tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1893765206732916542024-02-18T22:35:07.454-05:00Ten dinners?It's been said that the average American family is stuck in a ten dinner rut, meaning they repeat the same ten meals over and over, week after week. I can't believe that's true, so here's a forum to write about "what's for dinner?". I want to cook a wide variety of meals that are tasty, easy to prepare, inexpensive, healthy, and sustainable. Is that too much to ask? I don't think so.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.comBlogger494125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-76178040304283499642009-10-23T09:48:00.002-04:002009-10-23T09:55:37.090-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday - Out to dinner at Verbena<br /><br /></span>Can you tell we like this place? Given mom's visit, we knew we wanted to go back and experience the new fall menu. As usual, we had an excellent experience. The food was fantastic, the environment lovely, and fun was had by all. They seemed short staffed though, so things were a bit oddly paced and there were several things the kitchen or wine cellar were out of. Even still, we had a lovely dinner and I'm sure we'll be back soon<br /><br />Appetizers:<br />"Cobb" salad - Mom<br />Pan roasted stuffed quail - M<br />Grilled pear salad with blue cheese - J<br /><br />Entrees:<br />Slow braised beef short rib - Mom<br />Crisp seared duck breast - M<br />Pasta with fresh tomato sauce, clams, and mussels - JJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-43118569017847993392009-10-22T14:52:00.001-04:002009-10-22T14:53:47.126-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday - Mom cooks AGAIN!<br /><br /></span>Mom took another cooking shift today while M did lecture preparation. Isn't she a saint? This was an amazing dinner too - and an especially beloved dinner for Mr. T :)<br /><br />Scallops in lemon garlic sauce<br />Saffron rice<br />Grilled red peppers<br /><br />Mmmmmm!Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-27996853007604276282009-10-22T14:47:00.003-04:002009-10-22T14:51:58.499-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday<br /><br /></span>Tuscan chickpea soup (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2008/05/thursday-tuscan-chickpea-soup-recipe-in.html">May 22, 2008</a>)<br />Garlic infused Italian bread<br />Salad<br /><br />Hot tea<br />______________________________________________________________<br />My mom loves a good soup and this is quite the unusual bean soup. First off, it's pureed and had very few other vegetables in it. That said, it manages to be incredibly flavorful. It's easy to make and the result is quite impressive. This is another recipe that depends on an immersion blender unless you want to do the multiple batches of pureeing in a blender. Yuck. At any rate, with an immersion blender it's a breeze. This was enjoyed by all!<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Onion, garlic, Parmesan<br />Time: 30 minutes<br />Make ahead: This saves really well.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"This is much better than the individual ingredients suggest - an amazing soup."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Definitely a hit. Two bowls, three pieces of bread, and even a bit of salad (notoriously not a T favorite).Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-82928190160304817822009-10-19T20:15:00.002-04:002009-10-19T20:18:54.474-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday - Mom cooks!<br /><br /></span>My mom knows that M has to work a lot on Mon and Wed to prepare for his lectures the following days, so she is taking on cooking Mon and Wed this week to save him the time of extra cooking. It's GREAT! This is the first Monday M has finished his lecture text before dinner - probably all due to Mom doing the cooking :) Also, dinner was lovely!<br /><br />Pork chops with savory cornbread stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce<br />Steamed broccoli<br />Pumpkin ice cream<br /><br />It's a fall festival!Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-83415586039497041892009-10-18T19:37:00.004-04:002009-10-18T19:47:23.793-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span><br /><br />Grandma's savory tofu casserole (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2007/12/saturday-grandmas-savory-tofu-casserole.html">December 7th, 2007</a>)<br />Baked potatoes<br />Salad with garlic vinaigrette<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Oreos<br />______________________________________________________________<br />So as M and I made this casserole tonight, I was thinking how this is my version of the quintessential Sunday dinner. Homey, filling, savory, and served with potatoes. We don't eat a ton of potatoes because we have so many meals with the starch built in (stir fries over rice or pasta dishes), but I LOVE them. Anyway, this is also one of my mom's favorite recipes, so we had to have it this trip. We all went on a GORGEOUS hike this morning - fall in full fury, full sun, and temps in the mid 40s. It was glorious. And this was the dinner to follow it. PERFECT.<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy to prepare and long to cook, but totally worth it<br />Chopping: Onion, carrot, pepper, garlic<br />Time: 25 minutes to prep + 1 hour to bake<br />Make ahead: This stores very well.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Still one of our best tofu dishes."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Following a recent Sunday tradition, Theo ate practically nothing at dinner. He said he liked the tofu and *didn't* like the potato (yeah, right). I think he just wasn't hungry.