Apologies to the two of you who are awake early enough to read this at 4:30 a.m. when it usually posts. I worked more this week, and was very tired last night. My slow brain was convinced last night was Wednesday night, apparently, so I had to write most of this in the morning. But here it is!
Friday
Short version: Spaghetti and meatballs, green salad with ranch dressing
Long version: I used the combination of ground beef and bulk sausage again, although slightly less sausage this time. Good meatballs. And a good make-ahead meal to eat early before going to the varsity football game.
Fresh dill and garlic in the ranch dressing, because I still can.
Saturday
Short version: Pot roast with potatoes, green salad with ranch dressing, rice pudding
Long version: I'm down to the last couple of boxes of beef from the cow we got last year, and what was in those last boxes was mostly big pieces that need to be slow roasted. So that's what I did.
And of course, if the oven is on half the day anyway, there might as well be some rice pudding baking in there, too. I was smarter this time and made the full triple recipe instead of fooling myself that a double would be enough. The triple one was finished this night, so that was obviously the right call.
Sunday
Short version: Chicken enchilada casserole, token cake and ice cream
Long version: We got two old hens from our neighbor that weren't laying anymore, and A. butchered them this day. I pressure cooked them and used the meat to make a casserole. My sister was here to help me strip the meat off the carcasses--one of my least-favorite kitchen tasks--so that made it about half as tedious as it usually is.
I had been planning on making tortillas and having soft tacos, but in the end, laziness won out and instead I layered some of the commodities tomato sauce that I had flavored with onion, garlic, cumin, green chile, and chile powder with the meat, corn tortillas, and cheese. It made a very big casserole that was very tasty. Plus, my sister had brought avocados, so we even had guacamole for one of the toppings. Yum.
I had made cupcakes (Grandma Bishop's chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting) for Poppy to bring to school the next day and had enough batter after filling the cupcake papers to make a mini-cake in a two-cup Pyrex. I cut that in quarters and everyone who wanted it had that with a scoop of ice cream from the big tub.
Monday
Short version: Leftovers
Long version: Mostly the enchilada casserole, although A. also had some soup I had made at his request from the steak bones. I had just simmered them to make a stock and pulled the bits of meat off, then added onion, garlic, potatoes, and pureed squash. It wasn't bad.
There were also leftover cupcakes, which is of course the best leftover.
Tuesday
Short version: Birthday pizza, carrot sticks with ranch dip, cake
Long version: Poppy requested "pizza and carrots" for her birthday dinner. I assumed she did not mean together. So one pizza was cheese, one had bacon and finely sliced onion on it.
I have to admit I was too lazy to go ALL THE WAY out to the garden (fifty steps) to get fresh dill for the ranch dip, so I used the dried. Fresh is better, though.
And the traditional Ugly Cake. This one was a repeat of the chocolate cake/peanut butter frosting, with decoration supervised and somewhat implemented by Poppy.
Wednesday
Short version: Purpose-cooked leftovers, green salad with ranch dressing
Long version: While I was in the kitchen the day before, I had cooked a package of tenderized bottom round steaks in chopped tomatoes/onion/garlic just to have on hand for dinner after my work day. I also heated up the leftover pizza, so there was a piece of pizza for everyone and some meat, and then salad.
When Cubby got home from football, he had the meat with leftover spaghetti heated in the juices, plus butter and cream cheese to make a sauce for the spaghetti.
And there was a tiny piece of leftover cake for each child. Four days in a row with cake has to be a record.
Thursday
Short version: Pork and bean tacos, raw green beans
Long version: I subbed at school, so it was another work day for me, but no more leftovers. So when I got home, I opened one of the big cans of commodities ground pork and fried that with some pinto beans I had taken from the freezer, plus onion powder, garlic powder, chile powder, and cumin powder.
All the powders on work days. Because sometimes, chopping onions is just too much effort.
It was good, though. Three children and A. had it in corn tortillas with cheese. Cubby had it with mashed potatoes and cheese when he got home. He doesn't really like the store tortillas.
I had a salad. I think it's going to freeze next week, so I'm still enjoying lettuce while I can.
Okay, your turn! What'd you eat this week?
I don't know if it's because I'm a Southerner or what, but I have always used just sausage in my spaghetti and manicotti dishes. To me, it's so much more flavorful. Of course, I also grew up with a tsp of sugar being added to cut the acid in the spaghetti sauce. I grew up, of course and my tastes changed. I've upgraded to brown sugar!! I do still like all sausage though.
ReplyDeleteHello, early riser here so no apologies needed..I usually read your posts while having my second cup of coffee before heading out the door. It's a quiet moment to myself before I decend into chaos...lol.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this week we ate:
Monday - Potatoes Anna, spinach salad with mandarins and bread.
Tuesday - Craziness ruled the day and I was chasing time so I decided to order a pizza to pick up on the way home...35 dollars for a large pizza...won't be doing that again...dang. it was good though (it better be for that price sheesh)
Wendsday - White bean, potato and ham pot pie, last of the spinach in a side salad.
Thursday - Had some sweet potatoes and the last of the ham and assorted peppers so I made sweet potato hash topped with fried eggs, toast.
