The menu starts today

I'm sitting here watching The Food Network, still suffering from this horrible sinus infection or whatever it is that is ravaging my body. Yesterday, I managed to make it to Whole Foods to get some things my youngest can eat that don't contain soy bean oil. I also went to Sams and bought Ziploc bags and a couple of other things we are going to need between now and the next pain period. Once I got home, Livvy and I divided up her crackers and cookies into sandwich bags so that making her lunches this pay period would be pretty easy and mindless. And allergy free!!

I didn't make it to the grocery store for the rest of my shopping, but I did pick up frozen chicken breasts from Sams. You have to watch when you're buying frozen chicken or turkey because sometimes gluten is pumped into them to 'plump' them up. I have found that unless they are hiding something, the frozen chicken breasts from Sams seem to be 'safe'. I also found Tilapia there...so I am going to be brave and try it for the first time...ever... Someone told me that when you don't like fish, this is the best kind to start with. So, in order to offer myself more variety in my yeast-free life, I am going to try to teach myself to like fish.

My husband basically forbid me to go to the grocery store today--I'm really feeling pretty bad and should stay home and rest since I need to get back to work tomorrow. I told him that if he is going to impose that, he has to at least pick up some potatoes so I can make mashed potatoes this evening to go with our round steak. I love round steak. My mom used to make this when I was growing up, and it's so easy to prepare; being able to let it cook in the crock pot all day makes it even better. My mom always used seasoned salt on it and I have to admit I was pretty devastated to learn that this has sugar in it (I ALWAYS used this on pork chops too). So...today I used sea salt and pepper, and of course instead of flour I used corn starch to dredge the steak in before I put it in the bowl. After you brown it just a little bit on each side, you put the steaks into the crock pot and fill the crock pot with water, enough to cover the steaks. Turn it on low and let it cook for 6-8 hours. I serve it with mashed potatoes. It's a family favorite in my house. I am hoping that it still has the same flavor (or close to it) without the seasoned salt. This is the first time I have ever tried to make it without my good old friend Lawry!