Monday, February 9, 2009

As long as you switch out the side dishes you can call it a whole new meal, no?

I'm in the process of scanning some of our old photos and since Valentine's Day is approaching, I thought I'd share a few of them this week if I can make myself get around to it. But that's gonna mean that I have to start my posts before my eyelids start getting that heavy feeling. So, more like around 6ish... I have the bedtime of an eighty year old.

Back before M to the Izz-A had twin peaks (our term of endearment for his receding hairline) and before my unfortunate forehead was given the gracious gift of side bangs, we had our engagement pictures taken on a local beach. Actually, I really love these particular photos because we look so young and clueless carefree. Well, while looking at these photos, I was reminded of our dating days and our first year of marriage.

By the way, I don't think I've ever shared with you all the fact that the boy bought a ring and proposed to me before we had ever mentioned anything about marriage or even brought up the idea spending forever together. Looking back, he must have been nuts. I mean, who in their right mind would do that without having first talked about it or at least mentioned it in conversation with the other person??

In the spirit of honesty, I must tell you that I do know part of the reason he fell for me. It was during our first month of dating when I made that third trip back to the lunch buffet line with him one Sunday after church that he knew I could hang. I guess he assumed that if I liked to eat like that, that I could also cook.

Oh, the folly in assuming, it gets even the best of us at times.

He quickly learned during our first year of marriage that while I did enjoy cooking, my list of recipes was sorely lacking. Although he never mentioned it back then, he now likes to frequently make fun of the fact that I cooked pork chops five out of seven days a week. I can't even defend myself with that one. I mean, what? I like pork chops and so I cooked them often. I baked them, fried them, George Foreman grilled them and mixed them into any casserole I could think of. They were my safety meat of choice if you will, because I wasn't yet comfortable with making fancy roasts or anything else for that matter. I figured that as long as I changed out my cooking method (Monday-fried, Tuesday-baked, Wednesday-grilled, Thursday-fried again, Friday - he better take me out to eat for pulling such pork chopping stunts) and as long as I changed out my sides, it was a whole new meal. Kind of like when you wear that same favorite shirt all the time but change out your jewelry, it's a whole new outfit. They're called staple items people, embrace them.

Well, I'm happy to say that I've made definite gains in the cooking department and I honestly cannot remember the last time I made pork chops. I do still love them, but obviously I tend to get on kicks, and right now I'm on a crock pot kick....what a wonderful invention! I'm gonna send a Valentine to whoever invented it and I hope mine makes it to them before Matt's does.

22 comments:

Doublebanker said...

Better get taken out to eat on more than just Friday!

My gif blog...

Dana said...

Too funny! I often joke about how Chris MUST love me b/c my gravy was like glue when we first got married and he STILL ate it!! LOL

Btw, it rocks now ;)

Tim said...

I like pork chops too! In our house however if Im not in the kitchen then NOBODY is eating. Carey has never cooked nor had the desire for it. I mean she cant even make jello because she cant boil water and Im not being mean here either. Thank God my mom taught me how to cook when I was growing up. My mothers mother (my Mema) was the master. And I was passed on some of it which if you got anything from those generations of cooks you got ALLOT!

Kristy said...

Ummmm.... where are THOSE pics? We want to see the young and clueless Matt and Hollie!!

I am usually in the chicken rut... but my mom has ABC cooking. A-assorted (pizza, pork, etc.) B-beef and C-chicken. She tries to keep it in that order, so that is what I've been working toward. =)

April said...

I'm with you girl...changing out the sides does make it a whole new meal!!!

Mrs. Classic said...

My hubby complained that I made the same things over and over again. I just loved them as well and knew how to make them! Now he cooks for himself most of the time. I wonder which he prefers?

shalay said...

Haha, sooo true! I think I've cooked about 20 variations of chicken over the past 6 months. But now I'm starting to hate chicken, so I'm gonna need a fall back. Maybe pork chops?

Oh, and speaking of food, I tried out your homemade mac and cheese recipe and LOVED it! Thanks!

Jon and Steph said...

You're hilarious!
I am the same way, I cook chicken 5 times a week and just change the sides. Or I make chili because you can never go wrong with chili!

Thanks for the idea, I am actually doing a giveaway for my 100th post, I might add one of those scarfs for a second giveaway too!

~Mrs. Guru~ said...

I love the crock pot too!

Anonymous said...

You are so funny! How did you and M to tha Izz-A meet?

Sassytimes said...

My husband also proposed to me (with a ring) before we had even mentioned the idea. I always think "wow, that had to be nerve wracking". ;)

Glad we are on the other side and just get to say "yes" and wear the pretty ring.

Lindsay said...

I agree switching the sides does make a whole new meal. I'm like you only with chicken. I try new recipes but half the time they don't turn out the best so I just sick with what I know! Hey at least we provide food on the table right???

Can't wait to see the young Matt and Hollie!

Whitney said...

You are SO fun! I just found ya and glad I did. :) Cute bloggie!

Charis said...

Crock pots=salvation. I love them too.

I just bag tagged you!

Unknown said...

That's so funny! I've actually never made pork chops myself...maybe I need one of your recipes! :)

Anonymous said...

Too funny... just the other day I overcooked stuffed pork chops. I told my Hubby that cooking pork just is not my thing. I freak out about undercooking it (I've heard some gross stories about raw pork)and end up over cooking it EVERY TIME!

We got tired of cooking/eating the same thing week after week after week... so a couple weeks ago I decided to get out my Pampered Chef recipe book. We have been taking turns picking out AND COOKING a new recipe everyday.

We've had some amazing meals!

Chic Runner said...

Hey, at least you CAN cook porkchops... :) You're further along that me!

Aliya said...

I firmly believe taht the crock pot is a wife's best friend!

The Musgrove's said...

I need some of those crock pot ideas. Josh is a picky eater and I am finding it VERY hard to cook for him and me not get sick of eating the same ole thing.

Anonymous said...

Cute. :) I don't know how much my cooking ability has grown in 8 years of marriage. Hopefully I'm better. When we were first married I actually burned something in the crockpot. How do you do that?

Trina said...

Too funny. In my seven and a half years of marriage I have never once made pork chops. However, I can wear out some ground turkey. You can make pizza, chili, meatloaf, BBQ cupcakes, spaghetti, tacos and the list goes on. It's my staple item and I have fully embraced it ;)

Les said...

I too am not the greatest cook... that story about the pork chops was too funny!!