My Cooking Adventure

I got a little flack from my last blog post because I mentioned that I “get” to cook dinner this week. Actually I requested to be allowed to cook this week, not that I got any fight about it. My husband is an excellent cook, and lately he has been doing most of the cooking. When we first got together we made a deal that I would cook Monday thru Friday, and he would cook on the weekends. It worked out well then because he was working away from home during the week, and I wasn't. Over the years things have changed, the arrangement has pretty much become a matter of whether or not there is fresh meat in the refrigerator. If there is, he cooks, if not, then I cook. He does a much better job of cooking meat as a “slab”, whether its steak, or pork chops, or chicken breasts, I on the other hand, usually only cook meat cut up into bite sized pieces and mixed in with other stuff. I am the “Queen of one pan dinners”, although I usually use several to cook the meal, it all ends up in one pan in the end. Since my husband the boys prefer their meat “unadulterated” by other foods, he ends up doing most of the cooking. Unless of course he just doesn't feel like it, then I either cook, or order pizza. It works out pretty well for me, most of the time, but this week I have plans.

I made the ham today, which was served by the slice, not mixed with anything this time, but the leftovers will be used in Fried Rice and my American Stir Fry later this week (as well as at least one “breakfast” of fried eggs and ham! Yummy). Tomorrow I am making chicken soup. It is not my husband's favorite, so it has been probably more than a year since I have made it, but I have been craving it for weeks now, and I finally have the celery to make it with so that's up next. I was going to make a different loaf of bread to go with it, but the rolls I made today were so delicious that I think they will work fine with the soup. I would love to make my tuna casserole too, but I know the boys won't eat that at all, so I probably won't get that far.

Its funny how different things can become. Ten years ago I would have never dreamed of wanting to cook dinner when I didn't have to. But before I met my husband there was seldom a time in my life when I didn't have to cook dinner. Maybe if we went out for hamburgers or ordered pizza once a month or so, but for a long time even that wasn't an option. There were a few times when I was single that my kids did get to eat cold cereal or popcorn and fruit for dinner, but it wasn't very often. I don't really mind cooking, except when I am sick, but it has never been something I enjoyed, mostly because I don't enjoy eating I think. But now I know if I ever want to eat certain things again, I have to cook them myself, so I am looking forward to my adventures in the kitchen this week, and I hope you all will join me as well!

Here is a little bonus recipe from today's adventure, its not vintage, but it was pretty darn tasty for desert!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate Crumb Pie Crust

1 1/3 c. chocolate cookie crumbs, ground fine in the blender

1/3 c. sugar

1/3 c. butter, melted

Combine ingredients and mix well. Press into bottom and up the sides of pie pan, using the back of a spoon to pack firmly. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes Let cool.

Fill cooled pie crust half way up with white chocolate pudding (I use instant), refrigerate 5 minutes. Top with chocolate fudge pudding just to the top of the crust. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes, top with whipped cream before serving.

You can use a purchased chocolate crumb pie crust instead of making the crust, I just happened to have some failed cookies that turned into a crumbly mess that I knew would work really good for the crust.