So, what can I make you?

Now that we have a little munchkin, it seems our eating habits are going to have to change. Pre-babycakes, I used to grocery shop with the best of culinary intentions. I'd walk down the aisles and throw one healthy item after another into the cart. Assembling the ingredients for low-carb quiches, low-fat soups, high-vitamin salads, I had visions of being a Top Chef about whom Lou would brag, "Britt is the most amazing cook ever, I don't know what I did to get so lucky!"

As it so often does, reality clashed pretty hard with my domestic dreams. Regardless of how well the fridge was stocked, we would inevitably come home, take one look inside and then turn turn to each other and say "So, um, sushi?"

Cutest dinner ruiner ever...

But now... now there are 3 factors that put a little bit of a cramp in our eating style:

1. We have a baby whose manners are somewhat suspect. Judging by how she is with us, I can't trust that she won't scream and cry at the waiters, throw up her food and then fart and/or burp. Like a trucker. While sitting at the table. 

2. Grandparents and other family members who would offer free, on-demand babysitting are 62 thousand miles away. And no, mom, you can't babysit via Skype.

3. Diapers cost money. So does a college education. Our wallets would prefer it if we ate less sushi and more stew.

As a result of the above, I have resolved to cook at home more. And by "cook" I mean more than just boil water and throw in pasta. 

My first challenge was to do something with the kilogram (no joke) of white beans I discovered in the pantry. I scoured the internet and found a recipe that looked promising - White Bean Tortellini Soup courtesy of the blog "Cheeky Kitchen."

This is how her soup turned out:

And here is my version:

Would you like a closeup of this masterpiece? Sure you would.

Yum!

I'll spare you the list of excuses for why my "bean soup" turned into burnt bean sludge - it may have had something to do with an incorrect French translation and forgetting to turn the stove down during the simmer period - but let's just say it didn't inspire a lot of confidence in my abilities. I ended up boiling the tortellini separately (so much for expanding my repertoire beyond throwing pasta in a pot) and serving it with tomato sauce from a jar. Lou had 4 bites and then made himself a bowl of Frosties (the Belgian version of Frosted Flakes). So. You know. That was a success.

As I still have half a kilo of white beans leftover, I'm going to attempt another dish tonight. I'll let you know how it goes...