Just Because...: Sometimes the Best Laid Plans...

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Sometimes the Best Laid Plans...

Sometimes the best laid plans go to hell in a Chanel knockoff. Today I was in total chef mode, using my new Global knives and having a blast. Something about cutting a bagel with the correct knife made me very happy (or the fact I'm actually USING the investment). All weekend I've been picking up things here and there for my plan to start cooking at home more often. I even braved Costco on a Saturday. That, in itself, took courage. People there can be crazy!!! It's kill or be killed there with some of those ladies with carts. Lately, the last thing I want to do is stand over a hot stove after a work day from Hades. However, there's something about watching the Food Network or Everyday Italian and going "I can do that!! That looks easy" so that's exactly what I did.

Today - I decided to Robin Miller the fridge and split up meals for during the week. I shredded leftover Costco chicken for my favorite Southwestern Chicken Soup, made the easiest onion soup EVER, cut up some of a whole grain baguette for croutons and actually topped the soup with the homemade croutons and fontina cheese making it Italian Soup Au Gratin... can we say "Delish!". The leftovers will be for work next week for a quick ham & provolone panini & soup night. Also on the menu this week - spinach, pancetta & warm goat cheese salad, roasted butternut squash with grilled chicken with spinach & pine nut pesto, steak with smashed parmesan potatoes and jambalya with turkey sausage. Leftover squash will turn into curried butternut squash soup for the weekend. I even froze some fresh blueberries for dessert. Too often, I'll buy them with the full intention of using them and they stay in the fridge til they are a science experiement. We'll see if I can follow this through.

Also - I need to stop going out to lunch at work. P. just has to say "Cafe Ritzy" and this gal is running down to Cafe Rittazza for their Green Chile & Corn Chowder or their Turkey w/ Cranberry Mayo sandwich. My budget is ready to start going on strike. Starbucks - it is used to; going out 4/5 times a week - notsomuch. So, I'm limiting it to 1-2 a week. Tomorrow we have to take a friend out for his birthday so I'm determined to start that goal on Tuesday.

Also - I wound up getting a Cuisinart Panini/Grill from Linens & Things (gotta love the 20% off coupon). However, also I went a little stir crazy in the interest of full disclosure. I got these lovely onion soup gratin bowls, a cooling rack, a few odds & ends and towels for the bathroom (pink as I got the taupe ones last week). Then I discovered the Pier1 Dining event ended today so I completed the last of my stemware purchases and I'm d.o.n.e. Pier1 is really my kryptonite sometimes.

So - during my Chef Mode, after making the soup, I decided to make a carrot cake for our co-worker's birthday. Well - everything was going great. My boss lent me her stadium mold (I was going to make a poker table cake) and all was smooth - my mixer worked like a dream, I chopped some walnuts to stir into the mix, the cake cooked evenly and I got my decorating kit out ready to go to town. I let the cake cool as instructed and then flipped it out of the pan and look what happened.

Carrot Cake Catastrophe.

Now it resembles some ancient roman ruins. Needless to say, P. is a doll and is picking up a carrot cake tonight. Next time I think I'll try something easier - like brownies. It's the thought that counts, right?

Labels: Cooking, Random Mess, Shopping

Posted by Lys :: 9:41 PM :: 0 comments

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Just Because...

Sunday, March 25, 2007