I think I succeeded in not repeating any meals, besides, that is, the Sunday afternoon “help yourself to a sandwich” and Friday night’s regular frozen pizza or macaroni and cheese. I have to have some success in trying new things, and the non-repetitive menu was rather satisfying overall. My husband traveled a few times, so that was when I resorted to leftovers or “lazy” things. Here are the main things we ate in February:

• Pumpkin soup and Cheddar Shortcakes
• Chicken burgers (pre-cooked), potatoes, and vegetables
• Macaroni and Cheese (at least twice)
• Frozen Pizza ( at least twice)
• Hawaiin Haystacks with rice
• Chicken pot pie stew and biscuits
• Mozzarella meatballs and pasta with sauce
• Texas Beef Tacos
• Chicken Scallopini
• Tomato Soup and quesadillas
• Spaghetti with Italian sausage and Biscuits
• Risotto with parmesan and peas

Here’s to an even more creative March!

I was trying to think outside the box when I’ve planned my meals this month. Each week I gave myself a new recipe to try, but I didn’t want to be overwhelmed, so I went with ones that sounded easy.

First I tried Hawaiian Haystacks, and Raisin (my three-year-old) loved them! His favorite aspects was the ability to build it himself, but he also loved the pineapple and chow mein noodles, which made it fun.

If you don’t know, it’s a chicken mixture on a bed of rice, with what ever toppings you want.

Toppings we had: tomatoes, spring onions, pineapple, coconut, chow mein noodles, almonds, cheese.

I used a recipe I found online and the cannned Cream of Chicken soup made it far too salty. I’ll try it again sometime without using canned products, but I must admit, it made it nice and easy!

Get the recipe from Cooks.com >>>

The next night, I was cooking some onions and garlic in olive oil. It smelled so good. Just as with the salt and pepper the day before, I had an overwhelming “this is going to be so delicious” feeling that got me excited to be cooking.

I need to make sure I enjoy those moments, because that makes cooking fun.

Another huge list of the various things I’ve been making. I’m trying to be more organized these days, so we’ll see. I’m trying to not repeat anything each month, but I’ve failed at that a few times.

• Penne Ponza
• Frozen pizza
• Chicken nuggets
• French Toast
• Spaghetti with Italian sausage
• Pasta in sage brown butter sauce
• Cream of Tomato Soup with cheddar shortbread
• Chicken in a mesclun and chive salad with maple apple dressing
• Rustic Root Vegetable Soup
• Meatloaf
• Fettuccine Alfredo with a pasta base (this did not work at all!)
• Quesadillas with guacamole
• Pork tenderloin with mustard, horseradish, and currant jam sauce and roasted vegetables
• Wintery Day Soup (from Soup Day book)
• Macaroni and cheese (for Raisin with babysitter)
• Green eggs (chives and parsley) and ham
• Roast chicken with lemons and rosemary, rolls, salad, baked vegetables
• Cheese sandwiches
• Frozen pizza
• Pork chops and potatoes
• Braised teriyaki chicken with risotto
• Arancini and chicken nuggets
• Pumpkin soup with leftover rolls
• Chicken burgers, chips, and carrots
• Macaroni and cheese and leftovers

I’m making weekly eating lists for my shopping lists. Hopefully, I’ll keep improving at trying new things! Next time I head to the library, I’m getting a cookbook to read.

Last night, I was making a same-old recipe once more (arancini and chicken nuggets, if you must know). But as I was chopping the chicken and seasoning it, I smelled the overwhelming smell of the salt and pepper. I took a deep breath. It smelled so good in the kitchen. Right at that moment, I fell in love once again with cooking, just knowing that that raw chicken would, in the course of a very short time, be delicious chicken nuggets (yes, I think mine are particularly delicious).

I’ve been wanting to give new life to this blog for a long time. I don’t know that I”ll ever have time to dedicate to it as I had originally intended, but I’ll keep checking in every now and then.

