Tuesday, March 31, 2015

March 2nd half

Starting out with a full fridge, I've got leftovers: meat lasagna a week old; chopped roast chicken breast, flatbread pizza, banger sausage, tom yum broth.
And vegetables: broccoli, asparagus, green beans. Some packaged salads.

monday: tilapia topped with a sauce of canned diced tomato, sliced olives, capers, and fresh spinach.

tuesday: chili, broccoli, whole wheat mac and cheese.

friday: taco meat with salad and chips.  alternative: homemade cream of chicken soup for those not feeling so great who also don't like spicy.

saturday: people ate leftovers: chili, taco meat with chips, cream of chicken soup

sunday: pulled pork sandwiches for meat eaters, lentil sandwiches for non-meat-eaters of the day
http://dandelionmama.com/2014/07/17/recipe-pulled-pork-sandwiches-with-slaw-and-pickles/

vegetarian alternate filling based on this, but using lentils:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/smoky-split-pea-soup/

friday: I made homemade char siu bao with the leftover pulled pork using thawed frozen bread dough.  I though they weren't that great and would consider baking instead of steaming--but all the kids loved them and child1 insists the steaming was part of what made them great.

End of the month:
weekend: I'm sick.  I roasted a chicken, ran a rice cooker, and ate rice with chicken broth and salsa all weekend.  I bought some frozen prepared foods, so the kids ate leftovers, pizza from frozen, burritos from frozen, hot dogs, and some strange thing they made with canned biscuit dough.

monday: burritos with bean filling or meat filling options, served with cheese and salsa.  Or, cabbage wraps for those of us not wanting a burrito.  Or, cous-cous under beans for those who can't get enough cous-cous.  chips on the side.  Another kid declares to be vegetarian, and I've got most of a roast chicken in the fridge, and most of the taco meat is leftover.  Time to learn how to freeze cooked meat?

Sunday, March 15, 2015

March First Half

Friday: lasagna, did one vegetarian and added leftover pork sausage to other.
This time it was kale, summer squash, sun dried tomato version.  No pesto, and it was fine.

Weekend: visiting friends out of state!

Monday: leftover lasagna

Tuesday: favorite picky eater's vegetarian chili.  http://pickyeaterblog.com/the-best-vegetarian-chili-ever/
Soaked black beans and cattle beans overnight, and cooked them together in pressure cooker 11 minutes natural release.   Skipped the bell pepper for my picky eaters.  Was out of coriander so I doubled the cumin.   (Got out-of-proportion upset about not being able to find spices, and somebody cleaned and straightened out my spice/cans cupboard and gave me a hug and calmed me down.)

Wednesday: Pumpkin peanut butter curry: http://hostthetoast.com/thai-coconut-curry-butternut-squash-soup/ served over a choice of rice or quinoa.  Potstickers as exciting side dish.

Thursday: Honey-Mustard Pork Chops, Green Beans (Long Bean Style), whole wheat Mac and Cheese, Applesauce.
Honey-Mustard Pork Chops: http://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/01/honey-mustard-pork-chops/
actually followed recipe, including finish with broiler.
Green Beans long bean ideal: http://www.undercovercaterer.com/2014/06/long-beans-with-mushrooms-and-black-bean-sauce-recipe/
what I actually did: left out the mushroom, substituted red miso paste and chopped garlic for the chili-black bean paste, used green beans instead of long beans
Mac and cheese inspiration: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/12/31/recipe-whole-wheat-macaroni-and-cheese/
Family favorite Cheese sauce recipe I worked from: http://butterwithasideofbread.com/2013/02/baked-potatoes-with-broccoli-amazing.html
(skipped the cayenne and thyme and any spice.  Just butter, flour, milk, and cheese.

Saturday: Pi Day of the Century:
breakfast: quiche and pumpkin pie
supper: shepherd pie and chicken pot pie
dessert: caramel apple pie

Sunday night leftovers:
chicken pot pie and tastes of this and that
vegetarian flatbread pizza and green salad
quinoa, cheese, and salsa and black bean patty burrito
quinoa and honey-mustard sauce from pork chops with mashed potato
homemade vanilla pudding for dessert

Sunday, March 1, 2015

February 2nd half

Valentine's breakfast: buckwheat pancakes in valentine shapes.

Valentine's treat: Classic heart-shaped sugar cookies.

Vegetable curry.

D. made stir fry, with buckwheat noodles.

Monday: Bean Burrito, with optional turkey meat.
Tuesday: Lentil Vegetable soup with grilled cheese.

Non-Vegetarian
Spaghetti with Bove's meatballs.  Big hit.
Classic Meatloaf from Simply Recipes
Spaghetti with leftover meatloaf cut into meatloaf cubes.

kids on vacation week while I had midterms.  A blur.
Kids discovered peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Also, their inexplicable love of ramen for breakfast continues, which I allow if they put an egg in it.

Friday: grocery store pizza.  it was like school cafeteria pizza and all that white flour and cheese made me feel sick the next day.


Monday: Roast chicken for lunch.  Vegetarian chili with cornbread muffins for dinner.
tried making crockpot baked beans, they dried out.

Tuesday.  lots of class to attend.

Wednesday

Thursday?  I had my test.

Friday: costco pizza.  Bought tons of vegetables.

Saturday lunch: made up a peanut coconut curry with kale, potato, and onion.  Was boring.
Saturday: vegetable soup, lazy version of this recipe. Skipped pesto. with grilled cheese sandwiches