Friday Food: Custom Potatoes

Friday 

Short version: Sausage and potatoes, leftover baked beans, leftover pulled pork, tomato salad

Long version: I had made the sausage and potato skillet with leftover sausage, thinking A. could take it when he went hunting with one boy. They didn't go this day, though, so I just served it for dinner. Those for whom the sausage was too spicy had the leftover pork.

I finally got enough tomatoes for a salad, too. I think the chickens got after the tomatoes, because I didn't have any ripe ones for several days. I managed to scrounge up enough for a small tomato salad this night, though.

With basil.

Brown, brown, RED.

Saturday

Short version: All over the place

Long version: One boy was gone on an FFA trip and ate on the road. 

A. and Poppy were gone on a hiking/fishing excursion and ate at a restaurant. 

I was on my way back from flag football at dinnertime with the sandwich-loving boy, so I stopped at Subway on the way home and got him a 12-inch sub for dinner. I had made myself a cheese omelet before I left that I brought along and ate during the games, plus I ate some of the beef jerky and store-brand Oreos I had brought for the football player.

The eldest son was the only one home. He made himself spaghetti with marinara sauce.

It was quite a day.

Sunday

Short version: Meatloaf, customized potatoes, green salad with vinaigrette, apple crisp with vanilla ice cream

Long version: My family does not agree on the best way to eat potatoes. I have one child who dislikes mashed potatoes entirely. Two children prefer their mashed potatoes to be actually pureed with no lumps. The remaining child likes slightly lumpy mashed potatoes.

I do not usually indulge this ridiculousness, but this time I did take a few pieces of potato out of the pot after I added butter and before I mashed them for the mashed-potato-hater. I then mashed the potatoes with my potato masher. And then, since I had the immersion blender out from pureeing some tomatoes earlier, I removed one portion of these potatoes and pureed the rest.

It really is ridiculous, and I will most likely never do that again, but everyone was happy.

A plate with the pureed potatoes, I believe.

I made the apple crisp with one of my bags of frozen apple slices. It's always worth it to prepare and preserve fruit.

Monday

Short version: Quadruple-chicken fried rice, chocolate chip cookies

Long version: I made chicken stock with a bag of frozen bones, etc. that I wanted to get out of the freezer. I used the stock to cook the rice. Then I used the chicken fat to cook the onions and garlic. The meat I picked off the bones went into the fried rice, as did eggs, of course.

Four kinds of chicken products in one meal. Maybe a record. 

Tuesday

Short version: Soup, leftover fried rice, ice cream

Long version: I made soup with some of the chicken stock, plus the last piece of meatloaf, diced fine, tomatoes, collards, potatoes, carrots, green chile, and sour cream.

I asked all the kids--except the soup hater--if they wanted soup or fried rice, and they all asked for both. Thy will be done, children.

Ice cream because a meal of mostly-vegetable soup and leftovers is always better tolerated with a dessert to follow. Also, Poppy informed me that Windows said it was National Dessert Day. Far be it from us to not celebrate such an important national holiday.

Wednesday

Short version: Pork chops, chicken-y rice, frozen green peas

Long version: I marinated the pork chops--both sirloin and center cut--in soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and garlic before browning them in a skillet and then baking them to finish cooking them. They were good.

Rice made with the chicken stock and finished off with an entire stick of butter.

Thursday

Short version: Fast sandwiches, a salad, leftovers, concession food

Long version: I had about twenty minutes after the children got home on the bus to get Poppy ready to cheer at the volleyball game. The youngest boy and his friend had flag football practice, conveniently at the same school Poppy was cheering at. They didn't really have time to eat at home, so I made everyone cheese sandwiches to eat in the car. They also all brought money to get food at the concession stand.

I had a salad before they got home with some pork in it, plus feta cheese, leftover peas, pickled onions, and tomatoes.

Pretty.

Those at home had either sandwiches or leftover pork chops.

Refrigerator check:

Lots of eggs and milk.

Okay, your turn! What'd you eat this week?