Brave New World in the Pink Kitchen Cafe. 

As I sit here sucking on a square of Ghiradelli Special Dark With Hazelnuts I decide I will log the meals I make this year. I do this because it is a resolution, and aren’t resolutions vaguely interesting to everyone? It is a new start, and everyone likes what’s new. What’s new? My decision to cook. More. A lot. Conversely, to eat out less, a practice which often rises as the bread of idleness in my little life. 

It all started yesterday, when this idea of resolving to cook more was really bubbling over in my mind. I had yet to tap into our grocery $$ for the month, and there was (and still is) a huge winter storm coming with predictions of record lows. These two circumstances vita-mixed- along with some personal conviction and the beginning of a new year- into a perfect souffle of determination. 

Ingredients you will need in order to understand the Resolution to Cook Recipe:

1 cup, shaken, pressed down, and running over of astute disorganization

1 1/2 cups super-small kitchen with no pantry or island, or even stainless steel appliances, although it is pink (creamy tomato bisque no lie)

3/4 cup lack of follow-through

1 TBSP multi-colored yet lackluster kitchen knives set, bought from Costco last year

Line that cookie sheet with a dab of a screaming need for a creative outlet and there you have it, darling. 

we call her squeebs. 

To begin, I went to 3 major grocery markets with my sweet Phoebe (8). Girlfriend is a dreamy shopping and bopping companion. Not one complaint on our 5 hour tryst, from Costco to Caputo’s to Woodman’s. Then home and it was snowing and we don’t have an attached garage. So I parked in the front and started lugging, dragging, shlepping, grunting the bags and boxes in. I had asked Phoebe to mind the dog, but What Did Phoebe Do? She took one look at the situation and said, “I’ll open the door for you.” Let that sink in. What’s the hardest part about getting whatever inside your house? Dealing with the door. She’s a genius. Each time I trudged up the steps with another load of garbanzo beans or Kirkland Organic Chicken Stock or 200 Tall White Garbage Bags she stepped right up and swung that door open with the brightest little grin and a new verbal pick-me-up. “Wow,  good job, Mom!” , “Not too much to go!” , “Keep on truckin’!” 

So instead of cursing the stratosphere and tundra in which I live like I do every January through April, I started seriously praising the Lord. Praise Him that we have enough money to keep my family well-fed for the next two weeks. Praise Him that my car (the Mermaid) is proving to be reliable even though it’s a ’97 Ford that we bought without really checking out the engine. I praise the Lord I am even here at all if you want to get existential on our first meeting. I praise Him because of Phoebe. Her name means “helper of many” and she proves it o’er and o’er. 

January 3rd

(FYI: January 1 and 2 don’t count because I decided. I did make a pot of chili, though.)

Notable: Shopping triathlon, Phoebe-dweebie killing me softly with her smile

Food I Made: Cream of Broccoli Soup

January 4 (today)

 Notable: almost dying en route to church (arctic conditions) so I turned that Mermaid right around like a record baby. 

phoebe's chocolate chip banana bread. it's not aunt holly's anymore. 

Food I Made: 

• a turkey bacon/egg/cheese sandwich for my man for breakfast
• white bean chicken chili
• chocolate chip banana bread (I think it’s called Aunt Holly’s on allrecipes.com) which was 99% made by Miss Phoebe Awesome-Pants. 
• broccoli, ham, and cheddar quiche for tomorrow 

I will refrain from including recipes because I either rarely use them unless I am baking, or if I do I modify/combine. It’s part of my talent for extreme disorganization. If you really want one let me know- I can try no biggie!

broccoli ham cheddar quiche yet to be consumed

Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over--will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you."  Luke 6:38

She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Prov. 31:27