LoveFeast Table

 As I have said before, I can be a cooking challenged food blogger, known for being desperate for dinner and “Avoiding Supper”. I have been even know to chuck meat. It seems if I get one part done, the shopping, or the menu planning, I can’t get the other part done, the cooking. Time, you see, is not on my side. I have four kids, and a full time van chauffeuring job that keeps me driving from 9am-4pm with an hour and a half window to plan, shop, cook, and eat.  It’s not that I don’t try. To ease my load a CSA from Jackson Hollow Farms is getting delivered and occasionally I make time to take the trek into the city for organic shopping at Whole Foods. Kristin is use to my manically cheerful phone call on the ride back, “Guess where I was?” Kristin, “oh, noooo!” (I always think it would be really great to answer; I got a tattoo or won the lottery.)  But usually you could insert, Pier One/spent to much, my fav boutique Covered/spent too much, or new hair cut/new look.  Sometimes, it is something very close to winning the lottery– I had time to go to Whole Foods/spent too much/but feel good about it/sort of. That is typical me, good intentions, good groceries, now no time to cook them in! Well, eventually twittering and surfing around the blogging community I found another, I think, like minded food blogger. Chaos in the Kitchen is a great food blog with just what I need, a weekly planning menu with a master grocery list. And, with a name like Chaos in the Kitchen, I count her as a friend, although we’ve never met.  So, after I read her Blogging the Recession, one of the recipes I made, was the Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta. It was really good; everybody in my family liked it.  Next time, I might add a little bit more spice for me and my husband, perhaps some Old Bay-just a touch. So, Chaos, thanks for the recipe help and planning and thanks for veering me off the path of unhappy all yellow food!

Also, thank you to the reader (someone who works with my husband) who sent him home with some of their stash of good ole’ fashion, Oh Henry Bar candy bars!  That made my night last night, with a glass of wine!  They’re almost as good as the real thing!  Ha!

Readers:  How do you tame your kitchen chaos conundrum?  Share your help with us!

I have been credited for chucking meat on purpose.  Over the years, in fact, I have chucked several semi-loads of bad meat.  I know, I know….people are starving in….this is bad shopping, bad planning, bad karma!  I have been in my house for three solid days with these roasts and hamburger patties, and still they did not managed to get cooked or served.  This is my meat chucking confessional.  I don’t take it lightly.  The meat got chucked again:  here & here.  If I was a better planner/cook/ok, even MOTHER…..then, I wouldn’t be a Mother Chucker!!!  Kristin,  on the other hand, has managed to make a beautiful meatloaf tonight, even though she was in her van for six chuckin’ hours! See, her beautiful unchucked meatloaf?

Like I said, I don’t like it, but, I did it, Again.

Meatchuckin’ Meatloaf Recipe (by Kristin and Devon)

3 lbs. ground beef

1/2 vidalia onion/medium dice

1 1/2 orange pepper/medium dice

4 celery stalks/small dice

1 C. chopped parsley

3 Tbls. worcestershire

2 Tbls. sea salt

2 Tbls. chopped garlic

1/2 C. panko bread crumbs

1. Mix all of the above ingredients until combined.

2. Shape into three loaves and place on a sheet tray.

Make Topping:

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 can of tomato sauce (approx. 18 oz.)

1 can of diced tomato (approx. 15 oz.)

2 small yellow onions/small dice

1 Tbls. chopped garlic

1/4 C. chiffonade of basil

3 Tbls. of marmite

1.   Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan.

2.  Add onions and caramelize.

3.  Add garlic and simmer for 10 minutes to thicken.

4.  Add basil and marmite, stir in and turn off heat.

(The topping recipe will make more than you need…save to serve with eggs…will make your breakfast extra special!)

Spread the topping, generously on all three meatloaves!

Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 1 hour until no longer pink in the center.

*This recipe obviously makes a large portion!  We served 17 people with one loaf left over.  Use this recipe for a large crowd, or cut the recipe into thirds!  Meatloaf is one of those things you can change, doctor and have fun with!  Ours is never the same!

In my home that is a common question.  And, usually the answer is not quite.  You see  actual cooking is really not my thing.  I am rather in the garden pulling out something by its roots, sitting on my porch feet up on my hot pink wicker ottoman sipping tea, or running up and down my stairs with buckets of laundry.  And, what is interesting about the fact that I really don’t like to cook, is that I love everything about food.  I love spices, I love the shine of an apple, I love dishes, modern and old chipped china, I love stemware, I love table lines, and I super love tablescaping.  I love trying new food, and restaurants, and growing food in my deck pots.  I love talking about food.  I love thinking about food.  I love throwing dinner parties.   I just don’t like cooking it.  Strangely, from time to time I hit a groove where I think I might like it.  Usually, its after an inspiring trip to Whole Foods or something.  For awhile, I think, I have patience to stand here and dice chives into small green confetti, really, I do.  I try thinking happy domestic Martha-type thoughts.  I smile at my oven.  I lovingly pat my counter top and survey my ingredients with confidence, sort of.  It’s encouraging really.  And, then, the feeling skips away, like a quick call to Dominoes pizza.  Now, as I write this I’m thinking your totally judging me.  What kind of attempt at food blogging are you really up to here anyway?  Well, I’m hoping for that inspiration.  And, believe me, I’ll be looking for it.  I believe that life is a process and eventually, maybe, all this food stuff will rub off on me, and I’ll learn to smash garlic sideways on a chef’s knife with ease.