FamilyFood

Inspired: What I'm cooking this week (or rather, what my mom is)

I quit my day job this week and one of the things I am most excited about is being able to tackle more cooking projects. Now that we are heading into fall and I can feel a slight chill in the air, I am thinking about making gnocchi and polenta and braises.

My mom is visiting this week, and one of the first things she likes to do when she's here is to go grocery shopping. (She lives in Hawaii where grocery stores aren't as well provisioned, especially with fresh produce—unless it's locally grown.) My fridges (even the garage "beer fridge") is jammed packed with figs, champagne grapes, 8 kinds of cheese, mushrooms, lamb chops, halibut, berries, and cold cuts. My pantry is stocked with pasta and artisan bread, wine and olive oil. So far she's planned on making gravlax and Korean beef stew with chili peppers and soy sauce, and I'm hoping to convince her make roast beef with Yorkshire pudding for Wallie's birthday at the end of the week. Nobody does it better than my mom. Everything I know about cooking and food appreciation I learned from her.

For now our weekly menu is influenced by what we feel like eating in the moment. Next week we go back to budgeting and planning.

So, as we cruise into the latter part of 2007, look for more recipes, more often. Wallie will also be taking lunches to school starting next week and her school has strict food requirements. If you want ideas for vegetarian lunches (her school policy), check back. I also have some exciting plans for Family Food which includes my first ever vlog (more on that later), and some other good things which I'll share with you soon.

Meal Planning Monday

It's not much of a menu this week as I'll be heading off to the BlogHer conference on Thursday...

• Mexican Monday—We had fish tacos for lunch so for dinner we had a big ole, "it's way too hot to cook" salad (3 different lettuces, avocado, cukes, tomatoes, lentil sprouts, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, and vinaigrette.)
• Tuesday—*I'm* going to the American Idol concert so the family's eating take out pizza.
• Wednesday—The night before I leave...maybe take out Chinese?
• Thursday—Sunday—I have no idea!!! Wheeeee!

...but we bought, like 12 ears of corn at the farmer's market this weekend.  Wonder when we're gonna eat that?

What are you cookin'?

Meal Planning Monday

O, it's so nice to back in my own kitchen!  I've got big cooking plans this week, such as:

Mexican Monday: Grilled Schaub's "black meat," Spanish rice, chunky Tex-Mex gazpacho
Tuesday: Thai curry-shmeared roast chicken, steamed broccoli with lemon aioli, brown jasmine rice
Wednesday: Roasted cauliflower soup, open-face ricotta/tomato sandwiches (from this month's Everyday Food)
Thursday: Whole herb-stuffed snapper on the BBQ and grilled veggies to go along with it
Friday: Take-out or dinner out
Saturday: Date night
Sunday: Spaghetti alla carbonara, green salad

And for dessert this week it's all about homemade pomegranate rocket popsicles sweet Frog Hollow Farms plums (like perfume) and our new family favorite: Angelcots.

Meal Planning Monday

Here's what I'm thinking.  You?

• Monday: Meatloaf, rice, Trader Joe's roasted corn
• Tuesday: Cold cucumber soup, grilled salmon, lemony quinoa
• Wednesday: Sandwich night (and girl's night out at Jill's to watch the AI finale. Go Blake!)
• Thursday: Barbecue chicken, cornbread, salad
• Friday: Date Night/Dinner out with Charlene
• Saturday—Monday: Hopefully we will be going away, at least for part of it.

Meal Planning Monday

We chose to play yesterday instead of going grocery shopping so I feel a little scattered this week. Maybe I'll have a C.O.R.N. week (Clean out the refrigerator).  Here's what I'm thinking:

• Monday night: Barbecued rib-eyes, Caesar salad with homemade dressing, lots of anchovies, and croutons.
• Tuesday night: Roasted fennel, cauliflower, and garlic soup (perhaps served chilled like vichyssoise), crostini with olive tapenade, parsley, and sliced hard-boiled egg.
• Wednesday night: Sandwich night (Togo's salami sandwiches)
• Thursday night: Turkey meatloaf, rice, Trader Joe's Roasted Corn
• Friday night: Family dinner out or take-out
• Saturday: Going to Sonoma for an over night trip. Wine tasting!
• Sunday Mother's Day: Not sure. Probably something simple. With wine.

Whatchoo got?

Eat Local Challenge Weekly Menu (Finally)

A little late, but this morning I took the girls to the park, sat in the sun, and made my menu. 

Note: breakfasts have been mainly cereal (an exception) and local milk or toast with jam and butter. I did pick up some local bacon and eggs but haven't made those yet.

