Sunday, April 22, 2012

On the Menu

Let's face it, everyone wishes they had a few more hours in the day to get things accomplished. While a lot of cooking has been going on in the Good Cook Doris Kitchen not much of it has made it from the plate to the blog in the last month. I've been cooking through some new cookbooks, blogger recipes, along with old favorites. With a short window of cooking time on weeknights my cooking routine has changed over the last few months. I try to prepare and cook as much as I can on Sundays. Everything from washing and chopping vegetables to cooking dishes ahead. For weeknight dinners all we have to do is reheat or combine prepared ingredients into a quick and satisfying dinner.

Here's a look at what we've been enjoying lately!

Hearty vegetarian fare from the cookbook Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker. This book has 200 recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts. The main dishes are creative and filling. Our absolute favorite so far (no picture yet!) is the mushroom and green bean stroganoff. You don't miss the meat! We've also made the vegetable lasagna and no-hurry vegetable curry. I did snap a picture of a fun weeknight meal.

Vegetarian Paella
This hearty dish includes vegetarian sausage, creamy rice, kidney beans, peas, green beans and peppers. With saffron and a squeeze of fresh lemon it is bright and fresh.



Spicy Peanut Butter Noodles with Ground Beef
One of the lovely bloggers I met at Eat Write Retreat, Isabelle Boucher, is part of Peanut Butter & Company's All-Star Recipe team. When I saw this title I knew I had to try it out! The combination of creamy peanut butter, spicy flavors, vegetables and a crunchy topping led to licking the bowl at the end of dinner. The recipe can be found over at the blog. I used half "The Heat is On" (spicy PB) and half "Smooth Operator" to tame the heat. 


Matzo Ball Soup
Nothing is better than a warm bowl of chicken soup with matzoh balls when you are feeling a little run-down. This is a combination of techniques from mom and grandma, with my spin too. I made this over two nights. The first night - browning the carrots, onions, and chicken breast and cooking the noodles. The second night while the vegetables and chicken were simmering I made the matzo balls. After 2 hours of simmering our soup with the works was ready to be savored. 


On the menu this week
Today was filled with cooking for the upcoming week. On our menu this week: 

*Skillet Cheesy Beef and Macaroni (http://themom100.com), served with steamed green beans
*Sandwiches with chicken salad with red grapes and celery
*Spinach, egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches
*Yogurt & granola afternoon snacks
*Gala apples
*Carrot and celery sticks

How do you prepare for the week? What are you cooking in your kitchen?

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