Monumental Mess

Every time I have a huge mess in the kitchen (which is almost 24/7), I think about the purple house we (ex and I) built almost 30 years ago. I had planned and cut pictures from magazines . . way before the days of Pinterest  . . and I knew exactly what I wanted. I loved these pantries and everyone thought it was a waste of space when I insisted on adding them to the plan. This is a picture I found online from when the house was for sale recently.

Both of these pantries had countertop, at two different heights, and electric plugs. The coffee pot, mixer, blender, toaster . . everything was behind these bifold doors. What I wouldn’t give for a place to do my work and then close the doors and not have “stuff” sitting on the counters.

What I would really like is a kitchen completely separate from the house! Maybe not in a separate building but definitely not the center of the living area. I could have my music as loud as I want it. I prefer to work alone and can easily get lost in bliss when I’m in the kitchen working.

OK . . enough dreaming. Reality tells me that I’ll never build another house so chances of having a nice pantry with countertop and electric plugs will live only in my dream. One thing I can say with certainty is IF we ever buy another house, it will have a stainless sink and it will not have painted cabinets! 

To the point I started to make before I got interrupted by my dreams . . I love Schlotzsky’s. I smile every time I walk up to the door and see that sign that of course I cannot remember right now but it’s something like “We’re up baking buns before your bun is awake”.  I’ll take a picture of it next time I’m there. That’s what I thought about this morning as I rolled out of bed before daylight to get the rolls started. 

The good thing about having our main meal at lunch is that I’m done and finished in the kitchen by 1:00 p.m. Of course, it often means I’m up getting things started by 5 a.m. but that gives me the entire rest of the day to do whatever I want to do without thinking about dinner. Vince usually fixes himself a sandwich or past and a jar of sauce or leftovers. Bad wife! I’ll have a piece of fruit and that’s all I need. I feel so much better not having a big meal in the evening.

By a few minutes after 7, I had the roll dough made and rising and the mac & cheese in the baking pan. I thought . . I’ll bet some of my friends are still sleeping!

Last time I made the Hawaiian Rolls, I calculated that if I got them going by about 6:15, they would be fine for lunch but I felt rushed and they didn’t rise enough and then we were waiting for them to get done. Vince gets home a little after 11 and I like to have lunch ready to dish up when he walks in the door.

By 8:00, my kitchen was a total disaster. This dishwasher was full and this is the overflow. I thought about sitting down and coming back to it but I’m glad I decided to get it done. It was a lot of big stuff and didn’t take long.

By 9:00, the rolls were shaped and rising. The mac & cheese was ready to go into the oven.

The stove was wiped down, though it could still use a good scrubbing!

By 10:45, the rolls were done, the mac & cheese was baked, the beans were done in the pressure cooker, the pork was ready to be pulled .. with time to spare!

Lunch was served, everyone was happy and satisfied!

I might just take a nap this afternoon.