So this is the first meal plan for the month of March, but if you looked out my window right now, you wouldn't be able to believe that it's almost springtime. We had snow pretty much every day during the month of February and I just couldn't possibly be more over winter. But the one good thing about the persistent cold weather is that it's still more than acceptable to eat hearty, wintery things for dinner -- so that's what we're doing this week!
Monday: Monterey spaghetti, garlic bread
Tuesday: Balsamic chicken with roasted tomatoes, garlic and cheese orzo, steamed broccoli
Wednesday: Jalapeno popper burgers, baked oven fries
Thursday: Pasta with pancetta, chicken, and mushrooms
Friday: Open-faced chicken parmesan sandwiches, salad
Saturday: Slow-cooked pepper steak, rice
Sunday: Roasted vegetable soup, rolls
I've always been intrigued by the use of peanut butter in savory sauces, but it's something I've never tried before. I've always wanted to, though, and this recipe sounded like a good one to try. And I'm glad I did, because this was delicious! I definitely think that peanut sauce is a required taste; it's not for everyone, but we all really liked it -- especially Andrew. I think he would eat these noodles every day if I let him! The use of shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken and steam-ready frozen vegetables makes this meal come together very quickly, which means it's perfect for a weeknight dinner. I'll definitely be making this one again.
Peanut Noodles with Chicken and Vegetables
source: seen on Stephanie Cooks, originally from Eating Well
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chile-garlic sauce, or to taste (use 1 1/2 teaspoons for more heat; I adjusted for Andrew)
8 ounces whole-wheat angel hair
1 12-ounce bag frozen Steam Fresh Asian medley vegetables
1. Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta. Microwave the frozen vegetables according to packaging directions.
2. Whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chile-garlic sauce in a large bowl.
3. Cook pasta in the boiling water. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Pour the cup of hot water into the peanut sauce; add the pasta, vegetables and chicken; toss well to coat. Serve warm or chilled.
I saw a version of this dish on The Sisters' Cafe a couple of weeks ago and immediately had a "Why didn't I think of that?" moment. I think it's pretty obvious that my family loves Mexican food, and I'm a sucker for a good casserole, so I knew I had to make this. I tweaked the recipe to fit our tastes, and it was a hit with the entire family (except for the baby, of course). Although Andrew absolutely loves ravioli, I thought this might be too spicy for him, but he actually had seconds. It came together in no time at all, and it was delicious. Since those are my two main requirements for a weeknight meal, I'll be making this one a lot!
Fiesta Ravioli Bake
source: inspired by The Sisters' Cafe
1 package frozen beef ravioli
1 jar salsa
1 10-ounce can red enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
Crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro, optional, for serving
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook ravioli according to package directions. Drain. Meanwhile, combine salsa, enchilada sauce, black beans, and corn. Add to ravioli.
3. Pour ravioli mixture into prepared baking dish and top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted. Top servings with crushed tortilla chips, sour cream, and cilantro, if desired.
I've come a long way since the first risotto I ever made. I used to be so intimidated by risotto, but I've made it enough times now to know that once you know the method, there is really nothing to it. And the results taste so delicious; I've never met a risotto I didn't like, and I consider it my ultimate comfort food.
This is a recipe I came up with all on my own in an effort to get Andrew to eat more cauliflower. He's an excellent vegetable eater, but he just doesn't like cauliflower, so for some ridiculous reason I've made it my ultimate goal in life to get him to eat, and enjoy, cauliflower. He loves rice, so I thought if I hid the cauliflower in there he'd never know it (that's worked in the past with macaroni and cheese), but my plan was a huge failure. He immediately saw the cauliflower and refused to eat this. But I really didn't mind all that much, because it just left more for Joe and me.
I'm really proud of myself for this recipe. It's really delicious, and Joe and I both absolutely loved it. Now that I know I can create an entire risotto recipe from scratch on my own, I can't wait to try other variations! Next time I may try a vegetable Andrew actually likes; asparagus, broccoli, or even carrots would be delicious using this method.
Cauliflower Risotto
source: Cassie
6 cups vegetable stock (you can use chicken stock)
2 bay leaves
1 bag frozen cauliflower
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves minced garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1. Heat vegetable stock, bay leaves, and cauliflower in a high-sided saucepan over medium heat until warm. Keep warm but do not boil.
2. Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and thyme and cook until onion is softened, then add garlic; cook and stir for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Add butter to skillet, then add rice. Cook rice until it begins to brown and smell nutty. Add white wine and cook until wine is mostly evaporated.
3. Add warm stock to the rice mixture one cup at a time (avoid adding the bay leaves and cauliflower); cook and stir until stock is absorbed. Keep adding stock and stirring until the rice is fully cooked and mixture is creamy (the whole process will take anywhere from 18-22 minutes).
4. Discard bay leaves. Add cauliflower and parmesan cheese to the rice mixture; adjust seasonings as needed. Top with additional parmesan cheese, if desired.
I have been really excited to share this recipe with you. But I can't take credit for this deliciousness; this is actually my husband's creation. Every once in a while he gets the urge to experiment in the kitchen, and I love these urges because they usually result in some pretty spectacular food. It's also nice to not have to cook for a couple of days, although for some reason I still end up cleaning up after him. I'm going to have to remedy that next time.
Recently Joe wanted to experiment with pizza. He wanted to make BBQ chicken and buffalo chicken versions, and since there is nothing about any of those ingredients I don't love, I was completely on board. One night we had his buffalo chicken pizza (which was good, but needed some tweaking, so we're going to make it again soon and then I'll post the recipe), and the next night he made his BBQ chicken version, which we both fell in love with.
This pizza is so good. It starts out with bacon (and anything that starts with bacon is a win, right?), then you add red onion to the bacon and let it caramelize, mix that amazing combination with shredded chicken, BBQ sauce, and a bit of hot sauce, slather it on a pizza crust, and top it with tons of cheese. Sounds amazing, right? It tastes even better than it sounds. This is a great way to jazz up your weeknight dinner menu!
BBQ Chicken Pizza
source: my culinary genius of a husband
1 store-bought pizza crust
4 strips bacon, diced
1 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1/2 to 3/4 cup BBQ sauce
Dash hot sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1. Preheat oven to temperature listed on pizza crust package (usually it's 400 or 425 degrees).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon just shy of crispy; add red onion and cook until onions are softened and begin to caramelize. Drain mixture on paper towels.
3. In a large bowl, combine chicken, BBQ sauce, and hot sauce; add bacon and onion mixture. Spread evenly over pizza crust. Top with shredded cheeses.
4. Bake until crust is crisp and cheese is melted, according to directions on crust package.
So this is the first meal plan for the month of March, but if you looked out my window right now, you wouldn't be able to believe that it's almost springtime. We had snow pretty much every day during the month of February and I just couldn't possibly be more over winter. But the one good thing about the persistent cold weather is that it's still more than acceptable to eat hearty, wintery things for dinner -- so that's what we're doing this week!
