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  1. Sunday, May 31, 2020

    Week 677 Weekly Menu

    I have a heavy heart. While I sit here planning my menu and shopping list, my thoughts and concerns are elsewhere. I am not going to post about food on social media right now, so if you see this, wonderful. I’m happy you are here. I am sending love to each and every one of you. 

    Week 677 Weekly Dinner Menu: Monday - Chicken Piccata; Tuesday - Enchiladas; Wednesday - Chicken Caesar Wraps; Thursday - Leftovers: Friday & Saturday - Local Takeout; Sunday - Ribs

    MONDAY:

    TUESDAY:

    • Simple Enchiladas

    WEDNESDAY:

    THURSDAY:

    • Leftovers

    FRIDAY:

    • Local Takeout

    SATURDAY:

    • Local Takeout

    SUNDAY:

    • Ribs
    • Green Salad, Potato Salad, Rice

    If you would like to share your menu in the comments below, please do! Thank you and sending all the love I can muster through the ether!


  2. Sunday, May 24, 2020

    Week 676 Weekly Menu

    I’m a little late with my meal planning today because I’ve been busy finishing up a fun art project…an international tour done with chalk on our sidewalk (it’s actually pretty cool)! Visit my main Instagram account for photos and my art Instagram account for a video tour. I’ve put the chalk away and am no ready to get planning!

    Week 676 Weekly Menu: Monday - Memorial Day Cookout; Tuesday - Chicken Piccata; Wednesday - Korean BBQ Beef Bowls; Thursday - Leftovers; Friday - Chicken Caesar Wraps; Saturday - Local Takeout; Sunday - Enchiladas

    MONDAY:

    TUESDAY:

    WEDNESDAY:

    THURSDAY:

    • Leftovers

    FRIDAY:

    SATURDAY:

    • Local Takeout

    SUNDAY:

    • Simple Enchiladas

    Thank you for all the amazing menus last week! Keep it coming! Share your menus in the comments below!


  3. Sunday, May 17, 2020

    Week 675 Weekly Menu

    Hi everyone! Let’s get down to business, shall we?

    Week 675 Weekly Dinner Menu: Monday - Rachel Sandwiches, Tuesday - Tacos; Wednesday - Stir Fry; Thursday - Lasagna Baked Ziti; Friday - Leftovers; Saturday - Local Takeout; Sunday - Grill Night

    MONDAY:

    TUESDAY:

    WEDNESDAY:

    • Stir Fry (using our fresh snow peas from the garden!)

    THURSDAY:

    FRIDAY:

    • Leftovers

    SATURDAY:

    • Takeout Local

    SUNDAY:

    • Grill Night + Salad

    Your turn! Share your weekly meal plan below! Stay safe and eat well!


  4. How to Make Crispy Taco Shells (You’re Welcome)

    Two years ago I finally got my hands on fresh masa and learned how to make fresh masa corn tortillas. I thought at that point I had outdone myself when it came to homemade tacos. Then COVID-19 lockdown happened and I wasn’t hitting the tortilleria every week for fresh masa. Because I only had access to already-cooked corn tortillas, I thought to myself, “Self, what could make these store-bought corn tortillas taste better?” And then myself was like, “Self, fry them.” And that is how I figured out how to make crispy taco shells and, honestly, I think it might even be better than fresh masa corn tortillas…and I do NOT say that lightly.  

    Picture of ground beef tacos inside homemade crispy taco shells

    (I must admit that Jack In the Box tacos also inspired me to make these crispy taco shells at home. I know, Jack the bobble head inspired me in the kitchen. I’m as surprised as you are.)

    Top view of ground beef tacos inside homemade crispy taco shells with hot sauce

    For real, please don’t ever buy crispy taco shells at the store ever again. Buy corn tortillas and fry them. They really truly are the most delicious crispy taco shells you will ever eat. And they are fast to make. And unlike most frying recipes, you don’t use that much oil so clean up is easy, too.

    Step-by-step photos for how to make crispy taco shells

    The photos above show the step-by-step process for how to make crispy taco shells, and the details are explained in the recipe below. Below is a photo of what they look like fresh out of the pan! Enjoy!

    Homemade crispy tacos shells on a plate, two empty two with meat

    How to Make Crispy Taco Shells
     
    Author:
    Ingredients
    • Corn Tortillas
    • Oil for frying (something with a high smoke-point and neutral flavor: peanut and vegetable, for example; I used avocado oil and it worked great perfect)
    Instructions
    1. I find the tacos are at their most delicious when you add the taco meat to the taco shell immediately after frying. I like to set up my taco shell frying station like so: Stack of corn tortillas, tongs, pot with oil on the stove, large plate lined with paper towels, taco meat. (This recipe for Cora's Ground Beef Taco Meat is amazing, but you could put any kind of meat for tacos in here: steak, chicken, whatever!)
    2. Add oil to a medium-large pot. It doesn't need to be that deep - it should cover the bottom of the pan and then add a bit more, probably about ⅛" - ¼" deep.
    3. Heat oil over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes. A drop of water in the oil should sizzle.
    4. Using tongs, place one tortilla into the oil and let fry on the first side for 5-10 seconds.
    5. Flip the tortilla. Let it fry on the second side for just a couple seconds, then using your tongs sort of fold the tortilla in half. When I do this, I hold the folded half that is out of the oil up a little so you get kind of a flat bottom to the taco shell, if that makes sense. As it fries it will start to hold its shape on its own.
    6. Once the shell is holding its shape (this happens quickly), flip it over. I kind of push the side of the shell that's in the oil down into the oil so that the inside of the shell is frying, too. Just keep flipping and pressing until the shell starts to brown lightly.
    7. Once shell is done frying, remove form oil, let drip onto the paper towels, then set down on the paper towel-lined plate. Fill immediately with meat.
    8. For each shell, frying time total is only around 30 seconds or so. They fry up quickly!

     

     


  5. Monday, May 11, 2020

    Week 674 Weekly Menu

    Happy day after Mother’s Day. I made the conscious decision to relax and not post a menu yesterday and enjoy my day free of cooking, dishes and meal planning. But now it’s back to business! I have a lot of carry-over’s from last week’s menu because I just plain didn’t follow the menu. 

    Week 674 Weekly Dinner Menu

    MONDAY:

    TUESDAY:

    WEDNESDAY:

    THURSDAY:

    FRIDAY:

    • Takeout Night

    SATURDAY:

    • Leftovers

    SUNDAY:

    • Grill Night + Salad

    You know what to do…share your menu in the comments below! And remember we are looking for all types of menus – simple, fancy, everything! Have a good week!


  6. Sunday, May 3, 2020

    Week 673 Weekly Menu

    I everyone! I’m having some technical difficulties, so I can’t create the image of this week’s menu right now. But I still want to get the menu plan published and out the door so you can all share yours. So, how about a photo of one of the recipes I’ll be cooking instead!

    Backlit side view of gluten-free buffalo chicken drumsticks with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing

    MONDAY:

    • Local Takeout Night

    TUESDAY:

    WEDNESDAY:

    THURSDAY:

    FRIDAY:

    SATURDAY:

    • Leftovers

    SUNDAY:

    • Grill Night + Salad

    You know what to do…share your menu in the comments below! And remember we are looking for all types of menus – simple, fancy, everything! Have a good week!