Saturday Shoppin' and Cookin'

Well, it has been a good culinary day for a rainy Saturday.  I decided to skip my trip to Charlotte for the CK Convention due to the rain.  I opted instead to go to Sam's Club and check out my options.  I saw some cookware options that I'll keep in mind, and picked up a pair of 7" Santoku knives.  I also grabbed a stack of 30 aluminum 12x10 pans to support some future freezer cooking for less than $6.  I found a good priced bag of boneless skinless chicken thighs, some sliced mushrooms for an upcoming recipe, noted ground beef prices ($3.19 /lb) and pondered, but passed on whole pork and beef loins.   Grabbed some Minute Rice (I was out after the Shrimp Creole), some Pam cooking spray, and garlic powder and onion powder.  I saw some good prices/quantities on things like baking potatoes, cheese, chicken breasts, milk, garlic (I almost bought the fresh garlic, but decided I couldn't use up 3 lbs worth by 9/23!), diced tomatoes, as well as various oils and spices.

I need to clean and reorganize my food cabinets if I keep stocking up like this!  I am starting to run out of room.  I bought yet more spices at Food Lion this week (rosemary, thyme, cayenne pepper, poultry spice, parsley) as well as a 1/2 pork loin, a pork butt roast, pork chops, cubed steak...

Today I repeated the Twice Baked Potatoes that were such a hit.  And they improved!  We made eight potatoes and froze four for later.  I also tried a new recipe, Fried Round Steak.  The steak was ok, but I think my pan-frying judgment needs some improvement. 

I really am feeling energized by this rebirth of home cooking at our house.  I still have a ways to go, and I need to start putting some stuff in the freezer for nights when I just don't feel like it.  I also think an investment in a better skillet is needed sooner than later.  The replacement cookware can wait, but the skillet not so much.  Mom pointed me in the direction of Ollie's Outlet so I am headed there tomorrow to look at one she's had for a while.  Pampered Chef and Tupperware are calling my name too to improve my tools.  We shall see!