Greetings all! The temperature here has finally dropped into the sort of weather that professional meteorologists call “soup season” Really. They go to meteorology school, and learn to divide the year into ‘salad season’ and ‘soup season’. Expect warm and comforting soups as often through the winter as you saw cool and comforting salads in the summer, and let me know when you’ve had enough.
A note, and an apology- I really, really dislike doing the grocery shopping on the weekend, so I try, really I do, to plan our menus as soon as the sale circulars come out on Wednesday, so I can hit the shops on Thursday night or Friday. But life, as they say, is what happens when you’re making other plans. This week the menus will go from Saturday through Saturday, and hopefully soon, they’ll return to a more convenient (for me) schedule.
Saturday: There’s a reliable rumor that tonight, I’m going to be feasting on some of the yummiest enchiladas on the planet! And as if that weren’t enough, one of the funnest chicks in Charlotte is doing the cooking! If you’re not that lucky, you can use some of the chicken breast that’s on spectacular sale in Charlotte, or one of the whole chickens on sale in Lubbock (or even easier, shred up a rotiserrie chicken) and make these:
Sunday: Boneless pork chops are on sale in Charlotte,Dallas, and Lubbock! We’ll be using them twice this week, tonight in sweet and sour pork. I’m not sure yet, but I think I’m going to avoid deep frying the pork. Use a bottled sauce if you’re pressed for time, but it takes just a few ingredients and not much time to stir up your own. This looks like it may be a keeper:
Monday: Good old pot roast tonight. I’ll start by searing a chuck roast over high heat in a heavy frying pan, then simmering it for an hour or so, then adding the veggies: carrots onions, celery and ..wait for it…sweet potatoes. No kidding, so yummy, and so on sale. And the simmering liquid? I love using a couple of cans of coconut milk, and maybe some red wine or broth if that evaporates. You’d think that it would make the meat taste coconutty, but it doesn’t! It’s one of the happiest accidental kitchen discoveries I ever made.
Tuesday: That $1 a pound chicken breast at Harris Teeter gets some attention tonight: Roast Chicken with roasted veg. Butternut squash, carrots, beets, potatoes… all of them great here. The recipe calls for roasting the potatoes in the same dish as the chicken- a lovely idea, and one I can’t wait to try. For the rest of the veg, cut them into chunks, toss them with olive oil and salt and bake them along with the chicken. Cooking times will vary, but plan on at least 45 minutes for the veg. PS. Cook extra chicken- chicken and dumplings coming up Friday!
Wednesday: I’ll be dining tonight at a Wednesday night supper hosted by Myers Park Baptist in Charlotte! Give yourself a break too, with a simple baked potato supper. Broccoli, bacon, nice cheese, spinach, mushrooms; all my favorite toppings are on sale in Dallas, Lubbock, or Charlotte! Get as crazy or stay as basic as you wish, just cook and extra potato or two for tomorrow’s beef stew. If you, like I, occasionally go blank when faced with basic kitchen skills like cooking eggs or baking potatoes, Alton Brown’s your guy. Here he is on baking potatoes:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-eats/the-baked-potato-recipe/index.htmlThursday: the leftover pot roast transforms itself into a speedy beef stew. I’ve pulled a proper recipe, but I think I may just sauté some onions, carrots, celery, peas, and whatever else sounds good, add the leftover pot roast, last night’s leftover potatoes, and then (secret easiness) some gravy. Either from a (gasp!) jar, or from mixing cornstarch with beef broth. Martha uses a stout beer in beef stew, and I'll link that recipe. I’m putting the stew together with popovers, one of my very favorite carbs ever. Alton Brown totally rocks popovers! If you’ve time, watch his good eats video on them, if not, here’s the recipe:
Friday: That leftover chicken? Tonight it becomes one of history’s greatest comfort foods, chicken and dumplings. I’ve been a fan of Martha’s dumpling recipe for a long time, and I’ve linked it, but I may try pioneer woman’s recipe this time. I agree with her, that cornmeal adds a little interest to the dumplings. I’m of course ignoring her beautiful and thorough instructions on cooking the chicken and picking up the recipe at the soup and dumpling part.
Way behind on grocery lists this week, aren't I. Sorry about that- look for a weeks worth of menus and complete grocery lists starting again next Thursday!
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