Meal Plan Monday Week #2

​I am as pleased as punch* at how well I was able to stick to my meal plan last week. I tend to over buy food, finding recipe after recipe that I want to try, and then when push comes to shove, I think to myself, “I’m too tired to cook, I’ll just thaw something.” So, my hope is that this not only benefits me in my continuing effort to reign in the food funds and get organized, but also helps you in planning your weekly meals.

Here is what I’m eating this week.

Monday - Lunch out with friends

Tuesday - Mexican Cobb Salad and Corn Bread 

Wednesday - Coca-Cola Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli

Thursday - Stroll Historic Main Street and Lunch Out

Friday - Meat Loaf sandwiches (Using leftovers from Wednesday), cup of soup

Saturday - Oriental Beef Casserole (share with dad)

Sunday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (share with dad)

Are you cooking this week, or eating on the run? I am ALWAYS looking for ideas!

My place setting of the week. To see more of this table, click here.

* “As pleased as Punch” derives from the puppet character Mr. Punch. Punch's name itself derives from Polichinello, a puppet used in 16^th-century Italian comedy.

Prosperity Sandwiches

I am happy to say that the Meal Plan I set out for myself at the beginning of the week worked exceptionally well, so I plan to continue this. One of the things I found curious was the number of you who asked me about the Prosperity Sandwich. I suppose when you grow up with something it never occurs to you that that something may be a regional dish that no one else has heard of. So, growing up with pork steaks, toasted ravioli, and gooey butter cake, it never once occurred to me that these were all St. Louis things, as is the Prosperity Sandwich. It dates back to the 1920s with origins at the Mayfair Hotel in St. Louis. The recipe was published years ago in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and has long been enjoyed by people in the area.

I remember my mother making this a lot in the 70s. It is a wonderfully satisfying hot sandwich, perfect for serving to a group of ladies at a luncheon because everything can be made ahead. The sauce can be made the day before and reheated, the bread can be toasted ahead of time, the tomatoes sliced, the meats sorted, and bacon (my mother’s addition) can be made a day ahead and then placed on top of each serving prior to sliding it under the broiler. Rustic bread works the best, but in a pinch it can be served over sandwich bread toast points. This knife and fork sandwich is also a hearty meal, so you won’t need to serve anything else with it.

Prosperity Sandwiches

 As appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Serves 4

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
1 Melissa’s shallot, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon pepper
4 (3/4-inch-thick) slices rustic white bread
8 ounces thinly sliced roast turkey
8 ounces thinly sliced deli ham
2 tomatoes, cored, cut into 8 (1/4-inch-thick) slices, and patted dry

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, shallot, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in now-empty saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, stir in 1/2-cup cheddar, mustard, Worcestershire, and pepper; set aside.

Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Arrange bread slices on prepared baking sheet and broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Place bread slices into individual au gratin dishes. Divide mushroom mixture among toasted bread slices. Arrange 2 ounces turkey, 2 ounces ham, and 2 slices tomato over mushrooms on each slice of toast. Spoon 1/2-cup cheese sauce evenly over each sandwich and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheddar. Broil until cheddar is browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

PRINT RECIPE

Another crowd-pleasing hot ham sandwich is this Open Faced Ham Sandwich.

This post contains affiliate links.

My 2018 Christmas Card

A week or so ago I mentioned on my personal Facebook page that I had just finished designing my Christmas card for this year. A lot of people wanted to see it, and I think they were probably expecting a lot more than what I actually did. I went for sweet and sentimental, with a nod towards Jim, a man I think about every single day. I wanted to share something that was a part of his life for as long as I knew him, with all of his family and friends.

A number of years ago I did a blog post about Jim‘s fruitcake. You can read it here. This was something that he did every year, and it was as much a part of Christmas as the presents and the tree. I still have a large wedge of the last fruitcake that he made in December 2015 in the back of the fridge. I just can’t throw it away. This year my number two son, Andrew, and I decided that we were going to revive Jim's tradition and use his recipe to make a fruitcake to share with family and friends. I thought that perhaps I would be able to finally part with that last wedge of Jim's cake, but instead I put it into the freezer. When I fall off my perch, one of my sons can throw it away then, but I just cannot get rid of it.

 So here is my Christmas card for this year, the front, the interior, and the back. I’m happy with the way that it turned out, and I know I am going to delight so many people with this card. (UPDATE: I just received a message from one of Jim's nephews who said the card brought tears to his eyes.) The photo on the back of the card is of our first married Christmas in 1995. What happy days.

Avocado Vitamin Appetiser from Ibiza Land & Sea

Abrams’ October release, Ibiza Land and Sea, 100 Sun-Drenched Recipes by Françoise Lefébure of Les Terrasses Finca restaurant is a feast for the senses. Just paging through the book, looking at the beautiful photos of bright blue skies, clear water, and delicious food, as well as people enjoying it, will make you want to drop what you’re doing and head straight for this tranquil island in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain. Each recipe presented — preceded by a charming note from the author — is fairly simple yet with complex results, every mouthwatering photo tempting. There were so many recipes that I wanted to try — hello, chocolate macaroons! — but an aging bag of avocados beckoned, so my first recipe was the Avocado Vitamin Appetiser. Being more of a savory than a sweet person, I found this a wonderful way to start my day. It is a bowl of flavorful freshness with a bit of a kick (I substituted pickled jalapeño juice for the water — wow!), and will be enjoying this again and again. If you have no current plans to head to Ibiza, bring the food to you by way of this delightful and inviting book, and do yourself a favor and give this recipe a try. 

