Glad you were able to REALLY get out of the house - both vacations sound great. Is LLD no longer making his “signature” salad with the salmon meals? It always made me smile to see that on your menu.
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Thanks MTT. Lulu decided she didn’t like arugula. Sometimes we make it anyway, and she eats it, but overall we’re keeping it to a minimum.
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I’m sorry to hear you caught covid but glad to hear you are feeling better. You seem to be adjusting well to being an empty nester 
(Even though Lulu hasn’t technically left the nest yet.)
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Mentally preparing myself. Emotionally might be a different story!
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Short menu this week as we’re heading out camping for a week on Easter Sunday. Cooking for two adults and an almost-7-yo in Asheville, NC.
Smoked ribs and sides TBD
Nobu miso cod, sauteed asparagus, peanut noodles. I had some frozen Sam’s Club cod to use up. Hopefully it’s OK despite not being as rich as black cod.
Bourbon/mall chicken with sauteed cabbage, carrots, and onion and leftover steamed rice
SK broccoli cheddar soup w/squishy Italian loaf and hot dogs on the side
Shrimp saganaki with ww orzo
Leftover tortellini soup
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Thanks for reminding me about the SK Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I always forget about that recipe but I like it a lot. I think I served it with Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits last time I made it.
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Sounds like great trips; glad you recovered in time for the second one.
I just got my 7th covid vax…qualify as a senior citizen Despite feeling very sick for 24 hours afterwards, I’m glad I did it! It’s so weird how the reaction disappears.
Send good luck wishes to your house for college news!
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Sides are red skin potato salad in vinaigrette with bacon and broccoli salad with cashew dressing, dried cranberries, almonds, and pickled red onion.
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Hi, everyone. I’m exhausted from the week and weekend - much of the weekend revolved around DS’s show (Newsies Jr), and our schedules are all out of whack. He and the other kids did a great job and I really enjoyed seeing him play a thug/hired muscle. (I hadn’t known that was his character, and burst out laughing at the first show when he swaggered on stage, cracking his knuckles and looking for a fight. Completely not his personality!!)
And now, back to reality and a busy week ahead…
Tonight: original plan was sesame chicken with (optional) cashews and (hidden) dates [NYT], green beans, rice. However, due to some cranky tired kid requests, swapping this out with: “popcorn chicken” (breaded and pan-fried) using the chicken I’ve already cut up, one-pot mac and cheese, and the aforementioned green beans.
I also made chicken/broccoli stir-fry for DS’s lunches, chickpea/cauliflower tikka masala using jarred sauce for my lunches, granola for my breakfasts, and prepped 10+ lbs of chicken for the freezer. Future me will be grateful but today me is tired.
Mon: takeout - since we didn’t get to go out last night - and I have a 7pm meeting with a vendor in Australia
Tues: frito pie (also NYT) - not sure how well this will go over but she who cooks picks the meals and I want Fritos
Weds: DH’s birthday + we have a 7pm Zoom meeting for DS’s trip next month. “Pot roast” (https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/02/oven-braised-beef-with-tomatoes-and-garlic/) over noodles. Birthday cake during the meeting.
Thurs: leftovers/freezer dive - all-day meeting in the office for me. Cranky DS said he’d cook, as part of tonight’s dinner renegotiation, so… maybe he’ll actually cook?
Fri: tbd…
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Wow - I’m tired, in empathy, just reading that – good job on the prep ahead and also catering to tired kid’s meal request.
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Thanks for the link to the peanut noodles recipe. I made some tonight to go with the skimpy amount of leftover Chinese takeout chicken and green beans. Another time, I’ll omit the optional lime juice – that was one flavor “note” too many for us.
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I did it this way, plus a later cornstarch/kirschwasser slurry that my mom used to do. It was very good! I don’t have a fondue pot, so we plugged our portable induction burner in tabletop and it worked great.
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Good luck and fingers crossed with the college decisions!
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We have a bunch of boxes in my mom’s freezer, and last visit I suggested using some for pasta, but it was declined because “too heavy”. I guess a bunch of vegetables and bread + some cheese vs. all the cheese plus a pile of pasta makes sense… and that’s why my mom will forever eat more healthfully than I do 
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We use a ceramic bowl and periodically pop it in the microwave to reheat 
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They’d be insane not to love frito pie!
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Sunday
Roasted souvlaki -ish lamb chunks
Curried coconut apricot beans
Milk bread
Corn
Monday
Roasted chicken thighs. I’m getting tired of it but one of my dining companions is off sauces and salt, and lemon oregano roast chicken, rosemary roast chicken or lemon marjoram thyme roast chicken seem to be my go-tos for salt -free roast chicken.
I had been enjoying some Vietnamese roast chickens a while back but those all contain more sodium. I guess I could try the ginger-lemongrass angle without adding any soy sauce or fish sauce.
Mushroom parmesan strata
Kale somehow
Tuesday
Probably leftover chicken into a noodle dish
Wed
Beef Bavette steak, first time to attempt it
Thu
Probably Italian sausage
Fri
Good Friday
Fish to be determined. Dining companion seemed to think the fresh Atlantic salmon cooked last week was salty. I’m probably going to purchase halibut or some other white fish for Friday.
Saturday
No idea.
Sunday
Easter means lamb, roast potatoes and maybe spanakopita. Easter Bread.
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Mini Crock Pot users here!
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DS not-so-politely requested a moratorium on chili about a month ago. Apparently my view that different recipes / styles were different dishes didn’t really resonate with him. So, we’ve taken a break… and now we’re back.
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Re. the roast chicken dilemma, if you have any of the Penzey’s blends (or a store near you), they’re generally salt-free. We like Justice (heavy on the alliums), Arizona Dreaming (southwestern), and… hm… something else is escaping me right now. The sample-sized packs are enough for a whole chicken, I think.
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