The Dreaded Question...What's For Dinner

We've all asked it.  More than that probably, we've all been asked it.  It's the dreaded..."What's for dinner?"...question.  My husband is usually the one who asks this question in our house since I'm the one who cooks more often than not.  We had to have a talk about that question before when he would call in the middle of the day and ask.  Then, when I would tell him, I would get some sort of not-so-enthusiastic response.  It was frustrating.  After all, I'm the one cooking...he doesn't have to...so he should be good with whatever I decided to make for the evening, right?  Well, being the good hubby that he is, he learns...and we don't have that conversation any more.  He now seems pleased as pie at whatever is on the nightly menu.  And if he's not, he doesn't tell me about it.  Yeah!  We all win!

Typically, I am a very good menu planner.  I've done it most of my life, so it's really second nature.  With my schedule getting more and more hectic with school, this has really become a saving grace.  Between school work, classes and my sweet little girl, I don't have time to fly by the seat of my pants anymore and my little weekly menu outline comes in extreme handy.  However, between making meals to practice for class and testing recipes to contribute to a cookbook, I've gotten a little overwhelmed from time to time about the whole cooking thing.  I mean, I love to cook, it's what I want to do for the rest of my life, but sometimes you need a break!

This such thing happened to me a few weeks ago.  Here I was after breakfast looking at my list of dinner choices for the week and I didn't want to cook any of them!  I decided that I would re look after lunch and maybe something would strike my interest...nope, didn't happen.  The worst part was I was in this weird funk.  I didn't want to whip up one of the fabulous Bertoli frozen dinners we had in the freezer and I didn't want to call out for pizza.  So I decided I would do the next best thing.  Find 6 ingredients in my pantry that needed to be used and make something.  I used to do this all the time when I was younger and responsible for cooking dinner once a week in my house.  The dish usually consisted of either beef or chicken and some other "stuff".  Aptly, I named these dishes "hamburger and stuff" and "chicken and stuff".  They were always a hit.

So I hit up the pantry and fridge and found 6 ingredients that I could throw together quickly and would please the hubby and baby girl.  It ended up being really good too, if I do say so myself.  So here is my latest addition of "Hamburger and Stuff".  When your in a cooking rut, give it a try.  6 ingredients, 20 minutes and your done with dinner.  How fabulous is that?

Hamburger and Stuff
Makes 4 servings

1 lb hamburger
taco seasoning
4 oz sour cream
1 can black deans; drained
1 can fire roasted tomatoes with garlic; not drained
2 c yellow rice; cooked

1 - Brown hamburger in a deep skillet.  Drain off fat.
2 - Sprinkle enough taco seasoning over the meat to cover it twice.  Stir to combine.
3 - Stir in sour cream, drained black beans and tomatoes (with the juice).
4 - Cover and heat through until bubbly.  I just left it on the heat until the rice was done cooking.
5 - Serve with a sprinkle of cheese...if it's in your fridge already!  ENJOY!

Looking at Recipes in a Whole New Light, the Bachlorette and Brussels Sprouts

Strange sounding post, I know...hang with me...this one comes in segments.

Segment One:
My first quarter in culinary school is almost over.  I have this week and next week...that's it!  Eleven weeks has blown by so much faster than I ever felt possible.  There have been some points where I have gotten so overwhelmed with everything going on in my life right now.  Almost like I am spinning on an out of control carousel and can't get off.  It's hard, especially this week with finals breathing down my throat, to look step back and look at the big picture.  Then something as small as looking at a recipe gives me a whole new outlook on how things are going. 

I have this cookbook from Food and Wine magazine...my favorite magazine in the world!  It is full of wonderful recipes and gorgeous pictures.  The only problem was, I didn't know what half of the words in the book were without having to look them up.  I found that I used the book very rarely, and only on special occasions, because I had to look up things in the recipe as I made it.  I pulled it out the other day and realized that I know most of those "big words" now.  Something so small felt like such a big accomplishment!  Guess what I am learning really is sticking in that ole brain of mine!

Segment Two:
The Bachelorette is being filmed less than a mile from my house.  A good friend of mine, in fact, lives in the neighborhood across the street.  She got this idea in her head about trying to get me on the show...cooking for the cast or crew...not competing!  The tents went up a few weeks ago, and rumor has it that they started filming this past Sunday.  I've done countless drive bys trying to figure out the best way to wriggle my way into this gated community and pass out some cards.  The problem because, I have my little girl during the day.  Which, cute as she is, having a baby strapped to your hip isn't the best way to pass out your business cards.  My next idea was to go at night when I get out of class.  Did I mention that I get out of class at midnight?  I've heard that they film at night, so you would think this would have been perfect.  Sadly, the one night I did park my car on the side of the road and walk in to this neighborhood, I couldn't find any one to talk to within about ten minutes.  And that was all I was going to spend walking around this multi-million dollar neighborhood after midnight.  The last thing I need is the cops being called on me!  So, I left some business cards with my friend that lives across the street in case she ever spots someone when she's out "walking".  I'm not expecting to hear anything...but you never know!

Segment Three:
I told myself when I started culinary school that I would keep an open mind about food.  I've never had an issue with this in the past, and there are very few foods that I don't like.  Still, I knew we would probably be going into unfamiliar territory and I needed to remain open.  A few weeks ago it happened for the first time.  We made...Brussels sprouts.  I see people buying these all the time.  I had eaten them once in my life before and they were TERRIBLE.  My grandmother cooked them once when I was little.  All I remember is the house stinking terribly when she was done...and them tasting like a mushy, burnt mess.  I dreaded the whole night.  I wasn't crazy about having to cook them, let alone taste them.  I realized at the end of the night exactly why my grandmother's Brussels sprouts tasted like a mushy, burnt mess....they were.  Brussels sprouts aren't meant to be cooked very long, just boiled in heavily salted water until fork tender.  They come out tasting like baby cabbages.  Even my hubby liked them.  Guess I can be thankful for giving things a second try.  My new memory of Brussels sprouts isn't gross at all.