This Administration Won’t Be Over Easy

 I made the best breakfast the last 2 mornings. A sweet potato hash with turkey sausage and two fried eggs. I hate using more than one pan so I make it all in one medium sized skillet. I baked a giant sweet potato in the microwave on Friday, then left it in the fridge so I could easily cube it up and fry it off in the skillet in some cooking spray. I used half the sweet potatoes for one breakfast and the other half the next day. Then I microwaved a turkey sausage patty for 30 seconds (just to thaw) chopped it up and placed it in the pan with the sweet potatoes and cooked then all together until they were heated through. I kept the seasoning simple, just salt and freshly ground black pepper. I reduced the heat, pushed the hash to the side and added some fakey butter to the pan “country crock of lies” or “I can’t believe it’s not democracy” whatever you’ve got on hand. Crack the two eggs in there and then because I like a fully cooked white and a runny yolk, I put a close fitting lid down over the food and let it steam on low for a couple of minutes till egg was my desired amount of doneness. 

I cut the little thin frizzled bits of egg white off for my dog. That’s why I’m her favorite. ❤️ 

The secret to making a hash of any kind is to start with cooked potatoes. You can use raw but you better cut them into tiny pieces and be prepared to stand at the stove for 30-40 minutes. I love using microwaved potatoes or even canned potatoes in a pinch. You can also add onions to your hash but I just didn’t want to chop anything else this morning. You can also use bacon bits instead of sausage, vegetarian sausage or even skip any type of meat and use onion, bell pepper and potatoes. I have also made a fine breakfast hash out of frozen tater tots or even leftover fast food French fries.  

Making breakfast is like participating in democracy. You may not have the exact ingredients you were hoping for, but you use what’s available and you make sure everyone gets fed.

With love your friend, 

S

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

1461 Dinners - Nights 9 and 10

 1449 Dinners to Go

I've been growing herbs and vegetables since this summer. Some pineapples, basil, lettuces, tomatoes, hot peppers, celery, parsley, sunflowers... I get bored too easily to grow many flowers, but I've been keeping a variegated mum alive since September. I've been adding fresh basil to everything and I recently successfully rooted a rosemary sprig a friend gave me. I dried a bunch of the rosemary she gave me just too, just to have on hand. I stored the dried rosemary in empty Bonne Maman jars I washed out. 

Dinner 10 - Our youngest was feeling sad and wanted to go out for pasta. A nostalgic brand of my youth (Fazolis) has re-opened so I got baked meatballs and salad, and they still serve unlimited free breadsticks in the dining room if you eat there. People think Breadstix in Glee was based on Olive Garden, but to me, it was clearly an homage to Fazoli's.

January 31st (Dinner 11) - a friend of mine is having a hard time, so I brought her some cold medicine and hung out doing a jigsaw puzzle with her. Then I convinced her to go to Wendy's with me for a chocolate Frosty (for her) and dinner for me. I had a chicken sandwich, some fries, and a coke.  

It's a volleyball weekend, but hopefully, I can figure out a way to eat at least one dinner at home. I actually hate going out so much, but lately, I am prioritizing tiny boosts to our mental health over cost savings analysis. Let's see how that goes.

1450 dinners to go.

#KeepGoing

1461 Dinners - Nights 8 and 9

 Sometimes, you just want options

Night 8- I made tortellini with sausage and pepper tomato sauce the other night for the kids, and there was plenty leftover for another night, but I found myself just wanting another choice. The same night I made the tortellini and sauce I had also made a chicken and vegetable broth by cleaning out the refrigerator.

Do you do this? You discover some forgotten vegetables, rolling around in the furthest reaches of the refrigerator so you throw them in a pot with water, salt, pepper, and bay leaves and make up a quick broth? I hate wasting food so I either make broth or roasted vegetables when I discover wilting veg. I also had about half a box of chicken broth leftover from making sausages so I threw that in as well. 

 I defrosted some chicken but left it for my husband to deal with while I ran kid 2 to play rehearsal, it's far enough away that I pretty much have to sit there and wait for her rather than go home. I called Husband who was just arriving home and pitched him on a sort of arroz con pollo deal, inspired by a video Dollar Tree Dinners had just posted. 

