"A" for effort

There are a few popular sayings that come to mind when I cook.

1. "A" for Effort
2. Bless her heart
3. ....at least she gives it a try
   

The sad thing to me is how much effort I put into planning the menu, grocery shopping and attempting to cook. For goodness sakes, I started a blog about becoming a domestic wonder woman--yet I can't even make a basic stuffed green peppers and my husband does all the household chores including the laundry. I just remind myself that at least I can decorate and I am a nice person.

So tonight was supposed to be the "easy" night--easy stuffed green peppers. No really...the recipe had the word "easy" in front of it. And as well it should be, it is ground beef, onions tomatoes, spices, green peppers and cheese and yet somehow I MESSED it up. The rice was completely undercooked as were the peppers.

Let's back up about an hour. NT enters the kitchen and says "Do you think I shoud be scared when you cook?" The question confused me because it could mean multiple things:

• I am scared that you might destroy our home by starting your fourth kitchen fire
• I am scared I might get salmonella because I am afraid you might under cook the meat
• I am scared that I won't like what you cook and I will therefore starve to death

or....

• I am scared that I am going to have to pretend to like your undercooked stuffed green peppers and if I tell you truthfully that it is the worst thing I have ever eaten you will yell at me and/or cry. Therefore, as a good husband I will eat this and smile and be scared of all the above.

The truth is I have made stuffed green peppers multiple times and they have always been good. This time it just didn't work out...at all. I would love to be that blog that has beautiful pictures of my food and all the amazing recipes that I craft each night but that is simply not the case. Stick with me and maybe one day....I guess that is why I am a "domestic diva in training." I have the Diva part down pretty good already! The downside of this story is that tomorrow is actually the hard recipe.....Pad Thai. We used to eat this multiple times each week in Raleigh at our favorite restaurant Sushi Thai. It will be interesting for sure....heck....I have never even heard of "rice noodles" and have certainly never cooked with fish sauce, bean sprouts or thai chilis. Good Luck to me and yes NT you should be scared....real scared.