or cream and make a potato chowder," I thought. Or, and this was just the exhaustion talking at this point, "There's a box of Jiffy pancake mix, I could throw that in there with an egg and some shredded cheese and make potato pancakes?"

Suddenly, I was doing just that! To one cup of soupy mashed potatoes, I added 1/2 C of Jiffy pancake mix, some shredded cheese, and even some hemp hearts, because WHY NOT at this point? You know? I fried them on medium heat in some baking spray, pretty much like regular pancakes, and ate them with some salt and a little sour cream. I had 3. And then when my kid got home from sportsball practice, she had the 4th one I made and told me it was "The best potato pancakes you've ever made". 

Tonight, after physical therapy for me and sportsball for the kiddo, it will be a grab-and-go chicken taco kit from Costco, and Tuesday may see the return of potato pancakes or they may live out their destiny as soup after all. (Potato and corn chowder, maybe? Throw in some bacon? I could get crazy.)

(Take some time today to observe that even seemingly immutable disasters can be redeemed. Call your congressperson and tell them that only Congress can suspend habeus corpus and that any attempt by the president to do so is unlawful and will result in mass protests and disruption.)

 See you on the flipside! 

1345 Dinners LEFT - Where I've been

 Life is never smooth, but lately it's been like those ridiculous endurance races run by bored middle-aged entrepreneurs. You know the ones called like Tough Mudder (subtitle "Dad, are you proud of me now?"). It's felt like I am scrambling over rocky terrain pursued by wasps, with a broken shoe on one foot and constant lower back pain.

(In this metaphor, only the lower back pain is literal. I had to start doing physical therapy for it. Getting old is hell. I've reached "my back hurts for no particular reason" years old. Between this and having to get glasses last year, it's been rough.) 

Anyhow, we have been going through it over here. Some plumbing issues in the kitchen were leading to a bug issue. Turns out that if you have a hidden leak, a soggy wall, and a slightly higher water bill, are not the only issues you may face. Bugs apparently look on leaks like conquistadors and the fountain of youth, willing to ruin everything to stay near their water source. 

My kitchen was closed for over a month, and I put everything in bins to deal with the bugs. We had a lot of takeout and convenience foods. The metaphor of a place I loved despite its flaws (my kitchen) being taken over by a despoiling crew of disease-ridden vermin seemed pretty apt for how I am feeling about another place I love (my country). We also had a solid month of volleyball tournaments every weekend, and that further put a crimp in my cooking style.

Last night, due to being down a car, everyone having a different place to be, and general malaise, I still didn't cook. I did have my Thai wonton soup for breakfast this morning with half of a ripe avocado sliced on top and dressed with a squeeze of lime. DELICIOUS.

Health-wise, I have been focused again on just adding to the foods I am eating. Sure, I made a carrot cake, but I added collagen powder and hemp hearts to the dry ingredients for some extra protein and fiber. My morning coffee has 2 teaspoons of real, honest-to-Maude sugar in it, yes, but also 2 teaspoons of Benefiber, collagen powder, and Ripple non-dairy creamer. It's still delicious, which is a strict requirement for me, but it adds some nutrition to my routine. I am in perimenopause and the last years of my 40s. If I am being realistic, I have limited amounts of time to build the health I need to carry me through the next 40-something years. I have to put on some muscle, deal with my chronic issues, and make sure I am considering my long-term bone health. I don't want to break a hip when I am 80, and now is the time to do something about that. 

Pictured here, an 8x8 carrot cake recipe I tried. It didn't fully bake, so I cut out the underbaked bits and frosted the perfectly baked picture frame left over. 

But some of you are here for dinner ideas, so to the best of my ability, here are some standout dinners we did manage to cook over the last few weeks.

