Meatless Monday

 Kitchen window, day 78

In an attempt to better plan our meals for supper, I've recently decided (like, last week) to make Monday meals meatless and Friday food pizza. (Tuesday through Thursday (and the weekend) are still up for grabs.)

When I informed Seth of my decision, he was less than thrilled, mainly about Meatless Mondays.

"But, I need meat," said he.

"I'm not eliminating protein," said I. "I'm eliminating meat. And just on Mondays. I think you can survive one day without meat. We had rice and beans last Monday and you survived."

"Yes, but I wasn't very happy about it," said he.

Despite Seth's reluctance, I've determined to press on with my Meatless Mondays plan and today decided upon making a spinach quiche.

The above was the view when Kieran and I took a little trip out to the chicken coop to see if there were any more eggs in the nest for us to use for the quiche.

There were. But only two. The red hen and the yellow hen have been faithfully fulfilling their egg-laying duties while the three Easter Eggers have been laying (ahem) down on the job.

And then we brought the eggs inside, added them to the few from the days before, and proceeded to make our spinach quiche. It turned out rather well, if I do say so myself, although it wasn't completely meatless--I added some bacon. Which made Seth happy.

OMKW and OMKT

Kitchen window, day 29

Today I decided I was hungry for baked macaroni and cheese. I've tried several recipes for it, and Seth has made his own version of it on occasion, but I haven't found one that I really, really like.

So, I googled "baked macaroni and cheese" and found this recipe by Alton Brown from the FoodNetwork. And then I made it, in between trying to get Kieran to stop crying whenever Cael screeched and making sure he didn't run over me with his tricycle.

And then I served it On My Kitchen Table. And I really liked it. Seth, however, Super-Taster that he is, did not like it. He doesn't like dry mustard for some unknown reason and could taste the one tablespoon of it that the recipe called for. He says he also didn't like the onions.

I would make it again if I were the only person in this household for whom I was making it. Sadly, I have two PBs (Picky-Butts, as my friend Frost calls them) for whom to prepare meals, and I'm generally stuck with making the same thing over and over again: Kraft mac-and-cheese with black beans. Fun times.

Jumpin' Frogs

Today the tractor came to cut the grass growing along the side of the lane leading to the Holler. I was tempted to run out and ask if he could, perchance, also cut the grass around our house, since it's been raining quite a bit lately and Seth hasn't been able to mow. But I didn't.

Instead, I got ready for the evening's events. Our little town is hosting its annual Homecoming Festival and the main street is filled with festivities.

The main event for the evening, which I've been wanting to see since we moved to the Holler, was the International Frog Jumping Contest. First on the agenda was the Best Dressed Frog Contest and Parade of Frogs.

Next up was the Frog Jumpin' Contest. We bumped into our neighbor (the one with the chickens) at the festival and he informed us that they were entering the competition. Last year, apparently, they took the prize for "shortest jump." They were "walking through the woods and saw a little frog hop across the way" and he said to son, "There's our frog. We'll win with him, for sure." Apparently the neighbor knows frogs as well as chickens.

The grandstands were filled so we were relegated to the "standing room only" section and forced to peer over the shoulders of those who had arrived earlier than we had.

After watching the International Frog Jumping Contest for a few minutes (it was everything I'd imagined it would be--and more), we moved on to the funnel cake district, where I bought my traditional festival funnel cake (it, too, was everything I'd imagined it would be).

Our final stop at the festival was the merry-go-round. I bought the 3 tickets required to ride and took Kieran on his first trip. You may notice from this photo why it is that I do not regularly ask Seth to capture photographic memories of our lives. "People kept getting in the way," he replied when I asked why there were no good pictures of Kieran and me on the carousel.

Soon enough the rain that's been filling our cistern the past few days began once again, and we hopped back in the car and headed for home. Just maybe next year we'll take a walk through woods and look for a good hopper to enter into the international event . . . .

(Salmon Loaf was on the agenda for dinner this evening. It was enjoyed by all.)

Must. Refrain.

