It was a big birthday weekend for Owen and me! So, here I am on Monday planning the menu. Better late than never, and I need it.

MONDAY:

• Takeout night (because I am just now planning!)

TUESDAY:

• Lasagna-Baked Ziti

WEDNESDAY:

• Grilled chicken with rice and salad mix

THURSDAY:

• Slow Cooker Sweet Korean BBQ Beef (gonna do rice bowls this time)

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout night

SUNDAY:

• Caprese Paninis

Your turn, please share your own menu below! And thank you all for your love and healthy sentiments on last week’s menu post. I am feeling SO much better, I appreciate it so much! Happy eating and sending love and health back to you all.

Hey everyone. The last two weeks we’ve been dealing with COVID-19 in our home. Nate, Anna (13) and I all came down with COVID-19 (yes, we are all vaccinated and, yes, we were all symptomatic). First off, I am so grateful we are all coming out of this healthy. Secondly, I am grateful we were vaccinated because I definitely would not have wanted symptoms to be worse. COVID-19 really threw Nate and I for a loop! Bottom line, whether or not you are vaccinated, be careful out there! Wear a mask! Wash your hands! Watch out for eating indoors at restaurants (the source of our cases). 

Last Sunday I was probably asleep in a tent in the backyard, hence no menu. I also did not cook all week – we relied on ready-made meals delivered by my wonderful sister-in-law, Cora. Today I actually feel more like myself again and am looking forward to getting back to work, hugging my kids as much as I want, and making food for our family!

MONDAY:

• Crispy Parmesan Chicken (Hello Fresh)

TUESDAY:

• Thai Coconut Pork Meatballs (Hello Fresh)

WEDNESDAY:

• Slow Cooker Sweet Korean BBQ Beef (gonna do rice bowls this time)

THURSDAY:

• Lasagna-Baked Ziti

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout

SUNDAY:

• Grill Night

One more thing…Hello Fresh vs. Blue Apron!

For those of you wondering if I like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron better…I ended up giving two weeks of Blue Apron meals to my sister-in-law (thanks, COVID). The meals we DID have were delicious. I like Hello Fresh’s packaging much better, though, and I think the meals are a little more successful for every member of the family. Plus Hello Fresh has more choices each week. So, Hello Fresh is the winner for me! Also, they give me better referral deals…let me know if you want a free box in the comments, I currently have six to give away! You can also get $100 off if you join at this link.

Your turn to share your weekly meal plan in the comments below! Have a healthy week and stay safe!

Happy day after the holiday weekend! We were gone all weekend for a small, outdoor wedding in San Luis Obispo, which was beyond lovely. Even though I’m a bit late to the game this week, still need to get my dinner brain organize! We have some Blue Apron meal kits to power through this week. (Related: we are liking Blue Apron, but I think Hello Fresh is my favorite…but going to give it a few more meals before deciding!)

MONDAY:

• Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

TUESDAY:

• Garlic Caper Chicken

WEDNESDAY:

• Oregano Chicken & Olive Pan Sauce

THURSDAY:

• One-Pan Beef & Udon Noodle Stir Fry

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Night

SUNDAY:

• Sheet Pan Pork and Sour Cherry Sauce

Share your own meal plan in the comments below! Thank you!

I must have jinxed myself two weeks ago, declaring I was back in the meal planning game. We have had a very big two weeks in our family and meal planning quite simply was an afterthought. But I am (for real) back now. 

I had a very sweet friend give us a very generous Blue Apron gift card after my last surgery, so we are trying it for the first time this week. Will be fun to compare to Hello Fresh!

MONDAY:

• Sweet and Spicy Chicken Stir Fry

TUESDAY:

• Cheesy Pork Chorizo Enchiladas

WEDNESDAY:

• Garlic Caper Chicken

THURSDAY:

• Leftovers

FRIDAY:

• Rachel Sandwiches

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Night

SUNDAY:

• Smoked Meat Night

Let’s see those menus, you guys are the best!

Hello! Menu time!

MONDAY:

• Street Cart-Style Shawarma Bowls (Hello Fresh, one of our favorite recipes!)

TUESDAY:

• Saucy Pork Burrito Bowls (Hello Fresh)

WEDNESDAY:

• Spicy Grilled Chicken Tacos with Crispy Taco Shells

THURSDAY:

• Carne Asada Salad with Cilantro Crema

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Night

SUNDAY:

• Balsamic Fig Chicken (Hello Fresh)

Your turn! Please share your menus in the comments section below! Thank you and have a wonderful week!

Hello! Long time no talk! In the 14+ years of writing this blog, I have never taken a summer break from meal planning. But this year, with my hand and two somewhat complicated trips (including getting a puppy!), I gave myself some space and it was the right thing to do. But now it’s back to real life, including the weekly menu! I am allowed to start using my hand like “normal” again this week, so cooking is in our near future! (Thumb update: I can bend the joint, it’s still not normal, and it will take quite some time to see the ultimate result…but we’re making progress!)

MONDAY:

• Cream of Mushroom Soup

TUESDAY:

• Thai Basil Beef

WEDNESDAY:

• Homemade Hamburgers

THURSDAY:

• Asian Spinach & Chicken Salad

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Night

SUNDAY:

• Smoked Meat Night with Salad

Your turn! Share those meal plans, no matter how plain or fancy! Have a great week, everyone! It’s good to be. back!

