Welcome to a "Week in the Life"- a meal planning series that offers you a peek into the kitchen's of other women. Every Friday we will be featuring a different woman and a week of the meals she feeds her family. You can read more about the purpose of this series here. Happy meal planning! May your culinary side be inspired :).
Welcome to my kitchen!
Sunday- My husband grew up on Sunday roast chicken dinners, so for the last year or so, chicken has been on our Lord's Day menu {though at this point we are a little tired of it, and ready to mix things up!}. On Saturday night I prep the chicken- rubbing it with butter and garlic cloves, sprinkling thyme, sage, basil, salt, and pepper, and throwing it in my crock pot.
Sunday morning I throw ingredients for a whole wheat honey loaf into my bread machine, and peel, wash and chop spuds for mashed potatoes. Before running out the door for church, I turn on the crock pot and bread machine. When I get home all that's left to do is microwave a frozen veggie {usually broccoli or peas and maybe some corn}, carve the bird, and make gravy. Yum!
Monday- Chicken Pot Pie is a favorite comfort food in our family, and leftover roast chicken from Sunday dinner makes it a no-brainer. I modify the recipe found in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. A homemade flaky crust tops chopped red peppers, sweet corn, chicken and carrots smothered in cream. This is a more time intensive meal, but it can be made ahead. Oftentimes I double a batch of the filling and freeze half for another day. I love that this is a one-dish meal- since there are plenty of veggies in it, no side dish is required.
Tuesday-From September to March, chili is a staple meal in our home. I batch cook dried beans and freeze them, and last summer I canned tomatoes, and cut and froze local green peppers and sweet corn, so usually this dish just requires a little bit of freezer and pantry rifling. My husband and I like it best with ground beef, but in a pinch it is an acceptable vegetarian meal. I serve it simply with cheese and sour cream, and a loaf of bread {corn bread perhaps?} if I get around to it.
Wednesday- Once a week I attempt to make a meatless meal that my husband still finds to be satisfying ;). Tricky, but not impossible. The Prudent Homemaker's black bean burgers definitely fit the bill! Liquid smoke gives them that fresh-off-the-grill flavor.
I'll serve them with buns, a salad or cooked veggie, and some type of potato side dish {mashed? fries? baked?}.
Thursday-More leftover roast chicken to use up? My fall back plan is chicken fettucine alfredo. The simple sauce is made with cream, butter, salt, pepper, and parmesan, and takes only about ten minutes to whip up. Dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less? Yes please! Since I'm pregnant and its my favorite, I tend to serve this with cooked broccoli. Yum.
Friday- Pizza night at the O'Neill's! I make my pizza dough in the bread machine, roll it out, pre-bake, and top with whatever is lying around my kitchen. Green bell peppers and sausage from the freezer, leftover chicken, pepperoni, or even sweet corn.
Saturday- My husband says he will never ever tire of my tuna melts. I mix a large can of tuna with mayo and sweet relish, spoon it over homemade bagels or bread, and top with a generous layer of cheddar. Stick them in the oven at 400 degrees until cheese is melted, and tuna heated through.
Being a good Irishman, my husband adores potatoes, so I serve these sandwiches with homemade steak fries {referred to as "chips" in our house}. Super simple! Just cut potatoes {peeled or not, whatever suits your fancy} into wedges, toss in olive oil, and bake at 400 degrees until soft {45 min-1 hour}. I used to add salt, but since we dip them in ketchup, they are just as tasty {and probably healthier} without it.
There you have it- a week of meals at the O'Neill house!
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