WIS, WWA | on the first longer day!
What I Spent
Every day from now until the summer solstice, the days up here in the northern hemisphere will be getting longer. Woohoo!
In other news, here's my blogging situation. Which is fine until I need to use the mouse. 😉
I spent:
- $30 on a Hungry Harvest box
- $14 on Domino's
So, I guess just $44 for me!
What We Ate
Saturday
I had a few Dinnerly meals left from a box last week and this was one: smash burgers with a special sauce, plus oven potato wedges.
I cut up some produce for a side.
Sunday
I went freezer spelunking and found a jar of homemade butter chicken sauce, a bag with two chicken thighs, and a package of marked-down naan.
Luckily, I had a little cilantro in the fridge too, so all this stuff combined made a good butter chicken dinner. We had some fruit on the side.
Monday
I made another Dinnerly meal; this one was chicken Parmesan burgers, with oven fries.
The oven fries were very good, but the burger patty was made with Italian sausage and while I like sausage, a whole burger of it is a little much.
I think the concept would be much better with a piece of chicken as the meat in the sandwich.
Tuesday
I don't know what to call this...a scrambled egg burrito?
It's scrambled eggs, cheese, greens, avocado, and whatever sauce I have on hand, all in a whole wheat wrap.
Wednesday
This was the evening I mentioned yesterday; Zoe's friend had to cancel on her, so we got pizza and watched Pride and Prejudice.
Thursday
I was out mid-afternoon with Sonia for a Christmas tea outing, so I wasn't hungry for dinner (too many scones and tea sandwiches in my belly!), and Zoe was at a friend's birthday party.
Friday
My fridge is a little bare but man, I hate going to the grocery store prior to a holiday. So I may go freezer spelunking again.
I went to the shop yesterday to buy ice cream, which I had forgotten to buy earlier, and boy was it busy. This is the main reason why I have kept up home delivery post-covid. I just do not like the hustle and bustle of supermarkets. Outdoor markets feel different and I like to shop at those.
This week we ate
Sa buckwheat noodles with egg and miso, with stirfried vegetables
Su roast chicken with ovenroasted vegetables
Mo vegetable stew
Tu kale stew, with sausage
We pita and green salad with chicken shoarma (leftover from Su) and yoghurt garlic sauce
Th macaroni and sausage, a go to meal for when you are tired and or uninspired
Fr today will most likely be french beans, and burgers. I've already made apple compote for tomorrow and sliced the red cabbage. Tomorrow all kids will be here and this will be our main holiday meal: sheperds pie with braised red cabbage and apple compote, followed by (a request) ice cream with caramel, salted peanuts and chocolate/ peanutbutter sauce. I am also baking cookies this year and made chocolate bark for the first time in my life (should not make again, looked exquisite and tasted absolutely moreish).
The rest of the week we will be eating lighter meals, around the leftovers we will have and vegetables we still have in our fridge.
@JNL, "moreish"??
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
My Aussie husband uses moreish to describe something that is so yummy that you want more and more of it 🙂
WIS: 31.30 @Giant, 37.42 @Aldi, and then 97.77 on various wine and spirits for the holidays. But I shouldn't need to go into a store until next year, so I'm happy with 166.49 for this week.
WWA: all nights featured Advent chocolate and cheese for dessert, except for the one person who just cannot delay gratification and always eats it in the morning...
Fri: instead of focaccia, we had leftover chicken/cabbage crescent dough ring, homemade English muffins, topped with sliced cheddar and Gouda, fried eggs and a small amount of leftover pumpkin chipotle pasta sauce. For a salad, I made a delicious and pretty layered salad using sliced bok Choi, sliced apples and sliced grapes. I dressed it with ranch dressing.
Sat: we went to zoo lights, and we packed a bento box dinner: sushi rice, nori sheets, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks and scrambled egg pieces, plus clementines, pears, moo tubes and orange juice. I should mention our lunch too because it was amazing. The leftover folatkccia made the best grill cheese sandwiches I have ever had! I told my husband we should make it again and immediately turn it into grill cheese.
Sun: I beefed up the leftover bok Choi salad with more bok Choi, more apples and some craisins and tossed it in the last of the ranch dressing. Husband made sauteed poblano peppers and onions to put over angel hair pasta, topped with grated Parmesan cheese but he accidentally made the whole two pound box of pasta instead of just one pound, so we had a lot of leftover pasta.
