Hi Everyone, It's been a really long couple of weeks and the end is not within sight, yet. I'm struggling with feeling completely uncreative in the kitchen (yes, I'm guilty of feeding my kids cereal and fruit for supper a couple of times lately :)). I'm in desperate need of some creative ideas. My fall back plan when overwhelmed is usually breakfast for supper - pancakes, eggs, cereal, french toast...you get the idea. Sometimes I add fun thing like ham and cheese to the eggs and sometimes it's plain over easy. The boys don't mind at all but I'm bored. It's just hard to be motivated to make a meal that requires a lot of clean up when it's just the boys and me. :) And I've caught whatever has been going around here so haven't been feeling very well - I'm thankfully feeling a little better today. So this week my menu plan is virtually out the window. I'm going to try and pull it together tomorrow. :)So with that said, here's my small attempt at creativity in the kitchen this week... We are hosting our highschool Bible Study tonight and having a little Christmas party. I'm planning to have a hot chocolate bar. We will have 4 different flavored syrups, chocolate chips, candy canes, marshmallows, whipped cream, and a couple of kinds of sprinkles for everyone to build their own drink. I hope it will be fun. That's about as creative as I can be today. :) Maybe some of you will have some great ideas and inspiration!
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Happy Thursday, everyone! Thanks for stopping by Keeping Creative Kitchens! I'm looking forward to all your great ideas, recipes, and resources. Feel free to grab the button for your post - you don't have to know me to play along and you don't have to participate to comment or ask questions! :)
Here are just a few guidelines for participating in Keeping Creative Kitchens:
1) Leave a link to your post with Mr. Linky (I am fully aware that there will probably not be many - or any :) - participants but I think this will make participation easier!).
2) Your entry can include a new recipe (either your own creation or a new-to-you-recipe), favorite recipe, success, tablescape/centerpiece, short-cut, ingredient, tradition, book, magazine, tool or gadget, food photos, recipe website or any thing else that keeps you inspired in your kitchen.
3) Please link back here in your participating post.
Hope you have fun, meet new people, learn a few things, feel encouraged, and find inspiration as you prepare meals, care for your family, and entertain!
Here are just a few guidelines for participating in Keeping Creative Kitchens:
1) Leave a link to your post with Mr. Linky (I am fully aware that there will probably not be many - or any :) - participants but I think this will make participation easier!).
2) Your entry can include a new recipe (either your own creation or a new-to-you-recipe), favorite recipe, success, tablescape/centerpiece, short-cut, ingredient, tradition, book, magazine, tool or gadget, food photos, recipe website or any thing else that keeps you inspired in your kitchen.
3) Please link back here in your participating post.
Hope you have fun, meet new people, learn a few things, feel encouraged, and find inspiration as you prepare meals, care for your family, and entertain!
6 comments:
I'm sorry I don't have any creative ideas on easy dinners, etc., but i have plenty of sympathy. The cold I had last month for some reason knocked out my appetite -- and how hard is it to cook without an appetite!!! I think now that my head is un-stuffed it's coming back. Maybe it's also just the stressful time of year. Anyway, it's very annoying not to know what to cook, not to feel like cooking, and to be bored with everything one usually cooks. UGH!
Hi Alaina,
Breakfast foods are pretty much always a good thing in my book, so here's another easy kind to add to your repertoire if you haven't already discovered them.
Have you ever tried a baked pancake? They seem to have European roots, and there are lots of recipes for them online. Most don't have fruit, but I've tried one with apples that tends to be a big hit as a not-too-sweet dessert.
Baked Pancake:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/20/dining/203mrex.html
Baked German Apple Pancake:
http://www.bbonline.com/recipe/kirby_mi_recipe3.html
I find them easier than regular pancakes for one simple reason: once the batter's mixed I just put it in the oven. Then I can study until it's ready.
The boys would probably get a kick out of watching these bake, since they get all big and puffy. Served with some sliced fresh fruit, they wouldn't be an unhealthy option for dinner, though the regular baked pancake does go very well with the suggested lemon juice and powdered sugar.
Hope this helps!
~Laura P.
Hey Alaina,
I posted an easy dinner option for you over on my blog... probably one of the only times I'll have a creative kitchen idea (Reid is generally the cook at our house)!
I love Food Network's new magazine. You have lots of recipes to chose from.
Ummm... I had really great intentions of pitching in this week, but all week I've been trying to think of something to take a picture of, or an exciting recipe to post. Unfortunately, dinner has been a little under par for us too lately. I think it's the hustle and bustle (and for you, basically being a single parent!), and sick kiddos, and teething babies. Why is it so hard for us to get together? We've got to work something out!!!
I soooooooo intended to finally post something for KCK this week... I have photos taken and everything. **sigh** Maybe next week I'll be back on the blogging band-wagon.
My menu plans have also been non-existent. Maybe it's the busyness of the holidays? Two of my fall back plans are:
1) Baked potato bar - I make baked potatoes and top them with whatever I have on hand. This could include cheese, salsa, sour cream, canned chili, left-over taco meat or sloppy joes, veggies, etc.
2) BBQ sandwiches and frozen french fries (or tator tots.) When pork loin goes on sale I'll buy a half-loin, cook it in the crock pot, then shred it and freeze it in manageable portions. I also try to keep a bag of fries or tator tots on hand. Then when I need a quick meal, I'll warm up the pork, throw on some BBQ sauce, make the fries, and call it a day. :-)
Your hot chocolate bar sounds good! That would be a fun family tradition to start... Hmmm...
I hope you feel better soon!
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