• Outback style - "Alice Springs Chicken" with mashed potatoes and sautéd vegetables. 
• Breakfast for dinner - high protein pancakes (Kodiak mix) with fresh fruit and bacon
• Taco Tuesday - I chop up carrots, onions, and peppers into tiny pieces and mix them into the taco meat
• Meatloaf Florentine - Meatloaf stuffed with sautéed spinach and onions, with salad and vegetables on the side
• Irish Beef Stew- served over colcannon, which is a mixture of buttery mashed potatoes and braised cabbage
• Teriyaki chicken meatballs - served with sautéed pineapple bites, salad, and yellow rice.
• Spaghetti- tried a new thing where I blended a can of cannellini beans into a thick paste and added it to the spaghetti sauce for extra nutrition and fiber, it totally worked! 
• Baked salmon with fire-roasted vegetables - you're not cooking enough fish, it cooks in minutes, needs only simple seasoning (in this case salt, pepper, and lemon), and is so heart-healthy.
• Meatball sandwiches - I popped them on the rolls with sautéed onions, peppers, and fresh spinach before topping with extra sauce and cheese. OMG. Yum.
• Chicken fajitas - they cook fast, are loaded with vegetables, and can be eaten on salad greens or in a tortilla. Fabulous. 

In case you're keeping track: 1345 dinners left to go. 

Extra credit: Call your congress critter and tell them to reinstate the head librarian of the Library of Congress before they attempt to give Marco Rubio yet another job. 

1461 dinners - February 28 - March 3rd

Life feels a bit overwhelming sometimes. (Maybe all the time, lately.) There’s just so much happening in the world that staying on top of everything seems impossible—and that’s okay. Nobody can know it all, and nobody expects you to. That’s why I’m here friend, to fill you in on some things that probably flew under your radar but are worth knowing about.

Did you hear about the economic protest on February 28th? 

Sometimes, you come across an idea that makes you pause and think, This is worth trying. That’s how I felt when I first heard about the February 28th economic boycott. I have no clue who started it or how the word got around, but the concept spoke to me. The idea was to refrain from shopping, particularly at big-box stores, for a day. And if you did need to shop, you were encouraged to spend your money locally and pay in cash. Simple, right? But powerful too, especially if we keep it up!

Paying cash might feel old-school, but for small businesses, it’s a lifeline. When you pay with cash, you’re saving the shop owner from processing fees—usually around 2%-3% of every transaction—and giving them immediate access to funds. No waiting for payments to clear or worrying about chargebacks. Honestly, it’s one of the simplest ways to make a difference for the people keeping your favorite local spots alive.

I decided to take part in the boycott, even though I’ve already taken a personal stand against a few places that have rolled back their DEI efforts or otherwise aligned with policies I don’t agree with. But this wasn’t just about a protest for me. Lately, I’ve been on a mission to save more money—not just for my own peace of mind but so I can have cash on hand to support mutual aid efforts in my community. That’s when I had an idea to take it further and make it personal.

This year, for Lent, I’m setting myself a challenge. For 40 days, I’m not buying anything except the essentials. No impulse spending, no unnecessary indulgences. I’m going to cook and eat entirely from what I already have—my pantry, freezer, and even my little patio garden. The money I save will go straight to my local food bank to help them keep the lights on and the shelves stocked.

But this isn’t just about trimming my budget. Lent has always been, for me, about intentional self-sacrifice and gratitude. It’s a time to reflect on what we have and share it with others. I’ve always felt that this spirit of giving and simplifying resonates across cultures and faiths. I’m reminded of a wonderful classmate I had in high school—Eman. We used to chat about the similarities between Lent and Ramadan during Gifted class. Eman told me that during Ramadan, fasting isn’t required if you’re ill, on your period, or unwell in any way. Instead, greater emphasis is placed on acts of charity and sacrifice in other forms. She opened my eyes to a more flexible, compassionate way to approach Lenten practices, especially since my hypoglycemia makes fasting unsafe.

Now, instead of fasting, I focus on eating simpler meals and being mindful of my blessings. I often think of Eman this time of year, wondering how she’s doing and wishing her a heartfelt "Ramadan Mubarak." Even though it's been 30 years since high school and quite a few years since I've been a devoutly practicing Catholic, it’s these small connections and moments of understanding that bring meaning to me.

And friends, Lent doesn’t officially kick off until Ash Wednesday, but tomorrow is Fat Tuesday! I’m planning to celebrate with a delicious dinner—and I’m even going to attempt making beignets. Wish me luck. But come Wednesday, it’s game time. I’ll be getting my “ash in church” (as they say) and then fully leaning into this challenge of simplifying and making do with what I’ve got.

