What Would Carrie......COOK?!?!?

Yes, if you know me you are thinking to yourself.....WHA?!?  Carrie doesn't cook.  So much so that I have an actual cookbook called the Non-Kitchen Cook.  LOL!  This year, I really haven't been proud of my cooking and meal choices and seeing how this impacts Taylor has really forced me to take a closer look at our habits.

Habits
1)  Chris and I both eat out too much.  We limit Taylor's eating fast food to 1-2 times a week tops.  Result of this....duh.....weight gain.  Ugg!
2)  When we do eat at home, it's usually boxed meals with fresh meat or poultry.  So many preservatives.  Just not healthy.
3)  Time.....there is never enough time.  By the time I get T and get home it's 5:30/6 and she goes to bed at 7:45 so last thing I want to do is spend an hour making dinner.
4)  Lack of Variety - I can be a picky eater, and I need to stop being picky.  I don't want T to be a picky eater too!  She has begun to eat mostly hotdogs and mac and cheese 9 times out of ten.

I love watching the cooking channel and secretly wish I could be a good cook and make these delicious elaborate meals.  I want to be a good cook but I just don't know where to start.......

So I saw this website on Pinterest!  Once again Pinterest to the rescue.  5 Dinners in an Hour.  Now this is something I can get behind!  You prepare your food ahead of time.  Then the day of you just cook it or throw it together.  My first thought was ugg......slow cooker or casseroles galore......but it's so much more!!  One of my friends Wendy saw it and had a brilliant IDEA!!!  Get a group of people to go in together on a subscription and share tips.

This week was the first week.  Tonight being the first meal!  Let me just say I'm so in love already.  My fridge looks and smells yummy when I open the door.  I still have this wonderful taste in my mouth from my dinner I just made myself and enjoyed with Taylor and I'm not still hungry!

Next week the running starts which will helps with the second part of Habit 1.  More on that later.  =)

So here is think weeks menu:
Monday - Strawberry Pecan Summer Salad
Tuesday - Grilled Pimento Cheese Sandwiches - the Pimentos - LONG STORY!
Wednesday - Slow Cooked BBQ Beef Brisket
Thursday - Baked Bruschetta Chicken
Friday - Breakfast for Dinner Ham Enchillada Casserole

Here are some pictures.  Aren't they delicious looking?!?

One shelf of meals - Monday-Wednesday

Thursday and Friday's Meals

Strawberry Pecan Summer Salad

T and my dinner ready to go!  Yes she has hotdog added on her plate.  This was one meal that I didn't know how it was going to go.  She did enjoy what she ate.  Mommy had to refrain from licking the bowl.  It was THAT good.  Can't wait for tomorrow!