This weekend, our food decisions mostly revolved around a question, "How do I use this up?" There were a few new additions to the lineup, but by-and-large, we were developing a backlog of leftovers and one-off things that I purchased weeks ago that needed some creative attention. Challenge: accepted!
DINNERS
Jazzed up Frozen Pizza and Kale Salad
The Eat Pizzas that you've heard me rave about are all vegetarian. Jeff dressed up the Three Cheese variety with pepperoni left from the subs on Tuesday and caramelized onions left from the burgers on Friday.
This kale salad is easy and tasty. I'll often add some toasted bread crumbs for crunch, but they're definitely not necessary, though they do give it more of a Caesar salad vibe.
Thickly chiffonade several big leaves of kale (starting at 2 min in that video). Mince a clove of garlic, add 1/4 tsp of salt, and use the back of your knife to mash it into a paste (this takes some of the pungency out of the garlic). In a small bowl, mix the garlic/salt paste, a few grinds of black pepper, and a Tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice. Pour the dressing on to the kale, and massage until it begins to wilt. Stir in a handful of shredded Parmesan to mix. This one doesn't last the best in the fridge, so I try to make just enough that we'll eat.
Not quite as simple as takeout, but also not difficult!
BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Cucumber Salad, Cornbread
We had a pack of Trader Joe's BBQ pulled chicken in the fridge since Week 1, and tonight we put it to use in lettuce wraps. I picked up a hydroponic butter lettuce this week, both because I love the silky leaves for wraps, and also because they stay fresh for quite awhile. It worked great here.
We paired the wraps with a cucumber salad that was a summer staple in grad school and helped us use up the fresh dill we've been cranking through all week. Jeff took the helm here. Thinly slice one quarter of a red onion-- thinner the better (we substituted shallot, because Pantry Cooking). Peel a cucumber and slice it lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Chop into half moons. Add a few Tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream, and a few big shakes of rice wine vinegar (another light vinegar will also do). Add a big sprinkle of white sugar, salt, pepper, and plenty of dill; either fresh or dried will work. Today, Jeff subbed honey for the sugar and smoked paprika for the cayenne. It was still delicious! Toss to cover the veggies in sauce, and let it sit for a minute for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust for salt, sweet, heat, or acid.
I love Jiffy cornbread mix, but I haven't been able to find it in the stores for awhile. Plus, I have some finely-ground cornmeal on hand. I tried out a new recipe for "Moist, Sweet Cornbread.” Using almond milk because I opened one quite awhile ago, and it’s still around. I wanted to make sure the baking powder rised, so I added a glug of apple cider vinegar. It worked great, and the cornbread did, indeed, turn out light and fluffy. I didn’t realize the recipe made 9x13 until after I mixed it up. It will make a nice breakfast later in the week, so expect to see it over time.
BREAKFASTS
We learned our lesson last week, when we made an elaborate Sunday breakfast, and then spent the afternoon doing our normal week of meal prep. Too much time in the kitchen! This weekend, we went easier on breakfast, with a goal of repurposing whatever we could.
Chilaquiles
The tortilla chips we bought for our Vacation to Mexico were a bit stale even when first opened. Now, more than two weeks later, they definitely needed new life. Chilaquiles is a dish that was born for this.
I tossed chips in what remained of a jar of salsa verde, and heated them in a large frying pan until the sauce began to simmer. While I fried eggs and reheated some roasted sweet potato chunks in the microwave, the chips bubbled and began to soften. I topped with plenty of shredded Mexican blend cheese until it became melty and oozy. Then I scooped the cheesy layers out into two servings, topping with the sweet potato, some diced raw onion, a dollop of sour cream, and minced fresh cilantro. The fried eggs ended up on top, and as we ate, the runny yolks dripped through the layers, adding a creamy richness that was pure perfection! What a way to give stale chips a new life!
Indian Breakfast Tacos
Sunday am marked End Times for the mushroom-ragout-turned-mushroom-curry that has been kicking around the fridge since Day 19. Farewell, old friend! I made some creamy scrambled eggs (plenty of butter!), which were joined by the curry in a delicious breakfast taco. These tortillas were from Whole Foods, La Tortilla Factory brand Traditional Flour Tortillas. They are packaged a little undercooked, but in a dry frying pan, brown and puff up to be airy and chewy and just very delicious. A different beast than our standby Guerrero, but perfect in this application. A satisfiying breakfast, indeed.
MID-DAY NOSHES
On the weekend, we used to have a big, late-ish brunch after a slow morning lingering around the house. But the linger is less appealing (and less necessary!) when we spend... almost all our time in the house already. Eating earlier means that breakfast doesn't hold us until dinner. These lunches were more heavy snack than actual meal, but worked just great.
