Late last week it occurred to me that I need to start clearing out the freezers — yes, plural: the kitchen freezer, the small deep freezer, and the garage beverage fridge — to get ready for moving day. My husband kindly reminded me on Saturday that the moving truck arrives in exactly two months. So, these recipes are my plan to begin using what we have stocked in the freezer and pantry. That said, I’ll probably still be buying ice cream…
Here’s what we’ll be eating this week:
Meatless Monday: Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet. Found on Pinterest. Carson tends to make a mess under his high chair — and since he loves beans and rice, I’m sure this will be entertainingly messy.
I’ve chosen Monday as our meatless night because it’s budget friendly and better for the environment. My meat-and-potatoes husband goes along with it because I usually make him a special dessert to go with the meatless meal. I’m nice like that.
Tuesday: Homestyle Chicken and Noodles. I have noodles in the freezer that need using, and this recipe sprang to mind. We loved it the first time — classic comfort food.
Wednesday: Slow-Cooker Beef and Tomato Stew. We’ve made this a couple of times and really enjoy it. With cold weather sticking around, stew feels right — cozy and satisfying.
Thursday: Chicken Nachos. Andy picked this one and it’s quick to throw together. I actually prefer this chicken as a quesadilla filling. The girls side with Daddy since they love having chips for dinner.
Friday: Fried Brown Rice with Green Beans and Balsamic Vinegar. This recipe is from the cookbook Whole Grains for a New Generation. I’m sneaking in another meatless meal this week — shhh! Andy didn’t get to try this the last time, but the rest of us enjoyed it. It’s easy to prepare: I do the prep while the kids finish lunch so dinner is a quick stir-fry.
New recipe reviews
Grilled Cumin-Lime Zucadillas. I used this recipe as a guide and adapted it — I substituted roasted eggplant for zucchini. A revised version of my take on this will be coming soon.
Crockpot Sesame Honey Chicken. Many people praised this recipe, so I tried it. It’s very easy to assemble in the crockpot while the kids eat lunch, but I found the flavor a bit underwhelming. Still a useful quick-meal option for busy days.