Menu Planning

Work has been crazy. Hubby has been sick. Grocery shopping has not occurred in over two weeks, and my pantry and freezer is running low. Two out of three of those are good things, the other is in the process of getting better.
With everything that has been going on though I didn't have the time to sit down and flip through the pages of my cookbooks. Something I haven't had the opportunity to do in what feels like forever now! Now I am faced with the fact that it is the middle of the afternoon, I have no menu plan, and consequently no grocery list, for the grocery shopping trip that must happen at 4:30 this afternoon. Solution, I am turning to the the blogosphere for help this week. I have many recipes bookmarked in bloglines, time to start trying some! Oh, just an aside trying to keep things light and easy for Hubby's tummy this week.

Tuesday: Eating on the run, soooo bad
Wednesday: Creamy black lentils
Thursday: Portobello Toast
Friday: Chickpea, ginger and coriander soup
Saturday: Cooking with a dear friend, or more like watching, who is my kitchen inspiration
Sunday: Seared scallops with pureed cauliflower and asparagus

Banana Nut Muffins

I was wandering the asiles of HomeSense the other week month, and I came across these fun little silicone muffin cups.

There were also pink and purple triangle ones, which I completely regret not getting now. At the time however, I could not justify both sets when I had yet to try them out in my own kitchen. Of course the moment I used them for the first time I was completely in love with them. Now I can't image life without them. There is no more running out of those annoying little paper inserts, that I can never get apart, half way into a recipe. Oh, and they clean up so easily too!

I hoped by chance the others were still when I ventured back, but alas some other lucky sole snatched them up. Lucky them!

Banana Nut Muffins

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup sour cream
  
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• zest of orange
  
• 1/2 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine in bowl flour, baking soda and salt. Partially mash two fof the bananas. Then with beater whip them with sugar until light and fluffy. Add melted butter, eggs and vanilla.

Mix in dry ingredients stirring slow, and so still slightly lumpy. Fold in zest, nuts and finally banana in chunks.

Pour into muffin tins and back for 18-20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

Well, there is no menu plan for the week *gasp*!!!

With the medical issues we are having in our house right now I would be cooking for one. Something that just isn't worth it. So it will be a week of freezer soups, and salads for me.

Something I could probably use after eating all of that Easter chocolate ;)

Have a good week everyone.

Menu Planning

Leslie over at Definitely not Martha just wrote a fantastic post on freezing meals. I admit this is something I love to do too, but my problem is I never seem to eat it again! They sit for months and months getting more and more freezer burnt by the day. Yucky!

So last night after reading her post; it inspired me to actually clean out my freezer, and start fresh! I am actually ashamed of all the delicious meals that I threw out last night :( There were a few that I was able to salvage a couple, and we will be eating them over the next couple of weeks. Hey it is good for the grocery budget too ;)

Tuesday: Tofu and Eggplant curry (Freezer)
Wednesday: Pizza for Hubby
Thursday: Raspberry-Chipolte sauce (freezer) with pork chops and salad
Friday: Sauteed scallops with a sweetcorn salsa
Saturday: Tofu parma
Sunday: Fried chicken take II
Monday: Left overs

Poitou-Style Pea Soup

As a child my Dad loved green pea soup, and ate it religiously. I thought he was completely crazy, and even the smell sent me running to my room. Granted he ate the canned kind so maybe he kind of was ;)

Now however I have seen the light and there is nothing I love more than a bowl of pea soup. There is something incredibly refreshing and light about it, it is honestly perfect at any time of the year. Oh, and the crostini, my new favorite snack in to have in the middle of the afternoon :)

Pea Soup (From Great soups, Empty Bowls):

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 5 cups frozen peas
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp savoury
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
  
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 cups butter lettuce chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat butter in soup pot. Add onions and cooked until softened, but not browned. Add peas, herbs, sugar and lettuce and toss until coated. Add broth, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Using blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Serve either hot or cold.

Over Sized crostini:

• 1/4 cup ricotta
• Sliced French bread
• 2 Tbsp walnuts chopped

Spread ricotta on bread, and sprinkle to with walnuts. Place in toaster over or normal oven until bread it crisp.

Serve with soup.

Enjoy!

Menu Planning

This week, well this month, was supposed to be a quite month with little in the way of financial expenditures. That has gone completely out the window this week with three meals out scheduled! That darn social life that gets in the way sometimes ;)

Tuesday: Pea soup and dinner out for Hubby (I think he plans it deliberately when I make soup)
Wednesday: Dinner out for Me
Thursday: Pork quesadilla
Friday: Fried chicken, new recipe for this one as I am not overly impressed with the old one I have
Saturday: Both of us dinner out, double date with my baby sister
Sunday: Linguine with chicken ragu

Have a good week!

French Toast

While I admit during the work week I hardly stop for breakfast, on the weekend in our house it is a pretty big thing for a couple of reasons.

First I can guarantee that Lilly, who is still stuck in the incredibly picky stage, will actually eat a complete meal. Second. it is the one time that my Hubby will actually participate in cooking with me. He does the bacon and eggs, something I can't cook for the life of me, and I either waffles, pancakes or French toast. Third, well family time and it tastes good :)

French Toast:

• 5 -6 slices of bread of choice
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp honey
• Dash of cinnamon
• Icing sugar
  
• Syrup
  

Heat griddle or fry pan on medium heat. Beat eggs, cream vanilla, honey and cinnamon in a shallow bowl, or pie plate. Place bread in mixture pressing down gently, then flip to coat other side. Place on hot fry pan and cook until that side is golden, flip and cook other side as well.

Serve hot with a sprinkle of icing sugar and syrup.

Enjoy!