Cooking, Crockpots and an Apology

 I must apologize for my mini rant of yesterday.  It started out as a convo about intuitive eating and then took a completely different turn and for that I am sorry.  Things, meaning me, aren’t nearly as dire as that post would have somebody believe so believe me when I tell you I am fine, I don’t hang on to things for very long and I am determined to fight the cookie battle for as long as it takes! Just call me Elsa!

But, in thinking about intuitive eating one has to think about cooking.  We tend to eat our main meal at noon which, I don’t know about you, is difficult for me because I have to think about it, plan it and almost cook it the day before.  And for a husband that doesn’t like leftovers — sheer agony! Haha! I exaggerate but cooking for lunch is totally different than cooking an evening meal in terms of prep time. So, that is a mental challenge.

Which brings me to the next thing - crockpots!  Yes, the old workhorse of the 70’s.  I had a great one that you could remove the liner and actually use it to brown on the stove.  Well, I used it until it just up and died one day and had to be replaced.  So I bought a regular, round shaped unit with a removable liner and it has been a staple in my kitchen as well.  

However, I tend to cook pork tenderloins and chicken breasts a lot and those things just dont fit into a round vessel very well so a couple of days ago I did a quick amazon run and ordered this — an oval model.

It isn’t fancy, totally manual, no programming, just warm, high, and low — I think I can manage that.  So, it was to be delivered yesterday.  I already had my tenderloin out of the freezer thawing in the fridge ready to put it on last night, on low, so it would be ready for today.  Hmmmm……

The crockpot didn’t arrive.  It is late.  So, moving on to plan B — the actual oven.

I am really lucky that we are in the middle of Fake Fall here and the temps are really nice so heating the oven won’t make the house really hot. So, it is all good but I was really looking forward to trying my new appliance.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

I am also going to defrost some chicken thighs for some chicken and rice soup.  Fake Fall has me in the mood for some nice soup — and it is something we can have for more than just one meal.  So is the tenderloin, actually.  We always have a good amount left so I am going to make sandwiches in the next couple of days.

A few years ago we moved to where we are now and I took that opportunity to cull some kitchen items.  Two of those being bread makers.   I had one and I inherited one from my mother in law — almost new but without a user manual.  I decided to pass them on because I really liked the process of making bread myself and my mixer was great for kneading.  However, last Christmas I found a unit that was smaller, more compact, and was easy to move around so I bought it.  I have yet to make any bread.  That might happen today, to go along with the soup.  My husband is on a diet prescribed to him by his diabetes doctor and he really isn’t supposed to eat a lot of white bread but if I dole it out and not let him go crazy with it it should be ok once in a while.

I have added something new to my morning routine.  My morning routing usually consists of things like, do skincare, do dog care, make the bed, say prayers, eat breakfast — you get the picture, the usual stuff — but today I have added something new.  I know I don’t drink enough water throughout the day so I added a large glass of water with lemon before I have breakfast.  Not cold water, not hot water, just tap water and it is very refreshing.  Hopefully I can keep that up and not go straight for the coffee! 

I am also going to try to clip the dog.  Yikes! Wish me luck.  I have done small amounts of grooming things to her but never a full on groom but she is getting matted and looks like a bear.  I refuse to take her back to the groomer that she has gone to since we got her because the last two times she has gone she has been injured.  This was never an issue when it was just two girls running the place but they have hired a guy that has tended to Trixie since he came and both times she has been hurt so, I am moving on.  I am seriously thinking about hiring the Petco mobile groomer to just come to me and see how that goes.  But, for today, I am going to give it a go.  Hopefully we can get her clipped a little bit all over before she gets bored and decided to move on.  I will let you know!

So, off to have have breakfast and get started on the day.  Hopefully the crock pot will show up sometime today but it will be too late to make the tenderloin but not too late to make the soup!  Can’t wait!