You’ll get through this! We had a major blizzard on April 1 in Boston back in 1997. Heavy, wet, and fast, taking days to clear the streets in some areas. Hope you can dig out safely quickly! Wine before relacing skates sounds like great planning! I hope you get a couple of adult dinners out soon.
Did you and the girls enjoy watching the figure skating worlds? It was here in Boston and completely sold out. I watched some of the videos and they were amazing!
Spring break! Busier than I want to be, but at least I can cuddle my pups while working. Will be doing a bit of freezer clearing out this week.
For two adults in San Diego:
Breakfasts: TBD. Started off with zucchini bread from a local coffee house.
Weekend: Enjoyed food truck lunches and Downtown Disney dinners while at WonderCon in Anaheim, including shrimp and grits for our weekly seafood dinner.
M: Eggs scrambled with spinach and cheese, with hash browns - vegetarian
T: (tonight) Old school crunchy tacos with all the fixings
W: Pizza - toppings TBD
Th: Navy ham and bean (from freezer) - soup
F: Chicken cordon bleu (from freezer), peas, and pasta
Take care of yourselves!
Greetings, People.
Count me in on the leftover train. We have out-of-town guests coming to visit next week, so this week we’ll be whittling down leftovers and relying on freezer staples, hoping to make a little more room in the fridge and the freezer.
FRI: Hayashi rice with beef and onion. I’ll be using a Japanese storebought mix for the gravy - having read about the gravy mix, I was compelled to try it. A mung-bean sprout salad (sprouts leftover from last week’s Mu Shoo Chicken).
SAT: Old-school, hard-shell chicken tacos with queso and chipotle vinaigrette (leftover chicken, leftover Velveeta, leftover chipotles in adobo).
SUN: A new-to-me recipe from NYT: chicken stew with mushrooms. However, I cannot cook green beans for 30 minutes until they are soft (I know some folks prefer them that way), so will sub with spinach or kale, added only in the last few minutes. Leafy greens from the freezer.
MON: Roberta’s pizza dough – have a leftover second ball from last week in the freezer.
TUE: Panko-crusted halibut tacos with slaw (a good supply of frozen hali and a cabbage to use up).
WED: Italian Wedding Soup (garden surplus and a sausage – both from the freezer). Focaccia.
THUR: Steak and fries. Green salad to go with.
Hello friends! It has been spring in Ottawa yesterday and today. Yesterday it was 18 degrees Celsius/65 Farenheit and today is 10 degrees Celsius/50 Fahrenheit and both days have been sunny. I made sure to get out for walks both days while spring is here. The temperature is expected to drop to just above the freezing mark over the weekend but yet again the weatherman is predicting rain and freezing rain. What I do this weekend will depend on the walking conditions. Last Sunday I had to kaibosh my plans for a gallery visit since the sidewalks were a sheet of ice so I spent the day at home doing laundry, cooking and reading. I would normally embrace days like these but they have been happening more frequently that I care for and I am done with being cooped up indoors. I want to get out and enjoy my regular weekend activities! Onto my meals for this week:
Today: I ran out earlier, mostly to enjoy the sunny warm weather, and also to get some provisions before the freezing rain that we may or may not get this weekend. I have one more store to go to so I hope the rain can hold off for a little bit this weekend so I can get my last errand done. I picked up a chicken pesto pasta for lunch from the deli down the street so for dinner tonight I will make a zucchini summer salad from a zucchini recipe book that my mom gave to me. I’m the only one in the family that likes zucchini so it only made sense 
The salad includes chopped zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper, and celery.
Saturday: I am hoping to go to a lecture at the National Gallery of Canada this morning depending on the walking conditions. I plan on either staying at the gallery after to visit an exhibition since there is lots on that I haven’t seen or a matinée movie of “The Friend” - a new movie with Bill Murray and Naomi Watts and it looks very entertaining. If I decide to stay at the gallery today I will see the movie tomorrow. I will have another zucchini salad for dinner since I will have a lunch out while I am out and about.
Sunday: I will go to the movies this afternoon if I didn’t go yesterday. Otherwise I’m sure I will find something to do I refuse to plan any more activities since the weather is really unpredictable these days. I will have a beef stirfry consisting of beef stirfry strips, onion and mushrooms cooked in a little beef stock and smoked paprika and served over egg noodles. I will probably have a coleslaw on the side since I have a cabbage and carrots to finish up.