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-44357461895215262632009-10-17T21:01:00.003-04:002009-10-17T21:12:11.319-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday<br /><br /></span>M & J's famous purple pasta (recipe in the comments from March 21, 2009)<br />French green beans with bacon and red onion<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Cake!<br />______________________________________________________________<br />My mom, a fellow beet lover, arrived today and I have been dying to share this recipe with her. As an invention of M's and mine I am proud of this one and VERY sure that she would love it as much as we do. Anyway, the meal was a HUGE hit. My mom LOVED it. I still can't believe how well it turns out and how easy it is.<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: Nothing, but you do need a Cuisinart or blender.<br />Time: 25 minutes<br />Make ahead: Make the sauce whenever and toss with hot pasta and cheese just before serving.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"We're purple, pasta eaters!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Two bowls. Very happy boy.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-18388221395976710292009-10-17T20:57:00.003-04:002009-10-17T21:00:31.763-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday<br /></span><br />Rotisserie chicken (Thanks Wegmans!)<br />Farfalle with butter and Parmesan<br />Butternut squash, carrots, and green beans (Thanks Wegmans!)<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Halloween Oreos (Thanks Grammie!)<br />______________________________________________________________<br />M and T went on a field trip together today and I was at work all day, so we needed a speedy meal! Chicken is always so easy. Whenever we have a meal of a meat starch and vegetable, it looks so traditional! This one was enjoyed by all :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prep Notes</span><br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: None<br />Time: 15 minutes<br />Make ahead: Yes, since someone else did :)<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Convenient and good."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Very positive - especially on the pasta and carrots.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-85187542622979422282009-10-15T20:00:00.004-04:002009-10-15T20:17:54.628-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday<br /></span><br />Spinach kugel (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2007/11/saturday-spinach-kugel-sauteed-beets.html">November 3, 2007</a>)<br />Pickled beets and hearts of palm<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Halloween Oreos (Thanks Grammie!)<br />______________________________________________________________<br />We haven't had kugel in WAY too long - especially since this is right up T's alley. This is a spinach casserole with eggs and cottage cheese as bulk. It bakes up fluffy and savory with nutmeg, garlic, and lemon juice for zing. Pickled beets and sliced hearts of palm is one of my favorite fall/winter side dishes. Nothing can be easier, it's colorful, and always in season. T also downs HUGE amounts of both. I think he's definitely related to me :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prep Notes</span><br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Garlic<br />Time: 25 minutes to prep, 45 minutes to bake<br />Make ahead: Yes - this saves perfectly.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Still amazing after all these years"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />A definite winner.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-41126041602661848572009-10-14T22:44:00.003-04:002009-10-14T23:01:32.567-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday </span><br /><br />Twice baked Tex-Mex potatoes (recipe in the comments)<br />Corn and pimento salad<br />Green salad with salsa verde dressing<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Peanut butter cookies<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />We LOVE our salmon stuff potatoes, so when saw this recipe I thought, "We have to try this!". It turned out a bit bland, but the additions we made were amazing. This is going to be a regular in the repertoire. The two sides were great with it too, though you could do one or the other and have plenty of food. The corn salad is very simple (1 1/4 cup corn kernels (defrosted, if necessary) + 1 2 oz jar chopped pimentos (drained) + 1 t oil, 2 t red wine vinegar, and cumin, salt, and cayenne to taste) and a great, colorful addition.<br /></p>Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Potatoes, scallions<br />Time: 1 hour to bake, 30 minutes to finish<br />Make ahead: I bet these will re-heat well<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Another fantastic twice baked potato."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />He ate an whole potato (yes, two halves!). Woah.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-12384990459493420892009-10-14T22:39:00.002-04:002009-10-14T22:43:57.528-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday - Out to dinner at Gin Gin<br /><br /></span>M and I were going to see Avenue Q (the musical with puppets) tonight, but didn't have our sitter until 7, so we decided to go out with t and were looking for somewhere near campus. We'd been wanting to try a Chinese place near UB, called Gin Gin for a while, so we gave it a whirl. The food is supposed to be more authentic than our current favorite Golden Duck. The results were mixed. I think M liked it a lot, but while I found some parts excellent, much of it was very greasy and overly sweet to my taste. Also vegetables were virtually non-existent - always a downside for me. So, maybe we'll have to give it another try before we get a final verdict.