Over the weekend, I’ll be sharing little snapshots of this experiment. 

1461 Dinners - Nights 33 - 40

Have you checked the price of eggs lately? At my local Aldi, a dozen eggs is now going for $5.98. It’s mind-boggling. I still remember not too long ago buying eggs at the same store for 50 cents a dozen. Back then, it honestly felt like I was getting away with something—like those prices couldn’t possibly last. And, well, they didn’t.

Now, there’s a lot more to this than just inflation or supply chain issues. For example, here’s an interesting connection (or non-connection, depending on how you look at it). Did you know flu vaccines are commonly cultured in chicken eggs?  The FDA, in fact, was supposed to hold a meeting this week to decide on flu shot formulations for next season, where experts analyze projections and data from the prior year to figure out which flu strains are likely to cause the most trouble. This kind of decision has to happen well in advance because the selected virus strains are grown in fertilized chicken eggs. The process allows the viruses to multiply and produce enough material to turn into vaccines that, ideally, protect us all when flu season rolls around.

Now, to be clear, I’m not trying to draw a direct line between egg prices and flu vaccine production—it’s not some tangled conspiracy. But still, it’s hard not to pause and take notice of how all these things seem to be spinning together. You have soaring egg prices, flu shots being prepped in those very same eggs, and the absolute chaos caused by bird flu. It sometimes feels like we’re living in a mad science experiment.

Here’s what we do know for sure, though. Bird flu is wreaking havoc. It’s devastating bird populations, spilling over into certain mammals, and putting humans on edge. It’s also making eggs—a staple protein source that has been affordable for as long as I can remember—harder for many people to justify buying. That’s the frustrating irony. Eggs have always been one of the most accessible, low-cost sources of protein out there, and now they’re a luxury item for some households.

And then there’s what this means for vaccine production. If bird flu keeps disrupting poultry farming, we’re not just talking about pricier breakfasts. We’re talking about potential challenges in producing enough flu vaccines to meet demand in the years to come. It’s the bird flu hitting us from all sides—not just in our grocery budgets but in public health, too.

There’s no neat bow to wrap on this situation, but it’s worth paying attention to. Eggs are suddenly more than just that affordable staple for scrambled breakfasts or baking cookies. Right now, they’re at the crossroads of food security, public health, and even global challenges like disease outbreaks. It just goes to show, sometimes the simplest things—like a carton of eggs—can start to feel pretty complicated. Anyhow, there's very little to shell-abrate right now. I haven't cracked a smile or felt like yolking ever since I first saw this news. I am not saying I'm chicken but I am pretty clucking nervous right now.  (Yes, when in doubt, I make absolutely terrible puns. We are Def-Pun 2 right now. 

1461 Dinners - February 7th -19th - 1430 nights left

Have you ever had one of those stretches where every day feels like a marathon, and by the time you finally crawl into bed, every inch of your body is aching, your eyes are heavy with exhaustion—and then it hits you. It’s not just been one long day. It’s been two weeks. That kind of tired? I haven’t felt it in years, not since the newborn days. But here we are. That’s life these days. Just doing our best to survive as Ame®icans.

Lately, I’ve found that it brings me some peace to pause and look back—not to dwell, but to remind myself that I am doing things. Even when it feels like I’m barely holding it together, I can see it in the little markers of the week, like keeping track of dinners or the avalanche of things on my plate. These past couple of weeks I’ve been helping with fundraisers, sharing articles, speaking up when it matters, navigating medical stuff (and all the joys of the “healthcare system”), and driving a teenager across state lines for a volleyball tournament. It’s a lot.

And yet, here I am, still showing up. I may feel stuck some days, like fear and worry are keeping me frozen, but when I step back, I can see the truth. I’m working, parenting, staying engaged, doing what I can. It matters. I’m doing it. And probably, so are you.

February 7, Night 19 - I made tostadas by frying stale corn tortillas. This is the best example of turning a negative into a positive that I can imagine. I literally took something useless and made something delicious. 

