Raclette, fish with lemon cream sauce, bbq pork tenderloin and three slow cooker meals - cabbage roll casserole, shepherd's pie and sweet and sour chicken.
We rang in the New Year with a delicious and fun Raclette Dinner, but the rest of the week was pretty quiet and maybe just a bit lazy. I was off work so I had more time to cook, although we did do some running around for swimming lessons. I always find it funny that when two weeks off stretches out before you, it seems like so much time. I always anticipate all of the things I will be able to check off my to-do list, and look forward to having some "me" time. Yet somehow, the days fly by and I rarely accomplish all that I had hoped. That said, I am trying to just enjoy each day as it comes, and I am grateful for whatever I do manage to get done.
My "One Little Word" for 2019 is "Rest". I haven't actually undertaken this as a project (although I love the concept!), but I have chosen a word for the last couple of years and just reflected on that periodically throughout the year. Last year's word was "Restore" and looking back, I do feel like that happened for me. This year, I hope to make "Rest" more of a focus, in that I stop striving to get things done, and just rest in what is. I'm not big on New Year's resolutions (mostly because I never seem to stick with them!), but I can really get behind choosing a word to be more intentional about. How about you? Resolution or word?
On the menu - December 30, 2018 - January 5, 2019:
Sunday Chicken Potpie Chowder
This recipe is from the "Yum and Yummer" cookbook by Greta Podleski and is a great way to use up leftover chicken. Hearty and yummy!
Monday Raclette Dinner
Such a fun way to eat dinner on New Year's Eve! I've never had Raclette before and we all really enjoyed it. (Dad ate leftovers tonight, but he was okay with that). We managed to find true Raclette cheese at Countryside Poultry near Listowel and it is amazing!
Tuesday Baked Fish with Lemon Cream Sauce and Broccoli and Rice Pilaf with broccoli and green salad
I haven't made rice pilaf in a while, but it is still a favourite around here. I often substitute cauliflower for the broccoli and it is a really nice accompaniment to fish. This fish dish was really tasty and super moist. It was also easy to make and quick to cook. Win, win.
Wednesday BBQ Pork Tenderloin with baked potatoes and green peas
This was pretty simple, but it tasted good and I was able to use things I had on hand. I took a frozen pork tenderloin (about a pound) and covered it with Diana Sauce - the Gourmet Rib & Chicken flavour. I also added some water to the bottom of the dish so there would be some extra liquid for Dad. Then I baked it in the oven at 375 F for about two hours, along with some potatoes in a separate dish.
Thursday Cabbage Roll Casserole (Crock Pot) with green salad and carrots
Officially I used the Easy Cabbage Roll Casserole recipe from "300 Slow Cooker Favorites" by Anna-Marie Pye, but the linked recipe above comes close. This is a great one to make if you have a long day and need supper ready when you walk in the door. The casserole can cook as long as 10 hours in the slow cooker, although the ingredients are pretty soft by then (perfect for my dad). I love this recipe because it tastes like cabbage rolls without all the work. When my son asked what we were having for supper, he said "That tastes okay, but it's not as good as cabbage rolls." However, as he was heading back for a second helping later, he said, "I was wrong. This is really good." High praise indeed, coming from a huge fan of cabbage rolls. Dad also came back for a second helping tonight.
Friday Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Butternut Squash and green salad
I actually made Mother Hubbard's Favorite Shepherd's Pie from "300 Slow Cooker Favorites" by Donna-Marie Pye today, but since I don't have permission to share that recipe with you, the linked recipe sounded good and seems easy to adapt using whatever you like or happen to have on hand. I may have mentioned I use Donna Marie's cookbook a lot! This is a great recipe for those who want to reduce the amount of carbohydrates they are eating. It would be very easy to replace the frozen corn in her recipe with a different vegetable. Mom and Dad thought this was great, and it pureed well. It was nice to be able to separate the squash for Dad so he could have two different things to eat. My son thought it was pretty bland so he topped his off with some Sriracha sauce. I enjoyed it, although it was definitely a mild-flavored dish.
Saturday Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken with rice and spinach salad
This turned out really well. I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breast, and it cooked in 3 hours as the recipe indicates. It was quick and easy to put together and was a nice change of pace with water chestnuts, pineapple and snow peas.
That's awesome! I definitely plan to make it a holiday tradition.
We love raclette and also did it this Christmas season twice.