<br /><br />Appetizers:<br />Steamed dumplings (dumplings = some of the best ever, sauce = VERY sweet)<br />Hot and sour soup (AMAZING)<br /><br />Entrees:<br />T - Shrimp lo mein (good, but a bit greasy)<br />J - Mongolian beef (really sweet, sticky and greasy)<br />M - Special marinated duck over rice (M reports this was great, but it looked VERY heavy)Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-77147633701201633682009-10-14T22:31:00.002-04:002009-10-14T22:35:52.336-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday </span><br /><br />Slow cooker Italian sausage agrodolce (recipe in the comments)<br />Egg noodles<br />Salad with balsamic vinegar<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Raisinettes<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />Yet another Wegman's Menu magazine recipe that's totally amazing. This is very Italian, but unlike anything else we make - hard to imagine. The sweetness of the sauce, cut with the acidic vinegar and slightly bitter cabbage is AMAZING. Served over egg noodles with a bit of butter you could take over small nations with this recipe. And the house smells wonderful all day! Fantastic :)<br /></p>Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Cabbage, onions<br />Time: 20 minutes to prep, 10 hours to cook<br />Make ahead: Yep.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Really, this would work better than WMDs."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Totally enthralled - especially with the sausage and the raisins, but in general very positive responses.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-1971977428486516822009-10-11T21:19:00.002-04:002009-10-11T21:27:29.238-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span>Sesame maple tofu (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2007/11/wednesday-baba-ghanooj-trader-joes-with.html">November 23, 2007</a>)<br />Rice<br />Cucumber salad<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Raisinettes<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />The weird set of ingredients in the title makes this a surprisingly amazing dish. There's nothing else we make or eat that is anything like this. It's both rich and light. The whole thing is super yummy. We like feeding it to people and watching their reactions :) It was a good Sunday dinner because it's beautiful and feels festive. The clean up is easy too, which is good ebcause we prepped a crock pot dinner for tomorrow as well. That already smells fantastic!<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Tofu cubes, sliced onions, cucumbers<br />Time: 35 minutes<br />Make ahead: Best right out of the oven.<br /></p><br />Reaction:<br />"Simple, elegant,and delicious!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />As usual with tofu dinners, T picked out all the tofu to eat first, ate a few bites of rice, and was coaxed into a couple cucumbers. Tofu really may be his favorite food.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-49914293764892517902009-10-10T21:09:00.006-04:002009-10-10T21:18:46.811-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday </span><br /><br />Late harvest veggie pasta (recipe in the comments)<br />Grilled peppers<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Apple mash with orange crumbles and vanilla ice cream<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />This is another Wegman's Menu magazine recipe and another home run. We used very few actual Wegman's products for this one, other than their amazing fresh lasagne sheets. The cool thing is you cut those into thick noodles for the pasta here, making a truly homestyle noodle dish. That and the rich blend of veggies and the strong garlic and oregano flavors made this truly outstanding. This will definitely be featured again!</p><p class="MsoNormal">Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy (bordering on moderate)<br />Chopping: Zucchini,squash, onion, garlic, oregano, peppers<br />Time: 45 minutes<br />Make ahead: I would do this last minute if possible<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Outstanding - noodle should always be huge!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T was verbally enthusiastic about liking this, but petered out pretty quickly. Hard to tell.<br /></p>Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-77184038680936556532009-10-10T20:26:00.007-04:002009-10-10T21:20:57.528-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday<br /><br /></span>Quick tomato soup (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/02/wednesday-quick-tomato-soup-recipe-in.html">February 10, 2009</a>)<br />Local "meckt" cheese<br />Sourdough bread<br />Yellow fleshed melon (like watermelon)<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Oreos<br />______________________________________________________________<br />This is an amazing easy meal. We have made this a couple times right before travel as an easy meal with no leftovers. This makes it great for Friday nights as well! Theo was thrilled with the soup and cheese. None of us were thrilled with the yellow fleshed melon, so that probably won't be featured again. Otherwise it was a great meal. Happy weekend!<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: Garlic, parsley, melon<br />Time: 25 minutes<br />Make ahead: I think this would save fine.