menu of the week

(image by Marcus Nilsson for Every Day with Rachael Ray)

This weekend didn't go as planned - I ended up sick Friday through Sunday (and missed the wedding on Saturday - sad face), and my main sources of sustenance were lime jello and slices of toasted bread from Olga's Cup + Saucer. Therefore the menu plans for this week are low key, but hearty. This cook is still feeling a bit weak, but I need to regain my strength as there is a toddler to wrangle on a daily basis.

vegetable barley risotto - I've made this once before per Matt's request. He spotted it on the back of a bag of Bob's Red Mill barley, and while it does involve a heck of a lot of stirring, it's pretty easy and yields a large amount. It's also great for lunch the next day.

white bean and mushroom stew - My mother-in-law got me a subscription to Whole Living for Christmas and this recipe was in my first issue. I made it within a week of seeing it and couldn't stop exclaiming over how good it was. Just ask Matt, who was rolling his eyes at me after the fifth or sixth time hearing me say, "No, really, this is sooo good!" The rosemary makes it.

frugalista burritos from 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know - This is a new recipe for me but looks to be pretty easy and low commitment. I borrowed 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know from the library last week and there weren't too many recipes that I wanted to try, but this simple dish was one of them.

pizza with homemade crust - A craving for pizza hit me as soon as my stomach felt like it could hold its contents this weekend so I knew I had to add it to this week's menu. Matt makes the dough and we add whatever toppings we have on hand - often sauteed peppers and onions, broccoli, or my personal favorite: pineapple.

smoky buffalo-style chili - I'm not really into spicy foods but this chili has just the right amount of heat so that I don't have to chug a glass of milk after each bite. In the past I've made it with turkey, but I already have ground beef from Rhodemont Farm. The blue cheese is such a genius addition and I must say the chips don't hurt either.

Since I missed John and Rachel's wedding on Saturday (insert sigh of disappointment here) I feel like I need to make something chocolate-y due to my missed encounter with wedding cake. I'm thinking this might be a good substitute, yes?

Hello Weekend

(image via Mignon Kitchen Co.)

This weekend is going to be a good one, I already know it, because we have a wedding to attend and I love weddings! Our friends John and Rachel are getting married and we'll be at the Roger Williams Park casino to celebrate with them. I've been planning my outfit in my mind for weeks now because it seems like it's been a while since I've had an excuse to get dressed up. Matt and I also have plans to start an exciting new project that we hope to work on throughout the winter and debut in the spring. There's so much going on in my brain right now I have to go try to sort it out. While I do that, check out my favorite things this week...

- love this bright Valentine's Day dinner party
- these tips and tricks from the newly opened Mignon Kitchen Co. are brilliant
- perusing this list of up & coming blogs
- give your bookshelf a makeover
- a way to get your glasses on the cheap
- why didn't I think of this?!
- I listed washi tape gift tags in the tiny hummingbird shop this week... order a set for your gift-giving needs!
- this is a great post on babywearing
- the colors & confetti at this birthday party are sweet
- technically, this DIY gold striped wall is from last week but I just found it. And I want it!
- pink hair, glitter mouse ears, and a cheetah cardigan is my dream look

Happy weekend!

classic banana bread

 Baking banana bread is probably one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen for at least three reasons - it makes the whole house smell delicious, it's incredibly easy, and it gives new life to old bananas. This recipe is an adaptation of the one my mom always used when I was growing up, so it was the first one I ever made. While I've tried lots of variations over the years, I always come back to this old stand-by because it's so simple. Try it and let me know what you think.

Banana Bread
Ingredients
4 very ripe mashed bananas
2 beaten eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 2/3 cup flour
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Mix all ingredients together. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325° for 50 - 60 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Really the only change from the original recipe is substituting applesauce for shortening or oil. And this time I added a cup of 60% Ghirardelli chocolate chips because I just can't resist them. Okay, I confess - I add chocolate chips pretty much every time I bake banana bread. I'm bringing this loaf to our moms' group this morning as a not-quite-breakfast snack. What baked goods do you try to pass off as breakfast?

{the not-so-secret ingredient}

menu of the week

Now that we finally have snow on the ground I can't wait to cook dinners that are warm and comforting, like beef stroganoff on Wednesday night. It's one of my most favorite foods ever. I'm trying a couple new dishes, too.

Korean style vegetable stir fry - Whenever I ask Matt what he wants for dinner his answer is "vegetables," which isn't very helpful. So instead of just making vegetables I'm going to make a stir fry, but I'm not using instant noodles like the recipe says. I think they mean ramen, but we have lots of soba noodles and I think they'll make a good substitute.

mushroom, onion, and swiss panini - I can already hear the complaints about the mushrooms, but I plan on prepping a few other fillings so Matt doesn't have to be subjected to fungus in his sandwich. Any suggestions for things that go with swiss cheese besides mushrooms?

beef stroganoff - While this dish may take a while (figure about three hours including prep), it's so worth it! Plus it makes your house smell amazing while the beef simmers on the stove.

apple, cheddar, and squash soup - I found this through my friend Alex's pin and it was the best butternut squash soup I've ever hard. Although it would be hard not to please me when it comes to anything with butternut squash in it. I'm a bit obsessed.

broiled salmon with polenta and roasted broccoli - My favorite way to prepare salmon is sprinkling it with salt and fresh ground black pepper and then broiling it. It only takes about seven minutes for two one pound filets. Sometimes I slather barbecue sauce on top, but this week I plan on keeping it simple. The polenta will be sliced and baked (I have one of Trader Joe's pre-cooked organic rolls) with extra virgin olive oil and some salt, and the broccoli will get the same treatment.

As always, I'll try to have some sort of salad each night of the week, and dessert (until they're gone) will be the whole wheat chocolate chunk cookies that Matt made over the weekend. Don't be fooled - they may be made with whole wheat flour but there are two sticks of butter and two cups of sugar hiding in there.

P.S. This is unrelated, but I heard a rumor about Domino over the weekend... could it be true?

Hello Weekend

(image via the city lights just blur)

After weekends in a row of holiday festivities and birthday parties, I'm relieved to say we don't have much going on this weekend, especially with the snow that finally fell over Rhode Island. We're hoping to do a few things around the house, like hang some frames that have been waiting since the summer, sift through clothes to create keep & donate piles, and inventory the contents of our chest freezer in the basement. I know, fun times. Really, though - I love the feeling of satisfaction I get after accomplishing simple tasks like those, especially when they've been hanging over my head. Know what I mean?

- just pinned these confetti shooters for future parties

- wish I could type on this chromatic typewriter. beautiful. via Making it Lovely

- a neon striped sweater for all you pregnant ladies out there, via My Life {as a Sugar Lander}

- can't wait for my new raspberry colored moccasins to arrive at my door!

- I know I said I'm cutting back on baking but I just have to make these cookies

- I want to throw a San Francisco themed birthday party

- another fun use for paper lanterns

Hope you weekend is a good one!