Meals for Week of October 18, 2010

Hi.

Sorry, I know it's been about 4 weeks since my last post.  I never meant to take that long to get back to the blog.  Even now, I'm sort of winging this post.  We're still in the midst of packing our house and I'm just starting to regain some energy as my first trimester comes to an end.  I think about the blog constantly and I have felt so guilty about not putting in the time to work on it.  I keep questioning if I was wrong to take a break when I seemed to be gaining momentum with new subscribers.  Life is still incredibly chaotic.  My kitchen is mostly packed up.  I kept out just basic utensils and a couple of pots and pans.  And now I realize we won't be moved until after Thanksgiving and I am determined to cook Thanksgiving dinner because it's been like 3 years since I have made anything beyond a dessert or a dish to bring to some other house for the holiday.  So now I'm hoping I can make it work with just a few pots and 2 baking dishes.

In other news I've lost just over 10 lbs and about 8 inches from my Mama Boot Camp classes, even though I haven't worked nearly as hard at it as I originally intended.  My own personal eating has been very hit and miss with pregnancy food aversions, cravings and general lethargy that makes me not hungry.  I have made a few great dinners in recent weeks utilizing produce from my Farm Fresh to You delivery and locally raised beef that I recently purchased from Cal Tex Cattle Cooperative.  (I will have more about this beef coming soon with some recipes of what I've made.)

Fall is here and with that, delicious recipes using the great seasonal produce.  Except it's been in the high 80's and 90's where I live.  It's a buzz kill for the Fall Mood.  But in any case I'm listing some great Fall recipes in hopes that they are just right for others out there.

Recipes for the Week of Octobr 18, 2010

Baked Southwestern Tilapia- Simple and flavorful, ready in under 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Sausage Lasagna- An easy way to have lasagna on a busy weeknight.  This recipe is an e-mealplanning favorite!

Chicken Stir Fry with Yakisoba Noodles- The beauty of a stir fry is it’s really about the method of cooking and the ingredients you use are up to you.  You can also prepare the noodles separately and not add them to the pan but instead just serve the stir fry over them.

Glazed Pork Tenderloin Medallions- Good enough to serve for company but also easy for preparing for the family on a weeknight.  The sweet and tangy sauce is wonderful with the pork.

Easy One Pot Mac and Cheese- Love this recipe, so great to whip up on a weeknight and serve with simple steamed veggies or a salad.

Skillet Shepherd’s Pie- A twist on the classic version that takes less time and instead of using mashed potatoes uses frozen shredded hash brown potatoes.  Also a great meal to make using a cast iron skillet or any heavy bottom, oven safe skillet.

Crock Pot Thai Curry- You may have most of these ingredients on hand and simply need coconut milk and chili paste.  Feel free to substitute the eggplant for another squash or use whatever combination of vegetables you like.

Minestrone Soup- It's not exactly authentic, but a very simple and easy recipe for a classic Italian soup.  It uses frozen vegetables and we suggest the Italian style variety or to use whatever fresh vegetables are available.  Hearty enough to be a meal alone with some bread or a salad.  To add more flavor; use the Italian style chopped tomatoes.  This soup freezes well.

Side Dishes/Dessert

Fall Salad with Maple Vinaigrette- This recipe can really just serve as inspiration for your own version of a fall salad.  Apples and blue cheese are always great in any salad.

Butternut Squash with Wilted Spinach and Blue Cheese- You can roast the squash in advance to toss this together quickly on a weeknight.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake- No baking, just mixing and assembling.