Dream Believe Imagine

My 11 year old niece had a school assignment last week that got me thinking. Her assignment was to write a paper or do an art project with the theme Dream Believe Imagine.  She and I had a long talk about how this type of assignment is subjective and open to interpretation but I started thinking…what I would write about that theme.

We talked about what it means and it lead to a funny conversation between her and I but mostly I started thinking about what do I dream and believe and imagine. I started thinking about the things that are most important, causes I believe in, and what are my hopes for the future and my mind keep going back to the same topic…food insecurity in America.

I know it’s a bizarre topic to dream, believe, and imagine about but I did, let me help you get there.

I grew up with food insecurities, in fact I was about my niece’s age. My mom, who was a single working mom at the time, had just lost her job when I realized that we may not have enough food in our house.  From the time she got laid off for 4 months food was scarce in our house. We were lucky in that we didn't go to bed hungry like many but we ate a lot of Ramen Noodles and that cheap store brand macaroni and cheese that cost 5 cents a box. I was acutely aware that my mom would not eat at times to make sure us kids had enough food each night.

Even after she got a job I was aware that we were different from my friends because while we had more food in the house there were times when we didn't. Paydays were always exciting as mom would make up the grocery list and we would have good food in the house for the next two weeks or at least for part of the next two weeks. It’s not like we ate steak and lobster but we would have hamburger and chicken those were always good times.

Eventually before the next payday we would start to run out of food again and dinner would consist of gravy on toast. Which surprisingly was one of my favorite meals if mom made it from the bacon drippings and not tuna. (It just accord to me that this may be why I make kick ass gravy). Or the cheap cans of soup that never fill you up and don’t taste good.

It’s because of this that I am acutely aware at all times what food is in the fridge and cupboard. I always know what I have and don’t have. I, to this day, just open up the cupboards and take a mental stock of what is there. (I will admit when I was single and care free I often didn't have food in my home…I had every restaurant menu in a 10 mile radius memorized. And I knew every day where I was going to have breakfast, lunch and dinner and what I was going to order so I was still taking stock of all the food I had access to).

This brings me to my niece’s assignment….I dream of time when no one in America should be hungry or worry about their next meal. I believe that if everyone donated one meal a week (nothing fancy cans of chili and a box of cornbread mix will do) we could end food insecurity. I imagine a world where people are compassionate enough to donate year round.

When you are out shopping for your weekly and/or holiday grocery shopping please consider donating a few cans to your local food bank.  They do amazing things in communities and can use all the support they can receive. If you can’t donate food items consider donating a little of your time. Or organize a food drive at your church, place of business or in your community.

I think my niece drew a picture of Africa, she dreams of going on a safari...I like her dream too.

Sometimes A Girl Just Needs To Eat Pizza. Yum.

I don't always write about pizza but when I do its usually funny. Well...the one other post I wrote about pizza was funny. This post is not funny, I am not having a good relationship with pizza.

Don't get me wrong I still LOVE pizza as much as the next girl but it seems we have been eating it A LOT at my house.

It may be criminal and some form of child abuse as often as we have had pizza for dinner. I don't know what happened to me, not that long ago I had a weekly menu full of healthy and good foods for my family and now we get greasy pizza once a week.

I don't mean to speak badly of pizza, like I said I LOVE pizza, but it can't be good that I am at this moment feeding it to my family A LOT.

I think I am feeling guilty. It has to be guilt otherwise why would I think the people at Papa Murphy's would be judging me. Seriously any day know I am going to walk in and they are going to shout "MICHAEL". just like they yelled Norm on Cheers.

I could blame it on being sick during the busiest time at work but that would only explain the last two weeks. I need to think of a different excuse for the three weeks before that...because even when I broke my wrist I cooked more than I have been.

Of course the "pseudo" step-kids are beyond happy that we are having pizza so often. This may have been the best month or so of their life. You should see there little faces when I walk in the pizza and bread sticks. They didn't even get upset when one of the dogs ate all the bread sticks one night...because we have it so often its no longer a treat.

I just need to....I don't know what I need to do.  I wonder what we should have for dinner tonight? Tacos?

9 Dinner Time Questions

mmmm...food.

I like to experiment in the kitchen. I am always on the hunt for easy dinners The Family will eat. I try to keep it simple and I try to only add one or two new recipes a week. 

This week I tried a vegetarian meal (it had eggs in it so I guess it was really just meatlesss)...all week long on the menu it said Vegetable Pie (which was really a Veggie Quiche) and all week long everyone asked me, "What's that?" My answer was always the same, "a Vegetable pie...duh." Not very poetic but what can I say.

So last night when I was making dinner I had an audience and I heard the following questions?

1. That's it?
2. What kind of meat are you putting in it?
3. What do you mean no meat?
4. What gravy are you using?
5. Whats the green stuff?
6. What seasoning do you need?
7. Really you don't need any?
8. Will it taste good?
9. Have you made this before?

One might think that I heard these from the "pseudo" step-kids but no everyone if these questions came from The BF. Yup thats right The BF. I am not sure what brought on this barge of questions but I suspecect is he was doubting my cooking abilities....to quote my favorite movie "as if". Even when my food isn't amazing its still edible so I am not sure why he was doubting my ability.

Dinner looks yummy

 I tried to be patient. I really did and I was once for a moment but about the time we got to question 7 I was annoyed. At question 8 I was requesting everyone leave the kitchen. By 9 I was yelling, "You don't have to eat it. Go hungry I don't care." Not my best response but come on 9 questions doubting my ability.

What is dinner like at your house? Nice and peaceful? Crazy and chaotic? Annoying and fun?