One year ago, I wrote these words: “I’ve had trouble in the kitchen for a long time.  Mark cooks amazing food because he loves the creative process.  I cook so we don’t go to bed hungry.  That (lazy? burnt out?) attitude has never sat well with me, though, and I really want to change.“

Last July, I committed to a year of renewed interest in cooking at home.  Having moved to an area where delivery was nonexistent and fast food was a 15-minute drive, my dinner crutches were all suddenly taken away.  Sink or swim, I was going to have to figure this out!  Fast forward to today and my attitude toward the kitchen has completely changed.  The lessons I’ve learned are too many to count, but the biggest one is this: sometimes you just have to step out in faith, knowing you’re going to stumble, and work toward your goals anyway. 

Here’s to another year of delicious meals.

Week 48 (cont.):
Friday, June 1: homemade pizza

Week 49:
Saturday, June 2: cold cut sandwiches/lettuce wraps with fruit and chips
Sunday, June 3: moo shu pork in tortillas
Monday, June 4: leftover moo shu with rice
Tuesday, June 5: tuscan garlic chicken with salad
Wednesday, June 6: garlic parmesan chicken thighs and broccoli
Thursday, June 7: tacos
Friday, June 8: kielbasa veggie bake with rice

Week 50:
Saturday, June 9: brats and hotdogs on the grill, chips, chocolate covered strawberries
Sunday,  June 10: pizza
Monday, June 11: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Tuesday, June 12: grilled pork chops and pasta salad
Wednesday, June 13: grilled pork loin, rice and asparagus
Thursday, June 14: rotisserie-style chicken, Mark’s panko macaroni and cheese, and salad
Friday, June 15: homemade pesto pizza using sourdough focaccia

Week 51:
Saturday, June 16: pulled pork sandwiches, then out for ice cream cones
Sunday, June 17: Father’s Day! porterhouse steak for Mark, brats for the rest of us, bacon ranch potato salad
Monday, June 18: leftover pork nachos
Tuesday, June 19: cold cut sandwiches with chips
Wednesday, June 20: roasted chicken thighs, rice and asparagus with homemade sourdough bread
Thursday, June 21: tacos
Friday, June 22: pork fried rice using up a bunch of leftovers – the kids loved this!

Week 52:
Saturday, June 23: McDonald’s after baby L’s first birthday party
Sunday, June 24: one pan pesto chicken, tortellini and veggies (BIG hit)
Monday, June 25: roasted pork tenderloin with rice and broccoli
Tuesday, June 26: whole chicken with carrots, onions, and potatoes – the chicken was way too small this time and everyone was still hungry, so I supplemented with popcorn and waffles after
Wednesday, June 27: tomato soup with sourdough grilled cheese sandwiches
Thursday, June 28: one pot kielbasa pasta
Friday, June 29: homemade pizza

Week 53:
Saturday, June 30: chili dogs

This was such a weird month of dinners… for whatever reason, I fell out of my routine and that made me unravel a bit, hah!  I resorted to making a bunch of easy favorites and very few new Pinterest recipes.  I guess the lesson here is that dinner doesn’t always need to be fancy.  Sometimes dinner can be a complicated new dish and sometimes it’s just deli meat on homemade bread.  Both fill our bellies and both are good.   

Week 40 (cont.):
Sunday, April 1: Easter! ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, brussels sprouts, rolls, blueberry pie
Monday, April 2: bacon wrapped mozzarella pesto stuffed chicken
Tuesday, April 3: “the best damn lasagna on earth” (maybe not the best, but definitely good)
Wednesday, April 4: Spring Break Surprise! Chickfila for dinner and our local ice cream place for dessert
Thursday, April 5: garlic parmesan chicken tenders and salad
Friday, April 6: a super random and “healthy” dinner of popcorn and roasted marshmallows…TGIF!

Week 41:
Saturday, April 7: chicken tacos with homemade tortillas
Sunday, April 8: ham sandwiches with homemade bread
Monday, April 9: whole chicken with potatoes
Tuesday, April 10: “chicken pot pie for the busy mama”
Wednesday, April 11: tacos
Thursday, April 12: roasted chicken thighs, rice and broccoli
Friday, April 13: Mark surprised us with Chickfila!

