Ten days into the new year and I am finally back to planning my weekly meals. I took a break over the holidays because we did a lot of group meals with family and dining out. Which, not gonna lie, was awesome.
But now I am fully "fooded out" and ready to get back to some simpler, more comforting fare. At least for the next week or so.
Tonight I'm cooking up some white truffle polenta with spicy Italian sausages. Polenta and sausage is a dinner we had often while growing up and I never much liked it. I don't know why, because nowadays, come fall, I can't get enough polenta. Come to think of it, my kids are starting to say, "Polenta agaaaaiinnnn?" so I guess I am getting a glimpse into why I got so sick of it growing up. (Too bad, kids!)
Here's what I've got coming up this week. It's sort of a clean out the freezer and pantry week, because I'd like to do a month's worth of mostly vegetarian cooking starting next week. I'm heading into the final 8-9 weeks of being pregnant and aside from my daily pastry (a practice that is going bye-bye realquicklike when I get back on Weight Watchers post-partum), I'm trying to eat as simply and as healthfully as possible.
- Monday: Baked chicken legs and thighs; roasted cauliflower tossed with capers, olives, and parsley; quinoa with garbanzos, sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts (making enough of this to last through a few days'-worth of lunches)
- Tuesday: Penne alla vodka, a big green salad
- Wednesday: Oprah's favorite Centerville chicken pie, mashed potatoes, broccoli
- Thursday: something from my Christmas present cookbook (Thanks, J.!), The Indian Slow Cooker. (I love that the author is as obsessed with raw onions as I am. I am the person who orders extra raw onions with my burgers.)
- Friday Family Movie Night: Leftover New Year's Hoppin John' and sauteed collard greens
- Saturday-Sunday: Playing it fast and loose. Not sure yet, but I think I will make a big batch of bean soup.
How about you? How were your holidays? What are you cooking to get back to normal?
