Week of January 1, 2012 (wow!)

I hope you all had a great time this holiday season filled with lots of good food!  We are starting the new year off right here with a new recipe.  My husband follows Tom Colicchio's twitter posts and it seems he had a Porchetta this past week.  So, as requested, I will attempt to make this tomorrow.  The recipe I am following is linked below.  I wish all of you the best in 2012!  Thanks for reading my blog.

PORCHETTA WITH FINGERLING POTATOES
I joined the big crowds today at our local Whole Foods to pick up the pork belly & pork loin for this recipe.  It's super easy (it helps to have the butcher trim the pork belly to fit around the loin).  Our Porchetta is marinading as I write this.  Here's the link to the recipe I am using:  http://www.diningchicago.com/blog/2009/09/30/eat-this-porchetta-italian-pork-roast/  We plan to eat the leftovers as sandwiches (yum)!

MISO-GLAZED COD WITH BOK CHOY
This is so easy and so good!  Ellie Krieger's recipe is - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/miso-glazed-cod-recipe/index.html.  Here is Ellie's stir fry bok choy which I also love - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/sesame-stir-fried-chinese-greens-recipe/index.html

LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP
This is a great standby recipe from Barefoot Contessa (you've probably seen me link to it before)  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/linguine-with-shrimp-scampi-recipe3/index.html

TERIYAKI CHICKEN THIGHS WITH GREENS
I like this recipe as a quick and tasty dinner.  Here's the link to Ellie Krieger's recipe - http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/teriyaki-chicken-thighs-recipe/index.html

Week of December 19, 2011

This week is a little crazy so far.  We had friends over last night for dinner and ended up grilling pork tenderloin even though it was quite chilly out.  We used a coffee spice rub.  We put whole yams wrapped in foil on the grill with the tenderloins and then pureed them once soft along with Gouda cheese, a tiny bit of cream and butter.  I also made a white bean salad using dry beans that were soaked overnight along with an arugula pesto.  Yum!

Here are some other ideas inspired by Clotilde Dusoulier (of "Chocolate & Zucchini") I hope you find something you like.

1.  Cheese soufflés using Gruyere (check out this recipe at:  http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/main-dish/french-recipe-paule-caillats-3cheese-souffl-128524)

2.  Beef Bourguignon (here is a recipe from Ina Garten:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beef-bourguignon-recipe/index.html)

3.  Mache Salad with Clementines and Seared Tuna - (we used watercress instead of Mache...  http://www.food.com/recipe/mache-salad-with-clementines-and-seared-tuna-430969)

4.  White Bean salad described above (by Clotilde Dusoulier - http://www.francetoday.com/articles/2010/11/24/warm-bean-salad-with-walnut-arugula-pesto.html)

5.  Grilled Pork Tenderloin (here is a recipe that is similar to the one we used: http://www.fearlesskitchen.com/2008/06/recipe-coffee-g.html)

Happy Holidays to all of you and I will be sure to update my blog in the New Year!

Week of December 11

This is a busy week for me! I still have a few meals of ham leftover. We have been having sandwiches with brie and apricot jam. Yum!

This week is back to Indian food.

VEGETABLE BIRYANI - I really like this recipe: www.allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetable-biryani-2/
We had this as a side to venison sausages we bought in our town's Italian butcher.

SAAG PANEER
CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA
SUKHLE ALU

Www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/saag-paneer-spinach-with-indian-cheese-recipe/index.html

Www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/chicken-in-cream-tomato-curry-chicken-tikka-masala-recipe2/index.html

Www.vahrehvah.com/indianfood/sukha-aloo


CHICKPEA and SPINACH SALAD - Ellie Krieger, Food Network

Week of December 4, 2011

With so much going on this month, coming up with dinner menus is tough.  I happened into Costco a few days ago though and came across Osso Buco!  So, I am making that this week.  It should be plenty for us to have two dinners.  Yay.  Another time saver from Costco, a Spiral Sliced Ham.  That should last a couple of dinners and lunch all week.

I'm going to make Giada's (Food Network) recipe for Osso Buco.  Go to:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/osso-buco-recipe/index.html

Along with the Ham, I will serve salads and maybe mashed potatoes.

That's all I have come up with so far this week.  I will update if I need to come up with more ideas but I am hoping the veal and ham will get me through the week.