So glad to hear you’re feeling better already!
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Greetings, People.
After procrastinating for over a year, I finally got down to my “annual” recipe cull and sort. Four notebooks (and corresponding digital files) got a haircut as I removed recipes I haven’t had the urge to make in recent years, or those which have since been upgraded to better or more suitable versions. I also whittled down the enormous stack of recipe printouts on my desk to select those I’m most certain to actually make. When all was said and done, I felt much lighter and was inspired to make a few new dishes this week, as well as a few old favorites. Much easier to select things when there is less to sort through. Note to self: don’t wait two+ years to complete this exercise in the future, as it doesn’t get any less over-whelming the longer one puts it off.
All NYT links are gift links.
Cooking for two adults in the PNW:
FRI: NYT’s scallion meatballs with soy-ginger glaze. Steamed rice. Cucumber salad.
SAT: Pan roasted chicken thighs. NYT’s one-pot-white-wine-pasta. Salad greens.
SUN: French dip on focaccia. Fries. Salad greens.
MON: Butternut squash soup. Focaccia. Composed green salad.
TUE: Panuozzo. Salad greens.
WED: NYT’s spinach and artichoke pasta.
THUR: With any luck, there will be enough first-of-spring asparagus spears in the garden for Martha Rose Shulman’s fabulous asparagus and gruyere quiche.
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Lucky you, asparagus!! I planted some asparagus roots last year, which were fairly skinny. I’m wondering if I will have any thick enough to harvest next month. We have more snow coming over the next 3 days, after 5 days of spring weather.
…
Tonight, I’ll make chicken thighs (prep undecided) and Martha’s Perfect Mac and Cheese.
Friday, I think an Ecuadorian coconut seafood stew.
Saturday, beef meatballs for the DCs.
I decided to buy a quarter lamb from a local farm, which will arrive next week.
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I am shedding a little tear right now since we had freezing rain yesterday so its a little icy where I live right now 
I keep telling myself spring will be here before I know it. (I’m trying to think positive but it’s not working very well…)
I hear ya about the recipe cull. Years go by before I go through my recipes so it’s a daunting task when I finally get to it.
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After a brief interlude of warmer temps teased us into believing spring might have sprung, we are back to winter, it seems 
Last week’s cooking plans were laid fabulously, but followed? Not so much. We’ll see what happens this week, when I continue feeding two w̶i̶l̶d̶ ̶&̶ ̶c̶r̶a̶z̶y̶ mildly cranky adults in Happy Valley.
Tonight I’m meeting up with two of my gal pals to feast on the double stack cheeborger I salivated over in my last post & shared with my PIC that very evening before my show. My peen will join in the fun bc there is no way I can eat that whole thing and feel comfortable enough to continue festivities aka the smolest ladies night in recent history at our favorite watering hole. Smol bc several of my luckier bishes have left for spring break.
Tomorrow, our friends who are moving into their NYC pad permanently are throwing their own going-away party. We had them over last night for a Filipino feast & found out that there will be nothing but cheese & crackers. That is good intel bc we’d assumed there would be proper food at a party starting at 7. And so, we’ll either have a really late lunch or snack on some of the leftover pork adobo before heading over.
Saturday I have a gig at the ‘fancy’ place where we no longer get half off on food, just drinks. So, drinks will be dinner. J/k, I’ll snack on something at home before or after, TBD.
Sunday I’m invited to some sort of Cajun cookout / video shoot shindig hosted by another band. The singer is a good cook, and it sounds like a fun event. May not have to cook again that night!
Monday will be about high time I get my tooshie back in the kitchen. It’ll be one of the “warmer” days (in context) next week, but rainy. Ssssssomething ssssspicy, mayhaps? I have fixins for mapo tofu in the house….
Tuesday is looking pretty frigid. Might be lazy & thaw some of the Tuscan soup from the basement freezer.
Wednesday might see Greek-style roasted BISO chicken breast with garlic rice & a salad with this awesome sounding dressing I’ve been meaning to try.
Th-th-th-that’s all for now, HOs! Stay warm, stay safe, stay sane, hold on to the ones you love & eat all the good tings 
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Jeepers, this is inspiring. I have so many things on my “to try” list, and some have been there for a few years. Maybe time to admit I am not going to do it. We’ll see if I am as strong as you.
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You’re still young - you just might make them!
We’re aging out of our eating habits so rapidly, that no matter how attractive some of those aspirational dishes look to me, there’s slim chance we’d be interested in consuming them beyond a few bites (too rich), let alone be stuck with all the leftovers for days on end. This shift has made it pretty easy for me to have no qualms about passing on some of those ambitions.
Right now what appeals to me most are recipes we can work into our daily rotation with readily acquired ingredients, less effort, and fewer leftovers. The good news is I have hundreds of vetted recipes which fit that bill and could keep us well fed for decades without getting bored.
