Not everything should be a Jell-O flavor!

On Wednesdays, all the kiddos hang out at AWANA. This means I get to do fun things with my friends. Sometimes we go get iced tea and chat. Other times, we peruse the aisles at Target. Sometimes, we're desperate (the cupboards are empty) and we're forced to grocery shop! But doing the marketing with friends is always more fun. The company is great and we find all sorts of interesting things!

A few weeks ago, Stacy and I discovered this treasure. Candy Cane Jell-O. I do love peppermint. My kiddos do love "candy cans" and we all enjoy pudding so... I took some time to debate the hot pink box and the $.96 price tag. Obviously, I caved to peer pressure. We both agreed to give it a whirl with the younger set, despite the fact that it goes against all that is good & holy in my food-issue-riddled-mind!

I told you the box is hot pink! You'd think that would serve as a deterrent. Nope.

The pudding mixed up a lovely shade of pale pink. I was worried, given the illustration on the box! It was thick and pretty. Alas, no one liked it but Lou and even she only ate a bit. Should have listened to "mommy radar" on this one...

Almost homemade bread...

I should have a really good excuse for not blogging for 8 months. I don't. I should "catch up" all the posts. I'm not going to... I'm am just starting where I am. It's all I can handle these days. Frankly, it might be more than I can stand. Stay tuned...

Last night, I made BBQ ribs in trusty crock-pot. As dinner time neared, I realized we needed bread. I'm not a Minnesota native, but having married into a Midwestern family, I have been taught- dinner needs bread. And truly... ribs deserve bread.

A quick survey of the kitchen and a quicker rundown of my baking skills revealed few options for quick bread. However, I did discover two tubes of Simply Pillsbury Rustic French bread in the fridge. I use those for stromboli, which is a favorite throw together meal around here!

Well, I popped those cans, plopped those bad boys on the cookie sheet and hoped that we'd have bread in 23-28 minutes...

o
Success!!! You wouldn't mistake it for homemade. Then again, you wouldn't have the mess to clue you in that someone made homemade bread either... The kids loved it and having warm bread on the table to sop up BBQ sauce from the ribs was awesome. What's sad is that my kiddos thought it was the "best meal ever..." Really?

Bountiful Baskets

Finally... a great deal on produce! Don't get me wrong, I love Costco for my fruits & veggies when the farmer's market is on hiatus, but... $15 buys a box of grapes and a tub of spinach. That's all. Not a lot of variety for those few dollars...

Introducing, Bountiful Baskets. For a $15 contribution to this co-op, you get a lovely basket of fruits & veggies. Here, it's every other week, but seeing as we have three locations already, perhaps they'll be enough interest to move to weekly!

Today's basket included: Jerusalem artichokes, strawberries, spinach, carrots, squash, cabbage, cantaloupe, bananas, sweet potatoes, mangoes, apples, and little bitty pears!

I'll be honest: before this morning, I'd never heard of Jerusalem artichokes (also called 'sunchokes'). A quick google search shows me that they are similar to parsnips and can be used in place of potatoes.

The goal for us it to use all of these groceries... the ones we love as well as the "unheard" of variety!

For $6.50 (my half of the 20 lbs. citrus box), this is what we found inside! Pummeloes, oranges, minneolas, lemons & limes. I think this will prove very popular here!

Cael was most entertained with the citrus. A full 1/2 hour was spent playing with his "lunch"!

$10 for 5 loaves of tasty bread! We also ordered tortillas and, man, are they dense! I'll bet those go over well with my boys!

My favorite meal...

Chicken pot pie is the ONLY pie Rhys will eat. It's a very popular meal around here. With the kiddos and their appetites getting bigger, the days of making one pot pie is disappearing! It leaves no leftovers & I'm certain everyone would have seconds if it were an option...

Did you know, chicken pot pie is a fabulous OAMC meal? Double your recipe & freeze one. It's no more work and the result is a spare dinner for another night. Good stuff!

My very complicated Chicken Pot Pie recipe:

Melt 1/3 c. butter in a large sauce pan. Add 1/3 c. flour~ stirring constantly for two minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups milk with a tablespoon of chicken base (or equivalent of chicken bullion)mixed in. Allow to simmer while stirring until thickened (few minutes). Add 2 cooked & diced chicken breasts. Stir in vegetables (corn, peas, green beans). If you're adding potatoes or carrots, be sure to cube them into small pieces and partially precook them. Pour into prepared pie crust or 9x13 pan. Top with 2nd crust or biscuits. Bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown or until biscuits are done.

Alternative idea: pour prepared filling over prepared biscuits. Yummy!

