So Not a Vegetarian

Linking up today with Beth Anne's Best and Tales from Astoria to blather on and on, and without much claim at originality, about cooking sin carne for Lent. I just can't resist a good Link Up Fiesta.

A leeeetle, teeny part of me wants to be just say, "Go to your parish fish fry. Support your Knights of Columbus (or whomever)!" and leave it at that. Part of that would be good and right and true. And it is what we've mostly been doing this Lent. But I also know that that's not a solution for everyone for a variety of reasons.

So . . . away I blather!

I am so not a vegetarian. I enjoy meat. I do. Even so, we try to avoid meat once a week, even when it's not Lent. This is particularly challenging in our house for a couple of reasons besides liking meat. First, I am seriously (and I do mean seriously, but thankfully not anaphylactically seriously) allergic to eggs. That means no quiche or omelets or simple scrambled eggs (unless Charles makes them for himself, which only happens on rare occasion). It also means saying no to lots of baked-by-others goods. Second, Charles isn't a big fan of creamy, cheesey, gooey (what I would consider yummy) things. No mac & cheese or risotto or cheese enchiladas in this house.

To top it all off, I'm just starting to toy around with cooking fish. If you want seafood recipes I'm not your go-to girl.

That means we rely on three things: pizza (need I really explain more?), pasta (I plant to post my favorite, if not particularly original, recipe next week), and soup.

Last year and the year we were engaged, we enjoyed simple soup suppers for Lent. Just soup and bread/rolls/whatever. The soups were homemade*, the bread was not. Were it not for our fish fry attendance, it would be our plan again this year. so I present to you (if you've actually made it this far), my Lenten soup schedule:

Ash Wednesday: Vegetable soup in the Crock Pot
1st Friday: Butternut Squash soup
2nd Friday: Vegetarian Tortilla soup
3rd Friday: Tomato soup
4th Friday: Vegetarian minestrone soup
**5th Friday: Veggie chowder (Recipe found via Pinterest...all others from my head/reading several recipes/throwing stuff together.)
6th Friday: Potato soup
Good Friday: Veg soup in the Crock Pot again (It just hits the spot and is ready to go when we get home from Mass/Liturgy and such without being a huge "large meal.")

I hope to incorporate soups in my meal plans the next few weeks of Lent anyway, as I've slacked off this week and last. I also plan to incorporate some new bread recipes to go with them, so that's always fun!

*I generally use water/vegetable broth/tomato products instead of chicken stock during Lent.

**No, I couldn't make this for Charles, but I have made it for lunches and it is yummy, so you should make some, too.

"I'm so hungry, I could eat my shoe." 'Cause every post needs a picture, and I can't find any of my soup pics.

Meal Plan Monday, Vol. 12

Totally boring week in Meal Plan land, but...I can't help myself, so I'm posting a week of total repeats. Lame, but whatevs.

Luke warm veggies are so good, I lick my bowl.

Saturday: Mexican with Dad and BG

Sunday: Pork roast with potatoes and carrots

Monday: Chicken pesto pasta, salad

Tuesday: Honey/soy/garlic pork chops, couscous, veg (I had originally planned on spinach, but the whole spinach recall is probably going to make it scarce/scary, so I'll see what looks yummy in the ol' store when I go later today.)

Wednesday: Butternut squash soup, bread

Thursday: Tacos, Spanish rice (For the tacos, I'll be using this recipe, but use pre-made hard shells.)

Friday: Lenten fish fry at church (Good Grief...can you get more Catholic in 1964?!?)

There is also going to be experimental homemade bread this week, but I'm not 100% sure what day. There will be a whole post, whatever the verdict. Get excited.

Meal Plan Monday, Vol. 8

My meal plan consists of milk, water, lukewarm veggies and puffs!

Happy MLK Day! We'll be enjoying our long-weekend day by cleaning house and nursing our poor be-colded baby back to health.

This is also H's last week of his family medicine rotation, but it is going to be a weirdly truncated week: off today, work 2, off 2. His shelf exam will be on Friday, so we'll all be studying for that this week.

So, without further ado, ye ol' meal plan.

Saturday: chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice.
  For the filling, I used the leftovers from the cilantro-lime chicken I had last week.

Sunday: Brown sugar balsamic pork tenderloin, baked sweet potatoes, salad and French bread toast
  The recipe for the pork tenderloin is all over the internet, for example, here, and it was yum-my! Being me, I halved it and made it with half of a tenderloin, because that's a good amount for the two of us.