Friday - Chicken Alfredo sauce is currently in the crockpot and we'll have that over penne, sauteed green beans to go with.
Happy weekend everyone!
Now I want to make Potatoes Anna.
ReplyDeleteIt is good and easy enough if you have a mandolin and a well seasoned cast iron skillet. Bonus points from my huzbeast to because...well...potatoes.
DeleteThis was a tough week with my daughter recovering from tonsillectomy- so very simple meals.
ReplyDeleteFri- leftover stew for husband and me, sister took boys out for McDonald's and a movie, and daughter ate some slushy.
Sat- so windy and cold! chicken and gravy, carrots, broccoli, string beans , homemade biscuits. Daughter ate some applesauce.
Sun- leftover chicken and salad for husband, grilled cheese, , tater tots,, applesauce for boys. daughter was very unhappy so probably just had a drink.
Mon- too tired and rushed, so pancakes ans bacon. Husband ate some chicken? Daughter had a string cheese cut up.
Tues- i was running on very little sleep and sort of forgot about dinner. homemade buttermilk bread, bacon, applesauce for boys, husband added some hard boiled eggs, carrots and hummus.
Wed- pasta, garlic bread, broccoli. Daughter eating more but this didn't work. Ice cream bar for her!
Thurs- taco meat our of freezer for husband,daughter managed a small one. The boys ate tortilla chips with melted cheese. (Mozzarella- the kids dont like cheddar or other cheeses). I had toast.
I hope to have a better menu this week. No baking except the buttermilk bread- delicious but very delicate and hard to cut. I'll make it as rolls next time.
PS-I do like the early morning posts- this fall has left me with insomnia, so after playing word games in the wee hours, it's nice to read something real.
Friday-green bean and potato soup, fresh bread
ReplyDeleteSaturday-Halloween dinner- biscuits cut in pumpkin shape and topped with ground beef and cheese and then baked, and dragon eyes (slit a green grape and push a raisin into the slit), and candy of course.
Sunday-leftover meatballs, rice, green beans
Monday-fish, baked potatoes, corn on the cob, fresh applesauce, and I canned 16 quarts
Tuesday-leftover soup from Friday, apple pie
Wednesday-liver and bacon, baked potatoes, broccoli
Thursday-stirfried pork and vegetables, sourdough biscuits
takeout
ReplyDeletesalmon patties, roasted potatoes, roasted squash, garlic bread
chicken/sweet potatoes in crockpot, zucchini/mushrooms, garlic bagels
tuna melts, roasted cauliflower/carrots
spaghetti/meatballs, zucchini/mushrooms
quiche, zucchini/mushrooms
And for tonight chicken/cauliflower casserole in crockpot, broccoli, garlic bread
Linda
Friday: Scrambled eggs with bell peppers and onions, air fried red potatoes, cinnamon raisin toast for those who wanted it, and grapes
ReplyDeleteSaturday: fish per the four-year-olds request…. So, he ate air fried Parmesan crusted fish and I baked myself some cod. My daughter didn’t want fish so she had chicken…We did rice, Cheeto flavored Mac and cheese (only my daughter liked it), and green beans.
Sunday: We went to visit my dad and he was in charge of dinner. So, he decided we were going out. Are usually bring food and cook but we decided to spend the night since the kids didn’t have school on Monday so he decided I would make breakfast Monday. ;)
Monday: I tried a honey sesame chicken recipe. It was okay. We had rice and green beans on the side
Tuesday: Butter chicken. I also made rice and mixed in some Rice cauliflower, chopped carrots and peas
Wednesday: fish, rice, and asparagus
Thursday: My 12 year old had a fall chorus concert and fundraiser dessert event. So we had an early dinner of spaghetti and French bread…I wanted some health food eaten before the kids went to the concert and picked out sweet treats
Friday: My mil is in town and won’t eat my cooking so we will go out.
Oops I forgot change the settings from Anonymous to include my name.
DeleteAs much as I love my children, I don't think I would ever try Cheeto Mac and cheese. You deserve bonus points for that!
DeleteAnonymous re-reads Andrea's last statement and marches over to her closet and grabs her often used glitter gun. (I feel ya..I do)
DeleteTHEN Anonymous marches straight over to your MILs place, knocks on the door and when your MIL answers Anonymous glitter bombs her from head to toe in sticky silver and green sparkles.
Your welcome 😁
Hugs! And have a happy weekend despite it all!
Me: It was gross. I am glad I made myself ride for a side. ;)
DeleteAnonymous: I laughed when reading your comment. Thank you! I definitely needed that!
I keep forgetting to change it from Anonymous.
DeleteAndra: I feel like your Friday statement contains multitudes. :-)
ReplyDeleteKristin: You would be correct. LOL
DeleteI did draw the line when she said she wanted to go to Golden Corral. I cannot understand how that is her favorite restaurant. But, then again, She and my FIL are the only people I know who hated the food in Italy.
I am one of those early birds!! Listen, with everything that goes on in your wonderful life, I am amazed you post as often as you do! Thanks for sharing your life with us! Have a great weekend
ReplyDelete