Sticky hoisin orange chicken, hamburger quiche, cauliflower & shrimp fajita bowls, East Indian spinach and lentils, burgers, pancakes & sausage and schnitzel with sauce
So far the last two weeks have not really felt very spring-like with snow almost every day. Monday was beautiful, though, in spite of a strong wind (and no snow!), and I enjoyed a walk around the lake with the dog. She is really good company and is super patient whenever I stop to take photos. We saw an osprey over the lake, my first this year. I'm still working on my wildlife shots, so I didn't get any super clear ones, but it was amazing to see it wheeling over the lake with a backdrop of gorgeous blue sky. I was also thrilled to find several clumps of gorgeous Round-lobed Hepaticas in the woods, and they didn't seem to have been affected by the snow. Yay! They were always my grandmother's favourite and are a sure sign that spring will come, eventually!
I had fun with the recipes this week and was happy to continue cooking with things that were either from the freezer or that had kept from the previous week. I think I got lucky with my cilantro because it was still in perfect condition. Once upon a time, I purchased one of those herb keepers, but I never remember to use it, plus it takes up precious space in my fridge right now.
On the menu April 19 - 25, 2020:
Sunday Sticky Hoisin Orange Chicken with brown rice and frozen stir-fry veggies
I was anxious to try this recipe for a few reasons - it seemed perfect to accompany some frozen Asian-style veggies, it used up the last of my jar of hoisin sauce and it sounded delicious. Happily, it was! It was also quick to prepare and simple - two of my favourite qualities in a recipe. I think your family will love it. It would also be good with boneless, skinless chicken thighs or drumsticks. Give it a try!
Monday Hamburger Quiche with green salad
I found this recipe in my cousin, Debby Wagler's cookbook, Cooking with Memories, and it came well-recommended as one that had been served many times in her home as well as my aunt Noriene's. It was yummy and Mom and I really enjoyed it. Of course, I think it was even better because I used Trick's Creek Farm's ground beef. I know I've said it before, but I really don't want to cook or eat any other kind! This was another great recipe that was fast and easy.
I don't know about you, but around here we've been eating a few more "comfort foods" during this quarantine. Have you heard of the COVID-19? Those pesky 19 pounds (or more!) people are joking about packing on while self-isolating... We're working hard NOT to add 19 pounds during this time, so it was nice to make something without any carbs for a change. These bowls were so good, although I could have been a little more generous with the salt and pepper. The Avocado & Cilantro Sauce was amazing and would be good on a lot of things. I used a whole avocado which may have been a bit more than called for, but we loved it. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly and used cauliflower rice (which I could have cooked a bit longer so it browned), but you could easily add some brown or white rice if you wanted to "carb it up". Definitely a keeper!
Wednesday East Indian Spinach and Lentils with basmati rice
This delicious recipe came from a lovely lady I met through work and is something she makes often for herself and her husband. The linked recipe used chard instead of spinach, but I made this delicious dish with spinach as originally called for. I also added a diced carrot for colour and I think cauliflower would also have been a nice addition. My lentils did not hold their shape like the ones in the photo in the linked post, and this dish turned out a little more soupy, but it was still very tasty. The rice I made tonight did not turn out so well - it was kind of gluey. I recently tried cooking rice in a ton of water and draining it, but I realized too late that my pot was not big enough and I didn't have enough water. (P.S. I know I've served rice two nights in a row, but it seemed like the best accompaniment to these tasty lentils.)
Thursday Burgers and fries with green salad
Tonight was one of those nights when I just wanted to make something easy, so I served burgers and fries. They aren't something we have very often, but we enjoyed them. I recently bought a toaster oven with an air fryer feature, so this was my first time testing it out. It worked great and the frozen fries I used turned out nice and crispy. Shout out to Trick's Creek Farm for another amazing beef product - their hamburger patties. I cooked them in a frying pan since we still don't have a barbecue, and they were juicy and delicious!
Friday The Ultimate Buttermilk Pancakes with sausage and fruit salad
Sometimes, you just need pancakes and sausage for supper. My family has been requesting these for a couple of weeks now, and we all agree, this recipe is the best. The only thing we don't agree on is the syrup - I adore real maple syrup while my son is an Aunt Jemima guy. We always have pancakes with fruit salad and breakfast sausage on the side. These are basically no-fail, and the buttermilk is definitely the "secret" ingredient.
Saturday Pork Schnitzel with Sauce, Roasted Carrots, Beets and Red Onion Wedges and mashed potatoes
I'm not sure why I don't serve roasted vegetables more often since I love them so much. It's been way too long since we had roasted beets and carrots, and they were sweet and delicious. I've been craving mashed potatoes lately so I was really happy to make them as well. The schnitzel was a nice change of pace and Mom really enjoyed the sauce, although it wasn't my favourite. Still good, just not my fave.
#quickandeasymeals #weeknightmeals #mealplanning #canadianliving #eatmoreveggies #alltheveggies #trickscreekfarm #stayhome #stayhomeandcook
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