Spring Break in the Kitchen

I suddenly remember what it was that I used to do with all my free time last summer. This week, thank heavens, is Spring Break, and the first time in a long time when I've really been able to relax, breathe, and just sit and.... do nothing?

Now, don't get me wrong, I've been craving some down time since school began 8 months ago. Over Thanksgiving, Michael and I took vaca with his family to the wonderful, magical land of Disneyworld, and I fell in love all over again with my childhood and his family. Christmas is always busy with no breathing time, so even though I was at home, there were parties to host, parties to attend, gifts to wrap, families to visit, decorations to put up, dinners to cook, and secrets to keep. Hence, no down time. Finally, Spring Break has arrived, the first phase of our state testing is over, and there are only 8 weeks of school left- big sigh, time to catch my breath!

Yesterday morning, the first official day of Spring Break, I took out my to-do list for the week and without meaning to completed everything on it, all before lunch. Hmm. Now what to do.

I'm not generally the type of person to sit around all day and watch t.v., although if Giada is on, that is an extremely tempting thing to do. Or if I have a good book, then yes, I could certainly spend the whole day on the couch. Yesterday was not that day. After doing all the laundry, sweeping and swiffering the house, and picking up accumulated clutter, I sat on the couch and tried not to dread being bored. Deuce and I sat and looked at each other for all of five minutes before I could stand sitting still no longer. I headed for the kitchen.

In the kitchen I remembered how much I loved to cook last summer. Yes, I do cook during the school year, but I'm so busy that I feel forced to stick to "one pot dinners" for their ease to put together and clean up after. Yesterday, though, I settled into one of my most favorite places and brought out two of my most favorite possessions: my cutting board and knife. Here are a list of snacks I made yesterday.

• Pita Chips- These are super simple and go great with hummus, homemade salsa, or even by themselves. I made two different favors. You can basically make any flavor you want, just toss with whatever you have that you like. Cut pita pockets into 8 pizza slice shaped pieces, place on a baking sheet and toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices. I did Italian- thyme and basil, as well as Spicy Dill- lemon pepper, dill weed, and crushed red pepper flakes(just made that up myself and they're my favorite so far). Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until crispy brown.
• Homemade Croutons- I always save the leftover heels of my bread loaves to use to make croutons for our salads. After accumulating 3 or 4 loaves worth(always check to be sure they're not moldy first), I cube them, toss on a baking sheet with salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil, and usually thyme and basil. Bake at 400 degrees for around 6 minutes or until crispy brown. I store these in an airtight plastic container so they won't absorb moisture.
• Fresh Strawberry Pie- We just got a huge flat of strawberries from down south last week, and while we've been eating most of them, I decided to put the rest into a pie. Cut two cups fresh strawberries, set aside. In saucepan over fire, stir together 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, 4 TEASPOONS(found out not to use tablespoons the hard way) cornstarch, and dash of salt until clear. Combine with 1 strawberry jello package; stir until mixed well. Cool slightly, then stir in strawberries. Pour into graham cracker crust, refrigerate to set, serve with whipped cream on top.
• Hot Sandwiches- I served these for supper last night. Michael wasn't feeling too well and was not that hungry, so I pulled out our George Foreman and assembled some sandwiches. Michael loves these, and they're so easy and quick to make. Last night I simply made turkey, cheese, lettuce, and tomato with dill mayo, but in the past I've done Mediterranean(sun dried tomatos, banana peppers, mozzerella cheese, salami, spinach) and even had the idea for Barbeque(brisket, dijon mustard, bbq sauce, coleslaw, romaine). Assemble and squish into panini maker, or in my case George Forman, until cheese is melty, about 3-4 minutes. Serve warm. It's like a grilled cheese, but better.
• Sweet Potato Fries- There are several upsides to sweet potato fries as opposed to regular french fries. They're healthier, have more flavor, and you don't even have to fry them. I didn't even peel mine. I simply scrubbed them clean, sliced them up, and tossed them on a baking sheet with salt and pepper. Make sure you spray your baking sheet first though. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. I served these alongside our hot sandwiches last night. They're even good with ketchup!

It's interesting to think that had I known what I know now about what I truly enjoy doing back in high school, or even early college, I'm not sure that I would have the same job that I do now. Don't get me wrong, I like teaching. Even love it sometimes. But. But now if I were going to choose a profession, there are two things that I've discovered that I like even more than teaching. If I were given the choice now, I would choose to either 1) go to culinary school, or 2) become a personal trainer. Cooking and exercising are two things that I truly enjoy and derive satisfaction and purpose from. It would've been interesting to see if I could have made a career out of either of those.