Shallow fry corn tortillas in oil, place on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Amazing.

February 8, Night 20 - We were supposed to make a big paella dinner for my in-laws tonight, but we got sick, and rescheduled till later in the month. Did anyone eat? I have no idea. I was in bed and ill. 

February 9, Night 21 - Superbowl. Snacks were made and consumed as we watched Kendrick Lamar set absolute fire to the stage. I honestly ate more potato chips and onion dip than is polite. We also made brownies. And a frozen pizza. 

February 10, Night 22 -  Back to back to back rehearsals and practices. Pretty sure this was a drive through Mickey D's night. 

February 11, Night 23 - Gyro meatballs with naan bread, lettuce, olives, and homemade tzatziki sauce, with a side of jasmine rice. Mix ground beef or ground beef/lamb with parsley, oregano, thyme, and dill to make the meatballs, add one beaten egg and some seasoned bread crumbs. Roll in your hands to make 1-inch balls and fry in a pan until brown on all sides and cooked through. Serve on pita bread (except when the store is out of pita, then serve it on naan.) My tzatziki sauce is just chopped cucumber, greek yogurt, salt, pepper, dill, and parsley all combined. 

Gyro meatballs cook in a flash and give you the yummy Greek takeout food you want at home! 

February 12, Night 24 - Leftover meatballs served with a cup of EZ mac and cheese, my hand to god. Some nights, especially during a hostile government takeover, that's how we roll. 

February 13 Night 25 - Ramen at Dragon Bowl Z. The funniest named ramen joint, also the food is good, I had a bao bun and some edamame. I wasn't hungry because I'd had a big lunch with a friend! At a restaurant! I ate a meal with another adult out in public, and I wore a dress and we talked about all the craziness going on and I didn't feel alone. It was so nice. 

February 14, Night 26 - Chicken cacciatore from the slow cooker. Minor surgery earlier that day was successful. Nice to come home to dinner ready. 

February 15, Night 27 - Greek food at a restaurant in Savannah. Patstitsio, moussaka, saganaki, dolamades. I was in heaven. The kids were in good spirits too. We were supposed to do a big group dinner with the rest of the volleyball team and parents, but after aimlessly walking around downtown and realizing no one had even an inkling of a plan we peaced out and stumbled into this place. A good reminder, that just because the group is doing something, you're not obligated to go along with it. Your peace and your family's well-being come first. 

February 16, Night 28 -  Hamburgers from a food truck outside the Savannah Convention Center. And that's on being a sports parent. 

February 17, Night 29 - Cuban food from the local Latino grocery store, chicken legs, ribs, and slow-cooked pork. I sauteed cabbage as a side. Dinner was ready in the time it took me to check out in Spanish. Una bolsa? Si, gracias. Buenos noches. Being even the teeniest bit bilingual is a gift. 

February 18, Night 30 - Henry's Depot food hall, a restaurant called The Current. Fresh fish and chips and hush puppies. The spicy aioli dipping sauce was next level. A nice night waiting on the kid for another rehearsal, just me and the husband. I have the best guy and I don't take it for granted. We also walked around downtown Sanford for a bit and just chatted. 

February 19, Night 31 - One month into the T®ümp administration, dinner was leftover cacciatore, eaten over the stove while I cleaned the kitchen. I garnished it with the last 7 kalamata olives in a jar, which gave it puttanesca vibes. Later I made the NYT applesauce coffee cake just to make the house smell amazing. That totally worked. The cake was delicious and the house was scented like apples and spices. 

February 20, Night 32 - Making carnitas tacos tonight! And I am making fresh tortilla chips. Because fried corn is my love language. 

#KeepGoing

1461 Dinners - Nights 16 and 17

Slowly trying to get into the groove with cooking again. 

My current goal is to lessen/eliminate food waste and go meatless and less meat for some of the meals, but hopefully not compromise protein intake and flavor. I did this frequently when we lived in the Keys and food was so expensive. I realized early on it was an easy money-saving step. Current bird flu projections make it seem like it would be a good idea, just in general, to lessen my contact with meat anyhow. 

