Menu for w/c 1st May 2010; wild garlic

Found a great patch of wild garlic on Saturday and picked a bag full. Made a 'stuffing' from half of it along with breadcrumbs and put between breast and skin of chicken prior to roasting yesterday. Worked well. Will use the rest of the wild garlic on Tuesday (see below) and the left over chicken in salads. Stock from chicken bones, being garlic flavoured, will make a great mushroom soup.

M Shepherds Pie with Parsnip and Potato mash topping (as here)
Boys not convinced. They prefer pure potato topping.
T Pork chop with chorizo, wild garlic, potatoes and herb dressing
Ended up not using the herb dressing (saved it for salad the following day). Other changes made were to use half quantity of chorizo, roughly tear large leaves of wild garlic and add some green beans towards the end. General opinion was that the pork chops did not need the marinade so, as and when I use this recipe again, I will cook the chops with thyme/other herbs.
W Turkey and Feta burger
Th Pasta with Olive and Tomato sauce; Macaroni cheese for M
F Something from freezer/vegetarian

Lunch salads
Chicken and avocado
Nicoise
Chicken, ham and beetroot possibly trying this relish
Blue Cheese and Walnut
Crumble Danish blue cheese (or other blue cheese) and mix with walnut pieces into green salad. Dress with Balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing or similar.
Quinoa Tabouleh with whatever meat or cheese is left

Mushroom soup - made from the garlicky chicken stock either for lunch this week/next weekend or freeze for later weeks

Menu for w/c 26th April 2010

Friends around for bbq on Saturday which included a butterflied leg of lamb (see below) so 'left overs' are salads and rest of lamb which we will have for lunches.

M Chicken Fajitas
M-in-law bought 'kit' with her.
T BBQ
W Pasta
Th Lamb Ossobucco
Fr Freezer meal

Salads etc
Tabouleh and Lamb
Sausage and Beetroot


Butterflied Leg of Lamb
Useful video on how to butterfly said leg of lamb
Make up marinade by mixing 2-4 heaped tbsp freshly chopped rosemary, 2 cloves garlic, 4 tbsp cider vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil
Rub into both sides of lamb and leave to marinate over night (or at least an hour)
Cook for 15-20 minutes each side on bbq
Alternatively cook for 20 minutes in 180C oven and then 5-10 minutes each side on bbq.
Leave to rest for 10 minutes.

Serve, carved, with Tabouleh and green salad.

Tabouleh
Place 8oz bulgar (cracked) wheat in a bowl and over with boiling water. Leave for 10-15 minutes until they soften. Drain into a clean tea towel and then squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Shake into a LARGE bowl.
Add to grains:
6 finely chopped spring onions
Finely chopped bunch parsley and mint leaves.
Juice of a lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
Finely chopped third of cucumber
2-3 large tomatoes, deseeded and finely chopped
salt and pepper

If preparing in advance combine everything apart from the cucumber and tomatoes and store in the fridge. Add cucumber and tomatoes max of couple hours before serving.

Menu for w/c 19th April 2010

We were out for lunch yesterday so no left over meat to use. Couple of meals from freezer but what with the still beautiful weather here start with

M Bbq - chicken wings (with rest if the buffalo sauce), blue cheese dip, carrot and celery sticks and burgers. M's girlfriend's birthday and she'll have been out for lunch already, so hence nibble food
T Honey and mustard chicken
Notes: used chicken breast cut unto half and 2tsp (not tbsp) mustard. Next time will use less parnsips - about 250g.
W Pasta with sauces from freezer (chicken and risotto for the parents, meatballs for M)
Th Duck and chips (back to school meal)
F Something from freezer

Lunches
Pitta bread with salad and chicken/ham
Cottage cheese salad (didn't have it last week)
Salad nicoise
Lentil and feta salad
Beetroot, new potatoes and ham

Menu for w/c 5th April 2010 - start of low(er) fat regime

Needing to lower the fat in the family diet (health/weight reasons) where cheese is going to be the hardest bit for me. Mr B will find both less meat as well as cheese the hardest. Master B will probably keep eating as he currently does (bean pole and still growing).

Although I have number of my own recipes that are easily modified am also going to intersperse with new recipes.

M Potato Boulangere (par boiling the onion rather than frying)
T Meal from Freezer - lamb tagine with cous cous
W Pasta: happen to have some parma ham so will go for a varient of this pasta with pea recipe - my variant is here
Th Chicken - spiced chicken with rice and crisp red onions
F One of the below depending on what is in the shops!


