The New Staple

Sometimes you go to bed hungry for one thing - then you wake up hungry for something else.

I do that anyway.

Good thing I live near a grocery store, because I have trouble planning a menu and sticking to it. I usually wake up, then decide what I'm hungry for, then sometime throughout the day hit the grocery store to buy the ingredients needed.

My kids are the same way. Tomorrow is my son's 23rd birthday and he still can't decide what he wants for his birthday dinner.

Last night, I thought I was being smart, planning ahead, soaking the beans for Tuscan Bean Soup. It was a cold day and the beans were going to simmer all day, then we would arrive home to the lovely scent of soup with rosemary and olive oil. But when I got up this morning, I wasn't hungry for Tuscan Bean Soup. Strange as that may sound, for it is a lovely soup. I was craving something Mexican, so decided to change the menu to White Chicken Chili.

Plan B.

That's pretty much the story of my life - Plan B. Because I'm indecisive and nothing ever goes as planned, for me anyway.

That's when adapting skills come in handy, especially in the kitchen. I can change the seasoning, add some different type of protein, and have a completely different meal.

Even though it was still early in the week, I felt like we were in need of a midweek pick-me-up. And nothing says pick-me-up like a Mexican Fiesta. So I sauteed some onion, anaheim peppers and garlic. Added a good palm-sized dollop of cumin and chipotle chili powder along with a pinch of Mexican oregano. Threw in two small cans of Green Chili Peppers for that vinegary kick, then added the white beans that had been soaked, and filled the pot with homemade chicken stock and allowed the beans to simmer until nice and tender. Lastly, I put two cooked, shredded organic chicken breasts into the soup. And let everyone top with their choice of Pico de Gallo, shredded Monterey Jack, cilantro, red and green jalapenos, and a squeeze of lime.

Also, we had some guacamole and tortilla chips and salsa on the side.

Remember the good ol' days when bread and milk were staples? My best friend was the baby of five and I remember her mom constantly running to the store for bread and milk. Well, now chips and salsa are staples. If I am out of chips and salsa, especially with two college kids living in the house, it's time to rush to the store. If there's a storm and the power goes out, we could live off of chips and salsa. If there's a nuclear disaster and everyone is confined to their homes for weeks on end, we would survive on chips and salsa. If the earth is hit by a meteorite and everything is covered in dust - you guessed it, Chips and Salsa. It's the new staple.

Our White Chicken Chili was a hit, and I am glad that I changed the menu.

I assume that most people who cook are a lot like me, and try to keep a well stocked pantry. It has only been in the last year that I have enjoyed this luxury of living so close to a grocery store and must admit, I am spoiled. It would be difficult to go back to making that long trip.

Sometimes my family can't decide what to eat until we get to the store to see what looks good.

So, I am curious, anyone else out there as bad as I am about making out a menu and sticking to it?

And does everyone else eat as much chips and salsa as we do?