Incongruent...

Kjersten has a monthly cooking class at a local store. The class is taught by an amazing woman who I've had the privilege of learning from in her own home. The girls just love Miss Bonnie and the mamas love having the girls actually take instruction happily!


They learn, they cook, they eat. It's a good thing!


They even wash their hands!

Then, after we pick her up... we trek to McDonalds for our weekly lunch date with my girls and the kiddos! (Undoubtedly, Miss Bonnie would shake her head if she knew...)

What to feed hungry children?!

I don't have a large repertoire of kid friendly recipes, primarily because I'm really picky and I don't like a lot of typical family friendly fare... My kids are just used to what this mama makes! So I have already exhausted what I thought Evan & Emma would like: tacos, spaghetti, breakfast, my little cheddar meatloaves... We have a pizza/ movie night planned and my coup de grace is going to be boxed mac & cheese with hot dogs before we head to the airport on Saturday night. Well, that left ONE night...

Cynde suggested chicken drumsticks but I never did pick any up from the market so... what to do?! I reverted to a family favorite, feeling rather emboldened that I've had NO complaints all week long. Even every vegetable has been happily eaten!

I made Cajun Chicken Strips and Cornbread Casserole. And they loved it!!! (Even Emma who says she doesn't like corn...)

Super easy and quick!

Cajun Chicken Strips

1 T. flour

1 t. seasoned salt

3/4 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. paprika

1/4 t. pepper

1/8-1/4 t. cayenne pepper (I skip this with little kids)

1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken breasts (cut into 1/2" strips)

2 T. butter

In a gallon sized Ziploc baggie, combine first 6 ingredients. Add chicken (1/2 at a time) and shake to coat. In skillet, cook coated chicken in butter 8-10 minutes.

(After making this recipe for more than 10 years, I just now figured out that I can mix up extra seasoning to store in the pantry. Seems I'm a bit slow!)

Cornbread Casserole

1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can (14 oz) cream style corn

1 pkg. (8 1/2 oz) cornbread/ muffin mix

1 egg

2 T. butter, melted

1/4 t. garlic powder (I add more!)

1/4 t. paprika (I add more of this also!)

Mix all ingredients. Pour into greased 11x7x2 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees until tops and edges are golden brown (about 25-30 minutes).

Menu Plan Monday (Labor Day edition...)

Two weeks off did NOT help my motivation or my dinner offerings... Lesson learned.

This week's offerings (including planned breakfasts, lunches & snacks):

Monday: chicken caesar wraps

Tuesday: BLTs

Wednesday: chicken pot pie

Thursday: grilled brisket, cream biscuits, green salad

Friday: breakfast (pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit)

Saturday: tacos (with homemade refried beans/ homemade tortillas)

Sunday: turkey breast (if I can find one...), stuffing, green beans

Lunches (in no particular order):

• grilled hamburgers/ corn/ fresh veggies


• chili dogs/ carrots/ fresh peaches
  
• mini-sub sandwiches/ chips/ mandarin oranges


• bean burritos/ carrots/ applesauce


• grilled cheese sandwiches/ homemade tomato soup


• leftovers...

Breakfasts:

• cereal & fruit
  
• pumpkin muffins (from A Life Less Sweet)


• egg muffins


• oatmeal with fresh peaches (using up a case of them!)

Snacks:

• ants on a log (Rhys' new favorite)
• chips & homemade salsa
• yogurt covered raisins
• peaches (of course)
• Oreos & milk (I know... full of HFCS, but they were such a good deal and we LOVE them! What a treat!)

There you have it... If you would like more ideas & inspiration, visit this week's Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Ready for some (cheesy) football?!

I promise, it was better looking in person!

Jason needed something for a "tailgate" themed food day. I suggested this ideal appetizer: a football shaped cheese ball. He said it was a hit so, here's the recipe:

2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

8 oz. cheddar cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 green onions, chopped

3 oz. bacon bits

pimento strips (for laces, but I used sour cream)

Mix cheeses and dressing in mixer until blended. Add onions. Mix well and refrigerate several hours. Shape into football on serving plate; coat with bacon bits. Add lacing. Serve with crackers.

Chili today... hot tamale...

I make this chili all the time. It's very easy and freezes well. (Here's my original post with some variations I made then.)


It looks so colorful & smells so good right from the start!

This week, I just followed the recipe x 2. I have just enough left over to do chili dogs or have for lunch. I really need to triple this one if we want 2 meals out of it. I also use 1/2 black beans and 1/2 kidney beans for some variety. On lazy nights, like Friday, I just put the chili on Frito chips, topped with shredded cheese, onions, and sour cream and called that dinner! Good stuff, Maynard!

