Hello 2014!!!

As we close the first week of the new year, I felt it time for me to revisit my blog. So, after some time away from my humble blog I am starting the year off right and will be posting dinners that I have been working on. Essentially I intend to share my families meals with you, day by day. There will be days that no posts are made and that might have to do with a family event (that I don't have to cook for, miraculously) or it might be "Leftovers" day in our house - something that is new to our scheduling, but pretty necessary. Long gone are the days of stale spaghetti casserole or marshmallow kabobs... Leftover night has never been so good with steaks and potatoes repurposed or even just warming up some swordfish and wild rice.
I've been talking to quite a few people about cooking for their families and there is definitely a tendency for anxiety to strike when we haven't planned meals, or our cupboards are bare - and even when our cupboards are chock full! I too have these tendencies which was one of the reasons why I started meal planning in the first place. I used to make meal plans for an entire year - but my success rate of following it seemed to dwindle, especially if I heard, "let's just go out" or "can we order a pizza"... heck yeah! It beats being in a kitchen, especially in the summer when temps soar here in Las Vegas! So I then tried quarterly and that helped A LOT! This year I am going to try month to month. Keeping palates fresh and happy is also a big priority. I love that I am raising foodies, but it also means that I have to make sure that I keep their tummies and tastebuds happy and excited about the next meal I'm making. I will be focusing on seasonal foods, because when veggies and fruits are fresh and in season it makes any dish sing with amazing flavor!
In our family we are also facing some weird requirements. One son needs to shed a few pounds, one is in desperate need to pack some pounds on, one is just a five-years old but can already eat us out of house and home. One likes to graze and snack.... as for my husband and I we are trying to keep things lighter and healthier but still very tasty.  I need to increase fiber and even lower my cholesterol to a healthier zone. And both the hubby and I have gained more pounds than we are comfortable with. All these things can overwhelm even the most skilled cook and with out becoming a short order cook where I cook five separate meals for each of us I had to do some serious working of this month's menu and also put some parameters for non-dinner time.
I guess I should admit I am not a breakfast person. I really can't remember as a young girl being excited to eat it. Perhaps I was at some point, but I know once I discovered coffee everything else took second place. I am also not a huge lunch maker. I make my kids lunch but I don't make one for myself. So I became great at dinners. My kids still eat well at both breakfast and lunch, but I do not spend a lot of time preparing either of those meals, so I am not the best resource for either of those. However, my love is dinner. My husband, Bob and I had chosen to make that time family time. Whether I am teaching the kids how to prepare the meal, or sitting as a family around the table talking, and even cleanup - that's when my kitchen feels the love. So that's what this blog with be about. I might surprise you every now and then and add a breakfast meal or a meal that would work as a lunch so keep an open mind and who knows, maybe I will even surprise myself and gain more working knowledge for those areas as the year goes on.
Cooking is part of loving for me. I see it as an extension of nurturing for my kids and the more I do it the better I get, the more adventurous I am to try new techniques, and the more I have fun with it. Cooking really is fun, even if we are tired, even if we aren't the best at it, even if we normally depend on our spouse to do it for us - just trust me and pick a meal to try on your own. I have faith that you will do wonderfully! Cheers!