MPM--Back to What Passes for Normal Edition

Hello, blogfriends. I am still having issues from the bug that's kicking our tushes over here. The symptoms all continue though much less dramatically, and now everyone in the house has been affected in some way. Normally, it would be all about freezer meals this week. BUT, it is the once-a-year Member Appreciation Week at the Co-op, so everything in the store is 20% off! So, I'm buying, if not in bulk, at least more than I would normally.

Given how sick we all were last week, the plan was followed pretty well. For me, the winner of the week was not even officially on the menu; it was the variation on the curried cauliflower soup, which, in fact, bore almost no resemblance to the original other than texture. It was, essentially, leeks, carrots, and a potato, simmered down in broth and blended with the new immersion blender. I used chicken stock to make it closer to chicken soup to try to get us all better. That didn't work but it was a lovely thing to have while ill. We did not get to the sausage and quinoa bake. That's on the back burner for a bit more while I take advantage of the 20% off everything sale at the CoOp since the sausages will keep a bit longer. And while I decide how to replace all the peppers in the original recipe since I do not eat peppers.

I am not working this week, and, the kids are well enough to go back to school, and, my husband is sick with the same thing now...so the beat goes on and we'll see how the week ends up. But given all the variables, this is the plan:

Sunday: Oscar night! Rotisserie chicken, salad, asparagus and scallion thing I'm addicted to, stuffing if I can find some in the cabinet. ("In the cabinet" is a big theme this week.) Usually I do "fancy" Trader Joe's hors d'oeuvres too, to fake being at some fabulous Oscar party. There are plenty in the freezer, clearly purchased for some life wish I were leading, and not the one I currently am, so that might happen too, just to move things along in there.

Monday: Chicken or leftover pork, roasted veggies, rice.

Tuesday: Mardi Gras! I'm getting donuts for one of the kids' classrooms, which should be fun. I'm going to try the golobkis from Smitten Kitchen (again, using things we already have in the kitchen), with kasha on the side. Never made either one of those things, so as backup, I am trying the Greek spaghetti sauce from How to Eat Supper and we'll be ready to go with that, too.

Wednesday: Slow cooker risotto, bean salad from How to Eat Supper.

Thursday: Some kind of turkey burger. Probably Greek. Though maybe (wait for it) the one from How to Eat Supper. We have whole-wheat pitas for these. Side salad, and...something. I have a box of tabbouleh mix that it might be time to try.

Friday: Probably pizza. We'll be out at high school sporting events of some kind, supporting one babysitter at cheerleading or the other at ice hockey. And it's Lent, so hot dogs are not on the menu this time around

And one of these days (Saturday, I'll betcha) we'll do the Indian takeout so I can get that off my mind!

After this week, I should be just about done the "oh I have to try these immediately" recipes from How to Eat Supper and I'll move on to something else. It will probably be the new How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman, but many of the recipes in Deceptively Delicious are tempting, and the freezer meals book looks awesome. But I should really clear my freezer more first! And it's really nice to have a new cookbook that's full of great ideas.

Anyone use Everyday Food much (besides you, Accidental Hausfrau)? I caught the show yesterday and everything they made looked awesome and not hard. Of course, I don't have the foodprep elves that they do. Even my kids liked the look of the show, and unlike some kids I've known, they are not usually interested in watching food on television.

Are you in need of menu planning ideas? Go to I'm an Organizing Junkie to be dazzled by the menu planners there!