Weekly menu for November 29th, 2009

Where does the time go? This weekend had a lot more running around than I initially thought. The menu this week is all comfort food as we both try to get over lingering aches and pains of colds and gym workouts. I aimed for simple recipes that I know fairly well (even the new ones seem familiar and should be easy to make). I hate to say it, but I'm also carefully doubling any recipe I bake and freezing half because, you know, that season is on the horizon and fast approaching.

Sunday 29	Smoked meat sandwiches & dill pickles. Blueberry pie.
	We buy packaged smoked meat from time to time. It comes in a box with four little packages. The package is boiled for seven minutes, then carefully opened. Served on toasted whole wheat with lots of mustard and a dill pickle on the side. Desert was the last slices of blueberry pie fresh from the bakery... some days ago.
Monday 26	Tacos. Chocolate mousse?
	Served atop corn tortillas (warmed on the stove top), these are filled with a mixture of diced romaine lettuce, diced bell pepper, salsa, sour cream and cheese. He asked for it last week, so thought I'd make some up. Tonight I have to make up a big batch of apple oatmeal for breakfasts this week. Lately steel-cut oats seem to be the only thing that keeps me from getting really hungry between breakfast and lunch. If I have the time, I also want to make up some lentil and bulgar salad. This makes a nice accompaniment with lunch, and should help keep me full until dinner.
Tuesday 27	Parmesan chicken & steamed vegetables.
	When I came across this recipe last week, I knew I wanted to make it. Crispy chicken without frying? If it's even half as good as that sounds, it will quickly become a family favourite.
Wednesday 28	Cracker and Parmesan crusted fish fillets, basmati rice & best green salad
	Crispy fish, rice made with chicken broth, and a green salad dressed with homemade vinagrette. Simple, quick, and easy. If I can manage it, I want to try making brown butter & ginger cookies; mostly so there will be leftovers for company on Thursday and more cookie dough for my freezer.
Thursday 29	Crockpot hungarian goulash, soda biscuits and green salad
	This is a dinner for 6, hopefully with left-overs. I'll serve the goulash over the soda biscuits (instead of pasta).
Friday 30	Meatball subs
	Meatballs, cooked in spaghetti sauce, then poured between freshly baked whole-wheat bread. Friday meals should always be this easy.

Weekly menu for November 23rd, 2009

The week got off to a rough start. I'm going to dart out for a few fresh supplies this week, but there's no plan to actually *buy groceries* like we normally do. I've been very impressed by Saucy Apron, who went a whole month without buying groceries! While I'm not trying to repeat her triumph, I am trying once more to eat down my fridge/freezer/pantry before buying more. Beacuse this week will be spent using up leftovers, I don't have many recipes to share. Next week I'll go back to trying to use up what I have before buying more. So, here's the plan. Lets hope it survives confrontation with my life, such as it is.

Sunday 22	Take out
	After a day of chores and visitors, there was no energy left to make food. Lunch was a bowl of reheated chili and dinner was takeout. Yummy. Yummy. Take out.
Monday 26	Chicken with Provencal Sauce, steamed wild rice, steamed green beans, and banana bread for desert.
	It's a very simple saute recipe that comes together by the time the rice is done. It makes very little sauce, but it's well worth it. The wild rice in my pantry is the last cup from a much larger bag. Breakfast: steel cut oats, dried cranberries & cinnamon. Lunch: Heat and serve basil chicken with broccoli & pasta Snacks: Crackers, 1 red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons hummus We have dying bananas, and so I should make banana bread. My preference is to use Rick Gallop's banana bread which includes flax seed, wheat germ, and no sugar. Mmmm banana bread sandwiches with peanut butter for breakfast!
Tuesday 27	Steak sandwiches with cheese and salad
	This is one of my favourite fast meals. I don't really have a recipe for it. Served on good crusty bread, the sandwich meat is quick fried and served with slightly melted cheese. The salad, topped with a bitter vinagrette is also a family favourite - this time using up some of the walnuts stored in my pantry along with my dwindling supply of red wine vinegar. Breakfast: steel cut oats, dried cranberries & cinnamon. Lunch: Pork (leftovers) with fermented black bean sauce (tiny jar), steamed wild rice, steamed green beans. Snacks: banana bread, 1 red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons hummus
Wednesday 28	Hosin chicken breasts, BBQ potatoes and green salad
	The Hosin sauce is low-sodium and is one of the many little bottles in my fridge. The breast marinade in the sauce and then are barbecued until done. The potatoes are the last of the summer harvest from the farmer's market and cook quickly. The salad will be topped with herbs, croutons (the last of my supply) and bottled dressing (of which I have lots). Breakfast: Toasted banana bread with peanut butter Lunch: Steak sandwich with cheese, salad Snacks: fruit, 1 red bell pepper, 2 tablespoons hummus
Thursday 29	Meatloaf with creamed sauce, polenta, steamed vegetables and cookies for desert!
	The cream sauce is new, but the meatloaf is not. I made Bittman's meatloaf a while back and froze the extra. I'll serve it up over polenta with steamed vegetables and top it with a creamy herb sauce. Should make for a fairly quick and easy dinner. I'm making cookies tonight. One batch will be (mostly) wheat free to feed to a friend with a wheat allergy (and to get rid of my barley flour); while the other batch will be made with a mix of whole wheat and white flour. I'm thinking of making either peanut butter or oatmeal cookies. Hrm. Peanut butter oatmeal? Breakfast: Toasted banana bread with peanut butter Lunch: Hosin chicken breasts, BBQ potatoes and green salad Snacks: fruit, cottage cheese & crackers
Friday 30	Leftover beef barley soup
	I made this for last Thursday's crowd and threw the leftovers into the freezer. It will be tonight's dinner for up to 6 people. I'll fry an onion and some celery to go into the mix, and thin it a bit with some broth before serving. Now, if someone brings bread -- it should make a delicious meal. Breakfast: Toasted banana bread with peanut butter Lunch: Meatloaf with creamed sauce, polenta, steamed vegetables Snacks: cottage cheese & crackers, fruit