Weekly Menu Planning - October 2023

Cooking Discussions Cooking, Cookbooks, Ingredients
21

It is now a cool rainy day in Ottawa, Canada after weeks of glorious sunny weather. I don’t even remember the last time it rained. I am glad it cooled down a bit since I don’t like the very hot weather (and very cold weather during the winter). We are gearing up for a long weekend this weekend since it’s Canadian Thanksgiving on Monday. It will be mostly quiet this weekend although I am planning a gallery visit on Monday. Here are my menus for a solo diner for this week:

Today: Pulled pork sandwich from a nearby deli. I have finally found a sandwich on their menu I don’t care for too much - the sauce tastes odd. Every other sandwich I have purchased has been a winner. Oh well I know for next time. Dinner tonight will be a roasted cauliflower and farro salad with feta and avocado.

Saturday: I’m heading out to the west end to pick up Thanksgiving dinner. (The butcher I am going to seems to be the only place that sells Thanksgiving dinners for one.) The rest of the day will be spent shopping for missing ingredients for meals this week. Dinner will be a Thai red curry cauliflower.

Sunday: Happy Thanksgiving! Today I take out my winter clothes. Turkey and all the fixin’s for dinner. Hopefully I will remember to get dessert while I am out and about on Saturday.

Monday: Thanksgiving day. A visit to the National Gallery. I have a membership yet I haven’t been in ages. Peanut soup for dinner. Served with copious amounts of sriracha now that I have some!

Tuesday: Hot sesame noodles with scallions and pork.

Wednesday: Pasta with goat cheese and tomatoes.

Thursday: Film society screening so dinner out beforehand.

Have a nice weekend everyone and Happy Thanksgiving to those who are celebrating.

12 Likes
22

Happy Thanksgiving (a few days early)! That cauliflower farro salad sounds delicious.

5 Likes
23

Hi, all! Cooking for 2 in Chattanooga, where it’s finally raining–on the day of the outdoor concert we plan to attend. Who knows, it may clear up?
Breakfast: Banana bread, probably in muffin form
Saturday, October 7: Harissa sheet pan chicken, maybe a salad
Sunday: Grilled shrimp, corn pudding, salad, French fudge cakes (a very Lynn Rosetto Kaspar menu)
Monday: Pasta with pesto to use up my basil before my plant freezes
Tuesday: Pizza and trivia
Wednesday: Tomato cobbler with Parmesan biscuits from Family
Thursday: TBD
Friday: Old-school spinach/rice vegetarian casserole from a community cookbook

Happy Thanksgiving to our Canadian friends! Have a great week, and happy cooking!

13 Likes
24

That salad looks good to me, too. I’m surprised your National Gallery is open on a Monday which is also a holiday. Museums here in MN tend to close on holidays and almost all are closed Monday’s.

1 Like
25

The cauliflower farro salad is quite good. The farm I get my veggies from sends us a newsletter every Monday and they include a recipe for one of the veggies we get that week. I make a short cut though and instead of mixing the oil and red pepper flakes I pour a little chili oil into a dish and I dip the cauliflower florets into that.

3 Likes
26

I am also surprised the gallery is open on Monday. It usually closes on Mondays during the winter months, no exceptions, but they seem to be opening on Thanksgiving Monday this year. I just checked the hours again and they are in fact open but the Museum of Nature and the History Museum are closed…

2 Likes
27

Hello to everyone from the weather confused Twin Cities of MN where last weekend into Monday we had record high temps and AC on, to today with the first run of the furnace for the season. More challenging is big kiddo’s arm is healing well, so her surgeon said “let’s keep her current cast so we don’t disrupt the healing process” All fine and good but it’s a huge plaster beast from her palm to mid humerus and none of her long sleeved clothing/jackets fit. A few pre-owned items were acquired as she would not let me cut up her existing clothing to fit the cast. Thankfully it looks like she will not require any more surgical procedures and could be back on the ice skating in 3 weeks?!?

