This is an easy and delicious recipe for a little something special to go with dinner. The taste is somewhat mild but it’s a nice, soft bread that is pretty addicting to eat.
Menu: Curious Cat
Ha! It’s only 11:00pm it still counts!
Tuesday
lunch: salad w/ feta, grapes
dinner: pizza
Wednesday
lunch: thai curry, hummus, grapes
dinner: veggie stir fry (bok choy, snap peas, garlic, red pepper, onions, eggs)
Thursday
lunch: salad w/ feta, boiled egg, cherries
dinner: stuffed baked potatoes w/ side salad
Friday
lunch: turkey sandwiches, yogurt w/ maple syrup, apples
dinner: baked cod w/ couscous
Saturday
lunch: out with friends
dinner: chicken and corn tostada
Sunday
lunch: leftovers
dinner: BBQ slow cooker chicken, mixed veg side, and biscuits or burger buns
Monday
lunch: black bean tacos w/ veg, cheese, and salsa
dinner: pasta w/ veggies
Tuesday
lunch: something from the bento book
dinner: pot pie if CSA has goodies, galette if not.
Gotta love the uncertainty of CSA huh? I’m still waiting for parsley (we’re been getting cilantro like crazy instead). We’ve gotten some lavender this week too which I will dry out and likely use for cleaning instead of cooking just for some nice spring in the house.
Also since we’re having company Saturday day I might make mini strawberry (or cherry) pie though I’m considering some form of muffin as well. Muffins just seem less…summery.
Meta: The Chef’s Pantry
When I started cooking I need to a buy a lot of things and the worst was actually that there was so many choices! How do you know where to start and what to buy? Here is what is in my pantry after 8 years of cooking that I’ve found works for me.
Cooking Spices: salt, pepper, ginger, oregano, basil, thyme, dill, cumin, corriander, paprika, garlic, mustard, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garam masala, fennel
Baking Spices: cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, clove, star anise, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder
Fresh Herbs: mint, rosemary, chives, cilantro, parsley
Other Stuff: olive oil, rice wine, cooking sherry, hot sauces (siracha and chili lime sauce for us), tonkatsu sauce, ground korean chilis (for kimchee), fish sauce, peanut oil, chocolate chips, coconut, almonds, tomato paste, and curry paste.
Pans: cookie sheet, baking sheet with sides, sauce pan – 2qt, stock pot – 6 qt, grill pan, frying pan – small, colander – free standing, small colander, dutch oven – 3.5 qt, set of mixing bowls – 4 sizes, glass baking dishes – 3 piece set, pasta pot with strainer top (so handy), mini muffin pan, muffin tins (2), 9″ cake pans (2), bread loaf pan, and a kettle.
Appliances: stick blender, blender, crockpot – 6 qt, crockpot -2 qt, rice cooker, stand mixer, food processor – small.
Extras: 2 good quality knives for chopping, a set of 4 cutting boards, peeler, whisk, soup ladle (2), pie cutter, pizza cutter, zester, tea press, set of 3 stirring spoons, spatula, hand grater, two 6 piece sets of Tupperware of varying sizes.
I don’t think every person needs everything on this list at all of course but this is what works for me and there isn’t a thing listed that I haven’t used in the past month which feels like a good judge measure that my kitchen really is working for me. Plus there’s a small amount of things I could stand to pick up (ramekins and cooling racks come to mind).
I always wonder what other people have in their kitchen.
Menu: Early Sleep
Fell asleep a bit early yesterday but before that I did make a menu for the week. Hopefully I can stick to it and not buy too much extra (we definitely had a splurge week last week of many extra items!)
