When David and I found out we were going to get married and his kids was little before Charlie was born I let David know Sunday was family dad. A day we would get his kids and sit down as a family to dinner before they returned to mom’s.
Because of this Sunday’s always has its own kind of rhythm in this house. Even though David and Charlie work now Sunday’s doesn’t feel rushed, and Sunday’s doesn’t stay perfectly planned, but Sundays always finds its way into something that feels like home by the end of the day.
Today we’ve got six boneless pork chops from Winco we had planned on going on the grill. That is if it stops raining if not they will be fixed in the oven on broil. Three of the Boneless Pork Chips will be seasoned with Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, the only meat seasoning my parent would use. Three are seasoned with Kinder’s The Blend — garlic, salt, and pepper which is mine and David’s favorite seasoning and allowing everyone to try one of each for a taste test.
Lawry’s Seasoned Salt is one of those seasonings that’s been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My parents used it when I was growing up, and it’s still a staple in our kitchen today. It’s one of those flavors that doesn’t need explaining. You just know it belongs on food like this — simple, familiar, and tied to years of Sunday meals that didn’t need anything fancy to feel complete.
Kinder’s is newer for us. I found it on Facebook, tried it on a whim, and it quickly became something we actually reach for often. David likes it too, and we’ve even picked up a few of their other blends like roast chicken seasoning. Every time we try something new from them, it just seems to earn its place in the cabinet.
We bought Lawry’s and Kinder’s at the same time, and that kind of says everything about where our kitchen is right now — part tradition, part discovering new favorites, all living in the same meal. While allowing Charlie and Bradley to discover new seasonings when preparing dinner for us.
David was going to use our Coleman Tailgating Grill today even after working overtime last night, but he just called and is coming home because he doesn’t feel good. That means Bradley, Charlie and I will make dinner tonight and that alone sets the tone for everything else happening around the house.
Inside, I will be preparing stovetop pork stuffing David asked for instead of Mac & Cheese, filling the kitchen with that familiar smell that always means the meal is going to stretch further than it looks like it should. I just need to make sure C doesn’t eat all the Stuffing before the rest of us get some.
And alongside that, we’ve got English peas warming gently with just a little butter — simple, soft, and steady in a way that doesn’t need much attention. Until I turn the English Peas into the cream peas, the kind my grandma used to make.
My grandmother would- start with can of Libby’s English Peas but you can use frozen but the nice thing about this recipe is thee is nothing fancy at all, just English Peas poured straight into a pot with a small splash of water. Heated until soft and warm, the kind of gentle cooking that never felt rushed.
Once the Pease were ready, she added just a little butter — not enough to change them, just enough to bring everything together. Then a splash of milk or half-and-half went in, stirred slowly until it turned into something creamy and smooth.
Salt and pepper finished the creamed Peas off, but it was never really about seasoning. It was about comfort. It was about making something simple feel like care.That pot of cream peas always stretched further than it should have, feeding more people than expected and somehow becoming the quiet favorite on the table.
That’s the kind of cooking that stays with you. The sad part is no, one in my home will eat English Peas of any kind with me. Not, even my sister most of the time and I love English Peas from plain with Butter to Creamed Peas to Pea Salad.
The stovetop stuffing works the same way in this house. It’s one of those dependable pantry staples that turns a meal into something fuller without adding stress. We usually make two boxes because Stove Top Stuffing feeds quite a few people, especially on Sundays when everyone is moving in different directions but still ends up circling the same table.
It’s simple — water and butter come to a light boil, the stuffing mix is stirred in, covered, and left alone for a few minutes to absorb everything. No watching. No stress. Just done. That’s why Stove Top Stuffing stays in the kitchen as a staple meal. Not because it’s fancy. Because it works.
Charlie and Bradley are sorting paperwork today for next week’s job start. Junior is still undecided about Oklahoma with the rain from last night still lingering in the background of his plans. My sister may stop by later, or she may not, and that’s just Sunday doing what it always does — staying open.
The house is being cleaned slowly, realistically, just enough to reset the week without trying to perfect it. And that feels right. Because Sundays like this aren’t about finishing everything. They’re about making sure everything has a place to begin again. As we move into the new week and I work to keep this circus and these monkies in line while keeping the circle unbroken.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
