Panda Bread!

I was planning to get a bunch of chores done today, but someone ended up spending most of the day baking instead.

It all started last night with a failed attempt at Amish Friendship Bread.

Above are the sad, but tasty remenants. The center wasn't totally done, and really, considering how many times I have made this, I should have known better. But you know how sometimes you know better, but you just want to eat already?

Bummed by last night's efforts, I decided that it was time to attempt something I've been dying to try---

PANDA BREAD!

It's essentially just a white bread---with a very entertaining center. It's not really too difficult, but you do need a LARGE bread pan. I only had a small one, better suited for banana breads, etc., and so ended up using a square cake pan, just so it would fit. This resulted in a rather weird shape, but it worked anyway.

If you'd like to take a stab at panda bread, there are various recipes for it online (apparently, it first came from Japan, where all good things seem to originate), but here's the one I used: Panda Bread

Meat takes a back seat.

Every week, the husband and I make a grocery list of foods were going to eat for the next week. We used to do this together, but as you're in a relationship longer and longer, you start to get more comfortable with each other, and reveal certain truths about yourself.

Dave does not really like to grocery shop. I know. I was shocked too.

I, however, love to grocery shop almost as much as I like eating, so the task of shopping and making the food list has slowly come to me.

I'll admit, however to a slight bent towards spitefulness at being left to my own devices (if you can call it that). Lately, I've been throwing a meal in the mix that admittedly sounds intentionally bizarre and/or vegetarian enough to give my husband pause---sort of the equivalent of intentionally doing the laundry wrong so that you don't have to do it anymore.

This last week, I went with something that sounded way more vegi-rific than it probably was (bwahahaha!).

Stir-Fried Sichuan Green Beans

These beans are stir-fried over very high heat to give them a nice wrinkly char, then tossed with crumbly cooked pork (I used pork sausage) and a homemade Sichuan sauce, and served over rice.

I really enjoy this dish, not only because it is tasty, but because it makes meat take a back seat to the star vegetable, using meat instead as an enhancer to flavor. However, I sadly failed to horrify my husband back into participating in meal selection. I'm going to have to bring out the Tofurkey soon.