The week we ate all the vegetables…and leftovers.

Hope everyone that celebrated had a restful and delicious holiday. I had turkey twice (Thanksgiving plus Friendsgiving two days later), and then stuffing waffles twice. (Have you made these ever? I’m convinced it’s the best way to use the waffle iron. I’ll leave the VERY best way to make this a breakfast at the end of this post.) I believe as of today at 1:02 p.m. I have eaten my last turkey sandwich. Until 2024, big birdie!

This is what happens when you have Chef friends who make your turkey.

But yes, back to it. Back to my mostly vegetarian lifestyle, and back to planning a full week of dinners. Sort of.

This week:

Sunday: At Z’s request, Broccoli Cheese Soup. I also had time to bake this bread which was heavenly on the side. (Yes, I made the bread from scratch, and no, I’m not better than you. I just have more time right now. And I REALLY love homemade bread!)

Monday: Fried rice. Here’s the scoop on this: I used to follow a recipe, but now I just throw it together from memory. Remind me to write down how I do it. But the beauty of it is this: you can’t screw it up too much. We add edamame for all of us (but not A), and extra soy sauce for the parents.

Tuesday: Southwestern Lentils and Rice Skillet. Have I talked about this one yet? Everyone loved it, but since Zoe mostly doesn’t like rice, I just don’t bring attention to it.

Wednesday: I have plans, so it’ll be a leftover night!

Thursday: I have plans again (’tis the season), so either more leftovers or breakfast for dinner!

Friday: I’m trying out a new one. Smitten Kitchen doesn’t do me wrong, so we are trying her perfect vegetable lasagna. I’ll report back on this one!

Saturday: Finally, we get to celebrate A’s bday with her friends, and she is taking them all for a cooking class. They’ll be making homemade pasta. I hope they feed the parents. I’ll probably make a little something for the parents’ table, but I haven’t decided yet.

HOW TO SERVE THOSE STUFFING WAFFLES (breakfast edition):

Follow your waffle iron instructions, but use the leftover stuffing instead of batter. Once they are done (they take longer than a typical waffle in my opinion), top with a beautiful fried egg or two and some leftover gravy. You’re welcome.

J’s Aunt Kathy’s “Fresh” Creamed Corn

I feel like I have written this story down in a previous blog, but who knows where it is. If you have heard it before, just click “jump to recipe” for the recipe. (HA! Joke’s on you, I don’t have that feature. But you can scroll on down.)

Back when J was younger and going to holiday dinners with his mom’s side of the family, his aunt would always make this creamed corn recipe that everyone loved. One year, Jason was hosting a friendsgiving, so he emailed his mom, sisters, Aunt Kathy, and grandma for the recipe. His Aunt Kathy responded first, and we have this email from her that we see every year as we search for the recipe, as this corn has become a family staple.

In her honor, I want to share this recipe with you. It really is such a lovely side dish for Thanksgiving, or even as a side if you’re roasting a chicken. So here ya go!

“FRESH” CREAMED CORN

Ingredients:

• Two 16 oz packages frozen whole kernel corn
• 6 T. butter
• 6 T. sugar*
• 3/4 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1 cup milk

Directions:

1. Place frozen corn in food processor fitted with metal blade.  Process
   for 1 minute or until half of the corn kernels are cut up.
2. Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet.  
3. Add corn, sugar, salt, pepper and milk.  Stir.  Cook over low heat 15 to 30 minutes until liquid is
   reduced to creamed corn consistency.  
4. Stir occasionally.  More milk may be added if mixture becomes too dry.

* Sometimes I don’t add the full amount of sugar if the corn I’m using is on the sweeter side. You can likely get away with less.

Thanksgiving week 2023

Happy Turkey Week, if you enjoy the holiday! (Or else, happy hopefully shortened and lighter work-week for those of you that don’t like it?) Me? I’m a turkey stan. Or really, it’s all about the gravy. Turkey gravy once a year (or for however long the leftovers last) is my favorite thing ever. On turkey, obviously. (That dry meat needs something, right?) Mashed potatoes? YES. Stuffing? Absolutely. Cranberry sauce?* Well, I like to pretend that it is an accident, but that salty/sweet/savory mix is what I live for this week.

My meal-planning looks light this week due to the holiday. The kiddos are enjoying some quality family time while I continue a toy purge. (This is one of my least favorite things about parenting–the constant need to purge all things toys and clothes. Do not recommend.) Before I get to our plan, a quick recap from last week, and reporting back from the new recipes.

The kids did not love the Creamy Tomato Rigatoni. We loved it. Sigh. Kids can be such haters.

The Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry was a hit (again). I didn’t have frozen peas, which is my own fault. Usually I do a quick audit of the pantry staples, frozen peas are usually plentiful in here. Alas we were out. I subbed broccoli for the cauliflower and used curry powder instead of paste (it tends to be less spicy, as I live with two people who are more sensitive to spice), and it turned out wonderfully.

Onto the Thanksgiving week! While we have hosted Thanksgiving (and a Friendsgiving!) the past several years, we are headed to family and friends for both this year. I’ll be bringing some mashed potatoes (this is my favorite recipe if I am following one and not just winging it, which is usually what I do), J’s Aunt Kathy’s creamed corn (will share the recipe on the blog!), and the best stuffing in the universe. (Seriously, I am not a stuffing person and this recipe has fully converted me.)

What are your Thanksgiving faves? Are you pro-gravy? And the important question (H/T to my good friend on this one), do you love or hate pumpkin pie?**

Have a wonderful week!

