Weekly Gourmet

Today is Monday. Today's recipe I used more as a suggestion rather than a guide. I took out some chicken this morning because that sounded healthier than anything I had eaten in the prior 72 hours, and then proceeded to laze about the house. At one point I zoned out at Jewel and walked around buying things that seemed necessary, mostly in a bored trance. I then spent the afternoon hours ramped up on coffee, finally remembering I have a house and several children over here that needed attention. I organized our new mudroom cabinets, helped my kids write their names in the "to" section of their Valentines (we have to mess up something), there was tidying, dust-busting - it was a whole thing today.  So anyways, back to 4:52 p.m. without a plan in my head. I used what turned out to be boneless, skinless chicken thighs and the last of the vegetables I bought last week and hadn't used yet to make a super homey, creamy, mushroomy chicken in a saucy-thing. I think it was Fren...

Today is Monday. Ahhhh the boneless, skinless chicken breast - nature's blank canvas. It would be my most dreaded ingredient were I ever to appear on "Chopped." There are just too many ways to go with it. I chose tonight's recipe based on two features: 1) It calls for pineapple, and I happened to have a pineapple on hand that was about a day away from getting tossed and 2) It calls for cardamom and I have a cutie-mom who buys cardamom pods and grinds them up and delivers them to me in tiny, adorable jars. Notes: A) Steve hates fruit mixed with meat, but see item #1. B) My kids THINK they don't like pineapple, but I know better, and please refer back to item #1. C) They always groan over pineapple on "Chopped" and talk about how it is the one food that ruins any dish when introduced. Did that stop me? Nuh uh. See. I set up everyone to hate their dinner like the evil non-food wasting person that I am, and everyone LOVED it. FYI, the pineapple was surprisin...

Today is Monday. Ugh we are stuck in the winter doldrums over here. It's so cold out and they say it's going to snow like one to eight inches or something so probably school will be closed tomorrow. Damn school district will do anything to get rid of my children. I'm on to those crafty, clever little buggers. Hmmm...I have just the thing to help shake the winter blues for me/celebrate the chance of a snow day for the kiddies. Big ole juicy burgers! With a side of Swiss chard (muhahahahaha)! Grilled food! I love my grill so much I literally would marry it if it took out the garbage and put gas in my car for me (the latter of which Steve DOESN'T do). I miss it a lot during the colder months and have a few tricks up my sleeve to get some grilled food up in here without burning down the house or catching a chill outside. Are you very impressed that I do all the grilling around here? I personally am very impressed with myself. I try to teach me one new life skill per year. ...

  Today is Monday. The inlaws are coming! The inlaws are coming! Quick, clean the house and the children! Steve, go jump in the shower four minutes before their arrival time!  ...Pulled out all the stops for a lil MLK cele with my inlaws tonight. Meaning we had carbs on a Monday and set the table with knives and everything. I chose tonight's dinner very carefully, as my mother-in-law is quite the picky eater (see my dissertation on picky eaters posted below). She doesn't eat fruit or veggies or seeds or nuts or carbs or bones in chicken or cheese or stinky foods or spice. SO, I used two of the requests I got this week: one for Chicken Piccata and one for recipes with <10 ingredients and came up with this feast we all went to TOWN on. We had Chicken Piccata, lemony orzo, Caesar salads, and chocolate cupcakes 4ways (more on those another day). Nom nom nom...she even ate carbs. And garlic. And anchovies! Don't tell her.                Au...

Today is Monday. I can’t believe I have been at this for at least nine days and I haven’t discussed my very favorite food yet: coffee! Oh, the joy of drinking coffee is something nothing else gives me. Throw in a pastry and my kids being anywhere else, and I am happy as a kitten in a ray of sunshine. I don’t often have the chance to incorporate God’s gift to humanity into my dinners, so this short, easy recipe caught my attention. My kids all LOVE steak- far more than either Steve or I care for it. I did not make cornbread because carbs, but I did have a huge side of leftover potato wedges from our weekend of caloric debauchery that I just couldn’t let go to waste. Potatoes are a rarity around here. Like the soldier that I am, I abstained from the fries. (Well I didn't put any on my plate at least.). Reprinted with permission from Leah Brickley, Food Network Kitchen . Coffee-Rubbed Steak with Peppers and Onions Ingredients 2 T. plus 1 tsp. packed light or dark brown sug...