Bed vs. Stove

If you're looking for some kind of housewares show down, I'm sorry but you'll have to Google that. And I think you're a little weird. But I am too. Let's be friends, k?

I just got the newest issue of Food and Wine magazine in the mail today! And while Calvin was napping, I had a blissful hour or two of almost silence and peace to flip through it. I stumbled upon an interview with Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote Eat, Pray, Love. While I'm sure there is some political, religious, feminist, or hipster reason my peers would give for not liking her and her writing, I do. So neener. I really enjoyed Eat, Pray, Love. I wouldn't mind reading it again, actually. And I'm looking forward to hopefully getting a chance to read her newest release, The Signature of All Things. There is a slight good chance I want to read it just so I can shout, "ALL THE THINGS!" without warning while reading it. But on to the point! In this "getting to know you" style interview, Ms. Gilbert was asked, "What's more important, the bed or stove?" Her response: "Stove. You can sleep on the floor. You can sleep in an easy chair, you can sleep standing up, but food is definitely, obviously the most important. What kind of night's sleep or sex are you gonna have if you're hungry?" AMEN, SISTER!

We went to stay with my grandmother for a few weeks after my grandpa Joe passed away. Every time we left the house, we came home to something else a friend or neighbor cooked for us in the fridge. Cooking food for someone is a very common way to show comfort and support in times of grief in our society. Cooking for people can also be a way to show that you like them. In other cultures, cooking for guests and visitors is a sign of utmost respect. Families will go a week without food of their own just to cook for and show respect for a guest. We bake cakes for celebrations. We have potlucks and dinner parties just to get together and catch up. Dinner clubs are really coming back into style. And as for me? When I'm nervous, I bake. When I'm grieving, I cook. When I'm frustrated, I cook.I made the best Hollandaise of my life when I was angry with my husband. If you come visit me, I will try to feed you. I don't care if you're hungry or not, I will still try to feed you. I get that from my mother who's mission in life is to feed the entire world. And honestly, it's my mission too.

While this is not the case for all of man-kind, food a huge part of our lives. We can sleep when we're dead.

So in the battle of Bed vs. Stove, Stove wins!

Photo credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/c4/Eat,_Pray,_Love_%E2%80%93_Elizabeth_Gilbert,_2007.jpg

Someone has a case of the Mondays...

No really, I do. It poured rain last night. Which was actually pretty great! We have needed the rain. But the excitement of all the rain, among other factors, caused me to have a serious brain fart. I forgot to roll up my car windows, so now everything is soggy. Then, mine and my husband's tempers decided to not get a long this morning. Calvin has selective hearing issues today along with an apparent need to perfect his whine. Now it's noon and I've done nothing so far today. All I want to do is nap. Uhg. So today I am without my typical cheer and wit. I'm just, here. And at this point I'll take it.

The boys and I went grocery shopping last night and we have our plan for the week. As usual, I have not assigned a meal to a particular day. We'll just see where the week takes us...

Steak quesadillas
tex-mex bean medley
fruit

Baked chicken parmesan
rotini pasta
side salads with homemade vinaigrette

Chicken 'n' dumplings soup
fruit

Ham steak
homemade potatoes Au Gratin
peas for the boys and some other green veg for me

Cheeseburgers
oven fries
veggie sticks
deviled eggs

Other things that need to be made this week:
Rice krispies treats
Biscuits [to be frozen]
Ratatouille [can you believe I didn't make this AT ALL over the summer?!]
pumpkin pie [one to freeze and one for Charlie to share with his co-workers]

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Oh! Before I forget...We had calzones last night for dinner. I couldn't find a pizza dough recipe I was particularly happy with, so I made one up. It was WONDERFUL! I wrote it down last night after dinner. I think I'll test it one more time to be certain it wasn't a fluke, then I'll share it. The dough comes together easily, but the method takes a little patience. Also be on the look out for a pumpkin bread recipe that is just a bit different.

What are you having this week?


Photo credit: http://bbsimg.ngfiles.com/15/22462000/ngbbs4d5a1994bf7ba.jpg