Yesterday was a dinner included meat I didn’t ask anyone else about. It was just one of those e meals where I wanted to get something out of my freezer because it was taking up to much room I needed for other things.

It was a bag of what I thought was Chicken Leg but turned out to be Chicken Quarters yellow Potato’s and Mexi-Corn from the night before. I didn’t ask anyone how to cook the Chicken because I wanted to use the Blackstone.

What I didn’t think about was having to make the Chicken two different ways which was half with Bar B Que Sauce and the other half with Lawery’s Steak Seasoning. I just didn’t know what sides I was going to use. . + Those OMG Potatoes

Well, Buttercup… David is still having fun learning and exploring his Blackstone griddle. And apparently, my husband is getting pretty darn good at it. Don’t tell him that, though. It’ll go straight to his head.

But seriously, watching him learn how to use that Blackstone has been a lot of fun. He’s figuring out what works, trying different things, and coming up with his own ideas instead of just following somebody else’s recipe.

And last night? He knocked it out of the park. The other day, David went to the food bank and came home with a bag of yellow potatoes. And, man oh man, those potatoes have lasted a whole lot longer than I thought they would.

The first time, we just cooked some of them on the grill. Then we turned some into mashed potatoes. And last night, David decided to do something that took me straight back to my grandmother Dorie.

He sliced the potatoes into circles. He didn’t peel them, which was perfectly fine with me. I actually like potatoes with the skin left on. Then he cut up some onions really fine and mixed them in with the potatoes. He put everything on the Blackstone and seasoned them with Kinder’s Buttery Garlic Salt Seasoning.

And, people… OMG. Those were some of the best potatoes I have ever eaten in my entire life. I’m not exaggerating. Even though I shouldn’t say it Charlie says. They were slap yo’ mama good and I even had some left-over for lunch. That was a blessing for me.

There was something about those little crispy potato circles, the onions, the buttery garlic flavor and the way David cooked them on that Blackstone. That felt like a little slice of Heaven. But if you had eaten them, you’d understand.

Now before somebody decides to judge us, let me just say this: Yes, people, we go to the food bank. We live on one income, and sometimes you do what you have to do. And no, I’m not ashamed of it. Not one bit.

That food helps us stretch what we have, and I’m grateful for it. Those potatoes didn’t just become one meal. They became plain grilled potatoes. Then mashed potatoes. Then these absolutely amazing potatoes with onions on the Blackstone which we wouldn’t have had otherwise and that’s what I call making food work for you. And I’m thankful, grateful and blessed David goes to the Food Bank for us.

Last week, David brought home a bag of what I thought was chicken legs from the food bank. There were five chicken quarters in the bag, and last night he took two of them and put barbecue sauce on them.

He used Sweet Baby Ray’s Original Barbecue Sauce — the bigger bottle I bought at Walmart than I normally buy. And I’m really glad I did. We’ve already used that barbecue sauce for meatballs. We’ve used it on pork chops. Now we’ve used it on chicken. And we still have some left in the refrigerator.

That’s another thing I’ve been learning: sometimes buying the slightly bigger bottle makes sense when you know you’re actually going to use it. We’re getting several meals out of it instead of buying a new bottle every time we want barbecue sauce.

We still had some Del Monte Mexi-Corn left from the day before, so that went on my plate too. And my dinner? Those potatoes. The Mexi-Corn. The chicken. And I sat there thinking… DAMN… Dinner was OMG good.

It wasn’t fancy. It didn’t come from an expensive restaurant. It wasn’t made with a bunch of ingredients we couldn’t pronounce. It was food we had, food we received from the food bank, food we already had in the refrigerator and a husband who was willing to stand outside and figure out how to make it all taste good. And that’s a pretty good dinner to me because it was cooked with LOVE.

I have to give David credit. He’s becoming an expert on that Blackstone griddle. Again… Don’t tell him Because I don’t need him walking around here wearing an imaginary crown saying, “I am the King of the Blackstone!”

