I’m sick and tired.
I let everyone in this family tell me what they want for dinner. Of course, nobody can agree. Since I’m an amiable (people pleaser), this puts me under stress. Sounds ridiculous to be stressed over dinner, but I am, because it’s impossible to please everyone. One person upset makes me upset.
I’m tired of trying to make healthy dishes for myself and whatever the monsters/That Man want. Basically cooking two dinners a night.
I’m tired of being tired after a long day at the Evil Day Job and That Man or the monsters putting up for takeout.
I’m certainly extremely sick and tired of seeing how much we spend on said eating out.
All because I don’t have a plan and I don’t stand firm to that plan.
So this weekend, we made a trip to Sam’s Club, I renewed my expired membership, and I bought a ton of food. Today, I threw two chickens in the oven to slow-roast while we were at church. We ate one chicken for lunch. We tore apart the other one: legs, etc. in a bag for later in the fridge, and all the breast meat in another. I’ve got both carcasses boiling away on the stove with veggies, and later today I’ll make chicken and dumplings for dinner. I thought that was too much chicken in one day, but everybody begged for dumplings. If I play that right, I’ll get two meals out of the broth/white meat and a quick meal for the kids tomorrow night (That Man is going to be away for business and I don’t eat dark meat, so there’s plenty left).
I’ve got a roast I’ll throw in the crock pot Tuesday. I’ll get at least two meals of it by using the leftovers for stroganoff.
In the oven right now, I have a huge pan of meatballs and another pan of meatloaf, both made with extra lean hamburger. I’ll freeze them both once they’re cool.
I have homemade bread rising on the counter, and another batch bubbling in the big bowl that I’ll store in the fridge for up to two weeks (but it won’t last NEAR that long–I seem to make bread about every couple of days).
It may not all be “diet” food, but it’s homecooked and I’m making smart substitutions where possible. And if anyone dares whine and moan about having to eat at home, why, they can make their own @#&*$ dinner.
Now, of course, I have a buttload of dishes to do.
Unfortunately, between the website move, a lovely visit from My Beloved SIs and Papa from Mexico yesterday, and all this cooking today, I haven’t even thought about the Mayan Fantasy. Back to Dark & Early tomorrow.
Holy cow, Sis! That’s awesome, and it all sound sooooo good!
I hope, hope, hope that they all just let you do your thing. You could probably save the universe if they’d just leave you alone to do it!
Thanks, Sis! It didn’t actually take as long as I feared. I forgot — I also browned two pounds of hamburger with dried onion and minced garlic to use for tacos, etc. later. I already froze it.
This loaf of bread looks rather suspicious, but I think it’ll taste good no matter how warped the loaf looks…
It must be domesticity weekend – I’m canning pears! Photos later, if I can get my shit together…
I totally hear you about the eating out. The Husband and two little Ms.’s would eat out every damn night, if I let them. I hate it (and so does my waistline…), because I did NOT grow up that way. My mother cooked. Every night. She also didn’t have an Evil Day Job like I do and I forget that sometimes, but it still kills me that I can’t manage to do what she did for my family… 😛
And I’m happy I don’t have that guilt thing about dinner. I am the Goddess of my kitchen — you eat what I cook and you like it or you can bloody go hungry. So there. 😀
Oh, I wish I knew how to can! I want to make some apple butter with fresh apples from my Dad’s before they go bad, but I don’t know how to can it. (I’m sure it’ll make more than just a jar or two. I’m envious, too, of your Goddess personna! Can I borrow her? 😀
Can I come eat at your house? 🙂
Personally I get tired of eating my own cooking, and then doing all of the clean up. The chicken and dumplings sound yummy.
I suggest you put this in the kitchen “I’m the Goddess of my kitchen, and what I cook you shall eat, or eat not at all.”
Ooh! Can I have your Chicken and Dumplings recipe? Winter’s coming up.
With three other very picky eaters in the house who could never decide what they wanted, I was making three or four meals at a time until I finally had enough and made a rule: If you don’t want to eat what I put on the table, you have to put together and make your own meal. The complaints stopped rather quickly after that. 😉
As far as what I make, I let my guy and the kids decide what we’re having for one dinner per week (invariably my 16 year old asks for pizza) and I choose the menu for the other four days. That way everyone gets something they personally want at least once a week but I can keep healthy meals on the table for the rest of the time.
Absolutely, Ann – come on over! We had plenty of leftovers!
May, I definitely need that sign!! Sure, although I’m rather ashamed that I don’t make dumplings from scratch…
Lynn, that’s a super idea. Maybe I let them decide Friday nights or something, and then I plan the rest. For such a simple thing–dinner–why is it so difficult?