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Really I had never experienced tomato soup until this recipe."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T said this was "super!" I wonder if he meant "Soup-er!"Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-85164568667517421742009-10-08T20:19:00.004-04:002009-10-08T20:24:32.724-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday<br /><br /></span>Farfalle with almond tarragon pesto (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/04/saturday-farfalle-with-almond-tarragon.html">April 18, 2009</a>)<br />Sliced hierloom tomatoes<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Oreos<br />______________________________________________________________<br />The tarragon plant is going crazy. I think it's almost as big as our dog. We had to do something before frost, so we're having our pesto again. How else can you use up a cup and a half of tarragon in one blow? This is AMAZING and really quite unusual. It's hard not to get seconds or even thirds. T ate four helpings! We also think the heirloom/tomatoes-in-general season is about up, so we're squeezing in as many fresh tomatoes as we can right now. It's hard to say goodbye to tomatoes, peaches and corn, even as we are embracing winter squash and the like. Regardless, an awesome meal!<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: Tomatoes<br />Time: 20 minutes<br />Make ahead: I made the pesto early an thinned it with pasta water just before we ate.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"I'm SO glad we can have an herb garden."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T ate four helpings - what more can we say?Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-78767091614441696752009-10-07T20:34:00.004-04:002009-10-07T20:42:06.397-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday </span><br /><br />Slow cooker beef minestrone (recipe in the comments<a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/01/tuesday-winter-squash-stuffed-with.html"></a>)<br />Spinach salad with balsamic vinaigrette<br />Garlic infused Tusan-style bread<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Snickers with almonds (who knew?!)<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />Each season Wegman's puts out a magazine called menu that has tons of recipes and (incidentally, I'm sure) features their products. While, this can lead to purchasing more Wegman's brand things, the recipes are interesting and generally exceptionally good for you. We have several minestrone recipes already, but they are all vegetarian. This one sounded very different (the obvious switch to adding beef and far more tomatoes) and was a slow cooker recipe, which is very helpful these days, so we gave it a go. The result was incredible. A rich, meaty soup, with enough veggies for us, and super flavorful without being very salty. This also makes a TON of food. We'll freeze half for an emergency meal later! I LOVE recipes like this. So, while this will be hard to replicate without a Wegman's near you, it's worth the effort just for such a great result.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Note: We prepped this (through adding the stock, tomatoes, and sauce) the night before and then plunked it into our crock pot this morning. We then cooked it for 10 hours to make up for the cold start. Perfectamente and SO easy!<br /></p>Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: None<br />Time: 15 minutes to prep, 10 hours of yummy smelling,unattended cooking<br />Make ahead: Clearly<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Beef is GOOD."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T chowed down on this. I don't know if he was just exceptionally hungry (most of a bowl of soup, two pieces of bread, and two glasses of milk, PLUS a mini snickers bar) or if this was just a great dinner.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-79158611303709939722009-10-06T22:04:00.005-04:002009-10-14T22:37:31.409-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday </span><br /><br />Winter squash stuffed with lentil pilaf (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/01/tuesday-winter-squash-stuffed-with.html">January 6, 2009</a>)<br />Broccoli with lemon<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />Sugar cookies<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />Basically I have the same reaction to this as I had last time - this cannot be this good. It's based on a boxed rice mix, with nuts and cranberries thrown in! Yet, the combination of that pilaf and the squash is amazing. I'm not really sure what does it. Regardless, this is so easy that it's perfect for a busy day. I roasted the squash and prepped the pilaf before I went to pick up M and T. Then we just had to re-heat and add the cranberries and pecans. Especially with the super fresh broccoli we're still getting at the farmer's market, this was great. Also, there was something especially perfect about our squash tonight. Maybe because it's local?<br /></p>Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: Cutting the squash in half, chopping cranberries<br />Time: 50 minutes (most of that is unattended squash roasting time)<br />Make ahead: You can roast the squash ahead and re-heat it in a warm oven<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"As yummy as it is beautiful!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T loved the pilaf and was intrigued by the squash. He ate a few bites, but was more interested in pulling out the strings than chowing down on that part.