Meal Planning wk of February 1

Here's next weeks plan while I have it on my mind...

Sunday: Slow cooked pork shoulder (don't remember where I got this from, but the leftovers can be used for a Bolognese that I'd like to try), Cheese Ravioli w/ Roasted Red Pepper sauce, Veg?

Monday: Crispy Pork Milanese, Leftover Ravioli & Butternut-Squash sauce (Shelaghs been asking for this)

Tuesday: Brown Sugar BBQ Chicken Drumettes, Snow Peas, Roasted Potatoes


Wednesday: Sole w/ Lemon-butter sauce, Yellow Rice, Peas


Thursday: Kids Mac & Cheese night; Leftovers for us


Friday: Out with my Sisters-in-law


Saturday: Something roasty...Beef maybe? Lamb? Joe is taking Rory to a PC basketball game for the day so the girls will be home and I'd love to spend the afternoon cooking with Shelagh. I'd like to try the Pull-Apart Cheesy Onion Bread from Food & Wine too.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Blog

On January 8, my Blog celebrated 2 years. Crazy. I've really enjoyed writing this and hope to continue into the future. It went from a good mix of culture and family to mostly family to lots of cooking and back, hopefully, to a mix of culture and cooking and family. I've got a loyal little following of friends and family (thank you) and have met a few people through this endeavor as well. Thanks for reading and keep coming back!

The Girls

I just love this picture. It really shows how much Shelagh has embraced Kelly. She always was good to her and loved her, but she's moved from sort of indifferent to full of love all the time. Kelly adores her back and lights up as soon as she sees or hears Shelaghs voice. It's precious.

Brain Washing Rory to Love the Foo Fighters

This is my goal of the day...Foo Fighters are definitely my #1 fave band. I went on their website today just to see if there was any way they'd be touring soon or releasing a new album. They just released a greatest hits so no new music on the horizon. I started showing him some of their videos and he got totally into it. I'm so 37 and not watching MTV or VH1 I had no idea what goofballs they are in their videos. Long Road to Ruin is definintely the best with a collection of fantastic cheesey 70's mustaches and the band acting out a soap opera story with Rashida Jones...just awesome. Learn to Fly is pretty good too with a nice Jack Black cameo and more bad mustaches.

Mission accomplished. He won't stop..."More Foo Fighters videos, Mommy. I like the ones with the cars."

Unexpected Purchases, Here We Come

In the middle of cooking a pork roast a few weeks ago, I was greeted with this:

What the f&^%? A year and a day or so (just over warranty of course) after I got this piece of crap electric oven the whole rectangular computer piece there fell out and down into the back of the unit. After I tried massive amounts of duck tape to no avail, my Mom and Dad saved the day by packing the back of the stove with styrofoam blocks from Michaels to hold the computer piece in place. Needless to say, it's been downhill since.

A couple of months before Thanksgiving (which I host), I noticed things taking longer than they should baking such as Joe's birthday carrot cake. I completely over cooked it eventually. Then I got an oven thermometer and figured out how to compensate with the computer settings so that I got to the temp I needed. Well, that didn't really work but at least my Thanksgiving turkey was done 2 1/2 hours early rather than being underdone I suppose.

Now I have this. I completely freaked. This happened the day before I went away leaving Joe with all 3 kids for 4 days. His calm demeanor prevailed and after unplugging it and plugging it back in, the pork roast was saved. This is a freak accident waiting to happen.

Also, my dryer takes 2 cycles to dry anything these days on the hottest setting. Or, my washer isn't spinning well enough. I feel new appliances on the horizon.

Baking & Craft

Rory was a little under the weather last night so we decided to lay low today. Rory worked on his Paint-Your-Own Race Car bank and then we baked Glazed Maple Cookies.

The cookies came out good, but the dough was a little crumb-y and started to get difficult to keep together. Also, to get the syrup to stay on top, I had to use the underside of a spoon to make a little depression and then it didn't get as full on top as the picture. It definitely sank in to the cookie. I did add some coarse salt to the top - the sweet salty combo worked well here.

Major Meal Planning! Wk of 1/25

While the kids were away I did some serious recipe siphoning and a 2 week meal plan. Here's this weeks plan.

Sunday: Chicken Under a Brick, Sesame Broccoli, Barley Pilaf. Also made slower cooker Brisket & Onions to have as lunch, leftovers, and for the kids through the week. I can't find where I got the brisket recipe from. It was easy though. Basically, brown a 3-4 lb brisket seasoned with s & P in a skillet and remove. Slice 2 large onions thin and saute slowly until soft and caramelized. Add 6 cloves minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Put met in slow cooker insert, cover and tuck onion mixture all around. Heat 1 1/2 cups beef broth with 1 Tbl Worcestershire and 2 tsp soy and pour over meat. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Monday: Scallops, Mashed Potatoes, and sauteed Escarole. The kids had the Brisket, Mashed Potatoes and raw sugar snap peas. Kelly LOVED the brisket and mashed potatoes!

Tuesday: Cupcake Pork Pies (this is from a 2007 Cookie Magazine recipe, but I can't find it online), French Fries, and Carrots (Orange-glazed ribbons cooked for us, raw for the kids).

Wednesday: Homemade Fish Sticks, cheese ravioli with roasted red pepper sauce, and peas.

Thursday: Mac & Cheese night for the kids and leftovers for us

Friday: Movie Date Night! Babysitter is booked and we're off to see Avatar in Imax 3D. I cannot wait! Plus, they have an awesome ice cream place right next to the theater. Weeeeeeee.

Saturday: Friends over for Pizza Dinner