Charcuterie and Caprese Salad
I have been loving the little Lunchables-style charcuterie boxes I've been picking up for snacks. This one had capricola, fontina, and sweet little breadstick twists. Paired with a caprese salad of mixed mini tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, and balsamic glaze with a drizzle of olive oil. The champagne mangos I picked up this week are truly delicious.
Salmon Salad
We didn't have enough baked salmon left from Wednesday to make a full portion of salad, even though we were just looking for a snack. I combined the half a blackened filet with a flat pack of salmon that tasted fine but doesn't have the most appealing texture. After it was all mixed up, you never would’ve known! Then I rounded up a bunch of little bits to bring it together: minced onion, celery, capers, sweet relish, more fresh dill, blackening seasoning, a big grind of pepper. Some diced grape tomatoes, a big squeeze of mayo, and a squirt of fresh lemon brought it together. With wheat thins and mango. Yum!
TREATS
CoOkies
I turn to a middle school home ec recipe, Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bakes, when I need a little something sweet. We almost always have the ingredients on hand, and 1/4 recipe makes just enough for a nice treat. Jeff's allergic to peanut butter, so we use almond. And once upon a time I realized that adding dried flaked coconut makes it taste like Almond Joy. I'm still using up the flakes I rehydrated last week for Kathleen's birthday cake, so I added some of those here. Delicious!
Ice Cream Jubilee
One of my favorite things to do on a warm day is walk to get an ice cream cone, then slowly savor it on the way home. I bought cones a few weeks ago, anticipating the change in weather, and Sunday after lunch was the time. We took Alice for a nice, long walk-- further from home than we've gone in quite awhile. Then we made a pit-stop back at home to Cone up. Finally, out we went, for another spin around the block. Jeff had Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip, which is a Pacific Northwest favorite. I had Ice Cream Jubilee's Marion Berry. They're a local shop owned by a fellow Wellesley alum, and we've been enjoying pints of their delicious flavors (Banana Bourbon Caramel! Matcha Green Tea!) as special quarantine treats.
I suggest you add cones to your next grocery list, and enjoy a little "walk to get an ice cream cone" yourselves! Both the fresh air and the sweets really brightened my mood.
Finally, we used our Sunday afternoon to also prepared a couple of things for the week ahead-- but I'll save those for the upcoming posts. As we move from Week Five in to Week Six, I hope that you're staying healthy and well, and finding ways to eat delicious things that bring a smile to your face.
DINNERS
Jazzed up Frozen Pizza and Kale Salad
The Eat Pizzas that you've heard me rave about are all vegetarian. Jeff dressed up the Three Cheese variety with pepperoni left from the subs on Tuesday and caramelized onions left from the burgers on Friday.
This kale salad is easy and tasty. I'll often add some toasted bread crumbs for crunch, but they're definitely not necessary, though they do give it more of a Caesar salad vibe.
Thickly chiffonade several big leaves of kale (starting at 2 min in that video). Mince a clove of garlic, add 1/4 tsp of salt, and use the back of your knife to mash it into a paste (this takes some of the pungency out of the garlic). In a small bowl, mix the garlic/salt paste, a few grinds of black pepper, and a Tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice. Pour the dressing on to the kale, and massage until it begins to wilt. Stir in a handful of shredded Parmesan to mix. This one doesn't last the best in the fridge, so I try to make just enough that we'll eat.
Not quite as simple as takeout, but also not difficult!
BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Cucumber Salad, Cornbread
We had a pack of Trader Joe's BBQ pulled chicken in the fridge since Week 1, and tonight we put it to use in lettuce wraps. I picked up a hydroponic butter lettuce this week, both because I love the silky leaves for wraps, and also because they stay fresh for quite awhile. It worked great here.
We paired the wraps with a cucumber salad that was a summer staple in grad school and helped us use up the fresh dill we've been cranking through all week. Jeff took the helm here. Thinly slice one quarter of a red onion-- thinner the better (we substituted shallot, because Pantry Cooking). Peel a cucumber and slice it lengthwise, then scoop out the seeds. Chop into half moons. Add a few Tbsp Greek yogurt or sour cream, and a few big shakes of rice wine vinegar (another light vinegar will also do). Add a big sprinkle of white sugar, salt, pepper, and plenty of dill; either fresh or dried will work. Today, Jeff subbed honey for the sugar and smoked paprika for the cayenne. It was still delicious! Toss to cover the veggies in sauce, and let it sit for a minute for the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust for salt, sweet, heat, or acid.
