He said I burnt the grilled cheese sandwich. I told him it was just heavily TOASTED. And then he told me I should look into a class on HOW TO MAKE TOAST because the two of us have totally different opinions on what the word toasted means. Obviously Lucy is on my side on this one. 😉
I asked for a coconut cake… and he made me one {I’ll post the recipe soon}.
Beans and rice, rice and beans. I posted the recipe a while back HERE. It’s still one of my favorite things to eat. If I had to choose one dish to eat everyday for an entire year, this would be it.
A ready made $4.99 freezer lasagna. He said I overcooked the lasagna. I suggested he take over ALL COOKING DUTIES for the rest of time. Sheesh, someone cooks a few recipes after a 25 year lull and suddenly they think they’re an expert. 😉
Christmas tamales {we’ve still got 2 bags to go}.
The HH roasted vegetables for dinner. When I pointed out a few of the Brussels sprouts looked a little too well done he told me I didn’t know what I was talking about.
I don’t know about you, but the little sprout at 11:30 and 3 veggies down looks a little on the it’s so roasted it looks burnt side. What do you think? Do you want to know what I think? I think cabin fever is beginning to set in if we have begun to critique our own cooking.
Critiquing food you paid good money for in a restaurant though, that’s a whole different ball of wax. On Thursday we attended to Connecticut Garden Show in Hartford, Connecticut and I was so excited when I begun to map out our route because I noticed we’d be driving through the town of Sturbridge, Massachusetts.
A few years ago The Girl and I had an 8 hour layover in Boston and so my buddy Heather from Massachusetts picked us up at the airport, and along with her daughter we spent a few hours at the Old Sturbridge Village New England Living History Museum. We had a wonderful time checking out the museum, making candles and taking a horse drawn carriage ride in the snow.
After visiting the museum, we stopped for lunch at the Publick House Historic Inn and since I had remembered the food as being crazy good, I made sure the HH and I stopped there for lunch after visiting the Connecticut Garden Show.
Yada yada yada, I ordered the turkey dinner {and gave it an 8 out of 10} but the HH wasn’t as impressed with his pot roast dinner… saying it was just okay. Nothing spectacular. Kinda of tasted like a t.v. dinner.
And for some reason, the whole thing made me laugh… because really, after you’ve enjoyed Mississippi Pot Roast and Amberlina’s sweet potato casserole multiple times, nothing else stands a chance. Paying good money to eat any kind of other pot roast, sweet potatoes or even spiced butternut squash, well, you’re kind of ruined for life and pretty much just setting yourself up to be disappointed. The bar has been set so high, nothing else could ever compare.
A burnt grilled cheese sandwich made in your own kitchen for a quarter though, there’s no excuse for that. 😉
How about YOU? Did you have a good week in the kitchen? Did you burn anything? Did you eat out? Were you happy with your meal? Do tell. Curious minds want to know.
Have a great Monday everyone,
~Mavis
Total Spent on Groceries This Week $0
- Total Spent on Groceries in February $220.92
- Total Spent in January on Groceries $41.19
- Total Spent So Far on Groceries in 2019 $262.11 {Goal is to average $150 – $175 a month for the year}
You can go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories.
Robin in WI says
Very entertaining post!
Connie says
Love reading all your posts!
Mim says
I have to go with HH on this one. The grilled cheese does seem a weeeee bit over cooked. But the Brussels sprouts look perfect. You need them to get a little brown so they caramelize a bit and become utterly heavenly.
But you’re completely right about eating out. Nothing compares to what you can make at home! The best way to enjoy a restaurant meal is to order something you would never cook yourself.
P.S. on the grilled cheese, I suggest you teach him to make the artisan bread you’ve written about – the one that rises overnight. Marvelous for grilled cheese – you can let the sandwiches stay on the griddle/in the pan long enough for the cheese to melt, without the bread getting overdone.
Enjoy the day. Are you getting the extreme wind we’re getting here in VT? Holy moley, it’s crazy!
Mavis Butterfield says
Crazy wind at our house too!
Susan says
THe wind is bananas, right?!? We were also in Hartford over the weekend to visit the Mark Twain home. A friend had recommended springing for the character guided tour and I must say, it was fun! We didn’t have time to visit the Harriett Beecher Stowe home next door, so we’ll be back. Highly recommend the Mark Twain house. He was quite a character and his wife, Livy, was fascinating as well.
