[img attachment=”98244″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”whats for supper aleteia” /]
Okay, so remember my pathetic lamentations about how horrible I felt the other week? This past week, you could ratchet that aspect down about 20%, but then ratchet up the big events about 50%. I discovered that, digestionwise, I got the same systemic response if I ate two saltines and a sip of electrolyte water, or miso soup and raw octopus with pickled ginger, so what the hell.
That being said, I didn’t do a lot of cooking this week. So if you’re looking for inspirational recipes, then look away, look away.
FRIDAY
Graduation!
We have a high school graduate! A high school graduate with honors in Mandarin.
[img attachment=”108172″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”lena graduation honors” /]
This is where the octopus and such came in. Behold:
[img attachment=”108171″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”sushi boat” /]
SATURDAY
Chicken cutlets with basil and provolone
Birthday! Every year, my second oldest daughter requested Tuna Noodle Casserole with Pink Stuff (mayo, ketchup, and vinegar dressing) as her special, ask-for-anything birthday meal. That’s what her heart desired. Except for last year, when she asked for meatloaf. I did put candles in the meatloaf, because we are a birthday people and meatloaf is our song.
This year, she turned 17, and hallelujah, she asked for chicken cutlets with fresh basil and provolone and homemade sauce. Double hallelujah, this dish is my husband’s specialty. So all I had to do was go shopping, then convalesce as the house filled with marvelous smells.
[img attachment=”108168″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”sauce cooking” /]
This is one of those insano recipes where you have to whack the meat with a mallet. Then you bread it and fry it, lay a large basil leaf and a slice of provolone on top of it, and then ladle a ladle of hot sauce over all, which melts the cheese and rocks your world.
[img attachment=”108178″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”chicken basil provolone” /]
Magnificent. See the little basil leaf sticking out?
SUNDAY
Chicken burgers, chips, salad
On Sunday, we survived Mass, and then my husband took ALL TEN KIDS TO THE MOVIES while I just slept and slept and slept.
MONDAY
Hot dogs; Potato salad
Daughter made supper, using this basic potato salad recipe from Fannie Farmer.
TUESDAY
Tacos, chips
Another graduation! This time it was for the eighth grader. With an eye to manageable precedents, we established a tradition of feting the eighth grade graduate with some gas station flowers and a cheeseburger. This was our first male 8th grade graduate, so he opted for two burgers and no flowers.
I can’t seem to find a decent picture of my son, so please enjoy this photo of a giant goober instead. No particular reason.
[img attachment=”108174″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”Giant_peanut_in_Plains,_Georgia” /]
The kids at home made the tacos.
WEDNESDAY
Spaghetti with meat sauce
Wednesday was finally finally the last day of school for the last of the kids. It was a half day, so we went to the beach in the afternoon. When we got home, I fried up two pounds of loose sausage meat, added two jars of sauce, and glugged in a bunch of cheap red wine. Good, hearty, after-swim meal.
THURSDAY
Pulled pork sandwiches with red onions; Cole slaw
Pork cooked at 185 with salt, pepper, and a can of Naragansett Beer. Hi, neighbor!
Oldest kid made the coleslaw. She suggested it on the way home from work, but then scoffed at her pie-in-the-sky fantasies of just happening to find a cabbage casually lying around. But we did have such a cabbage. Also some radishes, for some reason, which she added to the coleslaw. They turned the dressing pink!
She’s very proud of her recipe, so here it is:
1 cup Mayo
1 cup White vinegar
Half cup Lemon juice
Half cup Sugar
1 head cabbage
5-6 Baby Carrots
4-5 Radishes
FRIDAY
Tuna noodle
Guess who asked for tuna noodle?
Oh, I forgot!
In the week that I was very confused because everyone was sick, we had Cobb Salad at some point, but it got left off the list somehow. I’ve never had a Cobb Salad before, so I just followed the most basic recipe I could find, and made tons of it.
[img attachment=”108176″ align=”aligncenter” size=”medium” alt=”cobb salad” /]
Bacon, lettuce, avocados, grilled chicken, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, and chives (which grow wild in our yard), and bleu cheese dressing, I think. I feel like there was cheese in there somewhere, but I don’t see it in the picture.
Huge hit, very pretty. This is definitely going on the rotation.
