Eating at Home: Day 6

I made something tonight that Marc has been asking for since we first got married 14 years ago. A POT ROAST!

My mom used to make pot roasts every other Sunday. That was one of my dad's favorite meals, so she would get up early and get one going before we left for church. I can still remember what it smelled like when she would sear the roast, and to be honest, it was a smell that I couldn't stand! 

After church, Daddy would drive us straight home, change his clothes, and sit at the table waiting for his pot roast. As we got older, it was easier on my mom to go out for dinner after church. I loved when that happened!

Then Marc started begging for pot roasts, and I finally gave in last week and bought all the ingredients to make him one. Last night, we cut the potatoes and carrots so I wouldn't have to do it before school. Then, this morning, I threw them into the Crock Pot, along with some beef broth. I seasoned a HUGE roast with some salt, pepper, and garlic and laid it right on top of the vegetables. 

When I got home this afternoon, the smell of dinner hit me when I walked in the door. It smelled good, but I still didn't eat any. Marc, though, had a big plate full! Man heaven! And there's a ton left over for him to take for lunch tomorrow.

To say he was thrilled is the understatement of the year!

Eating at Home: Day 5

Marc and I decided to switch out our "Eating Out" night this weekend. 

My goal was to only eat out on Friday nights and Sundays. However, we were so cold and tired from being at the range all day yesterday that we decided to grab some take-out. That meant not eating out tonight. So, Marc made Sweet and Sour Meatballs, and I snacked all night. (I was working on paperwork for school and nothing really sounded good!) 

We also got everything prepped to throw in the Crock Pot tomorrow morning. I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and trying something that scares me to death! Stay tuned!

Eating at Home: Day 4

We did it! We ate at home four nights in a row!

This afternoon, Marc had to meet someone at 5:00 across town so he was going to be late getting home. He called me after work to see if I wanted to go to Red Robin to eat dinner. (He has a free birthday burger coming...) As tempting as it was, I told him that I really wanted to cook tonight. (Gasp!)

I've had a crazy week filled with three meetings and four different interns hanging out in my classroom. The last thing I really wanted to do was cook tonight. But that was my goal, and I stuck to it! I have to say that I'm really proud of myself!

On the menu tonight was shrimp scampi with pasta and garlic bread.

It was quick and easy to make and oh so good! Now, we're going to eat tomorrow night, because I've earned it!

Eating at Home: Day 3

Okay, I'm getting better at this! 

In less than 30 minutes, I made brats and fried potatoes. Marc was in man heaven...He's a meat and potatoes kind of guy! 

Now, I need to finish doing the laundry so I can watch Survivor. 

Eating at Home: Day 2

Today has been pretty rough!

I woke up a little after 3:00am with excruciating pain in my ear. After waiting on some medicine to kick in, I had about 30 more minutes to sleep before my alarm went off.

I had yet another field experience student in my classroom today to observe. (My third person in two days!) I really don't mind them being in there, but I never get a planning break because I'm having to answer questions.  

Then to top it off, I had to go to the doctor to get my ear checked. Turns out that I have a really bad ear infection. I guess I should've gone in when it first started hurting a couple of weeks ago. Oops!

Anyway, as bad as I wanted to just pick up take-out, I didn't! I dropped off my prescription and headed home to cook these little yummies:

Ham Sammies:

(Picture borrowed from the linked website.)

My sweet mother has been making these sandwiches for years! Every baby or wedding shower she has hosted included these sandwiches, probably because they are so simple to make, and they freeze beautifully!

I ended up making enough for tonight and another batch to freeze for later. I'm looking forward to making them on a night in the future when I'm too tired to cook!

*This is the recipe that is closest to my mother's recipe, except she uses shredded cheddar cheese. I use cheddar or Swiss, depending on what's in the fridge. I also use Woeber's Supreme Honey Mustard instead of Dijon mustard. I like that it gives it more of a bite!

Eating at Home: Day 1

Marc and I eat out WAY TOO MUCH! Not only is it really expensive, but we usually pick unhealthy junk. So, my goal this month is to eat more home-cooked meals. 

Part of the reason we eat out so much is that I'm absolutely exhausted when I get home from work every day. I have to be "ON" for about seven hours a day, and it wears me out. My classroom ranges from calm to chaotic at any given minute depending on what we're doing, and sometimes I feel like the ringleader. 

So, in an effort to be more organized, I made a monthly menu this past weekend, along with a detailed grocery list. And by gum, I'm going to STICK WITH IT! I'm going to cook every night except Fridays and Sundays. We're also planning to go out this month for Marc's birthday and our anniversary.

Tonight, I made stuffed bread with pepperoni, ham, and provolone cheese! (This is not my bread. I borrowed the picture from the linked website.)

Oh my! It was so good! I've always been scared to make it, because Marc is used to his Italian mama's stuffed breads. But he loved it! (And it wasn't hard to make at all...a huge plus for me!)

I'm going to definitely use this recipe again. It's a keeper!

Road Trip!

Two of my favorite words: Road Trip!

Marc had to drive to Birmingham to pick up something he had purchased down there, so we decided to make a day of it. He decided to take "Frank" on his first out-of-town trip. I mean, let's face it, "Frank" gets a whopping 35+mpg, so it was a no-brainer!

"Frank" on the interstate

I really wasn't in the mood to go when Marc first mentioned the trip to me. I've had a ton of school work to do lately, and it seems like I never catch up no matter how hard I work. My plan for that day was to get a couple weeks' work done, so I could have a breather during the week. Oh well, the best laid plans...

He persuaded me to go when he promised to take me to the Cheesecake Factory. (One of my favorites!) He also said we could go to World Market and HomeGoods. 

The Novel Menu

There are so many yummies on the menu that it's always so hard to decide what to eat. We decided to get an old favorite and to try some new things. Stepping out of my comfort zone, if you will.

Crab Wontons

(We always order these. They are so good!)

Sweet Corn Fritters

(Something new for us. The verdict's still out.)

Chicken Sliders

(Good, but way too many!)

Marc ordered the Shepherd's Pie, which was also new for him. He really liked it, and it was a huge, man-sized portion. We were both so stuffed that we decided to skip dessert. Imagine that!

After lunch, we picked up Marc's purchase, did a little shopping, and then headed home. Fun day!