Roasted Cod with Potatoes and Olives
You know that I love one-pan dishes, and this one did not disappoint. It is very simple to throw together. I was even able to prep most of it with a toddler running under foot.
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What do you crave? Even though I am more of a savory rather than sweet kind of gal, my cravings tend to be for sugar. When I have an itch that needs to be scratched it is usually for a cookie, or ice cream, or chocolate. This was only magnified when I was pregnant with Eliza. Of course, then I was fine with it because I figured if I wasn’t going to drink I could at least have dessert! For the non-pregnant times of my life I often try to distract myself away from an oatmeal cookie the size of my head toward perhaps a small piece of dark chocolate. Sometimes it works, but other times it doesn’t… Cravings are kind of like a piece of clothing or pair of shoes that you’ve been coveting. If it sticks with you and you can’t get it out of your head you must really want it and you should give in. You’ll probably be glad that you did.
So, where am I going with all of this? Well, this week I had a craving for something totally random – roast beef. Weird, I know. I have no idea why, but I really wanted roast beef and kept thinking about it for days. Maybe I needed more iron? Funny enough, I’ve never made it before, so this past Sunday I took the leap. I’m glad I did – the recipe link is below. With that need taken care of I feel better already…
Meal #1: Roast Beef with Potatoes and Shallots + Steamed Green Beans
Meal #2: Spicy Peanut Chicken and Broccoli + Rice
Meal #3: Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage
Meal #4: Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Olives + Kale Caesar Salad
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
red or Yukon gold potatoes – 1 1/2 lb.
shallots – 8
green beans – 1 1/2 lb.
broccoli – 1 large head
red cabbage – 1 medium head
apple – 1
plum tomatoes – 8
lemon – 2
tuscan kale – 1 large bunch
dried bay leaf (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
smooth peanut butter (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
rice vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
Sriracha (if you don’t already have it)
kalamata olives – 1/4 cup (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
rice – 1 box or bag
eye of round roast beef – 1 1/2 lb
skinless chicken thighs – 4
pork tenderloins – 2 (1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds total)
white fish fillets – 6 ounces per person
beer – 1 can or bottle
Pasta with Marinara
A friend of mine at work is originally from Rome, so she knows her pasta. A couple of years ago, we got to talking about homemade tomato sauce and I mentioned that I wasn’t happy with my recipe. Her face lit up, and she immediately gave me her recipe, which I’ve been making ever since. It is easy, quick and so delicious.
¼ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced
1 large basil sprig
1 pinch of hot red pepper flakes
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes (or whole, but crush them with your hands before using)
salt and pepper, to taste
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. When it is hot, add the garlic, basil and red pepper flakes. Saute for 1-2 minutes, until the garlic starts to sizzle, but don’t let it brown. Add the tomatoes and stir. Simmer until the sauce thickens a bit, about 15 minutes. Discard garlic, if you desire, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Pasta
Boil salted water and follow directions on the box.
Green Salad
This week has been pretty stressful. At the end of last week, Eliza got the croup and we’ve been battling it since – not fun. At the same time that we are taking extra care of her, both Patrick and I are getting busier at work. I was in Ottawa one night for business and Patrick worked one night, along with his usual Thursday night grad school class. Quiet nights at home have been few and far between and our weekdays will probably stay pretty hectic through May. Oh well.
During weeks like this I try to make dinner whenever I can, but with a special focus on quick meals. I’m sure your lives are pretty similar, so I hope you enjoy this week’s meal plan which includes a bunch of simple, delicious dinners. I also included a chili recipe, which I made for Sunday’s Oscars. It takes a little bit longer to cook than the other meals, but you’ll have leftovers for the rest of the week, which is perfect during this busy time.
(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)
Meal #1: Fennel and Garlic Shrimp + French Bread
Meal #2: Chili
Meal #3: Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Red Onion + Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Blue Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts
Meal #4: Pasta with Marinara + Green Salad
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
fennel bulbs – 2
garlic – 1 head
red bell pepper – 1
green bell pepper – 1
yellow bell pepper – 1
lettuce – 1 head of bag
Brussels sprouts – 1 ½ lb.
red onion – 2
apples – 2
flat-leaf parsley – 1 bunch
basil – 1 bunch
14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes – 3
28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes – 1
pasta – 1 box
kidney beans – 1 can
blue cheese – ¼ lb.
dried cranberries – ¼ lb.
walnuts – ¼ lb.
French bread
chili powder (if you don’t already have it)
cayenne pepper (if you don’t already have it)
cumin (if you don’t already have it)
unsweetened cocoa powder (if you don’t already have it)
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
maple syrup (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
Flour (if you don’t already have it)
shrimp – 2 lb.
pork tenderloins (approx. 2 lb. total) – 2
ground beef, buffalo, turkey or chicken – 1 lb.
