(Not so) Vintage Thingie Thursday!

“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marks

It is Vintage Thingie Thursday, so I figured I would share a prized collection of miniature cream bottles, that (as you can see on the far left) I now use as casual glasses.  They are perfect for lemonade, fruit punch, and root beer.  They are very sweet, and remind me of a simpler time.  The only thing is... they aren't (shhhhh!) really vintage.  The Straus Family Creamery is a local dairy farm that produces the most delicious milk products, and they are sold in the gourmet section of our local supermarkets.  

So, I figure since I am cheating on the "vintage" aspect of Very Vintage Thursday, I would share some more of my decidedly modern favorites.  Namely, dinner on Wednesday night.

First off, menu planning and shopping itself has always been a chore.  However, I was beyond thrilled when I found the website, "How Does She Do It", which simplifies the process beyond measure.  First of all, it has a database of recipes that you can access by searching for a particular dish, or you can search by category ("chicken" or "dessert" or "pasta", etc.).  You can also add your own favorite recipes.  You can then populate your own weekly menu with the dishes you want to make.  But the coolest aspect, as far as I am concerned, is that it then creates your weekly shopping list for you.  So you go over the list, and if you already have some of the items, you can remove them from the list, and if you have other staples you want to add to the list - you go ahead and add them, and then voila - you take the list with you and you ensure that you have everything you need to cook for your family for the week.  Woo hoo!  Convenient, fun, and easy peasy.  Check it out:

 

http://www.howdoesshedoit.com

Here's an example of what I cooked last night - it took about twenty minutes total, fed four with some left over for my husband's lunch today, and everyone liked it.  Chicken and Broccoli with Rice.  First, I chopped up a lb. of skinless chicken breast, brown it in a tablespoon of oil, and then set it aside:

Next, you take a can of cream of chicken soup, a cup and a half of water, and some pepper and paprika, and mix it all in the pan, over heat.  

(Love the glass spice jar.)  Archer Farms is a Target brand.  The pewter Pepper shaker (I have the salt shaker as well) are from Crate and Barrel.

You let this mixture come to a boil.

Once it comes to a boil, you put the chicken back in, and add a cup and a half of minute rice, and a bag of frozen broccoli. 

Cover the mixture, and let it simmer for five more minutes. This gives you time to set a really quick casual table:

 

And woo-hoo!  Dinner is ready!

The dish already has your protein, starch, and vegetable.  I put out a a platter of fresh grapes and orange slices, as a side dish.

And then, to complete the meal, one more modern convenience:

Yum!  Happy Vintage Thingy Thursday!  I know I cheated, but taking the time to sit down to a home cooked meal with your family is becoming less and less common, and for some - a thing of the past.  

Personally, I think the family meal is a vital part of family connection, and modern conveniences such as the website and quick recipe I shared above help to make sure that I can focus on what it timeless and important, a happy, well fed, close family.

Thanks for stopping by!  Here's a picture of me with my messy hair and apron on.  It looks like I have been cooking all day long.  Lol!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/