Week 200

Ello Mates. This is a dispatch from the couch bed. I have been on the couch bed for the bulk of the morning and afternoon. Considering this lack of energy and vim and vigor, I feel that I have made a VERY ambitious meal plan for this week. My brain and eyes are bigger than my energy levels. So we will see how much of this goes to waste! And a happy, happy new year to all!

Snack Dinner for the new year:
Pigs n Blankets
Ranch Pinwheels
Twice-Baked Queso Potatoes
Roast Beef Sliders
Hummus and Veggies

Shepherd's Pie + Salad

Roasted Radicchio (p. 234 of Salt Fat Acid Heat) + Roasted Chicken Thighs

Buttermilk Roasted Chicken (p. 340 SFAH) + Butternut Squash (p 263 SFAH)

Chicken and Garlic Soup (p. 333 SFAH) + Bread

Kuku Sabzi (p. 333 SFAH) + Roasted Potatoes 

Cranberry Orange Rolls - to ring in the New Year!

Week 199

I am hiding in the office trying to put this together. Bedtime is in ten minutes, will I make it?? Probably not.

Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner (nomnompaleo) + Sweet Potatoes

Barefoot Contessa Corn Chowder + Bread

Mushroom Cabbage Lasagne + Salad

Baked Chicken Thighs + Everything Carrots

Chilaquiles Casserole + Refried Beans

Chicken Cordon Bleu + Veggies

Cut-out Cookies

Pomegranate Buttercream

Week 198

Oh man. Oh man. Oh man. Do I want to do any of this? No. Do I want to go to the store? Nooo. Do I want to do anything but be on the couch bed today? No.

But here it is! Our menu. Elliott requested that we make a pie together and eat it outside in the "clubhouse". This is an adorable request and I will honor it. I will not, however, make crust from scratch. That is the worst.

Orange Chicken + Cukes

Apricot-braised Potroast + Potatoes + Carrots

Chicken Cordon Bleu + Asparagus

Red Beans n Rice (Instantpot!!)

Green Soup + Bread (my kids will cry!)

Roasted Sweet Potato + Chickpeas

Pizza!

Orange Cranberry Bread

Cranberry Pie Crumble 

Week 197

Snack Dinner - for decking the halls and trimming the tree!

Carnitas + cukes + Everything Carrots

Carnitas Stirfry

Italian Sausage and Kale Casserole + Greens

Sweet Potato Enchiladas + Mexican Rice

Honey and Garlic Salmon + Brussels

Week 196

I have been wasting too much time watching reality tv, time to buckle down, girl! (I am talking to myself, here). I stubbed my toe today, so that is why I have to be horizontal, for the most part. Elliott has somehow talked me into watching a show called Animal Mechanicals. God save us all. Midterm elections are tomorrow, hence the Creamy Chicken casserole, I need a food that will hold my hand on Tuesday.

Menu -

Bean Dinner n fixins!

Chana Masala

One-pot Creamy Chicken Casserole + Asparagus

Magic Pork

Magic Pork Tacos

Magic Pork cabbage Stiry-fry

Cauliflower Soup + Bread

Week 195

Getting over Fall Break and Whole30 and a sinus infection and bronchitis! It's a bunch of giggles over here...

Bean Dinner! Beans n fixings! And bread!!

Salsa Chicken (IP)

Orange Chicken + Edamame

Chana Masala + Everything Carrots

Roasted Chicken p. 107 + Broccoli Salad

Zoodles Asian Salad (p. 183 NNP)

IP Tomato Soup + Grilled Cheese + Zucchini and Sweet Potatoes

Week 194

Sad trumpets are ringing throughout the house. Josh and I are doing another Whole30. Why? Because as sad as I get, I have been free-wheeling my food this summer and need to get back on track. Josh is trying to figure out his allergies. There is a method to the madness.

Menu -

Instant Pot IT chicken + Roasted Cauli

Zoodles w Shrimp + Pesto and Baby potatoes

Stirfry Shredded Cabbage w Fried Eggs

Carrot and Cardamom Soup + Greens

Paleo Breakfast Casserole + Greens

Pork Soulvaki and Cauli Rice

Baked Thighs and Grilled Veg

Week 193

Finally home, we started summer off with two weeks of road tripping. First to Florida, Marco Island, then Tennessee, then North Carolina (just J and myself) back to Indy, then to IL to pick up the wonderful wildlings.  And as much as I find it mind-numbing, it is now time to again prepare meals for the old family. Again, when I take a bread like this, I have no memories of ever cooking. Hopefully, though, I will have MUSCLE memories! My hands will just know what to do.

I also started a garden again this year. It seems to be growing in slow-motion. I need better soil. But J says it's a racket to spend more on soil. But then, the joke is on me when I try to grow plants in crap soil. Note to self: Do not listen to Josh next year.

And here goes the meals:

Baked chicken thighs + cukes + 3 Bean Salad

Orange Chicken + Rice (cauli for me) + Edamame

Stir-fried Cabbage + Fried Eggs + Everything Carrots

Snack Dinner or Bread Board Dinner

Spinach Ravioli + Salad

Red Beans and Rice + Cajun sausage  + Roasted Cauli

Week 192

It's still cold. This is the captain's log, and the captain is over this shiz. Too cold.

Cream of Mushroom Soup + Salad

Roasted Chicken + Sweet Potatoes

Spaghetti (and spaghetti squash) + Italian sausage

Red Beans'n'Rice + Broccoli

Orange Chicken + Edamame + Rice

Chana Masala + Raita + Naan

Peanut Stew for lunches

Week 191

Holla!! It's time for grocery shopping and feeling alive. None of this is true.

Chamber of Secrets - Harry Potter dinner
Basilisk Eye Cupcakes
Bourbon-glazed Pork Loin (p. 23)
Treacle Fudge (p.75)
Haggis
Roast Potatoes 
Glazed Carrots (p. 149)
Gravy (p. 150)
Phoenix Tears (drink)

Broccoli Soup + Bread

IP Salsa Chicken Burritos + Black Beans + Salad

Instant Pot Urad Dal + Rice + Naan

Potstickers + Edamame

Salmon + Roasted Asparagus

Week 190

Headache! Ugh. But I must get this down on paper? Screen? Whatever.

Chicken Enchiladas + Salad with tomatillo dressing + Pickled Onions

French Dip Sammies + Everything Carrots

Chicken Tortilla Soup and fixings + Cheese Quesadillas

Cauliflower Pizza + Kale Salad

Pressure Cooker Dal and Rice

Orange Chicken and Cauli Rice

Week 189

Shrimp and Zoodles

Orange Chicken + Edamame

Roasted Chicken + Potatoes

Salmon + Asparagus

Broccoli Cheddar Soup + Bread

Spaghetti Squash + Marinara + Salad

Pizza

Week 188

It’s cold. I know that’s a boring thing to say, but it’s where I’m at right now. Living within an icicle of bleakness that is the depth of winter in the Midwest. It’s actually not as bad as that. Truly it’s an excuse to be a layabout, my dream.

Sweet Potato Tacos + cukes

Sweet potato lentil shepherd’s pie + Kale Cesar Salad (SK p. 55)

One Pot Chicken and Rice + Broccoli

Shrimp Pesto + Zoodles

Orange Chicken + Roasted Asparagus

Skirt Steak Salad (SK 184)

Pizza!