Week 42:
Saturday, April 14: brats and homemade french fries
Sunday, April 15: pulled pork tacos with homemade pico de gallo
Monday, April 16: leftovers
Tuesday, April 17: skillet lasagna
Wednesday, April 18: leftover pork, rice and broccoli
Thursday, April 19: Ugandan egg rolex
Friday, April 20: sushi

Week 43:
Saturday, April 21: pizza to celebrate Mom’s birthday!
Sunday, April 22: Mark’s homemade pasta with meat sauce
Monday, April 23: Refrigerator Clean-out Night
Tuesday, April 24: beans and rice
Wednesday, April 25: beef stroganoff over egg noodles, salad
Thursday, April 26: chicken and rice bowls
Friday, April 27: bean and cheese burritos

Week 44:
Saturday, April 28: leftovers
Sunday, April 29: brats, coleslaw, baked beans, and fruit salad
Monday, April 30: roasted chicken thighs, rice and broccoli

Week 35 (cont.):
Thursday, March 1: A Taste of Madagascar. chicken legs and rice, spicy bread
Friday, March 2: No Power! random food from the pantry

Week 36:
Saturday, March 3: Five Guys burgers at my parents’ house
Sunday, March 4: Power is back! random food that we were able to get from the grocery store
Monday, March 5: tacos
Tuesday, March 6: shredded chicken tossed in salsa verde over rice, salad
Wednesday, March 7: roasted chicken thighs with mashed potatoes and broccoli
Thursday, March 8: french onion pot roast with rice and broccoli
Friday, March 9: frozen fish sticks and shrimp egg rolls

Week 37:
Saturday, March 10: brisket in the smoker, coleslaw, BBQ beans, and ham & cheddar biscuits
Sunday, March 11: Daylight Savings Time. Mark’s homemade pizza
Monday, March 12: brisket nachos
Tuesday, March 13: roasted chicken legs with broccoli, rice and ciabatta bread
Wednesday, March 14: beef stroganoff soup and blueberry pie for “Pi Day”
Thursday, March 15: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Friday, March 16: Mark worked late, so we just had grilled cheese sandwiches

Week 38:
Saturday, March 17: St. Patrick’s Feast Day. shepherd’s pie and Irish soda bread
Sunday, March 18: brats on the grill, velveeta&rotel mac&cheese and salad
Monday, March 19: St. Joseph’s Feast Day. philly cheesesteak sloppy joes
Tuesday, March 20: leftovers
Wednesday, March 21: breakfast for dinner – waffles
Thursday, March 22: A Taste of South Africa. shredded chicken with South African yellow rice and salad
Friday, March 23: sushi

Week 39:
Saturday, March 24: homemade buffalo chicken pizza
Sunday, March 25: leftovers
Monday, March 26: grilled pork chops with brown rice and broccoli
Tuesday, March 27: kielbasa with rice and salad
Wednesday, March 28: Mom and M visit! burgers and fries from our favorite local spot
Thursday, March 29: beans and rice
Friday, March 30: creamy tomato tortellini soup

Week 40:
Saturday, March 31: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night

As we sat in contented silence around the table, mouths full of that night’s delicious culinary experiment, one of the boys announced, “Mom, you are such a good cook compared to at the old house!”  I was tempted to feel embarrassed by the years of dinner inadequacy, but honestly?  He was right.  I have come a long way since last July.  Feeling so grateful for this monthly dinner project and how it has changed me for the better.

Week 31 (cont.):
Thursday, February 1: A Taste of Ethiopia. honey garlic berbere chicken thighs and rice
Friday, February 2: BBQ from a local spot to kick off Mark’s birthday weekend

Week 32:
Saturday, February 3: pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (barbacoa steak tacos with queso fresco and pickled vegetables)
Sunday, February 4: white chicken lasagna soup with french bread
Monday, February 5: Mark’s birthday! chicken parm sandwiches
Tuesday, February 6: beef chimichangas
Wednesday, February 7: sick day for Mama – we had frozen pizzas
Thursday, February 8: A Taste of Kenya. Kenyan beef stew with chapati “pancakes”
Friday, February 9: we ruined our dinner by having homemade blueberry pie in the middle of the afternoon, so just snacked on popcorn and leftovers

