Last week it was 80, but this week temperatures are more reasonable for this time of year, thankfully! I get nervous when it’s too warm when it should be cold. I mean, my roses should not be budding at the same time as my daffodils – that’s just weird! Anyway… I can make some cozier dinners to use up things in my freezer this week.
The kids have no school on Friday (a “give back” snow day since they only used up one this year), so as a treat, I plan on making these Jell-O pinwheels with them. I also plan to bake some more coconut flour pumpkin muffins. I made these a few weeks ago and they were ridiculously good. This time I’ll write down exactly what I do so that I can share the recipe! I love using coconut flour because it is so dense and filling. One coconut flour muffin goes much farther than one made from AP or even WW flour. (At least I think so.)
But I digress. Here’s my meal plan for the week.
- Sunday: Stuffed Chicken Parmesan, Cesar salad
- Monday: Leftovers
- Tuesday: Crock Pot roast beef with horseradish sauce, zucchini au gratin (based on this recipe, which was delicious, but the mini muffins are way too fussy for me), baby carrots, salad
- Wednesday: Possibly take-out
- Thursday: Crock Pot gyros (pitas optional) with romaine, tomato, onion, olive, feta, and tzatziki
- Friday: Fish tacos, black beans
- Saturday: Roasted chicken drumsticks, roasted sweet potato spears, creamed spinach*, salad
* Before I go, let’s talk about spinach. Specifically creamed spinach. This is a dish that never, ever, ever appealed to me until very recently. Chalk it up to changing tastes, I don’t know. Last week I grilled steak and thought creamed spinach would be perfect with it. So I cooked down a bag of fresh spinach, gave it a few pulses it in my food processor to break it up, and then added a hunk of butter, a couple spoonfuls of sour cream, a pinch of nutmeg, some parmesan cheese, and a little swiss. I let it all cook down so the flavors could meld together. It’s not rocket science, so I don’t have a specific recipe. Just a little of this, and a little of that.
All three kids loved and I mean loved it. They were dipping steak fries in it, asking for more. It was crazy! So now we’re on this spinach kick. With our CSA starting in a couple months, I’m relieved that this year I won’t have to eat all those greens by myself! I also made this Indian spiced creamed spinach for Drew and myself the other day. It was also really tasty (though I had to seriously cut down on they cayenne — woo, hot!)
For more menu ideas, visit Organizing Junkie’s Menu Plan Monday feature.
Do you have a link for the crockpot gyros? I’d love to try them. Good tip on the creamed spinach. I’ve done it once or twice before, but have not added the swiss (we don’t often have it on hand) and it sounds good. I think I might try to toss in a chunk or two of laughing cow – we always have that around since I love it on my sandwiches.
Sure Jess, here it is: http://rainydaygal.com/2009/11/17/crock-pot-gyros/
Well, yay for “give back” days. Those pinwheels are adorable. A fun way to celebrate! Your menu sounds delicious. I need to make some fish tacos and I love creamed spinach but have never made it myself. You make it sound super easy.