Friday Food: Many Carrots

Friday

Short version: Cheeseburger patties, mashed potatoes, leftover baked beans, tomato/cucumber salad

Long version: I asked A. if he would rather have the hamburgers with gravy, or as cheeseburgers. He chose the cheeseburgers. I didn't have any buns, so it was just the patties.

I miraculously had one cucumber from the garden that was only partially bitter. Usually the whole thing is too bitter to eat. Occasionally I get lucky and there will be one or two that are only bitter on the stem end. I can only determine this if I taste them, though, so I taste a tiny bit of every cucumber starting from the stem end to see if it's edible. If that end is bitter, I'll cut a bit from the blossom end and try that. If that's okay, then I have to experiment with cutting bits off different spots to see where it gets inedible.

It's quite unpleasant, because I often just get a really bitter bite that has to be spit out. I persevere, however, because I hate to waste them.

Anyway. This one was about half edible, so I combined it with some tomatoes and just dressed that with leftover ranch dressing.

Saturday

Short version: Dad's omelets, leftover macaroni and cheese, carrot sticks

Long version: This was the day I took Poppy to the very remote birthday party. I didn't know what time I would be getting home, but I knew I wouldn't want to be making dinner, so I informed A. there were lots of eggs and he could make omelets.

Then when I walked in the door at 5 p.m. and the boys immediately wanted to know what was for dinner, I could refer them to their father, who started to make the omelets.

He put cheddar cheese, chopped tomato, and parsley in them. 

I added the leftover macaroni and cheese and the carrot sticks, because I can never let well enough alone.

Sunday

Short version: Pork chops, rice, green salad with vinaigrette, pots de creme

Long version: I battled my inner lazy demon about these pork chops. I was tempted to just stick them under the broiler with some barbecue sauce. I knew, however, they would be better if I made more effort.

My better self won, and I dredged them in an egg wash and seasoned flour before browning them and then putting them in the oven while I was baking bread. These turned out pork chops that were so good, the one child who is quite sparing with his compliments informed me that these were the best pork chops he's ever had. A. agreed. 

More work=more flavor.

And more happiness on the plate.

I hadn't made pots de creme in quite some time. It's always a very popular dessert. Incidentally, I decided that there was no point in encouraging too much greed with this rich dessert by making a double recipe. So now I only make the single recipe. I don't eat any, and it's enough for the five other members of my family.

They do not agree with this, but then, they're not the ones making the pots de creme.

Monday

Short version: Chicken tomato corn chowder, garlic bread, cheese, ice cream

Long version: This was a very delayed soup. I made the stock and picked off the meat the previous Thursday, when my dinner plan changed to accommodate two extra children. I made the chowder on Saturday morning, thinking maybe I would just heat it up if I got home early enough. But then A. made his omelets. So we had it this night, instead.

I had made the garlic bread the previous day when I was baking bread, which made this a meal that only required re-heating the day of.

I hadn't been planning on ice cream, but one child was sick and had a sore throat. Ice cream seemed appropriate in such a situation.  And of course, everyone else must have some, too. It was plain vanilla, with a choice of maple syrup or chocolate syrup.

Tuesday

Short version: Sausages, meatballs, leftovers, green grapes, later bread and butter

Long version: I thawed a package of jalepeno/cheddar sausages and another of the not very popular mozzarella and basil sausages. And then I had a small bag of prepared meatballs I froze a month or so ago that I also put in the oven with some ketchup, barbecue sauce, and water.

These various meat products were served with leftover rice, mashed potatoes, and chowder. Green grapes instead of a vegetable because I had been to the store this day. And I had also baked bread just before dinner, which of course meant that everyone must have a slice of the fresh bread as soon as it was cooled enough to slice without completely destroying the loaf.

Wednesday

Short version: Pork, baked beans, butter-swim biscuits, maple carrots, pickles, rice pudding

Long version: When I have a pork shoulder in the oven for a long time, I usually make baked rice pudding, too. This time I also squeezed in some carrots to cook at the same time. Those just had butter and maple syrup on them. I haven't yet found a better way to cook carrots.

A couple of my children refuse to eat cooked carrots of any kind, even with maple syrup, which is why I also put out some pickles. A vegetable of a sort.

These biscuits. I always make one and half times the recipe and bake it in a 9"x13" pan. We had a guest with us for dinner, so I prevailed upon my children to not call the biscuits by their own original and unappetizing appellation of "butter-bloat biscuits." I like alliteration, but not when it's gross.

When non-family-members join us for dinner, I usually set everything out as a buffet. That way our guests can get up for seconds without feeling as if they need to ask first.

Thursday

Short version: Pulled pork sandwiches, leftover baked beans, carrot sticks

Long version: I had a lot of containers of leftovers crowding the refrigerator, so a dinner of leftovers was in order. 

I had the last of the chowder.

Everyone else had pulled pork sandwiches made with leftover pork. Plus baked beans and carrot sticks.

Refrigerator check:

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