War Zone

I wonder if dinner time is a war zone in anyone else's house?? Cooking dinner continues to stress me out daily!!! I am not a domestic goddess and my hubby does not require gourmet food, but even a simple dinner makes me sweat. It has nothing to do with the cooking. I can hold my own in the kitchen. I have been known to make some mean re-creations of Rachel Ray and Giada recipes. It is the preparation during "the witching hour" that almost sends me down the street to Applebees!! 


I try to cook during the week. There is always the option of take-out for us, but I fight it tooth and nail. The occasional veggie bowl from Chipotle makes me give in! Mexican is my weakness! Ole'! 


Tonight was simple with a capital S!! Chicken sausage and roasted broccoli and cauliflower. Nothing to it, right??? Well, it took almost 1 and 1/2 hours from washing the veggies to gobbling them up!! The chaos occurs simply because Sloane wants me with her in the playroom and I want to be in the kitchen. Now, listen, the rooms are 2 feet from each other but she won't have it. The hours from 5 to 7 can be a crap shot. There can be a jackpot with all smiles OR I can lose everything but the shirt on my back!! LOL The witching hour is a phenomenon I never understood until I was a mom!


It took me at least 20 minutes to cut and wash the veggies. I opened the packages, put them in the colander and then I was back in the playroom playing farm. I slithered away again to wash the veggies and start trimming them and then I was ordered back in the playroom for a "spot of tea" at the table. I engaged Sloane in book and tiptoed up the 3 stairs to place the veggies in the cookie sheet. I was called with a "momma, where are you?" and back into the playroom for a quick Ring Around the Rosey. I started a dance off and cha cha cha-ed myself back into the kitchen to chop garlic. You get the idea???? 20 or maybe 30 minutes later..the veggies hit the heat!!!! The chicken sausage is a whole another back and forth. 


Dinner is a war zone. For the amount of time it takes me to whip it up (HA), I should be creating an Iron Chef meal. It is ridiculous!!