In the must try when appropriate list:
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4811/panfried-venison-with-blackberry-sauce
Turkey spag bol
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12134/italian-turkey-steaks-with-garlicky-bean-mash
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/10767/turkey-burgers-with-beetroot-relish
Chicken burgers with spinach and pine nuts
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4380/very-quick-chicken-casserole
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9021/chicken-and-white-bean-stew
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13192/lamb-and-squash-curry
Moroccan lamb stew with pumpkin
Spicy spaghetti with garlic mushrooms
Light carbonara



and for lunch
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/13241/chargrilled-turkey-with-quinoa-tabbouleh-and-tahin

Menu for w/c 12th Oct

Roast chicken for Sunday lunch and some cooked gammon in freezer leading to a couple of supper/salads

Suppers

M Spag Bol
T Baked baby squash
W Chicken, Gammon and Egg pie. No pastry involved will make onion sauce, stir in cubes of cooked, chicken and gammon, sliced boiled eggs. Top with a mix of cornflakes and grated cheese and crisp under grill
Th
F From freezer: Pork with mushroom and cream sauce

Lunches
Egg salad
Spicey marinated Prawn salad (not sure what in marinade just yet!)
Coronation chicken salad

Soup - has to be a batch of Chicken and Sweetcorn!

Menu for w/c 5th October 2009

Pork roast today. Fresh coriander in the reduced cabinet at the supermarket yesterday so a batch of carrot and coriander soup made as well (some for the week, the rest for the freezer).

M Quiche (Gammon and Onion)
T Pork and Apple Bake
W Chicken stir fry and ChowMein
Th C Pie
F Pizza

Salads
BBq pork and coleslaw
Cottage cheese with toasted pinenuts and chopped spring onion
Quiche

Menu for w/c 12th Sept

Finally managed to turn off the large freezer in the garage (it has been on max freezer to keep the three top shelves forzen. I know that cold air sinks, but didn't seem to work in this ancient beast). So this week was a final items that wouldn't fit into the smaller freezer in the kitchen.

Lamb roast on Sunday.
M Chicken and mushroom pie and chips
T Lamb Meatloaf with tomato sauce
W Toad in the hole (used James Martin recipe - need to do half quantities next time!)
Th Barbeque - chicken with piri piri sauce and burgers
Fr 'Slugs'

Menu for week starting 6th April 2009

Large leg of lamb on Sunday - the family who were coming for lunch cried off last minute, so a good salad and 'left over' meal planned.

M Spaghetti and 'quick' tuna sauce Update from Mr B - very fiddly so not quick and although tasty not worth the effort put into it
T Mozzarella and Asparagus bake Update - recipe is for 2, we ended up with 5 in the house. Added pan grilled chicken in with the recipe and the bake stretched to 5 and then some
W Jacket potatoes - x 15 year olds due to be here for the evening so a stack of potatoes, sausages and coleslaw in stock as the numbers fluctuate by the hour
Th Lamb with piquant sauce
F Fajitas

Menu for week starting 30th March

Beef brisket slowly pot roasted in red wine on Sunday. Makes a brilliant steak sandwich phili style

M Turkey lasagne
T Phili Steak sandwich
W Gammon and chips
Th Something special (it's a family birthday)


Salads
Tomato and Mozzeralla
Pastrami and Coleslaw
Bean saladx2

Menu for w/c 23 March

Mr B cooked 'proper' potato salad with chicken schnitzel , as detailed in the Sunday Times magazine from a few weeks back, on Saturday. It has gone straight into my top 10 favourite meals!

M Beef and chorizo (from freezer), rice and salad
T Stir Fry chicken and noodles
W Leftover beef recipe
Th Slugs or Curry (if M is babysitting)
F Burger and chips


Salad
Cheese and carrot
Beef and blue cheese or blue cheese and walnut (if not enough beef left)
Tuna
Tomato and salami

menu for week 16th March

M Baked gammon with parsley sauce
T Pork chops in mustard and sugar
W Chicken and Ham pie
Th Spagetti bol
F Duck mini fillets

Salads
Avacado and mushroom
Pork and coleslaw
Chicken and new potato

Menu for w/c 9th March

Made, and froze, about 4 pints of curried parsnip soup over the weekend using the last parsnips from the garden.
Aim for next few weeks is to eat up a good number of the meals we have frozen over the past few months as we have been adding more to the freezer than we have been taking out! Also for this week: hopefully enough pork left over from the roast on Sunday for one evening meal and one lunchtime salad.

M Cassoulet (from freezer) with salad
T Slow cooked lamb and vegetables (from freezer) with baked potatoes
W Sweet and sour pork with egg fried rice
Th Spaghetti with pesto chicken and pine nuts
F TBD

Salads
Blue cheese and walnut
Carrot, cheese and pumpkin seeds
BBQ coated pork with coleslaw
Tuna nicoise

Menu for w/c 2nd March

Very good, if I do say so myself, roast beef yesterday. So some left over beef recipes later in the week!

