What to Cook for Dinner this Week
We’ve had some rough weather here, as has most of the country, and E has been asking for Chicken Pot Pie, so that’s coming up (we never get tired of it around here), along with a couple of other favorites. It’s also the first week of E’s last semester of grad school, and the first draft of his thesis is due in about 5 weeks, so we’re about to jump back into a routine of him being gone two nights a week and up until the wee hours writing the rest of the week. It’s especially important for me to keep meals simple on the nights he’s gone, because L doesn’t tolerate me being in the kitchen for hours when he’s gone. In fact, she spends most dinner prep times these days sitting on the counter, watching me cook. We got her a kitchen of her own for Christmas, but apparently, it’s not a replacement for watching the real thing happen. At 18 months, she already likes to be in charge of handing me items as I need them, but she’s not completely trustworthy yet, either, so I have to be careful what I let her touch – she wouldn’t be adverse to chucking a heavy can just to see it fall and take a chunk out of the linoleum. I have a feeling I won’t be cooking alone for about 17 more years.
Anyway, here’s the weekly dinner menu, which includes the Spicy Fish Tacos I posted yesterday. Happy cooking!
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie. I have fingerling potatoes to use this week instead of sweet potatoes, and a package of chicken thighs I’m going to poach and chop. We like chicken chunks better than chicken shreds in this. Which reminds me, I really need to post my own version of this recipe… Anyway, I bought a big package of romaine, so I’ll be making salad to accompany most of our dinners this week.
Tuesday: Pasta with Bolognese. I’ve gotten away from spaghetti and other long, thin noodles lately because L has trouble picking them up with her fork, and she’s doing so well using utensils that I hate to discourage her. So I bought some whole grain penne. I’m also mixing it up a bit, using Italian sausage in the sauce instead of ground beef (if you can’t find ground sausage, just get links and remove the casings with a pair of scissors) and adding 1/4 cup red wine to the sauce, for some added pizzazz. Try it! Serve with a green salad for a balanced meal.
Wednesday: Chicken Curry with Apples. This is another one for which I need to post my own recipe version yet. I like to double the amount of coconut milk and add some golden raisins. I also use about twice as many peas. You can add additional vegetables, too, if you like – red or yellow pepper, zucchini, and broccolini are all good. Serve over brown basmati or jasmine rice. Yum!
Thursday: White Bean Turkey Chili. I’m going to make this using the white beans I already have in the pantry instead of black beans. I’ll probably cut the chili powder back a bit, as 4 tablespoons makes for a really spicy chili. I may leave out the cayenne, too. I want L to eat it, so I’ll be tasting as I go, keeping it mild enough for her.
Friday: Takeout Night.
Saturday: Fish Tacos. I just love this recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. I’ll make a bowl of guacamole or me and L to share, and serve that and the extra pico de gallo with chips.
Sunday: Roast Chicken with Vegetables. I’ll use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, for more vitamins, and I’m going to splurge and make a loaf of no-knead bread (using half whole wheat flour). I’ll skip the barley and arugula salad (E won’t touch barley or arugula, unfortunately), but we will have a green salad alongside.
Weekend Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal. I’ve been craving this, and it’s so good for you that I won’t feel a single twinge of guilt about making it.
Weekly Treat: No-bake Peanut Butter Snack Bites. I love these; they’re great for a little energy punch before a workout, and they satisfy my sweet tooth.