@dollartreedinners One Pan Chicken & rice is a lifesaver for busy weeknights! Flavorful, simple, and only 6 ingredients.  This recipe is a family favorite. You will need: 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs 1 diced onion 1 & 1/2 cups of white rice 2 cups chicken stock 1 to 2 teaspoons @danosseasoning Original seasoning (plus extra for the chicken) 2 cups of frozen vegetables (Green beans, peas, or mixed vegetables) Season both sides of the chicken generously with Dan-O's Original seasoning Sear in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 4 minutes per side them remove Add diced onions to the skillet scraping up any browned bits , stir in rice and toast for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Add chicken stock, season to taste, and frozen vegetables, stir to combine. Nestle chicken back into the pan, bring to a boil, cover simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed (there should be no bubbles on the surface) Remove from heat and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes and enjoy! #simplemeals #danospartner #easyweeknightdinner #onepanmeals #familydinner #comfortfood #homecooking #quickdinner ♬ original sound - Dollar Tree Dinners

He seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, and thyme, then browned the bone-in skin-on chicken thighs in a heavy-bottomed skillet. When they were brown on both sides he removed them and sauteed chopped onions in the rendered fat until they softened. Then he added two sliced zucchinis to the pan, popped in a cup of long-grain white rice, added 2 cups of vegetable stock, and nestled the chicken down in the rice and vegetables. He covered the pan and let it cook for about 20 minutes. The rice was cooked through; the vegetables were soft and the chicken was moist and tender. One pan meals for the win!

Night 9 - I mailed postcards to my representatives this morning. Worked on projects for my boss all day and finally disassembled the Christmas tree. Dinner was a "choose your own adventure" of leftovers tonight, as the elder child is out of town on assignment and the younger child had back-to-back play rehearsal and volleyball practice. She ate a slice of pizza and some chicken and noodles a friend brought her in the car. 

It's amazing the kindness and thoughtfulness of children, especially compared to adults most days. Her friend knew she was coming directly from play rehearsals to practice and offered to bring her a favorite meal from the restaurant where the friend works. I love teens, by and large, they are lovely humans. 

Husband and I both attended volleyball practice and brought our laptops to finish some work, fortunately, the gym has built in work tops with chairs and power outlets for the parents. It was great to get to watch her play and catch up on some stuff so tomorrow will go smoother.

1,452 nights left.

#KeepGoing

1461 Dinners - Night 7

 We have reached the part of the school year where all the things my kid signed up for at the beginning of the year that seemed so doable are all happening, simultaneously. 

Sigh.

Because I had a doctor's appointment, Kid 1 drove Kid 2 to practice while I made dinner. I am still not back in my real groove with cooking so I kept it simple and made a sausage sauce and tortellini for the kids and I made myself sausages and peppers with zucchini. 

The best part of making sausage and peppers and (onions) is that it's absurdly simple. I slice the bell peppers and onions very thin. I put them in a hot pan with oil and start them BEFORE the sausages because I like the onions to get caramelized. Plop the sausages in and cook till they are done and brown on all sides. I like bangers for sausages or sweet Italian sausages if I can't get those. Any type of sausage you like though, beef, chicken, or even vegetarian sausages will work. Sometimes I only use peppers and onions, sometimes (like last night) I throw in some sliced zucchini as well at the end. then I deglazed the pan with some marsala wine and chicken broth. You can even use just water or water with a splash of apple cider vinegar in it. 

This can be served over greens, rice or noodles if you wish, I skipped that part entirely and topped it with a sprinkle of feta cheese. It's my favorite. 

Everyone ate, not at the same time, because rehearsals and meetings and such, but hey. Still counts as far as I am concerned. 

I literally cannot take a good food photo to save my life, trust me this was delicious. 

#KeepGoing

1461 Dinners - Nights 4, 5, 6

How to cook salmon and realistic dinners for busy weekends.

Friday Night - we had an office party to attend, and dinner was provided at a nice restaurant for my husband and myself. We both had cedar plank grilled salmon. It was fantastic. The trick with salmon is not to overcook it, and you do that by cooking it hot and fast and pulling it from the oven before it has reached the doneness you are looking for. Try pulling it at medium and letting hold over heat finish cooking it the rest of the way. 

Why do people cook salmon on a cedar plank? If you've never seen it before it may seem strange, like serving steak on a fence slat, but the cedar plank adds aroma and slight smokiness. It is also a way of ensuring even heat while cooking. The untreated wood plank is soaked in water for anywhere from 1 to 24 hours depending on the recipe you see and then it's preheated on the grill. The fish lightly grills and steams in the residual water steaming from the plank and as the edges of the board char, the fish also gets an aromatic smokiness. This is a variation of the salmon cooking method of the Coastal Salish people of the Pacific Northwest. A cedar bentwood box filled with hot cooking stones was used to prepare salmon at ceremonial fishing parties that commemorated the early spring salmon runs. Loimulohi is a traditional Finnish salmon cooking method and uses a cedar plank as well! 