Mon: salad was leftover bok Choi mix, sesame seed discard crackers and a bowl of precut fruit from a kid's birthday at school. (I told the mother that two kinds of cupcakes, a chocolate cake and cookies were already more than enough after one kid barfed from too much birthday, so she insisted I take the fruit home to my family.) We also had leftover angel hair pasta fried and topped with cucumbers and tuna steak chunks that were air fried after marinating in an apple syrup I had made from the leftover apple liquid from the pie I made at Thanksgiving. The chunks were also dusted with salt and crushed red pepper. This dish was so delicious, and it got all the bonus points for using up all kinds of weird leftovers.
Tue: leftover fruit salad, biscuit ring filled with a mixture of onions, ground turkey, poblano peppers, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Wed: everyone but me is sick*, so my husband made chicken soup with rice from scratch. So yummy. And we had a salad of boxed mixed greens sprayed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with tajin. Also, poppy seed sourdough discard crackers.
Thu: arugula salad (just sprayed with oil and vinegar and sprinkled with shake Parm), leftover chicken soup, sourdough buns with butter. I noticed I'm down to only (!) 14 lbs of butter from my last sale stock up, so I might get more while it's at 1.99/lb. Or I might decide to live dangerously...since that would mean going into a store...hmm, is 14 pounds of butter enough?
Tonight: regular old focaccia and probably more arugula salad.
Happy holiday weekend, everyone!
*I will almost certainly succumb to this once my school break officially hits and I can slow down. Sigh.
@Becca,
It seems like teachers and students always get sick at break. We've held off the germs to get through those final days, and then our immune systems succumbs.
I hope you all get healthy quickly and can enjoy your holiday germ free!
@Becca, Ugh. I hope the illness passes in your house and no one is sick on Christmas. Also, I buy butter 35 pounds at a time from our school Sysco ordering program, and I start to get concerned when it's half empty (or full, I suppose, depending on your viewpoint), so I think a few more pounds of butter would put your mind at rest. Especially at this time of year, when it's not uncommon to use two pounds of butter in one day. Or is that just me?
@kristin @ going country, 2 lbs. of butter in one day? I'm coming over to your house!!
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, because YUM!
@kristin @ going country,
Haha! Nope, not just you!
Aww, Becca! I hope you miraculously avoid the crud. One year every person in my family got pneumonia in December and I somehow did not, even though I was taking care of everyone! I hope the same for you.
@Becca,
Curious, what is folatkccia, and how does it differ from your usual focaccia?
@Liz B.,
It was a special focaccia recipe my husband found in a king Arthur flour email sent around Hanukah. It uses shredded hash browns to give a latke-like taste to the focaccia. Here's the recipe:
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/latke-focaccia-recipe
Also, you guys convinced me and I went into Aldi for the butter today, so add 11.94 to my total for this week and now I'm sitting pretty at 20 lbs of butter. 😉
WIS: $23 at the Regional Market. (I've been putting off any trips to supermarkets because I too dislike going there just before a major holiday. But I need to make a Wegmans run as early as possible this morning, for salad greens and a few other trimmings for Christmas Eve dinner.)
WIA: Aside from a sheet pan of chicken drums and sweet potatoes, nothing exceptional. But I'm pulling out all the stops on Christmas Eve: the Two Fat Ladies' A.N.'s Slow Shoulder of Lamb, with salad and homemade bread.
Wishing everyone a Happy (belated) Chanukah, Blessed Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Excellent Kwanzaa, and as Happy a New Year as possible under all of our present circumstances.
@A. Marie, Good luck at Wegman's. I find those stores hard on my nerves even on a regular day. The carts rolling over that tile in the produce department right when you walk in is an assault to the ears. It's one reason I typically shopped at Tops instead. 🙂
@kristin @ going country, I had to make the Wegmans run anyway because I needed to pick up a prescription at the pharmacy. (DH and I have used the Wegmans pharmacy since the long-ago days when we were picking up scrips for DH's long-gone parents.) And I survived, though I kept the grocery purchases to a necessary minimum. The local village police weren't out directing traffic in front of the store yet, but they will be.
In other news, my tire check light went on as I was returning home. So I've gotten out the Slime Tire Inflator I bought on Kristen's recommendation, am sitting down to read the instructions, and will air up the tires as soon as it gets a few degrees warmer out there. I'm cheering myself on: "If Kristen can do this, you can!"
@A. Marie, the police have to direct traffic in front of store? That must be crazy traffic. We only have police directing traffic during events.
@A. Marie, I'm cheering you on too! (especially on a cold day)
Would be interested to hear how you like the inflator..
@Regina, well, holiday shopping at Wegmans (especially in the days just before Christmas) IS an event around here. That's why I darted in and out as fast as I could.
And @Suz, I did get the inflator to work! I think I'm going to ask my local Goodyear shop (not only my tire store, but my go-to garage for most things) to check the front tires for a possible slow leak in one or the other, but I'm good for the moment. Three hearty huzzahs for Kristen and the inflator!
