Eating In April 30, 2012 posted by cynthiatw

What’s for Sunday Dinner?

Sunday Dinner

On Sundays, in my house growing up, there was always a great dinner. We had a homemade meal every night but Sundays were really special. I come from a southern family and you know that in a southern family, you get all the good stuff.

Smothered Chicken with gravy
Turnip Green
Cornbread
Homemade pound cake
Blackberry Cobbler
Pan fried Potato and Onions
Black-eyed Peas

Folks, I am hungry just thinking about all of that good food. Unfortunately, my grandmother did not teach me how to cook a single dish from the above menu so those recipes are in Heaven above with her.

I now have my own family and feel that I should be creating those, “make you want to elbow your momma meals,” and I just cannot do it! Well, I guess I should not say that I cannot do it, it just appears that lately, I have been less than perfect at getting dinner on the table and having that family time.

I think that a part of it is laziness, because I did it at the beginning of my relationship, but at 4:53 pm on a Sunday evening, I find myself sitting at the computer blogging to my friends. I have a roast in the slow cooker that is HUGE that I did not put it in until 12:30pm and on low so there is no way it will be ready for dinner tonight.

So, when you don’t know how to make the traditional foods that you grew up with, what do you do? What do you make for Sunday dinner? Well, let me get up for a moment and see what is in the freezer and also, since it is still technically, in theory the weekend, I will also have to assess the wine situation because that will determine what will be on the dinner plate!

dinner plate, sunday dinner, family meals, eat, cooking, southern, shrimp

I don’t know if you have the picky eater in your house like I do. My child runs down her list of things that she does not eat every time you ask the question are you hungry? (“I don’t eat ……!”)

Fruit
Salad (lettuce to you and me)
Cucumbers (pickles to you and me)
Red things (tomatoes – continuing with her own language
Strawberry milk (I know it is a drink)
White cake
Peanut butter and jelly (even though she will request a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and ask me to hold the jelly hmmmmmm)
Corn

I don’t think I need to go on and on as I am sure you all get the picture. She eats very little even though strangely, she eats salmon, brussels sprouts, broccoli, and any type of fish that I put in front of her. So, considering my child’s limited palate, I set off to make two meals. I know, I know, if I have a dime for every time that I have been told not to do that I would be living in my million-dollar house in Dallas and two Range Rovers in my driveway completely paid off, so obviously I am not listening to that wonderful advice.

To appease everyone and get back to my computer with my glass of wine as soon as possible, I decide to make yellow rice, broccoli, chicken Kiev (out the freezer – pre-made), shrimp, and fresh-minted peas and green beans. The rice is the easy part. I don’t know if you all have tried the Pamper Chef rice streamer. Can I just say, “IT IS AWESOME! 17 minutes and the rice is done, 15 minutes for the Chicken Kiev and 8 minutes for the Birds Eye Broccoli and Cheese!” So from freezer to table 30 minutes can create this for your little one, a Healthy balanced meal and semi – homemade.

So now what to do with your other half? This is perfect for a kid but it will not keep him funding your Coach bags if it was produced every day. (And ladies before we start, I want to say PRESENTATION! PRESENTATION! PRESENTATION!)

What I will normally do is expand on my starch for my husband. I took fresh shrimp marinated them in fresh lemon, lime, and 2 tablespoon of orange juice, added a little bit of ginger syrup and crushed garlic, then Marinate for about 30 minute, the time that it would take me to make my child’s dinner.

Add Olive Oil, and Herb butter to a skillet.

Drain the marinade from the shrimp and add them to the skillet…