Week of Jan 31- Feb 4.. Monday: East African Braised Chicken

Sometimes I find that I stumble upon a recipe that I just think...huh, wonder what it tastes like?  That's what happened here...so to satisfy my curiosity, I'm making African chicken tonight.  The best part is that legs and thighs are usually really cheap to buy.  Don't be scared about the ingredient list...it's really just a bunch of seasonings.  Very simple dish to make and once it's in the pot...you just have to sit back and enjoy the lovely smells! Going to serve with a side of couscous and some veggies.

Tuesday: Big Spicy Meatballs

I'm on a bit of a spaghetti squash kick..so we're having "spaghetti" and meatballs.  My girls really like the squash and they think it's just another kind of noodle.  Pour some sauce on top with cheese and you're set.  Extra sauce on the side for dipping the meatballs.  


To cook the spaghetti squash, simply pierce with a fork numerous times, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 400 for one hour or until tender.  Let cool, then cut in half, scoop out seeds and scrape inside with a fork to remove the spaghetti like strands.

Thursday: Grilled Butter Sirloin Steaks

Good ol' steaks tonight.  Nice and simple and serving with a side of green veggies and some sweet potato fries (I buy mine from Trader Joes) Along with some grilled red peppers.  


Click on this link to see how to cook the artichokes:
Steamed Artichokes

Friday: Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

Loved this the first time I made it, so...it's back again!  I added bok choy to it last time for extra veggies, going to do that again.  I may throw in some edamame as well.  You can usually find lemon grass in your produce section at the grocery store.  They look like bamboo sticks (kinda)  I didn't understand how to use the lemon grass and made the mistake of cutting it up into small pieces.  Had to pick them all out!!  They take a LONG time to cook to be edible.  Just peel the lemon grass into long pieces and then you'll remove them before serving the soup.  
Some great additions would be peas, corn, mushrooms, or water chestnuts.  Also, give it a great kick with some Siracha.  

Ahhh....soup: Pasta e Fagioli

I truly think I should have been born Italian.  I love all things Italian...trying to get the hubby to move me there...girl can dream can't she?  
Anyway, here's a delicious Italian soup.  Simple, easy.  You can't go wrong here.  Throw in some crusty garlic bread and you're set. 

We had company over totaling 4 adults and 4 kids eating.  I doubled the recipe, but there were NO leftovers!  I'm going to have to triple it next time.  Best part is that it's a very inexpensive dish to make and very little prep.  I did what other reviewers recommended and created the "broth" first.  I let all the juices simmer for a couple of hours, then I added the beans for another hour, then right before eating I added the shells.  I forgot to top with the parsley but did add the parm cheese.  This will be made often!