Week 33:
Saturday, February 10: pancakes for the kids, Home Chef for date night (coffee-rubbed steak with brown butter mashed potatoes and roasted carrots)
Sunday, February 11: slow cooked pork roast with rice and vegetables
Monday, February 12: sheet pan brats and roasted vegetables
Tuesday, February 13: Fat Tuesday! leftovers and king cake
Wednesday, February 14: Ash Wednesday. bean and cheese burritos
Thursday, February 15: fettucine with a roasted red pepper sauce and grilled chicken and Italian sausage (it was 70 degrees today!)
Friday, February 16: honey garlic shrimp with broccoli and rice

Week 34:
Saturday, February 17: breakfast for dinner – Mark’s homemade biscuits and gravy
Sunday, February 18: leftovers
Monday, February 19: beef stroganoff soup
Tuesday, February 20: whole roasted chicken with macaroni & cheese and salad
Wednesday, February 21: swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes, homemade blueberry pie
Thursday, February 22: burgers while we were out running errands
Friday, February 23: A Taste of Uganda. Ugandan egg rolex

Week 35:
Saturday, February 24: chicken parm sandwiches
Sunday, February 25: Mark’s homemade pizza
Monday, February 26: simple tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Tuesday, February 27: chinese stir-fry
Wednesday, February 28: french onion pot roast with mashed potatoes

January was a great month for me in the kitchen: very little sugar and a lot of healthy eating.  And bread.  Lots and lots of homemade bread. 

Week 27 (cont.):
Monday, January 1: chili with cornbread waffles in the waffle maker
Tuesday, January 2: drunken slow cooker beef carbonnade stew (minus the drunken part – I didn’t have any beer) over egg noodles
Wednesday, January 3: chicken thighs with roasted broccoli and potatoes
Thursday, January 4: tacos
Friday, January 5: chili cheese fries using leftovers from Monday

Week 28:
Saturday, January 6: Grandpa visits! chicken orzo soup and homemade bread
Sunday, January 7: Grandpa visit. simple tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Monday, January 8: leftovers
Tuesday, January 9: baked chicken breasts and steamed broccoli with a tomato cream sauce
Wednesday, January 10: Chick-Fil-A to support our new local pregnancy center
Thursday, January 11: french onion meatballs, mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts
Friday, January 12: homemade pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (Japanese sirloin steak with mirin demi-glaze and buttery glazed carrots)

Week 29:
Saturday, January 13: simple tomato soup (again!) and homemade ciabatta bread
Sunday, January 14: chicken pot pie soup and homemade biscuits
Monday, January 15: pot roast
Tuesday, January 16: tacos
Wednesday, January 17: panko chicken fingers and salad
Thursday, January 18: Fridge Clean-out Night
Friday, January 19: balsamic chicken veggie bake

Week 30:
Saturday, January 20: chicken drumsticks and wings for the kids, Home Chef for date night (sirloin steak with balsamic sauce, crispy potatoes and brussels sprouts
Sunday, January 21: we just had cereal or popcorn after a late lunch at my parents
Monday, January 22: parmesan veggies and sausage over rice
Tuesday, January 23: french onion chicken and salad
Wednesday, January 24: beef stew (adapted to the dutch oven) with homemade ciabatta bread
Thursday, January 25: enchiladas
Friday, January 26: frozen pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (sirloin steak with blue cheese compound butter, green beans and roasted fingerling potatoes)

Week 31:
Saturday, January 27: panko chicken fingers and salad
Sunday, January 28: bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with brussels sprouts
Monday, January 29: philly cheesesteaks
Tuesday, January 30: salisbury steak meatballs with gravy and mashed potatoes
Wednesday, January 31: chicken pot pie filling with homemade biscuits

When I think of this December, the Bible verse that comes to mind is: “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  This month was full of celebrating and mourning, of laughing and crying.  We definitely ate out more than normal, but one thing is true: it doesn’t matter whether we’re in our dining room at home or a greasy pizza joint states away.  The beating heart of a family is around the table.  Ticking off the days before Christmas, we made delicious meals and treats crowded around the kitchen counter.  And after celebrating the life of my grandmother, tables full of aunts and uncles and cousins gathered together to eat, reminisce and share stories.  How fortunate am I?  May I never forget what a gift I have in family.