My own method for cooking salmon at home is to start with a thawed piece of salmon, preferably with the skin on. I preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC) then prepare a baking sheet by covering it with aluminum foil or parchment paper (depending on what I have on hand). I oil the pan then lay the fish (skin side down) on the oiled surface. I salt and pepper the salmon and then squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top of the fish. Finally, I spray the fish with a high-heat cooking oil like avocado oil and cook it in the hot oven for about 10 - 15 minutes depending on the fish. If the surface appears to be cooked but the middle seems underdone, that's it for me. I pull it out, and the residual heat cooks the fish through and keeps it moist. Obviously, cook longer if you prefer greater doneness, or if you have a particularly thick piece of fish. Internal temperature should be between 135º to 145º F (57º to 62ºC). 

Saturday Night - Honestly, yogurt, granola, and sliced strawberries. We had been at a Volleyball tournament all day and I was exhausted. Everyone fended for themselves that night.

Sunday Night - Chili's after day 2 of the Volleyball Tournament for Lunch/Dinner. You ever have just one big meal in the late afternoon/early evening and just call it? If you haven't been to Chili's in awhile they still give you free bottomless chips and salsa to start the meal and the burgers and fajitas are still great. But maybe inspired by the absolutely fabulous fish I had on Friday I went ahead and ordered the ancho chili salmon. It was surprisingly moist and flavorful. It was served with steamed broccoli and rice. I am just craving salmon lately, so I gambled and I was delighted. 

Cedar Plank salmon with broccolini and roasted multicolor carrots. Half devoured by the photographer.

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1461 Dinners- Nights 2 and 3

 Decided to use some frozen chicken and pasta meals I had in the freezer rounded out with an extra artichoke stuffed chicken breast from the other night and some broccoli and cauliflower I roasted because it needed to be used up. 

Do you ever stare into the refrigerator and think... "I know I bought food but I'll be damned if I can think what I was going to do with it."

When I see ingredients but I can't remember the plan I just prepare them. On this day with only the mandate, "these must be used immediately", I chopped up the head of cauliflower and the head of broccoli and put them on a sheet pan. I covered them in oil and then sprinkled them heavily with a seasoning blend that had salt, pepper, onions and garlic in it. Then I roasted the vegetables for 20 minutes at 375ºF. They looked not as brown as I wanted so I gave it all a good stir and threw them back in for another 5 minutes.

Later that night as I was driving kid 2 from sports practice to theater rehearsal I called my husband and said, HEY, there's a plan for dinner after all. Take the frozen chicken and pasta meals out of the freezer, cut up, add the leftover artichoke chicken, and toss in the roasted veg I did earlier.  

It made such a huge amount we had it for dinner again last night.

Tonight's dinner will be refrigerated tortellini and sauce with salad and a take-and-bake bread loaf served with olive oil and balsamic glaze. 

That will be 4 nights, down. 

The aforementioned roasted veg. 

Do you have any vegetables languishing in the fridge? Go ahead and roast them.  They can work as a side dish or depending on what you have can be pureed into a soup or sauce. Tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion work particularly well as a sauce or a soup. 

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1,461 dinners - Night One

Dinner Tonight: 

Heat and Eat Chicken stuffed with artichoke from Aldi.

Heat and Eat Mashed Potatoes. 

I sautéed an entire bag of spinach with half an onion. Salt and Pepper.

When life gets tough take whatever shortcuts you need to to keep body and soul together. Life is hard and days are long, you need food and rest.

#KeepGoing

In retrospect

November turned out to be a big mess.

Decide to do better December?
Decline to participate in destruction December?
Delineate what is real and what is bullshit December?
Deviate from the old script December?
Derive some hope from somewhere December?
Detail list for survival December?
Disinvite yourself from family celebrations December?
Deride the incoming administration December?


Not sure.

But last year's Christmas Post is looking pretty spot on this year as well.

No Mess November

What is No Mess November? I am so glad you asked! It's a chance to re-center yourself, re-energize, refresh yourself before (hopefully) the onslaught of winter holidays and prepare for the new year! It's about cutting out the mess, whether that be literal, like taking the trash to the curb every time, or the more metaphorical mess. Like not wading into a political argument with your bully of an uncle at Thanksgiving.

Myself, I am doing one thing a day at work and at home to either literally clean up my mess or metaphorically do it. That's my goal, just ONE thing a day. Yesterday I got a second wind at work and took care of a phone call I had been dreading making. As it usually goes I had built this up into a much bigger deal than it actually was. I also took a few extra minutes and cleared off my desk and emptied my wastepaper basket.

