At a restaurant, my mom will peruse the menu like it's her last meal. The wait staff will often appear three times before she's had enough time. My son is baffled by McDonald's drive through window. "Wait, WAIT, I'm not ready."



I'm not like that, although I do feel a bit pressured at drive through windows and often revert to whatever I normally order just because I didn't see that new salad that they've got displayed in a gorgeous picture by the window where you pay.



We're not frequent diners at places where you get your food through windows. McD's is a great, relatively low cal place to get an ice cream cone. It's cheaper than DQ and I think tastes better. But, I'm a little put off at the taped welcome voice that pushes the latest whatever burger or implores me to try an iced mocha today. I always say no thank you to the recording and then feel really stupid when the completely different voiced person then takes my order and seems to not understand why I'm no thanking them.



I think my mom reads from menus so deliberately and completely because she's from a generation that just moved slower. It's ok really, not a slam, I think it's a good thing. I love all things slow and really hate it when someone I'm with is compelled to look at their chirping electronic device rather than be with me. Really, what is it about those leashes that have made us all rude? What will 100 years bring? Absolutely no human contact of any kind?



So, anyway, back to slowing down. I can't eat grilled food all the time, so here's one of my go to recipes for summer. It simmers in your crock pot all day and is great for those days when standing over a 600 degree grill just seems wrong.



Pulled Pork with Beer and Garlic



Take a big old pork roast, loin is good, but way too expensive to cook until it falls apart. Put it in your crock pot. Dump in a good bottle of beer and more garlic than you think you can stand. Salt and pepper to taste and let it cook all day.



Shred, put on buns and top with bbq sauce and cole slaw. Freeze leftovers to do the same thing in the future when it's too hot or your too busy too cook.



Makes a great tortilla stuffer too.

Learning to Let Go

I don't remember who it was, some actress, maybe Lindsay Lohan, and I'd hate to mention anything that I admire about her, but I really think it was her. And if it was her, then I've found a redeeming quality in her that I'll cling to as she bumpily navigates her way through life.

Anyway, in the background of a busy day, I was stopped smack dab in the middle of a dirty bathroom because I heard the words, "Just breathe." You see, it was one of those days where my thoughts were muddled and jumbled and my To Do Lists had developed their own To Do Lists. There were Post-it Notes in my brain and all over my counter tops and stuck to mirrors. I was frustrated and overwhelmed and I just knew, it wasn't all going to get done. No way, no how.

And those words, they came through loud and clear, despite the fact that I was quite far from the TV and I abhor daytime television...........

So, anyway, back to the actress. She had the word breathe tattooed in white so it really was only apparent to her on the underside of her wrist. And immediately, I wanted to find the nearest tattoo parlor, which in suburbia would be a very long drive. Long enough that I would totally reconsider because there's nothing permanent that I would ever want applied to my skin, aside from sunscreen because I just hate having to put that on again and again and again.

Breathe, remember?

And I realized, I need this reminder from time to time. Dinner can be hot dogs and all will be well. I don't need to work my way through one of Julia Child's cookbooks. That's been done and it doesn't need to be done again. Dust is a wonderful household accessory. He can wear the same socks two days in a row. It won't kill him. Even Martha Stewart has weeds in her garden. And the dude in the Home Depot ad probably has just as many unfinished house projects as we do. The universe will not come to a screeching halt if the items on my lists don't get crossed off. They're lists and by their very definition, they never end.

Breathe.

So, here's a recipe that doesn't require much thought, planning, or preparation. Just toss it together. Grill or bake. And then sit down and breathe.

Chili Maple Marinade
Good on chicken, pork chops, pork ribs, or pork tenderloin.

3 TB maple syrup
2 TB chili powder
a little water
salt to taste

Dump together. Marinate if you have time. Grill or bake until done.

Serve with a big salad, straight from the bag, and steamed veggies (straight from the bag!)

One More Honey at the Table

Sam has been so busy this summer. There have only been a handful of days that he hasn't had a friend over or been invited to one of their houses. Mostly it's been our house. "You're so lucky not to have a brother," one kid yelled as they ran out to the pool.

Playdates have blurred edges at our house. If it's close to dinner time, there will just be an extra place at the table.

This recipe easily lends itself to adding one more chicken breast to the marinade and it's a definite kid pleaser.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

1/3 cup mustard, Dijon is perfect, spicy brown would be nice, just don't use "that yellow stuff" as Sam says
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp minced garlic
2 TB light mayonnaise
2 tsp steak sauce
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix all, but the chicken breasts in a small mixing bowl. Place chicken breasts in a zip bag. Pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Seal bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate chicken and the reserved marinade for at least 2 hours. If you're using frozen chicken breasts, just let them defrost overnight in the marinade. Preheat your grill for medium high heat Remove chicken from bag. Discard marinade. Grill for 7 minutes per side, basting cooked side with reserved marinade. Be sure chicken is completely cooked through and has an internal temp of 165 degrees.