Happy October!

As October brings its coolish weather, and its promise of Halloween, it also forecasts the ever-growing holiday shopping/cooking/chore tasks of November and December. Like a cloud on the horizon, I can see it coming and can't do anything to stop it or even slow it down. This year, for extra fun, I'm adding a marathon to my December list, which means October and November will be spent training. Bring on the carbs!

Sunday: Ground Beef Stroganoff, spinach salad, french bread
This is one of those recipe finds I love: the whole family loves it, it's cheap, and it goes together easily and quickly. And best of all, it freezes great. I'm making this one for my neighborhood meal swap this month, so as I make ours, I'll be making 6 others and freezing them. You might try doubling it and putting half in the freezer for yourself.

Monday: meal swap meal, my turn to cook: Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi, salad, garlic bread

Tuesday: hamburgers, grilled veggies with balsamic vinaigrette, fries

Wednesday: Seared Pork Tortas, baked tortilla chips with fruit salsa

Thursday: Tortellini with marinara, salad

Friday: meal swap meal, Jill's turn to cook (or, leftovers)

Saturday: pizza

Trying New Things

As opposed to dogs, human beings are able to learn new tricks, even as they age. (by the way, so can dogs, but, like humans, it's harder) Having just come from a week in Mexico, where all I did was try new things, I'm inspired to have more new recipes on the menu this week than I usually do. Not mexican dishes, mind you--I need a break--but new nonetheless.

Here's to a week of trying new things! Leave a comment and let me know what new things YOU'RE trying this week!

Sunday: Pork Tenderloin with Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce, steamed broccoli, brown rice pilaf (boxed, such as Near East)

Pork Tenderloin with Cherry-Black Pepper Sauce

oven to 425.

Sprinkle pork with 3/4 t. salt and 1/2 t. black pepper. Melt 1 t. butter in large skillet over med-high heat. Add 2lb pork tenderloin; cook 2 min. on each side or until browned. Transfer pork to jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 25 min or until done. Remove pork from oven; let stand 10 min.
Return skillet to med. heat. Add 1/4 c. sliced shallots; cook 3 min or until shallots are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add 1 t. black pepper, 1/4 t. salt, 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, and 1/2 cup cherry preserves. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to low and simmer 6 min or until sauce slightly thickens. Stir in 2 T. butter.
Serve sauce with pork.

Monday: breakfast for dinner: Garlicky Spinach-Sausage Gratin, fresh fruit

Tuesday: meal swap meal (pull something from the freezer)

Wednesday: meal swap meal (Jill cooks)...serve leftovers if you're not swapping

Thursday: meal swap meal (I cook): grilled fish, Spicy Parmesan Green Beans and Kale, steamed red potatoes

Friday: Oven Fried Chicken, Smashed Potatoes, steamed sugar snap peapods

Saturday: pizza

Use It Up and Clean It Out

It's time to take inventory and clean out fridge and freezer. Not fun, but necessary.

Sunday: Grilled Salmon, Steamed Green Beans, Sautee'd Summer Squash

Monday: Tangy Bacon-Chicken Grill, Steamed Brown Rice

Tuesday: Omelettes, Fresh Fruit

Wednesday: Meal Swap Meal: Beef Tips over Egg Noodles, Salad

Thursday: Virginia's Easy Lasagna, Salad

I made this last week for meal swap, so it's already ready to be thawed and reheated!

Friday: Chicken Pot Pie

Saturday: Pizza

Sunday: Out To Eat

Monday: Meal Swap Meal: Chicken and Stuffing, steamed broccoli

Tuesday: Grilled Ham and Cheese, Edamame, potato chips

Wednesday: Out to Eat

Thursday: Tortellini, Salad

Friday: TBD

Saturday: Pizza

Sunday: TBD

Cool Weather Cooking

I can't believe I'm saying this. It's time to include fall-ish recipes! After, what, 57 days of triple digit temperatures, I was about to throw away everything in my kitchen that produced heat: good bye, stove! Good bye, oven! Good bye, microwave! Just to make room for like 6 more refrigerators, or maybe just have my whole kitchen be one of those walk-in coolers you see on TV. (You know the kind that someone always gets accidentally locked in?)

But this morning I actually had to wear a jacket to ride my bike. And my nose is cold. And my coffee is fabulously steamy. And that, my friends, means this dinner diva is thinking about meatloaves and pork chops and, yes, even chili.

Monday: leftovers

Tuesday: Oven fish-n-chips, coleslaw

Wednesday: meatloaf, smashed potatoes, roasted asparagus

1 lb each ground beef and ground turkey
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 t. dried mustard
1 t. dried sage
1/4 t. ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients (I use a mixer, but one could use his or her hands) and shape into a loaf. Place in greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min-1 hr. Serve with ketchup, if desired.

Thursday: Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, salad, baked potato chips

Friday: Flank Steak Stir Fry, steamed brown rice

Saturday: Deep Dish Pizza, salad

Sunday: Garlic Chicken Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Steamed Broccoli

Simple week!

Monday: Chicken Caesar Wraps, chips, fruit

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
4 chicken breasts, grilled and diced
commercially bottled light caesar dressing, such as Ken's Steakhouse
Pre-Shredded parmesan cheese
4 flour tortillas

toss salad and chicken with dressing, to taste. Divide onto tortillas, sprinkle with cheese. Roll up and serve.

Tuesday: Baked Tilapia, salad, corn on the cob

Wednesday: Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers, French Bread

(For the vegetarian version, substitute Morning Star Meal Starters for the beef.)

Thursday: (Kids' Choice): Cavatappi with Spinach, Beans, and Asiago, Fresh Kiwi, Garlic Bread

Friday: Steaks, tricolor baby potatoes, sautee'd zucchini

Saturday: Pizza Night

Sunday: BLTs, baked potato chips, raw veggies

Dinner Diva is Back!

Sad, but true, the vacation has ended. Sometimes, the vacation is so much work one has to go home in order to get some rest. Sometimes, the vacation goes on so long one can't wait for it to end. Neither was the case for this vacation. We were utterly spoiled, by my parents, the weather, and the location; it was very hard for all of us to leave. Even the dogs seemed to have the time of their lives.

Now it's time to reintroduce the routine of the school year: before-school chores, school itself, on-time bedtimes, and, of course, the meal plan.

It's also a good time to try new things. We're going to start letting the kids choose and help make one meal per week. This week Zaden will help, and next week it will be Colsen.

Monday: Freezer Meal: Chicken Parmesan, spinach, garlic bread

Tuesday: Sweet Orange Salmon, steamed pea pods, orange wedges, brown rice

Wednesday: Asparagus Frittata, fresh fruit, english muffins

(To increase the "wow" factor, bake and serve these in individual au gratin dishes.)

Thursday: (Kid's Choice) : Faux Es Cargot, chips, baked beans

Friday: Grilled Chicken Breasts, Olive Cheese Bread, Salad, Fruit

Saturday: Pizza night

Sunday: Orange Roughy, Edamame, Baby Red Potatoes

On Vacation

Dinner Diva is on vacation, in the truest sense of the word. Warm days (and I mean warm, not HOT, which is nice), cool nights, clear water lake, skiing, swimming, sittin' 'round the fire, fishing, 4 wheeling, golfing....I've been too busy relaxing to plan a meal, or make one for that matter. Jealous? Yep, you should be. ;)

I'll be back in a week or two. Check the archives until then.