Monday: My first art class! It’s called “Sketching en plein air” which is up in the air so to speak. We have been advised to dress appropriately since part of the class takes place outdoors but they are predicting rain on Monday so I’m not sure how much time we will be spending outside. I will have dinner when I get home so I will heat up some leftover ratatouille and have farro on the side.
Tuesday: A risotto of some kind. I have a little arborio rice to finish up, enough for one meal and it’s calling out to me so I may just freestyle it. I can finish it up then get some more when I go to the Italian grocer next week.
Wednesday: Hopefully yoga. I just bought a new pair of shorts and t-shirt recently so I can take yoga and someone in my local Buy Nothing group gifted me a yoga mat so I’m all set! A community centre nearby has free yoga classes so I thought I’d take one in. I don’t mind paying for one eventually, if I like yoga enough, but I want to see if I like it first before I jump into joining a yoga studio. I will make a spring roll bowl for dinner.
Thursday: Another film society screening so I will have dinner on the way to the movie theatre.
Have a nice week everyone. I hope it’s warm where you are.
Hi, all! Cooking for 2 in Chattanooga, where we’re having a few days of summer weather before a record scratch and back to seasonal temps…Pollen counts are high, but I do love spring in the South!
Breakfast: Orange brioche ring
Saturday, April 5: Thanks for all your suggestions for spring-y dishes for a crowd! I’m going to do the lasagna I mentioned above plus a strawberry cheesecake; others will fill in dishes. I was happy to find many of the veggies listed in the lasagna recipe at the farmer’s market the other day!
Sunday: A pot of beans with bacon for a stormy day; probably rice and broccoli on the side.
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Pork and bell pepper stir-fry from an old ATK cookbook
Wednesday: Kale panzanella from Family. DH may or may not partake of this one, haha
Thursday-Friday: TBD. On Friday DH’s goddaughter is coming from France to spend her 2-week school holidays and we need to figure out how to feed and entertain a 16-year-old! It’s been 10 years since we’ve had one of those, yikes.
Hope you are all safe in this stormy weather Have a good week, and happy cooking!
It is absolutely rude that Spring Break is over. Just rude. Requires comfort food.
For two adults in San Diego:
Breakfasts: Chocolate chip scones
S: (tonight) Takeout - Red beef and bean burrito
Su: Quesadillas with leftover taco filling, all the toppings.
M: Some sort of meat, hummus, tzatziki, feta, yellow rice
T: TJ’s pumpkin ravioli, spinach, shrimp, garlic butter sauce - seafood
W: Cheese enchiladas (pepper jack) with rice/beans - vegetarian
Th: Sausage and barley soup, based on https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026506-sausage-and-barley-soup-with-greens - soup
F: Baked pasta, with leftover sausage and spinach
Take care of yourselves!
But chocolate chip scones are the perfect counter-move!!
Hi everyone, I hope you’re all well. Things are returning to normal here. Lulu is back at school and there are no big travel plans (for now). Despite an overwhelming amount of pollen, Chapel Hill is absolutely beautiful as it bursts into spring. Crazily enough it was in the mid 80s here yesterday, and we have a frost warning sometime next week. I have clothes piled all over because I am not sure what to put away. I had great trips in the past couple months, but I am very happy to be home, and eating home cooking again. Here is what we ate:
Sun: LLD made salmon, mashers, and a salad.
Mon: Jamaican chicken, potato, carrot stew from Julia Turshen’s latest book. Delicious. Enough leftover that we will have the rest sometime this week.
Tues: LLD at a work dinner. I had sardine toasts from the NYT.
Wed: penne with balsamic roasted onions, Gorgonzola, and walnuts.
Thurs: carry out
Fri: another work dinner for LLD. I made smoky beans and cauliflower with aioli and herb salad from I Dream of Dinner and watched A Complete Unknown. Fun little solo night.
Sat: LLD felt like a night out so we had an impromptu date.
These are crazy times. Hope you’re all well and hanging in there!
Sounds like you had a yummy week and I hope you liked the movie. I really think Timothy Chalamet should have been nominated for an Oscar.
He was! I thought he was very good, and enjoyed the movie.
The Jamaican chicken sounds interesting!
I hear you on pollen.
