So you decided you could write a blog...???

Alright, I was out today on the internet trying to find a well rounded dinner.  BUT, the caveat to that is that my kids and my husband (me too if I'm honest) don't do super-funky food.  I love salads - I hate fruit in salad.  Heads up I guess, you'll not find a single grapefruit, orange or grape in any salad I post.  Every single "dinner" I'd found had a great sounding protein, but fruit on the side or some fancy citrus topping.  Not that I won't use lemons or limes in marinades, but I don't want an orange marmalade or something otherwise offending on my meat.  Oh, by the way, we're meat lovers so there will rarely be an intentional "veggie" dish.

Sooooooo, I thought, why don't I post what we like.  Take the protein from one recipe (that I've removed all offending fruit from and made easier to make on a busy night), the side dish from another (that has the tofu or any other custom/imported sauces removed).  Oh - and it has to be flavorful because if it's not my husband dumps lemon juice, salt, or cajun seasoning all over it just to choke it down.

To be clear, this isn't "fancy" food.  You'll find nice dishes, you might find something to serve at a party, but most important, you should find food that the average family will eat.  Now, if up til now, you've fed your kids Mickey D's and never introduced them to pepper, we may have a problem.  My kids love chili, they adore jambalaya, summer sausage, sharp cheddar cheese and pickles are snacks.  We are not afraid of flavor, just flavor that you can't pick up at the closest store.

Oh and by the way, 90% of my ingredients can be found at Aldi's.  That's my grocery store of choice.  I did however used to work in an exceptionally nice Italian restaurant (plug for Biaggi's ;)), and I get cravings for things that aren't always in season at Aldi's.  If you shop there you know what I mean.

I'll do my best to give you recipes that can easily be reproduced, won't require specialty imported sauces (unless I find one at Aldi's and want to try it, then we might have problems), and that won't be so out of the box that no one will even think of trying them.

Good luck to me, oh and if you're reading this far that means you are interested.  THANK YOU!!!!