Chili, Really?

It's good to be open to new experiences, and e-mealz has definitely been a new experience. We've both had to adjust a little. I've been adjusting to the fact that I can't "opt-out" of meals anymore just because I'm lazy, and Jeremy's been adjusting to things like zucchini in chili. Although I have to admit, even I was a little weirded out by the zucchini in chili.

White bean chili was our first "e-meal." Because of the addition of things like chicken broth and zucchini, and the subtraction of things like tomatoes, I would classify this "chili" as more of a taco soup kind of thing. It wasn't thick, like I've come to expect from chili, and it was really missing a chili type of flavor. But it was good, despite the fact that it was definitely misnamed.

Tuesday night's meal Baked Ziti was even better and definitely has been my favorite meal so far. But what's better than the meals of e-mealz is the simplicity of coming home and already knowing what you're going to cook for supper. I would easily pay ten times the amount I'm paying now for that simple peace of mind. I don't have to think all day, "what're we going to have for dinner?" or "do I have everything I'm going to need for dinner?" I know before I even get home what we're going to have, and I know that we have every ingredient we need for it...well, almost every ingredient.

Friday's meal, Ginger Chicken with sauteed Bak Choy (which makes me giggle every time I say it...bak bak BAK choy!), called for balsamic vinegar, an item I missed on my shopping list because it was listed under the "staples" at the bottom of the list. I guess most households keep things like balsamic vinegar around. Not us, we're not civilized like that. So, needless to say, the uncivilized Rosses had no balsamic vinegar to be found, and because I had bought two weeks worth of my e-mealz groceries, I was not stepping foot inside a grocery store...no way, no how.

The time had come to improvise, and as previously stated, this is one of my favorite things to do when cooking. My improvisation this time included putting soy sauce, white vinegar, lime juice, and brown sugar in the sauce for my "ginger chicken," and surprisingly, it turned out pretty fine. The Bak Choy on the other hand...is obviously meant for the civilized. I probably cut it all wrong or spent too much time making fun of its name or something silly like that, but the Bak Choy was not my friend. It was tough and chewy and nearly choked me a couple of times when I was trying to eat it. I'm sure this all boils down to something I did wrong, but I'm really laying blame on the vegetable and am going to seek retribution by never buying or eating Bak Choy again...take that you crisp and leafy lettuce you!

Bak Choy and "CHILI" (complete with air quotes and much sarcasm when you say it aloud) aside, the first week of e-mealz has been a relatively successful one. We'll see how long that lasts.