LLD has to take a hose to the cars every single day. You can actually see it in the air.
The Jamaican curry was delicious and easy. And could definitely be played around with in terms of vegetables and protein.
Hi, everyone. Feeding 3 in the Boston burbs, where I took the dog on an hour-long walk this afternoon (it finally stopped raining!) and now my knees are super cranky. Ah, aging…
Sun: burrito bowls with adobo lime chicken, beans, rice, pico de gallo, maybe some sautéed peppers
Mon: I’m taking DS with me on an overnight work trip to NYC (which was originally supposed to be for An Event but has been downgraded to just a gathering), dinner at a fancy-ish steakhouse. DH will have takeout.
Tues: we return just before dinnertime - pasta, red sauce, meatballs from the freezer, something green
Weds: pork/peppers/potato stew from Dinner in One (this is an InstantPot recipe)
Thurs: buttermilk brined chicken, crispy smashed potatoes, green beans
I hope you and DS enjoy the overnight NYC trip!
Hello, all!
Trying to use up what’s in my fridge, and plan for what I can take with me for an early family easter gathering next weekend.
A friend shared her dinner tracking spreadhseet, and I’m now thinking about how to better organize and track meals and recipes/links/ideas. Work in progress.
Meal ideas, lots rolled forward this week:
– Afghan Bolani (stuffed flatbread with potato) to use up sauteed spinach and the last of some kheema, and using ready tortillas
– Maybe a revisit of Dapanji / Big Tray Chicken – using the NYT recipe as a guide but with significant simplifications
– Chicken Akhni Pulao (an Indian Memon recipe, similar to arroz con pollo with more spices and coconut milk – I’m trying to approximate a dish my friend’s mom cooked for me last year, but I keep forgetting to ask her for her recipe)
– Kimchijeon or kimchi fried quinoa+rice (but not the insane bacon one from Koreatown 
) + added cabbage + fried egg
– Pelmeni (frozen) with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and potatoes
Will look through the new COTMs for new ideas, am running a bit dry.
For my family Easter weekend, I’ll bake a cake of some sort to carry, and maybe an app for the main meal after I discuss with my SIL.
I’m also going to take along Thai curry paste cans for my cousins because we were chatting about it on my last trip and I think they will love it (and possibly cook some with my nephews who wanted me to teach them to make an Indian curry last visit) .
Wish you all a peaceful and delicious week.
I know, right?!?! 
April 7th
Leg of lamb chunks with Ras al Hanout, lemon and olive oil, roasted at 375⁰F. Quick garlic sauce of yogurt, minced garlic, squeeze of lemon, dried oregano, black pepper and crushed chiles.
I splurged on this little tin of Spicewalla Ras el Hanout , and it’s great.
Boiled American new potatoes with dill.
Sweet potatoes with maple syrup and lemon
Salad with romaine, celery, tomatoes, dill, green onion, oil, vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and German salad seasoning.
April 8th
I’m making Faroe Island salmon, possibly with the Sicilian pesto featuring almonds and basil.
Spinach sautéed in olive oil with garlic
Parsnips.
Maybe a little rice pilaf.
April 9th
I am not good at thinking too far ahead right now!
Greetings, People.
We have out-of-town visitors this week, so for a couple of nights we’ll be eating out. We’re fans of a few establishments in the city, and will visit one for seafood and another for beef. After that, we’ll follow up with a couple of dinners at home to (hopefully) showcase some of our gleaning and gardening efforts.
Breakfasts to include strawberries and yogurt, smoked salmon with a choice of knackebrod or dark rye, and brommie scones. Baked treats for tea, snacks, and desserts to include lemon scones, sour cherry crumble, and a blueberry coffee cake.
FRI: Dinner out - seafood.
SAT: Dinner out - beef.
SUN: Hoping to scrounge enough asparagus to make a favorite quiche from Martha Rose Shulman (gift link here). Green salad.
MON: Chowder with clams we dug here locally. Green salad. Homemade focaccia.
TUE: Back on our own. Chili from the freezer with the works. Homemade tortilla chips.
WED: Burgers on the grill. Fries.
THUR: Carb and sugar de-tox begins this day. 
Skinny Taste’s food-cart style grilled chicken. Soft pita. Chopped salad. Yogurt sauce.
Think you could squeeze in one more? 