Chili Con Carne

1 lb. ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

3/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (I use more)

1- 16oz. can tomatoes, cut up

1- 16 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained

1- 8oz can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4-6 servings.

Cook ground beef, onion, green pepper, and garlic until meat is browned. Drain fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil, salt, & pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes longer.

If using for OAMC: cool, place in gallon bags, and freeze. On serving day, thaw completely. Simmer until heated through and serve.

Hints

Serve with tortillas or cornbread. Top with grated cheese, sour cream, onions.If you prefer a slightly thinner consistency, add more tomato sauce, tomato juice or V-8.

Grandma's birthday

Grandma Barb went and had another birthday... So, we felt the need to celebrate!

Auntie Sara & uncle Josh came early. Sara trimmed all the kids' hair (boy, is she cheap labor!?)

While uncle Josh kept the boys occupied. Brennen ran circles around Josh & Rhys playing catch. Round and round and round he went....

Sara told the boys to "shhhh" and Cael happily oblilged... Such an easy toddler!

I made basic BBQ fare: hamburgers, potato salad (with and without egg), pasta salad watermelon and chips. Dessert, on the other hand, needed to be special. I made a scrumptious Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake (see recipe at bottom of this post). It was fabulous topped with some fresh whipped cream and fresh rasberries.

No birthday cake (even an unfrosted, bundt cake) is complete without a candle!

Following a whole lotta eating, we played a new card game. Yes, we deviated from our standard Rage game and played "Swap" instead.

It's a bit violent, but much fun. Even Rhys & Kjersten were able to play. Obviously, the hand slapping was the most entertaining!

Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake~ America's Test Kitchen

Serves 12 to 14

Ingredients

Cake Release
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon cocoa

¾ cup Dutch-processed cocoa (2 1/4 ounces)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
¾ cup water (boiling)
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar (14 ounces)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 large eggs, room temperature
Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Directions

1. FOR THE PAN: Stir together butter and cocoa in small bowl until paste forms; using a pastry brush, coat all interior surfaces of standard 12-cup Bundt pan. (If mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for 10 to 20 seconds, or until warm and softened.) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. FOR THE CAKE: Combine cocoa, chocolate, and espresso powder (if using) in medium heatproof bowl; pour boiling water over and whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature; then whisk in sour cream. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda in second bowl to combine.

3. In standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds after each addition and scraping down bowl with rubber spatula after first 2 additions. Reduce to medium-low speed (batter may appear separated); add about one third of flour mixture and half of chocolate/sour cream mixture and mix until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape bowl and repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining chocolate mixture; add remaining flour mixture and beat until just incorporated, about 10 seconds. Scrape bowl and mix on medium-low until batter is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan, being careful not to pour batter on sides of pan. Bake until wooden skewer inserted into center comes out with few crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes.

5. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert cake onto parchment-lined wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.

6. Dust with confectioners' sugar, transfer to serving platter, and cut into wedges; serve with Tangy Whipped Cream and raspberries, if desired.

Why, yes... that's a lefse griddle!

Amber introduced my family to the superiority of homemade tortillas. I didn't even like tortillas before I had her homemade version. Mmmmmmm... She made a believer out of me! They're really easy to make and they freeze well. (Word to the wise: make a double batch if you want leftovers...)

And, yes, I use Jason's mom's lefse griddle. It heats to 500 degrees which makes the tortillas cook quickly without sticking. Easy, I tell you, easy!!!

Amber's Tortillas

6 cups flour (white or white/wheat mix)

1/3 cup vegetable shortening (or lard)

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 cups warm water

Mix the dry ingredients in large bowl. Add shortening and combine using your hands. When properly mixed there will no clumps. Slowly add water until flour is all Incorporated. Place dough on counter and knead briefly. Leave on counter, cover will bowl, and let rise for 20 minutes. Dough should be easily pliable after rising. Roll out very thin. Cook on hot griddle, flipping as necessary, until both sides have light browning.

One berry, two berry, find me a strawberry!

My grocery store has stopped carrying jelly/ jams without HFCS. They carry no organic brands. Nothing sweetened with plain old sugar. Grrrrrr... (Yes, I could, and sometimes do, go elsewhere, but that's not necessarily the best use of my time.)

This predicament led me to re-investigate freezer jam. I do not have the ability to grow much at our house. No water has that effect. Therefore, learning to can isn't the most practical skill as I won't ever have bumper crops of beans or berries needing preserving!

On the other hand, frozen fruit can be bought at Costco for very reasonable prices. And, with a bit of pectin, the sugar of my choice, and said fruit, we have jam!


