A new feature for 2017!
Apologies for the inadvertent radio silence here this week! I've been very very busy being very not-productive. 😉
You know how cooking at home is a super-duper important part of living a frugal life?
And you know how it's super easy to get into a recipe rut?
(I know it's not just me.)
the beginnings of a pot of chicken broth
Well, I thought that in 2017, it would be fun to commit to trying new recipes together.
I'm going to be bravely optimistic and challenge myself to try one new recipe per week. And I plan to post about it every Thursday.
Each Thursday, I'll give a small report on the recipe I've tried and also share what my new recipe for the next week will be.
And you can do the same in the comments.
Now, one major obstacle for me when it comes to food blogging is the lack of decent light at dinnertime.
While this is surmountable with advance planning, I am not the sort of person who has time to make dishes and photograph them earlier in the day. If I'm going to photograph food, it needs to happen when I'm already making food for my family.
So, while I plan to share a photo of the dish I've made each week, it's just going to have to be a not-that-awesome photo for the ⅔ of the year that dinnertime happens post-sunset.
(I know most of you probably aren't that concerned about it. I'm mostly telling this to myself: Done is better than perfect, Kristen! Just take the photo.)
Crock-Pot Japanese Pork and Ramen soup
I'll try to stick mostly with new main dish recipes (because those are the most useful and also the most challenging to find, for me at least), but I'll probably throw some new side dish recipes in too.
You all are welcome to join in as frequently or as infrequently as you like...you do not have to be as crazy as me and do this every single week. 😉
For this week, I'm planning to make white chicken chili from my ATK Quick Family Cookbook.
(I don't think ATK publishes this book anymore, but there are lots of used copies available on Amazon.)
I've never made or eaten white chili before, but I've always been curious to try it.
And I just made a big pot of chicken broth from the bones of two organic chickens from Aldi, so I've got plenty of broth on hand to put into this soup.
Hopefully it'll be tasty.
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If this idea sounds good to you and you've already got a recipe in mind to try, go ahead and share in the comments.
Let's do this thing! We are totally gonna get out of our cooking ruts in 2017. Woo!
Great idea! Love it and i look forward to it!
White chicken chili is yummy! We like it better than red chili now.
And I did just buy a new Weight Watchers cookbook, so I think I will try to play along. Hubby eats whatever I cook, so that's the easy part. Its finding the recipes that's hard.
Sounds great! We've been mixing in more new recipes in the last year, and we've found some real keepers. Looking forward to this!
This won't be a new new recipe, but my younger daughter wants to try OMG chicken. I haven't made it in a couple of years as my older girl doesn't like mayo. I'm going to try it with Greek yogurt instead of mayo 🙂
I like this challenge. I do try new recipes throughout the year, but tend to do a few at a time.
Kristen, I love this idea and can't wait to read these posts. Happy 2017 to you and your family.
This is a great idea! Tonight I'm planning to make Sriracha-roasted pork with sweet potatoes. Yum!
No need to apologize for spending more time with your family, Kristen - our society is way too hung up on productivity, IMO. I don't post on your website too often, but I love the idea of a weekly new recipe challenge. I'm just making out my weekly menu, and have a few new recipes I'll try - tarte Tatin, shredded beet salad, or roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon and pomegranate. Unfortunately, all my main dishes are tried and true (maybe that's not such a bad thing!)
This is exactly what I want to motivate myself to do this year too !!!!! A new recipe every week. So happy to read this on your blog today 🙂
Yay! I can't wait to follow along. I have been in a rut when it comes to dinners too! I'm challenging myself to make 2 of the recipes you've picked a month 🙂
PS- I love your bread recipes and maybe you could do one new ones this year?
This sounds like fun. I am definitely in and will start next week.
I love this idea and look forward to your posts! Thanks in advance for posting the new recipes and rating them. I'm definitely in a rut when it comes to menu planning ... I tend to use my same few tried and true recipes, so my family will really appreciate some new meals showing up on the table. Thank you, Kristen!
I'm in! I will be trying some weird new recipes this month as I clean out the freezer and pantry in anticipation of our move.
White Chicken Chile is a family favorite, we had it two nights ago 🙂
Great idea! But I'll have to cook vicariously through you. With three under six and so many other things going on in life, right now my husband and I thrive on consistency. (Chicken sandwiches at least once every week? Yes, please!) I hope when I'm done with grad school and the little ones don't need so much constant care and don't have such limited palates I plan to work back in all our favorite recipes and bring in some new ones. I look forward to reading about your kitchen adventures!