Monday: Chicken pesto pasta, garlic toast

Tuesday: Butternut squash soup, bread

Wednesday: Chicken and sausage "paella" over rice
  I use the recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (it's old school, but I love it!). I call it "paella" because I use turmeric instead of saffron and because it is a CrockPot recipe, so it has none of the crusty yumminess of actual paella. However, it is still tasty, and in the end, that's what counts!

Thursday: Crock Pot pinto beans, tacos

Friday: Last pizza Friday for a bit

Meal Plan Monday, Vol. 7

Another exciting edition of Meal Plan Monday here in Coffee land. As I write this, Little has been asleep since 8, with just one teeny little midnight snack. Life looks good. And I've just jinxed myself into a 4-wakeup night tonight.

Anyway, lots of very little excitement at the homestead this week.

Saturday: Split pea soup Baja Fresh (We ended up getting take-out after our trip to Babies R Us to get Round 1 of baby proofing supplies.We got basics, then we'll see what we need once she's actually moving.)

Sunday: Pork tenderloin, oven-roasted carrots, baked potatoes, toast

Monday: CMA day. I'm sooo not cooking.

Tuesday: Little has a doctor's appointment (well-child), so it needs to be hands-off in case she gets fussy after her shots
   Cilantro-lime chicken and rice in the Crock Pot
   I use this recipe (via Pinterest), but I serve it over rice like a rice bowl.

Wednesday: Beef stew (Dutch oven), bread

Thursday: Potential play day with my cousin
   Chili (in Crock Pot) and cornbread

Friday: Pizza with C's parents, week 3 of 4. They are babysitting Little while Hubster and I take a mini-class at church, and we are all doing pizza before the two of us leave.

Meal Plan Monday Vol. 6

Since things are getting back to normal, it's time for getting back to my meal plans. I'm going to try and include occasional recipes and links and, eventually, pictures. Mostly this is so that when I'm having trouble figuring out what to make for dinner, I have some inspiration. I don't include seasonings, but obviously, everything should be seasoned to taste. I use Kosher salt, pepper, and garlic & onion powders in just about everything. I generally cook enough for the two of us, with leftovers for my lunches if it is a soup or stew or something of that nature, so any recipes I write reflect that.

This month, Hubster is doing a rural family medicine rotation that is great for experience, bad for commuting. That means that I'm focusing particularly on Crock Pot dinners and things that I can put in the oven while he is driving so that dinner can be ready or close to ready when he gets home. That also allows me to be with Little while she is at her fussiest.

Lastly, this week, we have some friends in town. We'll have dinner with them one night. I have it tentatively scheduled for Tuesday on this, but will do meal adjusting appropriately when we have plans firmed up.

Saturday - Hubster did a home brew with a recipe my dad gave him for Christmas, which takes over the kitchen, so we picked up sandwiches to keep things easy.

Sunday - Lemon chicken, couscous, green beans

Monday - Ground beef stoup ("stoup" tm Rachael Ray), bread

  1/2 lb ground beef

  1 can green beans, drained

  1 can corn, drained

  1 cup frozen peas (appx)

  1-2 cups frozen Southern Style hashbrowns (appx)

  1 sm can tomato sauce

  1 onion, chopped

  1 Tbs chopped garlic

  2 Tbs corn starch

  Combine all ingredients in the Crock Pot. Add enough water to cover all ingredients. Cook on low for 8ish hours.

Tuesday - Dinner with friends

Wednesday - Honey garlic pork chops, rice, spinach, perhaps roasted sweet potatoes
  Pork Chops - recipe here

Thursday - Ground beef enchiladas, rice
  Enchiladas: recipe inspired by this one

Friday - Pizza?

Meal Plan Monday, Vol. 5

Saturday: Christmas party at a friend's house

Sunday: Pork roast (crockpot)

Monday: CMA meeting - Burrito

Tuesday: Parish Women's/Moms' Advent Reflection - Tortilla soup, rolls

Wednesday: chicken and sausage paella (crockpot recipe)

Thursday: Tacos (pre-made shells, not Tucson tacos), rice

Friday: Salmon, spinach, mashed potatoes

Meal Plan Monday - Vol. 3

Saturday: French dip, fries

Sunday: The anniversary of my First Communion/Confirmation -  I made my favorite dinner (both to cook and to eat) to celebrate - braised beef shanks and baguette

Monday: Pork chops, spinach, couscous, bread

Tuesday: Crock Pot beef tacos (Recipe from Pinterest)

Wednesday: Italian Chicken bake (recipe from Pinterest -- big success when I tried it a few weeks ago)

Thursday: Crock Pot chicken teriyaki, brown rice

Friday: TBD (I was feeling uninspired and forgot to plan when I left for the store in a baby-is-napping Saturday morning frenzy. I'll probably throw some chicken and stuff together and call it a night.)

