Day #1 – June 7, 2010
“The philosophy of Good Housekeeping magazine always has centered upon the
happiness of the home, not only from the spirit, but the mechanics.”
page 9 of the Guide to Successful Homemaking
Although I had plenty of spirit today in my endeavors, I am definitely missing some key mechanics. One of the main missing components is what I call “TOUCH.” A woman’s touch, sometimes called “LOVE” or “INTUITION” can make any meal delicious. From eggs at breakfast to meatloaf at dinner, nothing tasted as delicious as I hoped it would.
I knew I would need help with the advanced tasks, like making pie crust from scratch, but now I know that I need to be in a “special” cooking class. I need remediation (teachers, you know what I’m talking about). If I were in a cooking class, it would be a small one where teachers gave me modified tests. If I rode a bus to cooking school, it would be a short one.
I need to go back to Cooking Kindergarten, where you learn the how to fry an egg, cook some bacon, or use a food processor.
These are my disasters so far:
- I grossly underestimated the number of oranged needed for “fresh-squeezed orange juice.” I made enough for a mouse. We both took a single sip and then just drank water.
- We fed the runny eggs and burnt bacon to our golden retriever after no more than two or three bites.
- This afternoon, I threw out 3 batches of salsa for Clay’s Man Snack – I made guacamole instead.
- And worst of all, I forgot my apron all day!
Apparently, dressing in a skirt and high heels does not make a person a good cook. With all that said, at least I have learned a few things today:
1. Cooking green beans in chicken broth gives them a nice flavor.
2. If you don’t have chicken broth for the beans, throw some bacon and onions in the pan for flavor.
3. Raspberries make fruit pizza look gorgeous.
4. If you have to mess up, it’s good to have a husband who will say, “I have always liked crispy bacon.”
Shelby, eating our nasty eggs this morning
3rd batch of salsa going down the drain
Clay’s Man Snack – Guacamole
Dinner in the formal dining room
At least the fruit pizza tasted yummy!
Maybe the rest of the week will be better. Here is the menu plan for week one (I’ll try to post the menu every Monday, if you need recipe ideas):
Monday
Breakfast - Eggs, bacon, fruit salad, juice, chai latte, vitamins
Lunch- Turkey and cheese pita, peach slices, pretzels
Man Snack – chips and homemade salsa, Homemade Guacamole with chips
Dinner – Meatloaf Muffins, Squash Casserole, green beans, Side Salad
Dessert – Dessert Pizza with fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and kiwi
Tuesday
Breakfast – Steel Cut Oats with Brown Sugar, Fruit Salad, Coffee, Juice, and Vitamins
Lunch – Meatloaf Sandwich, Leftover Casserole, apple slices
Man Snack – chocolate covered pretzels, Red Rock Ginger Ale
Dinner- Marinated Chicken Breasts, Baked Potatoes, Strawberry Salad
Dessert – Ice Cream with Strawberries, garnished with parsley
Wednesday
Breakfast – Egg and cheese sandwich, Coffee, Juice, and Vitamins
Lunch – chicken salad with strawberries, potatoes, dessert pizza
Man Snack – chips and homemade salsa, real lemonade
Dinner – Peppered Roast Beef, rolls, Homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Baked Citrus Asparagus
Dessert – Blueberry Pie with homemade crust
Thursday
Breakfast – Egg Sandwich, fruit salad, tea, juice, and vitamins
Lunch – Peppered Beef Sandwich, macaroni and cheese, asparagus
Man Snack – Homemade Guacamole and Chips with Root Beer
Dinner – French onion soup, Caesar Salad, brown rice, and brussel sprouts
Dessert – Blueberry pie with ice cream
Friday
Breakfast – omelet with bell peppers and mushrooms, chai latte, juice, water
Lunch – Out to eat
Dinner – Date Night – Out to eat
Saturday
Breakfast – Wheat Pancakes with blueberries, Coffee, Juice, Vitamins
Lunch – Turkey and cheese Panini, homemade salsa with chips, and fruit salad
Dinner – Grilled chicken, potatoes, and asparagus
Sunday – Rest, no cooking,
Breakfast – Eat at church
Lunch – Out to eat
Dinner – Leftovers