Wednesday –
lunch: piroshiki
dinner: chicken chili
Thursday –
lunch: egg tarts w/ veg
dinner: carrot soup, french bread, salad
Friday –
lunch: feta salad, bread, cheese
dinner: pasta with vegetables
Saturday –
lunch: mini pizza
dinner: stuffed baked potatoes
Sunday –
lunch: out @ cafe
dinner: chili shrimp w/ green beans
Monday –
lunch: sandwhiches
dinner: pancakes
Tuesday –
lunch: thai style curry
Menu: CSA Start
Since our CSA box comes on Tuesday it’s going to take a week or two to adjust to shopping (probably) Tuesday nights after eating dinner. Thankfully I planned out this week pretty well so I just need to drop by the store for mushrooms and I might keep shopping on Saturday’s because it’s just more convenient. Anyway, menus on Tuesday’s from here on out until the CSA ends.
Tuesday –
dinner: trailer trash rice
Wednesday –
lunch: pancakes, yogurt, stawberries
dinner: baked egg souffles
Thursday –
lunch: feta salad with breadsticks
dinner: chicken meatloaf
Friday –
lunch: leftover chicken loaf
dinner: turnip gratin
Saturday –
lunch: pasta with spinach
dinner: leftovers
Sunday –
lunch: vindaloo
dinner: homemade pizza
Monday –
lunch: piroshki
dinner: ravioli
Tuesday –
lunch: couscous
dinner: chicken chili
Recipe: Shakshuka
There’s something to be said about creamy, runny eggs and a spicy tomato sauce. It’s simple and quick to make and if you can get ready made naan or make naan ahead of time and re-heat it in the oven this is the perfect slightly fancy weeknight meal.
Shakshuka
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Menu: Bonfire Day
Going to a bonfire tonight and we’re doing dinner out in downtown for Monday since we’re going to a SIFF movie so it’ll be an interesting week I think. This is a more simple menu than usual I think but hopefully that just means more time for everything else :3
Saturday –
lunch: cereal, sausage and eggs
dinner: out @ bonfire
Sunday –
lunch: grilled cheese sandwich + chicken rice soup
dinner: chicken stuffed with feta, almonds, and spinach
Monday –
lunch: tikka masala
dinner: out @ TBD
Tuesday –
lunch: sandwiches
dinner: baked fish w/ couscous
Wednesday –
lunch: tikka masala
dinner: ravioli
Thursday –
lunch: sandwiches
dinner: chicken and rice soup w/ biscuits
Friday –
lunch: leftovers
dinner: breakfast for dinner (pancakes and eggs)
Menu: Better Late than Tuesday
Running a little late with the menu this week because of so many things happening but here’s a weekly menu <3
Sunday –
lunch: chicken tortilla soup
dinner: black bean enchiladas
Monday –
lunch: chicken vindaloo
dinner: chicken tortilla soup
Tuesday –
lunch: piroshki (spinach and cheese with mushroom)
dinner: eggs, sausage, biscuits
Wednesday –
lunch: chicken burgers
dinner: pizza
Thursday –
lunch: piroshki
dinner: pasta with spinach
Friday –
lunch: chicken burgers
dinner: leftovers
The dessert for the week is clafouti too!
Recipe: Baked Scotch Eggs
Scotch eggs are British/Scottish/English pub food and they’re usually fried but since I’m not a big fan of fried food I went ahead and baked them instead. They’re actually fairly simple to make but they do make a bit of a clean up job since they need to be dipped in multiple things (plus there’s no way to make them except for sticking your hands in everything!).
Baked Scotch Eggs
Menu: Memorial Weekend
I’m happy to say that this will be a full three day weekend and that I have made no plans so that I can catch up on my cooking, cleaning, and chillaxing. I have a very ambitious menu to make my ambitious do to list so I’m not sure how closely I can stick to it, but worth a try just like everything else huh?
Saturday –
lunch: leftover chicken and veg
dinner: crockpot vindaloo
Sunday –
lunch: pancakes
dinner: vegetable cutlets
Monday –
lunch: couscous w/ veg
dinner: fresh pasta and focaccia
Tuesday –
lunch: sandwiches
dinner: burritos
Wednesday –
lunch: salad w/ burrito bits
dinner: pizza
Thursday –
lunch: carrot soup, fruit, salad
dinner: egg dish
Friday –
lunch: sandwiches + fruit
dinner: baked fish