I melted, over and over and over again

I confess, I haven't been cooking lately. Last week I was filled with dread about the boys making me eat the same shit they've been making me fix all damn summer and I decided we were going to be adventurous. A couple months ago they were very enthusiastic about their love of chicken pot pie, although Landen and I don't like vegetables.

So I thought it would be a great idea to get my ramekin wedding present out of storage and make us some individual chicken pot pie. I found a Paula Deen recipe that I altered by adding orzo and cheese, and Landen helped me make it. And then, and then, and THEN both of them decided they did not care for it, which was total bullshit, but they were forced to eat all the chicken and drink all their milk. Landen ate the pastry top and Jake ate salad that I had covered with HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING.

I know my pot pies were good, because I ate all of mine and Cydney Wilson practically licked her ramekin clean.

I also made these breakfast melts, courtesy of my new idol. I said something about them on Facebook and several people have written me about the recipe, so I direct you to it now:

Make-Ahead Muffin Melts courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

I have made three batches for me, Cydney and Landen since Friday. I cut the recipe in half, which works fine. I hate hard boiled eggs, so I use scrambled. I actually used Eggbeaters all three times. The first time I made it with turkey bacon and reduced fat mayonaise. The second time I made it with real bacon and real mayonaise. Times one and two I used thin-sliced bagels. The third time I used real bacon and real mayonaise, extra dijon and English muffins. After all of these variations, if you're someone who likes to tweak your recipes, my favorite is real bacon (almost burned) and real mayonaise (Hellman's) with extra dijon on bagel thins. You don't want to leave out the dijon.

These were amazing to shove in the fridge and eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner until they were all gone.

This weekend we're having flank steak and homemade mac and cheese AND this:

Grilled chicken with lemon-basil pasta courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

But I may use spaghetti because it appeals to my children more than penne does.

Sorry my dear. I would send you some of all of this if it would not spoil in the mail.

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