thoughts on being domestic.

two posts in one day?  don't get used to it.
But, here's the thing, I've been thinking a lot about HOW to be domestic, and new ways that I can TRY to be more domestic---deep stuff, I'm sure.  I'd like to share while the kids are sleeping.  Here it goes...

image taken from some cooking website.  how's that for citation? hA!!

1. De-boning a chicken STINKS!  It's gross and I hated the experience.  It made me feel really sad inside for the chicken.  We're not huge meat eaters over here.  But, when we do eat meat, it's typically chicken.  And, when I buy chicken, I normally wait for the frozen chicken breasts to go on sale and stock pile it in my deep freezer.  I know it can be a lot less expensive to buy the whole chicken, but, I'm lazy as it is---don't add more steps for me to get the dinner on the table.  :)  I'm sounding like a spoiled brat.  As my neighbors say, "Lo Siento" (translation: I'm sorry).   I am what I am.

Back to my day, de-boning a chicken is awful.  It almost made me want to go back to being a vegetarian.  Oh, you didn't know I was a vegetarian?  Yes.  Yes, I was.  Back in the summer after high school.  We went on a long bus trip to visit our Church's historical sites (ever heard of the pioneers? yeah, lots of them were members of our church)---anyway, it was a 3 week tour.  We hit almost every truck stop between Utah and New York (and back again).  So, here's what happened:
We were at the truck stop.  I didn't want to get out and find another pre-packaged snack to eat.  So, I was leaning up against the bus window waiting for the others to get back on our way.  All of a sudden a big truck pulls up carrying a ton of stacked metal grates.  I was intrigued.  What was IN all those grates?
Then my heart sunk.
Chickens.
A billion live chickens.  All stacked up in the grates.
It was awful. It was horrible.
Right then, I decided I was going to be a vegetarian.

And it lasted for all of---maybe one day?  If that? 
Oops.
I am what I am (she writes for the second time).   And, apparently, I'm a meat eater.  I don't like to think about where it came from.  As they say, "Ignorance is bliss."  Forever and ever, Amen.

So, back to chickens and meat in general.  I have a question---how do you solve THE RAW MEAT DILEMMA?  It's nice to have meat thaw before I cook it, but it makes such a mess.  I feel like the whole kitchen is contaminated when I do that.  The bowl it was thawing in is contaminated.  The knife I used to slice and dice is contaminated.  The cutting board is contaminated.  The scrubbing brush I used to clean it has touched the salmonella---I feel like it's a toxic laboratory.  So, lately, I've been putting the TOTALLY FROZEN meat in the frying pan and turning it on medium-low.  Once it thaws, then I go ahead and turn up the heat, using my spatula as my make-shift knife as I go.  Weird?  yes.  But, so much easier, it seems.

What are your tricks?  how do you do it?  I hear of things like "marinades" and the like, but am afraid to go back to the salmonella lab again.  H.E.L.P.


2. Baking bread.  Never do I feel more happy about my domestic skills than while I'm kneading dough for bread.  Just sayin'.  There's something that happens to me---it's like I'm connected with all my ancestors.  (Maybe I'm talking about ancestors b/c we've been on a MULAN kick at this household.  "Ancestors, hear my plea!  Help me not to make a fool of me...")  Speaking of Mulan, here is our make-shift Mulan outfit.  I felt really proud coming up with it.

Anyway, here's the fruit of my labors.  Be SO impressed.  A special thanks to my friend, Brooksie, who made this for me right after I'd given birth to Calvin.  I'd been dreaming about it for months, and finally got the recipe from her.  It's a good one.  And the kids love it too.

Presenting Brooksie's Amazing Cinnamon Swirled Healthy Amazing Sweet Potatoed Bread (and yes, I did just make up that title).

yes, it was THAT delicious.

some of the ingredients used.  This is a *healthy bread and I feel like a granola while making it.  And, yes, those are CINNAMON CHIPS!  AMAZING!  Sold in your baking aisle, by the regular choc. chips.  You can thank Brooksie later.

yes, you do use SWEET POTATOES in this recipe.  Or, maybe in your home you call them CAMOTE CORTADO.  Either way, it's delicious.  All you do is rinse the syrup off, mash up, and dump in the bowl!  Amazing!  Much better than peeling, boiling, and THEN mashing.

The secret is the WHITE whole wheat.  It only looks like regular WHITE bread!  It's really GOOD FOR YOU.  So it's okay to eat a whole mini loaf by yourself.  Oh, wait.

Here they are in my new mini loaf pans.  And, no, mine never rise really well.  I think I'm lame in the YEAST department.

 shake-a-shake-a-bake-a-bake-a...

TA-DAHH!

The pretty side.

The monster side.  Oops.

let's focus on the beauty of this one.

 Good times in the kitchen.  Good times.

::: Matilda is in love with this little pink chap-stick.  She is getting a little chappy these days, so I said this can be her special chap-stick.  She is in love.  Let's watch her apply it while Cal plays with blocks (because you obviously have NOTHING better to do.  You are, after all, reading my blog).

turning the dial to get more coverage.

"mom, are you catching this? here I go."

yep, good rub together.

oh, calvin.

no, m'am. we don't put it on our cheeks!

that's better.

There you have it.  A real play-by-play with Tillie's chap-stick.
Proof that sometimes things I cook turn out lovely (at least on one side).
And, questions about raw meat.

If that's not a domestic post, I don't know what is?!