I've had negligent Mom guilt this week - working and traveling too much - and so I'm trying to focus more attention on my 6 year old. That includes dinnertime, so I've come up with some recipes that I know will make him happy - pasta and burgers and French toast on a stick. Because sometimes it has to be all about him… and satisfying my inner 6 year old at the same time.
May came speeding up all too quickly - my New Year's resolution to organize the house and Be Prepared has not stuck, but the arrival of spring does make me want to clear the cobwebs and clean out the pantry. In the back I found packages of rice noodles, tamarind paste, crunchy Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) about a dozen pasta shapes and altogether too many Mason jars. This week we're going to try to use up what we have - and have some fun in the process.
Paris is on my must-visit list - as much for the food as anything else. And what's more French than a simply roasted chicken? Stuffed with a handful of the fresh herbs that are already starting to grow, a wedge of lemon and halved head of garlic, it couldn't be easier on a Friday night.
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.
Spring has almost sprung, and although we're still waiting for those first tips of green to poke through the ground, we still gotta eat our veggies. I'm a little jaw-weary of root veggies and winter squash though, and so will shake things up with a vegan veggiepalooza quinoa fried rice, springy leeks baked with salmon and a side of (yes, imported) sugar snap peas, and even a wintry turnip… baked with chicken and lentils into an easy and hearty one-dish meal.
A healthy dose of garlic is good for what ails you - especially in the middle of winter. And if anyone in your house is fighting the flu, the leftover carcass makes a pretty fab soup - especially when there's some meat left clinging to the bones.
Midwinter is tough for locovores, with little in season or in storage long enough to last from the harvest through to February. This week I'll be looking at new ways to use root veggies, from salads to quiche, and will roast some alongside a chicken with lemon and thyme. Then to ring in the weekend, some lovely local beef burgers and braised lamb shanks with lentils, which are a significant Canadian crop, particularly in the prairies.
