The Event ~ What's for Dinner?

Cookbooks intimidate me.  I have several with lots of good recipes, but I don't use them enough.  The one that gets used the most is a 2001 version of Better Homes & Garden.  I use it more as a reference and not much for actually making recipes out of it. 

Occassionally I use our 2007 Family Reunion Cookbook, and once in a while I will refer to one of the church cookbooks.

What I tend to use most is a pile of printed recipes and clippings.  The printed recipes come to me in emails or via facebook, and I think, "Oh this looks so good.  I can make this."  So I print the recipe and add it to the stack.  Facebook and Pinterest are being inundated with fabulous mouth watering recipes that I print.  I want to just say "STOP IT!  STOP POSTING THESE DROOLING RECIPES!"

A while back I finally went through all the recipes and put them in file folders specifically labeled by ingredient, ie:  "Zuchinni"  "Rhubarb"  "Pumpkin"  "Ground Beef"
"Chicken" and some by catergory such as "Mexican" "Canning"  "Breakfasts"  "Desserts"  "Cakes"
"Soup"  "Salad" "Miscellaneous" etc.  Get the picture??

But when it comes to dinnertime, I always ask "What can I make".  The folders of recipes have become as overwhelming as the cookbooks!

So this week I have started going through each file folder, carefully reading through each recipe, throwing out the duplicates or the ones I decide I really don't want after all, making notes on them, and mostly keeping the ones that are obviously very easy, and that I know I can make with ingredients I usually have on hand. 

Sorting through the Mexican recipes

I am actually excited about this, because I feel confident that when I am all done, I can go to any folder, choose any recipe, and make it immediately.   I am excited to make every recipe that I've kept in my file folders.  My chicken folder is done and last nite I made a sweet and sour chicken that I put in the crock pot at noon and dinner was ready when I got home.  I just had to cook the rice to serve with it.  It was so-o-o good!  I can't believe I could actually do that!

A few weeks ago, I made shrimp and angel hair pasta.  Me?  Make shrimp?  With pasta?  Wow, that's almost unbelievable.  But I printed the recipe and made it before the recipe got buried in the pile.  And it was so simple, and so good!

I am in the middle of sorting through the "Mexican" recipe folder.  I will have to sort that folder twice because right now I have a pile of about 16 different enchilada recipes in one pile alone, in addition to the mexican casseroles, the fajitas, the burritos, the mexican desserts, etc.  So after the initial purging, I will have to go back through and purge again.  I don't think I need 16 enchilada recipes!  I must be a little more diciplined in this! 

Tonite we are going to an event during the dinner time at which we will graze, and that will be our supper.  I was actually disappointed that I didn't have to make dinner tonite!  SHOCK!

I should no longer be at a loss as to what to make for dinner!  I wonder how long this "high" will last.  One could bet money on it!!    Anyway, I just want cooking not to be so hard for me.  I want to enjoy it more, and not have fixing dinner be such a chore!  I want dinner preparation to be a fun, exciting and enjoyable event with new creations!  Time will tell. . . . . . .