yummy food

We just began a new tradition in our house last week.  

Hmm, can you call it a tradition after only a week?

Well, whatever it is, I wish I had started it sooner.

Each of the boys helps me cook dinner once a week.

I married a man who does not cook (boxed mac and cheese sends this man into a panic).

He is a wonderful man, with many talents and abilities.  Cooking is just not one of them.

We have been blessed with three boys.  Three smart and eager-to-learn boys.

I refuse to send them out into the world without a working knowledge of the kitchen.

Don't get me wrong, I am no Julia Child.  I can get by in the kitchen enough to scrape together home cooked meals 5 or 6 times a week, and I admittedly live for take-out night.

I get a lot of help, and one of my favorite cooking partners is The Pioneer Woman.  This girl can cook! I have never tried a recipe of hers that I did not like, and often my sometimes-picky eaters will ask for seconds.

Well, last night's dinner was no exception.

Seriously the best beef stew known to man.  And the mashed potatoes?  Out of this galaxy!

I have to admit, I did not follow the recipe for the stew exactly.  Tuesday was my middle son's turn in the kitchen.  We were cooking along: him pulsing the mini chopper on the onions and garlic, me handling all the raw meat parts.  Happily cooking along, the two of us, when I came to this line: "simmer covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours."  Uh-oh.  Um, yeah, it was already pushing 6:00 and feeding my children at 8:30 is just not an option.  He sprang into action and threw together a pizza on a pre-baked crust, and I set the stew to simmer.

Later that night, I followed the rest of the directions on the stew (omitting the turnips--remember those "sometimes-picky eaters"), let it cool and refrigerated the whole pot until about an hour before dinner the next night.  I set the pot on the stove to simmer and whipped up TPW's to-die-for mashed potatoes (also included with the stew recipe link above), and had a delicious, stress-free dinner on the table in no time.

And oh, what a dinner it was.  Today's lunch leftovers were equally yummy.  I highly recommend this one!

Oh, and if you're looking for a yummy banana bread recipe, this one is the best I've ever tasted (and that's coming from a girl who doesn't even like banana bread).

The cinnamon-sugar swirl makes it divine!

How about you: try any yummy recipes lately?