Accidental Pre-Mommy Learning Experience

Tonight I had a mini crash course in what I may expect in the years that are soon to come.

Picture it, dinner time. I'm hungry, the boy is hungry, the dog is hungry and no one wants to cook. Fantastic.

Usually I have an idea of what I'd like to make for dinner ahead of time but in recent months there's no reason for it because by time for dinner Tadpole may want something entirely off menu.

A few days ago my cousin Brandy posted that her sister-in-law was making her pork chops. PORK CHOPS! ME WANT!

I like, at all times, to have some pork chops in the freezer. After a few days, or possibly a week (who can tell? - the days all run together when you don't have a "real" job) I finally got around to doing something about thawing those frozen chops. And by "I finally got around to doing something", I mean this morning before the boy left for work I asked him to move them from the freezer into the fridge.

Back to the dilemma of everyone being hungry and no one being willing to cook. The result was the same as always. I man up and get in the kitchen.

Too tired to properly braise pork chops, create a demi-glace, and separately make some mushrooms to go with mine (because the boy doesn't eat "fungi"), I decide to fry them.

Side dishes would have to take a bake seat tonight because there were four thumbs in this house belonging to "this person" who wasn't willing to put in the effort. This knowledge made me play in my mind that scene from the chickenpox South Park episode.

Cartman: So, what kind of side dishes are we going to enjoy this evening with our frozen waffles?
(pause)
Cartman: Am I to understand there will be no side dishes?

In an attempt to cut down on time in the kitchen I prepare a zip-lock bag with what can essentially be considered a shake 'n bake mix. The plan was to have the boy be my helper and shake while I coat and re-coat the floured and panko'd pork chops as well as fried them. As I prepared my personal shake 'n bake mix I envisioned a toddling Tadpole in the kitchen helping mommy fry food for dinner.

The process went much slower than anticipated, much as I have been told that things go when you have a little one who wants to help. The difference here is the boy didn't particularly want to help. Visions of a toddling Tadpole helping "shake" food for dinner have not faded but have been altered to mommy having better sense and starting dinner much earlier.

The boy had never eaten fried pork chops and I am always happy to be the direct cause of his experiencing and enjoying a new dish. In the end, all parties involved were in agreeNOMt. The boy even decided to make his own inside-out chopwhich.

Thankfully dessert was much easier. Take 1 mini watermelon, cut in half, and share with a loved one. Feed remainder to furry loved one.

Anniversary

Today is the boy and I's 2nd anniversary. Which feels a little funny to say when he and I have been together the majority of time since I was a junior or senior in high school.

Two days ago when I was looking for pictures for the most recent blog I found this. A picture of a cake we got when we had been together for 2 years. Just thought it was amusing to find this marker 2 days before our 2 year anniversary of another 2 year anniversary.

We went back to the restaurant where he proposed, Mozart's (N. High St. Clintonville, OH). In fact, without asking, we were seated at the very table we sat at that day.



From the moment I saw Mozart's when I first visited Columbus I knew I just really wanted to eat there. It wasn't long until I did and the wonderful food, atmosphere and wait-staff have left such an impression in me we have been many times in the years we have been here.

There are two other places that have left a lasting impression on me, Raising Canes (fried chicken so moist I insisted on having it at our wedding) which I didn't have until a bit later, and Jimmy Johns ("subs so fast you'll freak") which I had in some of my first visits.

The appetizer tonight was all me. While the boy ate bread I had the hummus. The portion seems much smaller than it used to be which made me sad because Mozarts always seemed far from shy about piling on the delicious veggies with your hummus. And I do so love take home.

For an entree both had the wiener schnitzel (I had the veal he had the chicken). It only occurred to me to take a picture for you after I mowed through most of my meal. At that point his was long gone.


For dessert I had an amaretto truffle and the boy had a slice of chocolate mousse torte (which is the cake he proposed with. And I do mean the cake. He proposed with an entire cake).

I believe that's all for now kids and sorry for all of the dark cell phone pictures (I forgot the digital at home).