The Family Dinner

Ever get bored of making the same thing for dinner week in and week out? I love food, to the point where I finish one meal and I am already planning the next. Two weeks ago, I had enough of eating the same thing! So much so that I used my christmas gift certificates for Indigo and purchased three new cook books - with the drive to find spectacular new recipes to get rid of this eating boredom. This scared Alan as he is the pickiest eater I have ever met - actually afraid to try new things - he could happily live on curry, shepherd's pie and meat and potatoes every week. While I studied the first of these cookbooks last week - we actually ordered take out or ate out every night because I really couldn't stand the idea of making one more boring dinner.

The first cook book that I tackled was named 'The Family Dinner' by Laurie David. I love, love, love this book - at first I didn't think it was what I needed as it goes into the importance of eating dinner together and really connecting over food. I have always eaten dinner with my family and continued to do so with Alan and Ewan - every night. But I actually read this book from cover to cover and I love the insights, ideas and especially the recipes. They are very straight forward, great pictures and written in the whole book is written in a similar style to a biography. Needless to say, I highly recommend it.

Well this weekend I was finally ready to tackle a few new recipes. I started on Saturday at lunch - I had just gotten home from A Gym Tale at noon and I had a good friend coming by at one for a visit. I had to walk the dog, so he wouldn't attack my friend and then get changed. By that point I was starving and she was going to be there at any moment. So I tried the 'eggs in purgatory' recipe - 1 jar of salsa and 5 eggs - all in one pan - cook them up for about 10 minutes - during which I warmed up some pitas and then sprinkled cheese over the egg mixture and it was done - a fantastic brunch in 10 minutes! And it was delicious!!

Sunday morning Alan had made the crepe recipe for when I got home from A Gym Tale - and again so simple and straightforward and delicious! That afternoon, I went all out - I made a roasted chicken with herb butter marinade with roasted potatoes and asparagus AND my very own loaf of French Bread! The house smelled divine and the food tasted even better! I am tempted to make my own bread every weekend just to get that smell back again.

Tonight I made tacos (a vegetarian recipe as we are trying to eat meat only 2-3 times per week to be more health conscious) and they were wonderful and ready in 15 minutes. And right this minute I have a banana bread in the oven for breakfast tomorrow morning. And I have a new recipe ready for every night this week - all from that book and all just as easy.

I feel a renewed energy for food!!!