Pernod (optional)
Penne alla Vodka
This is comfort food territory, or at least it is for this South Shore Long Island girl. I’ve said this before, but I grew up around a lot of Italian-Americans so I know (and love) Italian-American food. I’m sure you can’t find anything like Penne alla Vodka in Italy, but you know who’s missing out? Italians.
I’ve only recently started making it myself, rather than ordering it from our local pizza place, and I was happy when I found this recipe, from Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, who is, by the way, an authentic Italian chef. It is a great weeknight dish because it comes together very quickly (skip the tomato pureeing step and just buy crushed or diced tomatoes) and you probably have a lot of the ingredients already. I know you already have the vodka! (Don’t worry, the alcohol cooks off and your kids won’t notice the taste.)
Green Salad
When I was a kid I ate nothing but chicken cutlets, hamburgers, pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cheese, corn and peas. As I got to be a teenager I added a few items to the list, such as steak and salad. An exciting palate, it wasn’t. In fact, it wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s, and lived in California’s Bay Area for a year, that I started to be adventurous with food. I was at least 22 before I even tried hummus for the first time! You want to know what finally got me to try new things? I felt left out. In California, I was exposed to so many new foods that I was tired of always saying no. Moving to CA was already a big adventure, so why not eat a little shrimp?
These days, I eat, or at least will try, almost anything. At the same time that I started to eat a bunch of new foods, the whole country seemed to become exposed to a lot of new items which are now relatively easy to get at the grocery store or a farmers market. Arugula, fennel, kalamata olives, etc. are all foods that I didn’t have to reject as a kid – I had never heard of them!
Expanding the variety of foods I eat has also made me a better cook because I now have more ingredients to experiment with. One tip for getting over the fear of preparing or eating something for the first time is to have it with something else that you already love. For example, take this week’s recipe for sausage with caramelized red onions and radicchio. Maybe you haven’t had or cooked radicchio before, but you love sausages and caramelized onions. How bad could it be? Pairing one new thing with a few, old favorites is a less scary way for you, or others in your family, to try new things. So, try it – you’ll like it!
(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)
Meal #1: Panko-Crusted Salmon + Fennel and Parmesan Salad
Meal #2: Sausage with Caramelized Red Onions and Radicchio + Green Salad
Meal #3: Lemon Chicken Breasts + Sautéed Spinach
Meal # 4: Penne alla Vodka + Green Salad
Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:
parsley – 1 bunch
fennel – 2 heads
lemons – 5
red onion – 2 medium
radicchio – 2 large heads
spinach – 2 large bunches or bags
panko breadcrumbs
Italian plum tomatoes (diced or crushed) – 1, 35 ounce can (or 1 large and 1 small can)
penne – 1 box
egg noodles – 1 bag
heavy cream – small container
balsamic vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
dried oregano (if you don’t already have it)
fresh or dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
pine nuts (optional)
salmon fillets, skin on – 4 (6-8 oz. each)
sausages – 1-2 per person depending on their size
chicken breasts – 4 bone-in, skin-on (if you have a butcher get them to debone the chicken)
dry white wine
vodka
Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole
A few weeks ago, I said that I don’t typically make casseroles, but I love this recipe. To be honest, if a dish combines proteins and vegetables, and doesn’t require you to open a can of cream of something soup, I’m game. The cauliflower is the star of this dish – bet you never thought anyone would say that! You can use any type of sausage you like (chicken, turkey, pork) but, I use sweet Italian pork sausage because the recipe only needs ½ lb. for 4-6 servings, and you get a lot more flavor. I think ⅔ cup of breadcrumbs is too much, so I suggest using just enough bread crumbs to lightly coat the top of the casserole.
Green Salad
Last weekend we escaped the dirty snow of New York and spent several days at my parent’s new house in Vermont. It is the perfect vacation house because it has plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms, and a huge living room with two giant couches. It begs for groups. Funny enough, since I am an only child, there have only been a few nights where more than five of us have stayed there. But this weekend we packed the house – there were the five of us, two of my best friends, one of their boyfriends, and one of their daughters. Besides a lot of sledding, downhill skiing, and snowshoeing, we drank a bit too much wine and bourbon, and ate a ton of Vermont cheese.
Patrick in the snow fort he built out of 3 feet of snow.
Leading up to the weekend, my Mom and I planned the weekend’s menus. Knowing we had a lot of people to feed we tried to design meals that would be easy to prepare for a big group, be universally loved, and accommodate a variety of tastes and dietary needs. A couple of our weekend’s feasts made it to this week’s meal plan, along with two others that would also work for a large group. All of these meals can also be adjusted for as few as two people.
