I'm A Kitchen Warrior!... Please Send Pizza!

As I ventured down the grocery aisle, I felt confident.

If I could bake, then I should be able to cook.

With all of your wonderful encouraging words from last week I realized it was time.

I would no longer hang my head with shame.

I was going to buy some ingredients! 

(the cooking would have to wait until next week)

Baby steps people. . .baby steps.

As you can see I wasn't planning on preparing a new to me meal that day...

but as I was strolling down the isles reading my favourite magazine I spotted this:

I was no stranger to the lure of Shake'n Bake and when I passed by this box,

and saw the Ranch Crusted description.

...I was intrigued.  

It was the one thing I knew my girls liked.

There was a picture of a scrumptious looking meal on the back, 

and low and behold I happened to have all the ingredients.

It was too good to be true? I garbled loudly as I swallowed down the last pistachio nut from the bulk section I had just passed.  

(these words would come back to haunt me)

Doesn't it look good, and healthy and just darn tootin good?  

Yes those are black beans in that salad.  

I got home and was filled with excitement.

I was going to cook my family a meal.

Their looks of astonishment as I pulled out,

 not one, but two cookie sheets 

was all the motivation I needed.

The potatoes needed to be covered with ranch dressing and then coated with the mix.

The chicken was cooked as per Shaken'Bake usual.

It was the salad that was met with furrowed brows and questions of doubt.

But I prevailed.

I was short 3/4's of a yellow pepper, but I figured it wouldn't matter.

Ta Da!

I had prepared a meal.

The potatoes and chicken were hot and plated with care. 

The black bean salad, with ranch dressing (do you see a pattern here?) 

was also ladled with care to the words 

"Just try it for mommy, that's all I ask."

I'm afraid to report the extra crunch of the sweet pepper was the best thing about the salad which was otherwise kind of mushy. Too bad it was the one ingredient I decided to scrimp on.

The potatoes were OK, hot but not crispy; more like a baked potatoe with crumbs stuck to it.

The chicken was good.

The meal was... lets just say....mediocre.

  

I didn't think it was possibe, but...

Shake'n Bake had let me down.

Next month, when my self esteem has returned, 

I promise to work through all of the great recipes you provided me with.

You, I can count on.

I blog with Honesty.

And honestly, I stand by my self diagnosis: I am cooking impaired.

But I won't let it beat me.  

I am a Kitchen Warrior!

All I need is a new apron and some more Sangria, and I will be good to go!

But in the meantime my family wants to post a message:

Please Send Pizza! 

    xo

I will be sharing my cooking experience with
Tackle it Tuesday is hosted by 5 Minutes for Mom and
Anti-Procrastination-Tuesday hosted by NewNostalgia