Thoughts while making dinner

::You'd think by now, someone somewhere would have worked up a new design for the baking soda box. Really. Does anyone at Arm & Hammer really think they've got a good thing going for them with that whole rip-out-the-tab-on-the-side-of-the-box idea? I seriously wonder this. Isn't it plain to everyone that it's no small feat to stick a teaspoon in there and come back out with something on the teaspoon? Why haven't they done something about that?

::And can I just ask this? Because I puzzle over this every time I need to buy some more salt. Do I want the iodide? Or not? I have no idea. If anyone has figured this out, will you please enlighten me?

::I love the sound of my husband reading stories to our kids on the couch. Lots of giggles when daddy reads.

::There is something so satisfying about washing dishes by hand.

::One bowl. I'm only having one bowl of that soup tonight. One. And one muffin. That's all. [That's been my mantra as I prepared dinner tonight.]

On the menu?
Loaded baked potato soup [Never made it before. But it looks yummy! And Mark is sick with a really bad cold/sinus headache, so hopefully it will be good comfort food for him.]
Bran-applesauce muffins

Sounds sort of bleak, doesn't it? Just those two things? Oh well. That's what we're having.

What'd you eat for dinner?

24 comments:

  1. I was right there with you until the comment, "there is something satisfying about washing dishes by hand." Just to let you know, after 13 years of washing dishes by hand I have not found it satisfying, ask me in about a month, after I wash my first load in my new dishwasher! Your dinner sounded great to me, we had chicken nachos and cheese quesadillas(I just realized I have no idea how to spell that word)

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  2. We had your famous chicken mirabella, made before I had Raphael and frozen in a ziploc bag. I'm down with a breast infection and Erik made it, along with rice and salad, for our dinner. Mmmmm....
    I buy Real Salt, no added anytthing; it's more expensive, but it has all of the naturally occurring trace minerals. It's not bleached or anything. That's my two cents, to be taken, of course, with a grain or (real) salt.
    Blessings on you and your sweet family!
    Rebeca (signed in as my husband)

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  3. It wasn't bleak; it was delicious. It really hit the spot. Thank you for making such a yummy dinner, for cleaning the kitchen, and everything, everything else you've done today so I can rest in my misery.

    Loving you,
    Mark

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  4. Your dinner sounded gourmet compared to ours. Justin's working so we had organic shells and cheese with left over corn I scraped off the cob today , broccoli and tuna fish dumped in it. Steele loved it though - he had three bowls full so I guess that's what matters. ;-)

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  5. Hey Stacey ~ kinda off subject, but not really... I've just found that peppermint really helps me with my chronic sinus infections and headaches. I have some peppermint essential oil that I sniff, but I'm sure some peppermint tea might be helpful as well (to sit and breathe in the steam/smell). I hope Mark is better soon! I'll pray for him.
    Hugs to you and all yours ~ Camee :)

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  6. OH SILLY ME!!! I was just on my friend StacEy's Facebook page right before I came here to your blog, and I just realized I spelled YOUR name with HER "E"! I'm so sorry, my friend. You know I really do know how to spell your name, STACY. I'm just tired, too, I think. :) Love you!

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  7. Taco truck. Yep that's what I fed my family. It's 80 degree's and 9:50 at night. We just got done with baseball. So its Taco truck. You're dnner put me to shame. :)Sounds so good!
    And can I throw out another salt option - sea salt. It's not bleached white and then reconstituted with sugar, like regular table salt. Which means it's less harmful to body (think hypertension) and has a purer flavor and is less addictive. Did I just totally add to your dilema? OK. forget I said anything.
    PS Move the baking soda to tupperware. Won't pick up the tastes that loom in the cupboards.Those boxes are finger traps!

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  8. Stacy,
    I wish I was at your house for dinner! I closed my eyes when Josh went outside with the kids and an hour and a half later... we ordered pizza! I totally agree with the whole baking soda business. I feel the same way about minute rice, nothing comes out after you are 3/4 of the way through with the box, ugh!

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  9. We had Chicken Broccoli Bake, from the Fix Freeze Feast cookbook (I highly recommend it. DELICIOUS!) It was much better the second time around. But when I was making it I didn't have enough broccoli so it also had snow peas, mushrooms and something else I forget.
    Regarding the salt, when I run out of the iodized salt I'm going to buy the sea salt grinder thing from Costco. It comes with a black pepper grinder thing too. YUM!

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  10. We were bad, we took the kids to McDonald's because they were crabby and we knew that letting them play there would improve their spirits.

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  11. Carrie-
    Well I didn't say all our dishes! ~smile~
    We just wash our drinking glasses and pots and pans. I can handle that. But I'm excited for you to get a dishwasher. 13 years is a looong time to do all your dishes by hand. WAY to GO!!!!

    Rebeca-
    Mmm! We're having that for dinner this week, too!
    I am SO sorry to hear you have a breast infection. Ouch. Never had one but I hear they're very painful. Praying for you!
    Thanks for the salt tip!

    Mark-
    Oh, honey. You're sweet. Sorry you're so miserable! :) Loving you!

