Weekly Menu Planning - December 2022

I’m a Philistine - I like the refrigerator mashed potatoes (Market St., Bob Evans, etc) sold in most grocery stores. I think they’d be a great shortcut. Have some in my fridge now!

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It was more the sight of the frozen TJ mashed potatoes “noodles” that made me skeptical. And then the metamorphosis! My son and I were laughing with delight about the transformation. Adding butter and black pepper can make any potato more than adequate!

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My secondment is now over so I turned in my laptop and building pass on Wednesday since it was my day in the office. It seemed easier to do it then than to make a special trip to the office on Friday afternoon. I took the days off on Thursday and Friday to run some errands and hopefully squeeze in some fun stuff while I am off. I returned to a toxic workplace today so I spent the weekend keeping myself busy to distract myself from work. I met my new boss who seems nice but it’s only my first day back we shall see. My menus from actuals from last Thursday to planned through next Thursday look like this:

Thursday: off to city hall to renew my photo ID card. There’s an art gallery in city hall featuring artwork of local artists so I took it in. Fettuccine al pesto and a salad for dinner.

Friday: off to the grocery store in the morning. They had canned tomatoes on sale for half price so I bought a lifetime supply to use in soups and stews this winter. Off to the market this afternoon to pick up the rest of my groceries. I had planned on making a curry from scratch including cooking dried beans that had been soaking overnight but I was running out of steam. The last store I went to had some rainbow trout fillets on sale so I bought one for dinner and had a potato and Brussels sprouts on the side.

Saturday: I will be going through some winter clothes I set aside when I took out my winter clothes a month and a half ago that I haven’t worn in awhile so I will try them on and either wear them or take them to a consignment shop. Take out for dinner.

Sunday: Matinee movie called Salvatore about the shoe designer of the same name. Dinner will be a kidney bean curry.

Monday: Back to work. Repeat of Sunday.

Tuesday: Renown Canadian architect Moshe Safde will be having a book launch at the National Gallery and I am planning on going so I will have a bite to eat somewhere on the way to the gallery.

Wednesday: Sesame noodles with pork and scallions.

Thursday: fettuccine al pesto and a salad on the side.

Lunches this week will alternate between acorn squash soup with rocquefort cheese, and goat cheese, roasted beet and farro salad.

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First, I hope that the new job situation ends up working out, and that the boss ends up being as nice as s/he seems. Second - I love all the things you do. You seem to make the most of the city you live in with the art shows, movies, book launches. It is impressive.

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I think so. I remember there were a few (delicious) sauces for fried chicken, but I’m unlikely to ever fry chicken at home, so… (iirc they were “drinking food” - might have been fire chicken feet?)

That was a delicious COTM between Maangchi and Ktown. Maybe early next year we’ll all have cooking mojo for something like that again!

Ok, I love this :joy:

(I do find it hard to keep my enthusiasm about favorite kitchen helpers to myself)

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And what brand:model is the much-loved mandoline, please?

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I think it WAS chicken feet! It had just never occurred to me that I didn’t have to do that part. Huge revelation.

The mandolin is fantastic! I’m not near my kitchen to check on brand or take a picture. Will try to do later if possible for you Caitlin, if Saregama doesn’t answer first.

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Oxo!

They have a few kinds, the simpler ones are better IMO. I have what they used to call the “cabbage slicer” (because it’s wider), which is adjustable.

My sister actually deserves the credit for this – I had previously owned Benriner (much-loved Japanese brand) and Borner (perennial ATK favorite) and never used them regularly, but she had the simple Oxo and loved it.

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I hope the new boss will be as nice as he seems. The director is the one taking the lead in spreading her venom around the office but I don’t have to deal with her too often. My secondment was at one of the nicest places that I have ever worked and the director is trying to hire extra staff. If he is successful he said I can expect a call from him. I’m keeping my fingers crossed but getting extra funding sometimes is like trying to draw blood from a stone. I am still keeping my eyes peeled…

Ottawa is really a nice place to live. There was little to do when I moved here in 1988. Everything closed at 5:00 except Thursdays when the stores stayed open until 8:00 and there was no Sunday shopping. We had two museums downtown and the library but it closed on Sundays during the summer so I only had the museums to visit. No festivals or anything :frowning: it’s a wonder I stayed… But we have LOTS of festivals now and a couple of new museums to visit. There’s always lots to do.

