I’ve started my new job this week and so far, so good! I’m enjoying the regular daylight hours and the return to some kind of routine in my life. One of the benefits of having regular work hours is that I’m now home every single night of the week to have dinner with my other half. This in itself represents a bit of a problem in that previously I could get away with only cooking a few dodgy meals in the course of a week (if any), rather than a full 5-7 days worth. Barnikle would understand where I’m coming from here because we share the same dodgy talents when it comes to anything culinary. We have have both had things set smoke detectors off and while mine caught fully on fire, I’m sure she’s had some close shaves as well. 
I’m pretty sure I can remember a period in my life where I actually could cook more than instant pasta and bottled sauce. But I think those abilities are locked up in a vault that was semi-sealed when I moved to Brisbane around 8 years ago. I visited a good friend who I have known most of my life and she got me all excited about meal planners. OMG, Martha would be so proud! I know how to cook around 5 really good meals (all bottle and packet aided) and I’m pretty sure I could add another 7 half decent ones. That makes 12 days of dinners and I figure the other two we could have “reasonably healthy take out”.
Now permit me to digress because this is an important part of the story. Do you remember the pumpkin? It was absolutely massive and came from my sister’s garden after she chucked the seeds in the back corner in a heap of mulch. I had absolutely no idea what to do with it at the time but impressed by its size, I put it in my pantry and promptly forgot all about it.
Coming back from Tassie, I found my pantry overflowing with stuff my mum had bought while house-sitting and I was hard pressed to find any room to put the goodies we had brought back home with us. While trying to clear out some space, I found the jolly pumpkin and my other half suggested it would be a great time to try cooking a pumpkin pie or two. After all, my sister can cook them and brought the recipe back from the US so how hard could it be?
Let’s just say we had this brainwave at 6pm or so and it is now a bit past 10pm and I am yet to have my first forkful of pumpkin pie. I am at this point, a little dubious about whether or not it has been a success. Only time and taste test will tell. 
They look interesting Kay! Good on you with meal planning…I keep saying I will do this..
Wow! so did they work? Did you use Kerri’s recipe?? I keep meaning to have a crack at it – when is Thanksgiving?
okay, so that’s impressive!
This one was my sister’s recipe…it was sitting in my in-box for months and I had actually eaten them before so I knew what I was in for. A word of caution – if it says sweet condensed milk in the recipe, don’t swap it out for the 99% fat free version or you don’t get the yummy caramel flavour coming through as much. But other than that, they are edible so I am happy. Looks like pumpkin pie for around 4 lunches now.
Wow, those pumpkin pies look so amazing!
I’m impressed Kay..hope they taste as nice as they look.
Kay u make me laugh, I have throughly enjoyed reading this, and they look great but u can have them all to your self as I ahte Pumpkin.. Now as for meal planners, it is funny as everyone calls me anal on this subject,we get paid fortnightly and I do a menu for the forngiht, 12 times and of the 14 meals I stick too, it is great, u write yourself a list go to shops buy it and u dont have to go everyday< ( well i still do only to get the bread and milk) i have to have fresh bread.. < now that I admit I am anal too.. LMAO