What Has Saved You This Week?
It’s been a few weeks since I arrived in your inbox. With the kiddo starting school, my anxiety has been on a thousand, not to mention, recipe writing and planning for the cookbook and newsletter. Other things are going on as well that has caused me to feel overwhelmed, which causes me to become paralyzed and start the vicious “I’m failing!” mantra in my head.
This has made cooking nearly impossible. There are a few things that have saved me in the food department the past few weeks:
Cookbooks- I love reading through a cookbook to find inspiration for creating and cooking something easy. The one cookbook that has a hold on me, is That Noodle Life by Mike Le and Stephanie Le. At any given time, there are noodles in the house and there is nothing easier than making a yummy quick dinner with noods. The one recipe that gets turned over in my mind is Thai Curry Garlic Butter Noodles. This is just a noodle dish but if you have some leftover meat to throw in, do it. Take some butter and minced garlic, and add it to a saute pan over medium heat, cooking until fragrant. Add the Thai curry paste—as much or as little as you want. Taste. Once it is to your liking, add in cooked pasta, mix, and then plate.
If you want a thicker sauce, make a cornstarch slurry, equal parts cornstarch, and water, ( I would start with a tablespoon but it also depends on how much of a sauce you have and how thick you want it that will determine the slurry amount) add when the sauce is simmering. Also, don’t be afraid to use some of the pasta water to thicken the sauce and help it stick to your noods.
This may be too spicy for you and your family so feel free to mix it up. I live life on the edge so I will sacrifice my insides for a good spicy dish.
Walmart+ - I may have mentioned this before but it is worth mentioning again. At least two to three times a week I make a grocery order to be delivered to the house. I used to never order from Walmart but the way grocery prices are set up, it is the cheapest option. One item I order almost weekly is their grass-fed 1lb ground beef. I’m not a huge fan of ground chuck, which seems to be everywhere these days, and most recipes I make call for an exact pound. I found this great sloppy joe sauce at Walmart, La Famiglia DelGrosso Joe Joe’s Sloppy Joe Sauce Sweet, and Smoky. It's been a constant in our house ever since. I find Manwhich is too vinegary and not to mention, opening a jar is much easier than a can. The kiddo can get involved by helping brown the meat and pour the sauce into the pan. Sloppy Joe’s may be looked down on but it works perfectly in a pinch and when life is coming at you fast.
If you have not invested in some type of grocery delivery service, please do. It has saved me hours and made this momma’s life easier.
I had more things but the way my brain is setup from this first time back to school week, I can’t even remember half the things I need to do.
I hope you all give yourself grace even if you are childless and just trying to make it through the day. Take note of the small things that have made your week work for you. If you would like, share them in the comments.
XoXo~Christilisa