It can’t be November yet, can’t it? This week will utilize the FULL ON PANIC meal plan as I realize it’s officially the holiday season and I’m still just getting over the back to school crunch. Speed is the name of the game, as is warmth and comfort – creamy chicken chill, mac & cheese and long-simmered pasta sauce will help ease us into cold days and early nights.
| MONDAY |
The flavours of chicken soup with the hearty texture of chill get together very well in this white chicken chill, an easy, fuss-free dinner that will take away the chill. Brooke’s pitch: “Filled with the rich flavors of bacon and garlic and sour cream, kissed with the sweetness of corn, each spoonful filled with shredded chunks of chicken, methinks it impossible to not adore this meal.” Sold?
White Chicken Chili
Photo credit: Brooke of Cheeky Kitchen
| TUESDAY |
Tuesdays can be busy, and this cheese & mac is speedier than any that comes out of a box. With only six ingredients, by the time the noodles are cooked, the sauce is made and ready to be stirred in. Toss in some frozen peas or chopped ham if you like; it’s also pretty fab served with leftover white chicken chill, if you happen to still have any.
Photo credit: Amy of Family Feedbag
| WEDNESDAY |
Kids seem to have a special affinity to tacos, and this layered bake makes a great vehicle if you’re looking for new ways to get veggies into the picky ones. It’s like a happy marriage between tacos and lasagna, topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and avocado – just as you’d load up a taco. In her post, Aimee of Simple Bites also covers various ways of feeding plants to veggie-phobic kids.
Photo credit: Aimee of Simple Bites
| THURSDAY |
I do love old family recipes, even if they don’t come from my own family. This recipe came from Jaime’s grandmother, Lillian, who swears what makes it so fabulous is the love that goes into it. (Also? The long, slow cooking time.) Made with chicken and Italian sausage, it seems to me the ultimate pot of simmering goodness to take over the kitchen on a Saturday afternoon. Or a Thursday after school.
Lillian’s Spaghetti Sauce with Chicken and Sausage
Photo credit: Jamie of Sophistimom
| FRIDAY |
Pre-cooking ribs is the secret to getting them fall-off-the-bone tender. Many people boil theirs, which I find awkward and messy; you also lose a lot of the flavour by boiling meat in a large pot of water. I prefer to pre-roast ribs on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven. Regardless of your recipe, try roasting them, tightly covered with foil, at 300˚F for 2- 2 1/2 hours. The ribs can then be brushed with sauce and finished on the grill, or crank up the oven and finish them there for a dark, sticky exterior. If you want to get a head start and roast them in advance, the pre cooked ribs can be kept, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days before finishing them off on the grill or in the oven.