Love the new recipe a week idea. I tend to get into a cooking rut too, and am looking forward to trying your recipes. Your Pad Thai was a huge hit with my family! 🙂
Good to know! That's been on my list for a while. If you haven't already try Kristen's clam chowder. It is fantastic! So are the shrimp fritters.
Yay! Thank you!
Main dishes are great. Side dishes are great too. Especially stuff in season (what you might get in your CSA box) so I can eat in season vegetables with variety too.
Sounds like a grand plan. A new recipe every week is very ambitious to me. But I love your enthusiasm and inspiration.
Loving this idea. If I try 1/3 of them it'll be a huge addition to my world.
Hi there. If you want to try a great and easy recipe try Yammie's Noshery's Persian chicken with jeweled rice. I have made it with chicken, and last night made it with pan seared shrimp. I drizzled the honey on the shrimp while it was cooking. If you do make it, put the parsley, nuts, and pomegranate arils on when served as she suggests. I t is really good!
http://www.yammiesnoshery.com/2015/11/persian-honey-glazed-chicken-and-rice.html
That looks like a rather interesting recipe. May have to try it. 🙂
I'm SO glad you're doing this! I'm going home and pulling out my ATK Quick Family cookbook tonight!
That's a good idea! I tried it once before when my husband was working out of town, and I successfully kept it up for a while, but let it slide when things got too busy. I enjoyed it, though, and found some good ideas out there -- as well as some I won't make again, ugh!
I won't do a new recipe every week, but I'll challenge myself to add some new additions to the old family meal line up as often as I can.
One of my problems is the husband -- he dislikes a lot of new things as he's extremely change-adverse. I loved an Indian dish I prepared -- he can't stand it. I truly enjoy lamb -- he won't put it on his plate. So my biggest challenge will be not to find a new dish so much as find some he'll eat.
Ha! I feel your pain. CatMan values predictability over all else where food is concerned. Seriously, I'm at the point where I just don't know if I can make myself eat any more lasagna! 🙂
I love this idea! I frequently get stuck in a rut because we've recently gone full vegetarian (we used to eat meat sparingly, but have made the full conversion over the last few months to completely cut it out of our diets). I also commute an hour to and from work everyday, so I'm constantly looking for recipes that make big batches I can freeze or are quick and easy. I love the Best Make Ahead Recipes from Cook's Illustrated for this, as well as your jumbo stuffed shells recipe. This next week I will try a new veggie chile recipe from the 100 Days of Real Food cookbook. Thanks for motivating us!
Mark Bittman has a couple of very good vegetarian cookbooks - maybe the have some that will work as big batches.
White chicken chili is YUM.
This is a FANTASTIC idea!! Mr. Picky Pincher is very particular about our menu so we basically have to cook new dishes several times a week (welcome to my nightmare lol). So this is a great way to get new recipe ideas! I'm pumped for this!
We're trying to do more freezer meal cooking now that we have a reach-in freezer. That means we can just heat meals up in the microwave or oven if dinner doesn't pan out. That means less eating out, which I'm a fan of!
Patti thank you it sounds yummy & is what I will try . We don't care for the white chili
Kristen will definitely join for a new recipe weekly maybe not the one you are doing as I have super picky eaters but a new one
Certainly! No one has to make the same thing as I'm making...we can all choose what we want to make and just encourage each other as we try new stuff.
I love this idea as I am in such a cooking rut lately!
Sounds great! I have tried a lot of your main dish recipes and I look forward to trying the new ones that you write about this year.
Also, I made the ATK white chicken chili for the first time this year and my family really liked it! Enjoy!
I think I'll try for one new one per month! And maybe I'll even exceed my goal!
I love this idea! For the past several months, I've been trying out recipes from "Good and Cheap," a cookbook developed to help low-income families prepare healthy meals. It's been a great adventure. Looking forward to more inexpensive recipes!
I have this cookbook, but I haven't tried any recipes from it. Are there any you recommend?
Clara, from Good and Cheap, if it's the one I'm thinking of, the jambalaya is delicious.
Chipotle chicken kebabs, BLT salad, steak and potato salad, and chicken pomodoro come to mind!
Great idea! We've been doing this too, but not consistently, so it'll be nice to have some help from you. Last night we tried a dutch oven cornbread ham bake. I did not love it. It was too sweet and to me tasted too much like corn dogs. But my husband thinks he can tweak the recipe to make it better so we may be trying it again soon. We'll definitely add white bean chili to our menu this week!
Love this! I too am in the post holiday season cooking rut. Was gifted a new vegan cookbook and this is just the motivation I need to tackle a new recipe a week. Thanks!
