Keepin it REAL . . .

For the most part, my attempt at meal planning is sincere and factual. In other words, we do usually eat what I plan. I plan a menu to help get me through the week, culinarily speaking, otherwise, it's cereal or McDonald's, maybe pizza. In order for me to be excited about cooking I have the menu to look forward to. Don't get me wrong I do love to cook, I just hate all the mess that goes with it.

In theory, those who eat should pitch in and do clean up, but on weeknights it's near impossible to always get those who eat around here to pitch in. I usually have to endure weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth and quite frankly that is worse than just doing the dishes myself. I make them put their plates in the dishwasher and that's about as long as I can stand them in the kitchen.

My mother, my sisters, my sister in law Amy and even my neices have have commented on my blog menu. They have paid me nice compliments, asked for recipes, even said they wished they could eat at my house . . . and that makes me feel good, so thank you. Okay, so from your compliments, I have gotten a little proud of the menu. Proud in the sense, my head is getting a little big. It's gotten so bad, I even think of the blog as I plan the menu. Not that I don't want to feed my family the way I want you to think that I do, but honestly, I am not thinking of my family as I plan the menu anymore. Now I am no poser. I do cook what I plan for the most part, but I thought you might be interested in seeing how the menu played out this week. . . .

It eases my conscience. It is the nice slice of humble pie I need - with ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce.

Monday: Supposed to be Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya - no sausage or peppers so instead we eat, Chicken and Rice Florentine which Collin says in a nice voice, "Mom, no offense, but it smells like trash down here . . ."
Tuesday: Ate a delicious dinner at my good friend Jocelyn's house. YUM!
Wednesday: Cold Cereal and Fruit
Thursday: Maddi and I are home alone and eat Eggs and toast. I eat tomatoes with it.
Friday: At 7:00, we finally eat my baked empanadas. They were okay.
Saturday: Garlic and Herb Oven Fried Halibut, seasoned red potatoes and fresh green beans. It was the family dinner to celebrate Paige's birth. The halibut was delicious, but very expensive per pound!
Sunday: I did buy the shrimp, so I think we'll try the pasta primavera . . .

Anyway, I don't imagine that Giada or Rachel make a blog menu, just as I am sure they don't eat eggs and toast either. Their eggs would be carbonara or something like that.

So, now you know . . .I'm no chef and no foodnetwork star, but I'm no poser either. I am just an ordinary mother of four - keepin it real.