Meal Planning – Seasonal Suggestions March 11, 2011

I had an epiphany while I prepared supper last night.  While I am a huge proponent of meal planning, and there are many methods to it (this being closest to what I do), I realized that I rarely prepare a meal more than once or twice per year.  I have a binder that is full of favorite recipes I’ve pulled from magazines, websites, blogs, and as it has grown, I have so many “favorites” (meaning I’ve prepared it more than once and we’ve all liked it) that we eat a very wide array of dishes.

There are a couple of stand-bys that use ingredients I always have in my pantry, meals I can whip up on a moment’s notice or put into the rotation on a busy week.  Those dishes I will make probably once every month or two.  They include:

• Pasta with red sauce and italian cheeses
• Pancakes and eggs with fruit/veggies
• Eggbake (breakfast-for-supper is just so easy!)
• Chef salad
• Chicken and biscuits (comfort food)

Another idea that I think is fabulous if you are just learning to meal plan is having “theme nights.”  I’ve never done this, but I feel like it would limit choices, thereby making it easier.  For instance, Monday is Mexican night, Tuesday is Crock Pot night, Wednesday is pasta, Thursday is salads, and so on.  Plus then you will usually have a pantry well-stocked for these themes.

If you are a seasoned meal planner and looking to shake things up a bit and add some new ideas to your routine, I thought I’d post a few of our seasonal favorites here, ones from my binder.  Some of the recipes could easily be included in multiple seasons, so go for what is local, fresh, seasonal and incorporate it.  Enjoy!

Winter:

• Easy Rosemary Chicken
• Chicken Flautas
• Delicious Black Bean Burritos
• Chicken Spaghetti
• The Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Handmade pasta
• Tasty Broth Fondue

Spring:

• Tortellini-Asparagus Salad
• Meatless Tortilla Pie
• Hearty Vegetable Soup
• French Toast Casserole
• Fresh Asparagus Risotto

Summer:

• Kerry’s Beany Salad
• Chicken-Berry Salad
• Veggie Paninis
• Zucchini Risotto
• GG’s Bulgur Salad
• Roasted Potato and Garlic Salad
• Slightly Sweet Dill Refrigerator Pickles

Fall:

• Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Apples, Sage and Celery
• Chicken, Gorgonzola, Pear and Walnut Salad
• Homemade Kettle Corn
• Apple Dumplings
• Potato Soup
• Spinach Quiche
• Giant Ginger Cookies

Potato-Leek Pizza February 22, 2011

Here’s another family favorite, straight from Pioneer Woman’s cookbook.  This is pre-bake.  Do you have a favorite pizza?

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas February 4, 2011

I keep cooked and diced chicken in 1 1/2- to 2-cup containers in the freezer.  When the chicken is already diced, it thaws much faster in the refrigerator (one day versus 2 or 3).  Here is a quick, easy go-to recipe I use when I have a lot going on during the week.  It’s not super-healthy, but if you serve it with a salad and some fruit and use whole grain tortillas, light sour cream and Campbell’s Healthy Request soup, it’s at least not terrible.

Sunday Sunshine 01.30.11 January 30, 2011

Kind of Life – Tara Whitney

One of my favorite bloggers, Ann Voskamp, released her new book recently, which shot to the top of Amazon’s Bestseller list!  I am ordering it pronto.  The video below (watch it even if you don’t plan to get the book or have never read her work–you will be blessed) gives a taste of her gift.

Randi’s Recipe Box Swap is back!  Soups and stews–perfect for winter!

What do we do with Mustard Greens? July 20, 2010

Side dishes are a lot more interesting since we joined a CSA.  Husband put a leaf of mustard green on Anja’s sandwich one day, and she took it out, fanning her mouth and proclaiming it “hot.”

So we found a different way to use them, which was much more palatable.

Cherry Pie July 15, 2010

We got some sour cherries in our CSA box, so I made this pie.  I think it was my first cherry pie.  The crust seemed sticky and the filling took forever to thicken on the stove (I even drained off a little juice and added a couple more teaspoons cornstarch), but the finished product was quite delicious!  As you can see, I don’t really take time to make fussy edges or beautiful lattice on my pie.  Husband called it the “melting ghost” pie.

Cake-Eater June 23, 2010

As if the pickles weren’t enough to try this week, I also made PW’s brisket (3-pounder took almost as long as her 8-pounder took, fyi) and Joy the Baker’s cake.  Father’s Day, you know?

Both were delicious, but I didn’t take photos of the brisket, so you just get to see the cake.  Funny thing about the cake–neither Husband nor I were overwhelmed with excitement about our first piece.  But over the next day, something in the frosting “settled,” and it tasted less sour and more creamy amazing.  I encourage you to try it!

Also, my glaze didn’t dribble nicely down the sides of the cake like hers.  It sat on top like a giant, fat slug, so I took it upon myself to spread it all over the cake.

I Can Can! June 22, 2010

I’ve long been afraid of the world of canning. But after I saw Darby’s recent pickle job, I decided I could do that. So I did.

I followed the recipe (without her edits), but made the following changes:

used regular cucumbers
used black peppercorns and 1 tsp. dried mustard powder
1/4 c. more ea. water and vinegar
Reduced sugar to 2/3 c. (I like ‘em more dilly than sweet)
Added a clove of sliced garlic to each jar–yum!

Before adding liquid:

“Pickling” in the fridge:

Super-easy, and even yielded some pickled onions for Husband to use on his sandwiches. Next time, I’m going to up the water content and reduce the vinegar content a little, and maybe only use 1/4 to 1/3 c. sugar. They were a little zingy, even for Husband, and that boy likes his zing!

Snubbing Betty Crocker May 18, 2010

Confession: I’m a baked goods snob.

I think it stems from my upbringing.  Mom might not have been the most adventurous cook, but she can bake circles around most people.  Pretty much every Saturday there were fresh buns, bread, and either cookies, bars or caramel rolls.  I got spoiled.

I feel bad about it sometimes.  We go to restaurants, and when we order a dessert (which is rare), we’re pretty much always disappointed at its processed taste.

Everyone raved about Sweet Martha’s cookies at the MN State Fair, and we thought they were, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best), probably a 2 or a 3.  They were warm, and that was about their only redeeming quality.

I made these bars, about which people all over the Internets were raving, and I didn’t think they were very good (again, because they were made with mixes).  That said, brownies are the one thing I rarely make from scratch, just because I have yet to find a homemade recipe that produces the density and sweetness I like.  If you have a recipe (unfrosted!) you think fits the bill, let me know!

If I’m going to spend 300 calories on a cookie, I want that cookie to be worth it, you know what I mean?  I don’t want Chips Ahoy!, which taste like chemicals.

Does this translate to other foods?  Somewhat, but not as much.  I enjoy a handful of Cheetos as much as the next person, and though I love to make homemade pasta, I’m usually too lazy to do so.

Do you have an area where you expect nothing less than the best?  It doesn’t have to be food.  I’m also brand-loyal when it comes to my running shoes…

Frosted Sugar Cookies February 13, 2010

Should be outlawed in my house.  We make them a couple times a year, and I cannot. keep. my greedy paws. off. them.  I tried a new recipe for these, but they weren’t as good as Joan’s.