When I got home I made that one pan chicken dish and while it cooked I unloaded and re-loaded the dishwasher. After my dinner was out of the oven I kept the oven on and roasted a whole pan of Brussels Sprouts and onions so that they could cook while we ate dinner. While the sprouts cooled I helped my little one with Math, which would try the patience of a saint. She's ADHD and I am just ADD. So here I am trying to pay attention for the both of us and she's bouncing across the room and attempting a half-gainer off the end of the couch. I put the sprouts in a storage container and put them in the fridge, got the last of the dishes into the dishwasher and hit start. Then I went to bed.

That sounds like a cozy domestic scene, yeah? Not so much really. There's laundry that's been chilling on the couch for so long, at this point it's become a member of the family. The dining room table is covered in random detritus from where a shelf came down last week and left me no place to put my assorted cookware. I had to feed the kids at a makeshift "coffee table" I put up in the living room. My husband had a blinding headache and wasn't his usual ultra helpful self. My dog was ignoring her kibble and jumping from child to child trying to make them spill some precious, precious chicken.

So, my life, is kind of a glorious mess. No Mess November is about taking a moment to make things a little bit cleaner, a little bit calmer and a little bit kinder every day.

Please follow #NoMessNovember on social media! If you like you can also follow me on Facebook!

Greens, Potatoes and Chicken

I was having one of those days, one of those weeks actually, where meal planning goes out the window and all your best intentions get wiped out once you hit the front door. Work has been very hectic lately, my husband has been ill, the kids have been in a mood, even the dog decided to wake me up every half hour on the hour last night. So as I drove home talking to my husband via cell phone he told me the closest he had gotten to starting dinner was defrosting some chicken thigh fillets. He offered to go pick something up for dinner.

As tempting as that was, we have been eating out way too much and that's not good for our health or our wallets. I knew I had some sad vegetables in the fridge that needed to be cooked or tossed STAT so I told him to meet me at home.

I started finishing the defrosting of the chicken in the microwave while I surveyed the vegetable situation. A 16 ounce bag of collards that had seen better days, several onions and a cereal bowl full of white creamer potatoes. I formulated a plan for a one pan meal that would hopefully feed my family of 4.

I rinsed and sorted through my sad collards, some of them were wilted beyond salvation, but most of it was fine. I put it in a sheet pan. To that I added one thinly sliced onion, and I halved lengthwise all of the creamer potatoes. I tossed them all with generous slugs of olive oil (maybe 1/4 C all together?) some sea salt and some black pepper.

When the chicken was good and defrosted I opened up each fillet and seasoned them on both sides with salt, pepper and paprika (mostly for color). I placed the chicken thighs on top of my oily, salty veggies and then placed aluminum foil over the whole thing and put it an oven set at 450 degrees. I let the chicken cook covered for 20 minutes. When that was up I checked the chicken and vegetables and decided to roast everything uncovered for another 20 minutes to get some color and finish cooking.

When I pulled the pan out of the oven everything was browned and crispy. Even some of the fronds of collard greens had turned crisp! I took the chicken and placed a piece or two on every plate, then I tossed the hot vegetables together in the pan one more time to coat everything in pan juices and served the green and potatoes alongside the chicken pieces.

Variations of recipe:

You could toss the vegetables with a mixture of olive oil and bacon fat if you had some on hand. You could even add bacon pieces to the pan and let it cook with the chicken.

You could add a 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the greens as well for a nice kick of heat.

You could use a good baking potato cut up into one inch pieces in place of the creamer potatoes, or you could use turnip greens and turnip pieces in place of collards and potatoes.

Instead of using boneless, skinless chicken thighs you could use chicken leg quarters, but I'd separate the drumstick from the quarter and add more time for cooking. Maybe an additional 10 minutes?

Easy Like Sunday Morning

Mother's day is tomorrow if you have a mom you'd like to make breakfast for may I suggest this lovely, easy meal.

Make the pancake batter first, shake up some Bisquick or make this delicious fool proof recipe from Deep South Dish. I found some expired milk lurking in the back of the fridge. (What? Like that never happens to you? I'm not here for your judgement.) Sour (not spoiled) milk makes a great substitute for buttermilk and is perfect for baking too. Let the batter rest while you make the rest of the breakfast. That nice crispy bacon gets cooked first. Having made bacon in a variety of ways, stove top, oven, microwave, I have to say the crispiest bacon is often made on a flat cooking griddle. The greater cooking area and precise heat control means you get the best results. While the bacon is frying get out a small sauce pan and make some blueberry compote!

1.5 pints of blueberries, separated into 3 half pint measures.
3 tablespoons of water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Take a half pint of blueberries, and put it in the sauce pan with the lemon juice, water and sugar, stir and heat on medium heat for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the second half pint of blueberries, cook an additional 3 minutes and then add the last half pint of blueberries and cook for 5 more minutes. Take off of the heat and set aside until ready to serve.

