Today finishes up my freezer ‘clean-out’. I used up the remainder of my shrimp, which I cooked in a sauce of diced tomatoes, white wine, lemon juice (and zest), sliced kalamata olives, and sauteed onions. I tossed that mixture with whole wheat penne pasta and topped it off with a grating of parmesano-reggiano. Delightful!!! I had enough whole wheat penne pasta left to make a healthy lunch for tomorrow: pasta, broccoli, raisins, and walnuts – all of which I drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice (the other half of the one I used for the shrimp pasta), with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes to finish. I will be a very happy gal at lunchtime tomorrow!!!

Cheers!

For this week’s menu I decided that I would use food I have on hand, supplemented with a few items from the grocery store, to find creative ways to use up any food stored in my freezer and pantry. Last night I made lamb, and the night before that: pumpkin soup. Tonight I am thawing some brats, which I will then gently simmer with beer (usually Guinness) and onion. In warmer weather I finish them off with a quick sear on the grill, but it is freezing out, and since I want to wash as few dishes as possible I will leave it at the beer bath tonight. I will serve them in a wheat bun with some mustard and maybe a bit of horseradish, leftover mashed potatoes on the side. Tomorrow I plan to use up some shrimp I have stored in the freezer. I will saute them with diced tomatoes and olives and perhaps spinach, then toss all of that with some whole-wheat penne pasta. It is so much easier to prepare healthy meals when you have a menu planned. For me, much of the battle is deciding what to make, which is harder due to the fact I have such a variety of food preferences under one roof.

I have placed my first order with Burgundy Pasture Beef, a North Texas meat company whose cattle are 100% grass-fed. They are one of very few companies in the US who both raise and process their cattle, and they also offer selections of pork, poultry and lamb (also processed onsite but brought in from other farms). I learned of them about 2-3 years ago, but I am just now getting around to trying out their products. I am not sure what has taken me so long, especially given how much my neighbor has raved about them. My first delivery will be this coming Saturday…I will keep you posted on my thoughts…

Tonight I am roasting a rack of lamb…I will serve it surrounded by a sour cherry/red wine reduction, with creamy mashed potatoes and glazed carrots on the side. There is a wonderful glass of champagne sitting next to me as I prepare tonight’s meal. Believe it or not, it is Costco’s Kirkland brand, and I’ll admit I am surprised at how wonderful it tastes.

Alas, it is time to enjoy the remaining minutes I have by the fire before the lamb is ready and the last minute dinner frenzy ensues….

I am in a soup mood these days…tonight I made my pumpkin soup, flavored with Indian spices such as curry and garam masala. I will puree the final results to yield a smooth, thick pool of pumpkin heaven, and then I’ll garnish each bowl with goat cheese and a drizzle of honey (tupelo). Whole Foods offered a bleu cheese-walnut bread today which I will serve with the soup. A hard apple cider pairs well and rounds out the meal. If I used vegetable stock insead of chicken stock it would be vegetarian. I usually serve a salad alongside the soup, but I just didn’t feel like it tonight! I figure I am getting enough vegetables with the pumpkin, carrots and onion…Right?

The weather has turned cold, and that is not only cold by TX standards, but by most folk’s criteria! I made a pot of tortilla soup Saturday night, and for lunch today I finished any remnants still hanging around. Soup is such a cold-weather comfort food…I prefer a thick soup, a soup that sticks with you. My tortilla soup is filled with smoked chicken, brown rice, diced tomatoes, and corn. I top it off at the end with cilantro, fresh lime juice, tortillas, sour cream, cheese and avocado or guacamole. Like I said, I like it thick! There are many versions of tortilla soup floating around…some are creamy, some brothy, others somewhere in-between the two. Some have chicken, others are vegetarian. Mine is a combination of all those aspects of different recipes I liked. I try to keep it healthy, and as long as I watch the amount of cheese and tortillas I add to my bowl it is.

I pondered my menu for the week as I savored the final spoonfuls of my soup. I find it difficult to come up with healthy meals which everyone will happily eat (key words being ‘happily eat’). My oldest son, the one in college, has always been a picky eater. He is home for another (oh-so-short) week, and I am trying to include foods he likes. My younger son is much more adventurous and willing to try most anything I make. And my husband wants food that is healthy…which happens to be the exact opposite of the food my eldest finds acceptable…I love my food, and I prefer it to eating out most of the time. But in the end one is only as good a cook as those who eat their food determine. Hence, the dilemma I now face. Had I been a smart mom, I would have established from the very beginning that my kids would eat the meal I cooked – no special offers, short-order cooking, etc…I suppose I could still do that, but I know I won’t…so back my planning!