Friday, October 24, 2008

Keeping my brain healthy

Friday afternoon is my favorite time of the week. I usually come home from work a little earlier than every other day of the week. The whole weekend stretches in front of me and I walk around with a spring in my step. Usually the sun is just streaming at full Rocky Mountain force through my kitchen window. I sit down with my cookbooks and brainstorm.

I slowly flip through the pages, consider my latest issue of bon appetit and cook's illustrated and design our weekly menu. I really relish the moments spent contemplating the perfect arrangement of dishes. I image what each will taste like. I look forward to the chance I'll have to cook them. It's such a personal indulgence.

I try to have one Asian inspired meal, one Mexican, and one pasta. I try to use all 4 of the standard proteins (beef, chicken, pork and fish). One night is the ear doctor's chance to work on his progression toward the title of "grillmaster." I like to have one crockpot/casserole since that makes great leftovers for lunches. And I always throw a dessert/baking experiment into the mix. It's like a big ole crossword puzzle trying to cover all the bases.

Does anyone else get this level of enjoyment out of meal planning? or am I an even bigger nerd that I thought?

7 comments:

k said...

i don't think it is a nerd thing, but i can barely make sure i eat, let alone plan my meal. if i lived on colorado i'd want to come over everynight for dinner!

hey - so one of my favorite seattle artists (besides brandi carlile of course)is playing in denver tonight. his name is ian mcferon - you can google it to find out the details - but his band is great! folk/country/rock - and they have a female fiddler. i am not giving you much warning, but if you have no plans tonight, it would probably be something you'd enjoy!

Katie said...

Goo! If I'd had more notice i would totally have checked them out! Bummer.

TRS said...

I totally admire your ability and dedication to meal plan. My idea of meal planning is to stop and noodles and company - and have enough left for lunch the next day!!

Question. Goo? Do you pronounce it Goo like a baby or go like oh?

Anonymous said...

I used to, but not any more. Now cooking is a chore with a new baby in the house.

P.S. Is your husband ever going to answer those questions we got to ask him a loooooong time ago?

Mrs. Architect said...

I do!!! I sit down with a huge stack of cookbooks and pick out new recipes to try before every trip to the grocery store. And I, too, try to pick ones that utilize different meats, and I also have to make sure that they are colorful when plated (no corn with saffron rice).

We're nerds together!

Sol said...

Hi there, skipped over from Erica's blog!

I myself meal plan, but more from a budgeting point of view. and I hate not having stuff in when I come to cook it. It annoys me!

Anth said...

I too relish meal planning. Perhaps very nerdy, but hey, at least you aren't alone in your nerdiness!