(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)
Meal # 1: Cauliflower and Sausage Casserole + Green Salad
Meal # 2: Meatloaf, Roasted Potatoes + Green Beans
Meal # 3: Shrimp “Scampi” with Linguine + Green Salad
Meal # 4: Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry + Rice
Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:
cauliflower – 1 medium (about 2 lb.)
onion – 2
scallions – 1 bunch
snap peas – 1 cup, or handful
lettuce – 1 head or bag
lemon – 1
red or yukon gold potatoes – 1 lb.
red, yellow or orange pepper – 2
zucchini and/or summer squash – 2
green beans – 1 ½ lb.
ginger – 1 small piece
whole peeled tomatoes – 1, 28-ounce can
breadcrumbs
fresh or dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
dried basil (if you don’t already have it)
dried oregano (if you don’t already have it)
garlic powder (if you don’t already have it)
Worcestershire sauce (if you don’t already have it) – optional
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
ketchup (if you don’t already have it)
soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
oyster sauce (if you don’t already have it)
rice wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil (if you don’t already have it)
eggs – 2
linguine – 2-3 oz. per person
sausage – ½ lb.
ground beef – 2 lb.
chicken breast – 1 lb.
bacon – 3 strips
cheddar cheese – ¼ lb.
shrimp – 1 ½ lb.
dry white wine
On this day in 2009, Patrick proposed at Simon Pearce Restaurant in Quechee, Vermont. We were on our way to the Mad River Valley for a long weekend when he suggested we stop at one of my favorite restaurants for lunch. I was thrilled! After a leisurely meal of rich, cheddar soup, airy scones, and Vermont draught beer, Patrick suggested we visit the restaurant’s deck where you can see the adjacent waterfall. Despite what sounds like a total set-up, I had no idea what was coming. No sooner had we walked onto the deck that I turned around to see him down on one knee. Well, the rest is history – and these days, that day feels like ancient history…
Minutes after I said yes!
Five years later, we are driving to Vermont again for the long weekend, but with a toddler in tow. However, we were fortunate to celebrate the holiday, albeit a bit early, last weekend with another delicious meal, this time in Williamsburg, Brooklyn at St. Anselm. Sitting at the bar, we split a duck rillette appetizer, a plate of roasted shoshito peppers, a side of spinach gratin and I had a juicy, hanger steak with garlic butter while Patrick dug into a bourbon-soaked pork chop. Divine. It smelled so good at the restaurant that I told our waiter I wanted to live there. I think Patrick was bit embarrassed.
As you can tell, the way to this lady’s heart is through her stomach and in honor of this day of hugs and kisses I have prepared several meals for you that bring together ingredients that I love: artichokes, macaroni and cheese, shallots, olives, kielbasa, etc. Hope you enjoy them!
xoxo, Kelly
(Meals should feed four adults and take about 30-40 minutes to prepare, or the time it takes Patrick to give Eliza a bottle and put her to bed.)
Meal #1: Kale, White Bean, and Kielbasa Stew + Bread
Meal #2: Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Lemon, Olives, and Rosemary + Roasted Fennel with Artichoke Hearts
Meal #3: Macaroni and Cheese with Prosciutto + Green Salad
Meal #4: Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta + Sauteed Green Beans with Shallots
Your Grocery List, excluding the usual pantry items:
kale – 1 large bunch
lemon – 3
fennel – 2
lettuce or mixed greens – 1 head or bag
grape or cherry tomatoes – 1 pint or container
shallots – 7
rosemary – 1 bunch
green beans – 1 ½ lb.
kalamata olives – ¼ cup
Spanish olives – ½ cup (or just buy more of the kalamata olives and use those instead)
artichoke hearts – 2 cans
chicken broth – 1 small can
white beans (cannellini or navy) – 2 small cans
small elbow macaroni – 1 box
Gruyere cheese – approx. ½ lb.
whipping or heavy cream – 1 small container or 8 oz.
whole milk – 1 small container or 8 oz.
feta cheese – ¼ lb.
baguette or Italian bread
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
ground nutmeg (if you don’t already have it)
thinly sliced prosciutto – 3 oz.
wild striped bass – 1 ½ lb. fillet
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 8 or approx. 2 ½ lbs.
kielbasa – ½ lb.
Roasted Chicken Thighs with Tomatoes, Olives, and Feta
This simple dish is a little bit salty, a little bit fatty, and super satisfying…
Sautéed Green Beans and Shallots
The addition of a shallot elevates this side dish from average to memorable.
1 ½ lb. green beans, ends trimmed
1 TB. butter
1 TB. olive oil
1 shallot, minced (optional)
salt and pepper
Bring salted water to a boil in a pot or saucepan and add green beans. Boil for about 5 minutes, or until crisp, tender. Drain the beans. In the same pot or pan, heat oil and butter over medium heat. When butter is melted, add shallot and saute for about 2 minutes. Add green beans to the pan and saute for another 30 seconds, add salt and pepper to taste.