@A. Marie, Hip hip huzzah! I think this would be a good present for some students I know who are graduating college this year, hmm...
Saturday: Baked chicken breasts, pineapple, broccoli with cheese, and summer squash
Sunday: Penne with sausage and peppers - I was pretty shocked when all of my kids said it was good! I was fully expecting someone to ask why I had to put the sauce on the noodles, but it was a win!
Monday: A chicken/rice/vegetable instant pot dish, applesauce, cucumbers with hummus, and mandarin oranges
Tuesday: I missed putting my husband's monthly Tuesday night meeting in my planner, so I had planned to make minestrone soup with zucchini and some cheddar biscuits on the side... I am definitely not making a dish like that just for me and the kids, though! Since the cheddar biscuits were already started, we still had them and I made a quick pizza and we watched a Christmas movie.
Wednesday: Grilled ham and cheese, cantaloupe, and yellow pepper slices
Thursday: Seven-layer chicken burritos and pineapple
Friday: Tonight we will finally have the minestrone soup with zucchini and I'll make some of Kristen's french bread to go with it. OOH! Since that recipe is so easy to double, I could turn it into a big bread making session and take a loaf or two to a family potluck tomorrow... I like that idea!
Merry Christmas, everyone! So thankful for you, Kristen, and for all of the fellow readers!
Saturday: Lamb stew for the ones at home, made with a bunch of things that needed to be used up. For me and the basketball player, Spanish tortilla in the car on the way home from his game a very long way away.
Sunday: Pork ribs, leftover elk steak because it was a small rack of ribs, fresh bread, steamed broccoli, crispy rice treats
Monday: Youngest son's birthday and he requested his favoritest food: sandwiches. I was all about this, since it meant I didn't have to actually cook anything after getting home from work. I bought ham, turkey, and salami at the deli, and pre-sliced cheddar, muenster, and pepperjack (my children were amazed at the pre-sliced cheese, which I don't think I've ever bought before), plus three long loaves of french bread. Then I put out mustard and mayonnaise, sliced tomatoes and lettuce, and everyone got to build their sandwich. They all enjoyed this very much. There were also barbecue potato chips, which they got to eat BEFORE DINNER (the indulgence!) while we were waiting for the basketball player to get home. For dessert, the birthday boy wanted ice cream sundaes. I made salted caramel sauce the day before, and whipped cream and chocolate shell the day of, then set that all out with sprinkles and both chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Customizable dinner and dessert is fun.
Tuesday: There was more of all the sandwich fixings, so my husband made sandwiches for the kids and I went to the staff Christmas party at the school superintendent's house. I mostly ate chips and dip for my dinner, because there were like five different kinds of dip, and I love chips and dip but never make it. Because I know I'll eat it. 🙂
Wednesday: Much like your Tuesday meal, Kristen, I scrambled eggs with salsa and cheese and stuck that in a flour tortilla for the children. I called them breakfast burritos. There was no vegetable. I was tired. I'll count the salsa.
Thursday: More burritos! One of my sons brought home some random storebough seven-layer dip from a party at school. It was mostly refried beans. I had some elk fajita meat thawed, so I sauteed that and then put it in flour tortillas with the dip spread on there. And I actually cut up some carrot sticks for a vegetable. So extra of me. There was also ranch dip left from the bowl I had made for one of the class parties, so the kids had that for their carrot sticks. And then they had the last of the ice cream with some of the caramel sauce, which they definitely did not need after the treats at school. Oh well. 'Tis the season!
Tonight: Hmm. Well. I'm going to physical therapy with my son and will be home in time to cook, but will also be tired and was planning on making our tradition Christmas molasses cookie dough before I leave to chill while I'm gone and bake when I get home. So. I suspect I will not be too enthused about anything else in the kitchen. I have a container of elk goulash I froze last time I made a big batch, and some cream that's souring, so I think we'll combine the two, I'll make some rice, microwave some frozen peas, and call it good.
I am so sick of the kitchen right about now in the holiday season, and I know I'm not alone in this. To all the home cooks who are making all the holiday magic happen in the kitchen and still cooking all the other food necessary to keep a household going every day: I salute you.
@kristin @ going country,
I hope you get a reprieve from the kitchen. Mine is several days away, but it’s coming. Cooking 3 meals a day everyday for 6 is no easy task! My children will all be home for the holidays beginning tonight. Although I used to do this everyday, I am out of practice. I have a plan. Wish me luck!!!
Cheering you on from here, Bee!
@Bee, GOOD LUCK! You can do it. May the Force be with you.
@Bee, I was just thinking after reading your comment and those of several others yesterday that the lioness's share of holiday cooking and other prep still does fall to women, especially the family matriarchs. I too am cheering all of you on.
