This Week’s Menu – Guess who got a Lodge pan

Cooking in a very hot kitchen!

Can you tell that we wrote this week’s menu on day three of 90^o temps?   Everything can either be cooked quickly on the stovetop or out on the grill, which is really appealing when you live in a house without central air conditioning.  Even better, it gives me a chance to test my brand new cast iron skillet!

Yes, I did it.  I finally bought a Lodge pan.  After Mr. GF’s last attempt to “help” with dinner, my favorite non-stick skillet is no longer non-stick and possibly permanently fused with charcoaled bits of burnt chicken.  (He only cooks on high heat.)  I’ll keep trying to clean it up and re-season it, but it’s not looking good.  In fact, it’s bad enough that I was able justify replacing it.

Mr. GF was dubious about my choice of cast iron over modern ceramic or teflon, but how can you not love a pan that is Made in USA, can be used (with care) on my ceramic cooktop, in the oven or on the grill, is virtually indestructible and only costs about $20?   I’ll admit that it’s really heavy, it’s kind of inconvenient that it can’t be soaked in water, but it’s worth it.   At least I hope it is.   Worst case scenario is that I hate it and it is relegated to grill duty.

Keep cool!  Tomorrow we are testing a recipe for Blackberry Sorbet.  (lactose free of course)

Menu 6/2/13 – 6/8/13

Sunday:  Grilled Cheddar Sausage Patties

Monday: Olive-Tomato Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2005, p. 204) – The olive part is a tapenade and is quite good!

Tuesday: Chicken and Blue Cheese Slaw (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2005, p. 212)

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Corn and Two Bean Burgers with Chipotle Ketchup (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2005, p. 324)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea, Blackberry-Buttermilk Sherbet (Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2008, p. 159) and Oil & Vinegar Potato Salad

This Week’s Menu – Spring Clean Up

A quick peek out the window is all I need to know that it’s time to start cleaning up the yard for spring.  This week’s menu reflects easy prep so that I can spend some extra time outside.

Menu 4/7/13 – 4/13/13

Sunday: Spaghetti with Sausage and homemade marinara

Monday: leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken and Avocado Sandwiches (Bake the chicken the day before, it’s much easier to handle and slice when it’s had ample time to cool)

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Pork Chops with Baby Sweet Potatoes (Rub the chops with mustard and spices and pop in the oven)

Friday: Turkey Burgers with Oven Fries (Make the patties the night before and you can just toss them on the grill or in the broiler.  Same for the fries.  Prep and half bake the night before.  If you’re feeling ambitious you can even half-bake and freeze a few batches for later.)

Saturday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea

This Week’s Menu – Happy Spring!

Menu 3/17/13 – 3/23/13

Sunday: Tuna Wraps

Monday: Lentil & Rice Stew (yes, another version of this recipe)

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: Beef Stir Fry

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Tex-Mex Corn Chowder (from Sharon Fleming’s blog: Around the Table )

Saturday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea

This Week’s Menu – Time to Raid the Freezer

Someone blew this month’s food budget…

After spending almost $100 at the supermarket last week, I realized that I was out of money and hadn’t bought any food.

Raisins, carrots, bananas, tangerines, potatoes, two pounds of chicken, a $3 steak and a ham steak, that’s about it.  That part of the bill only accounted for about $15.

So where did the rest go?

Most of the budget went to replenishing the pantry and other miscellaneous supplies, think soap, paper towels, tissues and other essentials.  Needless to say, it’s time to take a peek in the freezer.

Menu 2/17/13 – 2/23/13

Sunday: leftovers

Monday: Mexican Rubbed Pork Roast with Potatoes, Carrots and Onions

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday: Kale and Butternut Squash Soup

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Pot Roast

Saturday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea, Makeover Oatmeal Cake

This Week’s Menu – Digging Out

Snowstorms, Shopping Lists and Empty Shelves – Just Another Day in NH

I thought I was on top of things.  We dug out yesterday, I had my menu and shopping list ready and was all set to shop first thing this morning then I looked out the window.

After spending a couple hours shoveling and snow blowing yesterday we knew the city would plow us back in, but this was excessive.  Hard packed piles of snow up to my mid-thigh driven about four feet up the driveway.   Fortunately teamwork and a lot of practice helped us make short work of the snow.   Had we known what the supermarket would look like we wouldn’t have bothered.

After a quick trip to Market Basket we went to Hannaford for the things that MB didn’t have.  It was unreal.  The bins and cases in the produce department were completely empty.  I was looking for broccoli, cabbage and kale.  They had nothing.  The next stop was the meat department.  I wanted to make Sesame Beef with Noodles for Chinese New Year, but there was no meat.  Again, all the cases were empty.  Aisle after aisle, the shelves were empty.  It was crazy.  The combination of the storm frenzy and not getting a truck yesterday left the entire store decimated.    It was just one day!!!

So much for all my careful planning.  Re-jig the menu, hot dogs for today and hopefully the stores will be restocked by Tuesday.

Keep warm and have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Menu 2/10/13 – 2/16/13

Sunday: Chili Dogs

Monday: leftovers

Tuesday: Sesame Beef with Noodles

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Winter Kielbassa Casserole

Friday: leftovers

Lunches: Chicken and Rice Soup

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea, Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day

This Week’s Menu – Back in the Kitchen

This is what the kitchen looked like last week…

This week we get back to business.  The floors are done and the table is finally out of the kitchen.  The china cabinet will have to wait until next week, but everything else is back where it belongs and I can open the oven, dishwasher and refrigerator without slamming into the table.  Time to cook.

Menu 1/28/13 –  2/2/13

Sunday: leftover Beefy One Pot Dinner, Kraft Food & Family, Fall 2007, p.22

Monday: Split Pea Soup, What’s for Dinner? 365 Lean & Natural dinners, p. 28

Tuesday: leftovers

Wednesday:  Creamy Chicken & Rice

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Meatball Parmesan Sandwiches with Oven Fries

Saturday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea

Apple Raisin Crunch, What’s for Dinner? 365 Lean & Natural dinners, p. 25

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I’m kind of waffling about this week’s menu.  I really wanted to try making a GF/Dairy Free condensed cream soup substitute, but between the clean up from the floor adventure and a work deadline I just don’t have the time to develop a new recipe.  I picked up a few choice ingredients when we went shopping yesterday, so maybe over the weekend, but not today.  In the mean time I am going to try un-glutening (okay, it’s not a word, but it should be) an interesting looking recipe I found for Apple Raisin Crunch.  There isn’t a picture in the cookbook, but based on the ingredients it looks like an apple crumb cake.  I may even replace the butter with applesauce to remove the dairy and reduce calories.  Win/Win and Yum!!!

This Week’s Menu – Love Your Slow Cooker

It’s a busy week at GFBM so I am bringing out the slow cooker.

We’re in the middle of refinishing the floor in the dining/hallway area and the very limited space in our tiny kitchen is occupied with the dining table.  Needless to say, three days without being able to access the counter or oven for prep and cooking means my faithful slow cooker will be called into action.

Menu 1/20/13 – 1/26/13

Sunday: AFC Championship Game, Dinner out

Monday: leftover ham from Saturday

Tuesday: Chicken and Mushroom Stew, Prevention Guide Slow Cooker Recipes, p.9

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Beefy One Pot Dinner, Kraft Food & Family, Fall 2007, p.22

Friday: leftovers

Misc.: GF Blueberry Muffins for coffee/tea