Let’s talk Food!

Hi, my name is Shelly and I like food.

There is really nothing I won’t eat or at least try. I 100% think the reason I am not a picky eater is because there was no discussion at the dinner table growing up if I was or wasn’t going to eat what was on my plate. If Mom made something and we didn’t like, tough you were expected to eat it. Period. I was not an onion eater growing up and my Mom would put diced onion in with a can of green beans. I would eat around the onions and leave them on my plate thinking Dad wouldn’t notice. Never worked. I’d eat all the green beans and then he’d make me eat the pile of onions. There were times I thought I was going to die from onion poisoning.

The only food that I am still disgusted by is sliced pickled canned beets. I am making a face now as I think about how awful they are. We didn’t eat them often, but when we did I had to have one slice. I swallowed it whole with a water back.

A Sunday dinner tradition in the Chuck and Donna Lenz household was chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with white gravy and corn. This dinner was requested not long ago by my Dad for Father’s Day. So we all gathered and went to fill our plates and Mom had made green beans. Shana and I looked at her questioning our very existence. She explained she didn’t have enough corn so she made green beans. Recounting this experience is bringing back those emotions of confusion and sadness. I hope it never happens again as I don’t think we could handle it. Clearly I am being overly dramatic, but I bet if you ask Shana about our meal on Father's Day 2017 there will be a comment about green beans instead of corn. Another big debate we had growing up was beans in chili. You see my Grandma Lenz put beans in her chili, remember she grew up in Iowa. My Mother being a true child of Texas says, “no beans in chili!” I honestly don’t care. It’s good either way. Beans are a great cheap filler. I love them both equally on a hot dog and on top of Fritos corn chips.

My Sister and I were born with this innate ability to be eating breakfast while planning and thinking about what we are going to eat for dinner tomorrow. It’s truly a gift and believe it annoys our respective significant others. It was important to my Mom that we leave her house knowing how to cook and she was successful in that. We not only know how, but enjoy it. I didn’t come to enjoy it until later in life, but I eventually found my way.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I have a whole Pinterest board devoted to breakfast foods. I really cannot stress how much I like breakfast. People who don’t wake up hungry for breakfast are conundrums to me. I like to quote Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation,

Leslie: “why would anybody every eat anything besides breakfast food?”

Ron: “because people are idiots, Leslie.”

How can you not wake up craving eggs, bacon and pancakes drenched in syrup? Of course, I don’t really think you’re an idiot, but I question your decision making skills from time to time. A new favorite breakfast tradition is going to Hodies Saturday mornings with Jarret. I look forward to these breakfast dates especially when his Saturday’s fill up with work and of course the breakfast. 

Fun fact: I typed the word breakfast 8 times in that paragraph.

Thinking on my grocery lists a constant item listed is peanut butter. I have an awesome sweet tooth. I basically got double whammied. Both my Grandfathers had sweet teeth (teeth? tooth’s? anyway) and graciously passed it on to me. This means I love white sugar and all the forms that FOODtv can think to do with it. In order to not get type 2 diabetes I feed my sweet tooth cravings with apples and peanut butter, rice cakes and peanut butter, slices of banana and peanut butter, and spoons full of peanut butter. My apologies to people with nut allergies, but please rest in knowing I am eating your share of peanut butter.

Roasting vegetables has been something that I have fallen hard for. Fresh veggies tossed in olive oil with a little season salt or garlic salt roasted nice and crisp in the oven. YUM! I’ll often cheat and instead of tossing in olive oil, I’ll spray with non-stick cooking spray. Purple onion done this way taste just like a battered onion ring, but healthier!! Brussel sprouts, okra, sweet potato, and purple onion are my roasted veggie staples. If you try these you will not be disappointed. 350-375 for 20-25 minutes or until as crispy as you like them.

My newest favorite side dish is macaroni and cheese. Not just any mac and cheese, but Jarret’s mac and cheese. He shred’s 2-3 different cheeses, along with a bit of Velveeta, heavy cream, cream cheese if it’s on hand and adds Shiner beer to his thickening agents. There’s other stuff, but you get where I am going. It’s better than my Mom’s. I know what you’re thinking! How can you say that? Um…did you not just hear how he makes it? She’d completely understand.

Like every American I also indulge in junk food. I mean what would we do without pizza? I do my very best to avoid chunk food, but I am weak and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and a Coke Cola can hit the spot. I also enjoy a trip to the local fast food joint. Being back in Dalhart has made me realize how much I miss Rosa’s Tortilla Factories nachos. Under $5 it was a delicious steal! I’ve heard people mention that fast food joints puts “crack” in their food to get you to come back, I believe they call it “sodium.” Salt is what makes fast food so freaking delicious. Also, as mentioned earlier my sweet tooth gets the best of me and ice cream is always a good way to shut it up. I love ice cream.

I have many food memories. You know a food memory? When you eat something and are instantly transported to a special time. Malt-O-Meal filled with brown sugar and butter immediately puts me in my Granddaddy’s kitchen on a Saturday morning hair a mess in my pj’s waiting for him to serve me this bowl of happiness. White bread toasted with real butter and a big ‘ole glass of milk to top it off. I almost can’t eat Malt-O-Meal any other way. Or a peanut butter and butter sandwich at my Grandma Lenz’s “house on the corner” for an afternoon snack while playing with my cousins. Food is special in that way. It’s better than fondly looking at an old picture and remembering the good times. You can bring some of those good times to life in the kitchen.

What are some of your favorite meals or recipes? Do you have everything you need to make it? If so, I say add it to your menu in the next couple of days. You can thank me later.

-Have a happy day!