I’m starting to expand my culinary horizons. Trying new things! Experimenting in the kitchen! Getting exotic! This week’s meal plan includes a few new things, like portabella mushroom burgers, curried lamb with mango sauce, and Tex-Mex bean bites – and chili-garlic-BBQ wings to appease the kids at the end of a week of experimentation. For TV night, we’ll need a lot of napkins.
| MONDAY |
Check out these cheese-stuffed, crusty-coated portabella mushroom burgers! You can skip the grilled summer veggies if you like, since it’s not summer, but the burgers can be done in a cast iron grill pan, or just a heavy skillet. What better way to celebrate Meatless Monday (if you do that sort of thing) than with a big, juicy burger?
Portabella Burgers
Photo credit: Brooke of Cheeky Kitchen
| TUESDAY |
If anyone knows how to make a curry, it’s bestselling cookbook author and Food Network host Bal Arneson. This lamb curry is made with mango juice, and no butter, cream or coconut milk – it’s exploding with flavour, yet easy enough to make on a weeknight.
Photo credit: Bal’s Quick & Healthy Indian (Whitecap Books)
| WEDNESDAY |
These beany little cups are like round tacos – a fun way to get your family to eat more beans. Try swapping kidney beans with navy beans or black beans – or try soaking and cooking dried beans you don’t even recognize.
Tex-Mex Bean Bites
Photo credit: SaskPulse.com
| THURSDAY |
Kids (and grownups) who aren’t much into experimentation will be happy to see sticky chicken wings on the menu tonight – with a big salad, they’re perfect to nibble in front of TV or the hockey game.
Chili Garlic BBQ-Sauced Wings
Photo credit: Brooke of Cheeky Kitchen
| FRIDAY |
It’s about time for a dose of bacon-y comfort food, isn’t it? Homemade mac & cheese is always better than store-bought – and a few strips of bacon puts it over the top! Serve with a big green salad for a simple cold weather Friday night family dinner.