@Bee, a plan is key. You've got this! (And if anyone complains, they get to fix the next meal.)
@Bee,
Go, Bee, go! Cook, Bee, cook! Everyone will love it or they can just go...oh...my cheer got inappropriate in my head...let's just leave it at they will love it. 😉
Will need to brave the grocery store crowd once more, but hoping 8:00 on Saturday morning won’t be too too bad. WWA:
Saturday- pasta puttanesca
Sunday - baked pork chops, baked potatoes, corn, butter tarts
Monday - leftovers
Tuesday - grilled cheese
Wednesday - slightly gussied up ramen
Thursday - nachos
Friday - DH is in charge of ordering in so no clue
Wishing everyone happy holidays whatever you celebrate
I just got back from the store- I go at 7 AM when Publix opens or 8:30 for Aldi. I love it- I’m in and out in less than 20 minutes. Will you be hosting Christmas Eve or day? We take turns in our family and I’m doing Christmas Eve. I have a local daughter and a son in California and daughter in New York so no seeing them in person this year. My college grandsons will be here- they don’t get a long break like you and start back in early January. The oldest just graduated and starts grad school then too. He’s just 21 but had enough credits for a double major and minor in German. Yes, I’m really proud of him. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Oh wow, that is a short college break! Enjoy your family time.
That butter chic ken looks so good - I am a big fan of cilantro. This week at my house:
Monday - kitchen closed (I think I ate a sammie for dinner)
Tuesday - (freezer) Thanksgiving Shepherd's Pie - this was so good
Wednesday - Creamy Baked Potato Soup with bacon and grated cheddar (it got really thick in the fridge and is much like mashed potatoes!)
Thursday - Brisket Sausage and Beans, corn muffins. I also made some cookies from dough in the freezer.
Tonight - Pork Tenderloin, Cajun pasta, green beans
Saturday - kitchen closed
Sunday - Pulled Pork Sammies on brioche buns, and chips
Monday - Spiral Sliced Ham, Corn Casserole, Caesar Salad, rolls, birthday cake for my new 25 year old!
Next week I am cleaning out the pantry and fridge, so we will rely on leftovers, freezer items, and take-out! {and really, the boys can fend for themselves...}
Then on Tuesday the 2nd, I will make out new menus and shop. (:
Merry Christmas!
In Texas, we call Tuesday's meal a breakfast taco.
I have a kind of a food question. Where does everyone get their bones to make bone broth? We don't eat a lot of meat so bones are not abundant.
I was across town this week and stopped at a butcher shop. They did sell bones. But 3 nice size ones were $16. I thought this was kind of pricey. Is this a good price?
Thanks for your help.
@karen, Wow, that's expensive. I think people mostly use chicken carcasses for bone broth, and I don't think many people make beef bone broth, but I do, buying marrow bones at the supermarket. They're maybe $3 for two about 3-4" inches each? You don't want large bones to make broth, anyway. They should be chopped into about that size or so. Add a little vinegar to the water when boiling bones to leach out minerals.
@karen,
I get the bones from meat, which I eat almost every day, so if you don't eat much meat, bones are going to be harder to get. I save mine in the freezer until I have enough to cook for stock, and most of them are chicken bones. I don't worry about separating the different kinds of bones, I'll be honest. But - if I have a whole chicken or turkey carcass, I'll make just chicken or just turkey stock, and use that when the flavor of the stock is noticeable in the dish and must be poultry stock.
Bones at the store are overpriced, in my opinion. In your case, you might do better to watch for sales on pre-made stock and broth at the stores.
I mostly make chicken broth, so I just save bones from when I buy a rotisserie chicken or when I make a dish that has something like bone-in chicken thighs. I've never bought bones specifically for making broth.
@karen, thanks everyone for your answers. I thought those beef bones were expensive.
I have slid into osteoporosis this year. So I am committed to making bone broth. But I am with JD I think buying pre-made bone broth might be cheaper.
@karen, Don't give up yet! Is there a cheaper nearby market you can go to, or an ethnic market?
My local supermarket is funny. This is a summer town so then the meat dept sells tomahawk steaks for $150. In the winter it caters to year round residents, many of whom are immigrants, so it sells uncooked chicken frames, chicken feet (supposed to be great for broth) and lots of marrow bones. I usually buy the bones for my dogs but I also often make bone broth since my kids like it.
@karen,
I use my carcasses for chicken bone broth. Specifically the carcass from a $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken. However, I buy beef bones. Some bones are more expensive because of the marrow. You may want to ask the butcher for soup bones. I’ve found that they don’t always put them out.
In the place of a chicken carcass, you can use chicken pieces legs and wings are economical choices and easier to manage.
