Hanukkah and Christmas are around the corner, peeps. Next week is crunch time.
To give you loads of space for the bajillion things still left to do before the holidays, let’s keep dinner pretty simple, yes?
Here’s the menu:
MONDAY: Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions from Epicurious is weeknight-friendly because pork tenderloin roasts quickly. You’re going to use a larger tenderloin than the recipe calls for and a bit more apple and onion, so you’ll have leftovers to play with. Serve with mashed potatoes (a double batch) and steamed green beans. Vegetarians: You’ll roast butternut squash and brussels sprouts instead of pork.
TUESDAY: Two-Bean Soup with Kale from Cooking Light, served with crusty bread, is a hearty one-bowl dinner that’s on the table in about half an hour. Add some Italian sausage if you like, or leave it vegetarian. I won’t make you buy Parmesan cheese just for this, but if you have some on-hand, pass it at the table.
WEDNESDAY: Mini-Pancakes with Pork, Apples, and Onions transforms a Mark Bittman recipe and Monday’s leftovers into the kid-friendliest breakfast-for-dinner you can imagine. Serve them with Honey-Mustard Dipping Sauce and cucumber, carrot, and celery sticks. Vegetarians: Yup, that butternut squash.
THURSDAY: Quick Shepherd’s Pie, either Rachael Ray’s version with meat or Pinch of Yum’s vegetarian one—Monday’s double-batch of mashed potatoes saves you a few steps.
FRIDAY: Cold Sesame Noodles is my own recipe, which I developed for Today’s food section. Add a whole bunch of raw vegetables plus edamame or tofu (or both) to make it a main dish.
And the shopping list:
Remember, an asterisk* indicates an ingredient for vegetarians only. And you’ll notice I’m listing pre-cut butternut squash and kale to make things easier for you—if you prefer cleaning and chopping your own, by all means do!
Produce
4 medium onions (M, T, Th)
1 head garlic (T)
4 lb. Yukon gold or russet potatoes (M, Th)
1 lb. green beans (M)
18-20 oz. pre-cut butternut squash (M) *
8 oz. brussels sprouts (M) *
Carrots (T, W, Th)
Celery (T, W)
1 package cut kale (T)
1 bunch rosemary (T)
1 bunch parsley (Th)
2 cucumbers (W, F)
1 lb. mushrooms (Th) *
Small knob fresh ginger (F)
1 bunch scallions (F)
1 large bell pepper, any color (F)
3 Granny smith apples (M)
Apple cider (M)
1 lb. firm tofu, optional (F)
Pantry
Olive oil (M, T, W, Th)
Large jar Dijon mustard, whole grain or smooth (M)
Fennel seeds (M)
Salt (T, W)
Ground red pepper (W)
Garlic powder or salt (W)
Black pepper (T, W)
Paprika (Th)
Sesame seeds (F)
1 quart plus 2 cups* low-sodium vegetable broth (T, Th)
8 oz. beef low-sodium beef stock or broth (Th)
2 (15-oz.) cans no-salt-added cannellini beans (T)
1 (15-oz.) can no-salt-added black beans (T)
Red wine vinegar (T)
Flour (W, Th)
Mayonnaise (W)
Honey (W, F)
Worcestershire sauce (Th)
Tomato paste (Th) *
12 oz. linguine (F)
Toasted sesame oil (F)
Tahini, optional (F)
Creamy natural peanut butter (F)
Reduced-sodium soy sauce (F)
Rice vinegar (F)
Sriracha or other hot sauce, optional (F)
Meat Counter
1 large pork tenderloin (about 18 oz.) (M)
8 oz. sweet Italian sausage, optional (T)
28 oz. ground beef (Th)
Dairy
Sour cream or Greek yogurt (M, Th)
Butter (M, Th)
Milk (M, W, Th)
Eggs (W)
Bakery
Crusty bread (T)
Freezer Case
Peas (Th)
Edamame, optional (F)
Liquor Store
Red wine (Th) * NOTE: If you’d rather not use wine, buy an additional 2 cups of vegetable broth
Watch this space on Saturday for the details. And if you’ve got any questions, just reply to this email.
Debbie