Meal Plan

Hello, all! This weekend, my good friend Betsy is in town for her birthday and so we spent a lovely sunny afternoon at the farmer's market yesterday and then converted our market finds into homemade pasta with pesto, cucumber goat cheese salad, and a strawberry Rhubarb pie.  Yummmm!

Today we are having a BBQ, and hopefully the weather will cooperate.  I'm making Curried Quinoa Salad, simple burgers, brats and dogs (no chicken brie burgers today) and Sangria.  It should be easy, delicious, and, if the weather cooperates, summery.  Yay!

Later this week, we are having

Spinach Strawberry Salad
Falafel Wraps
BBQ sliders
Chicken with Peanut Sauce


Friday is the Husband's birthday, and he specifically requested Swimming Angel, the chicken and peanut sauce dish that I"m making.  Other than that, we'll have leftovers from our BBQ and our pasta and pesto, to round out the week.  I'll be doing a baking day tomorrow, attempting to make pita pockets and strawberry tarts, so wish me luck with that.

Spiced Bread Pudding

Spiced Bread Pudding

Nouns-

1 10-inch Boule of stale good-quality French or Italian bread, ripped into small chunks

2 cups milk (If making the creme Anglaise, use three cups)

4 eggs

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves (or use whole and strain out)

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

zest of one orange, divided

1/2 cup raisins (optional) (Also optional, soak the raisins in hot rum to plump them before using)

Verbs-

Butter a 9x9 baking dish or small casserole dish.  Evenly distribute the bread in the dish and sprinkle the raisins over the top, if you are using the raisins.  In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the milk, butter and spices to a simmer.  While the milk is heating, whisk the sugars and eggs together until buttery-yellow and creamy.  Add the vanilla and half the orange zest to the egg/sugar mixture.  When the milk is at a simmer (careful not to boil it!), remove from the heat and slowly add it to the egg mixture, whisking contiuously to prevent curdling.  (If you are making the Creme Anglaise, reserve 1 cup of the hot spiced milk for later use.)  Pour the mixture over the bread and let that soak in the fridge for an hour or so.  Preheat the oven to 375.  Place the pudding dish into a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish with hot water, creating a water bath.  Be careful not to let water get into the pudding.  Bake the pudding covered for 30 minutes, and then uncovered for thirty minutes.  Garnish with the remaining orange zest if desired.

 Bread Pudding Sauces

Spiced Creme Anglaise

Nouns-

1 cup milk, can use one cup of the spiced milk from above

3 egg yolks

3 oz sugar

1 vanilla bean or 1 strip orange zest spiked with whole cloves (optional)

Verbs-

Bring the milk to a simmer (if using vanilla or orange zest, add them to the pot) and remove from heat.  Whisk together the eggs and sugar.  Strain the milk and slowly combine half the hot milk with the eggs, whisking to avoid curdling.  Then add the eggs to the remaining milk in the pot and return to medium heat, whisking for several minutes until mixture thickens.  Do not boil.  Strain and chill for serving.

Orange Rum Sauce

Nouns:

1/2 cup orange juice

3 tbsp orange marmalade

1/4 cup spiced rum

1/4 cup brown sugar

Verbs-

Combine ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium low heat until sugar is dissolved and liquid is reduced by half.  Add some butter if you feel like it.  Yummm.

Vegan Citrus-scented Split Pea Soup

Split Pea Soup


Nouns-
3 cups dried green split peas
8 cups water
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
1 large onion, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 jalapenos, minced
1 veggie boullion cube
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Verbs-
In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the onion, carrots and celery in the olive oil over medium high heat for several minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Add the jalapenos and cook for another minute or two.  Add half the peas, the boullion cube and all the water.  Simmer or 30 minutes and add the remaining peas.  Simmer until peas are tender, another 30-45 minutes.  Add the zest, stir to combine, and serve.

Meal Plan

For next week:

Split Pea Soup with Salad
Spaghetti and Meatballs
Veggie Shepherd's Pie
Peanut Curry with Brown Rice
Lentil Salad with feta