I started out pretty strong last year with my menus but then everything, as it does, went to hell in a hand basket. Now the good thing about menu-ing, which I Did Do every week, even if I didn’t post them, is that if you Plan your meals then you know that you have the ingredients and they can always carry over into the next week. This year I think I will post the menus AFTER the week… it is far more likely that we are eating Something every night but I won’t have so much pressure and you can see what I have ended up doing. So… for the first week of January, I almost stuck to the entire menu:
Sunday, Jan 1 – New Year’s Day dinner: Top Round roast with roasted potatoes, Yorkshire puddings and gravy and asparagus. The day included New Year Good Luck foods: Korean soup, Thuckguk, and black-eyed peas and ended with a delicious cake roll embellished by my Heart’s imagination
Monday, Jan 2 – Pseudo-Korean Lettuce Wraps: These had been planned for part of our New Year’s Eve feast but we had so much food (and shots) we didn’t get to them. They are reasonably easy and healthy, although a little high in sodium for my Heart.
Tuesday, Jan 3 – Clay cooker baked chicken with a chicken, grainy mustard sauce: I always forget about the clay cooker but I am hoping to use it more often this winter because I really like it. The dishes cooks at 450-degrees so it really is a winter meal and with the warm weather lately here in Maryland… we’ll see how often I want to make these cold weather dishes
Wednesday, Jan 4 – Creamy Chicken Enchiladas: I love making chicken enchiladas… actually Any enchiladas… but I frequently forget how I make them (I get grief from my kids regularly about that). We will just call it old age.
Thursday, Jan 5 – Oyako Domburi: Totally a go-to dish for me.. especially on busy or difficult days. This was a really terrible week including way too much busy-ness for the first week of the year at work, a flood in my kids apartment (which worked itself out but did entail many phone calls and some stress but they did a great job of “dealing” and the apartment complex did a pretty good job of taking care of the issues and clean up) and… on this night we had to take the kids older cat to the vet and put her to sleep. She was one of a pair of litter-mates who we had for 15 years.. her brother Bootsie left us about 6 years ago. She was old, crabby, and pretty awful but was my daughter’s kitty and could still be affectionate when she wanted to. It is always so hard to say goodbye to a pet.. they leave so many little paw prints on our heart. I got home and my Heart offered to cook (or go out) but I find comfort in the kitchen and was really looking forward to having oyako domburi for dinner. I was right.. I felt much better after cooking and this dish is so warm and filling.. it just hit the spot.
Friday, Jan 6 – Spinach & Feta Quesadillas: These were way saltier than I liked but otherwise were quite delicious. I love when a quesadillas is crisp on the outside but very cheesy on the inside. We will definitely try these again with either a different type of feta or a different cheese entirely.
Saturday, Jan 7 – Skiing and pints in McKee’s Tavern: This is pretty much going to be what we have Every Saturday from now until ski season ends. My Heart teaches part-time at Liberty Mountain Resort and I am lucky enough to get a season lift ticket pass as a wonderful benefit so we spend every Saturday, from about 8am-8pm, up at the resort. Once he is done with teaching for the day we head into McKee’s Tavern for a couple pints (I am so happy they have hard cider) and a bite to eat… usually just a couple of appetizers to share. This week (I forgot to take pictures) we shared the wings and “Irish” nachos… very hearty and yummy after a day on the slopes.