What's with all the ingredients?

I was out food shopping with Michael yesterday and I had forgotten my list so that meant that I was running all over the store in no particular order as I remembered things that I needed. He's an observant little man and noticed some different items than he normallly sees in our house and he'd ask "What's that for?" and I'd tell him it's for a recipe. I guess I had said that on our last shopping trip a couple of days ago because after I said it AGAIN yesterday, he's like "What's with all the ingredients? It's like I can't eat anything because you're using it for something!" Poor child...having to deal with a mother who...GASP...cooks!! Oh, the horror! Why, oh, why must the children suffer???

Actually, I am a little weird because I love the cold weather in a way that just makes me want to cook differently. I get in to food ruts and then I can't even stand myself and the food I make. I feel like everything is the same. So a couple of times a year, I break out of said rut and go wild. You see how appreciative he is, right? No, no, I'm just kidding. The boy eats better than any of us and every night he compliments me as if I am filling his plate with gold. I normally have to ask Frank and Nick what they think of the meal whereas Michael just offers his praise as I am serving the food. Love him!

So what have I been making? Actually, a lot. I'm going to self-promote now and give you the links to the recipes so that you can try them out, too!

Stuffed Cabbage (my mom's recipe)
Cocktail Meatballs (compliments of my good friend Kim)
Beer Bread (compliments of my wonderful friend Carol)
Peach Dumplings (honestly, I can't remember who gave me this one!)
Cheesy Pineapple (compliments of my friend Billie)
Cream of Vegetable Soup (all me, people...all me!)
Yeast Rolls (again...all me!)

Those are just the ones that I have recipes written down. Last night I made a meatloaf that the whole family loved and for the life of me, I didn't measure a thing! I'm just glad that they liked it. Actually, for the first time ever I used the specialty meatloaf mixture with beef, veal and pork and it really was much tastier than the regular ground beef that I normally use. Who knew?

We're getting take out tonight because it will just be me and my boy. Tomorrow night is beef stew. I LOVE homemade beef stew that cooks in the crock pot all day. Yummy! I'd like to find bread bowls to serve them in but so far no such luck!