5:30 – Hubby called and said the meeting he thought was happening tonight is actually scheduled for next week. He’s coming home. Yeay!!
5:45 – Chicken is thawed. About to marinate some chicken tenders in buttermilk for 20 minutes for dinner tonight. Grabbed the half-gallon buttermilk container, checked the label, and voila! I bought Vitamin D milk not buttermilk.
I could make some panko crusted chicken much like the ones I make with pork…maybe. Serve it up with rice. YES!
5:50 – Ugh! Where was the container with the panko in it? I saw it just a few days ago. Ooh…found it! Never mind…it’s yellow cornmeal. Duh!
Now what?
5:55 – There’s a can of coconut milk. Chicken curry? Got potatoes too…masaman curry? Nah…don’t have masaman curry paste. Got red peppers. Stir-fried Chinese chicken? Nah…
6:00 – Garage door opens and the little guy rushes to see his Daddy. Hugs and kisses all around.
6:05 – While the two boys were catching up and playing hard, I hunker down to find something to make with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Limited ingredient list. Chicken curry is sounding good. Wait…pad see-ew!
6:26 – My two boys made it back to our bedroom. I turn on the video on how to make pad see-ew, the way they make it in Thailand (according to the website).
“You’re watching the video?” Hubby inquires.
“Yep!”
“Is that the one you like?”
“Nope. Pad woon-sen’s the one I like…a LOT!” I say.
“Hmmmm…let’s go to Taste of Thai,” Hubby suggests coyly. “How long before it’s all cooked?”
“It’s 6:30 now, maybe 7:30 – about an hour.”
“Hmmm…I’m kinda getting really hungry.”
“Okay, let’s go!” I say – excited but hesitant. Then, “Well…maybe you should just get something to hold you over before dinner. Apples or grapes should do. Let’s stay home. I’ll cook.”
“I don’t want to go out!” interjects the little boy.
“Alright…I’ll grab some cheese and maybe some crackers,” Hubby confers.
7:00 – “Boys, it’s time to eat!”
Pad See-ew experiment a success – made with soy sauce-hoisin-garlic-sugar-vinegar sauce, Shanghai bok choy tips in place of Chinese broccoli, and Vietnamese pho noodles in place of traditional Thai wide noodles. The sauce flavor was just right…I think.
Advanced planning really is what puts food on the table on time every night. I’m not always on top of this as much as I really would like to. But today, I am thankful for the food that came about from our pantry and refrigerator. And the collective resolve to enjoy dinner together in the comforts of our home. The best part was our family storytime on the couch as the little boy devoured his ice cream cone for dessert.