Food for Thought

Tonight for dinner I made a basic staple for my family. We had grilled chicken with a jerk rub, yellow rice made with brown rice instead of white, and a ceasar salad. Fresh lime to squeeze on the chicken and rice tops it all off. Only complaint tonight was from my oldest son. I ran out of salad because we had two extra guests for dinner and he went to the gym to play basketball so he was late anyway.
 I decided  that I would like to talk about something that is really pissing me off. Did you know that the superintendent of the city schools gives himself his annual evaluation? He gave himself a very good rating and now the school board has proposed a $40k + bonus for Mr. Cash. I watched Mr. Cash, on the news, answer the question from a reporter and he compared himself to a CEO of a similar sized company and that their bonuses were much larger so it was like he was saving the tax payers money. This is so very wrong in so many ways. The school system is a non-profit not a publicly or privately traded company and cannot be compared to such. The city schools had to lay off teachers and almost did not begin on time due to lack of funds so why would the superintendent receive any kind of bonus. Then there is the WTF question, why is Mr. Cash giving himself his annual evaluation? My next evaluation at my job is in November and the amount my pay will increase is based on my score on that evaluation so I am going to  ask my manager if I can just do it myself. What I really would like to know is how this kind of craziness happens in our city and who hired Mr. Cash and who is the dip s**t on the school board that thought giving him a bonus was a good thing?

No Dinner Tonight

Life gets complicated sometimes and things happen that are out of our control. I had to return my sisters car to Houston, Texas Tuesday after I got out of class. The reason I am having to do this is because my youngest son who is 16 had been staying with my sister and brother-in-law for a couple of months to get his act together and last Wednesday he "takes her car without permission" in the middle of the night and comes back to Memphis. My plan was to drive about 5 hours get a hotel about 9pm and do some homework. Then, get up this morning drive to the airport and come home. I end up driving the entire way and pull up in my sisters driveway at 230 this morning. I caught a shuttle to the airport at 9am to catch a 12pm flight. The plane was a CRJ which has 50 seats and I get a seat by myself in the last row next to the restroom. Thirty minutes into the hour long flight I wanted to grab the p.a. and announce to the last two people who had not used the lavatory yet that is was vacant! Gross! A friend of mine picks me up at the airport and it's about 130pm. My phone rings and it's my sister wondering where her car keys are. In my pocket! Just in case you ever need this service it's $69 dollars to FedEx a key to Houston overnight. I'm not making dinner tonight either. It has been a rough 24 hours and I'm tired.

Saturday

Saturday is a two for day for me because I make breakfast and dinner and this Saturday I did both before I went to work. Breakfast was a simple staple and never any complaints, maple sausage, fried egg, and sharp cheddar on toasted sour dough. The three of them, one of the boys friends came over, all poured syrup on their sandwich and had the choice of bananas or grapes on the side because I was out of strawberries and all three chose grapes. I'm not sure why I think that is weird but I do. Dinner tonight is going to be assembled in a crock pot because I do not get off work until 9pm and I have decided on chili because it is also a no complaints meal unless I make it with turkey and have to hide the package because one of my offspring swears he 'can tell' the difference. I usually make cornbread to serve with the chili but I ran out of time and I just happen to have two baguettes on hand so they will make do. I found this recipe for chili a few years ago, made some adjustments, and I think it's possible that I could place at a cook-off. I always double the recipe because the guest list tends to increase on chili night. I would estimate I made 15-20 servings of chili and I should have had some to freeze for another day. When I got home the chili was almost gone and there was a nub of a baguette left on the counter. That kind of damage would take six to eight teenage boys. Again I am happy, mission accomplished. 

change of plans

Last nights dinner menu was set, salmon with a habanero mango glaze and brown rice. Then I get a text from my oldest son while I was at work asking if we can grill out. Then one of his friends that works at the same place I do asks me in passing the question, "what's for dinner, Shanana?". All their friends call me Shanana, pronounced like the character from the show Martin if you are familiar with the show from sometime in the '90's. I forgot to say that dinner at my house is never reserved for just the people that live there and I usually have at least one extra guest. I love to cook for others and always make enough for a few extras. So the friends request is for my smashed potatoes. OK, charcoal, check. I already have chicken in the refrigerator, no need for thawing. I decide to go with a Jamaican jerk rub that I buy from Central BBQ because it is absolutely delicious with the perfect amount of heat. I combine the rub with olive oil and chopped garlic until it's the consistency of mud and rub it on the chicken breasts. Now for the potatoes. Red potatoes not peeled smashed using a potato masher with cheddar cheese, bacon, cream cheese, and butter, mmmmmmm! So I'm outside in front of the gill tending to the chicken when my oldest angel comes outside to ask what I am cooking. You would have thought my response was liver. He is grumbling and upset that we are not having steak or burgers. I now have secret thoughts of smashing his face into the grill but resist. Dinner is delicious and we do get a couple extra guests who are happy and that makes me happy.

The most important question of the day

The most important question of the day, what's for dinner, maybe not for everyone. In my world I start to hear it repeatedly from about fifteen minutes after my two little angels open their eyes and continue to hear it until I am standing in front of the stove or grill. Don't get me wrong I love to cook but if the tables were turned and I were to ask teenage boys that many questions I think they would spontaneously com bust. I go to sleep wondering what I will come up with for dinner the next night and if I come up with something solid when the inevitable question is asked in the morning I am golden, if not then I spend my day at work creating delicious master pieces in my head. By 3pm I should have a plan mapped out, if not, the stress, oh the stress. I know what awaits me when I arrive home, the question.  So, now with that said, this morning on my way to work I thought about maybe salmon with dill and lime or maybe a mango habanera sauce and brown rice, but then I couldn't decide between the dill or mango. This menu will be put off until Monday. Back to square one. Not to forget there are always several standbys that I can pull from in a crisis that do not require any creativity. Tonight will be a perfect night for this menu selection. Breakfast for dinner is always loved by all but I made banana pancakes, ham and cheese omelets, and maple sausage yesterday morning for breakfast. I could make a Caesar salad with chicken but that is alot of chopping of vegetables and working Sunday on a holiday weekend in retail has worn me out for the day. Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches on wheat, some with tomatoes and soup sounds quick and painless. The decision has been made even though I know there will be complaints. This meal will require the use of minimal dishes, pots and pans and therefore have a quick cleanup. Until tomorrow.