Avocado Vitamin Appetiser
Slightly adapted from Ibiza Land and Sea

1 ripe avocado
1 English cucumber
2 spring onions
1 celery rib
1 handful flat parsley
1 Granny Smith apple
4-5 rocket (arugula) leaves
1-2 tablespoons water or juice from Melissa’s Pickled Jalapeños 
Juice of one lemon
Olive oil*
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Mixed organic seeds such as linseed, sunflower, sesame, etc. (optional)
Basil leaves for garnished, if desired

Peel and cube the vegetables, chop the parsley, apple, and rocket, and put everything into a blender or food processor; blend. Add a little cold water or jalapeño juice. Chill for one hour.

Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.

 Pour the gazpacho into bowls (I used ramekins) and decorate with mixed seeds and a few basil leaves. Drink this vitamin-loaded brew at any time of day, or serve as a starter along with a salad.

*I did not use

PRINT RECIPE

If you like your avocado soup a bit spicier, you might want to try this version.

This post contains affiliate links.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Abram Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I am a member of the 2018-2019 Abrams Dinner Party.

Meal Plan Monday

​Fellow blogger, Gina, of The Cannary Family blog has long done something that I admire, and that is to make a meal plan each week. Because I’m nosy and always looking for ideas, every Monday I pop over to see what she’ll be fixing for the week. Week after week I tell myself that I’m going to do the same, but generally I’m too scattered to plan that far ahead. Well, not this week. This week I decided to, for once, be organized and plan a week of meals. So, my friends, here is what I’m having. (Click on the highlighted name to get the recipe.)

Monday - Creamy Ham Towers (Dad has had a craving, so he inspired this), Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

Tuesday - Pizza night with the grandkids

Wednesday - Ham Steak with Red-Eye Gravy (Using leftover ham from Monday), mashed potatoes, green beans

Thursday - Neighborhood Christmas Luncheon, day off!

Friday - Roast Chicken, Autumn Rice Pilaf (because, technically, it’s not winter yet), Roasted Carrots

Saturday - Prosperity Sandwich (Another idea from dad when he mentioned how my mother used to make the recipe from the old St. Louis Mayfair Hotel,) Cup of Soup (from my freezer stash)

Sunday - Taco Casserole (because I’m feeling spicy)

What are you all having this week? I am ALWAYS looking for ideas! By the way, I am asking Santa for one of these.

My place setting of the week. To see more of this table, click here.

 This post contains affiliate links.

The Burn Cookbook, Reviewed

I don’t know about you, but I am shocked that we are as close to Christmas as we are. Despite the fact that Thanksgiving was early, that we’ve had cold weather for a long time, and it has felt like winter for months, it still comes as a surprise that it is so close. My Christmas list really hasn’t changed much from when I was a little girl. Back in the day I used to frustrate my mother by asking for books, records, stationery, and purses, year after year. I no longer want records, of course, but I still love books, I still love beautiful writing paper (avid letter writer that I am), and a colorful purse still turns my head.

Cookbooks are always a fun gift to both give and receive this season, and there are a lot of clever new ones available. If you are shopping for an avid cook who seems to have everything, a fan of the movie “Mean Girls,” and looking for a bit of culinary fun, look no further. The Burn Cookbook, a Parody, Real Recipes to Feed Your Inner Plastic (An Unofficial Unauthorized Cookbook for Mean Girls Fans) by Jonathan Bennett and Nikki Martin is an absolute delight! Colorful, whimsical, and fun, if the pictures of that hunky Jonathan Bennett don’t draw you in, the photos and recipes of the delicious food certainly will. 

This is a serious cookbook, in addition to being a whole lot of fun. It is interactive in that you can add your own photos, comments, recipes, and answer quizzes. Plus there are loads of movie facts and trivia, not to mention recipe titles that will have you laughing out loud, case in point, “Face Smells Like a Foot Peppermint Bark.”

Reading this cookbook will provide you with a wonderful time, as well as some truly unique, clever, and tasty recipes. All of them are simple with easy-to-locate ingredients, and the wide variety offered are sure to please everyone you know. The names are clever, the illustrations and layout unmatched, and I honestly can’t tell you the last time I had so much fun with a cookbook. Not only are there recipes for mouth-watering food, but there are also recipes for beauty products such as Coconut Face Cream and Full-of-Secrets Hair Volumizing Mask.

Whether you are a “Mean Girls” fan or not, this cookbook is sure to please. It will bring a smile to your face, and goodness to your tummy. Don’t let this one pass you by.

 For more info, click the picture below.

This post contains affiliate links.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

When I am in need of comfort, nothing beats chicken soup. It is a literal panacea for all ills. It is something I like to keep in the freezer at all times because, occasionally, the need for comfort can blindside you. Today, as I watched a surprising amount of unpredicted snow fall, I decided that it was as good a time as any to replenish my supply. I decided to wander a bit from my norm and give my soup a bit of an Asian flair. Wow, I loved it! The flavor was so rich, complex, and immensely satisfying. Try this, and with cold and flu season looming ahead, you might keep a quart or two in the freezer. Just in case. 

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp. black peppercorns

1-1/2” piece Melissa’s ginger, peeled, rough chopped

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

4 whole star anise

2 quarts chicken stock

3 tbsp. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup diced carrots

1 5-oz. can sliced water chestnuts

1-2 cups egg noodles (or noodle of your choice)

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 cup fresh bean sprouts

4 scallions, sliced into 1” diagonals

​Use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, peppercorns, and ginger into a rough paste. Heat oil in a large pot over high heat and fry the paste for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the star anise, chicken stock, soy sauce, salt, celery, carrots, water chestnuts, and noodles. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes until noodles are done. Add chicken, parsley, bean sprouts, and scallions. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes until heated through and serve.

PRINT RECIPE

Chicken soup purists will enjoy this recipe.