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-80455088864160253362009-10-06T21:59:00.004-04:002009-10-06T22:03:25.780-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday - Take out from Thai Orchid Cafe<br /><br /></span>I gave my first exam today and so we didn't want to plan anything too complex for dinner. It turns out the exam went perfectly and so we could have cooked, but take out was welcome anyway. This is a TRULY amazing restaurant. I can't wait to have Thai again and we JUST ATE!<br /><br />Summer rolls<br />Green papaya salad<br />Green curry with chicken<br />Vietnamese curry with beef<br />RiceJhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-29946729748344480102009-10-06T21:54:00.004-04:002009-10-14T22:38:48.790-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday </span><br /><br />Skillet gnocchi with chard and white beans (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/01/friday-skillet-gnocchi-with-chard-and.html">January 9, 2009</a>)<br />Salad with red wine and bacon vinaigrette<br /><p class="MsoNormal">Hot tea<br />_____________________________________________________________<br />This was a great Sunday dinner. I made the first 2/3 of the recipe while T was napping and then we just tossed it all together and reheated after church tonight. The result was wonderful. the first time we made this we used Gia Russa brand shelf stable gnocchi, but Wegman's was out of stock. We used Wegman's brand mini gnocchis this time to great effect. T really liked the bitty size and ate heartily!<br /></p>Prep notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Onion, garlic, chard, Parmesan<br />Time: 35 minutes<br />Make ahead: I did!<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"This was the perfect post apple picking dinner!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T was enthralled with this. He picked out all the chard and all the gnocchis to eat first :)Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-67498737787405130712009-10-03T19:53:00.002-04:002009-10-03T20:09:21.624-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Catching up!</span><br /><br />This week has been a combination of crazy and I just haven't had time to post. I went to see a speaker at UB on Wed while M was finishing up some work, so we all got home late. Thursday M and I went to see David Sedaris (yes, he's amazing). Friday was just oneof those days. So, here I am catching up :)<br /><br />Wednesday Sept 30 - Penne arrabbiata and steamed broccoli with lemon and garlic (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2008/03/sunday-penne-arrabbiata-recipe-in.html">March 16, 2008</a>)<br /><br />Thursday Oct 1 - Oktoberfest dinner at Creekview in Willaimsville. Amazing as it was last year. We love this restaurant all year long, but this is particularly a good time of year to go. T thought it rocked.<br /><br />Friday Oct 2 - Lamb rogan josh (updated recipe in the comments), rice, zesty spiced cauliflower. This was our first trial of a recipe we converted to the crock pot (back in December of '07) and it was pretty good. I think with the additions/changes we made this time around it can be considered perfect!<br /><br />Saturday Oct 3 - Cauliflower gratin, grilled eggplants with balsamic, salad. I know cauliflower two nights in a row. It just didn't occur to me until I'd started cooking! It was very good, but not main dish-y enough. I think both M and I thought it needed more. In the end our <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/01/monday-macaroni-and-cheese-with-spinach.html">mac and cheese with spinach</a> is similar enough and MUCH more satisfying.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-65437703786771268202009-09-29T20:43:00.004-04:002009-09-29T20:50:57.836-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday </span><br /><br />Bowties with sausage and sage (recipe in the comments <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2007/11/saturday-farfalle-with-sausage-and-sage.html">November 4, 2007</a>)<br />Salad with balsamic dressing<br /><br />Hot tea<br />M & Ms<br />______________________________________________________________<br />This is fall. Warm pasta with tomatoes and chicken sausage and SAGE. In fact we increased the amount of sage we used this time, since we have a bumper crop still. It was even better than usual. The rain and cool weather have continued - in fact we never even made it to the mid-50s today. The warm pasta and obligate glass of red wine were very welcome. I'm already excited about my lunch tomorrow :)<br /><br /><span>Prep Notes</span><br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Onion<br />Time: 25 minutes<br />Make ahead: I was working at home today and so I made the sauce before I went to pick upthe boys. We made pasta when we got home and, presto, dinner!<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Rainy day perfection" OR "Sage is my best friend!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />Direct quote: "You know the thing about this dinner? I just LOVE it!"<br /><br />Not kidding :)Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-14660438115332357342009-09-29T20:32:00.004-04:002009-09-29T20:42:12.870-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday</span><br /><br />Chili relleno casserole (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2008/01/thursday-chili-relleno-casserole-recipe.html">January 10, 2008</a>)<br />Corn tortillas, red salsa<br />Canteloupe<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Reaspberry lemon ice<br />______________________________________________________________<br />This was the perfect meal for tonight. It was pretty chilly today and by evening very rainy. The warm casserole was great, but the lighter even summer-y flavors were perfect for early fall. Also, this may very well be our last local melon for the year and it was AMAZING! This is also a great meal because it's so easy. There were no classes today (Yom Kippur), so I came home early to work and quickly made the casserole before I went to get T from daycare. M pulled the casserole out just as we got home. How easy is that?