Scattered Sundays and Meal Plan

You know when you see fancy chefs on TV flipping flaming frying pans and it looks amazing and impressive?

Well, I almost lit my stovetop on fire this week by just barely shaking a pan that contained just a little avocado oil and gyoza.

Like a boss.

Coming soon: my new Cooking Channel show called “Sarah Does Dumb Shit in the Kitchen While Singing 90’s Songs”. Sponsored by Advil, burn cream, and high-risk life insurance.

Speaking of work in the kitchen, anyone following us on Instagram this week got to see Bennett and I rocking out to Lisa Loeb’s Stay. My kitchen might have been built in 1971, but musically we’ve accelerated it to 1994.

Join us over on the ‘gram for what may be the most dangerous and potentially stupidest Instagram feed ever.

And no, he didn’t chop all those veggies himself. But he does love to help so we got him these toddler knives for his birthday. Because all two-year-olds need weapons.

Troy’s grandma (93) developed pneumonia late last week and she ended up passing away Saturday morning. An amazing lady with a kind heart and we take comfort in knowing she is reunited with her husband of over 60 years.

I heard a podcast on Friday during my walk where the host talked about losing someone suddenly and realizing she never told that person how much she had meant to her.

Those stories and watching people you love dearly go through such emotional tough times is a strong reminder for all of us to be more vocal with our appreciation and gratitude. May I encourage/challenge you to spend five minutes each day this week and seek out someone in your life and say “thank you”, or “I love you” or “you matter to me”?

I did this for my 31 for 31 birthday project and sent letters to two former teachers from high school. It’s so emotionally filling to spend time heaping love onto others.

And with that in mind, I say it often but I’ll say it again, I love you punks. I wake up every morning so thankful and blessed that I get to do this job and it all because of you. Not just because you all are so kind and supportive, but because helping people be less scared of trying new things in the kitchen, or encouraging someone to plant a garden for the first time is like crack to me.

Every email, message, or comment I get where someone says “I didn’t think I could do this, but I did”, well, it gives me a complete heart boner. When I’m tired and have taken 15,691 photos trying to get just one good one for a post, you keep me motivated.

When I contemplate just phoning it in for a recipe, I picture you in your kitchen making one of my recipes and accomplishing something new.

I’ve talked about it before, but when I write a post I sit down and write to a person I have made up named Mae (Bennett’s planned nickname if he had been born a girl).

“Mae” is 34 years old and lives outside of a major city with her family. To anyone observing her she looks like a duck calming swimming, but underneath the water, she is paddling her flippers as fast as she fucking can.

She loves the idea of quick and healthy meals to serve her family, but 90% of the recipes she pins or tears out of magazines are desserts. As much as Mae wants to be creative with cooking, she finds herself making the same 15 meals over and over. (You can read the full profile of Mae in this Confessions post).

So, guess what? You matter, you’re appreciated, and I love you.

I’m going to steal this Christmas sloth I see on my walks one of these days…

In “good things also happened” news, Jack ran his first timed 5k on Saturday! He ran this same race last year but just as a “fun” run. After he overtook the timed/chipped runners last year who had a 5-minute head start, he was hooked on the competitiveness of it all.

It was a fundraising 5k (aren’t they all?), so we shelled out the stupid amount of money this year for him to get to run it chipped. He had a blast and was a happy little freak amongst all the other freak runners. He is doing track this spring instead of baseball and I do believe he has found his thing.

Saturday morning he had a nightmare he was running the race and bear started chasing him. He woke up terrified, but not too scared to tell us he had a nightbear. That’s my boy; puns no matter what.

And um, he came in first in his age group and 13th overall out of 203 people. He was the first kid to finish and all 12 people in front of him were adults. For the runners out there (nope), his time was 22:29.97, pace was 7.14/mile, and speed was 8.3 mph.

We also had the good fortune of attending the Enchant Christmas event at Safeco Field (where the Seattle Mariners play) on Saturday after the 5k. Troy’s friend from high school works for Safeco and was able to get us in gratis (my favorite price). It was pretty amazing and the boys had a great time.

Being a work at home parent has its perks but it is not without some weird coworkers. Going from an office where I could accomplish everything I needed to in just a few hours, to having a 32-pound wiggling weighted blanket on me while trying to get work done has been “interesting”.

Comment/Review of the Week

This week’s review comes from my reader (and my new friend!) Dana who left a five-star review on the How to Make Brown Sugar post:

Picture this: Thanksgiving day, getting ready to pan fry sweet potatoes in butter and brown sugar. Hubby takes that moment to tell me he used the last of the brown sugar 3 weeks ago but failed to mention it when shopping for turkey day supplies. I don’t panic, I just close my eyes and internally repeat the mantra “Love is a choice. I don’t always have to like you, but I choose to love you.” Outwardly, I tell him that my friend Sarah told me I could make my own. Matricide averted and day saved. Thanks! (Also, we’re friends now. Cool?)

Girl, I feel your pain on this because it happens on the daily in the Cook household. So glad you could save the day and be a kitchen ninja!

On Sustainable Cooks This Week

Lotion Bar Recipe {Handcrafted Gifts} – This three-ingredient Lotion Bar Recipe is the best non-greasy formula for dry to normal skin. They are easy to make and can be prepared in only 10 minutes! Pin this recipe

Homemade Mints {Altoids Mints Copycat} – An easy recipe for Homemade Mints that tastes just like Altoids! Perfect for Christmas gifts, or wedding or baby shower favors. {Pin this recipe}

Eggnog Waffles {Make Ahead Christmas Breakfast} – With crispy edges and soft fluffy insides, Eggnog Waffles are a perfect make-ahead Christmas breakfast. Enjoy this delicious holiday breakfast while spending more time with your family, and less time in the kitchen. {Pin this recipe}

The Five Most Popular Posts This Week

1. 2018 Epic AF Holiday Gift Guide {Pin this}
2. Chicken Pot Pie Soup {Pin this}
3. Lotion Bar Recipe {Handcrafted Gifts}     {Pin this}
4. Instant Pot Sous Vide Egg Bites   {Pin this}
5. Whole30 Bruschetta Chicken Recipe {Pin this}

Hop in the DeLorean

Last year the top post from this week was: How to Make Simple Beginner Quilts

Meal Plan

If you’re looking for a meal plan that pulls all the recipes and lists together for you, you’re in luck! I’m now teaming up with Once a Month Meals post to help my readers accomplish more batch and freezer cooking. Make 30 meals for the freezer in 1 day!

They offer meal plans for vegan/vegetarian, AIP, paleo, Whole30, vegan, gluten-free and so on and so on. If you have a way of eating, they have recipes for you! You can check out their awesome program on their site. Or, get a gift card for someone in your life who may need a hand with their meal prep game.

Monday:: Frittata. This didn’t happen last week because we just had too many leftovers to make more food.

Tuesday:: Tacos!

Wednesday:: Another new recipe I’m working on. The boys are my guinea pigs.

Thursday:: The boys will have pizza and salad. I’m going to a blog networking event in the city and they’re serving…pizza!

Friday:: Popcorn, leftovers, and movie night

Saturday:: Trying out a new soup. I don’t have a problem, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

Sunday:: Family dinner

What We Bought This Week

I can’t find any receipts for this week.

Fred Meyer:

Costco:

The boys are obsessed with ginger beer and I’m thrilled Costco finally has it because it is so much more affordable. I’ve never seen this brand before (Bundaberg from Australia) but we tried it out. Holy balls it is delicious! Ginger beer has an insane amount of sugar though, so it is a once a week treat during movie night.

What are you having this week?

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