Week 22 (cont.):
Friday, December 1: waffles for the kids, Home Chef for date night (sirloin steak with brown butter bordelaise and brussel sprouts and roasted potatoes)

Week 23:
Saturday, December 2: P’s birthday! apple-gouda smothered chicken with brussel sprouts
Sunday, December 3: panko crusted chicken fingers with homemade french fries
Monday, December 4: simple tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (SO good!)
Tuesday, December 5: beef and broccoli ramen noodles (I didn’t have a lot of the special ingredients, but made it work.)
Wednesday, December 6: skillet Italian meatballs and pasta
Thursday, December 7: slow cooker kielbasa and barbecue beans
Friday, December 8: popcorn and cocoa for the kids (while watching The Polar Express!), Home Chef for date night (ranch chicken with jalapeno popper twice-baked potatoes and green beans)

Week 24:
Saturday, December 9: chicken and bacon pasta in a garlic cream sauce
Sunday, December 10: leftovers
Monday, December 11: tacos
Tuesday, December 12: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Wednesday, December 13: salisbury steak meatballs with egg noodles
Thursday, December 14: Oktoberfest brats and roasted vegetables
Friday, December 15: homemade pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (ribeye steak quesadillas with pico de gallo)

Week 25:
Saturday, December 16: out for burgers before we looked at neighborhood Christmas lights
Sunday, December 17: slow roasted pulled pork
Monday, December 18: Memere’s wake. out for pizza after the wake
Tuesday, December 19: Memere’s funeral. late luncheon after the funeral
Wednesday, December 20: we were exhausted from our trip and just grabbed anything
Thursday, December 21: taco salads
Friday, December 22: cereal for the kids, steak and potatoes for date night

Week 26:
Saturday, December 23: A new Christmas “Adam” tradition: barbecue from our favorite local spot
Sunday, December 24: Christmas Eve! french onion meatball sandwiches, pizza dip
Monday, December 25: Christmas Day! Mom and Dad brought over leftover ham for panini sandwiches and pecan, blueberry and pumpkin pies
Tuesday, December 26: we snacked all day and just grabbed whatever for dinner – the joys of that post-Christmas fog!
Wednesday, December 27: spaghetti and homemade meat sauce
Thursday, December 28: simple tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Friday, December 29: homemade pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (sirloin steak and loaded potato wedges with smoky mushrooms)

Week 27:
Saturday, December 30: pot roast and potatoes in the Dutch oven
Sunday, December 31: New Year’s Eve! chicken thighs, mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts

Month #5!  November was a month rich in birthday celebrations, anniversaries and meals with family in my favorite place, the real big white farmhouse in Maine.

Week 18 (cont.):
Wednesday, November 1: out for Chick-Fil-A after All Saints Day mass
Thursday, November 2: leftovers
Friday, November 3: five layer dip for the kids, Home Chef for date night (steak with horseradish-herb cream and potatoes presse)

Week 19:
Saturday, November 4: roasted chicken thighs with spinach-artichoke twice baked potatoes (we used milk and a little cheese, so not really #paleo)
Sunday, November 5: easy baked ziti and salad
Monday, November 6: leftovers
Tuesday, November 7: supreme nachos
Wednesday, November 8: one pot creamy tortellini and smoked sausage
Thursday, November 9: slow cooker honey garlic chicken and rice
Friday, November 10: USMC birthday! leftovers for the kids, Home Chef for date night (swiss fondue burger with onion jam and parsley fries), birthday cake

Week 20:
Saturday, November 11: brisket tacos
Sunday, November 12: cheesy brisket sandwiches
Monday, November 13: white chicken lasagna soup
Tuesday, November 14: frozen pizza because Mark worked late and Mama was tired
Wednesday, November 15: creamy parmesan chicken tortellini
Thursday, November 16: M’s birthday! he went out for burgers with Mark, the rest of us had leftovers
Friday, November 17: Italian meatball skillet with pasta

Week 21:
Saturday, November 18: Taco Bell drive-through after mass
Sunday, November 19: Maine vacation! American chop suey
Monday, November 20: frozen pizzas
Tuesday, November 21: tacos
Wednesday, November 22: pizza from a new local pizza place – delicious!
Thursday, November 23: Thanksgiving! turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry, rolls…and the pies…and the fudge…
Friday, November 24: Date night! steak for Mark and brisket tacos for me


