I cook for the pickiest eaters in the whole world! Now, let's not forget that the kids can't have any milk products, the chick is allergic to coconut and soy, the kids don't like fish, shrimp, or shellfish, Dave doesn't like chicken, capers, bell peppers, olives, turkey, cranberries, curry, salmon, artichokes, chickpeas, beans, or sweets (just to name a few). I, on the other hand, love it all...perhaps if I was a pickier eater I would fit into my pants.
So, to add a little stress to the eating situation, I went back to work full time from 3/4 time and dinner has been after 7:00 all week. Dave made a comment about late dinners and I told him I had a plan.
"I'm not going back to crock pot dinners." he loudly announced to the family.
Damn
In his defense, I am not the best crock pot cook. I have tried and tried, but it remains a skill beyond my reach. Not that he won't have to suffer through a dry crock pot moose roast once in a while. You see, I just don't have the knack. So I think we are destined to have late dinners, fat thighs, and bedtime acid reflux (not that we have it now (the acid reflux that is), but that is what late dinners do to you...I read that on the internet).
This dinner was again a late one. Dave cooked the pork chops on the grill and basted with some store bought sauce. I made the brussels sprouts and chick pea mash, knowing that Dave wouldn't like either and not knowing about the kids. It was delicious (in my opinion), and I would make it again in a heartbeat. Even Dave liked it.
adapted from Fine Cooking
Chick Pea Mash
adapted from Fine Cooking
3 cups of Chickpeas, from your freezer with this recipe or canned
1 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbsp. créme fraiche
6-8 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Put chickpeas, 1 cup vegetable stock and 1 cup water in a 4 quart saucepan over medium-high het and simmer for 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the liquid, drain the chickpeas, and transfer to a food processor. Add 1/2 tsp salt and a dash of pepper and pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the reserved 1/2 cup liquid, the créme fraiche, 1/4 cup of oil and 1 tsp. of lemon juice; puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with pork chops, chicken, or lamb. Serves 4
1 year ago: Pear Upside Down Cake
2 years ago: Chocolate Cake and the Crazy Cooking Challenge
February 7, 2014 Daylight 7 hrs. 38 min. 54 secs. Temp. H 11/ L -10°F
Wow. I know what I'd be telling my family if they were as picky as yours (especially the full grown kids who've moved back home)!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a house where you damn well better be grateful that someone else made dinner for you because if you complained you were likely to end up feeding yourself from now on (apparently my father made a comment about my mother's packed lunches before I was born and I never saw her make them again!). My mother also didn't use idle threats - if you didn't finish your zucchini then you really never saw a sniff of dessert, no matter how long you sat there and sulked. A tactic I heartily agree with! And I believe because of thist, no one in my family is a picky eater.
We were blessed with a stay-at-home mom who was an amazing cook but that doesn't mean her work shouldn't be appreciated just as much as a paid job.
Thanks for the support Lindsay,
ReplyDeleteI just read your comment to my family and my husband's response was "I eat everything you put in front of me, even fish stick casserole." He is right, but when you know they don't like it, it takes the fun out of making it. The rule at my house is, two bites to be polite and then you can make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Ah, then well done! :)
ReplyDeleteThat's very true about the enjoyment. It doesn't matter how good *you* think it is!
Perhaps them hearing admonishment from someone outside the family might remind them to appreciate mum for a little while ;)
(and I made the chickpea mash and it was so good I could sit down with just a bowl and some bread!)