Voila!

I get in these moods where I think my family needs a complete menu makeover.  Honestly... how many times can we fit tacos, pasta, grilled chicken, and burgers into our month.  Sure, I tweak each one a bit by adding a tortilla here or there, mixing up the sauce, or getting a little wild with cilantro lime rice. This just isn't keeping the adventurous taste buds of my family satisfied.  
  
Here's the issue.  When I plan ahead something comes up. It never fails. I am then left with wilted peppers and french bread that Prince Fielder could use at his next at bat. So typically I get in the "I'm going to create a new dish" mode at the last minute and start filtering through various recipe sites with my main ingredient in mind.  I can move through them quite quickly based on the availability of the ingredients in the pantry. It can be a real hit or miss.

Once the recipe has been chosen, let the fun begin.  Here is where my experience in the kitchen comes in handy. (insert wink here)  The recipe calls for paprika and I add chili powder because I have that in the pantry. I am motoring along and its time for that first taste.  It tastes okay not great, I add a bit more garlic or ginger.  We like a little heat so red pepper flakes are always near the front of the pantry. In goes a shake or two.  The sauce isn't as plentiful as I had hoped--in goes a few glugs of chicken stock.  Before I know it, I have completely forgone the original recipe and now have a creation all my own.  

Now its time for the great reveal.  Ryan tries his first bite and I ask, "What do you think?"  Most of the time he likes it,occasionally it turns out to be a instant favorite, and a few times it has been a complete bust. 

Every time I learn a little something along the way.  Still there is one thing I can't seem to master-- when to write things down.  I am never able to recreate those instant favorites. Did I use chili powder or cumin?  Did I use garlic cloves or powder?  

When I get a request for lettuce wraps or French Onion soup I can't make any promises that it will taste the same as last time,  but am happy to give to give it a whirl.  We will arrive somewhere close to that final destination.

Voila!