Mendolonium » Menus http://www.mendolo.com Tales from a little family trying to live sustainably, maintain our sanity, and figure out what we want to be when we grow up. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 07:00:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Menu and Independence http://www.mendolo.com/2009/01/16/menu-and-independence/ http://www.mendolo.com/2009/01/16/menu-and-independence/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:52:26 +0000 Gina http://www.mendolo.com/?p=263 After a nasty bout of gastroenteritis over the holidays I sort of fell off the wagon on the menus and Independence Days. But I really need the menus and the challenge of Independence Days to motivate me so I am back on the wagon. Our planned menu for the next two weeks is

Friday

Saturday

  • Veggie and Chevre Calzone

Sunday

Monday

  • Takeout/Out to Eat Night

Tuesday

  • Black Bean Torta (a slow cooker meal)

Wednesday

Thursday

  • Broccoli and Shallot Risotto

Friday

Saturday

  • Butternut squash ravioli with Gorgonzola cream sauce
  • I haven’t had ravioli (all the dough contains egg) since Thomas was diagnosed with his egg allergy over a year ago and I miss it so much.  I am going to try and make my own egg-free dough and recreate one of my favorite dishes.

Sunday

  • Grilled cheese sandwiches
  • Tomato soup

Monday

  • Takeout/Out to Eat Night

Tuesday

  • Penne w/ Red Bell Pepper, Fausage (tofu sausage), and Creamy-Spicy Marinara

Wednesday

And now for the independence days update:

1. Plant Something or Take Care of Something You’ve Planted:

  • Planted more bareroot strawberry crowns (about 50).
  • Carrots.  I want to try and plant carrots about every 6 weeks so we have a continuous supply
  • Spread homemade compost around the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, peas, and broccoli.  The compost is beautiful – like crumbled chocolate cake.  I should take a picture; it is that pretty.

2. Harvest something:

  • Broccoli!
  • Parsley
  • A few strawberries

3. Preserve something:

  • Vegetable Stock (12 cups, frozen)

4. Prep something:

  • Set up a third compost bin.
  • Cut up some small downed oak and elm branches for kindling and tinder.
  • Ordered a water purifier along with extra purifying elements.
  • Picked up a double stroller and bunk beds (we’re planning ahead) used on craigslist.

5. Cook something new:

  • Egg-free blueberry muffins.  Verdict:  Just ok; they didn’t have any oil/fat in them and stuck to the paper muffin liners like crazy.  This recipe needs work.
  • Peanut-butter oatmeal bars.  Also just ok; too dry and crumbly.

6. Manage your reserves:

  • Purchased another case of canned black beans and canned pinto beans.  I try to use dried rather than canned, but it is good to have cans on hand for quick dinners and emergencies as there is no cooking required.

7. Work on local food systems:

  • Does going out to eat 3 times at the local family owned Mexican place count?  (Their salsa is so good and doesn’t contain garlic!).


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Jeff: That’s looking sort of liquidy.

Gina: It’s soup.

**************************************************

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

  • Falafel

Sunday

Monday

  • Black Bean Burgers
  • Rosemary Potatoes
  • Corn on the Cob

Tuesday

  • Out to Eat

Wednesday (Christmas Eve)

  • Cheese Fondue with Apples, Roasted Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Carrots, and Artisan Bread for Dipping
  • Mixed Green Salad

Thursday (Christmas Breakfast)

  • Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes with Butter, Maple Syrup, and Fresh Berries
  • Apple, Potato, and Gruyere Casserole
  • Broccoli and Gouda “Frittata”
  • Tempeh and White Bean Sausage Patties
  • Cinnamon Rolls

Thursday (Christmas Dinner)

  • Thick & Hearty Minestrone Soup
  • Spinach and Cheese Rigatoni Bake
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Sauteed Broccoli with Shallots
  • Rosemary Spiked Bread
  • Chocolate Cake with Cherry Compote
  • Apple Pie

Friday

  • Let’s just say leftovers!
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Wednesday (Yesterday)

  • Black Bean Soup
  • Cornbread

Thursday

  • Apple, Potato, and Gruyere Casserole (This is a new recipe, if it turns out well, I’ll post it here.)

Friday

  • Curry Cous Cous with Brocolli and Scallions (This is a recipe I picked up from my classes at the California School of Culinary Arts.  Jeff says that it may be his favorite dish of all time!)
  • Nann and Paneer “Pizzas”

Saturday

  • Veggie Fajitas

Sunday

  • Baked Potatoes with Steamed Broccoli, Carrots, Cheddar, Butter, Sour Cream, and Chives

Monday

  • Out to Eat

Tuesday

  • Pasta with Spicy Marinara and Chevre
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OK. Not exactly, but tonight’s low is predicted to be 48 degrees and here in southern California that means fall is finally here. I, for one, am thrilled. Late fall/early winter is my favorite time of year. One of the main reasons I love this time of year is the myriad of excuses (holidays, gatherings with friends and family, the house is cold, I am cold) to cook and bake up a storm. This week is all about soup. I had a hankering for minestrone soup this afternoon about 4:00 this afternoon. Unfortunately, I have never made minestrone soup. I pulled out my cookbooks and was quite disappointed in all of the recipes; none were vegetarian, they all included copious amounts of cabbage (one of my least favorite vegetables), and it seemed that they were going to turn out too watery for my taste. So I put the cookbooks back on the shelf, thought “what the hell”, and started to improvise. After some slicing, dicing, and simmering, the result turned out fantastic. And the best part is the tomatoes, herbs, zucchini, and carrots were all from our very own little farm.

Wednesday

Thursday

  • Veggie Burgers
  • Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
  • Corn on the Cob

Friday

  • Penne with Spicy Marinara Cream Sauce and Chevre

Saturday

  • Butternut Squash Ravioli with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce

Sunday

  • Black Bean Soup
  • Cornbread

Monday

  • Baked Potatoes with Steamed Broccoli, Carrots, Butter, Sour Cream, Chives, and Cheddar Cheese

Tuesday

  • Out to Eat
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