Sometimes it’s nice to have a special dinner on just an ordinary weekday. Although scallops are a pricey item there is absolutely no waste. John seared them beautifully and I made mashed potatoes and asparagus as sides. I also made a tartar sauce. Our dinner, if we had ordered this out, would probably cost close to $50 per person so this was a doable luxe dinner at $10 per person.
We have been enjoying this chicken lo mein for a few months now. Using shredded rotisserie chicken, spaghetti, and bagged fresh vegetables already cut have made this an easy weeknight dinner. Below is the original recipe with the changes we made in my narrative.
This such a delicious vegan dish. I probably could eat it once a week! Of course if you want to keep it vegan omit the parmesan cheese.
Chickpeas with ditalini and kale
Ingredients 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 zucchini, chopped (optional) 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 sprigs thyme (or herb of your choice) 2 cups vegetable broth 2 cups water 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 1 can petite diced tomatoes and chiles with liquid (like Rotel) Parmesan rind (optional) ½ cup ditalini Big handful of kale or any type greens Salt and black pepper Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and parmesan cheese (optional)
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until tender and the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and herb then cook until the garlic is fragrant. Pour in the broth, water, and the can of spicy tomatoes with their liquid. Add optional parmesan rind.
Once the mixture is boiling, add the chickpeas and ditalini. Reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Simmer 10 minutes, or until the ditalini is tender. Uncover and stir in the greens and optional zucchini, letting them simmer until incorporated.
Your mixture will be quite stew-like. If you want the mixture to be more soupy, add some additional water. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish the bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and optional parmesan cheese..
Our dinner of fish (tilapia) tacos was enhanced in a couple of ways. For the black beans I started with plain black beans with no flavoring. After they were rinsed I heated them up with a can of Rotel (spicy tomatoes and chiles) and added a few shakes of cumin. I tasted them while they were cooking to see if they needed salt and then garnished the beans with cilantro.
I also made my own salsa. I was lucky enough to find a mango that was ripe enough to use right away. I diced it, and a couple of small tomatoes, then mixed in the juice and zest of one lime, half a chopped jalapeño, 1/4 cup chopped red onion, salt to taste, and 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. It was delicious and really elevated our tacos! Sometimes doing a little something extra really pays off.
Recipekeeperonline.com is where I keep all my recipes that I run across when searching online. It has lots of ways to organize your recipes.
Of course I adapted the recipe with what I had on hand or thought would work better. I changed the spaghetti into whole grain penne. For the spiciness I added sriracha. I like its slightly sweet spicy flavor. Since I had both mint and cilantro I added both. With the exception of the herbs and zucchini the dish used pantry staples. John and I thought it was pretty tasty and will probably make it again.
Monday’s classic chicken dinner harkens back to the years when we always had chicken on Monday. It is an easy, comforting dinner. John made the packet chicken gravy and warmed the sliced rotisserie chicken breast in it. I tried the Idahoan brand of instant mashed potatoes whose directions called for 2 cups of boiling water and no other ingredients. I liked it better than other brands I have tried. It tasted like potatoes! I also made the rest of the asparagus that I bought for $1.97/lb! I cut the spears in half so it looked like we were each getting a hearty portion. We really enjoyed our easy Monday classic chicken dinner.
John cooked the steak on the grill perfectly. He also put a little char on the potatoes I had microwaved earlier. The asparagus cooked in a little water and butter. This was an easy dinner full of flavor.