But remember to brown them first! Kristen's wonderful tip which I don't think I've seen anyplace else!
@karen,
In my area (PNW), we have 3 butcher shops that sell beef marrow bones for 10 lbs/$18. The organic grown beef are a bit more @ $24, but totally worth it. When we butcher (we raise custom locker beef) I always make sure the customers get their marrow bones and dog bones, if they don't want them I have a small 7 cu ft freezer that I store just bones in.
@karen,
My suggestion since you don't eat a lot of meat is to buy the big ten pound bag of chicken leg quarters. They are ridiculously cheap, and you can separate them into individual bags and freeze them. Then, you can make broth using one or two leg quarters, shred up the meat and use it for something else, or you can just toss it after making the broth. (Tossing the meat is what my husband does even though it pains me to see him do it. He insists that all the nutrients and flavor are in the broth after boiling all day and he might be right, but it still bugs me...though it doesn't bug me enough to take over the cooking, so...) Anyway, apparently you can make broth really easily using an instapot, if you have one. I have not tried yet because usually my husband makes it on the stove top, but here's a video from frugal fit mom where she uses the leg quarters to make broth in an extreme budget challenge: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7TrTsRoyH_A&pp=ygUbTGVnIHF1YXJ0ZXJzIGZydWdhbCBmaXQgbW9t
@Becca,
P.S. If it's beef bone broth you are after, just keep your eyes peeled for bone-in beef on steep manager's special mark down and use that to make stock. If you know you are just after the stock, you just need any cut that has a bone so you don't have to know or care about how to prepare the meat if it's cheap enough.
@karen, Again thank you everyone for these great ideas. I really appreciate everyone chiming in to help.
First, Merry Christmas to all. Peace and love and best wishes from a dinky town in the middle of nowhere to all, especially those in the Commentariat who are sad, who've lost family and friends this year, who miss family members, who are lonely and hurting. I wish I could ring your front door with a box of homemade cookies and hot cider* and an annoying yellow dog who won't stop licking your face whether you like it or not and a white beagle who won't shut up but loves you. Just keepin it real, folks!
Now, what did we eat? (Note, all meals accompanied by something green I'm too lazy to note.)
Thursday: Swedish meatballs with noodles and cranberry sauce.
Wednesday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and the best onion gravy I've ever made.
Tuesday: Spaghetti carbonara, which was mostly eaten by the yellow dog.
Monday: Steak and potatoes roasted in goose fat.
Sunday: Salads with frisee, the usual tomato-cuke-onion, gorgonzola and sliced grilled chicken breast.
Tonight, possibly an assortment of dumplings with dipping sauce. If all that's eaten like a hungry yellow dog, then chicken cutlets and maybe Mexican rice, if we still have tomato bouillon.
*Or cheese and mulled wine. Whatever floats your boat in this fantasy.
@Rose,
I know you aren’t a hugger, but I send the warmest thoughts across the miles. Christmas can be difficult. I can see your heart is heavy, but in this season of hope, I wish for you enduring peace and joy.
@Rose, "The Commentariat"? That is so excellent! Can't wait to read your memoir.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, It's A. Marie's excellent term!
@Rose, I wish the same to you, plus an extra measure of healing and peace for all you've been through this year (both physically and emotionally).
And the Two Fat Ladies and I send love and anchovies to all your critters. The TFL, may they rest in peace, really understood that anchovies were the MSG of early British cooking. As Clarissa said to Jennifer in one episode, "I was surprised not to find them in your coffee cake."
@A. Marie, Well, sure, it's full of delightful glutamates!
A friend of a friend near Nashville has 6 week old beagle-Australian shepherd mix puppies. I asked Son if he'd be willing to drive or fly there and he said maybe. Hmmmm.
And thank you. My mom called me three times yesterday, more confused and upset than ever. Today I feel at peace and good. Possibly because I put a tartan jester collar on Gus the cat.
@Rose,
Oh my....the tartan jester collar on Gus....how funny!
Wishing you a Merry Christmas, peace, and some rest after the stressful year you've had. I would love it if you showed up at my door with any of the food and drink you mentioned. 🙂
I'm not alone, but am very much missing my late mother in law....she was the lynch pin holding hubby's family together, and no one (including myself; hangs head in shame) has picked up this mantle. She was/is a hard act to follow.
@Liz B., Awww. It is very hard getting holidays done but also really rewarding.
I forgot to mention the collar has bells on each point, for extra merriment. (I better guard all my shoes before he seeks revenge.)
@Rose,
I want cheese and red wine, but leave the dogs behind and bring a furry, purry cat who will go away promptly when I am tired of cat snuggles, please and thank you. Also, I hope you find some joy in 2023 before the year is through.
