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  1. Wednesday, May 30, 2007

    Featured Recipe: Crêpe Night!

    I’m not sharing this as a featured recipe necessarily because I think it’s such a spectacular recipe, but more a great meal idea.

    When Nate and I lived in Boston, we took a few roadtrips to Montréal. The first time we visited we ate at a crêpe restaurant. We had NO money then and this was our one restaurant meal, so that might be why I remember it so well. But it was also my first introduction to savory crêpes, and I was NOT disappointed. Dinner was delicious, then we had crêpes for dessert too.


    This visit inspired me to try crêpes for dinner and dessert at home. If you decide to venture into the world of crêpe-making, it’s worth the trip! I make my savory crêpes, then add a little sugar to the batter then make some for dessert. Pretty easy and very tasty. As for fillings, the sky’s the limit! If I’m feeling especially decadent, I’ll use brie as the cheese in the savory crêpes. Savory tip: I cook my filling ingredients prior to making the crêpes; when I cook the crêpes, when I flip it over, I add the filling, fold the four sides in, then cook on both sides (make sense?). Don’t know if this the official way to do it, but works for me. As for dessert – I LOVE strawberries, chocolate sauce and ice cream, with sugar sprinkled on top. YUM.

    Here’s a recipe for the batter in case you would like one:

    Featured Recipe: Crêpe Night!
     
    Author:
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Ingredients
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup milk
    • ¼ lukewarm water
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (I use salted, whatever)
    • 1½ tablespoons sugar
    • Pinch of salt
    Instructions
    1. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate 30 mins or up to 2 days. (for savory crêpes, cut the sugar, do ½ t salt)
    2. Cook as directed for crêpes (nonstick or seaesoned crêpe pan, medium heat, butter the pan, about 2 T of batter per crêpe, butter pan between each crêpe). The technique takes some practice – I would read up on it in a cookbook for some pointers if you’ve never done it.

    Bon Appétit!


  2. Sunday, May 27, 2007

    Free Giveaway! Onera Winners!

    I wish I could give you ALL a bottle of Onera to try…but at least I know 2 of you will be happy. 🙂


    After putting all of your names in a cup, closing my eyes and reaching in…we have two winners!

    Lindsey, who said “I want this, too! Awesome. I love giveaways.”

    and

    Stephanie, who said “A mom, pregnant, nauseous, blogging, and doing a give-a-way, you get a gold star! I like to think of myself as the condiment/spice queen, I’ll try anything! Thanks for the info!”

    Congratulations, Lindsey and Stephanie – you will enjoy your Onera! (And I SWEAR Stephanie did NOT win because she gave me a gold star!) To the rest of you, here’s to more giveaways to come! 🙂 And as soon as I figure out if the Onera website is the same as the spice that I use, I will do a post to let you know. Thanks to all who entered and to everyone who visits the blog!

    (Stephanie and Lindsey – please email weeklydinners@gmail.com to claim your prize!)


  3. Week 18 Menu

    Happy Memorial Day weekend! Hope you’re all having a great weekend with happy weather wherever you are. Here’s my menu for the week…don’t forget to post yours!

    MONDAY:
    – Happy Memorial Day! Going to friends for a cook-out – yea!

    TUESDAY:
    Bertucci’s Tortellini
    – Salad
    – Rolls or garlic bread


    WEDNESDAY:
    – Leftovers

    THURSDAY:
    Baked French Toast
    – Fruit salad

    FRIDAY:
    – Eat out

    SATURDAY:
    Chicken Croissants, aka Chimento Chicken (because our friends the Chimentos love it!)
    – Salad

    SUNDAY:
    Chicken Piccata
    – Broccoli
    – Rolls


  4. Friday, May 25, 2007

    Kitchen Tips: The Ultimate Pizza Cutter

    Wanted to share a fun kitchen tip our friends shared with us recently…and since Friday night is often pizza night, thought it might come in handy for some of you!


    Our friends Valerie & Graton (who recently had their 2nd baby – congratultions, guys!) invited us over for delicious homemade pizza. When the pizza came out of the oven, Graton walked over with a pair of scissors. “Scissors? You guys should totally get a pizza cutter!” says know-it-all Jane. Turns out they used to have a real pizza cutter but had since converted to scissors. And with good reason – they work like a charm! They are much more versatile and ALWAYS cut through. Such a great tip!

    Oh – one more thing that gives scissors an advantage…you don’t have to worry about what cutting surface you are on. I’m always making my pizza cutters so dull because I cut right on the pan. Thanks Nate for reminding me of this bonus! 🙂

    (Don’t forget! Sunday morning is the end of the giveaway!)


  5. Wednesday, May 23, 2007

    Free Giveaway! Chicken Salad Secret Ingredient

    Update: Onera is out of business as far as I can tell. So, this post is basically useless! 🙂

    Here is the story behind the chicken salad…Meier’s Meats in SLC, UT has the best chicken salad. My family would order it for parties, etc, etc. Well, one day my Aunt Barb found out the “secret” ingredient that made this chicken salad so good was sitting under our noses the whole time, right there on the butcher’s counter!


