Monday Menu returns!!

I have been feeling myself falling into a rut.  A dinner rut.  A "what should I make for dinner" rut.  I know we've all been there, because I've compared notes with so many who share the same rut.  It's often not the cooking I mind, it's the coming-up-with-what-to-cook that can drive me into that rut.  I'm sure you've heard the expression "Life is so daily.", and it is so true.  That's a fabulous thing, but can also speak to the daily repetitions that we all face.

From the time my kids were old enough to consume table food, the motto has been "you get what you get and you don't have a fit."  I've also taught them that our dining room is not a restaurant, and I am not a short order cook.  I've heard somewhere that it takes a person's palate something like 7 times trying a new food before it's accepted.  So my approach has always been to keep putting things in front of them, expecting them to taste it with a happy heart.  If they grumble about it, I give them an extra scoop and then they are expected to finish it.  If they taste it happily and sincerely don't like it, then that's fine.  But I don't fix you something special.

So, as part of all that, my responsibility is to then fix them a variety of things and try to keep it interesting.  I never fix something that I know everyone despises and then expect them to eat it.  I treat them with respect and expect the same in return.  I don't think it's a fluke that my kids are healthy eaters.

Now, throw into that mix trying to balance the likes/dislikes of five people, being sensitive to one's sensitive system, and keeping things from being boring... planning meals can get old very fast!  So I've been going through my old recipe files looking for old things to be new again.  And I've found some good ones.  So to add in some accountability for me, I'm going to be resurrecting my Monday Menu!  Aren't you so thrilled??

I just finished making an oldie but goodie that I will share tomorrow.  So old that my kids don't remember having it before.  Perfect.

I'm also refiguring a couple recipes to make them freezer friendly so that the days I work (oh, yes...I'm working now!) I can just grab something from the freezer when I need it. 

I'm very close to going off into a looooong tangent to explain the working part...resist.  Resist.

See ya tomorrow!