Tuesday

Lunch: Pesto and provolone sandwiches, Raw English Shelling peas, apples (exceptions: provolone, bread*)
Dinner: Roasted Cauliflower, Fennel, and Garlic Soup, Crusty whole grain bread + butter (exceptions: bread*)

Wednesday

Lunch: Pasta with Spinach, lemon, and feta (exceptions: pasta, feta)
Dinner: Chicken Paillard (California, may not be within 100 mi), roasted asparagus, fennel/orange salad

Thursday

Lunch:  Zucchine frittata or cous cous (an exception)
Dinner: Either Gypsy Soup or Local Sausage and Yam soup, sauteed English peas, crusty bread

Friday

Lunch: leftovers of some sort.

My mom is coming into town for the weekend so the challenge for us will have to end on Friday. Since we are staying with her in San Francisco for the weekend, I'm hoping it won't be too hard to find locally grown/made ingredients  in our restaurant meals.

P.S. Saturday night's dinner is at a super-fancy and yummy restaurant and I am too too excited.  I will report back, for sure!

*bread is locally made though not sure where flour is from

Meal Planning Monday

After a little hiatus,  I'm back to menu planning.

• Mexican Monday: Turkey tacos, refried beans
• Tuesday: Pan-fried salmon, asparagus risotto
• Wednesday: (Sandwich Night) We'll take our sandwiches to the park for dinner if the weather is nice. I'm also making insalata caprese (tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, basil).
• Thursday: Chicken Korma, brown basmati rice, steamed artichokes
• Friday (Family Night): Take-out or dinner out
  
• Saturday: Date night!
• Sunday: Pan-seared rib-eyes with chive butter, something with potatoes (I need to use them up), a simple salad

What's on deck for you this week?

Meal Planning Monday

This week my mom comes to town for a visit. I'm not sure how that affects our plans for the week.  I also picked up some fresh veggies from the farmer's market yesterday (the beauty of living in the temperate San Francisco Bay Area is that there's always a farmer's market somewhere) so that'll influence our meals for sure. I'm also baking crusty, rustic bread this week.

• (Mexican) Monday—leftovers from last's nights dinner which was Mexican because I was jonesing for chicken enchiladas, chips, homemade salsa, and guacamole.
• Tuesday—Mom arrives, maybe baked cod "chowder" (saw the recipe in this month's Real Simple) with red potatoes and leeks, steamed asparagus.
• Wednesday—Dinner out
• Thursday—Spaghetti with roasted cauliflower, black olives, and parsley; salad
• Friday—Tofu with peanut sauce, brown jasmine rice, stir-fried bok choy with shiitake mushrooms
• Saturday—Date night!
• Sunday—Roast pork loin, blood orange and fennel salad

Whatcha cooking?

Meal Planning Monday

I'm writing this up Sunday night and I wanted to share that in honor of Chinese New Year, we had "Chinese" Chicken Salad and potstickers for dinner.  It's the first Chinese New Year in a long time that we haven't had a Chinese banquet dinner either with family or friends.  I did miss that a little bit, but our not-so-authentic dinner hit the spot. I've had a craving for Chinese Chicken Salad lately.  I like it when the dressing is spicy from the addition of Coleman's powdered mustard and I like lots of fresh cilantro in it, too.  Bunny, my preschooler, got a big kick out of having a celebratory meal that she wasn't expecting.

Here's what's up this week. What are you cooking?:

• Mexican Monday—Tacos, refried pinto beans with shredded cheese on top
• Tuesday—Jambalaya with andouille sausage and peas, sauteed crispy cabbage with bacon
• Wednesday (Sandwich night)—chicken salad sandwiches, homemade cream of broccoli soup
• Thursday—Fish, probably wild-caught cod, haricot verts, something potato-y
• Friday—take out
• Saturday—date night
• Sunday—Kalbi (Korean beef short-ribs) with quick kimchi, rice, lettuce wraps

Also this week Bunny and I are going to bake four loaves of crusty bread (to eat and freeze) and will probably make a batch of chicken matzo soup for Wallie, my toddler, who has a terribly cold.  I'm sure she'd like something warm to drink other than Korean "baby" barley tea (I can't help buying it, I love the box) and yuzu/citron tea.

Happy Year of the Boar!

(I know, it does seem cruel to include this photo, but it is a food blog!)

Meal Planning Monday (er Tuesday)

Thank you (you know who you are!) for reminding me that I completely spaced on this.

Monday—We had lamb chops, roasted red potatoes, and salad
Tuesday—Tortellini with bacon and peas, salad (I'm also baking lemon bread.)
Wednesday—Sandwich Night: Grilled Swiss cheese and tart apple on whole grain bread, tomato soup
Thursday—Belated V-Day dinner with J.; kids will have pizza
Friday—not sure yet
Saturday—Date Night!  I'm hoping for spicy Indian or Korean food.
Sunday— (tentative plans for dinner with friends)

What are you making this week? Links please!