Give me a T-E-A-C-H!

It's me again, folks!  It's been a while, and to quickly recap, we moved into our first home in Cypress, TX; I won the cooking challenge (wink, wink), and I'm embarking on a new journey.  Recently, I was admitted to an alternative certification program.  After fighting it for 11 years, I am taking the road to teaching certification.  My goal is to be certified and ready to teach by August 22... fingers crossed.

Some poor kiddos will get to have me as a first year teacher in core academics 4-8 or 9-12 speech/debate or journalism.  Yippee!!

I am holding out and hoping for a Speech position... this is my passion.  I love every aspect of communication, and FINALLY, my degree will come into play!

Anyway... it's a short post, but I wanted to get this on the blog.  I am very excited and am over half way complete with my coursework.  I'll keep you posted...

Later, blog world!

Toothaches = Carbs = Falling Down on the Diet

Well... the past week has been difficult with the cooking challenge thanks to an unforeseen abscessed molar and the entrance of a usually unwanted oral guest, the wisdom tooth.  After four days of excruciating pain, he broke down and called the dentist.  One week later, after 25+ antibiotics and 15 Vicodon, the tooth came out.  We are now missing a little chunk of enamel-covered calcium, and Troy's tongue is taking a mini vacation to the Grand Canyon.

If it's brown, we've been eating it.  Right down to the chocolate cake (with homemade buttercream frosting) I baked last night.  Chocolate pudding... potatoes... pasta... crescent rolls.  Anything soft and easily gum-ible, we've been eating.

Anyway... I am very excited to get back into the kitchen.  Although the break has been nice, I have not fallen off the wagon.  I have cooked in some capacity each night except the free nights I'm due!

Week 3... Family Values and What I've Grown to Love

I think the best part of cooking at home is the art of relaxing I've learned after the dinner.  Plus, we get to spend more time together and with the pups.  The worst part of cooking at home is the clean up.  I have to be the messiest cook on the face of the planet.  It's like a one woman Iron Chef competition every time I cook... there's food slinging and bubbling over; utensils being twirls with both hands while balancing on one foot; and timers beeping in every direction (when I remember to set them... usually it's a guessing game of "is that really golden brown?" when I bake)!

It's been 21 days... three weeks, and cooking is becoming more a second nature than a chore.  I will say I am very tempted to give up and say I gave it my best go, but it's a good feeling to know I am sticking with my plan.  I am building a great rapport with will power.  Now I hope to take this strength I'm building and apply it to other aspects of my life.

Tonight we are having homemade mac & cheese.  Troy's favorite dish in the entire world.  It was easy, and much better than trying to tell the people at The Fish Place that I don't want coleslaw.  AND I am sitting on the couch, blogging, watching One Life to Live, and waiting on dinner.

I'm going to prepare the plates and utensils.  If nothing else, I am holding true to the traditions my grandparents and parents established for our family and taking care of what's mine with yummy meals and quality time.

Right After the Rooster Crows

My cooking for the week has extended to breakfast!  Usually, I'm a pop a can of biscuits or cinnamon rolls (or pop in the truck for Panera or Shipley's), but this morning, I cracked eggs, whipped in milk, and gave the mixture a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra yummy taste for sourdough french toast.  Yep... I've completely lost it.  I think this is how Martha Stewart started... I hope my future doesn't include a short trip to a Cupcake Camp for Women.  Oh, back to thought one... breakfast was great, and I'm sure whatever I bring home for lunch will be fantastic! :)

Tonight was the whipped cream on the pie...

Tonight's dinner was homemade tacos (yep... I grilled the tortilla shells on the panini maker and everything)!  They were super yummy.  I used the roasted chicken from Sunday, and it really make a delicioso filling.  As I was cooking dinner, I decided we needed some dessert.  I whipped up a chocolate fudge pie and made whipped cream from scratch.  That was better than the dinner.  Mmmmmmmm!!  I guess Troy's got a long way to go before I lose this bet.  Hello new cookware... I'm your soon to be--well, in 137 days--owner!!

Things I've Learned from Rachel Ray, and The Ease of "Pre"pared Meals.

Last night I spent about 3 hours cooking meals to freeze.  Fix, freeze, and forget it, I think is was this process is dubbed.  After the kitchen cleaning process started... it took about 2 hours last night and moved into tonight before dinner (I had to do another round before dinner started tonight)!  I have a hashbrown casserole, 4 broccoli and cheese casseroles, a chicken pot pie, and two servings of spaghetti sauce.  I roasted another chicken... it's like Picadilly's around here!  It's just a small start, but a start none the less!

Things I've learned from Rachel Ray (and things I've added to her cooking methods).

1. Talking while cooking is therapeutic (even if it's to yourself).
2. Cooking can be fun... especially if you use a garbage bowl (or your Crock Pot bowl).
3. Cooking with her pots, pans, and utensils makes it all better (especially the orange ones).
4. 30 minutes is easy (when you have parts of the meal "pre"pared).
5. Prewashing herbs is the way to go (... it's keeping them fresh and bright green without a staff that's a problem).
6. Always have the right spices on hand (... and if you don't, just add rosemary).
7. A little fresh Parmigiano Reggiano makes everything good (but the sprinkle kind from Kraft works, too).
8. When you put a casserole in the oven, it doesn't come out with the bread (especially when you forget to put it in on time).

Now that I've learned the rope of my semi-professional kitchen, "pre"paring food is the name of my game.  I'm excited to see how it all tastes after it's thawed out and cooked.  Tomorrow night's dinner is grilled chicken, broccoli and cheese casserole, green beans and rolls.  Wednesday is still up in the air, but I'll bet it has something to do with roasted chicken and hashbrown casserole.  Maybe spaghetti?!  Who knows... the frozen possibilities are endless!

Day 3... Half of Week 1... and I'm exhausted.

So goes the cooking challenge... so goes the creativity.  I am definitely digging deep in my recipe repertoire to make things seem not so boring.  Yes... I realize it's day 3, and day 148 is a good way away.  I guess it's all your perspective.  Here's the break down:

January 1 to May 31, 2011

Basically two season

Five months

22.5 weeks

151 days

129 meals (If I cash in every free night)

119 meals (If I cash in my additional two nights a month)

I've cooked 3.  So I'm either at 125 or 116... or my math might be completely off (those of you who have seen my handy work with a pencil and paper and equation may be leaning to the last option)!!  Annnnywho... we've enjoyed dinner so far.  I followed my dinner with one Smidgen... it's better than 3 bon bons, I guess.  :)

Geeeez.  January 3.  One day at a time.

Happy cooking (or for Troy, Happy Eating)!!