I love this idea. However, as we're vegetarians we may not be able to try many of your recipes. Maybe you'll try a vegetarian main dish or two during the year (I hope, I hope).Thanks for all you do on your blog and for your infectious enthusiasm.
Oh, you totally do not have to make the same thing as me! My idea was for everyone to pick their own new recipe to try, not so much that you've gotta try the same thing as me. 🙂
Count me in, Kristen, I feel we are in a recipe rut, for sure. I need some inspiration and motivation in the kitchen. I'm sure this will help a lot of people! Have a wonderful New Years Eve.
Fi
Ooooo... I am a HUGE fan of white chili! Navy beans, chicken, green chili, corn, red peppers... yum! Can't wait to see your recipe. IMHO the make or break ingredient is the mashed potatoes - makes it nice and thick and adds that yummy, buttery, potato flavor.
Oh I'm so excited for this! Depending on test result next week depends on if I'll use my own recipes or some of your as well (we are testing one of children for celiacs. She's been gf for 3 years but we are doing a trial to see if she need to be). Please include if the recipes say they freeze well. I'm hoping to make a month of freezer meals in April and May.
We love white chicken chili. The first time I made it was with leftover Thanksgiving turkey years ago. It has since become a favorite. Last year I found a super easy and super tasty crockpot recipe for it that has become a new favorite that makes a regular appearance on the menu in the cold weather months. Hope your family loves it!
Love this idea for a new weekly segment on your blog! I got a new cookbook for Christmas - - WellFed Weeknights. Many of the recipes look delish and I'm excited to try them! I'll be trying lots of new recipes in January as hubby and I are embarking on our first round of Whole30.
Happy New Year!
I love it! And I actually have white chicken chili in my crockpot right now!
This is the one I make. So easy and delicious.
https://www.budgetbytes.com/2015/01/slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili/
Thank you, Deanna! I made this for company on New Year's Eve and it was a hit! People who were "too full to eat" were seen having second helpings - too funny! Rave reviews all around.
Also the entire Budget Bytes website is great! Fits right in with the theme here... 🙂
Kristen love it, sounds greatneed to shake up my recipe repitoire!! Please don't get rid of the five frugal things post though, it's my favourite
Great idea! Mine is so much larger than a cooking rut. It is a cooking grand canyon. I need the help.
This is a great idea! I subscribe to a few cooking blogs so I try new things out willy nilly when something appealing shows up in my blog feed, but I like your once a week goal. Very ambitious! Not sure if you're looking for suggestions, but I love this one pot "baked" ziti dish:
http://themasseyspot.blogspot.com/2016/01/we-eat-one-pot-sausage-meatball-ziti.html#.WGWfuLbyuYU
I'm vegetarian so I leave out the meat and use onion, bell pepper, squash, and broccoli. So yummy and I love that only one skillet is dirty at the end!
And if you're looking for something on a cold day, I also adore this soup!
http://thegiraffelife.blogspot.com/2013/04/wild-rice-and-vegetable-soup.html
It is by default that I make at least one new thing each week. I meal plan for about five days of the week and then leave two days blank. If there are not leftovers for those days I Google the things I have until something looks good.
I rarely make those things again because I do not bother saving them. This isn't because they weren't good, I just don't bother. If it was amazing I remember it and go looking for it over and over until I have it memorized anyway.
I know this inefficient but I like doing it this way. Making dinner is boring, in general, and a little bit of novelty helps me. So, every week we eat at least one thing I never make again.
One huge benefit is the variety of methods and flavor combinations I have learned. I have tried hundreds of recipes and thus know how to do all kinds of things.
Hi,
Unrelated but I saw you on Instagram and you had made your lucky neighbors Cinnamon twists. Can you please share the recipe. They looked amazing! Thanks! Love your blog!
You know, I don't think I've shared that before. Whoops.
Hmmm...but,but, I LIKE my recipe rut 🙂 OK, I'll try some new ones!
If you're happy in your rut, then I say carry on! Embrace that rut. 🙂
Yay! I like this new plan! I do have a non-experimental request for you too, though--I would love to have a tutorial on how you make your broth. I have been trying to figure this out with only so-so results for several months now, and I am befuddled that your picture looks like you are browning skin. Was I supposed to be browning my skin?! I tried browning my bones, but they never looked... browner. So I gave that up. Clearly, I need help! Maybe others would also be interested in a little guidance. Thanks for the fantastic new idea and for all of the faithful work you do!
Search her blog pages....I know she posted a tutorial on the broth not too long ago and it didn't seem to difficult. Good luck!
