Everyone is getting run down, catching spring colds, tired of school and ready for summer holidays. This week is going to be simple, comforting, low-stress and easy to eat - nothing complex if at all possible. I'm hoping for some happy, relaxed mealtimes with minimal prep that will rejuvenate tired kids (and parents!) so that we can focus on resting and reconnecting, taking dinner to soccer or eating at the park. Nothing some bare feet in the grass won't cure.
I have the travel itch. When spring shows up, everything thaws and blooms and the days get longer, I want to stay outside - and hop on a plane, train or automobile, if at all possible. The travel bug translates well to the kitchen, fortunately - if I can't make it to Asia or Greece myself, I can always use my imagination. Right? I'll go for a walk and visit some interesting ethnic groceries - much cheaper than a plane ticket.
As I start to ponder the fact that shorts weather is imminent, I'm trying to eat healthier with summer in mind - and so this week will see a veggie-rich rice bowl, lean and spicy-sweet beef lettuce wraps and grilled cheese with braised kale.
This week our meals will be interesting yet simple; springtime is an inspiring season, yet tends to be extra-packed with extra-curricular activities. So while I like to be able to make dinner from scratch every night, sometimes I need to streamline things a little bit. None of this week's dinners taste rushed - a springy risotto with peas and asparagus is one of those dishes that looks and tastes like it took longer than it actually does; ditto the crispy Panko fish sticks that come together in about ten minutes.
It's a short week, thanks to Easter, and we're settling into our longer days and sunny mealtimes. I'm feeling more creative these days, enjoying the sun coming into my kitchen, and am in the mood to expand my culinary horizons and think summery thoughts with crispy fried shrimp sandwiches, mint-ginger chicken kabobs with spicy raita, and fall-apart beer brisket. We'll practice summery dishes and dream of a few months ahead. With any luck, we'll be dining al fresco! Maybe.
April! How did that happen? With Easter arriving early this season, and spring break late, the kids seem to be home from school a lot these days. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) There are plenty of kid-pleasing recipes on this week's menu - fajitas, creamy chicken with noodles, sloppy Joes and meatballs - but all are upgraded in their own way to appeal to grown-up palates too.
Meatball subs make a fun family meal, and extra meatballs can be frozen to serve on spaghetti (or to make extra subs) on another day. While you're at it, double the recipe to get a head start on dinner down the road.
This week is all about multitasking - cooking once, eating twice, and repurposing leftovers from one meal to the next. After all, why shouldn't dinner do double duty? Roast chicken makes great salad the next day, and a pot of pasta sauce, chili or meatballs produces enough leftovers to act as dinner insurance on a busier night.
It's all about comfort this week, as so many family members and friends are getting over colds and the flu. Soup, stew, and cheesy baked things are what the doctor ordered - and all of these recipes are easily doubled, if there's someone sick you'd like to comfort with a warm pot of something homemade.
The Big Thaw has started, and the time change has brought longer days and sunnier dinnertimes. It seems somehow less rushed to get dinner on the table these days, as the sun isn't going down at the same time the 5 o'clock news comes on. I feel like cooking brighter dishes, like a sweet and spicy stir-fry and roasted tomato soup with the last of last summer's roasted tomatoes from the freezer.