Actuals and plans for 2 adults and 2 growing girls where I admit I was on a bit of a SK influenced week and forgot a bit that big kiddo is short a functional arm. . .

Mon 2: No school day. Little one skated, big kiddo joined me for the walking track and some socialization Grilled pre-marinated pork loin, TJ’s gnocchi, veg of some form I don’t recall

Tues 3: Little kiddo skated. CSA pick up. Assorted freezer meals for everyone as I was having a low effort day

Weds 4: An adaptation of SK simple eggplant parm. Some edits were less eggplant (CSA) as one was growing new life so added some cooked pasta to fill things out. https://smittenkitchen.com/2023/09/simple-eggplant-parmesan/ Mr Autumm happy, kiddos less so

Thurs 5: A riff on this: added shrimp cause less steak, freestyles veggies but overall good except big kiddo was having a hard time adding to her bowl without little sister holding the serving dish still. https://smittenkitchen.com/2018/06/garlic-lime-steak-and-noodle-salad/

Tonight: Little one skated. Gave a friend some squash as our CSA is overly generous and squirrels ate all of her planting. And copied her: Mexican take out

Sat 7: Leftover pork loin and sides TBD. I don’t know why but Saturdays are hard for me

Sun 8: White chicken chili or some form or roasted squash soup. The butternut and delicatas are staring at me right now.

Mon 9: Little kiddo skates. Big kiddo wishes she could skate. Whatever didn’t happen on Sunday. The support from skating families has been amazing As have all of you!

15 Likes
28

Idea for your butternut squash - use instead of sweet potatoes in this wonderful side dish with warm chutney dressing.

2 Likes
29

Or in place of sweet potatoes in this stew

Brazilian Black Bean Stew
6 servings

1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sweet potatoes (1 to 1 1/4 lbs.), peeled and diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small hot green chili pepper, or more to taste, minced – I use half of a jalepeno
2 (16-oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced – or 1 – 2 T. Mango chutney
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro – or – 1 T. dried Oregano
1/4 tsp. salt

optional add – 1 C. cooked chicken, diced/shredded

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 3 minutes.
Stir in sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes (with liquid), chili and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender but still firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in beans and simmer gently, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in mango and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve hot

3 Likes
30

We had an SK-inspired week not too long ago, also featuring the garlic-lime steak noodles (which I can’t call a salad because then DS won’t eat it).

If you’re looking for a butternut squash-inspired soup that is not just roasted squash, I love this - squash, sausage, red bell pepper, greens, pasta. I use half a bag of baby spinach instead of broccoli rabe and a whole squash, and a can of white beans instead of or in addition to the pasta.

5 Likes
31

The lengths we go to, to get a family fed!

5 Likes
32

Cooking for 3 in southwestern Ontario

Tonight: take-out steak frites, mushroom cioppino (hen of the woods, fennel, chickpeas and spicy tomato sauce- a vegetarian main) and a pecan butter tart

Sunday: Cdn Thanksgiving roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, maybe Ambrosia , maybe pumpkin pie

Thanksgiving Monday: turkey, leftovers, arugula chard spanakopita

Tue: turkey Tom Kha Gai (thai coconut milk soup)

Wed: probably tuna casserole or tuna cakes

Thu: lamb or pork, TBD

Fri: probably halibut

14 Likes
33

Have a few extra events scheduled this week, but hopefully I can keep life under control. LOL

For two adults in San Diego:

Breakfasts: Is this the week I give in and bake a chocolate cake for breakfast? It’s been a while. I think I might do it.

S: (tonight) takeout - red beef and bean burrito with guacamole

Su: Carnitas (leftover from Friday night) and veggie enchiladas with beans and guacamole

M: Spinach pizza, served with salad - vegetarian

T: Egg scrambled with spinach, cheese, bacon, served with hash browns and/or toast

W: Pasta with lemon cream sauce, peas with herbed fish (salmon for him, cod for me) - seafood

Th: Zuppa Toscana with spinach, served with garlic bread - soup/salad

F: Leftover orange chicken and veggies, with rice

Have a good week!