I love Jiffy cornbread mix, but I haven't been able to find it in the stores for awhile. Plus, I have some finely-ground cornmeal on hand. I tried out a new recipe for "Moist, Sweet Cornbread.” Using almond milk because I opened one quite awhile ago, and it’s still around. I wanted to make sure the baking powder rised, so I added a glug of apple cider vinegar. It worked great, and the cornbread did, indeed, turn out light and fluffy. I didn’t realize the recipe made 9x13 until after I mixed it up. It will make a nice breakfast later in the week, so expect to see it over time.
BREAKFASTS
We learned our lesson last week, when we made an elaborate Sunday breakfast, and then spent the afternoon doing our normal week of meal prep. Too much time in the kitchen! This weekend, we went easier on breakfast, with a goal of repurposing whatever we could.
Chilaquiles
The tortilla chips we bought for our Vacation to Mexico were a bit stale even when first opened. Now, more than two weeks later, they definitely needed new life. Chilaquiles is a dish that was born for this.
I tossed chips in what remained of a jar of salsa verde, and heated them in a large frying pan until the sauce began to simmer. While I fried eggs and reheated some roasted sweet potato chunks in the microwave, the chips bubbled and began to soften. I topped with plenty of shredded Mexican blend cheese until it became melty and oozy. Then I scooped the cheesy layers out into two servings, topping with the sweet potato, some diced raw onion, a dollop of sour cream, and minced fresh cilantro. The fried eggs ended up on top, and as we ate, the runny yolks dripped through the layers, adding a creamy richness that was pure perfection! What a way to give stale chips a new life!
Indian Breakfast Tacos
Sunday am marked End Times for the mushroom-ragout-turned-mushroom-curry that has been kicking around the fridge since Day 19. Farewell, old friend! I made some creamy scrambled eggs (plenty of butter!), which were joined by the curry in a delicious breakfast taco. These tortillas were from Whole Foods, La Tortilla Factory brand Traditional Flour Tortillas. They are packaged a little undercooked, but in a dry frying pan, brown and puff up to be airy and chewy and just very delicious. A different beast than our standby Guerrero, but perfect in this application. A satisfiying breakfast, indeed.
MID-DAY NOSHES
On the weekend, we used to have a big, late-ish brunch after a slow morning lingering around the house. But the linger is less appealing (and less necessary!) when we spend... almost all our time in the house already. Eating earlier means that breakfast doesn't hold us until dinner. These lunches were more heavy snack than actual meal, but worked just great.
Charcuterie and Caprese Salad
I have been loving the little Lunchables-style charcuterie boxes I've been picking up for snacks. This one had capricola, fontina, and sweet little breadstick twists. Paired with a caprese salad of mixed mini tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, and balsamic glaze with a drizzle of olive oil. The champagne mangos I picked up this week are truly delicious.
Salmon Salad
We didn't have enough baked salmon left from Wednesday to make a full portion of salad, even though we were just looking for a snack. I combined the half a blackened filet with a flat pack of salmon that tasted fine but doesn't have the most appealing texture. After it was all mixed up, you never would’ve known! Then I rounded up a bunch of little bits to bring it together: minced onion, celery, capers, sweet relish, more fresh dill, blackening seasoning, a big grind of pepper. Some diced grape tomatoes, a big squeeze of mayo, and a squirt of fresh lemon brought it together. With wheat thins and mango. Yum!
TREATS
CoOkies
I turn to a middle school home ec recipe, Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bakes, when I need a little something sweet. We almost always have the ingredients on hand, and 1/4 recipe makes just enough for a nice treat. Jeff's allergic to peanut butter, so we use almond. And once upon a time I realized that adding dried flaked coconut makes it taste like Almond Joy. I'm still using up the flakes I rehydrated last week for Kathleen's birthday cake, so I added some of those here. Delicious!
Ice Cream Jubilee
One of my favorite things to do on a warm day is walk to get an ice cream cone, then slowly savor it on the way home. I bought cones a few weeks ago, anticipating the change in weather, and Sunday after lunch was the time. We took Alice for a nice, long walk-- further from home than we've gone in quite awhile. Then we made a pit-stop back at home to Cone up. Finally, out we went, for another spin around the block. Jeff had Tillamook Mint Chocolate Chip, which is a Pacific Northwest favorite. I had Ice Cream Jubilee's Marion Berry. They're a local shop owned by a fellow Wellesley alum, and we've been enjoying pints of their delicious flavors (Banana Bourbon Caramel! Matcha Green Tea!) as special quarantine treats.
Finally, we used our Sunday afternoon to also prepared a couple of things for the week ahead-- but I'll save those for the upcoming posts. As we move from Week Five in to Week Six, I hope that you're staying healthy and well, and finding ways to eat delicious things that bring a smile to your face.
Comments