Broke as a joke and ready to cook!

Well, it looks like my Summer-o-plenty has finally come to... well, I wouldn't quite say a screeching halt, but something like it. A skittering stop of sorts.

First things first, my Mum came to visit, and I was determined to show her the best of Chicago, as much as I could manage. We ate at a different place every night -- Indian on the first night she got in, Taste of Chicago, Chinese, upscale bar food and drinks, an indulgent brunch at Tweet (after only two visits, already my favorite brunch spot in town), fruit from the vendors at the beach...

Needless to say, the habit stuck, and I had a multitude of excuses for why I just couldn't cook, even after she was safely back in Virginia. My most outstanding (and probably most valid) excuse has been that it's too hot, and I don't really want to slave over the stove in my tiny little kitchen when it feels like its closing in on 175-degrees. We had the extra money for a while, so it really wasn't a big deal to go out or order in practically every night.

Then, my 'fella and I moved. Upgrade! Well, sort of. We now have a beautiful little bedroom (we were sleeping in what I called the closet-bedroom of a studio apartment), but... downsize on the kitchen. For my friends who have stayed in those motels at VA Beach that you can only score on a Sunday after midnight, recall the tiny little kitchen that comes opposite the double-bed. Its basically a few cabinets, a microwave, and a sink, with about two feet of counter space. You know what I'm talking about? Well, we don't have a microwave, we have a half-sized stove, but that's the idea when I say limited, very limited, space. So, instead of a bedroom-closet, we have a kitchen-closet.

But, it's worth it! I can't even express how much I enjoy just lying on my bed with a nice breeze through the windows, reading lazily on a Sunday afternoon. Heavenly.

So, as I was saying... I'm officially broke again! This isn't necessarily good news, but it does mean I'll be cooking more, because I don't really have a choice! I'm seeing a lot of rice and pasta in our future (the one thing I never hesitate to stock up on is pasta, especially when it dips down to 99-cents a box, or less). We still have lamb in the freezer, as well as at least a pound of organic beef I forgot about until we moved, some kielbasa, and a package of chicken legs that I got a pretty good deal on. All is not lost! We will cook again!