This week is generally going to be a busy one, with holiday stuff and family stuff and Charles' school stuff, so everything is easy, prep-ahead stuff that will come together without a lot of fuss, but still be tasty.

Meal Plan Monday (Vol. 2)

This was the original plan:

Saturday: ummm . . . need to figure this out

Sunday: Crock Pot pot roast, bread

Monday: C's First Day of his Family Practice Rotation - Lemon chicken, couscous, green beans (making his favorite for the first day -- sort of like the first day of school!)

Tuesday: Honey garlic pork chops, sweet potatoes, peas

Wednesday: Baked Ziti

Thursday: THANKSGIVING!! TURKEY TIME!!!

Friday: Soup (even if I'm not making the turkey, I have to have the soup!), wheat bread
.
.
.
This is where we are already:

We spent Saturday with my in-laws and I was wiped when we got home. Then, due to a series of unfortunate, spit-up events, C ended up going to the store on Sunday while I picked up my dad at the airport. My plan got all topsy turvy!

Saturday: ummm . . . need to figure this out Baja Fresh

Sunday: Crock Pot pot roast, bread Lemon chicken, couscous, green beans (make his favorite to get ready to start the rotation!)

Monday: C's First Day of his Family Practice Rotation - Lemon chicken, couscous, green beans (making his favorite for the first day -- sort of like the first day of school!) Crock Pot pot roast, bread No, last minute trip to the doctor to get medicine for Little's wicked sad diaper rash honey garlic pork chops, sweet potatoes, rice (because I remembered how yummy the sauce is over rice)

Tuesday: Honey garlic pork chops, sweet potatoes, peas  Crock Pot pot roast, bread (the roast is defrosted and in the fridge now, so I have to get it eaten tomorrow!)

Wednesday: Baked Ziti

Thursday: THANKSGIVING!! TURKEY TIME!!!

Friday: Soup (even if I'm not making the turkey, I have to have the soup!), wheat bread

We'll see how the rest of the week goes!

Meal Plan Monday (Vol. 1)

In actuality, I usually do my weekly meal planning on Saturday. I try to get to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. That way, I’m treating Sunday more like the day of rest it should be. Plus, while still busy, the store is less crowded with people doing the same thing as I am: stuffing their carts full of stuff to get through the week.  Regardless, I go to the store while C (or someone else) is watching Little. First, she hates it – I once banned her from the grocery store until she was 16, though it has been lifted for quick trips. Second, she isn’t sitting up in the cart yet, so the carrier makes a big shop that much trickier.

I only plan a week at a time, Saturday to Friday – it works better for us. I only plan dinners. Breakfast is pretty much cereal, oatmeal, and bagels.  Lunch is leftovers and sandwiches. Not much to plan. I also always shop the same grocery store – it is super-close and has good prices and reasonably good produce. I prefer non- or less-processed foods, but am by no means perfect. There are certainly some convenience foods I use frequently. I have made a list template, so I can move straight down the list as I shop the store.

Some things I consider as I plan: What do we have going on this week? What meals will facilitate an easier week?( Keeping real plans in mind helps us avoid unplanned meals out.) Can I incorporate a variety of proteins? A vegetarian meal? A variety of veggies/sides? New recipes? Since Little is still on a liquid diet, she is not yet a consideration.  

For this week we have:

Saturday: Crock Pot pulled pork sandwiches, oven fries

Sunday: Crock Pot chicken & dumplings (recipe from Pinterest) (Sundays I try to make something nice/comfort food, very “Sunday Dinner”) -- Note, the healthy dumpling recipe was not great. I gave it a C. C gave it a D-.

Monday: CMA (C has a Catholic Medical Association meeting, which is code for get take-out individually)

Tuesday: Little – 4 month well-child visit (I want something easy in case she is fussy or whatever after vaccinations) Chicken pesto pasta, garlic bread

Wednesday: Butternut squash soup, wheat rolls

Thursday: Stuffed zucchini, bread

Friday: C – Pediatrics Shelf Exam (I try to make one of his favorites before exams, make something celebratory after) Tostadas and Spanish rice

In addition, I'm finally getting myself back into the veggie-adding habit of picking up some bagged salad mix and a cucumber to make quick, individual salads several nights a week. I put greens in a bowl, add stuff on hand (onion & cucumber or crasins & nuts, mostly), dressing on the table. Easy-peasy. The key is lazy bagged salads. I know just getting lettuce is cheaper, but then salads stop happening.