It’s been a busy week here at the Kramer house. All weeks are busy but this one seemed extra busy.
On Monday things happened so I had Kalissa’s family, Kelli and Georgia and Karl all here for supper. Karl had been gone for a few days visiting friends in Houston. I decided I better make his favorite meal for his arrival back home so Carver helped me make the family’s favorite food Stromboli. I’m sure there is more a “real” recipe for it but for us, it means rolled out bread dough with topping on it, then rolled up and baked.
I made homemade bread dough. Dough from the freezer section of your store or your own homemade dough will do. Here Carver is helping me roll out the dough.
Then we put toppings on it. I made two. This one has mexican cheese sauce, spaghetti sauce and then what you would put on a meat lovers pizza. For us it was ham, pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms. Then cheese goes on.
After that, roll it up and bake it in the oven. It’s not pretty but…. it’s SUPER tasty. I butter the bread after it comes out of the oven. I put to many toppings on so it gets really big but that’s the way the family likes it.
The other one I made had cheese sauce, sausage, scrambled eggs, and a bacon cheese over it. I didn’t have that one as I’m not a fan of breakfast pizza and that’s basically what stromboli tastes like…only better.
It is seriously good.
We all ate on my red paper plates that Carver gave me for Christmas. If you missed that story, read it HERE.
The next night I ended up with company for supper too. This time it was Karl, Kalissa’s family and me. We all work really hard to talk ourselves out of getting Mexican food at the bar up town on Tuesdays. They have taco Tuesday then….so I made Mexican food so we didn’t feel deprived. I’ve learned my family really likes whatever combo of meat I have (this time it was one chicken breast, two steaks and shrimp), plus two packs of chorizo (spiced Mexican sausage) and this…
Salvadorian Cream. It’s really good. I put about 1 cup of the cream in with the meat and chorizo. It seriously tastes like a meal I would order at a Mexican restaurant. We had cheese, guacamole, and sour cream on the side. I serve it with rice and tortillas. I eat mine over rice.
Everyone raved about the food both of the nights.
On Wednesday it was Karl and me….When he walked in the door he said, “What do you know Mombo?” That’s his pet name for me. I said I knew I wasn’t cooking and I was think about chicken and ribs from the bar. He asked if I ordered yet. I said no I was waiting from him. He said well…have we ordered out lately. I said, after the meals I made the last two nights, I deserved to get take out. He agreed. I ordered…he picked it up.
I love cooking for the kids…but I love a simple night of take out too. For me, I’ve figure out good Mexican food but still can’t make broasted chicken so I think Wednesday nights will be a bigger struggle for me to not order from the bar….Chicken and Rib night is really good.
…as for the rest of the week, I took it easy and made egg salad sandwiches one night and leftovers the other night. Trust me, I’m not always cooking up a fabulous meal…sometimes it’s take out and sometimes, it’s good old egg salad sandwiches. How about you? Do you make supper or get take out or eat at the restaurant person? I’ve gotten so I prefer making supper or getting take out.
Hi, chorizo originated in Spain and Portugal. I expect the Spanish took it to Mexico.
We don’t have take way, us older people either eat at home or we go out to a restaurant. Like you I enjoy cooking for friends and family and generally make something simpler for us two. I enjoy making one meal that will last two nights and being creative with leftovers. A bit like making quilts from scraps?
I totally agree with you Linda . I would rather do my own cooking because restaurant food does not taste good. I honestly don’t know how they stay in business , most people don’t have taste buds.
I usually make something at the first of the week that will last about 3 days. Come Thursday we will go to town and eat out. Weekends we may eat out especially if we have driven 50 miles to watch the grandkids play hockey or ringette. I do not need much of an excuse to eat out love it.
If we have to go to Sioux Falls for appointments…at our age it seems like we visit doctors for entertainment…we will go out for lunch. Eating at home is the norm. I love left overs!! Then the meal is planned and I don’t have to cook….I can sew!
Your cute little helper is doing a great with that rolling pin!
I do both. The grocery deli is good. Is that eating out or picking up groceries? Fried Chicken and Fish Fries. When cooking for one or two a good deli comes in handy. Not all restaurants are bad. Just say that Miss Daisy. Not everyone know how to cook a good chicken. I asked my friend how she knows when it is done. She just knows as a “Farmer’s” wife. I was taught to check the temperature which does not work all the time. Enjoy your family at dinner no matter where dinner is.