Week 22:
Saturday, November 25: Panera on the drive home
Sunday, November 26: Our 12th Anniversary! we ended up scrounging around and all eating random things
Monday, November 27: tacos for the kids and steak, homemade french fries and Asian salad (a belated anniversary dinner) for us
Tuesday, November 28: pasta and homemade meat sauce
Wednesday, November 29: roasted chicken thighs and Asian salad
Thursday, November 30: J’s birthday! burgers and fries from our favorite local spot

Eighteen weeks of meals!  This month, like all the rest, tells a story: cooler temperatures, birthday celebrations, and a renewed enthusiasm for the kitchen.  Is it possible to be a cold-weather cook?  During the summer, I hate to be in the kitchen, but once that cool air hits?  I’m all about those chilis and soups and stews!  I’m not sure what they says about me, but I’m going to ride this train as long as I can, hah. 

Week 14 (cont.):
Sunday, October 1: stew meat, mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and salad
Monday, October 2: Oktoberfest sheet pan brats and roasted vegetables (we doubled this recipe and also added a pork tenderloin, #bigfamilyproblems)
Tuesday, October 3: bean and cheese burritos
Wednesday, October 4: white chicken chili and homemade bread in the machine
Thursday, October 5: leftovers
Friday, October 6: frozen pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (Tex-Mex ribeye cheesesteak with caramelized onion and oven fries)

Week 15:
Saturday, October 7: slow cooker beef stew
Sunday, October 8: one-pan cheesy chicken, broccoli and rice
Monday, October 9: leftovers
Tuesday, October 10: mexican casserole
Wednesday, October 11: My birthday!  After a day of delicious meals and treats, we just ate leftovers for dinner
Thursday, October 12: skillet lasagna (thanks for the recipe, KD!)
Friday, October 13: personal mini pizzas using pocketless pitas

Week 16: 
Saturday, October 14: pasta and kielbasa skillet
Sunday, October 15: D’s birthday! pizza at my parents house
Monday, October 16: french onion meatball sandwiches
Tuesday, October 17: tacos
Wednesday, October 18: chicken breasts with Asian salad
Thursday, October 19: roasted chicken thighs and rice
Friday, October 20: popcorn and smoothies for the kids, Home Chef for date night (spinach and artichoke chicken with roasted broccoli and radishes)

Week 17:
Saturday, October 21: steak on the grill, salad and homemade French fries
Sunday, October 22: leftovers
Monday, October 23: frozen pizzas
Tuesday, October 24: tacos
Wednesday, October 25: Refrigerator Clean-Out Night
Thursday, October 26: roasted chicken thighs, salad and Sudanese flatbread
Friday, October 27: popcorn and smoothies for the kids, Home Chef for date night (acapulco steak tacos with pico and queso fresco)

Week 18:
Saturday, October 28: pulled pork tostadas
Sunday, October 29: one pot chicken and spinach pasta
Monday, October 30: slow cooker chunky beef and potato stew
Tuesday, October 31: Halloween!  taco spice chili and homemade cornbread

This month was crazy.  I definitely hit a culinary mental block and it shows – we ate the same things over and over.  Our two birthday kiddos even requested almost the same exact meal!  But just like months before, I feel like the dinners tell a story: a story about a mom trying to juggle all of the balls, and after adding homeschooling to the mix, had to choose one of those balls to drop – dinner.  No time for new, complex recipes that she meticulously curated from Pinterest!  But her kids were happy and healthy, her husband jumped in when he could, and it was good.  It was all good.   

