i missed week one because i couldn't pull together a meal with strawberries and asparagus - the only two things in season right now! week two will be published at farm to philly. stay tuned for more delicious meal ideas!

so i did more searching and purchasing this week. i splurged and went with local meat sold at a local family farm. i'm also leaning on their strawberries this week as we'll probably be picking and freezing some from another local u-pick farm later in the week for our fall and winter months.

i'm turning this meal into a lunch as this is so up the boys' alley for lunchtime goodness.

this past week has been a bit of a challenge in the eating department. i struggle with getting food (any food!) into their mouths on most days, or getting quality food, even if it's not much of it on others. it's a new challenge every morning. but it's a learning process, and all of our food choices won't change overnight, i'm well-aware of that fact!

some things that we did this past week:

• after my mom read this waldorf eating entry last week, she showed up at the door with bags of veggies and a bottle of Trader Joes Goddess salad dressing, and that has been the boys' snack of choice for the past week: raw carrots, broccoli, and grape tomatoes in the salad dressing.
• i made homemade granola with dried cherries. mmm. but it wasn't my favorite recipe. if you have a favorite recipe for granola, please share. i've yet to be blown away by my homemade granola. and i do like granola! fortunately the boys loved it. and ate it with milk and over yogurt, or by the handful.
• i made millet bars, from the waldorf kindergarten snack book and it was a total flop. i can't even bring myself to eat it, even smothered with honey! blech. i'm "x-ing" that one out in the book.

here's another recipe i can share with you that was a total hit. whenever we are out at a restaurant, the only thing the boys ask to eat is "macaroni and cheese and chicken fingers with dipping sauce." they're palates have yet to move beyond that. but it's quick and easy and fills their bellies. good thing we rarely eat out any more. so, i brought their favorite restaurant food home, and found a great recipe for it that doesn't include frying in oil! the best part is that all our plates were clean - even Adam's (which is rare!)

Seasame Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
(I served it with sticky rice and steamed endameme)

1/3 cup stone ground mustard
1/3 cup honey
2 T lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 black pepper
1 lb skinned, boned chicken breast cut into strips
1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together mustard and honey and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Combine sesame seeds and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg whites, and dredge in sesame seed mixture.
Arrange chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray (or lightly coated with veg. oil). Bake 350 for 15 minutes.

*I also added some grated parmesan cheese and garlic powder to the sesame seed/bread crumb mixture.

Kenny: "Make it again!"
Liz: mmmmm.
Rowan: Empty plate with no bribing needed!
Sawyer: "Can I have some more please?"
Adam: He ate everything but the endameme. Because it was green.

it's been a while since i posted what we're having for dinner...so here's this week's menu!

monday: BBQ chicken breasts, baked rice, broccoli (baked rice recipe below)
tuesday: Roast turkey, mashed potatoes, petit pois
wednesday: egg salad sandwiches on homemade bread, salad, carrots and hummous
thursday: feta quiche with baby spinach salad
friday: Rockin' Moroccan Pita (recipe below)
saturday: pasta salad with bread
sunday: leftovers

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Rockin' Moroccan Pitas
1 T. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 lb. chicken breast, shredded
4 T. olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cans chick peas, rinsed
3 green onions (from our garden!)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped parsley (from our garden!)
6 pita pockets
plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste

Combine cumin and chili powder in a plastic bag. Add chicken and shake to coat. Heat 1 T. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Take off heat, cool.
Combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Stir in chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Cut tops off pitas to pen. Divide chicken mixture among pitas. Top with yogurt (if desired...I recommend it!).

(And yes! Our boys eat this and love it - especially Adam!)

Baked Rice
(this is the only way kenny will eat white rice without a sauce.)
1 T. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 tsp salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.
Heat oil and add onions. Cook, stirring, until softened.
Add (raw) rice until well-coated.
Add chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil.
Transfer to casserole, cover and bake until rice is tender and stock is absorbed, 20-25 minutes.
Let stand, covered, 5 minutes before serving.


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for more weekly menus, check out Org Junkie every Monday!

Menu-planning Monday has been left in the dust recently as life as become well, very unstructured. Illness and chickens seem to throw off the balance. I planned our month of meals over the weekend and Kenny and I spent a very romantic date at the grocery store Saturday evening (really...it was great to stroll the aisles and take our time). So we're set for the month!

We have a very international-inspired menu this week. It was all by accident, I promise. I guess I subconsciously threw in the American standard meatloaf and potatoes because we'd need some sort of break from the spices. Fortunately, we love 'em all.

We are having company for dinner on Tuesday. I hope they like Indian! (Does anyone call dinner guests "company" anymore? Or is that so "yesterday?")

Monday, April 30 - Aloo Gobi over rice
Tuesday, May 1 - Chicken Tikka Masala with leftover Aloo Gobi
Wednesday, May 2 - Meatloaf, potatoes, peas
Thrusday, May 3 - Asian Noodles Satay with vegetable
Friday, May 4 - Teriyaki chicken and salad
Saturday, May 5 - Peanut Ginger Beef
Sunday, May 6 - BBQ porkchops and salad

Lots more menus over at Laura's place.

we had a busy week with many emergencies and surprises last week, so our menu got switched around a lot and we...ah...ate out once (twice if you count the spaghetti dinner at church yesterday, but i planned for that, if you'll remember). so a few of these meals may look familiar as i planned them for last week, but we're eating them this week.

the beautiful thing about planning ahead is that i can switch everything around and have a new menu this week, without having to shop for more than my weekly dairy and produce needs.

monday: turkey sausage with noodles and cabbage (late st. patty's dinner!)
tuesday: chicken curry with brown rice
wednesday: baked chicken with ziti and veggie
thursday: aloo gobi
friday: sweet and sour pork over brown rice
saturday: leftovers
sunday: crusty pork tenderloin with sweet potato and apple compote

for more menu plans, visit OrgJunkie.

Monday: Roast chicken with veggies 
Tuesday: Leftovers or homemade chicken soup made with leftovers (if I'm feeling adventurous)
Wednesday: Spaghetti Chicken Pie, salad
Thursday: Baked Chicken and ziti with veggie (we didn't have it on Sunday, so we're having it today!)
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: St. Patrick's Day! Noodles with turkey sausage and cabbage. Guinness. Whiskey cake (recipe below)
Sunday: We're supporting a cub pack fundraiser after church: spaghetti dinner

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Irish Whiskey Cake

• 2 cups golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup whiskey
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 lemon, juiced

1. Place the raisins, lemon rind, and whiskey in a small bowl and let them soak overnight. Line bottom of an eight-inch square cake pan with parchment paper that is buttered and dusted with flour. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift the flour, salt, cloves and baking powder into a bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Quickly beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the soaked raisins.
3. In a separate clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture. Pour this into your prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake thoroughly on a wire rack.
4. To make the glaze: Mix the lemon juice with the sifted powdered sugar and just enough whiskey and warm water so that you can drizzle icing over the cake.

find more menu ideas here!