Sorry these have been intermittent — so many holiday parties and meet-ups meant fewer meals at home. Also, I just got behind. So, here’s for better focus in the new year! Last week was all leftovers and make-your-own dinners around here, but I’m getting back on track.
Monday: This is our first day back to school, so I’m going easy with fish and chicken tenders with fries and a green veggie for dinner. You can make your own fish sticks or these copycat Chick-fil-A chicken sandwiches from Tastes Better from Scratch. But I also won’t judge if you buy pre-made to heat up.
Tuesday: We got Shawarma Spiced Bowls in a Hello Fresh delivery last fall, and I’ve been remaking them from scratch ever since. If your family really wants some meat, you could grill chicken or lamb to go on the side.
Wednesday: Soup night! We’ve been loving this Thai Meatball Khao Soi recipe at Halfbaked Harvest lately. It’s warm and spicy and so good. Since we have non-meat-eaters at home, I skip the meatball prep stage and put those spices directly into the broth instead. Then, I cut up a block of tofu into small cubes and add them to the broth. I also use glass noodles instead of fettuccini, and they’re delicious.
Thursday: This meat-and-three dinner is one of my son’s favorites, and since he’s home from college I want to make this before he goes back. We add cubed steaks to our electric wok, and pour a jar of beef gravy over it; set it to low and let it simmer for about an hour. On the side, we make salad, mac & cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes, and biscuits. (For a vegan option, we heat vegan burgers with mushroom gravy in a skillet. And I make a portion of the mashed potatoes with almond milk and vegan butter, and add 1 tsp of white pepper to cut the natural sweetness of the almond milk.) Hearty!
Friday: Copycat Chipotle Night. Eating out with a family of six ain’t cheap, and the best part of this recipe at What’s Gaby Cooking is that it’s made with affordable chicken thighs. Psst: I add 1/2 cup beer to the marinade recipe. For the vegans (and, honestly, the rest of us too) we make these Creamy Black Bean Taquitos at Budget Bytes, and just switch vegan cream cheese for the regular.
Spilled Milk 