Well, I got completely caught up in Father’s Day fun yesterday and spaced menu planning. But we need it! Here we go…

MONDAY:

• Leftovers & Takeout Night (because I am just now planning!)

TUESDAY:

• Thai Basil Beef

WEDNESDAY:

• Homemade Hamburgers

THURSDAY:

• Dinner from a friend

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Midsummer celebration with my family!
• Swedish Meatballs
• Limpa bread
• Other Swedish goodies

SUNDAY:

• Roadtrip to pick up our new puppy! (What am I getting myself into? Also, I am so excited!)

Your turn! Share your meal plans in the comments below! Thank you!

Limpa is a bread that my family has loved and enjoyed for generations. Swedish limpa bread is a rye bread but before you say “I don’t like pumpernickel” hear me out. (And if you do like pumpernickel, you’ll be especially delighted). While this limpa bread recipes are made with rye flour, limpa has a different, more subtle taste than most rye breads . The texture and flavor are a bit lighter and there is a nice sweetness to the bread. I love limpa with a nice thick layer of cold butter, but topping with havarti cheese is another family favorite. Limpa is also lovely as toast and even good for sandwiches with meats and cheeses! If you like baking, I definitely recommend giving this limpa bread recipe a go!

Our family was able to find limpa at bakeries for many years, but as time has passed and we have all moved to new places, it is increasingly difficult to find limpa. My sister-in-law did the heavy lifting and found a great limpa bread recipe that has finally taken away the family’s sadness around not find a bakery that makes good limpa! This limpa bread recipe is the winner! You can click here to access the original recipe that my Cora found. I have re-written it below with more details around preparation, including substitution information, and have added it here to the blog so I don’t lose it!

I made this limpa bread recipe last Christmas for the first time myself and it came out beautifully. It was also the first time that Owen (9 at the time) had ever eaten limpa. He took his first bite and declared that his tastebuds were in heaven. I will be making limpa again this week for our family’s Midsummer celebration, a Swedish tradition held during summer solstice. Enjoy!

And in case you are wondering, yes, I am still allergic to wheat. And yes, this week I am going to try making a GF version so I don’t have to be tortured watching everyone else eat wonderful, delicious, beautiful limpa. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Swedish Limpa Bread

 

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Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 2 cups orange juice
• ½ cup butter
• 1⅓ cups dark brown sugar (light brown sugar is fine if you are in a pinch)
• ¼ cup dark molasses
• 2½ teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2 teaspoons anise seed or 4 pods star star anise (I looked EVERYWHERE for anise seed but could not find it. I did a ton of research, and star anise is the best substitute for the anise in this recipe, so feel free to use star of anise in a pinch!)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 cups cold water
• 3 tablespoons yeast
• 4 cups medium rye flour
• 5-6 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Combine orange juice, butter, brown sugar, molasses, caraway seeds and anise seed/star anise in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes, then add salt and water. If using star anise, remove pods. Otherwise the seeds remain in the mixture.
3. When mixture reaches 105º-115º F (which is quite warm but not too hot to touch), add yeast.
4. Pour into a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid stand mixer) then add rye flour and all-purpose flour. The dough will be wet and sticky, this is a-okay!
5. Knead well. If using a stand mixer, with the dough hook knead for about 6 minutes. Again, the dough will be sticky and I highly recommend using a stand mixer if possible.
6. Cover bowl with a cloth and let rise until double in size.
7. Divide dough into four equal parts. Shape each piece into a round ball, folding the dough under to make a smooth top. Place on floured board, cover with cloth, and let rise one more time until double in size.
8. Score the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife. Transfer to a preheated 350ºF oven and cook on a baking stone. Bake for about 30 minutes, until browned and internal temperature reaches 190ºF.
9. As with most breads, let cool before cutting. Although we always break the rules and cut into just one hot loaf because it is irresistible!

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Hello everyone! I’m back! I’ve actually missed posting the weekly menu, but I really have tried to force myself to scale back and take it easy after this last hand surgery. But today I am feeling up for getting the weekly menu pulled together! 

MONDAY:

• Grammy’s Orange Chicken with Rice and Salad (in the freezer lovingly made by my mother-in-law)

TUESDAY:

• Spaghetti and Meatballs (another freezer meal from Pat waiting to be eaten!)

WEDNESDAY:

• Leftovers

THURSDAY:

• Dinner from a friend

FRIDAY:

• Eat out night

SATURDAY:

• Homemade Hamburgers

SUNDAY:

• Smoked Meat Night

Your turn! Share those menus in the comments below!

Hello, everyone! I took an unexpected meal planning hiatus, but we’re back! This is my last week before the {hopefully} final hand surgery, so I am cooking myself, my recipes, no Hello Fresh. 

MONDAY:

• Bolognese, Pasta and Salad

TUESDAY:

• Chicken Pot Pie

WEDNESDAY:

• Spicy Chicken Tacos with Fresh Masa Tortillas

THURSDAY:

• Cilantro Sour Cream Enchiladas

FRIDAY:

• Leftovers

SATURDAY:

• Takeout Night

SUNDAY:

• Smoked Meat Night with salad and potatoes of some sort

Your turn! Share your menus in the comments below!