November 11 - 17, 2018
Winter seems to have come early to our part of the world, and that definitely influences what I feel like cooking... I love using root vegetables and apples, and making meals that make me feel warm inside! I thought the menu last week definitely delivered on that score.
November 11 - 17, 2018:
Comforting chili con carne, a sweet and savoury sausage dish, slow cooker orange chicken, tortellini soup, cheddar, ham and cauliflower chowder and a foil pack fish dinner.
On the menu last week:
Sunday Winona's Famous Chili Con Carne with tortilla chips, cheese and a green salad
Dad is nearly always in the mood for this chili, even when other things may not appeal. This time I used beans in tomato sauce (sometimes I use beans with maple syrup), and about 1/2 tbsp chili powder along with a whole can of tomato sauce. It turned out a little on the soupy side, which was perfect. Dad wrote, "Great flavour and balance between sweet and spice. A great chili."
Monday Sausages with Fruity Slaw with sweet potatoes and carrots
This is a great recipe for using up leftover cabbage (from Cabbage Patch Soup in Week 2's Meal Plan), or a bag of coleslaw mix works well, too. This is a wonderful sweet and savoury blend of flavours that marry well with sausage (my fave is always going to be Hayter’s Farm Honey Garlic sausage which is made with turkey). I made double the sausage for this recipe so we would have lots of leftovers. NOTE: I cooked the cabbage, onion and apple mixture for a long time so that it was really soft and added some extra water for Dad.
Dad struggled with this one tonight. I’m not sure if the sausage was extra peppery or what happened, but it wasn’t as successful for him as I had hoped. The rest of us really enjoyed it.
Tuesday leftovers / eat out / takeout
Wednesday Crockpot Orange Chicken with brown rice and broccoli and cauliflower
I try to vary the carbs I serve each week, and make sure that we eat some rice, some pasta and some potatoes. I like to throw some beans or sweet potatoes in there, too, from time to time. Since last week's dish served with rice was not my favorite, I thought I'd try again with this orange-flavored chicken.
Sadly, I didn't feel that this dish turned out very photo-worthy, but what it lacked in good looks, it more than made up for in taste. Personally, I would say it was well done after 5 hours on low, at least in my 6-quart slow cooker. I used 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, rather than the chicken breasts and as usual, they were moist and tender.
Mom wrote "The chicken was absolutely delicious, including the broth which I added back into the puree. Very, very nice. We can do that one again anytime." Dad enjoyed it as well.
Thursday Skinnytaste Tomato-Spinach Tortellini Soup with fresh buns
This recipe comes from the new "Skinnytaste One and Done" cookbook and is delicious. I always tend to use a bit too much tortellini, and so I have to add extra broth when I reheat it, but my son likes it with lots of pasta.
I think you could easily add some cooked chicken, ground beef, or Italian sausage to this recipe.
The cookbook is fantastic and features recipes that use the slow cooker, instant pot, air fryer, etc. There are also directions for stove-top or another method if you don't have the specified appliance.
Friday Cheddar Cauliflower Ham Chowder with Quick Cheese Biscuits
As I mention in the recipe post, this soup had enough liquid that it pureed well which is really necessary these days. These biscuits are one of the few that my dad can actually eat. Dad texted to say, "Very good soup. And the cheese biscuits are totally superior to ... insert restaurant name where he tried some today - no comparison." High praise indeed!
Saturday Salmon and Summer Veggies in Foil
Although the recipe link calls for salmon, I used fresh whitefish that Mom and Dad picked up. And despite the fact that the vegetables are classified as “summer”, they should be available pretty much year round. Baked in foil, the fish turns out very moist which is key for my dad these days. This is pretty simple but very tasty.
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