I realized last week that I was getting a bit too adventurous in my weekday meal planning. When The Husband comes home late, the last thing I want to do is try out something that 1) is a new recipe and 2) has 15 different steps. So this week, even though I am off Monday, I'm pulling back and looking for recipes that aren't that labor intensive. Honestly, I need to get a few more slow cooker books in order to utilize Forrest (my Crock Pot) much more than I do right now.
- Monday - slow cooker red beans and rice with orange-glazed beets and a king cake to celebrate Mardi Gras a day early. I wasn't able to find a king cake baby, but I'll put in a dried bean instead (probably safer all around, to be honest).
- Tuesday - seared cauliflower with quinoa cakes - a redo from last week because we didn't manage to get it in (but since we have a small head of cauliflower, I'll also be using a bit of cauliflower's green cousin broccoli).
- Wednesday - chickpea and fennel salad - another redo from last week
- Thursday - cabbage salad with sauteed tofu - I'm working on a healthier version of this favorite recipe (I'll be using the one my mother-in-law wrote up for me), usually made with ramen noodles. The Universe must have known, as we got a nice big head of cabbage in our CSA share this week.
- Friday - TBD - I've found that planning all five days plus the weekend means that I don't have the flexibility that I need. Considering we didn't manage two recipes from last week, I think it will be helpful for the inevitable "let's just have popcorn" night.
So... that's what's on the menu at Chez Philistines this week. What are the specialties of your house?
I bookmarked the Red Beans and Rice - Marcus loves beans and rice in any and all combinations, so that would be great to test out on him.
ReplyDeletep.s. Eating popcorn for dinner is the new black.
I am also loving the red beans & rice idea. Perhaps that will make the Tuesday menu. Embarrassingly, I haven't planned the menu for next week beyond Monday, which is a sure recipe for Breakfast for Dinner or cold cereal at least twice. Better get on it...
ReplyDeleteFirst of all Breakfast for Dinner is the original Little Black Dress of family dinners. No shame there.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I'm extremely excited already about the red beans and rice except for the amount of Tony Chachere's I managed to inhale (still a little sneezy and weepy) this morning.
Oh yes... there will be snaps.
I'd love to try the red beans and rice recipe. We did a brief stint in Louisiana a few years ago, where I ended up trying several rice and bean combos that were commonplace there, and developed an appreciation for them. Now, talking my kids into eating it, however, will be another story as they refuse to see rice and beans as two things that can be mixed together.
ReplyDeleteI've also made the goal of using more slow cooker recipes, although I have yet to implement. I have, however, implemented the breakfast for dinner idea on numerous occasions.