You are what you eat - or not.

We are so worried these days what we feed our kids right?  All the crap that is in everything, it's filled with preservatives and junk, it's all processed and injected with hormones, or it's ladened with sugar or some sweet substitute that causes cancer and rots teeth, and then to top it all off all, last week my dear farmer friend informed me that corn syrup is the practically the greatest evil our kids will face in their young lives. Okay maybe, just maybe, I am exaggerating with that one. She didn't really say it like that.

But you get the point.

I have all kinds of food preparation insecurities.  I'm lazy in the kitchen, albeit well-intentioned.  PB & J sandwiches are too often seen on the dinner table and sometimes even for me and my dude. Shocking I know. And horrifying.  

On the flip side, I desire to improve in the kitchen. I dream of a fabulous dinner party where I can thrill my guests with some sort of delish dish.  And I do have my "healthy" side - a beautiful specimen of organic zucchini that we can drop onto the grill really gets me all fired up.  I crunch into that baby all healthy and yummy and I feel damn good about myself.

But on this Friday morning, I'm thinking WTF? What's the big friggin' deal about food? What's the worst thing that can happen if my kids consume barrels of corn syrup by the time they hit the age of 10?

Case in point:

My mother prepared breakfast for us every single morning of our young lives. Pancakes and waffles made from scratch, eggs, bacon, breakfast sandwiches, oatmeal, homemade hash browns and the like.  

BUT....

...there were also breakfast items that could be considered well, less than healthy.

For example, she would take one of those tubes of Pillsbury dough that you would normally bake into rolls and she would create these little fried donuts.  Puncture a hole in the middle of the dough, plop those babies in the oil, hear them sizzle to a crispy golden tan, and dip 'em in cinnamon/sugar combo, powdered sugar, or just plain ol' sugar.  Yuuummmm.....

And then there was the most famous of unhealthy choices in our home....sugar bread.  You know what sugar bread consisted of?  A slice of French bread and white sugar.  

That's right.  We would slice off a piece of soft white French bread, take a heaping spoonful of crystal white sugar, layer the bread with that sugar, and crunch right in. Aaahhhhhh......I can still feel the sugary tingle on my teeth as the sweetness coated my pearly whites.

When my mom would rattle off our breakfast options and "sugar bread" was on the list, you can bet we jumped at the chance to head off to school with some sugar bread in our bellies.

And you know what?  I think I turned out okay.  No cavities. Good student. Athlete. Got my college degree.  Went on to make a living, got married and am currently raising a family. 

So what's the point of this ramble?

I'm not sure except it all makes me feel just a little bit better about how lame I am in the kitchen.

Sugar bread anyone?

A Feast, A Tribute and A Giveaway

Jay over at Halftime Lessons and Deb at Dirty Socks and Pizza are up to their typical blogging antics.  Innovation, creativity, business prowess, networking, community, goodwill, new colorful buttons and banners touting cute lil' names of their blogging games, and hell, I need all the help I can get.  So I'm in for this week's installment of ..... 



