This Weeks Menu

Sunday ~ Artichoke Bisque, Toast and Greens (fast and easy)
Double the bisque for later in the week (recipe below). Serve toasted cheesy bread and a green salad with light vinaigrette.

Monday ~ Dad's chicken. 45 min prep)
Simmering in your kitchen this brings good flavors, good aromas, good company. 
Chicken (bone in has most flavor), chopped onion, chopped parsley, 1can tomato sauce, 1/2 c. red wine, olives, pancetta or sausage, whole mushrooms.  Saute chicken, take out, add onion and par.  Add sausage, red wine and 1can tomato sauce.   Add 2-3 cans water, about 3/4 c.  Bring to boil, cover and cook on low 50min.   Serve with anything...brown rice, pasta, mashed potatoes, polenta, sourdough.  

Tuesday ~ Leftovers from Monday

Wednesday ~  Back to the Roots...Minestrone Soup
Noni inspired us all.  Morning started with something brewing in the kitchen.  A pot of this, a little something of that.  Food was her passion, her roots from Italy, and it brought everyone together.  This week, Mom cooked her Minestrone soup for my brother's family, herself and then shared it with us.  Sent Mom home with our leftover chicken!

Thursday ~  Husband is out...cheese and bread for me!

Recipes
Pureed Artichoke Bisque* 

1 package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted (trader joes best value)
1 potato, peeled and diced
3 to 5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 Tbl butter or olive oil
4 to 6 cups chicken or vege broth
1 Tbl sliced basil

Saute artichokes, potato and garlic in olive oil for 5min or until partially cooked. Add stock, boil. Reduce heat and simmer until veges are tender, 10 min. Puree soup, season with s&p. Garnich with basil and/or truffle oil (my addition).
*SF Chronicle Cookbook

Great meal, great memories

Mom prepared a wonderful meal...the same menu as last year this same day.  Dad would have been 70 today and we enjoyed all his favorites again, and we will again and again.  Thanks Mom for the great memories and meal, just like Dad would have liked it!

This Weeks Menu

Market had a sale on whole chickens, that started my menu planning for the week.

Sunday ~ Roasted chicken, potatoes, and vegetables
Prepare chicken with olive oil, garlic, s&p.  (or just purchase roasted chicken) Stuff with onion and apple. Roast 1hr20min. 
Add potatoes to pan after one hour. 
Served with creamed spinach

Monday ~ Mini sliders and salad
Mini sliders (turkey or beef) with cheese, avocado and tomatoes
Mixed greens with viniagrette

Tuesday ~ Chinese chicken salad
Romaine greens, shredded carrots, scallions, chicken from Sunday leftovers, edamame, toasted sliced almonds.  Dressing from "Comforts". 

Wednesday - Soft Tacos
Prepare tacos with leftover ground turkey or beef from Monday.
Whole wheat or corn tortillas, avocado, black beans, sour cream, cheddar, black olives, hot sauce.

Thursday ~  hmmmm, what shall we serve.

what's for dinner?

OK girlfriend, you've inspired me...I'm going to share my weekly menus to record the happenings in my kitchen and share the love with others.

In order to use what's in the fridge, I have to be creative. Tonight we had a brunch recipe...just enjoyed at dinner.

Yukon potato Latkes, inspired by Epicurious
smoked salmon
a dollop of creme fraiche with dill
mixed greens, mustard vinaigrette

traditional christmas eve

Our christmas eve starts early in the morning with a pot tenderly stirred with our favorite crab cioppino, a family recipe. We talk of the meal for days, as we anticipate the fishing boats angling out the gate to make the catch.

Storms created some chaos for fishermen this year, but two days before our meal my husband called me on his way to work "honey, the cioppino is on". The seas had calmed and the boats were out. As in this photos, my sous chef enjoyed his first preparation of the meal.

Around an elegant family table, we savored our meal and toasted to a tradition created and cherished.

christening

A baptism, christening, is a special day to remember. Our sweet one was introduced to the church on the Sunday following Thanksgiving. She wore white of her cousins, a tradition now started. Her Godmother bathed and dressed her in the morning and we brought her to church to be greated by family. She gazed at everyone, sparkled in white, and did not let out a peep. A party followed at Grandma's where we gathered and shared memories forever.

a blessed gift

Sweet Madelyn Elizabeth, graced our lives on Monday, Nov 22nd. She's a treasure, a joy, and so very blessed to have such a wonderful mommy, daddy and big sister. Your cousins are so very anxious to share and play with you too!

Love to Madelyn.
xoxo