So, this was the view when I realized was suffering Kitchen-Window Withdrawal symptoms and could no longer refrain from taking the same photo I've been taking for the past year. Sigh.

Last night I made Herb-Garlic Beef Tenderloin. Although it was mooing a bit more loudly than I prefer when I took it out of the oven, it was still tasty. Even Seth agreed. Tonight, I made the "Graduation Pizza" the recipe suggested to use for the left-overs. Seth gave an unenthusiastic "I'd eat it again" to this recipe, as the sweet pepper sauce was a little too sweet for his taste.

Somehow, and I'm not sure how, the Sweet Tooth Fairy bypassed his genes while he was developing in utero and dumped it all on me (granted, we weren't developing in utero at the same time, or even in the same place, so I can't quite explain the genetics behind this anomaly . . . Georgia?). He prefers the darkest of dark chocolates and usually turns up his nose at the desserts he makes after the first slice because they're "too sweet." Seriously, how can anything be too sweet?

Out my kitchen window, day 364

We've had a bit (and by a "bit" I really mean several days worth) of rain lately, so we haven't gotten out much.

To entertain ourselves, Seth decided to trim Kieran's nails. So he grabbed the little buggar and wrastled him to the ground. Kieran was thrilled.

He eventually squirmed into a more comfortable position and the process was soon complete.

Tonight was Black Beans Cakes with Salsa. Good for Kieran and I, and an "I'd probably eat it again" from Seth.

Out my kitchen window, day 359

The excitement for the day came when Seth brought the mail in from the box after coming home from work. I'm not sure why but bringing in the mail is his "thing." As in, he's at a slight loss if I get to it before he does.

Back to the day's excitement: The Annual International Frog Jumping Contest was announced, official rules and all. I wonder how one becomes the Frog Jumping Commissioner. Maybe I should turn my attention from bees to frogs so that next year at this international event, I can take home first prize . . . .

Today was Falafel Patty Melt day. Kieran and I liked it; Seth is not a fan of chick peas.

Out my kitchen window, day 358

Today it rained as if it were the start of Noah's Flood. Except that it wasn't the start of Noah's Flood because God promised to never again send a flood that covered the entire earth. So, it rained like it was the start of a Holler Flood. Except that it didn't really flood. It was more like the creek got a little angry and decided to try to overflow its banks but didn't quite want to do a full-fledged flood (look closely in the picture and you can see the normally reticent little creek).

The back yard was another story. All the water running off the hill behind our house collects beside the chicken coop and blazes a trail straight for our house. As much as I hate to admit it, Geothermal Guy may have done us an actual service by not, as he had promised, returning to smooth out the soil that had been dug up in order to insert the geothermal loops. Those muddy little hills ("I'll send my guy with the front loader to smooth that out in a day or two," said he on January 1) that are beginning to sprout weeds because Seth refuses to plant grass seed because he thinks the neighbor will one day rent a front loader that we can borrow to smooth them out are acting as nice barriers, directing the water away from the house and onto the driveway.

Thank you, Geothermal Guy, for once again not doing your job.

(Wednesday I tried Pepper Jelly and Soy Glazed Salmon. Thumbs up from Kieran and me, thumbs in the middle from Seth.)

Out my kitchen window, day 357

Success. It's a great word. And a great feeling.

The more I thought about an On My Kitchen Table series, the more my mouth began watering at eating actual meals that weren't spaghetti or mac-n-cheese. And so I decided to start early. As in, I decided to begin actually cooking dinner for a change.

Last week, I let my fingers do the walking through my recipes and cookbooks, choosing those I wanted to try first. And then I made a calendar of meals for the month of May. And then I went shopping for all the items necessary to make the dinners I'd planned. And then, Tuesday night, I made the first recipe, ripped from the May 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens: Almond-crusted Chicken. And there was great rejoicing. Well, maybe not rejoicing, but we all (including Seth) liked it. It was tasty and fairly easy to make, and it wasn't spaghetti or mac-n-cheese. I do believe I just may continue this series. . . .