Another Week of Meals
Happy Spring Equinox!
Yesterday rang in the first official day of spring - or at least that’s what the calendar tells us. Nature has been singing for a few weeks now. The trees are flowering, the grasses blooming, and there are dandelion blossoms and red-dead nettle coloring the front lawn.
I am re-reading Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Circle of Quiet,” and just a few paragraphs in, am reminded what a beautiful book series this is. I can feel my cells recharging as I read her words and spend time in my own little circle of quiet - sitting on the front porch, walking through the garden, or standing alone in the woods. Winter’s rest has been good, necessary, but I feel myself coming alive with every barefoot step out into the wild wonder of springtime.
Cooking breakfast outside is one of my current favorites. Holding a mug of tea or coffee while flipping pancakes in the fresh air is such a simple joy. After breakfast, I wander through the garden and take note of the garlic I planted in the fall coming through the soil, hear the hum of the beehive waking from winter’s slumber, and notice a colony of fire ants that has taken up residence in the corner of a garden bed - I need to go mix up some some orange oil and water and give them an eviction notice.
“The sight of a meal’s worth of dirty dishes, pots, and pans makes me want to run in the other direction. Every so often I need OUT; something will throw me into total disproportion, and I have to get away from everybody — away from all these people I love most in the world — in order to regain a sense of proportion. My special place is a small brook in a green glade, a circle of quiet from where there is no visible sign of human beings…There I move slowly into a kind of peace that is indeed marvelous…” - Madeleine L’Engle “A Circle of Quiet”
I have enjoyed putting together these meal journals for you - it’s helping me stay organized and is fun to review how much I stick to the plan vs. veer away from it. Sometimes one of the girls will want to cook, so I will forego what I had planned and contribute to what they are making. Other times, we might only have one or two children home, so I will simplify and save the bigger meal for when there are more mouths to feed.
I made this foccacia shared by Hannah of Ballerina Farm this past week. I subbed fresh milled flour (about 3/4 was hard white wheat and the other 1/4 soft white wheat.). It turned out divine and made the best grilled Italian sandwiches. It only has a dash of sourdough starter and is more of a yeasted bread, but you could omit the instant yeast and make it with sourdough starter alone.
Another Week of Meals
Friday
Breakfast: Sausage links + sourdough avocado toast
Lunch: Leftover reheated grilled chicken, asparagus, and bone broth rice
Dinner: Sourdough pizzas on the Traeger (margarita + pepperoni)
Saturday
Breakfast: quick fresh milled blender pancakes + sausage links
Lunch: leftover reheated pizza
Dinner: charcuterie, pasta + butter baked chicken thighs (see more about baked chicken in my notes a little further down)
Sunday
Breakfast: Overnight sourdough brioche cinnamon rolls, basil cheddar frittata & sausage
I used Farmhouse on Boone’s brioche cinnamon roll recipe, but subbed all fresh milled soft white wheat and while they didn’t hold together like I wanted them to, they were light, fluffy, and so delicious.
Lunch: Sourdough open face sandwiches
Dinner: Reverse sear steaks and random bits of leftovers
Monday
Breakfast: Sausage + leftover cinnamon rolls
Lunch: Leftover reheated shredded beef, avocado, sourdough, & sliced cheese
Dinner: Grilled onion and mushroom smash burgers with lettuce, avocado, pickles, special sauce
Tuesday
Breakfast: yogurt parfaits
Lunch: BLT’s on sourdough
Dinner: Seared marinated flank steak with cucumber salad + bone broth rice
Cucumber salad is just super thinly sliced cucumbers in a dressing of rice vinegar, coconut aminos or soy sauce, sesame oil, honey or maple syrup, a dash of chili onion crunch or chili flakes, salt and pepper. It’s a household favorite.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Bacon + potato omelets
Lunch: Sourdough sandwiches
Dinner: Burrito bowls with bone broth rice, grilled chicken thighs and steak, onions + peppers, lettuce, salsa, sour cream, avocado etc
Thursday
Breakfast: yogurt parfaits with peanut butter granola and blueberries
Lunch: Grilled Italian sandwiches on focaccia - layer pepperoni, salami, ham, banana peppers, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles (pickled onion would be better), oil and vinegar, mayo, Italian seasoning.
Dinner: Baked chicken drumsticks with mashed potatoes + asparagus
Our grill has been out of pellets this week, so I’ve resorted to baking chicken when I had planned to grill it, and have been pleasantly surprised with how tender it comes out. I know it’s basic, but I forgot about baked chicken.
For the drumsticks, rub them with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and a little olive oil and let them sit in the fridge for a few hours. Bake at 400º for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. They turned out so tender and perfect. I cooked them on convection, but you could broil for a few minutes at the end to crisp the skin up too.
Have a wonderful weekend!