M Meatballs in tomato sauce. Taglietelle to accompany
T Fatty Pork and Lentil stew
Belly pork was on offer and found this very good looking recipe in one of my Nigel Slater cookbooks (can't find it referenced online) Update: very similar to a cassoulet. Next time, it is definitley a repeatable recipe, will add half again more lentils
W Quorn escalopes and chips
Th Cheesy Beef Pie
F Take out - it's someone's birthday!

Salads
Coronation Chicken Portion of Chicken Pasanda made on Saturday, with added yogurt and sulatnas served with rice salad and shredded iceburg lettuce
Beef and Blue Cheese
Rice Salad and Ham
Beef and Beetroot with an attempt at making a better horseradish based dressing than last time. Update: dessertspoon of horseradish sauce to about 3tbps of yoghurt with half tbsp oil and a splash of white wine vinegar/lemon juice worked a treat

Menu for w/c 16 Feb 09

M Chilli con carne
T Piri piri chicken in pitta bread

Coated pieces of cooked chicken with home made Piri Piri sauce put into pocket of toasted pitta with salad

W Frankfurter and potato goulash trialing new recipe

Th I'm out so suspect boys will have a salad (not)
Fr Chicken and leek pie

Using up the rest of the cooked chicken. Make up a white sauce mix in par boiled leeks and chicken. Cover with puff pastry and cook in oven

Menu for the week 26th Jan 2009

Burns night yesterday. Kids have never had haggis so, we're opening the week with ...

M Haggis (tatties and neeps to accompany of course)
Mr B has treated himself to a single malt.

T Chicken fajhitas.
Great standby for when staggered family eating is required (various evening activities happening). Used to be a sneaky way of getting salad into the menu as well - but now they are older...

W Pork rissoles - going to try with mushrooms. If it works will write up recipe later in the week
(Sunday roast was boned, rolled leg of pork, ie this is one of my left over recipes). Post trial feedback - it didn't work well enough for me to write up recipe.

Th Freezer meal

F Chicken and pesto pasta.

Menu for last week

Last weekend Mr B cooked his brilliant cassoulet. It fills our largest casserole dish, and that's BIG, so stocks the freezer for a number of future 'freezer' meals. It contains lamb, pork (belly pork and sausages), chicken and duck on the meat front. This time it also contained a very local pheasant as well. A large cock pheasant made the mistake of deciding that the food we give our chickens was also for him. He made a good addition to the pot.

A leg of lamb was our Sunday roast, so the menu for the week contained a lamb meat-loaf.

M Jamie Oliver's (yes still delving into his At Home recipe book) Pasta with Leeks and Prosciuto
Can't find a link to the actual recipe - go buy the book, highly recommended. The feedback from family: 'yum', 'you can't taste the leeks' the latter being from a leek cynic.

T Lamb Meat Loaf
One of my 'left over sunday roast' recipes. Will type it up later.

W Chicken Stir Fry
Buy pack of chicken breast fillets, a stir fry vegetable mix that takes your fancy, medium egg noodles and, if you haven't got the inclination to make, a stir fry mix (eg sweet and sour). Result - sweet and sour chicken and vegetable chow mein. If you really want to have recipe for this then add a comment or, in the case of my kids, ask your father.

Th 'Sea' Pie
Not what you're thinking: I thought it was a fish/seafood based pie when I married into this family. Turns out it is a posh version of corn beef hash. This recipe is part of Mr B's repitoire. Recipe will be added to blog at a later date.

F Freezer meal.
Great standby either for when we can't think of anything else or evening plans change!

What we ate this week

The aim is to have the menu set up at the start of the week rather than reporting on what it was! However, prior to me throwing away the piece of paper with the menu on for this week just gone...

Monday: Red Onion and Goats Cheese Tart (brilliantly simple, loved by the whole family and they even eat salad with it! Recipe to follow in future weeks)
Tuesday: Meatballs in tomato sauce on pasta. I made the meatballs prior to Christmas and froze so another relatively simple meal. Well we are all just back to work/school.
Wednesday: Pork Shepherds Pie (Using up rest of roast pork from Sunday - again recipe will follow as this is a family favourite)
Thursday: Turkey curry aka freezer meal. Home made curry sauce with left over white meat from the christmas turkey. Doubt if I will ever get round to typing up all my left over turkey meals - making them is a day after Boxing Day task.
Friday: Cheese Pudding - see next post for the recipe.

An aside (and note to self for next year): great leftover recipe for the dark meat from the remains of the turkey inspired by the Jamie Oliver recipe (OK so I didn't have anywhere near the right ingredients to do Jamie's recipe so had to adapt.... considerably)

Shred, using your fingers, the remainder of the dark meat from cold turkey
For each 'handful' (will weigh out what a 'handful' is next year) add a teaspoon of five spice powder and dry fry (aka cook in frying pan on medium heat with no oil). Stir or shake every now and then until it resembles crispy duck shreds

Serve as if the turkey is crispy duck, in wraps with hoi-sin sauce, shredded cucumber and spring onions.