One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry.
We dressed in our finest and headed out into the night: a pirate, a cat, a Clone Trooper and a dragon. Within 45 minutes, we were spent and hungry. (Well, the pirate stayed out for another 2 hours with her friends and their mom.) Returning home, warm soup and cheese and cracker plates waited for us followed by all the candy you can eat, which turns out is only about 2 pieces on a full belly.
This week we’re detoxing off the sugar high and finding creative ways to eat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and 100 Grand Bars, both of which were mighty popular last night. Our menu is heavy on main dish salads this week to account for all the other sweets and carbs that Halloween and holiday baking bring.
Monday – Maple-Glazed Steak Salad with Blue Cheese
Tuesday – Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa
Wednesday – Spinach and Potato Frittata
Thursday – Spinach Salad
Friday – White Chicken Chili
The Preparation Shortcuts:
1. Grill your chicken while you grill your steak. Store in freezer or refrigerator in an airtight container for Friday’s soup. This way, Friday’s soup will be easy-peasy.
2. Cook chickpeas ahead and freeze so they’re ready when you are. Also, make extra and add them to the chili instead of the navy beans. I realize this makes it less of a chili, but it’s still fantastic, and chickpeas are great for you.
3. Use spinach in both the frittata and the spinach salad. Extra potatoes from the frittata could also be added to the soup, or you could bake ahead and warm on Thursday to serve as a salad and potato dish. Leftover bacon from the salad gets used up in Friday’s soup.
4. Leftover curry and pitas from last week’s menu are used up with the curried chickpeas and quinoa dish.
The Shopping List:
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon
1-2 chicken breasts
3/4-pound ribeye
1 bunch fresh parsley
4 cups spring mix
1/4 cup spring onions
1 knob ginger
1 package Mushrooms, White Button
10-12 ounces cherry tomatoes
16 ounces fresh spinach
1/3 cup white corn
1 (4-ounce) can green chilis
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup manchego or monterey jack
1/3 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/2 cup ricotta
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pantry Items:
onions
potatoes
garlic
eggs
chicken broth
chickpeas
walnuts
quinoa
sugar
Dijon mustard
apple cider vinegar
red wine vinegar
pure maple syrup
cayenne
curry powder or paste
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oilLast week from Food for My Family:
Steamed Broccoli Vinaigrette
On Babble:
Apple Cider Donut Holes
Best Kitchen Tools for Kids
First off, yes, we’ll be there Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for dinner. There will be 5 of us 😉
Second, your kids are so cute. Thanks for linking up, it was fun to see.
Love the costumes! Great meal ideas too!
That chicken chili recipe is the same one I use and we love it. I just don’t use the bacon because the Spouse is anti-bacon. Which I’ve never understood.
we need a candy detox at my home but I’m afraid the sugar high has just begun. It will take a couple days for my son to eat his loot. Yuck!
WOW! The Maple-Glazed Steak Salad with Blue Cheese sounds so good!!! Thanks for sharing. My kids don’t usually like steak, but I think if it’s maple glazed they’d clean their plates! Thanks for sharing. I have a healthy-ish plan on my site to that I made for the week if you want to check it out.
With a menu plan like that all the sweets from Halloween will be quickly forgotten (or we can hope at least)! Great looking little trick-or-treaters.
The costumes are awesome and the curried chickpeas sound excellente!