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?

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

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

February First Half

Saturday night dinner: pureed bean-vegetable soup (leftovers) topped with sliced polenta and a few seasoned beans cooked that night.  Or, sliced polenta topped with pureed roast turkey mayo.

Sunday night dinner: ratatouille lasagna, mashed potatoes, gravy, broccoli in cheese sauce.  Yes, this is really two parallel dinners.  The adults ate lasagna, the kids ate mashed potatoes and broccoli.

To try later:
http://www.undercovercaterer.com/2014/06/long-beans-with-mushrooms-and-black-bean-sauce-recipe/

First Half of January

Last Days of Vacation
Pizza for a New Year

First Week Kids Back to School
Cheeseburgers, choice of grass-fed patty or Chipotle Bean.
--with kale vegetable soup as a side
Turkey Breast roasted with Carrots and Potatoes
Tilapia, Quinoa, and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Weekend Hobbit Feasting
Spinach-Artichoke Quiche
Ham and Swiss Quiche
Grocery Store Chicken
Mashed Potatoes
Pickles
Sauteed Mushrooms
Blueberry Muffins
Olive Bread, Vermont Brie
Cherry Tomatoes

Finals Week
Monday: Split Vegetarian Taco/Burrito Bar
Leftover seasoned black beans, Ground Beef with Alton Brown Taco Potion #19
White flour tortillas, shredded cheddar, romaine lettuce, Pace picante sauce
fresh pineapple, pomegranate

Tuesday: baked potato.  Toppings broccoli, black beans, cheese sauce
amazing cheese sauce recipe

Make mole

http://dandelionmama.com/2014/12/16/recipe-easy-weeknight-chicken-mole/

Delicious. But too sweet on black bean-yam enchiladas.  While I'm vegetarian, I think I'll stick with straight enchilada sauce.

December, first half.

German noodles with vegetarian gravy.  I don't remember what we served with it, but Kale would be good.

Thai vegetable and tofu coconut curry over quinoa

Tomato-Herb soup with oven grilled cheese

 Ribolitto Soup, 2 nights.  Served with rolls one of them.

Vegetable Soup au Pistou via Slow cooker.  Put vegetable soup ingredients in crock pot in afternoon.  Leek, Zucchini, onions, celery, bell pepper, canned diced tomato, vegetable stock.  Made spaghetti, tossed in olive oil, stuck it in fridge.  When it was time to eat, I microwaved the pasta, which we ladled into bowls, we poured the vegetable soup over it, and topped it with pesto and grated parmesan.  A hit, and worked on a tight evening schedule.

Leftovers night supplemented with more tuna melts.

December 16: before middle school concert.  Gopher Stew (at horn player's request); alt entree is Potato-Cheese Kofti with Makhani sauce.   Pomegranate as side.
Potato Kofti which I added fresh mozzerella.  2lb potato to 1/2 lb cheese.
Makhani I made up.  Tomato curry spices, and fenugreek and fennel, canned tomato sauce, paste, and diced.  Yogurt, cream, and butter.

Third Week of November

Sunday
Bean, kale, and cheese enchilada with easy green sauce. -green-enchilada-sauce recipe uses canned jalapeño peppers

Vanilla pudding pie for dessert

Monday
Leftover cheesy kale spaghetti with added sausage

Tuesday--no family dinner
One had a meetup.
One got hungry and ate Costco chicken bake before dinner.
One had a work thing and ate dinner out.
Who was left made herself a mushroom olive artichoke pizza on purchased crust with a side of pomegranate seeds.


Wednesday
Black Bean & Vegetable Soup with Grilled Cheese. Sliced oranges as fruit side
Cleaned out many waiting vegetables in fridge. The leftover yams from last week. More of the purple kale. The leek that I didn't use two weeks ago. Celery. Red pepper pesto from Costco. A couple fresh tomatoes. It was about half vegetables in broth, half black beans.

Used canola oil spray on grilled cheese instead of butter. Much less greasy.

Thursday
Homemade Mac and Cheese, mixing in crushed croutons
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/quick_macaroni_and_cheese/
Green bean and mushroom saute.  Topped with Durkee onions, we all wish the onions were omitted.

Second Week of November

Sunday--family dinner at Japanese restaurant

Monday--Frozen Costco Chicken Bakes

Tuesday--Yams with seasoned black beans

Wednesday--broccoli soup garnished with shredded cheddar, with chik'n nuggets and wheat rolls
Simply Recipes Broccoli Apple Soup Recipe
I had no apples, so I put in a spoonful of apple butter

Thursday

Friday

Saturday--instead of lasagna, I made cheesy spaghetti with kale and marinara sauce. It was boring. Too much pasta, too little fixings.

First Week of November

Monday--Chicken Pot Pie from Costco.  Turns out, that's not really our thing.

