When we don't need to limit ourselves to one store a week, I usually rarely go to the supermarket. We tend to get meat, dairy, and produce at Whole Foods and supplement from Trader Joe's for some prepared or frozen items and wine. Occasionally, we'll visit a specialty store or international market for harder-to-find ingredients. And for things like soap, foil and sandwich baggies, etc, Target is the go-to.
With our restricted range of motion, we seem to need a trip to the supermarket essentially every other week for some of those household-type things. It makes me realize how much more processed food we've added to the grocery haul (though that is offset by eating less junk food during the work day). The goal of food prep this weekend is to return us to a more typical (for us) way of eating. Dinner last night was an indulgent return to normal, using up the ends of several things in the fridge.
With our restricted range of motion, we seem to need a trip to the supermarket essentially every other week for some of those household-type things. It makes me realize how much more processed food we've added to the grocery haul (though that is offset by eating less junk food during the work day). The goal of food prep this weekend is to return us to a more typical (for us) way of eating. Dinner last night was an indulgent return to normal, using up the ends of several things in the fridge.
SATURDAY
Carnitas Tacos, Beans, and Slaw
Pork carnitas is an occasional treat around here. This Diana Kennedy recipe is my go-to, and the results are amazing. But simmering the pork shoulder, cooking off the liquid, and then frying it in the rendered fat is a many-hour affair. I noticed that Trader Joe's had a version in the fridge section, and decided to give it a try. The package said to microwave the meat then shred, but the crispy brown edges are one of the things that makes this dish so delicious, and I was skeptical about the microwave. So, instead, I chopped the hunk of pork into cubes and fried in a dutch oven until the pieces were sizzling and brown. All it needed was a little salt and black pepper, and we were good to go.
The slaw used up the remainder of the carrots and cabbage that Jeff shredded on Monday for eggroll in a bowl. To the shredded veg, I added some very thinly-sliced red onion and a bit of cilantro (required digging through last week's bunch for some usable leaves). The dressing was lime juice, olive oil, cumin, coriander, and my own twist-- a bit of tahini. It went great tucked in to corn and wheat tortillas alongside the crispy work, garnished with some quick pickled onion & jalapeno. And rather than cheese, I made a crema out of sour cream, lime juice & zest, and a bit of salt and cumin. Add a can of refried beans, with a spoon of bacon grease and some hatch chiles? It was was a wonderful meal.
Lucky Charms
Lucky Charms
Around mid-day, we left the neighborhood for a long walk along the river, in Alexandria. And afterwards, I did a couple of hours of satisfying yard work. Dinner was just around the corner, but I was hungry for a snack. Lucky Charms it was, accompanied by a big glass of iced tea I don't know the last time I bought a box of this cereal-- probably 10+ years? Tasty, but the verdict is in: Cinnamon Toast Crunch is decidedly better!
Hot Dog Breakfast Tacos
This is one my dad would make for us as kids when we had a few hotdogs left at the end of the package. Fry some diced onions and thinly-sliced hotdogs in a bit of butter. Scramble in some eggs. I had some hatch chiles to add for a little bit of light acidity. And then melt on some Mexican cheese blend before scooping in to flour tortillas. Comfort food, for sure.
Raspberry Jello Salad
Raspberry Jello Salad
I didn't get around to making this one on Easter, and anyway: what better time to have a jello salad than to cap off a few days of nostalgia foods? This recipe is pretty close to the one we'd have on special occasions as a kid, though no bananas in our recipe. I made half a batch in a loaf pan, and it was everything I'd dreamed.
FRIDAY
Domino's
If going for bagels brought back a little of my pre-CV routine, Jeff's parallel request was an order from Domino's. For the pizza, he chose what we refer to as The David Chang. It's a thin crust pizza with alfredo sauce, bacon, and onions, and it's delicious. Kind of reminiscent of a tarte alsace. The coupon deal we had required a second item, and so my contribution was a Classic Hot Buffalo specialty chicken. Chicken nuggets are tossed in buffalo sauce, topped with ranch and cheese, and cooked until crispy and melty. And I added some parmesan bread twists, just becasuse. The Deschutes IPA was a good contrast to all the richness. I was grateful for it.
Lunch
I finished the last of the pasta salad with veggies. It held up all week, which is all you can ask!
Breakfast
Half of a blueberry bagel, with cultured butter and salt. And some cantaloupe that was... not the best. You can't win them all. I'm glad that this was just a pre-cut cup of fruit rather than an entire melon. I might make agua fresca from the rest, because the taste is delicious but the texture is crispy and unappealing.
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