1. Two lovely pairs of Asheville NC earrings
2. Five pounds
3. Four wonderful locally made lipbalms picked up at craft fairs and farmer's markets in Asheville, Chattanooga and Jackson. (which after chattanooga we began referring to as 'artisan lipbalms')
4. A deep appreciation for beignets and cafe au lait
5. A runny nose and lingering cough
I'll give you a hint: menus for this week focus on food that is simple, low(ish) in empty calories and packed with nutritiousy antioxidental goodness. A menu planning bonus? It's October, and that means butternut squash and (even better) beautiful, great to eat pumpkins are piled in front of almost every grocery store. So! let's start!
Friday: What's up with the way that shrimp is on sale almost every week in NC? and don't even suggest that it's because NC is a coastal state, cause so is TX. Anyway, shrimp's on sale, and garlic is a powerful sniffles fighter, so we're starting with Garlic Shrimp and Pasta. I'm going to throw in a red bell pepper, (another cold-fighter which happens to be on sale here). I may also consider adding some broccoli, which is on sale in Lubbock and Charlotte.
Saturday: Lycopene, lycopene- you versatile antioxidant you. Lycopene is the stuff that makes tomatoes red- and may, just may, mind you, be linked with preventing some forms of cancer. And what's even better is, it tastes great and is a blast to cook with. I'm simmering a BIG pot of red sauce today. I'll open 5 or 6 cans of the nicest tomatoes I can afford, (San Marzano or Muir Glen fire roasted) empty them into a pot, add a stick of butter, maybe some red wine, maybe an onion, and let it simmer till it's lovely and thick. After that it will probably take a spin in the blender. tonight that will be pasta with red sauce and green beans (and some nice chicken and basil sausages that I happen to have found in the freezer). I'll be using the leftover sauce twice more this week. here's a link, in case you'd like something more official:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/tomato-sauce-with-butter-and-onions/
Sunday: the first appearance of winter squash. I'll be using Queensland Blue, which Kroger sells for 29 teeny cents a pound during October. Use butternut squash instead if you wish. Peel and cube enough for 2 meals, and put half in a bag in the fridge. And use half tonight for Butternut squash salad
Monday: Chicken breast on sale in Charlotte and Lubbock, and though it's not on sale here, I have some in the freezer. Easy peasy sauteed chicken and zuchinni. I almost always pound chicken breast to an even thickness when it's used as it is in this recipe. The easiest way is to put a thawed breast in an unzipped ziploc bag, take it out to a cement suface, and whack it with a small, heavy, flat bottomed saucepan like it just said something mean about your kids. Tenderizes, reduces cooking time, ensures even cooking throughout the piece of meat, and works off a little stress. Chicken breast is up again on thursday, so if you're in a mood to pound, get a few more done than you need tonight, wrap them or bag them separately, and pop them in the freezer.
Tuesday: Pull out the some of the leftover red sauce add some fresh basil and warm it up. Once it's warm add enough cream, or half and half or evaporated milk to make it a consistency and color you like. Warm it again, being careful not to let it boil. There you go- you've got tomato-basil soup. Serve that with some ham and cheese sandwiches, grilled or ungrilled.( I'll be hoping to have those on some La Brea 3cheese bread)
Wed: That butternut squash you prepped Sunday comes out for an autumnal spin with couscous in butternut squash with cumin couscous. A new way to use butternut AND a new way to use couscous! I'm really looking forward to seeing if this recipe's a keeper.
Thursday: The last of the red sauce is used up with chicken Parmesan. We've all got cauliflower on sale, so why not toss some with olive oil,salt and pepper and pop it in the oven along with the chicken.
Friday: Eggs Benedict on Ciabatta instead of english muffins tonight, a la Nolen Kitchen in Charlotte NC. The holes of the ciabatta do a great job of soaking up all that saucy eggy wonderfullness, without going all squishy. Use any ham you have leftover from the sandwiches, or copy the Nolen more faithfully by slipping that egg over ciabatta topped with spinach and mushrooms. I'm linking a recipe for hollandaise, but the cheesy sauce sure sounds nice too.
have a not horrible week- let me know which of these are winners.
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