I usually just plan the dinners. We have a stock of standard breakfast items and usually leftovers for lunch.
Tonight I'm making caprese (Roma tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, and basil), penne alfredo with roasted red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes, and parmesan garlic bread.
eta: Our family favorites are Italian and Mediterranean food. I just need to learn how to make fresh pasta so we can include more pasta dishes in our food storage.
-- Edited by Roper at 14:31, 2006-12-18
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The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. - Julie Beck
I go in cycles: I prefer to have meals planned, but I'm just disorganized enough that i rarely plan more than one week before I forget and go back to from the hip.
My typical method: I plan meals one day ahead. While cleaning up from dinner, I decide what to have the next night, and get meat out of the freezer, or get beans soaking, if necessary. I have a few meals that I can whip up in 30 minutes or less, for those days when even my best laid plans are blown out of the water.
My main problem is that I get sick of the usual things we tend to have the most. Or if my appetite is low for some reason, it's hard to get motivated to cook.
Tonight we're having.... well, I guess it's one of those shoot from the hip nights again.
I might make macaroni and cheese from scratch tonight. I was telling my roommate about it and she was interested, and I love it. Just a medium white sauce with sharp chedder stirred in, but I love it. Especially with lots of pepper. I'm going home for Christmas tomorrow though, so I'm dying without fruits and vegetables, but that'll be better tomorrow (I hope!).
Last night my boyfriend and I just made egg salad sandwiches.
College meals are pretty simple unless there's a huge deal on steak and potatoes and you happen to have some guys who will cook for you on a Saturday night. Then it's pretty good!
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Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.
— Oscar Wilde
Hormel Chili with beans Homemade corn bread with butter & honey Frozen green beans (yes I cooked them first) Steamed spaghetti squash with butter & salt
Tonight's menu:
Seasoned baked chicken breast Peasant Pasta *(see recipe below) Normandy veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), with mozzarella cheese Spinach salad with walnuts, monterrey jack cheese, and Craisins.
*Peasant Pasta
12-16 oz package angel hair pasta 5 medium/large tomatoes, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 4-6 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil 1-2 TbspBasil leaves, dried Salt
Combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and basil in a very large bowl (Tupperware Thatsa bowl size), to facilitate mixing in pasta. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
Cook angel hair according to package directions. Important: add salt to water before adding pasta. Drain pasta; stir hot pasta into tomato mixture, adding more oil if pasta seems at all dry.
My favorites include chicken roll lasagna, wild gamekabobs, and Tri-tip with ranch beans, texas toast, fried tators, and a green salad.
I like meat!
My wife generally plans the meals out for each day unless she is tired, then she just throws stuff together. I have no clue what I am having tonight. Last night we had home made beef and vegetable stew with sour dough rolls. Good stuff.
-- Edited by salesortonscom at 14:52, 2006-12-19
Update. I made pancakes last night for the family. I put honey on mine. So good! Then I had one more with raspberry jam. Generally I go for the high octane real maple syrup but for some reason the honey was calling me. The kids had the sugar water crud called Log Cabin.
After that I made my easy holiday cheese ball that goes great on crackers. I was too full to eat any of it though and saved it in the fridge. It is so easy to make. I take a cream chease brick and mix in a package of dry salad dressing mix such as hidden valley. I also add some garlic powder. Then I mix it all together, roll it into a ball and roll it in roasted, chopped almonds. I refrigerate it for a while to make it hard again and spread it onto my favorite crackers such as triscuits. Frak the calories, fat, and shortend life span. It's cheese gosh darnet!