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That’s it!

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Thanks, I also had a Benriner that I never really used because I found it a bit hairy. I also had this really old-fashioned, simple metal one that was easy to use and adjustable within limits that I learned about many years ago on Chowhound (I think maybe from Jen Kalb?), which was most usable for softer things like cucumbers. At the moment I use the food processor for things like cabbage, fennel, and onions and a miniature garlic mandoline for finely slicing garlic and shallots and shaving radishes. Not sure how much use I’d have for a full-size mandoline, so that looks like a good alternative for handling other types of produce.

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Greetings, people.

We have survived our first week of “no meal plan” month. DH, who thus far is thrilled with this exercise, is referring to the current guidance as “Every Man For Himself”. As planned, there is lots of snacking during the day on the nibbles and holiday treats we have on hand. Come dinner time, while I do offer to share whatever I’m making for my own meal, he is enjoying the freedom to eat how he would prefer to eat if left on his own at Christmas-time (or as if he was still single): beige food, heavy on the meat, nitrates, butter, mayo, and ketchup, please. I can’t even go there. Reporting evening actuals for myself only:

FRI: Thanksgiving leftovers.

SAT: Thanksgiving leftovers.

SUN: Grilled cheese. Caesar salad.

MON: Grilled cheese. Baked apple slices. Roasted pumpkin.

TUE: Cabbage and kielbasa soup from the freezer.

WED: Pasta with roasted garden tomatoes from the freezer. Caesar salad

THUR: Salad greens with apple, walnuts and a cider vinaigrette. Sweet potato oven fries.

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This is happening at our house a lot lately, with Lulu being away at dinner time so much. Last night LLD had a steak with onions and mushrooms. I had a bean and roasted tomato salad. Both of us were so happy. Part of the deal is that each has to clean up after their own meal, which works well in my favor. Bonus!

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Did each of you also cook your own meal?

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Lol. The longer we’re married, the more things which take on “his” and “hers” versions.

The current system has it’s pluses and minuses. I think we both find enough pluses to possibly make this an annual December tradition. At the same time, there are enough minuses to not want to do it all year round. I kinda miss cooking for the two of us, and sitting down to a nicely prepared meal together. It also makes fridge and supply management far more complicated, when you don’t know what the other will be making (and if they’re not particulary good at using up an ingredient once they’ve opened the package). The plus side is, obviously, getting to eat exactly what and when you want! :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yep!

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Once Lulu is off at college, all hell might break loose. :joy:

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Hi, all! Cooking for 2 in Chattanooga. My last week in my kitchen for several weeks before holiday and business travel to California and France!

Saturday, December 3: Braised pork with apples (country-style ribs rather than pork cheeks); mashed potatoes, kohlrabi slaw. Lots of cookie baking.
Sunday: Potato vareniki, more slaw.
Monday: Pasta with tomato sauce from Milk Street
Tuesday-Wednesday: Work on cleaning out the fridge
Thursday: Maple-roasted tofu from Dinner and rice to have with our vegan house/cat sitter
Friday: Airport food! I usually treat myself to a fried chicken biscuit :slight_smile:
Have a good week doing the things you enjoy in December! Happy cooking!

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That sounds fabulous, have a wonderful trip!

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Cooking for 1 at the Jersey Shore. I have a stupid amount of chicken on hand due to an Instacart error.

Saturday: Cook’s Illustrated Broccoli Cheese soup https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=2095081
Sunday: Chicken Francese with basmati rice and steamed broccoli
Monday: Sunday leftovers
Tuesday: Tequila-lime marinated chicken breast, Gulf coast style white rice from Mexican Everyday, steamed green beans
Wednesday: Tuesday leftovers
Thursday: Carmine’s Pasta Pomodoro
Friday: Chicken parmesan, cavatappi, spiralized zucchini

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