Adventures in Cooking with Carolyn

Long time no write, right?

I have a new obsession... trying to cook again.  We have been really awful about eating at home in the last year or so.  If we eat at home, it's more heating food than cooking, unless it's straight out of a box and follow the 5-or-less steps.  I was also inspired by one of Charles' cousins.  She's a newlywed, and is trying out Once A Month Cooking.  Don't we all want company when we try something new?

Lately things seem to be breaking like crazy around our house.  TV, dishwasher... the list is getting LONG!  And where is the fluff in our budget?  In our eating out.  Hence the OCD.

So we are on week two of me trying to do something about that.  Yesterday I finally called it "Adventures in Cooking with Carolyn" and thought, hmmm, I need to blog about this.

My initial goal was to eat at home more consistently (5+ nights a week, I'd really like 6), and to try a new-to-me recipe at least once a week.  To catch you up, last week I tried a Sour Cream Noodle bake, Chicken Crescent rolls, and Twice Baked Potatoes.  If you don't count Duncan (my picky eater), all three were a hit.  All need tweaks due to user error, but definitely good!

Yesterday we tried a "spice card" I found in the store from McCormick, for Apple & Sage pork chops, and a broccoli casserole.  The pork chops were TO DIE FOR.  Juicy, flavorful... YUM. 

Tonite I tried a Chicken Casserole from the Food Network.  Meh.  I had accidentally dumped too much pepper in last night's broccoli casserole, so I was over cautious about salt and pepper tonite.  Even with that, none of us thought this one was a keeper.   It was quite a bit of work for nothing special.  I also didn't care for the bread crumb topping.  I also like precision in my recipes; "salt and pepper to taste" makes me nervous.  Ah well.

I have just one more package of chicken in my freezer, and a couple of mystery meats, and then I should have room to start fresh.  I really am stocked to start on a road to better eating!!