Kitchen Goals

I've now decided that I want to start making my own peanut butter and bread. We'll see how this goes. Maybe this is just nesting or maybe it's time to realize that some things are just better to do yourself. Besides, I'm tired of the Oatmeal bread that falls apart and don't always want whole grain or multi-grain. If I make the bread myself than I can do any combination of white/whole wheat that works for that week. As for the peanut butter - I buy natural peanut butter but it gets unspreadable by the end of the jar and I end up throwing some out. What a waste.

Martha Is My Hero

As a big fan of unrealistic expectations, I am also a big fan of Martha Stewart. While I am unable to even come close to attempting her crafts or gardening feats, I am always up for her kitchen challenges. I only wish that I had her space for an extensive collection of dishes and serverware. After all, I am my mother's daughter and rarely put the cooking dish on the table. It appears that my daughter is following in my footsteps with her play kitchen too. Success!

Imagine my delight when I checked celebrity birthdays for August 3 and found out that if all goes according to plan, my second child will be born on both my father's birthday and Martha Stewart's birthday!

A Summer Success

Being five weeks away from having a baby popped out of me makes me very tired by the end of the day. Add in the heat, humidity and the two-year old and it's a wonder that my house is still standing by the end of the day. Really, I feel great. I'm just bone-weary exhausted and not very hungry. Needless to say, this unique combination of factors has made summertime cooking more of a challenge than normal.

Last week was highlighted by a cranky toddler who didn't nap and came down with her second ear infection in a month and two pink eyes. My major culinary feat that week was reheating the baked spaghetti my husband made the night before without the use of a microwave*.

Side Note: Our very annoying microwave that beeped too much was killed by lightening during a storm. After watching my husband microwave a spoon with no results, I told him to throw it away and be done with it. I decided that I liked the counterspace more than the convenience.

I am determined to do better this week and am off to a great start. Since nothing wears me out more than grocery shopping in the afternoon, I decided to make do with what we had on hand and came up with this refreshing alternative to tuna noodle casserole.

What I Did:

• Make a box of orzo to taste. The only taste being a minute less than al dente.
• Whiz up rosemary, fresh basil (minus snail), a handful or so of oil-cured kalamata olives, zest and juice of a lemon. The Cuisinart Mini-Prep Plus is perfect for this job.
• Whisk together one tablespoon of olive oil, one tablespoon of red wine or white balsamic vinegar and a squirt of Maille dijon mustard together.
• Mix the pesto-like mixture and the vinegarette with the drained pasta. Add two cans of good canned tuna (Albacore solid white) and as many garden-fresh tomatoes as you have to the pasta salad.
• Don't forget salt and pepper as you go along. Next time I want to add some red chili flakes for some kick.

A Belated Ending

Obviously this project has long since ended in a blaze of incomplete shame. Apparently, Martha doesn't realize that I lack a rambling homestead with acres of vegetable gardens, berry patches and free-range livestock. Instead, I rely on my local Publix that carries blackberries for $6 a pint - in season. Of course, I realize that these menus were never intended to be made weekly but a grand challenge is a grand challenge until you realize that more than half your week's already-astronomical grocery bill is taken up with ONE MEAL. Now I use the cookbook as it was intended - another resource on the shelf when I need a new recipe.