Week 9 (cont.):
Friday, September 1: roasted chicken legs for the kids, Home Chef for date night (coq au vin)

Week 10:
Saturday, September 2: leftovers
Sunday, September 3: barbecue ribs, coleslaw and macaroni & cheese
Monday, September 4: pork chili verde
Tuesday, September 5: tacos
Wednesday, September 6: Refrigerator Clean-out Night
Thursday, September 7: A Taste of Ghana: meat pies (but made with ground beef) and watermelon lemonade
Friday, September 8: out for burgers and fries! (but honestly, Mark’s are so much better)

Week 11:
Saturday, September 9: breakfast for dinner for the kids, Home Chef for date night (Bo Ssam Steak Burrito with pickled onions, cucumber, and slaw)
Sunday, September 10: frozen pizza after working on the playset all afternoon
Monday, September 11: crispy baked chicken thighs, salad and rosemary bread
Tuesday, September 12: tacos
Wednesday, September 13: kielbasa and veggie pasta skillet
Thursday, September 14: A Taste of Liberia: smoked ham and green bean jollof, plantain gingerbread upside down cake
Friday, September 15: pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (steak marsala with parmesan mash and cremini mushrooms)

Week 12:
Saturday, September 16: leftovers
Sunday, September 17: sandwiches for the kids, Home Chef for the adults (crispy rice chicken katsu with roasted Chinese broccoli)
Monday, September 18: crispy baked chicken thighs (again!) and salad
Tuesday, September 19: TJ’s birthday! roasted chicken legs, mashed potatoes and cupcakes
Wednesday, September 20: tacos
Thursday, September 21: leftovers & A Taste of Senegal with peanut butter sugar cookies for dessert
Friday, September 22: taquitos for the kids, Home Chef for date night (Parisian bistro steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans)

Week 13:
Saturday, September 23: out to celebrate our nephew’s baptism!
Sunday, September 24: Sophie’s birthday! chicken legs on the grill, fresh bread, macaroni and cheese, and birthday cake
Monday, September 25: tacos
Tuesday, September 26: Refrigerator Clean-out Night
Wednesday, September 27: grilled chicken and salad
Thursday, September 28: pasta and homemade meat sauce & A Taste of Mali with maasa for dessert
Friday, September 29: frozen pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (chicken florentine with wild rice and marinated heirloom tomatoes)

Week 14:
Saturday, September 30: pulled pork and Mark’s homemade macaroni and cheese

I was finally getting into a meal planning/dinner making groove…and then school started.  Our meals have gotten much simpler, but that’s not always a bad thing, right?  Mark and I were high-fiving each other this month because we finally hit a parenting milestone: more than half of our children will eat vegetables without complaint!  After months and months of cooking and offering and “just try a bite, you may like it” (aka begging), asparagus and Brussels sprouts and bell peppers are starting to be gobbled up.  We’re still working on my two picky kids, but there’s hope!

Week 5 (continued):
Tuesday, August 1: roasted chicken thighs with asparagus and mashed potatoes
Wednesday, August 2: taco salads
Thursday, August 3: pasta with leftover meat sauce
Friday, August 4: breakfast for dinner for the kids (waffles!), Home Chef for date night (brasserie-style sirloin steak with truffle frites and green beans)

Week 6:
Saturday, August 5: burgers and hotdogs on the grill
Sunday, August 6: Mark’s homemade pizza
Monday, August 7: roasted chicken thighs with pasta
Tuesday, August 8: sweet and sour chicken meatballs with a cabbage slaw
Wednesday, August 9: big kids in the kitchen – they made tacos!
Thursday, August 10: kielbasa, potato and veggie skillet
Friday, August 11: homemade pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (beef gyro sandwiches with fries and cucumber yogurt tzatziki sauce)

Week 7:
Saturday, August 12: burgers and hot dogs on the grill
Sunday, August 13: (Friends Over!) pork chili verde, Mexican-style pinto beans and rice (tortillas on the side), ice cream for the kids and dairy-free blueberry peach cobbler for the adults
Monday, August 14: sweet and sour chicken meatballs with fried rice
Tuesday, August 15: pasta and homemade meat sauce
Wednesday, August 16: roasted pork tenderloin with veggies (so good – we doubled this to eat for the rest of the week, but barely had enough left over)
Thursday, August 17: Refrigerator Clean-out night
Friday, August 18: homemade pizza for the kids, Home Chef for date night (patio BBQ steak sandwich and grilled corn)

Week 8:
Saturday, August 19: panini sandwiches
Sunday, August 20: greek lemon chicken kabobs with homemade tzatziki sauce
Monday, August 21: tacos
Tuesday, August 22: kielbasa pepper pasta
Wednesday, August 23: pasta and homemade meat sauce
Thursday, August 24: roasted pork tenderloin with veggies (again!)
Friday, August 25: grilled cheese sandwiches and chips for the kids, Home Chef for date night (ranch steak and jalapeno popper fritters)

