This is not going to be a good week. The Spring time change brings out the worst in my kids and I predict a lot of meltdowns around dinner time. But warmer weather is just ahead! It’s almost here folks. A few more weeks and heavy winter coats will be just a memory until next winter.
Sunday: Hamburgers on the Grill with Baked Beans
grill, 30 minutes, dairy free
The weather is going to be gorgeous on Sunday! Today we shoveled off the deck in preparation for grilling. Today’s meal will be served with store bought baked beans but by May I’ll be making homemade potato salad as a side for burgers.
Ingredients: hamburgers, buns, fixings, baked beans
Monday: Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken, egg noodles and steamed peas
big batch, in-season
If Martha Stewart AND the Barefoot Contessa recommend the same recipe then you know it must be good! Rao’s is an Italian restaurant in New York City renowned for their Italian family style cooking. Rao’s Famous Lemon Chicken is a pantry friendly twist on classic roast chicken. My family won’t eat dark meat so I’m substituting bone-in skin-on chicken breasts but whole chickens are much less expensive. Citrus is still in season so squeezing fresh lemon juice is not only tastier but cost effective.
Ingredients: 2 broiling chickens, Italian parsley, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper, egg noodles, frozen peas
Recipe here
Tuesday: Pasta and Bean Soup with Kale
In season, local ingredients, big batch, freezer friendly
There aren’t many weeks left to enjoy a hearty winter soup. You might even miss kale when it’s not in season! To make this a weekday friendly recipe, substitute canned cranberry beans for dried or soak the beans Monday night. The Clayton Co-op has gorgeous local kale in stock and Little Barn Bulk Foods in Watertown has dried beans and short dried pasta. Support local small businesses and make this recipe!
Ingredients: pinto or cranberry beans, chicken stock, garlic cloves, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, canned chopped tomatoes, white bread, chopped fresh tomatoes, red chili flakes, black pepper, kale leaves, small dried pasta, extra virgin olive oil, grated parmesan
Recipe here.
Wednesday: Chinese Broccoli Beef with Lo Mein Noodles
30 minutes, dairy free
Stir-fries come together so quickly but are so flavorful and a great alternative to greasy take-out. Let the steak defrost overnight in the fridge in the marinade. Even though the recipe calls for fresh broccoli I use frozen broccoli florets. This is great served over Lo Mein noodles available in the Asian section at the grocery store. If you don’t have oyster sauce you can substitute with an equal amount of soy sauce. Instead of rice wine you can use an equal amount of rice vinegar and black vinegar can be substituted with balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients: soy sauce, cornstarch, cooking oil, oyster sauce or soy sauce, Chinese rice wine or rice vinegar, black vinegar or balsamic vinegar, broccoli, sea salt, garlic, lo mein noodles.
Recipe here.
Thursday: Leftover Soup with salad and bread
leftovers
To stretch the leftover pasta and bean soup serve it Olive Garden style with salad and bread. Doxtater’s Bakery in Pamelia has fantastic wood oven baked breads!
Friday: Slow-Cooker Bean and Spinach Enchiladas
Slow cooker, vegetarian, freezer friendly, local ingredients
Welcome Friday! This week’s vegetarian meal is made in the slow cooker for an easy dinner that’s sure to beat the end of the week, time change meltdowns. Use McCadam cheddar cheese in this recipe for a local ingredient. Skip all the extra chopping and go with an easy bagged salad! It’s Friday. Take it easy.
Ingredients: canned black beans, frozen chopped spinach, frozen corn, ground cumin, cheddar cheese, kosher salt and black pepper, jarred salsa, corn tortillas, bagged salad.
Recipe here.
Saturday: Take-out
Mama is done.