@Becca,
Wait, I changed my mind. Bring that cat with the stupid jester bells. I will find that endlessly amusing.
@Becca,
Also, my salad-loving hackles are raised by your lack of vegetable description...just what are salads to you anyway? Chopped liver? Of course not, because who besides Ruth Goodman would put chopped liver in a salad?
@Central Calif. Artist Jana and @Rose, I wish I could take credit for the term "Commentariat," but I can't; someone else here coined it. To the real originator: Please stand up and claim your prize!
Ok, so, I looked and back in 2011, a commenter used the word. But then it doesn't appear again here until 2023, when JD in NM used it. So I think we'll just give her credit. lol
@Kristen,
OK, but who was the OG commenter in 2011?
It was someone named Tasha, and I don't think she's commented ever since!
@Becca, FINE. Tomorrow, Christmas Eve, we're having beef Wellington, mashed potatoes, roast parsnips with honey, and Gordon Ramsay's sauteed brussels sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts. Red wine gravy and Colman's Extra Hot Horseradish on the side. (Of course, I thought, "Let's eat out for Christmas to make it easy" and we have reservations. Then I get inveigled by crafty kids to make an elaborate dinner.)
@Becca, Elaborate dinner for Christmas Eve, that is.
@A. Marie, Also (sigh) after an awful stressful day with my mom yesterday I put a deposit down on one of a litter of beagle puppies. Given that there are six females and two males, it's likely that mine will be female, but I've been trying to think of names for males. I mooted "Mr. Darcy" to my sister and she suggested "Edward Fairfax Rochester nicknamed Eddie" to me. I just don't think Mr. Rochester is an "Eddie."
@Rose,
That all sounds really yummy!
Dinners this week included:
1. Breaded oyster mushrooms, potatoes and brussel sprouts
2. Lasagna soup for half the family; pot-luck party for the other half
3. Rice and bean salad and leftover lasagna soup
4. Shrimp stir fry, veggies and rice
5. Chef Salad
6. I don't remember, probably leftovers-trying to clear out the refrigerator
7. Soup and sandwiches tonight
I’m just here to say that spelunking is one of my favorite words in English so I’m definitely nabbing the phrase freezer spelunking 😀
@Gunn from Northern Norway, It is a cool word. I like it, too.
"spelunca," cave in Latin.
This time of year ordering grocery pick-up saves me.
WIS: $40 at Food Lion.
WWA: This has been a week of life stress that let the stove gather dust. We had deli-made salads, fresh peppers and carrots, grapes, tangerines, apples, nuts, pretzels, rye crackers, cheeses, various sandwiches, protein shakes, homemade soup from the freezer, and ice cream sandwiches for desserts.
We've been trying to get through what's in our fridge as well, and it's looking pretty bare! That's always how I want to head out on vacation:
Here's what we had this week:
-Saturday - we ate at a friend's holiday party. It was delicious Mediterranean food
-Sunday - DH made grilled chicken & rice (in the rain). 😉
-Monday - Tacos (prepped meat from the freezer, to make my life easier), followed by a taco quesadilla for DS16, who wandered in late from a finals study session
-Tuesday - leftover chicken & rice
-Wednesday - leftover ground beef tacos. There wasn't quite enough, so I made myself more of a burrito, using the chicken & rice leftovers from earlier in the week.
-Thursday - I had to leave for DS16's soccer game, so made a quick dinner of coconut shrimp & pizza + salad. When I got back from the same, I made DS16 his own pizza.
-Tonight: we are flying to Portland, and my parents are picking up our teens. DH & I have reservations at a steak house near our hotel.
Last week I spent $151 and change on groceries at the stores and for a farm order.
WIA -
I made AIP compliant chicken tikka masala and ate this over cauliflower rice, with fruit and random leftover veggies such as sweet potato or spinach on the side, twice, plus lunches.
I had farm-made mild Italian sausage with cassava pasta and spinach mixed in with the pasta, twice plus a lunch.
I cooked some cubed pork cutlets and had them with mashed Carnival and Sweet Dumpling winter squash seasoned with cinnamon and a touch of maple syrup, and greens. I had this twice as well.
Tonight...I'm not sure. I have a half a goat leg thawing out. If it's thawed, I'll roast it. I am going to be home earlier than usual, since all of us in my office know we are going to start disappearing from our desks by noon, so I'd have time to roast it. On the other hand, it may not be done thawing, plus I have a window replacer coming to give me a quote on my windows this afternoon. So I may end up with an omelet.
Kept it as simple as possible this week, I’m excited for all the holiday prep but it made me less excited about cooking each night!
