10 in 10

We put ourselves up to a mini challenge this past week. We are the champs of eating out. We have a list of favorite restaurants a mile long. Coop gets a strange confused look on his face when we scooch up our chairs to the kitchen table at home. It's terribly embarrassing. He prefers crayons and a maze menu over a casserole dish any day.
Mom, please don't be disheartened. There's still hope for me.

After being on the road for a week and eating the most incredible dinners out EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT., we decided to start eating dinner at home 4 out of 5 weeknights. For my domestic goddess friends out there--I know, I know this sounds like no big deal, no great feat. For us though, this was crazy insano out of the box.

My usual list of excuses as to why I cannot no-way, no-how fix supper goes something like this:

1. I remain in a constant state of idea-less-ness. I can't think of meals to cook (or lunches to pack) to save my life. I stare at the pantry. I gaze into the fridge. I peruse the grocery store aisles. Crickets. Nothin'. So much easier to order a combo #1 and call it a day.

2. Work. I take the workin' mom thing and run with it. Woe is me, I can't possibly cook dinner after working all day and chasing after Coop (loving every minute of it).

3. Eating out is our only hobby. Our only form of entertainment. Cough. Cough. Malarkey.

4. I am kitchen impaired. You mean crockpots, griddles, Kitchen Aid mixers and the like aren't just for kitchen decor?

5. I am addicted to Chick-fil-a. There are 2 on my way home from work. Why cook?

It's bad, y'all. But I digress. The challenge was (and still is): $10 meals that can be prepared in under 10 minutes (actual cooking time not included). We didn't think we could do it, but oh we did!

The week went something like this:

Monday: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia and Steamed Broc. The skinny on the tilapia...Go to Publix. Push buggy over to the seafood counter. Ring bell. Snack on cajun crab dip samples while waiting. Ask Seafood man to whip up a few parm-crusted filets (they do the nitty gritty slimy crusting work). Pay approximately $3.56 for 2 fillets, season and steam a bunch of broccoli and call it a day.

Tuesday: Fajita Chicken Nachos. Tortilla chips, bag of mexi-mix shredded cheese, tub of sour cream, can of jalapenos, and some cooked Tyson chicken strips. $7.29 and you've got a mound of nacho yummy goodness on a cookie sheet. 

Wednesday: RICOS WORLD KITCHEN. And the angels sang. Fairy dust blew as we skipped from the car to our usual table over in the corner, close to the windows where Coop can see the choo choo trains as they whir by. I might have blushed when the waiter asked us where we were last week.

Thursday: Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin and Cajun Potato Wedges. $9.61 and mighty tasty.

Friday: Peppercorn Pork Tenderloin (eeek. leftovers. I cringe.)-n-honey butter biscuits. Don't judge. It's HEAVENLY. Slice up the leftover pork and sneak it between the flaky biscuit layers. Dip in Horseradish if you dare. Yum yum yum. Coop ate two of these suckers. And never once even asked for his crayons and maze menu.

So there ya have it. We did it. And (gasp) we LOVED it. We got to spend oodles more time at home playing with Coop after work, we saved a ton ton ton of moolah, and we ate 97% less fried horrible (but oh so delicious) goodness.

Your turn. What's your favorite 10 in 10 meal idea?