This Week's Meals

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We are entertaining (twice!) this week, which I'm looking forward to, but am also finding a bit daunting as time on weeknights is super limited.

Here's what we are thinking:

• Warm French Lentils (Ina Garten, How Easy is That?) with a green salad, a baguette and cheese 
• Mustard-Marinated Flank Steak (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust) with this recipe for Couscous Salad (Hither & Thither)
• Pasta with Yoghurt and Caramelized Onion (Food52 via Cup of Jo)

Wish us luck!

Monday: Meals for the Week

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This weekend was so nice, though we're still battling colds and coughs, so it was a bit less restful than I'd hoped. Friday night we went out for pizza at a nearby kid-friendly restaurant. We had a playdate on Saturday morning, all took a nap in the early afternoon and then ran a few errands and ended up at the park for a bit. I've checked this book out of the library to read next as Kaitlin recommended it.

Sunday we did our weekly shop and had a friend over for dinner. Nothing too exciting, but a nice mix of quiet and social. Hoping for some spring weather to knock the coughs out of our apartment. Plus, some home-cooked meals.

• Haianese Chicken Rice (Mark Bittman for the New York Times): We lived in Singapore for 2 months in 2010 and the food was amazing. I've been wanting to try to find some recipes from our time there for ages. Hopefully this one will live up to our memories.
• Caramelized Shallot, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Garlic Butter Pasta (How Sweet It Is)
• Spiced Pork Burgers with Grilled Peppers (Real Simple): We've made this a bunch and it's a nice change from beef or turkey burgers. We've accidentally substituted caraway seeds for the fennel seeds in the past and they've been just as delicious. 
• Korean Beef Bowl (Damn Delicious)

Soup: Lentil Soup with Lemon Yoghurt Cream (The Kitchn)

Sweet Treat: Chocolate Chunk Blondies (Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust)

Notes on last week's meals here. 

This Week's Meals

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This week's recipes are a mix of standbys and newbies. Here's what's on our menu:

• Roasted Chicken and Carrots with Olives and Lemons (Real Simple): This is a hit in our household. My husband prefers a traditional chicken, but I think it's a nice twist, and our toddler can't get enough of the carrots.
• Potato and Spinach Saag (How to Cook Everything Fast)
• Update on this: this was tasty, but the cream made it really filling. I think next time I make it I might cut the cream in half, or use light cream instead. 
• Weeknight Bolognese (barefoot contessa, how easy is that?): This is a perennial favorite. Tip: cut the salt in half. 
• Chicken Pot Pie

Soup: Fire Roasted Chipotle Tomato Soup with Cilantro Lime Crema & Black Beans (Kale & Caramel)
Note: this soup was delicious, but very spicy! I enjoyed it, but don't think young kids would, unless they have a high tolerance for heat.

Easy Weeknight Meals

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I am always on the hunt for fast and easy meal recommendations, especially during the week. Our latest strategy has been to plan out our weeknight meals over the weekend, head to a local supermarket (we love Fairway), and do most of the heavy cooking on Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

Our staple sources tend to be Real Simple and any one of Ina Garten's cookbooks. I have to admit, I'm partial to How Easy Is That? Also, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law gave us a subscription to Bon Appetit for Christmas last year, which was such a great gift, and often inspires us to switch things up a bit.  We're trying 2 new recipes from Bon Appetit this week.

Here's what's on our menu this week:

Skirt Steak with Shallot Pan Sauce (Bon Appetit)
Turkey and Roasted Red Pepper Meatloaf (Real Simple): We've had this countless times. It's always a hit.
Cacio e Pepe (Bon Appetit): We're trying this for the first time this week.
Sauteed Chicken and Peppers with Black Beans and Coconut Rice (Real Simple): Again, we've had this so many times. Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook.
Lentil Vegetable Soup (Ina Garten): Great for lunches, and easy to swap out chicken stock for vegetable stock if you want a tasty vegetarian recipe.


If anyone has any favorite easy recipes, I'd love to know!