Weekly Menu for 1/13

Parsley Pesto on Egg Quesadilla

I'm constantly torn when buying fresh herbs. On the one hand, a tablespoon or two can drastically improve a dish. On the other, it can be hard to use up a whole bunch of herbs before they go bad and I hate wasting food. To address this dilemma, I've amassed a collection of awesome pesto recipes over the past few years. I've made basil pesto, of course, but also cilantro and even kale. This walnut parsley recipe is a relatively new one from Elise and was an enjoyable way to use up a bunch of parsley. I made a half batch and ate it first in whole wheat pasta, then as a topping for my breakfast (pictured above), and finished it off by thinning with lemon juice to use as a salad dressing. All were fantastic! For those of you who are wondering, pesto freezes very well ;) Happy cooking!

Sunday: Broccoli avocado toss
Monday - Wednesday: Dinner out
Thursday: Parsley pesto with orange- and habanero-glazed carrots
Friday and Saturday: Dinner out

Orange- and Habanero-Glazed Carrots

When I'm not cooking a one bowl meal, I usually make salad as my side vegetable. It's quick, doesn't require clean up, and tastes good. Sometimes, though, I like to switch things up. I've made this carrot recipe from Moosewood a bunch of times over the years. It comes together quickly and compliments a variety of main dishes. This time, I added a tiny bit of habanero jelly and it took the flavors to the next level. My pepper jelly is extremely hot, so I used only 3/4 of a teaspoon, but feel free to adjust based on your heat tolerance. I still have a bunch leftover, so I will be posting more recipes with pepper jelly over the next few weeks. If you have any requests, let me know. Happy cooking!

Orange- and Habanero-Glazed Carrots
Adapted from Moosewood Simple Suppers

2 cups peeled and cut carrots (1/2" slices or 1/2" x 2" matchsticks)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
salt to taste
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
3/4 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper jelly (like habanero)

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Add a pinch of salt and the water and continue to cook for 5-7 minutes, until the carrots are crisp-tender. Add the marmalade and jelly and stir for 1-2 minutes until the carrots are well coated.

Makes 1-2 servings

Weekly Menu for 1/6

Crockpot Asian Pork

I'm always on the lookout for tasty, crockpot meals that freeze well. This Asian pork from SkinnyTaste is an absolute winner. My mom made it for us right after my surgery. We enjoyed it then and it was just as good after sitting in my freezer for a few months. For those of you who've had Pho, it's similar to that with a rich broth and tender meat. As you see, I added a bunch of fresh veggies to make it complete one pot meal. Perfect for a chilly winter night.

As some of you know, I requested and received dried beans from Rancho Gordo for Christmas. For my first experiment, I made a simple pot bean recipe from their cookbook. I know it sounds insane, but honestly the RG beans are so different from dried beans in the store. They had a flavor and a personality unlike anything I could have imagined. I can't wait to try my remaining beans. I know most of you aren't going to order dried beans in the mail, so I'll limit my praises for now. If you have any interest, I would be thrilled to discuss further. Happy cooking!

Sunday: Chicken stew with onions, tomatoes, and Dijon over rice and salad
Monday: Rio zape pot beans from Hierloom Beans
Tuesday: Crockpot Asian pork (from the freezer)
Wednesday: Chickpea burgers and salad
Thursday: Pasta Carbonara and salad
Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Dinner out

Pasta Carbonara

If you had to describe Mexican, Italian, or Chinese food, what would you say? Delicious I think, but probably also heavy and greasy. Traditional dishes from these cultures are healthy, but what we eat in restaurants here are Americanized calorie-bombs vaguely resembling the originals. Take pasta carbonara, for example. The ingredients at the average Italian-American restaurant include heavy cream and loads of butter. In Italy, carbonara is actually made without cream of any kind. Instead, raw eggs are mixed with the hot pasta to create a luxurious sauce with more nutrition and fewer calories than a cream sauce. I know it seems crazy, but try it once and you'll have a hard time going back to the cream version.

In addition being some good comfort food, this pasta dish also uses few ingredients and comes together while the pasta boils, making it perfect for a weeknight. Happy cooking!

Pasta Carbonara
A Tiny Chef original

4.5 ounces rotini pasta (about 2 cups)
4 slices bacon
1 medium onion
1 large egg
half a small bunch of parsley
Small handful of shredded Parmesan
Freshly ground pepper

In a medium pot, bring several quarts of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating, slice the bacon into half-inch strips. Heat a medium non-stick skillet on medium heat and fry the bacon until brown and crispy.

