We're back

So we disappeared for a bit. We decided to make a big change in our life & pulled up our roots in San Francisco & headed back to the Midwest. We are settled in a lovely 1930's house in Minneapolis with a fabulous newly remodeled kitchen (hello 5 burner stove, I love you).
The move to colder climates has been interesting & we are really noticing a huge difference in the produce available to us. Learning to cook seasonally is going to have to be something we learn here. Right now I can't wait until the summer farmer's markets.

So back to the food! Where to start?

My cousin & I were talking on New Year's Eve about how we both plan a menu for the week & use it to write a list for shopping. I started doing this when Matt & I moved in together & it really saved us from eating out all the time because we have the ingredients on hand. We both felt the biggest challenge was coming up with the menus each week, looking for new recipes, remembering things we made in the past & what we liked & didn't. We decided what we needed to do was keep track of each weeks menu & write notes on the recipes then we can go back & look at past ones for ideas. She suggested if you could look at other peoples' that would give you ideas too. So that's how I'm going to jump back into this blog, talking about our weekly menus. Hope you enjoy it.

Week - Dec. 29 - Jan. 4
Garlicky White Bean Soup - Soup Makes the Meal: Ken Haedrich - RESULT: Yummy on a cold night with a cold, this one is a keeper.

Roast Chicken with parsnips, carrots, potatoes & onions - RESULT: Always a winner & the parsnips were so sweet.

Homemade pizzas - dough from The Easy Way to Artisan Bead & Pastries: Avner Laskin - RESULT: The Indian Barbecue Pizza was fantastic, we will make this one again & again.

Chicken Pot Pie - Filling from Mpls/St Paul Magazine January 08 issue - RESULT: Making homemade chicken pot pie is pretty easy & the results are so yummy this will stay in our winter menus.

Roasted Potato, Onion and Garlic Soup - Soup Makes the Meal: Ken Haedrich - RESULT: The color & texture of this soup were not appealing at all. We won't make this again.

Golden Root-Vegetable Couscous - How to Eat: Nigella Lawson - RESULT: Suberb. The spices with the vegetables are perfect for winter. Plan a little prep time as there are a lot of vegetables to peel & chop.

Tuna Casserole (or should I say hotdish?) - RESULT: a favorite from my childhood & something I'll probably always make.

I'll follow up with recipes & how each meal was.

Happy New Year!