    Cutzi-
    Your meal sounds strangely good to me, actually. :)

    Camee-
    Thanks! :) If Mark is home sick tomorrow I'll try to get some peppermint into his system! :)
    You're cute. I know you know how to spell my name. :)

    Dana-
    Yum. I could eat Mexican for every single meal of my life and not grow tired of it.
    And I am SO going to do the tupperware thing with the baking soda!
    I actually have some sea salt in my cupboard! Thanks for your two cents. Depending on the price, I may have to change up my salt purchase.

    Kristen-
    We do pizza at least twice a month, if not more. :)

    Michele-
    That sounds good! (Well. Except for the mushrooms, that is.) Do you like most/all of the recipes from that cookbook? I got the first one, but didn't LOVE it, so I've hesitated to buy the second...

    overwhelmed!-
    Well... did it work? (Improve their spirits?) And yours, too? :)

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  12. Oh my, you are so right about the baking soda box. What is up w/that?

    Your dinner sounds great. I made a new chicken marsala recipe and my husband loved it, so I was happy.

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  13. Haha! The baking soda thing makes sense and I always to the salt thing too! Really I don't know the difference between iodized and non!

    We had some sort of vegetarian salad with tofu that my dear daughter made for us last night. It was pretty good, but not all that filling. We all ate snacks later on!

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  14. I dare you to write a post that doesn't endear you to me even more. :)

    Soup sounds good! I have a cold right now and I wish someone would make me soup!!

    Dinner... last night we had an art-show from the girls' art co-op, so I shoved some fruit and green beans at them and told them they could snack at the show. :)

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  15. I have snooped before and today Idecided to leave a comment. AS I read your blog I can see the love of Jesus everywhere through out it. You seem like a amazing child of God. That is so wonderful that you take in babies and help them and hold them. May God continue to use you and your family to spread His love,, Char

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  16. Cheeseburgers. That's what we had for dinner. Simple, but yummy. Brian loves them and we seldom have them because whenever I buy meat, I buy in large quantities and dive right into freezer cooking and at the very least fry up all the ground beef and divide it for the freezer so it's ready to us in casseroles or soups or whatever.

    As for the idodized salt... I buy it. I bought the plain kind once and it said right on it "This product does not contain iodine which is an essential nutrient." or something to that effect. I remember them talking about that in science class once - that our bodies need iodine, but we aren't naturally getting it, so they add it to our salt so we can. Kinda like flouride in the water in some places... but more optional.

    Here's a good article, if you're so inclined:
    http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2234.html

    How was the soup? If you liked it, please share the recipe!

    Hilary :)

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  17. Hi, friend! :)

    You get the iodide you need from the other foods you eat- so don't worry about it! You don't need more! I'm with Dana- sea salt is so yummy! We had grilled salmon last night, and I drizzled it with olive oil and sprinkled pepper and sea salt on it- so so so yummy!

    Love to you! (Oh, I'm definitely trying that Chicken Marsala recipe soon- I can't stop thinking about it!)

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  18. Ooh, I LOVE baked potato soup! I can almost taste it...(sigh)

    Um, so NOT with you on the dishes. When we got tored of rentingand decided to buy a house, my biggest requirement was to have a dishwasher :-)

    We're having pork chops and black-eyed peas, with corn on the cob. Yes. I am a Southerner :-)

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  19. Wow, look at all those typos. I guess lack of sleep DOES matter :-)

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  20. We had soup last night too, taco soup which we all love so much (thanks Kendra!).
    That is funny that you think your meal sounds bleak! I didn't make muffins to go with our soup!
    Hope Mark is feeling better!

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  21. I'm going to do the tupperware thing too! I can't tell you how many times I have stuck the teaspoon thing into the baking soda thing, and ended up flipping baking soda into my face!!!

    I just realized my overuse of the word "thing..."

    Anyway - I do hope Mark feels better soon. And I must beg to differ with the washing dishes by hand. I wish I felt the way you did!

    Your soup sounds yummy! Tonight we are having BBQ ribs in the crock pot (it is raining) and oven roasted corn. Not too fancy over here today.

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  22. Try this recipe. It is fabulous. I made it last year for the first time, then I was asked to make it for a friend for a family dinner she was having. It was a great hit. YUMMO!

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Potato-Soup-I/Detail.aspx

    I'm telling you it is well worth it.

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  23. Hi Stacy;

    Hmm, not sure about iodine (where else you could get it) but without it you can develop a goiter (a growth in your thyroid). Iodine was put into salt for that reason I believe.

    Many people (chefs) don't like it, as it doesn't taste as 'clean' as sea salt without the iodine, but the problem is without it many people can develop a goiter. sigh. As a girl with a thyroid disorder and a girl who formerly had a goiter...well, I recommend iodonized salt.
    look online...I guess iodine deficiency is pretty big?!

    Kimmie
    mama to 6
    one homemade and 5 adopted

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  24. You are right about washing dishes. I could have a dish washer if I wanted one (actually I have three...soon five) but I much rather wash and be done with it. I hated that we were still dealing with last nights dishes the next day when you had to unload the dishwasher growing up. Just get it done. Plus it gives my boys work to do. That's a good thing. :)

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