Double Dud - Garlic Fish and Garlic Honey Cauliflower

Folks, I've seen a lot of firsts in my day (not my first movie in a theater though... can someone bring this up subtly to my mom? Subtlety is not my strong suit). But this is a first for my blog. A double dud night. I'm not sure if Pinterest was having a two-fer, but Mom tried to make two entirely new things in one night.

I tried tipping her off when I tried some raw cauliflower and then declared that I didn't like it. Just because she put it in the oven and then poured a sauce over it, there was no way it was going to get better. And I think we've already discussed that fish - any kind of fish - is a poor substitute for chicken. But she keeps trying. At least I'll give her that.

Here's what it looked like. I think we're catching on that there is one color pallet in our house. Can you even see the fish? Looks like chicken right? You're living in a den of lies!! The baking fish sent a smell through our house that Mom seemed to like and kept calling "gar-lick". This is a very funny word to say and then try to lick your sister's face.

This is not a blank stare into oblivion. This is me finally realizing that my foreseeable future is filled with my mom experimenting with food and always trying to satisfy Dad's need for "trying something new." I did, eventually, eat some plain rice, but it was a slow road friends.

Even the girl protested. I'm not sure if she's trying to tell Mom to stop in the name of love, or because it's hammer time. But either way, she didn't like this either... Except the rice. She ate that with both hands.

So here is the link to the fish. And here is the link to the cauliflower.

Mom and Dad seemed to like it, but keep in mind folks that it is NOT approved.

Crunchy Chicken - Baked Salmon with Parmesan Herb Crust

So let's recap and see if you can remember what I like. I like chicken. I believe this is well documented. I also like crunchy stuff. And I also like to be involved in the cooking process. So this started out well. Mom said we were having salmon, which I assumed is just another kind of chicken. Turns out it is not, but we'll get to that.

This particular food needed a topping and Mom said I could help make it. Turns out that involved stirring gently, and that's just not my style. Since Mom knows I like crunch she added some panko crumbs to the crust mixture which is cool because when you "accidentally" spill these out of the bowl, you can poke them with your finger and they stick!

Mom's started to smell a little burnt as she was baking it, which I think is why it looks a little dark in this photo. Oh and we also had some rice and asparagus on the side, but that didn't make it onto the plate for the photo.

Anyway, we sit down for dinner and all of the sudden, Mom says that salmon is not a type of chicken.

I was not pleased.

Then I was shocked.

And then I finally ate some.

And so did the girl. With her fork as an accessory. She's not actually using it.

If you want to fill your family with false hope of chicken only to pull the rug out from under them, click here for the recipe.

I guess it's approved, but I'm still a little traumatized by the experience.

20 Minute Turkey Chili

Can everybody tell when Dad's been out of town? I can. It usually means at least one night of Mom making mac-n-cheese for dinner and some other night where she gets super lazy and makes something else that takes a lot longer. And then, she forgets to take a picture of the finished product for you.

I think she learned her lesson though about making the Girl and I wait too long for dinner after we get home. Yes we have a snack in the car on the way home, but that's not nearly enough. We want to eat when we walk in. And if we don't eat right when we walk in, we want Mom to hold us and play with us while we wait. That's not too much to ask right?

Anyway, Mom made turkey chili which she was promised would only take 20 minutes, and maybe that's true if you get to just make the chili instead of getting milk and lemonade for me and the Girl. Opening the crayon box. Getting some paper out. Looking at my drawing.... LOOK AT MY DRAWING!!!!

Phew, my favorite part of eating chili is that Mom will sometimes make us noodles to go underneath. I dig those out and eat them - unless they are touching the chili like the noodles in this picture. They were tainted so I'm choosing the ones that have the least amount of chili on them. I also ask for my cheese on the side, so there is my pile of cheese on my napkin.

I eventually ate some of this.

And so did the girl, although she pulled out all her pasta to eat separately. She also liked her cheese on the side. Like me!

This meal seemed put together really fast. I only cried once in the time it took to make it, so I guess it was good for a school night. You can make it yourself by clicking here.

Pete approved (but only if it comes with lots of cheese and noodles).

Hamburger (Larb)

Larb? I don't know what that means. This meal consisted of hamburger and salad.

See... hamburger, and salad.

I think Mom forgot to take some photos of this too, but as you can see, there's not much to it.

But it was plate licking good. You are supposed to take the hamburger and roll it up in the lettuce but who has time for that (and really who has the fine motor skills for that?). Not me. I like my food fast.

The girl also wasn't able to get the whole lettuce wrapping concept. Seriously, why does she have four spoons on her tray? This is getting absurd.

In any case, Mom says the recipe is so easy a baby could make it, but then she didn't let me or the girl help at all, so I think she may be wrong. Mom said you can also make it with turkey, chicken, beef, or pork? Is one of those hamburger?

If you want to make it click here.

Pete approved.

Meat and Rice (Mediterranean Stuffed Pork Tenderloin)

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was awesome. I played t-ball, watched a little Jake and the Neverland Pirates, went to a friend's house, and got to use Daddy's hammer in the garage while I was helping him build something. Then, last night, to top it all off, I ate a cupcake. Without icing. Mom says that's the best part, but I like the cake part.

Oh but before the cupcake, there was something else I had to eat.

Whoops, mom forgot to take a picture of it again before cutting it up. That's okay all you're missing is the burnt sundried tomatoes on top. she cut off the burnt parts and shoved the rest back inside. Apparently she was supposed to cut them up small before hand but sometimes this lady, she just goes rogue!

There is also goat cheese (supposed to be Feta) and spinach in it. I ate around those parts.

I loudly challenged everyone at the table to a race to see who could finish first (Daddy), but then I realized that would involve me eating everything so I changed it to a rice race.

Ha, the girl is so slow. She lost.

I did end up eating some of everything. I can't say I totally loved it, but I did eat it, and without complaint. You can find the recipe here.


Pete approved.

Now..... on to those cupcakes.....