Here you go! https://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2014/11/how-to-make-chicken-broth-that-is-actually-tasty/
Hi Alyse - I just wanted to share this recipe with you too. http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/02/25/recipe-the-best-whole-chicken-in-a-crock-pot/ This chicken is delicious and then you leaves the bones/skin in crock pot and they are already seasoned and ready to go for stock. She has a link to that recipe also.
Tonight I did try a new recipe--Spaghetti with zucchini and goat cheese. A recipe that looked good in The Boston Globe Magazine. I used summer squash my daughter picked up on the discount rack at the market and feta cheese because I did not have goat and we prefer feta. My husband, who can be picky, had two plates. I might prefer vegetable noodles as opposed to the grated vegetable. I also think I might like some sundried tomatoes in it. I had realized how often my husband was asking me at 3 p.m. what is for dinner and I did not have anything planned. I need to do more meal planning and know in the morning what is on the menu for the day.
"I don’t think ATK publishes the ATK Quick Family Cookbook anymore."
Already? It seems like I just got my copy.
Yeah, it's weird! They put it on clearance a little while back and I don't know why.
Maybe clearing out their physical shelves before the end-of-year inventory?
You must have been looking over my shoulder. Cooking for one means each recipe lasts for days. I freeze portions and rotate. I'm really stuck in a rut. I probably only make 10-12 recipes over and over. Two resolutions for the new year are to eat more seafood and to try 52 new recipes. I've gone through one cook book already and picked a bunch but I'll probably steal some of your ideas too.
I'm looking forward to a more varied menu in 2017.
Oh boy- me too. I live alone and have already resolved to try one new recipe every week. I like leftovers, but sometimes when I thaw something I have previously frozen, it ends up in the garbage...and I hate to waste food.
My fave way to find new recipes to try is to pick a cookbook[1], look at every recipe, and put a post-it (with the dish essentials) on every one I might try. Then when I'm ready to try something new, I skim the post-its for ideas.
Currently I'm trying out Cook's Country's Cast Iron Cookbook. Most of the recipes look familiar, at least to this long-time Cook's Illustrated reader, btw.
[1] My own that I haven't gone through in a while, a recommendation, something new by an author I like, spending some time in library,...
I'm in too. I'm a cook who usually improvises recipes but for 2017 I'm going to try a new recipe a week and follow it exactly. the idea is,as seasoned cooks, we get used to the same thing and trying new recipes exactly allows for a new palate to emerge. So I'm going to give it a try.
Hey this is totally a random question - but I'm looking for some black flats and remembered that you did some research on the ones you got a year or so ago. How have your Bali Elf flats held up? Do you think they are worth the money? Thank you for your input. I need some really comfy ones - I have an issue with a Morton's toe and wondered if these would be a good solution.
Mine are still doing great, and the more I wear them, the more comfortable they get. I'm not familiar with Morton's Toe, but these are a pretty minimalist shoe, and the leather upper will stretch and conform to the shape of your foot.
White Chicken Chile is the best! I hope you all enjoyed it. It's definitely a favorite of ours.
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for introducing ATK and Cook's Illustrated to me. I found the cookbook at the thrift store ($5, yay!) and just today found 12 back issues of CI magazines (25 cents each, Yay!). I also watch Cook's Country on PBS. They all seem to be related? Anyhow, I have learned so much from them. So thank you! Blessings to you and yours in 2017.
I'm game and feel like I'm in a cooking rut. I'll start next week though as we are still out of town. Thanks for the inspiration
For the first time in my life I've made ginger snaps. We had a cookie bar at a New Years Day party & I made these Festive Ginger Snaps from Pinterest.
http://pin.it/jevIk3E
I used regular molasses instead of light, which my friends say doesn't exist in our area of the CA Motherlide.
It IS so easy to fall into a rut. What a great idea, I look forward to following along. 🙂
I'm looking forward to your new feature each week! Cooking at home is part of my New Years Resolution to heal my body, mind and soul, but I totally get bored of eating the same or similar thing every night of the week. Part of it is having to change my mindset where I think I have to be gastronomically tantalized on a Tuesday night after a full day of out-of-home work. To keep going with my resolution, I'm looking for recipes that can be made in less than 45 minutes (including chopping time), and involve ingredients that are readily available and don't depend on the consistently inconsistent whims of my local grocer.
I used to choose a new recipe from one of my cookbooks to try each week, on Saturdays when I had more time. Having a toddler constantly underfoot has made that difficult, but I'm starting to build a collection of tried and tested "weekend" recipes that make the whole family happy and provide me with tasty lunchy leftovers.
Also, I made potato bread using your recipe last night and it's 100% the best bread I've ever made. 10/10 will make again. Thank you!