The potato rosti come frozen in a box from IKEA. When the bacon is done they are simply fried in a little cooking spray on each side for two minutes, when serving top with a little bit of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley. Keep warm, wrapped in foil and a towel until breakfast is ready.

Finally cook your pancakes, smaller cakes cook faster and are more fun to eat. Top with compote and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea.

Have a great weekend!

Quick Quiche

This recipe is a great way to use a leftover portion of green vegetables from a previous meal. You know that one generous scoop of asparagus or broccoli or spinach that didn't get eaten but you don't want to throw out? Make it into a delicious weekend breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

About half a cup of chopped vegetables. I used some cooked leftover broccoli and a chopped half an onion.
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks**
1/2 Cups half and half (or equivalent mixture of milk and cream)
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
pinch fresh grated nutmeg (optional)
1 9- inch par baked pie shell (warm), baked until light golden brown. I used a frozen Pillsbury deep dish pie shell, thawed 15 minutes and then baked for about 10. Don't forget to prick the crust all over with a fork.
About of 1/4 C of mixed cheeses. I used swiss and mozzarella and they were great!

INSTRUCTIONS:

The center of the quiche will be soft and slightly jiggly when it comes out of the oven, but the filling will continue to firm up and even sink a little as it cools.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Chop leftover green veggies and set aside. Dice half an onion and then cook in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a small pat of butter. Cook until onions are fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes. I use a pinch of salt to help the onions break down in the pan. Next whisk all remaining ingredients (except cheese!) in a medium sized bowl.

2. Spread cheeses evenly over bottom of warm pie shell. Place vegetables on top of cheese. If you're smart you will put the quiche on the oven rack at this point and then pour the egg/half and half mixture into it from a measuring cup. If you're not so smart (like me) you have to carefully transfer a very full pie plate to the hot oven rack and hope for the best. Bake until lightly golden brown and the center looks like a soft jelly, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer quiche to rack to cool about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

So, estimating, 10 minutes veggie prep and 10 minutes to bake the pie shell and 35 minutes to bake the quiche and then 15 minutes to cool, what's so quick about this recipe?

It's all in how you plan and stage it! Bake the pie shell while you are prepping the veggies and filling. Pull the pie shell out and fill it according to instructions. While your quiche is cooking, DON'T LEAVE THE KITCHEN! Stay there and unload and reload the dishwasher, clear the table. Put away all the ingredients from making breakfast. When the quiche cools, set the table with real plates and cups. Sit down with your family or your own awesome self and enjoy a real tasty breakfast and bask in your own glory.

**Easiest way to separate eggs from yolks? Crack the egg. Pour the egg into your own cupped palm. The whites will spill through your fingers into a waiting bowl, put the yolks in with your half and half and whole eggs. Egg whites can be frozen for later use.

February Lunch Challenge

I am taking my lunch to work every day for the entire month of February. Here's how it's going so far...

February 1st: Oh, crap, forgot I was doing this. What do I have? What do I have? A single tortilla, some leftover Mexican rice, some cheese? Okay. It's a cheese and rice-a-rrito, I also have an avocado and some salsa to throw in my lunch box. At lunchtime, I nuke the rice-a-rrito, top with salsa and cut up and cube half an avocado.

Feburary 2nd: WHY DIDN'T I GO TO THE STORE LAST NIGHT?! Tiny single serving hummus tub, sandwich baggie of tortilla chips, the rest of that avocado, salt from my tears.

February 3rd: Publix is on my way home. WHY do I just drive by? Leftover veggie stir fry rice from dinner, but if I don't hit the grocery store on the way home our next dinner will be saltines and cheese with ketchup.

The stir fry last night was made of limp celery from the back of the hilariously named "crisper" drawer, a semi-soft yellow bell pepper, a handful of drying out baby carrots and an onion that was beginning to sprout. When I opened the pantry to get out the rice a freaking MOTH flew out at me in an accusatory fashion.

Bonus Lunch News: The children's lunches went like this today, 12 year old gets full size PB&J and 7 year old got a single slice of bread sandwich made cut into 2 pieces and made into a half sandwich. Rationing is IN EFFECT. Both of them got some rice crackers I found in the back of a shelf and 2 slices of muenster cheese (I'm out of cheese sticks). 2 loose apple sauce cups (one green apple, one with cinnamon) were tossed in along with "Fruit by the Foot" (AKA lunch candy) to round it out. I told them to eat their emergency graham crackers in their book bags if they got too hungry.