I'm On a Roll!

Wahoo! 2 weeks in a row! :) Maybe I can get the hang of this consistency thing yet...I'm still not perfect, but I'm getting there. I think once I tackle all my big projects, I will be able to keep on top of the regular, every day things. Last week my big project was my closet and my craft area, both of which had lost their floors. I am proud to say that both have found them again! This past week I finally took down all the Christmas stuff and cleaned out under the stairs, which is now holiday central. I also pulled out all the clothes that were too small for the kids. This week I want to get rid of all the piles I have formed throughout the house. So, by this time next week, I should be pile-free!

OK...this is supposed to be a cooking blog, not a cleaning blog, so I'll get back on topic. The previous week we had some winners! I already mentioned some of the dishes I made, but there were some more good ones! I liked the flavor of the ratatouille with sweet Italian sausage, and the picture on Facebook got great reviews. There was a TON of ratatouille leftover though, and I'm not sure how much I would care for it without the sausage (I am for sure a carnivore).

The roasted chicken turned out great! I wish I could have enjoyed it fresh and hot, but I pulled it out of the oven right when I had to run out the door to a church meeting. But even eating it cold when I got back was good. it was very tender and perfectly cooked.

The minestrone was OK...but, like I said, I'm a meat-lover, so it could have used some browned ground meat in there...I think that would have put it over the top...of course, then it wouldn't have been minestrone soup anymore.

I did not have a chance to make the no noodle lasagna because we ended up having a guest who specially requested my tacos. Any visitor who has a favorite dish that I make, I try to please! :) So, I will be making it this Sunday. I also didn't make the cauliflower crust pizza because my husband went out of town, and I wouldn't want to waste a perfectly good low-carb recipe without him, so I made frozen pizzas instead ;) I moved them onto next week's menu.

The Parmesan chicken bake was good. As my sister suggested, I just eyeballed the ingredients. I did make my own marinara sauce instead of buying premade, and I thought it was pretty tasty. It is a nice alternative to the full-on Parmesan chicken, which takes a lot of effort. This way, you get the same flavors without all the work! I would recommend having extra sauce on hand to pour on top if you are serving this over spaghetti, as traditional Parmesan chicken is served.

The Chicken Paprikash was different. I didn't have the chance to make my own noodles, so I just cooked some egg noodles really quick. I liked the different flavor, and the kids loved the meat too! There was a lot of sauce, so I don't think it needed the extra broth. The sauce would have been good over the leftover noodles (there was no leftover meat), but, alas, I have a super efficient, wonderful husband who poured all that delicious sauce down the drain as he cleaned up from dinner...I guess I really can't complain too much!

Asian lettuce cups are always a big hit in my house. Unfortunately, my grocery store didn't have any fresh ginger, so I used powdered. I also just eyeballed all the ingredients and added as my taste buds seemed fit. I added shredded carrots and it was the perfect splash of color that the dish needed. We topped the lettuce cups (actually, more like a lettuce bowl) with chopped peanuts, scallions, and fried rice noodles. YUM!

Here is the next week's menu:

Sunday

TDF Roast Potatoes Carrots rolls

Monday

Crispy Cheddar Chicken (use roasted vegetable ritz and buttermilk) Penne pasta Green beans

Tuesday

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Wednesday

Lemon Chicken Garlic Rice Pilaf (brown rice?) Broccoli

Thursday

Slow Cooker San Francisco Pork Chops (double sauce) Mashed potatoes (twice baked) Garlic carrots

Friday

Carne Asada salad/nachos (romaine lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla strips, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, olives) Low carb “chips”?

Just a quick note. As you are planning your meals and looking through all the recipe websites and blogs, always read the reviews or comments. I got some great ideas for variations of certain dishes this week that I'm excited to try! I'm especially looking forward to the carne asada salad/nachos, the twice baked mashed potatoes, and the crispy cheddar chicken! YUM!