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!

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.

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

Saturday [Ate at ward party; I took my decorated cake]

Sunday Potato and leek soup, fresh bread

Monday [ate with family]

Tuesday Stuffed pasta (Ravioli) with pesto; frozen veggies

Wednesday Chicken nuggets, wedge potatoes, frozen veggies

Thursday [Leftovers, again, since husband was out of town AGAIN]

Friday Chicken and rice stir fry with broccoli

It has taken me a week to post this, but never fear: here is my pumpkin cake.

I have never decorated a cake before, so this was quite the undertaking. But actually, it was quite simple. I made two cake mixes and baked them in three rounds. When they were cool, I sliced off the top of two of them and stacked the three together, with frosting in between the layers.

Then I carved the sides off, so it was rounded a bit like a pumpkin. I frosted the sides and top. I used some of the extra cake (from the carving) to insert a little stem. After it sat in the fridge overnight, I frosted another layer so it would be smoother. I think it turned out well! It is a little lopsided, yes, but what pumpkin is ever completely rounded? Besides, it was my first attempt.

Is this to be a Halloween tradition?

I should note that I didn’t eat it. I took it to my ward Halloween party; it was a prize for the pumpkin carving contest. No worries, I had tons of leftover cake from the carving to eat at home!

My husband is beginning to travel again, so my menus are going to have “leftovers” on them more frequently. That said, having a few “alternatives” for the weekly menu makes it easier to cook dinner. I know there are a number of things I could easily cook.

Saturday [Ate at restaurant]

Sunday Sauteed pork chops with berry-mustard sauce and mashed potatoes; Parmesan zucchini

Monday Lentil sausage soup

Tuesday Leftovers (restaurant cafe!)

Wednesday Sarma and polenta

Thursday Spaghetti with Italian sausage

Friday Breaded chicken and angel hair pasta with lemon caper sauce

My husband is out of town for a two nights, the first time he’s travelled in a long time, and as he left in the afternoon, as dinner came around I was feeling a bit down. This was not fun! Trying to cook for two (and Raisin often does not like what I cook) does not feel worthwhile. Plus, we had leftovers in the fridge, so I decided the lazy side won out and went for those.

Then I had a brilliant idea. Raisin loves going to a restaurant, and he always orders Mac and Cheese. As soon as I say “restaurant,”  he yells out “I want Mac and Cheese!” So I told my son we were going to a restaurant for dinner. I welcomed him to the restaurant, sat him at the table, handed him a “menu” (really a piece of junk mail that was sitting on the counter) and asked him what he wanted: Mac and Cheese (left over from the other night when we did go to a restaurant) or Chicken Nuggets (other leftovers I had in the freezer for just such a night). He had a big smile as he pretended to read, then said, “Mac and Cheese!” I gave him two crackers to eat while he waited and a cup of milk with a straw, and he happily waited.

Then, out of the blue, Raisin said, “Mommy, it’s a train restaurant!” A few months ago (a year ago?!) we went to a restaurant that did have trains. We sat around a counter and a train “delivered” the food to us. He loved it. So I agreed it was a train restaurant, and got some GeoTrax from the basement. Soon, we had a small, circle track for our battery-operated train. But I wouldn’t turn it on until he took a bit of food!  Repeat for each bite.

I had mentioned that maybe after he ate we could have dessert. After a little while, he asked me for the “menu” again, and then he said, “I want some blueberry yogurt for dessert, please.” I hadn’t even suggested it, and I had been thinking of ice cream, but it was fun to know that for him it was a treat to have yogurt.

I noticed a lot of interesting things about this. I was treating him as if I were a waiter (“Hello, young man. What can I get you today?”) and acting all polite. As a result, instead of demanding as he usually does (“MILK! NOW!”), he mellowed out. “Can I please have some more milk please?” Was it the fact that we were in a restaurant (where he normally is more well behaved since it’s in public) or the fact that I was treating him nicer than I normally do?

At any rate, it made for a fun dinner and it got him to eat more than he would have eaten if I was grouchy as I had been when I was feeling sad that my husband was gone!