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!

It's Like Cardboard Covered in Sauce...

...but it's so darn good!!!

Okay, all of you mom's out there, was there something that you ate during your pregnancy that really, no one would really want and even now, long after you have given birth you still like to eat?

I DO! I DO!

When I was pregnant with Nick (some 18 years ago) I craved frozen pizza. You could not bring me a pizza from the local pizzeria, oh no, it had to be of the frozen variety. AND...it wasn't like the "good" frozen pizza like DiGiorno or the Freschetta. Uh-uh, not for me. I'm talking the kind of cheap frozen pizza that could be had from the local 7-11. My brand of choice was Elio's. I ate that throughout my pregnancy and really, once Nick was born, I stopped. Funny thing is, Nick LOVES pizza - and again, not "real" or even "good" pizza, he prefers the ickier stuff.

So imagine my surprise at finding Elio's pizza at the local Harris Teeter supermarket! I was almost giddy. I bought it and Nick and I have been having a regular pizza-fest for days. I mean, it's so NOT good that it IS good!! The first box had everyone looking at me like I was a ticking time-bomb. "Are you pregnant?" I had to reassure them all that I wasn't.

Just really in the mood for really, really bad pizza. What's wrong with that?

It was the Best Burger!

There is a restaurant up by the local mall called "Ted's Montana Grill". If you have one near you, and have never eaten there, you should. Truly. They specialize in Bison bugers. Yes, you read that right, Bison. I was a little skeptical at first, after all, I LOVE me some steak, but the Bison was just plain tasty.

So the other day I am shopping at my local Super Target and lo and behold, what do I see but a pack of Buffalo sliders (mini burgers). They came ten to a pack and were only $5.99 so I figured, what the heck? Why not? Finding buns for them were another story. But after some digging, I did find some that were the perfect size in the bakery department. I mean, if you're going to SELL mini-hamburgers, shouldn't you have the buns to go with them? I'm just saying...

Tonight it was just me and Michael for dinner so I decided to make the Buffalo sliders. I did them on the grill. Rare. On these wonderful little bakery buns. With cheese. With Clausen pickles (the kosher dill, extra crunchy). A little red onion. And a little ketchup.

Oh...
My...
Gosh...

I mean, I ate FOUR of those little heavenly things and although I am full, I am already planning when I will make them again! We had a tri-color tortellini and spinach salad and just for fun, some BBQ chips. We also treated ourselves to some Dr. Brown's Black Cherry Soday. Yea, I know, we're not even going to THINK about the calories. It was totally, totally worth it. So my advice to you is if you should ever SEE Buffalo burgers, grab them! You will not regret it. Or, you know, go to Ted's. Either way, two thumbs up on the Buffalo.

Yummy!