I had to … I JUST HAD TO! Any time I order pizza, Home Alone pops in my head … you know, the part where the gangster movie is playing in the background and the pizza boy comes to Kevin’s house … I love it.
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Zero week is the hardest … it’s the first one Josh has been on as a tap out. He’ll be the first one to admit that he’s had a pretty easy schedule since becoming a MTI. His squadron moved into one of the new dorms so everyone has just been floating in other squadrons up until last week. With that being said, he’s been home for almost every dinner even if he worked a late shift. This week made me rethink my cooking, he wasn’t home until 8:30 or 9pm each night. We knew this day was coming so I’m definitely not complaining, I’d just been waiting patiently for the “storm” to begin. I wanted to plan accordingly to make sure he would not have rubbery, reheated dinners; the things I prepared could be prepped for both of us but I could cook in 2 batches. That way I had a fresh dinner at a normal time (I was beginning to not want to eat when he was coming home around 7 – it was too late for me) … so I eat around 6ish and then I store his meal uncooked – once I get the all mighty “ON MY WAY” text, I heat the oven and cook his dinner. Now, some of you are probably thinking I’m nuts to cook his dinner separate, why not do it all at one time. Listen, I’ve got the time to do it so why not? It’s not like I’m slicing and dicing at 9pm; I’m pulling plastic storage containers from the fridge, throw things in a pan, and 10 minutes later it’s all done. Of course for casseroles, well he just has to reheat those. I wouldn’t make him eat reheated fish or mushroom tart (last night’s dinner)… unless you prefer soggy pastry, totally up to you.
*This is an idea you can use for your hectic week … prep a few dinners on the weekend and freeze everything! That way, when you come home and log on to FB to complain that you have NO TIME to cook dinner … you’ll actually have something ready. Although, what will you make your status about then?*
I love this recipe but I bulked it up so the tart was more filling. Martha has 2 tart recipes in this book, this is my second time making the mushroom version … I’m not so sure about the asparagus version, I know Josh would eat it though. I could buy mushrooms for me and asparagus for him; there’s no difference in prep… slicing is slicing to me! I think that’s what I’ll do next time 🙂 .
Instead of transferring pots/pans for cooking the veggies, I started the onions, added the mushrooms (drained before adding spinach), and added the spinach (drained before topping the pastry) – done. It’s really that simple; as you know my prep time is short: using the mandolin for the onions and I slice so many mushrooms now, I’ve got it down to a science. Seriously, do not disturb me while I’m in the slicing zone. That’s like me trying to ask Josh a question during a Pirates game … NO RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN.
Cook time: 15 minutes. While I’m slicing, I laid the pastry sheets out to defrost. I mean, this is so easy and cheap – healthier & cheaper than take out pizza!
Speaking of take out pizza … I ordered from Papa Johns on Friday – I had ZERO urge to cook. They used to have a whole wheat crust but it’d been a while since I last ordered so I went to the website to see what they had. Turns out they have a thin crust now. Cool! I did my half with Hawaiian toppings and Josh’s half with a ton of veggies and sausage. We don’t order take out very often especially with the diabetes casting a shadow over our house now, so this was hopefully going to be a nice little treat (my Friday the 13th was going horribly bad). WRONG 😦 . Their thin crust was like cardboard … imagine a tasty/juicy burger patty being held together with saltine crackers. Not so tasty anymore, right? So the toppings were good as always, but the thin crust was killing me! Oh and get this – thin crusts don’t come with garlic dipping sauce! TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT. How many of you order from PJ’s only for the garlic sauce? Stop lying, you all do – for that reason only, lol. I called the store and this is the response I get (I wanted to make sure my order wasn’t messed up … don’t roll your eyes at me) *in a matter-of-fact/you-are-dumb kind of voice* “the thin crust and hand tossed have never come with sauce” … as if I should have known (‘NEVER’ was clearly emphasized and almost sarcastic). If I knew a) I wouldn’t have called and asked where the sauce was; and b) I wouldn’t have ordered your dumb thin crust.
RANT OVER
I wonder if they ever met a pizza they didn’t like?
tails from the kitchen 