Kate got chopped!

I know, Kate and Doug, that I haven't been a faithful writer. Shame on me! But, let's forget about that, because I have a better story and it's all about Kate.

We had some trouble with scheduling this weekend, and then decided that Summer and I could work it out without Kate, since dear Kate was backed up on meals anyway. Summer and I planned a new menu, made our grocery list, and did the shopping. We got back home and started right to work. Everyone was very concerned, though. "Where's Kate?" they kept asking us? So, we gave them a delightful response: Kate got chopped!

"Chopped? What does that mean?" the kids would ask.

"You haven't seen that T.V. show? It means she wasn't good enough. She cuts vegetables too big and, you know, she's English, so we kicked her out of the club."

You should've seen their faces! Every member of this family inquired about the lack of Kate on this cooking day, and every one of their jaws dropped in disbelief when we told them our story. We did, however, admit that we missed her dishwashing skills very much and thought we might reconsider, when my sister-in-law, Vicky, showed up to try her hand. It was perfect timing! We told the family that she was trying out to be Kate's replacement!

All in all, we had a lovely day, created five delicious meals once again, and enjoyed Vicky's company very much. We will, however, allow Kate to return as soon as her schedule allows. We missed you, Kate!!

Stuff it in some bell peppers!

Summer, this one's for you...
The "chicken asiago casserole with rice and fire roasted tomatoes" was very good! Josh said it tasted like pizza - it must have been the combination of the sweet tomato, oregano and cheese! I served it with artichokes and as we were eating, I said, "Maybe next time we should stuff this into the artichokes. That would be good!" But, I think Jason's idea was better: stuff it in some bell peppers. Wouldn't that be both delicious and pretty?

Cooking lightER vs. cooking light

We've made it to "hump day," as many would say. It's Wednesday and we've tasted two of our five meals. Monday evening we had tamales with some beans and rice on the side. The maza was so smooth and light and the filling had just the right combination of chicken and cheese and chiles. Not even one tamale into the meal and my husband proclaimed, "this one goes on the "make again list!" I agreed.

Last night we tried the chipotle latkes. When I pulled them from the refrigerator, I was unsure of how they would come out. We had fried them Sunday and then refrigerated them immediately. By Tuesday, they looked soggy and bland. I placed them on a baking stone and into the oven, hoping they would crisp up again and be revived. What a relief! Peeking in at them as I poached some eggs, they were again golden and sizzling. They toasted up nicely and when topped with the eggs made a delicious meal, a perfect balance of spice and texture. Once again, only a few bites and my husband said, "Add this one to the "make again list!"

Wow! Two in a row! So far, so good, except for one problem... Summer, Kate, and I have prided ourselves on making healthy meals since we began this expedition. In fact, my mom named our group the Cooking Light Club. We have used smart exchanges like whole wheat pastas, whole wheat flour. We've tried new vegetables that the grocer did not know how to ring up. The list goes on. My husband continues to complain that his work belt is loose and sliding since we've started our cooking routine.

This week, the meals we've had so far can only be considered healthy by a stretch of the imagination. For instance, we did not use lard in the masa for the tamales; instead, we used crisco. The latkes were not fried in vegetable oil, but in a healthier canola/olive oil blend. Maybe, this week, we just cooked lighter, instead of light?

"I don't cook on the day I cook!"

The anticipation nearly killed me! Summer arrived first and she insisted that she could not unload her car until we were ready to reveal our recipes, as the ingredients and equipment would give away the secret. Whatever. I kept peeling potatoes as I scowled at her. But, then, Kate drove up and I bolted to open the door for her. Finally! We could find out what we would eat in the coming week.

Standing in a circle, I said, "But, let's not do it all at once. One at a time, taking turns, don't say both recipes--just one, then the next person." Amazingly, or maybe I should reflect back on the last month and then say, obviously, our collection was diverse. We would make tamales, latkes, shepard pie, a casserole, and burgers. Perfect.

We got to work and soon realized that we all needed the largest mixing bowl (there's only one), the biggest pots and pans (there's only so much space on the stove top), and counter space. Lots of counter space! We had to take turns, making the process take so much longer.

And on top of it all, our kid-free-mom's-paradise day was not meant to be this time. Two of the three of us had our kiddos here, and of course, they were hungry. "What's for dinner?" they asked us. My response: I don't cook on the day I cook! They looked at me as though I were crazy. The kitchen smelled like heaven, and Summer ran out for some cheap pizza. Happy kids, happy moms.

And here are the results:

We picked out our choices for next week and started the list. But we won't worry about that til next weekend. For the next few days, it's happy eating.

The first month

What is the best way to cheer up a friend? Pedicures, shopping, wine tasting, a walk? These were a few of the options I tossed around, waiting for any sign of interest from my friend. "Or..." I said, "we could cook."

That's how it started. We searched our food magazines and cookbooks, scoured the internet, and decided to try five new recipes, cook for two families, and share a bottle of wine while we were at it. The next week we included one more friend and photos to track the journey. Now, as we embark on our fifth week, we are preparing for a new twist: we've each chosen and shopped for our recipes in secret. Here's hoping that all three families will like our choices and that we won't all choose the same things!

It is past 3:00 and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of "the girls." I can't wait for each of us to reveal our meals.  Here's to surprises... Cheers!