Question of the week:
What childhood meal are you always trying to recreate?
For me, it’s beef stroganoff. I’ve used lots of different recipes, many fancier than the one my mother used, but I haven’t been able to get it to taste quite as good. Maybe the missing ingredient is walking home from school, trudging up the hill in the snow (we really did live on top of a big hill!), slogging up the porch steps, opening the front door, and stepping into a warm cloud of stroganoff aroma. Mmmmmmmmm.
SATURDAY
Grilled ham and cheese, potato chips
Like I said, grilled ham and cheese, potato chips. We did some prep work for the Sunday meal: I made the risotto for the suppli, and Damien prepped the pork roast so it could sit overnight.
SUNDAY
Columbus Day Feast!
Porchetta Pork I had my doubts about this recipe, because I don’t like that licorice smell of fennel; but by the time it came out of the oven, it had melded together with a symphony of other smells and flavors, and it was
was
wa
oh, sorry, I fell into a short coma thinking about how this pork tasted.
Suppli. I made 28. They looked great, because I didn’t crowd them in the pan for once;
but I was so determined to prevent them from falling apart in the pan that I chilled the risotto too long, and the cheese in the middle didn’t melt completely, even after I put them in the oven after frying. Kind of sad. Still delicious.
Caprese Salad (fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil leaves drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper)
(this photo is blurry because my eyes glazed over with desire)
and Bruschetta with two kinds of pesto (from jars) and marinated artichokes.
Not the most coherent combination of foods, and it was funny to have an Italian meal without any pasta, but it was all good stuff.
Dessert:
Lemon and strawberry ices.
We were supposed to have cannoli, but no one in town had cannoli shells. I did findthis list of 22 things to do with cannoli filling, but didn’t have time. I would gladly devour any of these.
MONDAY
French Toast Casserole, Cantaloupe, Leftovers
Last time I shared a French toast casserole recipe, I shared the wrong one. I like this one better. I also recommend not using rye bread or tortillas. Bleh.
Cantaloupe: I have recently discovered that it’s faster to take the fruit off the peel than vice versa. So you cut the cantaloupe into quarters, scoop out the seeds, and then slice a grid into the fruit, making sure you go all the way down to the rind. Then you just slide the knife in the end and make the final cut to separate all the chunks from the rind.
Making sure, of course, to be careful where you point your knife.
“Seppuku-2″ by signed Kunikazu Utagawa (歌川 国員), pupil of Kunisada – scan of photograph of ukiyoe woodblock print now in my possession, original work by artist kunikazu utagawa. Licensed under Public Domain via Commons –
TUESDAY
Ham and mashed potatoes
And the dog said, “O fair and mighty goddess of ham, I abase myself before thee! Ohhh, do I abase myself!”
P.S. Can I start a Gofundme for a new kitchen floor? Echh.
WEDNESDAY
Frozen chicken burgers, cheez puffs or something, and salad
See that? Salad!
Image by darkuncle (license)
THURSDAY
Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cornbread Muffins
Tortilla soup:
I wouldn’t say I followed this recipe from Pioneer Woman, so much as I skulked around in its general vicinity. I skipped a few ingredients, made a few substitutions, eyeballed measurements, and more or less just chucked everything in together at once. It was DELICIOUS. We put sour cream on top. Just fantastic.
I like how she says
Cut the tortillas into uniform 2- to 3-inch strips. Stir most of them into the soup just before serving. This is what makes tortilla soup tortilla soup!
This is why she’s the expert and you’re just an idiot.
But check out this picture I took! It is easily the fanciest soup picture I have ever taken:
Clara made the corn bread muffins from the recipe on the side of the Quaker container . What do you call a cylindrical cardboard container, anyway? I feel like there is a word.
I tried to take a photo of her holding the fruits of her labor, so of course Irene shoved in and gave the corn muffins bunny ears, because CAMERA.
FRIDAY
Spaghetti with jarred sauce, salad
Just resting on my homemade soup laurels.
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There you have it. Don’t forget the question of the week! And if you link up, please do link back to this post. Happy weekend!