Simple. Mush up fruit. Stir in pectin & sugar. Put into freezer safe jars.

Ta-da! Easy, delicious, HFCS-free, inexpensive jam!

Menu Plan Monday (August 16-22)

Seeing as I haven't been to Costco (going tomorrow) or the Farmer's Market (Wednesday night), this menu is a guesstimate... I'm assuming that the things I intend to buy will be available and reasonably priced as I finish out this 2 weeks' shopping.



Sunday- Beef Kabobs Dijon/ sliced bell peppers/ white rice



Monday- Indoor BBQ chicken/ cream biscuits/ corn on the cob/ steamed broccoli



Tuesday- Lil' Cheddar Meatloaves (see recipe below)/ roasted red potatoes/ green salad

Wednesday- green salad topped with chicken



Thursday- BLTs/ chips/ cut veggies



Friday- Chili Con Carne/ cornbread muffins/ green salad



Saturday- grilled cheese sandwiches/ homemade tomato soup/ cut veggies



If you would like more ideas & inspiration, visit this week's Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.



As promised...


Little Cheddar Meatloaves
1 egg
1 Tbsp. milk
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pound ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard


Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk egg and milk. Stir in the cheese, oats, onion and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight loaves; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and mustard; spoon over loaves. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until no pink remains and a meat thermometer reads 160°.


Lately, I’ve taken to baking the loaves on a cooling rack placed on a rimmed cookie sheet. It allows the fat to drain off easily. For freezer meals to use later, I usually triple (or more) this recipe and freeze the uncooked loaves (large meatball size). Once frozen, I pop them off the cookie sheet into a Ziploc baggie. Then, when needed, I can take out how many I’d like to make, top with sauce, and bake a bit longer.


*** Fabulous care team meal. Just add green salad, bread, and dessert! I have one friend that makes these with ground turkey. ***

I'm trying to get to the Farmer's Market on Wednesday night. Don't hold me to it, though... Jason & Lou have guitar lessons & Rhys has karate. After I do my running kids here & there, my plan is to take the two little boys and go in search of a parking spot anywhere near downtown. We shall see what actually transpires...


My list is rather short:

• tomatoes


• something new to try...


• more tomatoes

I found a great source for corn right on the way to karate so I don't need to squeeze that into the wagon with the boys on Wednesday night!

Menu Plan Monday

Well, it worked! I just needed some accountability and posting my menu did the trick! It also got us company for dinner one night! (Thanks Carol. The tortillas and dessert were awesome!)

This week, I'm continuing to clean out the pantry/ deep freeze.



Sunday- Crockpot beef roast/ potatoes

Monday- leftovers

Tuesday- Homemade mac & cheese/ ham steak/ watermelon


Wednesday- Cajun chicken strips/ cornbread casserole/ green beans


Thursday- Sloppy Joes/ cut veggies/ chips


Friday- Spaghetti & meatballs/ french bread/ green salad


Saturday- Grilled hamburgers/ pasta salad/ corn on the cob (if I can find any...)



If you would like more ideas & inspiration, visit this week's Menu Plan Monday at I'm an Organizing Junkie.

We did not make it to the Farmer's Market this weekend thanks to a torrential downpour and stunning early morning display of lightning and thunder. So, we're using up the few leftover veggies from last week and supplementing with frozen. It's just as well. I desperately need to clean out the refrigerator so fewer obstacles are a good thing!

Menu Plan Monday

Okay, I've been menu planning forever and a day, but I seem to have lost my enthusiasm these last few weeks. To motivate myself, I am posting my menus so the whole wide world will know what I am supposed to be making and will shame me should I be caught at the drive-up window...

Sunday: Grilled, marinated pork roast/ fried green tomatoes/ romaine with homemade Catalina dressing

Monday: Chicken on green salad

Tuesday: Beef tacos on homemade tortillas with homemade refried beans

Wednesday: Stromboli/ raw veggies (peppers/ carrots/ onions/ radishes)

Thursday: Chili/ cornbread muffins

Friday: Grilled burgers/ pasta salad/ fresh veggies

Saturday: Crockpot roast with veggies/ green salad

NOTES about this week's menu: You'll notice lots of beef in this menu. I'm cleaning out the freezer this week in an effort to save money (looming car repair) and use up some older food.

Our farmer's market finds were limited this week. It was far too crowded to browse leisurely... (And, someone please tell me why anyone would bring their dog to market?! It's hot, it's all pavement, and there's nothing for those poor dogs to do... Argh! No water, no food, nowhere to rest in the shade... Okay. Rant over.)