13 Likes
34

Go for the chocolate cake.

2 Likes
35

Actuals for the first week of October, cooking for 2 in MN. Where after a hot start to the week, chilly temps and the baking urge took over menus. I successfully experimented with using the slow cooker to make brown rice, some bagged/frozen plain the rest made into a baked favorite site dish casserole - rotel/black beans/brown rice for lunches and freezer. An acorn squash I got a week ago is in the fridge, patiently awaiting its turn tonight. Fruit sides for every meal, alternating between Ginger Gold apple slices and red grapes.

Mon: Paella orzo salad with shrimp and pepperoni (served warm, then for lunches served cold with added shrimp) Adapted From “Salad For Dinner” by Jeanne Kelley, p. 108. Ingredients list at EYB
Tues: freezer meal- Pork eggrolls, grain bowl (commercial, frozen) with diced sweet potatoes & craisins
Wed: Salmon, rest of the grain bowl
Thurs: One pan Pork chops with apples & onions, microwave baked potato A great 30-minute meal. Split an ice cream treat bar for dessert.
Fri: reheat Pork chops/baked potato
Sat: Lunch & freezer - Oven turkey Chimichangas, sliced avocado. Dinner and freezer - Runzas/ meat & sauerkraut filled bread. Spinach salad. BAKED cinnamon rolls using extra Runza dough
Sunday (today): Walleye, acorn squash

14 Likes
36

Hi everyone, I hope you’re all enjoying a beautiful fall day. Hoping the Canadians here have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Lulu’s boyfriend is in town, and they seem to be having lots of fun together. I had a good trip to my new dentist on Wednesday, and loved my dinner out in DC (Le Diplomate). Aside from that, here is what we ate:

Mon: roast chicken thighs with lemon, capers, and thyme (Diana Henry), roast potatoes, fennel salad

Tues: smoky shrimp and beans (Nigella, although her recipe originally calls for squid) over toast, with sliced tomatoes

Wed: I was away, they got carry out

Thurs: carry out pizza was waiting for me after my drive home from DC

Fri: Lulu out with boyfriend, LLD made salmon, salad, and tater tots, which seems to be taking over from naan for his cooking nights

Sat: took Lulu and her boyfriend out for Korean food. Had lots of fun.

Sun: not sure, but guessing we’ll be taking them out again.

I also made my first stab at a loaf of nutty bread, trying for something similar to what I was served for breakfast in Switzerland. Used 1/3 ww flour and added sunflower, flax, and pumpkin seeds. The ww flour makes it a bit more bitter than I wanted, but it’s still pretty good! Wishing everyone an easy week with delicious meals.

15 Likes
37

WMP folks, there are a few new cook-along threads in case you want to join in:

4 Likes
38

Hi all. Feeding two adults and a teen in Boston. I’m making an apple pie right now; please cross your fingers for this experiment, using a new-to-me recipe and mystery apples we picked today.

Tonight: leftover chili - maybe nachos-style if I run to the grocery store while the pie is baking.

Mon: cooking project day: pulled pork, bbq beans, something bread-like. Maybe coleslaw too.

Tues: pasta with broccoli, chicken, and ricotta

Weds: bean and chorizo tostadas (NYT, but I’m not frying the tortillas myself)

Thurs: encore presentation of pulled pork etc.

Fri: DH and I are going to see Brett Goldstein - I haven’t decided whether it would be excessively dorky to wear my Roy Kent socks. DS is looking forward to an evening at home alone with the dog. Not sure about dinner for any of us (other than the dog).

13 Likes
39

Fingers and toes are crossed!

1 Like
40

I would be making cornbread as an accompaniment but maybe that’s just me…

2 Likes