Let me start by saying that meal plan #5 changed before it even began. Originally week #4 ended on Sunday with Pork Tenderloin. But…on Saturday I realized that Sunday was to be warm and lovely, Monday, not so much. The marinated flank steak on the grill moved to Sunday. I have made marinated flank steak for years. The marinade is simply the best and the recipe often requested. I served the steak with a large tossed blue cheese salad and grilled avocados. Have you ever grilled avocados? If you have you know how fabulous they are, if you haven’t, you haven’t lived. I will post both the marinade recipe and the grilled avocado recipe later. It was a great dinner, visions of what is soon to come.
On Monday, I decided to try the Butternut Squash Black Bean Enchilada recipe. Reason for the decision? It was national Margarita Day. I needed dinner to go with Margaritas. So simple.
Butternut Squash And Black Bean Enchiladas | Skinnytaste
Butternut squash, black beans, tomatoes, cilantro and spices are simmered in a skillet with green chilies and jalapeno, then wrapped in tortillas and baked in the oven with enchilada sauce and cheese – these vegetarian enchiladas are delicious and perfect for meatless Mondays, or any day of the week!
OK….HUGE miss, at least for the “Ole Buckeye. HUGE. and the recipe made a lot. OB called it a “veggie wrap, not even close to enchiladas.” Oh well. BUT…the margaritas were great!
Tuesday….OB had a dinner meeting. I had leftovers. I had enchiladas….and more margaritas…many more.
Wednesday Night…Family Night. I made family favorites. We dined on roasted sausage, potatoes and peppers, focaccia, and an Italian salad. I have made sausage and peppers for years, (a favorite of the ‘Ole Buckeye), but then I came across this recipe and it took the preparation to a whole new level. The additional spices in the olive oil add a wonderful dimension of flavor. Dipping the bread in the pan juices…Yum. I doubled the recipe and made 2 huge roaster pans full for 5 of us…3 adults and 2 grand girls with adult appetites. We ate almost the entire meal.
Roasted Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers
Italian sausage, potatoes, bell peppers and onions oven-roasted with fresh rosemary in an olive oil and parmesan cheese dressing. Yes, I’m still on a roasting binge. No, the end is not near. One of the many things I love about roasting is the oven does most of the work!
Dinner Thursday included leftovers and a soup originally planned for lunch. I made Pasta e Fagioli in the Crockpot for lunches for the rest of the week. I love this soup at Olive Garden (it was a favorite of Mom’s as well). I have tried unsuccessfully to recreate the flavors. This recipe from The Recipe Critic did the trick. The only change I made to the recipe was substituting hot Italian sausage for the ground beef. Since the soup was simmering in the crock pot and we had left over flank steak, I decided to make a hearty steak salad and soup dinner. We had a Junior High Basketball game to attend at 5 PM, so I wanted a quick and easy dinner when we arrived home. The dinner salad included romaine, grape tomatoes, red onion, blue cheese, black olives, avocado and thinly sliced reheated flank steak. The soup and salad and some left over focaccia complimented each other perfectly. We did not feel shorted at all.
http://therecipecritic.com/2015/10/slow-cooker-pasta-e-fagioli-soup/
On Friday night we tried another shrimp and grits recipe. Bobby Flay’s recipe that I made a few weeks ago was excellent, but I had pinned another that included more spice and heat, as well as a method of cooking grits in chicken stock rather than water.
Cheesy Shrimp And Grits Casserole Recipe – Food.com
Delightful addition to a beautiful brunch or perhaps a light supper with a salad. From Southern Living Bring 4 cups chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a large saucepan; stir in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir together grits, 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese.
It was quite good. Very different than the last rendition, it had some kick. The ‘Ole Buckeye liked them both. When pushed to make a decision…he liked the consistency of the grits and the bacon flavor in the first, and he liked the spice of the second. He grinned and said I was welcome to make them both again.
Saturday…word of the day…flexible, be flexible. The son’s family is out of town for our grand daughters soccer tournament. Our daughter and son in law were due to arrive for a week long visit this evening. Do I make a zucchini noodle meatless experiment, or fix a tried and true recipe? Son in law…a meat eater, enough said. I made an Italian sausage and vegetable medley casserole and served it with the Pasta Fagioli soup as an appetizer, Italian salad and focaccia. I also made a lemon pound cake, but that is a story for another day. It was a late evening meal that we shared after their 12 hour drive. Comfort food, red wine and relaxation. So good to have them here.
And so another week is complete. More hits than misses and lots of good eating.