While the bacon is cooking, chop the onion. When the bacon is done, remove it to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon. Drain off all but 1 teaspoon of the bacon fat. Return the pan to the stove and add the onion, cooking slowly over medium-low heat. Stir frequently to prevent the onions from browning.

My water usually boils right as the bacon finishes, so I normally start the pasta and the onions at the same time. If yours takes a little longer, don't worry about it. The onions can cook anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes with a similar result.

While the onions and pasta are cooking, beat the egg in a large bowl. Finely chop the parsley and add it and the Parmesan to the bowl.

When the pasta is done, drain it and add it immediately to the onions. Then dump the onion-pasta mix into the egg bowl and stir immediately and continuously for about 60 seconds. The egg will cook as it coats the pasta. Once the egg is incorporated, add a bunch of freshly ground pepper and stir for 30 seconds. Then plate the pasta and split the bacon crumbles between the two dishes.

Makes 2 servings

Weekly Menu for 12/30

After all the rich foods I had on vacation, I needed a serious veggie detox. Easy black beans were perfect since I was also exhausted from traveling. If you are looking for something easy, fast, and tasty made from mostly pantry ingredients, try these beans! I've made them at least a dozen times and I'm always surprised at how delicious and satisfying they are. Happy cooking!

Easy black beans over quinoa

Sunday: Bratwurst and salad
Monday: Dinner out
Tuesday: Orange tempeh, sweet potatoes, and broccoli (adapted)
Wednesday: Easy black beans over quinoa
Thursday: Tequila shrimp salad (adapted)
Friday: Spanish tortilla and salad
Saturday: Dinner out

Weekly Menu for 12/23

Lots of rich food both at home and eating out this week. I barely cooked, so I included a few restaurant photos. I'll be back to my usual routine next week. Happy cooking!

Artichoke heart, beet, and goat cheese salad at Tocqueville

Chicken schnitzel at Karl Ratzsch's

Sunday: Leftovers
Monday: Take out
Tuesday: Christmas dinner including filet mignon, broccoli purée, roasted potatoes, shrimp cocktail with homemade sauces
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: Dinner out
Saturday: Borscht with meatballs and Brussels sprouts in lemon sauce
Sunday: Bratwurst and salad

Weekly Menu for 12/16

Kale, quinoa, and beet salad

I usually ignore the pre-prepped veggies at Trader Joe's, but sometimes even I like a shortcut. I tried TJ's plain steamed beets in this quinoa salad and was pleasantly surprised at the flavor. I will definitely be using them again this winter. Have you had beets before? Do you like them? Please share your thoughts. Happy cooking!


Sunday: Dinner out
Monday: Warm kale, quinoa, and beet salad
Tuesday: Spanish tortilla and salad
Wednesday: Pork chops with cranberry sauce, steamed sweet potatoes, and roasted cauliflower
Thursday: Dinner out
Friday: Sauerbraten
Saturday: Turkey Tetrazzini (adapted)

Weekly Menu for 12/9

I overdosed on pasta this week and enjoyed every minute of it. It's past pumpkin season now, but if you have a can lying around, try the pumpkin pasta recipe! The combination of ingredients sounds a little a weird, but it completely works. It's a great change from the usual red sauce.

Sunday Gravy

Sunday: Pasta with pumpkin and sausage (adapted) and spinach salad
Monday: Tuscan kale salad with a fried egg over rice
Tuesday: Chorizo tacos with tomatillo salsa (from the freezer)
Wednesday: Sunday Gravy (from the freezer) over pasta and salad
Thursday and Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Chocolate chicken chili for holiday potluck (adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

Weekly Menu for 12/2

Work was extremely busy this week, so I took advantage of meals from my freezer. I know many of you are resistant to freezing, but I promise it can be almost as good a fresh if you do it correctly. If you're new to freezing, I have two pieces of advice. First, soups, sauces, and other foods that have some liquid tend to freeze best because the texture will be similar pre- and post-freezing. Second, defrost frozen food over a few days in the fridge. Trying to defrost and eat in the same night often results in part of the food getting overcooked and part of it staying frozen. I've made this mistake a few times and trust me, the texture is not good. If you'd like more info on freezing or some more examples of the types of food I freeze, please let me know. Happy cooking!

Spicy squash salad with lentils

Sunday: Chicken tikka masala with rice and kale
Monday: Spicy squash salad with lentils
Tuesday: Italian wedding soup (from the freezer)
Wednesday: Mushroom farro risotto with roasted squash
Thursday: Beef stew (from the freezer) over mashed potatoes and parsnips
Friday: Leftovers with roasted broccoli
Saturday: Chipotle scrambled eggs with leftover broccoli