Here is a chart of this week:
[img attachment=”93744″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”emotional menu chart” /]
Also, I couldn’t find my camera charger all week, so the pictures are much more terrible than usual.
The specifics:
SATURDAY
One pan chicken thighs with veggies
[img attachment=”93771″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”fancy potatoes” /]
I’ve had tons of success with this one-pan roasted chicken and fall vegetable recipe, which I’ve made with crazy purple potatoes (see above. Yes, that is an old picture. I like to keep old pictures of fancy potatoes on my iPad just in case I need them), tender little Brussels sprouts, and all kinds of nice veggies. This week I got an attack of the cheaps when I was shopping, so we just had carrots, white potatoes, and butternut squash. It was still good, and the skin of the chicken thighs roasts up nice and crisp.
A bright and tasty dish you can prepare ahead of time, and only barely have to know how to cook.
SUNDAY
Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Pot Roast, mashed potatoes
This smelled heavenly, looked magnificent, and tasted . . . okay.
I was heartbroken. I’ve been waiting and waiting for beef to go on sale, so I scooped up a nearly five-pound roast and spent most of the day making Tasmanian devil noises while is slowly cooked in wine and beef broth.
[img attachment=”93767″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”pot roast in pan resize” /]
Looks pretty great, right? Well, it wasn’t terrible, it was just bland. The mashed potatoes were good, though.
MONDAY
Korean pork ribs, rice with seaweed, roasted sesame broccoli
I see now that I should redo that chart, because Monday was actually the high point. Couldn’t be more pleased with the way these ribs turned out. I made a triple recipe of my friend Elizabeth’s sauce again:
5 generous Tbs gochujang
2 Tbs honey
2 tsp sugar
2 Tbs soy sauce
5 cloves minced garlic
and set the ribs to marinate all day. Then I threw them under the broiler for half an hour and pulled them out when they were sizzling and gleaming. Then I stepped back and watched my family rediscover their lupine heritage. I’m surprised no one lost a finger. I think we would have considered it a good trade if we had, though.
[img attachment=”93778″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”korean pork ribs” /]
To get this image, I took an elderly cell phone, soaked it in mineral oil for a while, and then hit the shutter button with my elbows while balancing on a can of condensed milk.
The broccoli, I cut it into pieces and put them in a shallow pan, drizzled it with my new found best friend, sesame oil, and sprinkled it with salt, pepper, and toasted sesame seeds. Put it under the broiler for a few minutes until the broccoli was a little bit charred, and it was not bad.
TUESDAY
TACO TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is Taco Tuesday so exciting because it’s called Taco Tuesday, or because you get to eat tacos? Or is it mainly about the sour cream?
WEDNESDAY
Pizza
Two pepperoni, two olive. I’ve never made four pizzas so fast in my life. Not really a story, but I was impressed and feel like telling someone.
Oh, wait, I have a second pizza triumph to report. Here is a pizza that I made several weeks ago. I like to slide it off the pan in the last few minutes, to let it brown up a little underneath. Well, look at the terrible thing that almost happened when I stretched things a little too thin:
[img attachment=”93770″ align=”aligncenter” size=”full” alt=”pizza in peril” /]
But guess what? I saved it! You have to approach these things with confidence.
THURSDAY
Chicken nuggets, chips, veggies, dip, and hummus
The children prepared this meal for me in my hour of need, and all I had to do was set it all up ahead of time, give them detailed instructions, yell at them for not doing it, and then give them a massive guilt trip for how hard it was to get them to do it. Tasty!
FRIDAY
Spaghetti
I may go lie down first, though.