Saturday - there’s a Christmas car parade that goes past our house (people decorate their cars with Christmas lights) so while we waited for it to get to our house, we made a fire in our fire pit and roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. We all loved this, the kids said it was the best hot dogs they ever had. We will need to make this a tradition!
Sunday - we were at my parents house for a Christmas party with my dad’s side of the family. They provided all the food: tri-tip, chicken, Mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, chopped salad, rolls, corn, green beans and plenty of cookies for dessert. They also sent us home with a bag of leftover meat which was nice to have for a week I didn’t feel like cooking much!
Monday - leftover tri-tip or chicken, butter spaghetti, steamed broccoli
Tuesday - tacos made with the leftover chicken chopped up, corn
Wednesday - pasta with sauce from a jar, steamed carrots, and a steamed pork bun for my 5 year old, who said he was hungry enough to eat pasta and a pork bun (and he was, surprisingly)
Thursday - Italian sausage for the adults, hot dogs for the kids (they complained they weren’t roasted over the fire but still ate them), steamed broccoli and green beans
Friday - will be at my grandmas for a Christmas party for my mom’s side of the family. Not sure what the food is but I don’t need to cook it so a good break!
Since I usually only comment on Fridays, I’ll wish a merry Christmas to everyone now!
@LB, I love the Saturday night that you had! So fun!
Our freezer clean out is going amazingly! Other than Saturday every single meal had at least one item that came from one of our freezers!
Friday: Chicken Noodle Soup
Saturday: Tri-Tip, mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms. This was a trial run of Christmas Eve dinner. My dad loves trip-tip but it’s not a cut we can find in our area easily. My husband tracked a few down, but had never cooked one before. He wanted to make my dad proud so he did some research on how to properly cook a tri-tip and my son and I were lucky enough to be taste testers! My dad is in for a treat!
Sunday: Spinach Feta Chicken Meatballs over brown rice. I made these with ground turkey because it’s what I had on hand and while they were good, ground chicken is better. I also made a white sauce I typically use for halal cart chicken.
Monday: Bean soup with chicken (freezer meal)
Tuesday: Salmon in the air fryer, Sweet and Spicy Cauliflower, roasted broccoli, raspberries
Wednesday: French Dip Sandwiches, tater tots, salad. The left over white sauce from Sunday was revamped into salad dressing.
Thursday: hot dogs, mac and cheese, fresh veggies
I also made a batch of banana zucchini cherry bread for gifts, which used up the last of the frozen bananas!
We spent $48 this week. Mainly fruit, veg, milk
I went freezer sperlunking also. I am hosting Christmas so I wanted to clean out the fridge/freezer a little bit.
Sun - Grilled ham & cheese, yellow pepper slices and carrot sticks
Mon - Cr of Mushroom & Gnocchi soup (super good)
Tue - Leftover soup
Wed - Grilled Italians, bkd beans, chips
Thur - Lential Walnut Tacos (trying to eat more beans, good - but different!) Had enough to freeze for another meal
Fri - Frozen pizza most likely
Grocery: $42 at H-Mart; $26 (or so?) at random grocery stores, $20 fishmonger. Last night I was gifted a produce box from a farm share. I'm helping a friend at his gift store this week, so my partner is largely responsible for the cooking this week.
Sat: our annual extended family Christmas party. I was on bringing a side dish & brought Moroccan spaghetti squash topped with chickpeas with sumac and garnished with feta and cilantro.
Sun: homemade gyros with homemade pita, Greek salad
Mon: eggplant batons stuffed in pounded pork with Asian flavors. Served with rice and roasted broccoli
Tues: sheet pan dinner: roasted salmon with salsa verde, roasted potato peels, Brussels sprouts & leftover eggplant batons
Wed: lemongrass chicken thighs (currently my favorite chicken thigh recipe) with rice and roasted broccoli. https://themodernproper.com/lemongrass-chicken-thighs
Thurs: homemade Bolognese sauce over homemade fettuccini. Served with roasted black oyster mushrooms and green salad
Friday: leftover night
So if the sandwich is called Chicken Parmesan then why is it made from sausage instead of chicken? Shouldn't it be called Sausage Parmesan instead?
Meijer $143
Sam's club $138
Aunt Anne's pretzels $17
What we ate---
●teen eating usual popcorn & box of Blueberry Chex (this week) cereal as snacks everyday
●chicken
●Burger sliders
●soup & grilled cheese sandwiches
●chicken strips & mashed potatoes
●chicken bowls
●Rotisserie chicken & Aunt Anne's pretzels (buy 3 get 1 free)
●bought pork chops need to trim & bag for meals to put in freezer so most likely will have Shake & Bake pork chops with garlic mashed potatoes
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to each of you. May you be healthy & happy & enjoy whatever you do or don't do this next week.