*Yes, I prefer the jelly cranberries out of the can. No, I will not debate you on this because I’m correct.

**No pumpkin pie. Never. Sorry, AP.

Trying one new this week, and celebrating our first born!

For those of you who have been around since the blogs before this one, you might be shocked to learn that my Beebs is turning ten on Saturday. Two digits. I struggle to believe that I have been a parent for this long. It also seems like just yesterday? Parenting, am I right? But our almost ten year old is still a vegetarian, so I have planned yet another week of vegetarian entrees!

And, of course, we had to incorporate some birthday celebrations into the week for her!

But first, I promised to report back on the Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers I planned for last week. Everyone liked them! It may have been a little spicy (thanks to the Trader Joe’s taco seasoning, which tends to be spicier than other kinds), so I added some extra corn for the kids. I also had quite a bit of the rice mixture leftover (I think I used smaller peppers), so I ate that for lunch topped with a little cheese and fried eggs. We will call that one a keeper!

We also skipped the fish sticks night, as we had plenty of leftovers, so I opted to work through those as opposed to making something new. (A key to menu planning is building in some flexibility. I hate wasting, so I like to build in leftover nights, and include some things that can hold over from week to week.)

This week:

Sunday: We did leftovers last night. Not exciting, but also, very easy.

Monday: Black bean soup! This is my favorite recipe right now, but we have some in the freezer we should use, so we will thaw that. But seriously, make that recipe, the lime crema is next level. We love it with fritos too!

Tuesday: Chickpea and Vegetable Coconut Curry. I almost always sub out the cauliflower for broccoli, it just looks prettier, and I use curry powder instead of paste. (I have kids that balk at spicy, so the powder seems to be a more subtle flavor.) This is crowd pleaser!

Wednesday: Leftovers again. Wednesdays are our busy nights, as both kids have activities, so I aim for speed/efficiency, and can’t really plan on cooking a full meal these nights.

Thursday: Trying a new one: Creamy Tomato Rigatoni. Will report back! Will likely serve with a salad.

Friday: At request, orange chicken. Yes, I buy the frozen bag, and yes, I generally plan this when I am out for the evening. For those vegetarians out there, Trader Joe’s does a good faux orange chicken that is Beebs-approved!

Saturday: The birthday night! She’s requested “real ramen,” so we are taking her out. I’ll be making her cake, however, and have never gone wrong with Smitten Kitchen’s “the ‘i want chocolate cake’ cake.” It’s really that good, and very simple too!

Can you believe it’s Thanksgiving NEXT WEEK? I won’t be normally menu planning, but I absolutely will share what I contribute to the holiday on the blog next week. Have a great week, all!

This week on the menu!

Happy November and DST! (Why are we still doing this, please tell me?!)

I write from the lightness of the day and well into my second month of my sabbatical. I’m starting to enjoy myself a bit more now (and am deep into my third podcast (Exposed) which is honestly making me reconsider reactivating my law license to fight because this story is insane), but trying to keep the routine of posting my menu plan on Mondays for those three people (YES, THREE!!! I love you so much, thank you) who have told me they enjoy it.

I owe you updates first! The Vegetarian Pho that I planned for last week was a smashing hit. I can never find star anise, so I used Chinese Five Spice Powder as a substitute and it turned out so great. The depth of flavor, especially for a vegetarian meal, was incredible. I added some tofu croutons (another Mark Bittman recipe) for protein. I’d probably think of more veggies to add to it (baby bok choy??) next time, but loved this recipe and will make again. And it looked so pretty in the pot!

This week:

Sunday: Tried a new recipe last night, but they liked it! Baked Gnocchi with broccoli was a hit. Also, I liked this one because it was simple, fast, and required only two pots: one to blanch the broccoli and gnocchi, and one to go into the oven.

Monday: Cheesy pinto beans This is another one that’s new to our family, but we are HUGE fans of the Budget Bytes recipes and site. I’ll serve with rice and perhaps corn muffins. (I realize as I write this that I started this blog in 2014 when I had one child and was a lawyer. That one child is almost TEN, and guess what, she makes those corn muffins without my help now!!!! I’m also not a lawyer anymore. What a decade!)

Tuesday: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Another new one! Will report back on how the kids like it.

Wednesday: OK, phoning it in a smidge. My kids LOVE fish sticks (or, for my vegetarian, faux fish sticks), so I am doing that, but I’ll do my own salmon bowl. I’ll throw some rice in the cooker and serve that and some more broccoli on the side.

Thursday: Girls’ dinner! J is traveling for work so I am thinking of making a board for us and having a girl dinner. Cheeses, crackers, some fruit, salami for Z, garbanzo beans for A, pickles for all of us. Sound perfect!

Friday: I’m breaking from my typical vegetarian fare and let Z pick the dinner. I’m going to make my mom’s Swedish meatballs and some buttered noodles. I googled for other recipes, but I know that my kiddos like this one, so I’ll stick with the tried and true here, even if I generally have graduated past meals with cream of mushroom soup in them. #midwestisbest, right?

Saturday: Leaving this as a TBD and will do whatever sounds good!

Hope you all take some time to crunch a leaf or two and appreciate these crispish fall temperatures. I’m about due for my second walk of the day! ‘Til next week!

(As an aside, I’m contemplating doing a separate post along how I do my menu planning and grocery shopping. I love it so much, but I know some people don’t really enjoy it so much, so perhaps some tips might help you?)