Night 16 - I bought a 4 pack of chicken Italian sausage at Aldi's the other day without a real plan for using it. It looked good to me. I made sauteed sausage, then added an entire bag of spinach to the same pan to wilt. I served this with cubed oven-roasted potatoes (just seasoned and oiled and roasted on a pan at 375) and with sauteed mushrooms and onions. I also steamed some frozen green beans and made a green salad. I only had a couple tablespoons of mayo in my Duke's mayo jar so I threw in some ranch seasoning, a splash of milk, and some sour cream to make a quick dressing for the salad. 

Even accounting for roasting the potatoes this meal only took about 30 minutes to make. If you cut your potatoes into small enough pieces you can roast them very quickly, probably even faster in an air fryer, but I was making a LOT of potatoes, so I used my full-sized oven. 

The sausage was good, maybe a little on the salty side. There were only 4 sausages in the packet and 4 of us, but I cut the sausages into circles and there was plenty for everyone. Between the green beans, the sausage, and even spinach there was plenty of protein in the meal and it was tasty as well. 

I'm putting hemp hearts on everything these days. 

Night 17 - If you ever find yourself with stale corn tortillas, I highly recommend making your own tostada shells or chips with them. For tostadas you simply heat some oil (an inch or two in a skillet) and get your tortillas in there, allowing them to lightly brown on both sides. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle with salt. For the tostada topping I cooked 1 pound of hamburger meat with chopped onions and bell peppers, once those were cooked through I added a can of drained black beans. I seasoned everything with taco seasoning and topped the tostadas with the meat mixture, shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream. This took about 25 minutes altogether. I defrosted my hamburger meat in the microwave as I fried my tostada shells. When I freeze hamburger meat I place 1 pound into a quart-size baggie and smash it down to a thin even layer. Then I freeze it flat in the freezer. They defrost very easily and evenly this way, I can even cook them from frozen if I am making a crumbled application like taco meat or spaghetti sauce and time is very short.  

This was wildly delicious. Honestly, better than it should be. Tostadas are slept on.

I am writing everyone I know in Florida about the congressional races happening on April 1st. Josh Weil and Gay Valimont are running in the 6th and 1st congressional districts, respectively. Trying to get out the vote for them. 

1444 dinners to go.

#KeepGoing

 1461 Dinners - Nights 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Volleyball Tourney Weekend took up nights 11 and 12. Dinners on the road after two absolutely win-less slogs with a sad teenager are not the most memorable. We did try to make things a little fun by stopping at Krispy Kreme (with the hot light on) and requesting the glazed donuts that were being made. Then when we got to the car we realized they gave us cold donuts. 

Like. THE LIGHT WAS ON, we asked for GLAZED. What's the issue?

Photo courtesy of Hoosier2 from TripAdvisor, who has an extensive collection of photos from every restaurant they have ever visited, apparently.

Anyhow, night 13 was a little crazy, the kid had 3 different rehearsals/practices to attend in one night. I needed to make a FAST dinner, so I took some leftover Chinese food rice from lunch one day and leftover rice and zucchini from the chicken and rice I made the other day. I sauteed chopped onion in oil with salt and pepper and then added some chopped chicken cutlets to the pan and seasoned them with a seasoning blend. I then added my leftover rices and a can of black beans. As this all heated together I added some homemade chicken broth I made the other night, just to rehydrate the rice a bit and make everything come together. Does everyone cook like this? Just emptying the refrigerator and hoping for the best?

This is the seasoning blend I've been using lately.

Night 14 I made meatloaf and I was super proud of myself for using some leftover marinara with sausage where I would normally add ketchup and stuff. It wasn't enough sauce for another serving of pasta, but it worked a treat at flavoring the loaf, along with the above spice blend and some Italian herbs. The kids and the husband ate it all up. I served it with homemade mashed potatoes, and steamed green beans. 

On night 15 we ordered food from Jason's Deli, because we had a sick kid. I've been taking care of her and ignoring my work so I needed to get caught up tonight. I try REALLY hard to have all my work done by EOD on Wednesdays so I can use the rest of the week for anything that pops up unexpectedly. And in social media management, something always pops up. 

1446 dinners left.

#KeepGoing