And since this is MWOB's 3-month anniversary in existence, this tribute's got a little pot of gold at the end of the rainbow so hang tight with me peeps.
As all good tributes begin, let's start with talking about me.  Yeah, me.  I know, I know, it's not all about me - I'm not stupid - but how can a blogger survive for even one post if not somehow inserting ME into the equation?
I'm gonna let you all in on a deep dark insecurity of mine.  I'm not a good cook. Yeah, that's right, I suck it hard in the kitchen.   My feelings of lameness have gotten way worse since becoming a mama.  I'm supposed to nurture and provide and nourish.  I can fake it with whipping up a standard yummy breakfast of eggs, homemade hash browns and bacon, or throw together a yummy turkey sandwich for lunch to fool myself that I'm doing okay, but when dinner rolls around? Let's just say thank God I married a hot dude who loves me even when I'm serving him up a PB & J for dinner along with the kids. 
And to make matters worse, I have knowledge that other mamas out there are preparing sauteed shrimp, asparagus and risotto for their 1st grade children for LUNCH!  Oh you know, I'm talking about you Julia, and one of the reasons I'm scared to meet you on Friday (another story for another post but I'm headed towards my first blind date with a fellow blogger.) 
I desperately want to improve in the kitchen but I first have to conquer other problems I have like not showering or getting out of my pj's before noon and finishing the laundry before it starts overflowing into the hallway.  
So while I'm working on a multitude of other deficiencies, I head over to the one place that can make a MWOB like me feel like a queen in the kitchen....Trader Joe's.  
Yes, for those of you who know about Trader Joe's, are you with me?  And if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you and you're like me, well then let's just say, you're screwed.
Trader Joe's is like heaven on earth for a mama like me.  Not only can I walk out of there with a little bit of self-worth restored, I can also actually make it through a shopping trip with my kids without turning into one of those moms you see in grocery stores screaming through clenched teeth and squeezing their kids' arms hard.  (Not like I've ever done that, mind you.)
TJ's makes it so easy.  With a bare fridge and no ideas as usual for dinner, I headed over on a hectic Monday afternoon to my local TJ's for some inspiration. The trip was nothing short of, magical.  
Upon entering, we're greeted with this brilliant idea:
Search for Molly the Monkey, a stuffed animal hidden somewhere in the store, and once you find her, get a prize!  Holy moley, The Love Fairy goes ape-shit over that challenge.
 
After locating Molly in the freezer section which took 15 minutes, we redeem our reward - two suckers to keep kids occupied for another 10 minutes.  Oh yeah, and we grab two balloons which can enthrall El Destructo for days on end.   Not sure why. Maybe I should be concerned.



Another bonus:  Bathroom is not like other LA grocery stores where the scene is so nasty, but instead I'm able to get decorating ideas for my own bathroom.


The dude at check-out is so friendly, I think I'm living in the midwest for a moment.  We chat, we laugh, we exchange phone numbers and he's now my new BFF.  (just kidding)  He lets The Love Fairy snap some photos of his mad checkout skills and we're on our way.


And not only are we on our way, I am armed with some mealtime ammunition.  I picked up some old faves like Citrus-Glazed Chicken with Rice and Toasted Cashews, a stir-fry extravanganza, and some new ones to try out like Marinated Tilapia Fillets Topped with Grilled Asparagus and Sliced Carrots.  (If that doesn't sound like I know what the eff I'm doing in the kitchen, I don't know what will.)

So last night when the dude got home at his usual "too-late-for-a-normal-dinnertime" time, I confidently threw together a meal fit for a king, in like five minutes.  Yep, FIVE.

That's Chicken Sausage Polenta Lasagna, a spring salad mix with cranberries, pecans, and gorgonzola, and a rustic panini roll.  And you know what?  It was damn yummy.
So this tribute is for you Trader Joe's.  For knowing there are overtired, overworked, underachieving, inadequate cooks out there in mama-ville who just need a little love to get through the day. And you know how to dish out the love I need, Trader Joe's, so thanks.  From the bottom of my hungry heart.

And MWOB readers?  This tribute must end with a tribute to YOU! For three months now, there have been enough of you out there wacky enough to read this drivel to sustain this creative endeavor and for that I also say a sincere thanks.
So today, on MWOB's anniversary, I am offering up a $20 Gift Card to Trader Joe's for one lucky MWOBBER. And if you live in a place where there is no Trader Joe's, we'll figure something out for you if you win. 
All you have to do is comment below.  And peeps, I know there are so many more of you out there reading who don't comment, so no worries if you don't have a Google Account or whatever just pick the name option and just leave your name.  It's so easy and so not scary.  Trust me.

And if you want an extra entry into the gift card giveaway, simply go up to my review section, read my current Lunch Box Card review and consider entering for that giveaway too. That is, if you are so inclined. Then come back here and let me know you did that.  By leaving a comment again. Sound complicated?  It does to me.  Just do your best.
This Trader Joe's Gift Card giveaway will end at the end of the blogging day Wednesday, January 14th.  That's how long it will take me to recover from this post.
Rock on people in that comment section!