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We are in the middle of a heat wave, it’s 85 at 5pm right now, so with that context…
Tonight, continuing my obsession with Pati Jinich, doing her Med-Mex salad. Chickpeas, avo, sundried tomatoes, a basil mint serrano pesto, queso fresco. Should be delish!
Friday, still hot so will do another salad. I have an asparagus, bacon, feta salad I like to do and the asparagus popping up right now is thick and sweet so probably gonna do that with some whole wheat flat bread ala Alice Waters that I have in the freezer.
Saturday, depending on how hot it ends up being I have an achiote veg stew in the freezer I wanted to get to. If it’s too hot for stew, will probably go with chicken wraps of some kind. Have some Amalfi Lemon Chicken in the freezer that defrosts wonderfully for this kind of thing.
Sunday, supposed to be normal temps. If so, will do Nigella’s drunken noodles with some veg side. Her recipe is taking a huge license to use that name, but it sounds tasty and easy af so im good with it lol.
Monday, so i made some veg patties with artichoke hearts and chickpea flour the other day. I want to use that as a starting point. It needed a bit more bite to it, thinking some sauteed mire poix might do the trick. Probably serve with some greens.
Tuesday, raid the freezer. Maybe some rice casserole with rajas and corn? Pati again lol.
That’s all I got. Thanks for the inspiration to all those posting their menus!
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Inspiring discipline!
My recipe saving is purely digital these days, and I used to be good about organizing, copying over, and keeping a summary list of ideas, but it’s gone a bit haywire of late.
Thanks for the inspiration to take it on!
And hope your solo nights this week were delicious!
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Ha ha! They ended up being boring and meh. Beans and tortillas. I didn’t have to invest much time, which was a win, but in hindsight, I should have ordered a pizza. (I have never ordered a pizza in my small town, but it would have been a good time to try.)
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I’d like to know more!
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This all sounds incredible!!
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So it’s a giada recipe, im her biggest fan i guess lol. Take a lemon or 2 and slice it super thin. Oil a baking dish, add the lemon slices in an even layer, then lay the chicken on top of the lemon slices. The chicken is meant to marinade in herbs, lemon zest, and olive oil for a bit. If you have the time, def do it, but I’ve done without and it still turns out delish. Roast at 400 until the chicken is done, depends on size and cut, im sure you dont need me to tell you all that lol! When it’s up to temp, remove the chicken from the dish and let rest. In the baking dish smoosh all the lemon slices and chicken juices together. Portion the chicken, and divide the juices between each portion, include the lemon slices, and freeze. When youre ready to eat, defrost in the fridge overnight. The lemony chicken juices keep it super moist after it defrosts, it’s ideal for cold chicken dishes like a wrap. The actual recipe is in her book Eat Better, Feel Better if you want something more precise. Check the libby app if you’re so inclined!
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this is a keeper
https://www.seriouseats.com/jamaican-curry-chicken-recipe-7371772
Hello friends I am now winding down a week long staycation. Highlights so far were a lunch and gallery visit with a friend last Saturday, a long overdue trip to a farmers market last Sunday and another gallery visit on Tuesday.
On another note my doctor called to follow up on some xrays I had done last week and it looks like I had bronchitis. I am no longer contagious but I have a lingering cough so I have to continue with an inhaler until it is gone.
This is what’s on tap for this week:
Today: Window shopping for spring clothing. I will have a pork and green bean stirfry for dinner.
Saturday: Off to see a photography exhibition this afternoon then a basa fillet with “egg sauce” for dinner. It’s basically a basa fillet served with a white sauce and sliced hard boiled egg. I will have rice and a tomato cucumber salad on the side.
Sunday: I will tie in another trip to the farmers market. Now that I am back on my feet again I hope to make this a weekly occurrence. The Oscars are tonight and I fully intend on watching them. I might go to an Oscar viewing at the movie theater or maybe I’ll watch it at home. If I go to the theater I will have popcorn for dinner. If I stay home I will make something.
Monday: It’s book club night and we will be meeting up at a local pub so I will be having dinner there.
Tuesday: pork and green bean stirfry again.
Wednesday: Penne with artichokes, black olives and capers. Tomato cucumber salad on the side.
Thursday: I have a screening with the Ottawa Film Society tonight so I will have dinner out after the movie.
Have a nice week everyone!
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Bronchitis! Thank goodness you went to the doctor, and happy to hear that you are slowly getting better. Looks like you have a fun week ahead 
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Boring and meh can still be tasty and comforting!
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Cooking for three in Asheville, where we are decidedly over winter soups and, at this rate, likely to turn into chickens. 
Several things carried over and I have procured most of the ingredients. Thanks @Zoeliculious for sharing the Jamaican curry recipe.
https://www.seriouseats.com/jamaican-curry-chicken-recipe-7371772
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Looks like it’s available online:
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