Menu

I love to cook.  Except when I don't.  And I don't when I'm pregnant because nothing sounds good.  Or when I have small children because the task is too overwhelming: think about it. Dinner time is cranky time.  Those tiny mouths have got to be fed and fast!  And cooking takes time.  Not to mention the dirty kitchen that needs cleaned afterwards.  Now lets talk about heat...no one wants to spend time in a hot kitchen next to the appliances that are only making things hotter.  But cooking is so satisfying for me.  I love eating good food and I love when my children say this is the best you've ever made.  It happens occasionally! So today, even though I have small children and even though it's nearly 100 degrees outside and 88 degrees in my house (we don't have AC! can you believe it doesn't come standard in houses in this area yet?) I'm spending time in the kitchen and here's what is on the menu.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Steamed Green Beans

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread

And for dessert:

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

1 large package instant chocolate pudding

1 pt. whipping cream

1 qt. half and half

2 c. sugar

Mix ingredients in a bowl, pour into chilled metal ice cream mixer.  Add whole milk up to the fill line.  Layer ice and rock salt outside the container and turn on machine.  Takes 30-40 minutes.

The ice cream almost didn't get made...the ice cream maker we bought Marc for Father's Day last week didn't work at all today.  We successfully made a batch of vanilla last Sunday and I had a gut feeling that the machine only worked as a tender mercy so my Father's Day Celebration for Marc wasn't a bust.  Thanks to a borrowed machine, we enjoyed this sinful dessert.  Seriously.  Look at the ingredients.  I haven't had the guts yet to calculate the calories...even though I'm trying to get back to my calorie counting so I can loose those last pesky 5 pounds.  This homemade ice cream is definitely not helping!