We did find onions, carrots, radishes, green tomatoes (see this post), lots of red tomatoes, a pepper plant (for Jason), cucumbers, some yummy little donuts, a plateful of oriental noodles, and a grape slushy for good measure!

If you would like more ideas & inspiration, visit this week's Menu Plan Monday at The Happy Housewife.

Fried Green Tomatoes

As long as we're introducing our family taste buds to new veggies, I do not pass any booth at the farmers market. Saturday, I was drawn to the green tomato stall. Hmmmm... The guys assures me that there are many uses for these hard, lime colored orbs. Such as? His examples included fried and relish and then began to repeat himself. I purchased them out of curiosity knowing full well that we would not like them.

At home, my screen free Sunday had to be set aside to allow a recipe search. Turns out, there are 2 million recipes for such a simple food. I decided against cornmeal (didn't want grit) and against egg (really didn't want to chance an "eggy" taste). In the end, I put my own variation on the menu.

Here's the recipe:

That's it. Flour with some garlic and red pepper. Dipped the tomatoes in milk before coating with the flour mixture. Easy. Very easy.

And very, very good! Jason (gasp!) is the only one who didn't really like them, although Rhys would have left out the red pepper...

Branching out...

Artichokes. I'm 37 years old and I have never eaten an artichoke. Truthfully, I've never had the slightest desire to... Rhys, however, is rather intrigued by anything with spikes (vegetable or not)! It seems our local Costco carries this odd culinary treat. Couple Rhys' curiosity with my rule of never denying a request for any veggie or fruit (particularly anything new to us) and we brought home four of these things...

I am not adventurous but I am on a mission to feed my family well. Alas, buying the artichoke is not enough. Apparently, one has to actually cook & consume them to reap any health benefits. (Sort of like the treadmill... one has to actually get on it AND turn it on AND run... Grrrrr!)

So, dinner with friends on Saturday became the occasion of choice to debut these green pokey globes . Jason did a little internet research and discovered that they can be microwaved in lieu of steamed (our steamer basket is too shallow). He did that and then grilled them for a bit. Served alongside melted butter, we dared one another to try them. Four adults and six kids trying to figure out how to eat those 2 artichokes. We liked them once we figured out what part is actually edible... but as Jason says, "Anything that hard to eat doesn't really want to be food."

Verdict? We have two more to cook. We will cook & eat those. Nonetheless, I'm guessing, short of a specific request, artichokes probably won't make my grocery list.

However, the rest of dinner was worthy of a repeat. We made Bangkok Chicken Satay (chicken skewers with peanut sauce), fresh cauliflower & broccoli (from the farmer's market) and wild rice (made in the awesome new rice cooker~ our old rice cooker wouldn't adjust for brown/wild rice).

I took no photos so you'll just have to take my word for it... Delicious!!!

Breakfast courtesy of Lou... again!

My enthusiastic child and her second attempt at breakfast! Lou made pancake bake and scrambled eggs with peppers & cheese. (Yes, that is George pouting... He didn't want eggs!)


Cael, on the other hand, loved them!!!!


Here he's asking for more!

Rhys has cooking class this week. I hope he's as excited to cook as his sister! (This is working out well for the mama...)

She's going to be a great cook!

We had Gordon & Amy over for dinner last night. I made Korean Ribs (my dad's recipe... yummy!) and Kjersten made dessert! She made Pineapple Upside-Down Cupcakes and they were fabulous!

I haven't had Korean ribs since childhood. They were my absolute favorites! In looking for another recipe in my mother's enormous collection, I found my dad's recipe. The ribs were as good as I remember and really easy to make!

Korean Ribs

• 6 beef short ribs
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed, mashed
• 1 Tablespoon olive or sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon MSG
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 cups soy sauce
• pepper to taste

Cut ribs crosswise to bone in 2 or 3 places. Combine remaining ingredients to make marinade. Marinate ribs in sauce at least one hour. Place ribs in single layer in baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Notes: I use boneless ribs. I also use much more garlic and will use low-sodium soy sauce next time to cut down on the saltiness...

Want a "bahsterry"?

Kjersten made smoothies for breakfast this morning (a first in our house as I don't like fruit mixed together and squished...) She did a great job and the boys loved them!

I had to video Cael and his new pronunciation for his favorite fruit!

The occasion? Kjersten finished her three day cooking class at the local kitchen store. She now has a folder full of recipes she's dying to make for us. I'm sure you'll be seeing many posts of her cooking adventures in the future. (Rhys takes his cooking class next week. After that, I figure those 2 can be in charge a dinner or two each week! Yippee!!!)