    Onera Original Seasoning. The “secret” ingredient wasn’t so secret at all. Perfect in chicken salad but also as a seasoning on all kinds of stuff, including homemade french fries.

    If you live in Utah, it’s easy to get – they sell it at “The Store” (of which there are a few locations). A woman at “The Store” said they also sell it at Harmon’s, Smith’s, etc. It’s located back by the butcher.

    If you are like most of us non-Utah people, you have to order it online. One of my awesome readers (thanks working gal!) found a website for Onera Blended Spices. Onera recently changed ownership, which is why the labels look different.

    There is ONE more way to get your hands on a bottle…reply with a comment, any comment, to this post for the first ever TWFD giveaway! Good luck! (One winner will be randomly selected…must post your comment by 8:00 AM PST, Sunday May 27)


  6. Tuesday, May 22, 2007

    Featured Recipe: Chicken Salad

    All this talk of chicken salad in the comments this week really got me in the mood…and since chicken is A-OK with the ole prego belly, I made it!


    Thanks for the yummy sounding chicken salad recipes that were shared in the comments! I do have to tell you – I think I may have the BEST chicken salad recipe in the world. I know, that’s a pretty strong statement, eh? I posted the recipe on the Recipes-Main Dishes ages ago, but take a visit back and check it out. One reason I like it so much – the sauce isn’t sweet, but the grapes are – perfect balance. It really is just so yummy.

    The recipe DOES have a secret ingredient…I’ve only ever used that ingredient, and I think it may be why this chicken salad is SO DANG GOOD. I will feature the secret ingredient tomorrow…maybe even a free giveaway?!?! Come back to see!


  7. Sunday, May 20, 2007

    Sick of Lunch

    Hello everyone! Hope all your meal planning is going well! I think I may actually be able to cook a few of my items on the menu this week – yippee! This medicine I’m on has been a lifesaver.


    The most annoying part of morning sickness is that you can never let yourself get hungry or you’ll get sick, but you absolutely don’t feel like eating ANYTHING. So all you do is think about food, which you would rather not do. So fun. My current quandary is lunch. Technically I’m not supposed to eat lunch meats (risk of listeria), tuna (high mercury) or peanut butter (I have a medium peanut allergy so not supposed to eat them when pregnant). Okay, so without those three options tell me, what am I supposed to have for lunch?!?! As if thinking of things to eat wasn’t hard enough. Bagels and cream cheese have been the lunch favorite lately, although I think I might get SICK of it soon. Not to mention I’m eating enough cream cheese to keep the cream cheese industry in business, which may be good for their pockets but probably not for my love handles.

    (ps – please post your comments and menus… for some reason comments were disabled today, but they’re back!)


  8. Week 17 Menu

    MONDAY:
    Pot Roast
    – Mashed Potatoes
    – Banana Squash


    TUESDAY:
    Chicken a la King
    – Rice or Egg Noodles
    Carrots

    WEDNESDAY:
    – Leftovers

    THURSDAY:
    Lentil Soup
    – French bread

    FRIDAY:
    – Eat out

    SATURDAY:
    – Grilled Hamburgers
    Baked french fries
    – Carrots and dip

    SUNDAY:
    – Crepe night – for dinner and dessert!
    – Spinach salad


  9. Thursday, May 17, 2007

    Featured Recipe: Chocolate Swirls

    I cooked something! I really did and here’s a picture to prove it. Last night I made Chocolate Swirls (click here to see the recipe). This is one of my FAVORITE cookie recipes…my friend Liz (who is visiting right now) also loves these cookies, so I made them for her. Aren’t I the bestest friend ever?


    I got the recipe at a Christmas cookie exchange years ago…I have no idea who brought the recipe or what book they copied it out of, but I am forever grateful! If you like chocolate and cream cheese, get yourself in the kitchen right away.


  10. Wednesday, May 16, 2007

    Musings: Confession Time

    So, it’s time make a little confession…I haven’t cooked in over a month. I know, I know…what are all these menus I’ve been posting? Doesn’t this make Jane a fraud?!?! Well, on the surface, perhaps yes. HOWEVER…I have a GOOD reason…

    That’s right! Number 2 is on the way! Yippee! And while this is spectacular news for our little family, food has been my worst enemy the last few weeks. I can’t even really LOOK at my own blog without getting queezy. Just try writing about food when you are sick as a dog – it is HARD. I finally have some medicine to help me out, so things are starting to look up a bit and I promise to post as often as I can. I think I’ve done PRETTY good considering. I’ll continue to post my weekly menus…at least what I dream of being my menu each week. And this phase should only last another 2 months or so, if I’m lucky! Keep your menus and ideas coming – I need you all now more than ever! 🙂