I love eating out! I was looking forward to the kids being grown and being able to do it more but alas, my health prevents me from eating out as much as I would like due to the high sodium content in most of the things that are available. I shudder to think of how much sodium I was putting in my body before I had to become more aware of it. Now, being single (widow), I think part of the pleasure of eating out is the social aspect.
As I become older (70) I less and less enjoy cooking. Our son (38) lives with us and as a mom I feel get I guilty feeling if don’t cook a meal. I need to remove this from my head and realize I’m not his “Mommy” and he is a grown man!
I cook more and more as I get older. I love veggies along with my meats. I find restaurant veggie servings are miniscule and salads at most places seem to be the white parts of heads of lettuce. I like a quality spring mix. I want nutrition mileage out of my meals especially now that my body has decided 2 meals a day is all I need (and some days only one!).
I know you love your InstantPot. Consider this?
https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-chicken-homemade-gravy/
I love to eat out however my husband does not. My father was the same way. My sister is convinced those who have good cooks at home don’t like to go out to eat…lol. Lately though I’d rather get take out and bring it home and I’ve done that when I’m out and about already and don’t like the idea of going home and making something right away.
At 70+, I find I’m actually cooking more creatively. We go out usually once or 2X a wk, or even just get take out. I’ve cooked for nearly 50 years & am tired of the same old stuff! It’s always fun to put something different on the table.
It’s interesting to read everyone’s comments. I am not a very good cook. I am self taught and still learning. My husband cooks a little better than I do but he’s also not really good at it. We used to love to eat out (likely because to us restaurant food tastes much better than home cooked) but now that we have a 2 year old eating out is almost impossible (or at least not enjoyable anymore) and has been since our daughter was born (she was an incredibly fussy baby all the way through until she was 12 months old, she’s much easier now but it’s just not relaxing at all). So we order food in once a week now and cook the other 6 days. I miss restaurant food but it’s certainly not as healthy as eating at home.
Jo, where do you buy your cream from?
Linda this came from our Fareway grocery store. It was by the refrigerated pickles. I’ve seen it at WalMart around here too though.
Your food always looks so good, Jo. I really enjoy cooking (and people say my cooking is good), but I have hard time deciding what to cook. My husband doesn’t like much with beef or fish, just turkey and that’s what I get tired of although I still use beef for soups. We used to live within minutes to many good restaurants, but since moving back to my home state, we live in a village about 9 miles from town, and without anything too exciting, so less likely to go out or even pick up anything. You have such wonderful family and are fortunate to have a “helper.”
As you know, we live in a motorhome, so our fridge, counter and pantry spaces are less than home-sized. That’s ok, tho, cuz we both enjoy seeking out local shops and farmers markets. But, being such a picky eater, and germaphobe, I really prefer eating the food I prepare in our RV. We went to a super good smelling BBQ joint the other day, our mouths watering as we walked up on the porch. We waited our turn in line, and as we got to the serving counter, we could see a couple of flies wandering around the chopped brisket. As good as it smelled, neither of us wanted to eat it. I have a crock pot on board, as well as a KitchenAid mixer, an oven, a dishwasher and several pots and pans. But no flies or bugs. I wash my hands many times during meal prep, and before handling clean dishes. And I wash all plastic packaging prior to opening, so I know our food is as safe as I can make it.
Jo, loved the picture of your helper. He is so sweet. You make Stromboli much the way my Mom fixed pita she didn’t do a roll up she put the bread in a cake pan added the sauces meats and veggies, put stop on added cheese & olives. Sh always had to make two pans of it as it was a major favorite. Great memories for me.
I cook for 3 in this house & they are good eaters so my recipes don’t serve 4 or even 6, I go for the 8 serving size recipes so there are left overs. I cook 3 days, electric pressure cooker by Crockpot or just slow cooker & we then just eat left overs the rest of the week. Made a 9×13 lasagna this past week, still have half left over. Make a 2 lb.meatloaf & 2 meals & meatloaf sandwiches. I have 4 different recipes for meatloaf. I try to keep it not so boring over here plus my dad has a heart issues so its low sodium. I always have fresh cooked chicken breast in the fridge & when I make it I get low sodium chicken broth. Jo you are great & a inspiration to all of us. You have a wonderful family