Week 9:
Saturday, August 26: breakfast for dinner – waffles and fruit
Sunday, August 27: homemade personal pizzas
Monday, August 28: pulled pork in the slow cooker (put in sandwiches with coleslaw)
Tuesday, August 29: A Taste of Nigeria: peanut kabobs, jollof rice, virgin chapman cocktails, and gingered pineapple ice cream sundaes
Wednesday, August 30: tacos
Thursday, August 31: pork fried rice (with leftover pork from Monday) and eggrolls

Have you ever read Dinner: A Love Story?  I bought it years ago, read it, loved it and then promptly put it on the shelf where my good intentions seem to die.  Fast forward to last month.  As I unpacked kitchen boxes, I flipped through it again and re-read about the dinner diary she kept for over a decade.  A decade!!  What a treasure trove that must be – not just for remembering what you ate, but also all the memories intertwined within it.  It struck a chord: I want to do this.  I need to do this.

Here’s the thing: I’ve had trouble in the kitchen for a long time.  Mark cooks amazing food because he loves the creative process.  I cook so we don’t go to bed hungry.  That (lazy?  burnt out?) attitude has never sat well with me, though, and I really want to change.  And this book was just the kick in the pants I needed to start.  

My new motto lately has been “Just show up.”  It’s mostly been applied to working out, but I think it works here too.  Even when my head’s not in the game, I’m showing up, working the meal plan or stretching my creative muscles when I forget to make one.  (Ahem…)  Little by little, I’m starting to enjoy being in the kitchen again.

One month done.  Many, many more to go.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Week 1:
Saturday, July 1: hot dogs with all the fixin’s
Sunday, July 2: out – Sonic on the way home from meeting our new nephew!
Monday, July 3: baked chicken fingers with potato wedges
Tuesday, July 4: brisket with homemade mac & cheese, pasta salad, coleslaw, and flag cake
Wednesday, July 5: barbecue cups and salad
Thursday, July 6: southwestern Caesar chicken wraps
Friday, July 7: homemade pizza for the kids, date night with Home Chef (Chicken Diane with mashed potatoes and green beans – yum!)

Week 2: 
Saturday, July 8: beans and rice
Sunday, July 9: Mark recreated our date night meal again – big hit with the kids!
Monday, July 10: burgers and hot dogs on the grill
Tuesday, July 11: philly cheesesteaks and chips
Wednesday, July 12: breakfast for dinner – chocolate chip waffles, bacon, and strawberries
Thursday, July 13: one pan healthy sausage and veggies
Friday, July 14: homemade pizza for the kids, date night with Home Chef (pork egg roll in a bowl with crispy wontons and peanuts)

Week 3:
Saturday, July 15: leftovers
Sunday, July 16: pasta from scratch with homemade meat sauce (all Mark!)
Monday, July 17: roasted chicken wings/thighs with rice and salad
Tuesday, July 18: crispy parmesan garlic chicken with vegetables
Wednesday, July 19: burgers and hot dogs on the grill
Thursday, July 20: linguine with summer tomato “sauce” and roasted shrimp
Friday, July 21: homemade pizza for the kids (using this recipe due to a lack of prior planning!), date night with Home Chef (sirloin steak with sauce robert, mashed cauliflower and green beans)

Week 4:
Saturday, July 22: leftovers
Sunday, July 23: make-your-own eggrolls with Mark’s new “toy”
Monday, July 24: grilled chicken legs, rice and yellow squash
Tuesday, July 25: tacos
Wednesday, July 26: Refrigerator Clean-out Night (the kids strangely LOVED this!)
Thursday, July 27: kielbasa, rice and bacon brussel sprouts
Friday, July 28: smoothies and popcorn for the kids, date night with Home Chef (chicken with sauce soubise, swiss chard, mushrooms and tomatoes)

Week 5:
Saturday, July 29: panini sandwiches
Sunday, July 30: pasta and homemade meat sauce with salad and homemade bread
Monday, July 31: hot dogs and potato wedges