Best Fries Ever

     So, I've been feeling a bit like Martha Stewart or Julia Childs lately and doing a lot of cooking around here. I enjoy cooking sometimes I would complain our kitchen is too small and that's why making certain things are a pain because there is not enough room, but really it does get a little cluttered, but I can manage.
     Anyways I saw these fries on Pinterest by the Pioneer Woman and wanted to try them. I've never made fries before so I was a little nervous, but they were amazing, maybe the best fries I've ever had you have to try them. Even Liam and Declan who normally don't eat fries (weird I know) loved them. Liam told me they were his favorite fries and has been asking for them at every meal. Besides cutting the potatoes, which is a little time consuming the recipe is easy. I only cut 4 large potatoes and had a ton, I ended up letting the other half soak and just fried them the next day. Here's some really bad pictures of them.

  

After tasting them I decided i needed a picture of them, so just grabbed my phone at the last minute. I also made homemade pizza dough the other day to, I'm on a roll. Now I just need to get better at meal planning I'll do great one week then flake out the next, but it really does make life easier because I hate trying to figure out what's for dinner at the last minute like tonight. Our nights go so much smoother if I plan ahead. I'd love to know your meal planning tips that work for you.

Why I dread making dinner...

   

My husband works second shift from 2pm-10:30pm, so I am alone with the kids at dinner. Usually I try to make simple dinners or get as much as I can ready either the night before or while Declan, and hopefully Rory naps. Still dinner takes time to cook and put on plates and for some reason during that time it always seems everyone needs mommy. Everyone can be happy and content one minute before, but as soon as I start cooking someone needs something or usually all 3 of them do. Don't get my wrong I love all my little guys to bits, but we have a very small galley kitchen and everyone in there at once just makes me claustrophobic. Yesterday I made spaghetti, a fairly simple dinner. Liam and Declan were playing together and Rory was in his bumbo seat watching, so I figured it was the perfect time to start. Then as soon as I started cooking Declan was pulling at my leg screaming for me to pick him up, while Liam was asking a million questions (what is this for, can I have smoothie , let's make scrambled eggs, I wanted hot dogs for dinner), and Rory was starting to fuss a little. I do try to let them help in the kitchen when I can or give them some fruit to munch on while I cook, but it never fails that everyone is in the kitchen with me even when my husband is home. Then I am always tripping over someone and trying to make sure they don't pull anything off the counter. I don't know why I find this part of my day so stressful. Then usually one of them doesn't like the dinner I made and I wonder why I bothered, which is why we usually have spaghetti at least once a week because it is something they both like and easy.  I think it may just be the size of our kitchen, but I'm not sure maybe if I had a bigger kitchen it would be the same. All I know is I miss the days when my husband was home for dinner and we could all eat together and I had some help:)

Marinated Pork Chops

I made these the other daywhen I couldn't think of anything to do with the pork chops I took out and they were super yummy.


Marinade
1/3 cup of oil
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
A pinch of garlic and onion powder
2 tablespoons of brown sugar

Combine all ingredients and marinate on 4-6 pork chops overnight or for at least 2 hours.  I'm sure it would be great on chicken or steak to make a stir fry as well.

Dinner with less mess

So if you're like me you love spaghetti night. It's a super easy dinner everyone will likes and eats without complaining.  The only problem with spaghetti night is the huge mess. Then I found these shirt covers at IKEA for like $4 for 2 and now I no longer have to scrub clothes. They are also great for art projects and cheap enough to by a few. Makes clean up easier, which equals one happy mommy.