Week 1 // January
(Please note: you can read this post like a little journal and follow the week of meals in our Boring home. OR, just scroll down to the list of the meal ideas at the bottom of this post.)
Ah, January. The month of so many promises (that we make to ourselves). The month of spinning back into real life from a life of vacation and too much cheese. Here we are. If you receive my little newsletter (you can subscribe by adding your email in the blue box), then you know I recommit myself each New Year to a life with less grocery store visits. I want to get back to buying local and making my own whenever possible. This can be tricky, especially in a season where very little fresh food is growing. But I typically decide after the first of the year that I will shop through my pantry, fridge, and freezer. After that, I will venture out to local farms to collect groceries. So for week one of my new series of “homemade dinner ideas”, the first installment will be all about getting creative in the pantry.
Day 1
The first day of the week we arrived home from vacation to a cold house and very little food in the fridge. I had a loaf of sourdough that I had baked before vacation that was not eaten and getting a bit stale. It would not be good unless it was grilled- and, perfect! I had plenty of raw cheddar from Azure. To go with the grilled cheese sandwiches we needed some tomato soup. So I grabbed a gallon ziplock of frozen tomatoes out of the freezer and stuck them on a pan over the wood stove to thaw while I unpacked.
I peeled the skins off the tomatoes and cooked them up with onions, garlic, spices, and a little chicken broth. After blending it up well I added a little cream. Served with the grilled cheese sandwiches it was the perfect homecoming meal.
To set myself up for success the rest of the week, I pulled some meat out of the freezer and started a batch of sourdough bread dough and a batch of yogurt.
Day 2
The next day contained music lessons, home school, chores, and running kids around to various places. I made a quick honey-mustard pork tenderloin that I served with mashed potatoes. (Side note: we went through all the potatoes we grew already! So I buy 50 lb bags from Azure and stick them in our shop fridge with it set to the lowest setting. This has preserved them for the most part, but if I get an occasional bad spud I toss it to the pigs.) I also still had some salvageable greens left from the holidays, so I served those as well. I made a balsamic vinaigrette and our favorite ranch to go with the salad.
Day 3
Chili for dinner! I always use ground meat when I need it to thaw quickly. Chili is also helpful for getting creative with odds and ends from the pantry. This chili started with sauteing onion and chopped butternut squash. Then I added ground elk and garlic. I threw in canned tomatoes, some lentils I had been soaking, a can of beans, and seasonings. It was topped off with broth and left to simmer. We topped it with sour cream, shredded cheese, and chopped green onions. Cornbread would have been delicious with this meal. However, I already had a fresh loaf of sourdough, so that is what I served alongside. A satisfying meal for sure.
I also cooked a whole chicken and started broth cooking overnight so I would have the main ingredients to make a soup the next day.
Day 4
After a trip to the farm stand to replenish our vegetables and fruits, I started a chicken soup by sauteing vegetables in butter. I added the chicken I had cooked the day before, brown rice, and herbs de Provence. I topped that off with the broth that had simmered for 24 hours. My son made einkorn biscuits and I added cream to the soup just before serving it hot.
Day 5
Often times in our home Friday night means pizza night! This is another great way of getting creative in the pantry and refrigerator. You can top pizza with so many leftovers or things that need to be used up. We made several different pizzas with various toppings. My favorite combination was hot pickled peppers, bacon, and caramelized leek.
The week of meals
- Day 1- tomato soup + grilled cheese on sourdough
- Day 2- honey mustard pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and salad
- Day 3- elk, lentil, and squash chili with sourdough bread
- Day 4- chicken, vegetable, and rice soup with einkorn biscuits
- Day 5- bacon, pickled pepper, caramelized leek pizza
I hope this week of homemade dinner ideas is helpful for you! I plan to continue this series to inspire you to create homemade meals by showing what we are eating in our Boring home!
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