Haha, well, it was chicken sausage!
Kristen, 3 thoughts:
1. If you had a mouse, Chiquita would attack it.
2. Butter chicken sauce sounds delectable (butter anything sounds delectable). What is it?
3. When I fix scrambled eggs in a tortilla, I use salsa and call it a breakfast burrito.
Bonus thought: what is the difference between a "wrap" and a tortilla??
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, Butter chicken is an exceedingly popular Indian dish. Google it.
Wraps are a little thicker.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana,
Bonus answer: semantics.
Pray for us, we are braving the grocery store today. Going to find a turkey for Christmas. And probably stocking stuffers.
WWA:
Saturday: homemade pizzas for the guys at home; DH and I were on a brief road trip to see a niece for her birthday on Sunday. Saturday we were driving, so we skipped breakfast and lunch. Dinner was some frozen dinners heated up in our hotel microwave, yogurt and fruit from the grocery store. Cheaper than eating out.
Sunday: we availed ourselves of the complimentary breakfast at our hotel, went to Mass, met up with some family, then because of predicted snow up North, decided to rest a bit at the hotel then head back that day. We grabbed a frozen meal at the grocery store, some more yogurt and nuts and fruit, ate, then headed out. Got back around 10 and had a very late dinner of pizza leftovers, since the boys had had pizza for dinner as well.
Monday: baked chicken, roasted broccoli, rice. Always a winner here. Clark even begged for and got to enjoy some chicken; we made sure to give him pieces without seasoning, as onion/garlic powder are no bueno for kitties.
Tuesday: Burgers and lentil soup
Wednesday: hamburger stew, mac and cheese for the Selective Eater.
Thursday: Cat shelter night and Chik Fil A! Boy, did Clark want some Chik Fil A. Too many unknown seasonings, so he was denied, but he is a Good Cat and didn't steal any.
Friday, tonight: Taco night. Hoping the avocadoes we got last week and I put in the fridge are still okay.
As I type this I have my long haired version of Chiquita on my right and her huge 30 lb Maine Coon brother on my lap. Bad weather day, big kitty cuddles day.
I did make the horrible no good trip to town to grocery shop on Wednesday. I also shopped for elderly friends so that they weren't caught in town traffic.
WWS: $90 @ Costco, $9 scratch & dent, $12 Grocery Outlet, $24 Restaurant Supply
WWA:
S: Taco Salad
M: grilled sirloin, green salad, roasted root veggies
T: Ham & Cheese sliders, potato salad, oranges
W: chicken fried steak, scalloped potatoes, green beans and green salad - made enough for sharing with 2 neighbors.
Th: Leftovers
F: Taco Soup and cornbread, oranges
Sat: Christmas Party: I'm making dirty martini dip w/veggies, homemade airfried taquitos w/guac & pico de gallo and we are also having a "hot ones" wings competition. We each make our own homemade hot sauces. This year I got help from a friend who has a couple of restaurants and we made peach ghost pepper and a mango mix that are very good. I made a cherry blossom hot honey for my "make it hot" dessert selection, it will be drizzled on croquembouche. Can't wait!
Saturday -homemade pizza, salad
Sunday - we cleaned out some leftovers, including pizza, tacos, and Salisbury steak
Monday - chicken pesto over rice, green beans
Tuesday - chicken and cheddar quesadillas
Wednesday - a made up casserole that was decidedly not a hit- I mixed cream cheese with a ranch packet, then stirred in cooked chicken, rice, broccoli, and a couple shakes of garlic powder, then baked it. It was edible but not really any better than that.
Thursday - roast in the crock pot with mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas.
Tonight will be leftovers
We kept it simple this week. We finished off a brisket, I made a ham that we ate for supper 2 nights this week with various sides, a pot of chicken wild rice soup, bean burritos with chips and salad, and a frozen pizza one night ha! My husband was out of town one night last week and I just made a sandwich.
This coming week though....I'm cooking sooo much stuff starting tomorrow for a luncheon with my parents and family. I will be so glad next Friday to see what is left in the fridge/freezer and start cleaning it out throughout the month of January. My freezer is a fright right now!
Be glad she's only on the mouse!! Or between you and the mouse LOL. My cat decided to sleep on the laptop. Said laptop is now in the garbage because laptop keyboards aren't made for 7 pounds of snoring cat, and even when I closed the laptop he slept on top of it. The laptop didn't survive the cat, LOL, so I went to Walmart and got another one. I'm yelling at the cat from across the house that he'd better not be on the new laptop, I get into the kitchen/office area and the little stinker is laying next to the new laptop with HIS TAIL (and only his tail) lying on the laptop. I laughed for 5 minutes straight!!