Tuesday--Burritos: Cattlebeans, Ground Turkey, Cheddar, Spinach, Butternut Squash

Wednesday--Leftovers: Salmon with Quinoa, Turkey from Burritos, Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday--Lentil Sloppy Joes

Fish Tacos

Fish Tacos
this time: tilapia, slaw, wheat tortillas, salsa, sriacha-mayo or yogurt.
slaw: red cabbage, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper

Cheesy broccoli potato soup

I made a double batch of Cheesy Broccoli Potato Soup, which seemed just right on a rainy night after a heavy diner cheeseburger lunch.  In the interest of my own nutritional goals, I put in less than half the cheese called for, and served lots of shredded cheese for individuals to add.

I offered hot wheat rolls and corn chips as sides.  They went untouched, so perhaps everyone really was still full from lunch.  But I must do something in order to send them off to bed--dinner was already held off until 7pm.

The littlest one said she wasn't hungry and only ate one bite.
The middle one still has a sore mouth from new braces, bravely ate one bowl and then his leftover cheeseburger chopped to tiny bits in the food processor.
I liked it.  Other adults liked it.

Nevertheless, nine cups of leftover soup is kind of discouraging.  They all are going to have to find the love for this stuff over the next couple days.  Perhaps parmesan croutons on the leftovers when they're presented.

South of France Beans

Flageolet beans seasoned with garlic, crushed red pepper, and herbes de provence.
mix in sauteed kale and tomato.

Accidently Overly Rich Mac N Cheese

Okay, it's not my first homemade mac 'n cheese.  Usually I make it with melted sliced american cheese.  This is my first attempt at this recipe: Classic Mac and Cheese from Homeroom in Oakland, CA.

It calls for four cups of whole milk, a stick of butter, 1/2 cup flour, 3 cups shred sharp cheddar, and 3 oz of shredded parmesan.

I don't have whole milk in the house, so I had about 1/2 cup cream and 3/4 cup half and half, and the rest skim milk.

Later I looked it up and 4 cups of whole milk would have been 32 grams of milkfat.
A tablespoon of heavy cream has 50 grams of milkfat.  So, a mere tablespoon would have MORE than enough to turn my skim milk into whole milk.

I had no idea heavy cream is that much richer than whole milk.  Whoops.

BLTs or Tuna Melts

BLTs, I love having them once a year.  And we have a bumper crop of tomatoes here at the end of season.  What's left on the vines may be hit by frost before it ripens.

We all love tuna melts.  So that was an also an option at the meal.  Some people had one of each, BLT and tuna melt.

Spaghetti with Alfredo Sauce, Fresh Tomato, and Kale.

Why not Linguini?  Because I don't have any in the cupboard.

I went with Ree Drummond's Alfredo Sauce recipe from her t.v. show.  The Alfredo from her blog adds the shredded cheese with the pasta, instead.  We joked that we were having ice cream for dinner; it's pretty rare for me to serve something so rich.

My daughter was worried that tomatoes were going to ruin the Pasta Alfredo.  Because the juices might dilute it.  So for her, I got the juice and squishy parts out of the tomato and chopped them.

The kale I cooked separately in an iron skillet, with some store-bought pesto to season it.

The adults mixed the pasta, tomato, and vegetables in together on their plates.   Some children ate their vegetables as solo side dishes instead.  The surprise was the kale went first.

I think it's funny that the pesce-vegetarian in the house loves Pioneer Woman Cooks recipes.  Ree Drummond lives on a ranch and does a lot of meat dishes, but the vegetarian dishes are often hearty.

Quick Catfish in Cornmeal

Quick Catfish in Cornmeal

Once again, picking fish at Hannaford's and looking up a recipe on my phone while the fish is wrapped.  This was good and not too involved.

pizzas on bought bread

lavash pizzas

vegetable soup pistou

Roast Vegetables Enchiladas

Jack cheese, tofu, flour tortillas, canned green enchilada sauce.
Roasted zucchini,  red bell pepper, frozen corn kernels, mushrooms, red onion.

Nicole wherever you are, these are the granddaughters of the chicken enchiladas you taught me to make in 1995.

Watermelon
Spinach-craisen-almond salad. [edited to add 10/2014: 1. I make the enchilada sauce these days. 2. I've dropped the tofu and use whatever vegetables are on hand, and that usually includes my favorite kale. Yum Kale with Enchilada Sauce. 3. If I roll the enchiladas, everyone's happy. If I layer a enchilada casserole, which is easier and faster, I get complaints from children that they're facing a mexican lasagna. I make vegetable/pasta lasagna 3 or 4 times a month, so more lasagna is excessive--so they tell me.]

Pantry Pasta

Pasta Tubes
Jar marinara sauce
jar roasted bell pepper
jar artichokes
smashed garlic croutons
mozzarella cheese

in bowls at table to add:
diced ham
anchovies
kalamata olives
canned olives