And the wife goes nuts...

Last week, Karla sent me this link:

http://hearthandholm.blogspot.com/2012/07/a-miracle-for-under-200-40-meals-for-40.html

"I think we should try this." she wrote in her message.

"Ok," I responded, "Let's sit down and talk about this and make up a game plan."

I honestly think Karla quit reading once she saw "OK" for the following Saturday morning she told me that she had her list made out and was going to the store to pick up everything we needed for the all day kitchen fest which was taking place that very afternoon.

Oh, boy.....I could hardly contain my lack of excitement.

It's not that I didn't want to do it; it's a great idea after all....  I am, by nature, a planner and procrastinator.  I have to plan things out well in advance so that I can mentally prepare myself for the task that I am about to undertake.  I don't jump into anything unless I absolutely have to.

Well, opposites must attract because Karla is a get it done yesterday personality;  a shoot first and ask questions later individual.  In fact, one of her mottos is "Sometimes it's better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission."

Trust me --- she definitely lives by that motto.  She has dragged me through one neurotically induced episode (adventure, I believe, is the word Karla uses) after another....and each time, (with a few notable exceptions) it was not nearly as bad as I feared it would be.  She's really the only reason (other than sports) that I get out of the house.

It was funny.  Karla went to Aldi for her groceries and what happened to her just made my day.  In an earlier blog I had written about some of the lessons I learned from shopping at Aldi for the first time; from needing a quarter for the carts to the store not accepting credit.

I was getting ready for baseball practice when I got a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me," said Karla, "Can you look up the pin number for my debit card....It won't take."

"Ok."

I dig out the number and read it off to her....

"That's what I entered and the transaction keeps failing. I'm going to have to look into this."

"Well, you have the checkbook don't you?"

"Oh, that's right.  Ok, I'll write a check, bye."

"Bye."

Ten minutes later I get a text -- "They do no accept checks.  Driving to the bank.....GRRRR!!!"

I couldn't help but chuckle.  It's not just me.  :)


When Toby and I came home from practice, this is what we walked into:

Karla had been cooking for almost three hours, all the available counter space was used up as well as all the burners on the stove and a section of the dining room table.  To me, it just look like a disorganized mess, but every time I offered to clean or move something I was told to leave it alone.  Whatever.  Backing away.....

At that moment in time I would have loved more than anything to grab a beer and sit down in front of the X-Box....But my addiction to breathing won out as I knew that if I were to make any attempt at being lazy I could very possibly end up with my picture on a milk carton.......I gritted my teeth and feigned enthusiasm.

"Is there anything you would like me to do?"

I got put to work cutting chicken up into bite size pieces:

And boy was I thrilled:

I did get to use the old fashioned juicer:

Which I found mildly amusing as I ground the lime......"Hulk juice!!!  Rargh!!!"

I even dragged Toby out of his room and made him give it a go.  He didn't find nearly as entertaining.

"Dad, really.....How are we related?"

"Whatever, go back to your room."

The whole freezer thingy cooking process took about five hours.  For all the food that was made that's not bad at all.  Of course I may beg to differ had I been home the whole time.  My contribution to freezer meal festival was only about an hour.

Here is the list of everything that Karla did:

Estimated 33 meals total.  Ingredient cost $88.09- $2.67/meal.  Will still add side and rice/ bread.  But total cost per meal will still come in under $4.00/ meal....   Less than $1/person/meal.

Recipes (and # of meals packaged to serve 4)

Milwaukee pork chops-  4 meals

Marinaded pork chops - 2 meals

Chili - 3 meals

Spaghetti pie - 6 meals

Spaghetti sauce - 2 meals

Mexican Shepherd's Pie- 2 meals

Honey Sesame Chicken - 2 meals

Cilantro Lime Chicken w /black beans and corn - 4 meals

12 individually frozen breakfast burritos - 2 meals

18 individually frozen bean & cheese burritos - 3 meals

I am assuming "normal" portion sizes.  Since we can stretch even further with rice and pasta- we should be able to get more than 30 meals out if this.

We will still need to purchase mike and produce- which is not included in the $88 expense.

And this it what the end of the cooking day looked like:

Karla estimates that this should last us about a month.  Having a teenage boy in the house, I'm not so optimistic.  I'm thinking more like two weeks.

Regardless, if this little experiment proves to be any kind of a time saver and stress reliever then it will most definitely come in handy from April through June when we are never home long enough to cook.

Karla is already planning an even bigger cooking day for sometime in mid February.

I won't lie, I'm not thrilled about spending an entire day in the kitchen.  But at least Karla gave me enough time to mentally prepare for it.......I believe I will start by buying beer.....