Although, honestly, he might deserve the crown. And I have learned a lot from the ladies and gentlemen on Facebook who cook on their Blackstones. I’ve watched what they make. I’ve picked up ideas. I’ve watched them try different things. And I’m grateful, thankful and blessed that Facebook has brought those people into my life.

But I’m just as grateful that David is willing to think outside the box and create his own recipes. Especially when he knows what I love and that he takes the time to make it for me even when he has to cook other dishes for everyone else.

Last night I felt like Grandma Dorie was sitting at the table with us but the Potato’s and Chicken would have been make in her Cast Iron Skillet. I love yellow potatoes and I love red potatoes. And I especially love potatoes with onions.

David knows that. So when he decided to make those potatoes the way my grandmother Dorie used to make them, that meant something to me. It wasn’t just a potato. It was a memory.

It was one of those little things that somebody does because they know you. And when you’re married, those little things matter. Sometimes love isn’t flowers. Sometimes it isn’t jewelry.

Sometimes it is your husband standing at a Blackstone, slicing potatoes into circles because he knows his wife loves potatoes with onions. And that’s enough to make me feel pretty darn blessed.

There is another reason I’m really enjoying this Blackstone adventure. We’re not cooking inside. That means we’re not heating up the house when it’s already hot outside. And around here, being able to keep the apartment cooler so we can actually sleep at night is a pretty big deal.

It would also help us save on our electric bill if we had one. or our gas bill if we had one. But thank the Lord, ours is included with our rent. So I’m going to count that as another blessing.

And Tonight? Well… Who knows? I think tonight we’re going to put some sausages on the Blackstone. David’s mom bought them for him at Kroger on clearance, but she put them in a bag and threw the box away.

Goofy woman. So now I have no idea exactly what kind they are. They look like they might be something along the lines of a summer sausage or a hot link, but we’ll find out when we cook them. I might even make some eggs with them. Because why not?

That’s the fun of this whole Blackstone adventure. We don’t always know exactly what dinner is going to become. Sometimes David starts with an idea. Sometimes I throw out an idea. Sometimes we look at what’s in the refrigerator.

And sometimes we end up with potatoes that make me want to call my grandmother and tell her how good they were — even though I can’t do that anymore. So we’ll see what happens tonight. I’m sure there will be plenty to eat. And I’m pretty sure there will be another Blackstone story to tell.

Of course Charlie didn’t eat this. He ate his hot mac and cheese. Of course he did. But you know what? That’s okay. When you live in a home with different people, you have to pick your battles.

Either you eat what is made, or you make your own food. That’s the way it works in our house. It sure wasn’t that way when I was growing up. Kids was never asked what they wanted.

When I was growing up, you ate what was put on the table… or you didn’t eat. There wasn’t a third option. Times have changed. Families have changed. And apparently, I’ve changed too.

Because these days, I’m perfectly happy letting Charlie eat his hot mac and cheese while David, Gerald and I enjoy our Blackstone dinner. Everybody’s fed. Everybody’s happy. And that’s what matters. That’s why as a mom I always pick my battles when it comes to Charlie.

That’s really what I love about sharing things here on GreatfulMoments.com. Sometimes you’re going to get a review. Sometimes you’re going to get a holiday idea. Sometimes we’re going to talk about books.

And sometimes you’re just going to find out what we had for dinner. Because this is our life. It’s not perfect. It’s not fancy. But it is ours. And right now, our life includes a husband who is becoming the King of the Blackstone.

A bag of potatoes that has somehow turned into three different meals, a bottle of barbecue sauce that keeps finding new jobs, a son eating hot mac and cheese, and a wife who is still talking about those potatoes from last night.

And I’m okay with that. Actually… I’m more than okay with it. I’m grateful, thankful, and blessed. So come back and see what David puts on that Blackstone tonight. Because Lord only knows what we’re going to make. And honestly? I can’t wait to find out. But if your hungry come and join us.

GreatfulMoments.com

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates