Weekly Menu {4/8–4/14}

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It’s starting to feel so much like spring—warm weather, garden plans swirling around in my head, birds singing. I’m excited to bring some lighter meals into our menu as the weather keeps warming up.

IMAGE VIA MAISON FLANEUR

Here’s what’s on the menu.

Monday—Leftover Copycat Panera Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese. We love this tomato soup recipe! It is my middle daughter’s favorite, and she asked for it as the lunch for her birthday party last weekend. We have quite a bit left, so I’m going to heat it up and make some grilled cheese to go with it. It’s an easy weeknight meal that everyone loves. :)

Pro tip—make your grilled cheese in the oven. I discovered this from my mother-in-law, and it works so well! Butter the top and bottom of your sandwiches and lay them out on a sheet pan, add your cheese (I use a sharp cheddar and a white cheddar usually), and then bake at 350º for 7 minutes, flip and bake for 7 more. It may need a minute or two more, but play around and see what works for you. I think the bread comes out nice and crispy and the cheese evenly melted. Plus, they are all done at the same time. It’s a game changer.

Tuesday—We’re having dinner at a friend’s house. Use this night to clean out your fridge—heat up a bunch of leftovers or refashion some leftovers into something else, or if need be, go with the old fail-safe, Scrambled Egg Sandwiches. :) Serve with fruit or a salad for a quick meal.

Wednesday—Aztec Salsa served over Chicken Breasts with Easy Rice Cooker Turmeric Rice. (A rice maker is not a kitchen essential by any means, but I do love it, and it makes my life easier. Set it up, turn it on, perfect rice, every time! This recipe goes great with lots of different Mexican recipes, so it’s worth saving for later.)

Thursday—Homemade Sloppy Joes and a Simple Macaroni Salad. I am on the hunt for a good macaroni salad recipe to use throughout the summer. I figured I would try this one out, and go from there. Also, I know a hamburger bun is the traditional way to serve sloppy joes, but I prefer a ciabatta roll. I usually get them at Costco. I like that they are firmer and that they don’t have vegetable oils in them.

Friday—Date Dinner: Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. (Always, always make a Homemade Alfredo Sauce. It is so much better than any jar.)

On Friday nights, we put the kids to bed a little early, and then my husband makes a nice dinner for just us. It’s our at-home date dinner, and it has become a really fun tradition. I highly recommend you try it sometime.

Saturday—Jesse Kelly Burgers with Oven Fries and Salad. My husband came across this recipe last summer and really wanted to try it. It’s more like a suggestion than a recipe, so we have been experimenting with the ratios. I’m hoping to share our ‘version’ sometime this summer as we try out a few more iterations (I think we decided around 1/3 of the bottle of Chipotle Tabasco per pound was a good ratio to be a bit spicy but not burn your face off.) I’ll keep you posted for sure. Anyway, my son requested these for his birthday dinner, which I was very surprised by. They are a very unique burger, and I personally like them served with just ketchup. The sweetness of the ketchup pairs nicely with the spiciness of the burger.

Sunday—Pasta with Sausage and Peppers. I may go with Cavatappi noodles instead of Fusilli because I like the texture better, but otherwise this looks like a simple and enjoyable Sunday night meal.

Have a great week!

Weekly Menu {4/1–4/7}

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April is a full month for us with two kiddo birthdays! It also feels like the start to spring with buds appearing on trees and birds singing away the morning and evening hours. I love that the sun is staying out later in the evenings, and the sunshine feels so warm. We are on the cusp of warmer weather, I just know it. :)

Here’s to a new week and a new menu!

IMAGE VIA HONESTLYWTF

Monday—Ramen. I’ve made a version of this ramen twice now using the meat from leftover pork ribs, homemade broth, ramen noodles from Costco, frozen corn, and then some variation of cilantro and hard boiled eggs for serving. My kids really liked it, and it was a great way to refashion leftovers. I bet the full version from The Food Charlatan (linked) would be amazing!

Tuesday—Chorizo, Butternut Squash, and Refried Bean Tacos. I’ve been making these Homemade Sourdough Tortillas, and they are really tasty. I need to remember to make them a bit earlier in the day so I’m not multi-tasking to cook them while I make the actual taco fillings.

For the chorizo, I like to buy plain pork sausage and add my own chorizo seasoning. For 1 pound of sausage, I add 2–3 tablespoons of seasoning and half a can of tomato sauce. Save the extra seasoning in a jar for next time.

Warm the refried beans in a small saucepan on low. For the butternut squash, cut off the skin and cube it. Toss with olive oil and season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and if you want, 1 tsp garlic powder. Then, roast it at 425º for 20-25 minutes. I like to serve the refried beans and squash on the tacos with the meat. My husband prefers them on the side and the meat and some sour cream on his taco. Both ways are tasty. :)

Wednesday—Sun-dried Tomato Focaccia Turkey Sandwiches. I don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, so I made homemade Sourdough Focaccia, and before I baked it, I pressed sun-dried tomatoes into the dough. It turned out really well. I started my dough on Monday and baked it earlier in the afternoon on Wednesday. I always use Alexandra’s Kitchen’s Simple Sourdough Focaccia recipe. (She has an Overnight, Refrigerator Focaccia made with yeast as well, but double check your timing in case it needs more/less time than what I mentioned.)

Thursday—White Chicken Chili and Maple Cornbread

Friday—Greek Meatballs with Couscous, Tzatziki Sauce, and Salad. (There is a Tzatziki recipe included in the notes for the Greek Meatball recipe.) I served these bowl-style, but I wish I would have served them in pita. I think they would have been even better that way.

Saturday—Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad, and Sourdough Bread to celebrate our kid’s birthdays with Yiayia and Opa.

Sunday—Leftover Spaghetti for an easy Sunday night. :) Plus, the sauce is just as good the next day so it doesn’t ‘feel’ like leftovers.

Have a great week!

Weekly Menu {3/25-3/31}

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Our menu definitely reflects this in-between season between winter and spring. We still have some cold, snowy days in the forecast so I’ve got soups, but I’ve also got some lighter fare—Egg Salad sandwiches and Turkey Gouda sandwiches. The Barbacoa recipe is an old favorite around here! It’s so tasty and because it cooks in the slow cooker all day, it makes dinner come together pretty easily. We like to serve it with rice and beans and guacamole, but it is just as delicious served as tacos. And then for Easter, we are having dinner with friends. We are making Deviled Eggs as well as a Carrot Cake.

IMAGE VIA Zojora on Pinterest

Here’s what’s on the menu.

Monday—Minestrone Soup

Tuesday—Barbacoa in Rice Bowls with Beans, Cabbage Slaw, and Guacamole

Wednesday—Egg Salad Sandwiches with Sweet Potato Wedge Fries

Thursday—Turkey Gouda Sandwiches with Roasted Carrots/Parsnips

Friday—Date Dinner

Saturday—Pasta E Fagioli Soup but I’m planning to leave out the Great Northern Beans and add butternut squash to it.

Sunday—Easter Dinner with friends. We are making Deviled Eggs and Carrot Cake.

I hope you have a lovely week!

At Home Date Dinner for Valentine's Day

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Not sure how to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year? I highly suggest making a ‘Simple but Special’ meal and having a lovely night at home! This can be as a family, with your sweetheart, or with some friends.

You can do this a number of ways depending on who you will be celebrating with. Here’s the basic formula.

Festive Tablecloth

+

Candles

+

Simple but Special Homemade Meal

That’s it!

Let’s dig into it a bit more.

Festive Tablecloth + Candles—

You do not need to buy any new tablecloths or candles. Pull out something you have and find a way to make the setting festive—pinks and reds in most any combination work well, cut out a few paper hearts to layer under your centerpiece, maybe add a faux flower in a vase.

For the candles, you can use one big candle in the center, a bunch of taper candles in candlesticks, or anything in between. Again, you do not need to go buy anything new. Since it is one dinner, and meant to be a low-key night, don’t stress about it. It’s fun to pull together what you have and make something festive from it.

Simple but Special Homemade Meal—

What is a ‘Simple but Special’ homemade meal, you might be wondering? It’s something I’m hoping to talk more about on here, but basically it is a meal you wouldn’t normally make on a weeknight. It takes a bit more effort to prepare or maybe needs a long time to simmer. For our family, we love to make Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs. It is not hard, but it does take a bit more time because it needs to simmer. The results are always amazing, and it feels special and a bit fancy.

A few other ideas that come to mind are

Any of these meals, served with a simple salad and maybe some French bread would make for a lovely meal!

In terms of dessert, you can make a cake or cookies, or to keep it simple, pick up a bar of high quality chocolate and divy it up accordingly. (These Hu chocolate bars are my absolute favorite, and they have no vegetable oils or lecithins in them!)

Other Thoughts / Variations—

For families, make sure to plan ahead with your meal so it will be ready when your family normally eats dinner. If there are things you can prep the night before, that would be a huge help. While you are cooking, enlist your spouse to entertain the kids for a bit to keep them from asking for 10,000 snacks while you are trying to concentrate :) or have your spouse help cook and put on a movie for the kids or maybe print out a few Valentines’s Day coloring pages they can work on before it’s time to eat. Definitely enlist the kids to help clear off and set the table. My daughter loves to pick the plates and silverware. My son loves to assign where everyone will sit. Ha!

For an at-home date with your spouse, put the kids to bed a bit early and have a later dinner just the two of you. It’s so nice to have time to talk together and connect, but it isn’t always feasible to get a babysitter. This is a great way to enjoy time together without going out. We try to have an at-home date on Friday nights. We feed the kids something simple—macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti noodles with a jar of sauce, and then I put the kids to bed while my husband makes a special dinner. Then, we light candles and enjoy a meal with no one asking how much more they have to eat before they can be done. :) Wine or cocktails are a nice touch too.

For friends, enlist everyone to bring something for the meal. The host can make the main part of the dinner but have someone bring salad, someone bread, someone a dessert. If someone loves to decorate, assign them to the tabletop decor. If someone is your wine or cocktail connoisseur, put their talents to use. What are friends for if not to gather together for a special meal that everyone contributed toward. Light the candles and linger over dinner, or head to the living room to play a game or watch a movie.

I hope you have the most lovely, special Valentine’s Day at home this year!

Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

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Spaghetti is one of my favorite meals! This recipe is from Dylan’s grandmother, and it is amazing! It has come to be one of our family’s meals for special occasions—birthdays, Valentine’s Day, as well as Christmas Eve. I love to set a fancy Christmas Eve or Valentine’s Day table and dig into a plate of scrumptious spaghetti with homemade meatballs. There is nothing better!

This is from Valentine’s Day a few years ago, but I just love penelope’s face here. :)

Homemade Spaghetti & Meatballs

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 2 cloves of garlic

  • 2 – 16 ounce cans of tomato sauce

  • 1 – 16 ounce can of tomato paste

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 tablespoon oregano

  • 1 tablespoon basil

  • 1 tablespoon parsley

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1 – 2 bay leaves

  • Dash of Tabasco sauce

  • salt and pepper

  • 1 cup water

Meatball Ingredients

  • 3 slices of old bread soaked in 3/4 cup of water

  • 1/2 onion, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon parsley

  • 1.5 pounds of ground beef

  • 3 tablespoons of Parmesan Cheese, shredded

  • 1 egg

  • Salt and Pepper

For Serving

  • Thin Spaghetti Noodles

  • Parmesan Cheese

  • Salad and French Bread

Sauce & Meatball Directions

  • Before you start the sauce:

    • Put the bread slices into the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl) and cover with the 3/4 cup of water.

  • Make the sauce:

    • In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of olive oil.

    • Add the rest of the sauce ingredients, stir to combine, cover the pot, and simmer for 30 minutes.

  • As the sauce is simmering, make the meatballs:

    • Give the bread a good stir, now that it is softened, to break it up.

    • Add all of the remaining meatball ingredients into your bowl with the bread. Gently mix until just combined.

    • Form into large meatballs. Set them on a cutting board or tray as you work.

  • After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes:

    • Gently add the meatballs to the sauce. Just plop them in and put the lid back on.

    • Continue to simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of your pan/burning. (If it doesn’t seem to be bubbling enough, turn it up just slightly. If it seems to be sticking on the bottom, turn the burner down slightly. Be very gentle as you stir the meatballs. You don’t want to break them.)

When you are ready to eat, boil the thin spaghetti noodles, drain, and divide into bowls. Serve with sauce and meatballs on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to your heart’s content.

We love to make a fancy meal of this, so we usually have salad and warm french bread for a delicious meal!

I hope you love these Spaghetti and Meatballs as much as we do!