<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Super easy<br />Chopping: Scallions, grate cheese, melon<br />Time: 10 minutes to prep, 35-40 minutes to bake<br />Make ahead: I often will put the solid layers in the pan and whip the eggs and milk ahead, pouring the custard on just before baking.<br /><br /><br />Reaction:<br />"It's like a mix of summer and fall - just like our weather!"<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T loved this and even was unusually excited about salsa tonight. We were so excited about watching him eat little burritos :)Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-81534672662646393782009-09-27T20:01:00.004-04:002009-09-27T20:06:10.903-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span>Spicy red lentil dahl (recipe in the comments for <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2008/01/friday-spicy-red-lentil-dahl-recipe-in.html">January 18, 2008</a>)<br />Multigrain flatbreads<br />Cucumber salad<br /><br />Hot tea<br />______________________________________________________________<br />This is bar none my favorite of our dahls. It's easy, but somehow the result is incredibly complex and satisfying. The taste profile is almost a combination of Indian and Thai, rather than some of the more strictly Indian dahls we do. I expect it's the light coconut milk and lime. Regardless this is fantastis and fail proof. I wish everything worked this well in life :)<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Onion, garlic, cucumbers<br />Time: 30 minutes<br />Make ahead: Easily.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"A family favorite."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T was distracted early in the dinner process, but then returned to eat with fervor, so I'd say overall highly positive.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-18308366187201257912009-09-27T19:53:00.004-04:002009-09-27T20:00:45.727-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday</span><br /><br />Polenta and vegetable bake (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2009/02/tuesday-polenta-and-vegetable-bake.html">February 17, 2009</a>)<br />Salad greens with herbs in a creamy garlic dressing<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Grapefruit sorbet and orange wafer cookies<br />______________________________________________________________<br />We first made this back in February and I just noticed that I said it was the perfect dish for winter when I posted then. How funny, since I now think it's perfect for early fall when the eggplant and zucchini is pouring out of a Farmer's Market near you! We made this for one of the graduate student's M works with who came to dinner tonight. It is the first time she's visited and we wanted something that most people would like. I didn't remember to be nervous about whether she liked eggplant until she was here, but, thankfully, she does, so no worries! This casserole is truly yummy, enough gooey cheese to feel indulgent, but enough veggies to balance. I just love it. And, apparently, it's a crowd pleaser as well :)<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Eggplant, zucchini, basil, polenta, shredding mozzarella (unless you buy it shredded like I did :)<br />Time: 25 minutes to prep + 15-20 to bake<br />Make ahead: I think this would save fine.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"One of the better casseroles possible."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T was VERY lukewarm on this, but he had eaten a fair amount of cheese, crackers and tomatoes before dinner and we had a charming and entertaining guest to show off for instead of eating. It's worth another try on him.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189376520673291654.post-34944774608880788632009-09-27T19:48:00.003-04:002009-09-27T19:52:48.775-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday</span><br /><br />Pasta with pesto (recipe in the comments from <a href="http://tendinners.blogspot.com/2007/11/saturday-pasta-with-pesto-frozen-from.html">November 24, 2007</a>)<br />Sauteed yellow and red cherry tomatoes<br /><br />Hot tea<br />Chocolate chip cookies<br />______________________________________________________________<br />So, we did get another pesto meal this year! The recent sun has encouraged growth, such that we harvested all our plants and had enough for 2-3 more batches. We were running late tonight, so we only made tonight's, but the rest of the basil is in the fridge awaiting transformation. I'm glad it wasn't just the once, as this really is one of our favorite meals. The tomatoes are so sweet right now, you barely need to do anything to them. Mmmm. Everything was lovely and a great kick off to the weekend!<br /><br />Prep Notes<br />Difficulty: Easy<br />Chopping: Peeling garlic, grating Parmesan<br />Time: 25 minutes<br />Make ahead: We often even freeze it.<br /><br />Reaction:<br />"Probably the last batch pre-freezer."<br /><br />The kid report:<br />T loves pesto - ALWAYS.Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10687983572994675663noreply@blogger.com0