Katie says
Ehh that heavily toasted grilled cheese is burnt… but I’d definitely still eat it. The roasted veggies on the other hand looked great. I might even like my brussels sprouts a little more done. The black bits are the best part!
Brenda P says
When it comes to the grilled cheese, I take a butter knife and scrap off the black and just leave the brown. Passes the family and they don’t know the difference. As for the lasagna, I cook mine until the cheese on top is toasty brown and we all fight over who gets the pieces with the most toasted cheese. Go figure!!
Benda says
The grilled cheese just needs a little attention from a butter knife to scrape off the dark crumbs. (And then you put the dark side towards the plate!) Mom hack 101! It’s only burned if its on both sides or all the way to the crust.
Pauline in Upstate NY says
Recalling the elderly Chinese woman owner in a local restaurant many years ago, who, when someone in our group complained the ribs were burned, said, “You scrape burned part off, you eat!” and walked away… It’s been part of our family lore ever since. ROFL about your food stories this week. Cabin fever indeed!! Welcome to long winters… Somebody (times two!) really, really needs to get outside and play 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
“You scrape burned part off, you eat!” I LOVE IT!!! 🙂
Vivian says
Mavis, have you tried using mayonnaise instead of butter on the outside of grilled cheese? It works great and is SO much easier than trying to spread butter in the winter! I can’t taste the difference but you can burn it just as easily, this I know!
Rebecca in MD says
Hi Vivian,
I agree about using mayo instead of butter to coat bread for grilled cheese. Easier and tastes the same!
Mavis Butterfield says
No, not yet but my friend JJ does that and said it’s divine.
Katie says
I heard about this recently (lots were raving about it) and tried it the other day! I actually didn’t care for it, it was very mild/bland tasting. I did use homemade mayo though – eggs, light olive oil, lemon juice, salt, mustard. So I’m not sure if store bought would have had a different taste. To each their own haha
Rebecca in MD says
I look forward to this weekly post to get some ideas for what to cook. I agree that restaurant food falls short of good home cooking. I think Mim is genius to suggest only ordering what you do not make at home yourself.
This week we had homemade pizza, bean soup, flounder, George’s Coney Island burgers, pork fried rice, and Mavis’ meatloaf recipe. The Coney Island burgers are a nice change from regular burgers. Here’s the recipe:
https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/georges-diner-coney-burgers-443403
Also, my HH made a hot milk cake yesterday inspired by your post, Mavis. Instead of powdered sugar on top he made a fluffy chocolate frosting that is divine.
It is crazy windy here in Maryland also! We are having wind gusts up to 50 – 60 mph.
Melissa says
Personally, the grilled cheese is fine and nothing makes brussel sprouts edible, so? 😉
We tried a new lamb recipe this week in the instant pot. I’d gotten leg of lamb on a $5 Friday sale awhile back and stuffed a couple in the freezer. The recipe called for a cup of riesling, which worked out well as that left the rest of the bottle up for grabs. It was tasty, but the hubby and I agree we’ll use something drier next time. Probably a nice sauvignon blanc.
Lynne says
I’d have to scrape the grilled cheese too, although I’d try not to complain. Cabin fever is real though! Everything else looks good but I’ll eat darn near anything if someone else took the time to cook it for me.
Nancy D says
My gramma would tell my grampa, “That’s not burnt that’s golden brown!” 🙂 Also, your cake stand is gorgeous!
Susie says
I agree with Vivian – spreading mayo on the outside of any grilled sandwich is the way to go!
Teresa says
I’d eat it, extra brown or not. Someone cooks for me I do NOT complain. My Mom always said (for grilled sandwiches, hot dogs, steak…) “PUT SOME COLOR ON IT” hehehehe. That’s not burned that’s “color”
Debi says
Brown your bread in the toaster, snd when done put the cheese between the 1 pieces of browned bread and microwave up to 30 seconds to melt tbe cheese. No pans to clean and bread browned just right.
Tracy says
I’ve been to that same Ct garden show twice. I thought there were a few interesting vendors, but on the whole, it was pretty lame. Both years. So I didn’t go this year. I think it was just too small. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts.
Marianne M Lewis says
In the food industry your grilled cheese sandwich would be called “overly caramelized”.