Thereby, I hereby rename this blog “Salt and Pepper.” I was inspired by that whiff of salt and pepper. I can’t think of a single thing I could cook without salt (I’m sure there are things, but, really, it’s so important!). I’ve heard people say that they “just add it later” or what not to make sure they don’t ingest too much sodium. But I cannot eat food — it’s just so BLAH — if it doesn’t have proper seasonings. I added “pepper” to the blog name because, well, I just love a pretty pepper mill filled with multi-colored peppercorns. And pepper is pretty important to making things taste nice too.

Salt and pepper are also the basics. Some recipes just say “add seasonings.” Have a slice of tomato and add salt and pepper and you have a yummy snack. Saute a pork chop with salt and pepper and you have an entree for dinner.

This blog, then, is about adding seasoning to my cooking life. I want to remember to cook a variety of foods.  (My goal, though I fail, is to not repeat anything each month).  I want to try new recipes and foods (again, I should try something new every month, actually every week, but lets start small). I want to remember the basics of cooking, like the difference a bit of salt can make to pumpkin soup. I want to make cooking and eating fun for my son, who already likes to pretend to cook.

Most importantly, I want to make sure that for the next 50 years of cooking every night, I don’t lose my mind!

Although I won’t have time to post a lot, maybe once or twice a month I will appear to say, “I cooked THIS this month.” Or I’ll try a new recipe and, if possible, give you a link to it.

What ingredient(s) do you feel you couldn’t live without?

We got back in to town and we’ve been busy!! I’m still trying to cook creative meals, but we’ll see how I do as the season progresses. The “Rocket Soup” got my son excited to each vegetable soup, so that was a success for him.

Saturday / Sunday: Deli sandwiches, crudite

Monday: Twin Cities Meatballs with rice and frozen vegetables

Tuesday: Rocket Soup [aka carrots, onions, celery, noodles] from a Little Einsteins’ Book

Wednesday: Pasta with lentils and fresh salad

Thursday: Kraft Dinner and leftovers for the adults

Friday: Gnocchi with peso, leftover meatballs (from Monday), green beans

I fell off the “follow the schedule” bandwagon this week and fell back on old and easy favorites. Since my husband was out of town Monday through late Thursday, it was just me and Raisin, and I didn’t feel ambitious!

I won’t have a “What We Ate” for the next few weeks as we’ll be out of town, eating and enjoying the holiday with family.

Saturday [at out]

Sunday (Company at dinner) Roast chicken, sweet potatoes, fresh salad, rolls

Monday Penne ponza

Tuesday leftover penne ponza

Wednesday Waffles

Thursday Chicken nuggets

Friday Mozzarella-stuffed meatballs; asparagus; potatoes

Planning ahead really helps! I didn’t change anything, and I had no questions what we would eat. It is easier when it’s just me and Raisin, I guess. Only a little bit longer before my husband will be home most weeks!

Here’s what we had this week.

Saturday Pumpkin Soup (my husband added some brown sugar and some mystery seasonings and it was extra tasty!)

Sunday Braised Chicken with Apples and Sage

Monday Homemade Mozzarella pizza with tomatoes and pesto sause

Tuesday [leftover sausage and lentil soup]

Wednesday Kraft Mac and Cheese, dyed purple

Thursday Chicken salad sandwiches on croissants; ghost-shaped cookies for my book club.

Friday Chicken quesadillas with guacamole

I found a new fun site, thanks to some blog followers at my reading blog: Buttery Books, which gives book club menu ideas that go along with the books discussed!

I was hosting our club’s meeting for The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfeld, so I followed their suggestion and made Chicken Salad Croissants. I also made some ghost-shaped sugar cookies (since it’s a ghost story of sorts), which needless to say, were also a hit.

The salad was good, although I didn’t measure the mayonnaise and I think I had too much. Two and a half cups seems like a lot, based on the other ingredients.

Get the recipe from Buttery Books >>>

I dyed our Kraft dinner purple the other night. I personally thought it looked revolting, because it was more of a greyish blue color. I had to close my eyes with each bite. But my son loved it! He likes Kraft dinner to begin with, but he sure ate that quickly and with a smile!