Pam says
Hey, that post was one of your best. The realistic back and forth over burnt grilled cheese, and overdone lasagna rang such a familiar sound to me…mine hates well browned grilled cheese but doesnt mind burnt toast at all and doesnt want a hot dog unless it is black! And doesnt understand the concept of toooo much mustard, there is no such thing to him. The best part was from the beginning, I was thinking these two are spending way too much time together……I totally remember that phase though, the first year he retired after being gone 60 hours a week for decades, it was just weird, he was all up in my business about stuff he wasnt even ever aware of before, it wasnt I kept anything from him, I just handled it cause he was already busy! We are married 48 years so I guess we have figured it out. We are loving today was sunny after nine days of rain here in NC.
Torry says
The part about the food not being very good at the restaurant hit home for me. we no longer go to the Mexican restaurant that I loved because my husband found the dish he ordered to be too salty. Twice and I warned them not to salt on the second visit. Sigh.
And the restaurant that we ate at in Leavenworth, WA? The first year we went it had my husband’s favorite German food and it was so close to being like his grandmother’s. He loved it and looked forward to eating there again, even though it was a little pricey. The next year, he was so disappointed and he won’t even try it again. They lost our business, because it wasn’t anything like the first visit.
Eating out, it isn’t for the faint hearted.
My husband took over a lot of the cooking while I was battling breast cancer and he kind of burnt out on cooking. Enough so that the man who previously only wanted to eat out for special occasions now suggests eating out sometimes!
Denise says
Yesterday I knew I was going to be home all day watching the Oscars so I made a New England pot roast and baked beans in my bean pot. (First time using it – OMG yummm!) The pot roast recipe called for drenching in flour (I added lots of extras, garlic and onion powder, Trader Joe’s Everything seasoning, smoked paprika, fresh black pepper and kosher salt) browned in hot oil, slathered both sides with horseradish, added 1 cup liquid (I used red wine and beef broth). Cooked at 250 degrees, same as the beans, for 4 to 5 hours. Added taters, carrots, and baby onions, cooked for another hour, then made gravy. Melted in my mouth. Can’t wait to eat leftovers tonight! And if you haven’t made beans in a bean pot give it a try. I found mine at the thrift store. Make sure you get one with a lid.
Arlene says
Hi! Love your blog! I just want to say that when I switched from the regular, run of the mill butter, to Kerry Gold Irish butter, I was so surprised to find that when you take it out of the fridge, it is soft enough to spread on toast or grilled cheese sandwiches. I read that is so because the US butter has water in it and when it is in the fridge, it makes the butter hard but the European butter is mostly cream (and cows who have grazed in the grass) so the butter is softer. It is more expensive but worth it to me. I am a real fan of your blog and love reading it every day! Thanks Arlene from NJ
Alison Cooper says
Made the mississippi pot roast tonight – sooo good!!! Was bit wary about the jalapenos but sure didnt need to be!! Love your blog!
ann preuit says
Here’s what I tell my family: “Charcoal is good for your digestion.”
Mel says
We had grilled cheese the other night, and it was one of the few times I didn’t let one side go too long. I always just scrape it off.
In other news, I decided to try freezing the sauce for tarragon chicken salad last fall before our tarragon died back, and it worked perfectly, so that was a nice surprise. I just made the dressing except for the mayonnaise (mayo doesn’t freeze well, so I added it after thawing), and it was as good as if I made it fresh. I only made a couple batches because I didn’t know if it would work, but I’m excited about preserving more tarragon this way this summer.
Linda Kalbler says
I had grilled cheese on Friday. I made them in the oven. Worked great.theAlso made tomato soup and a really good pot roast. Enjoy your posts and your doggie. Keep up the great work
Gigi says
It appears that Zaycon Fresh has a replacement. A company purchased Zaycon’s mailing list along with another company’s that sells fruit. The new company ships to 22 states (sorry, no NorthEast). The website is freshfarmsusa.com. They appear to still working out the delivery locations.
I just ordered strawberries, so wish me luck.
Gina Seaton says
I would eat it all, burnt or not! If someone is cooking for me, I shut up and be happy about it, lol! I’m lazy every chance I get!
Pam says
I have been in a bit of a slump meal wise lately but ended up making some pretty good meals this week. I made a delicious cabbage roll soup, the best fish tacos and a yummy honey chicken stir fry. It’s amazing how much better meals are when I actually plan them out lol!
zoe W. says
Seems to me it might be time for a family cook off.
I think I should be the judge of course. LOL
Barbara says
Sorry, Mavis. I’m with your husband-that sandwich is burnt!
Arlene says
Hi I guess I was off topic when I posted about the butter differences. I just know from reading your blog that you enjoy food shopping and trying new things. Arlene from NJ
P.S. I would’ve eaten that grilled cheese sandwich in a snap!