<p>DW’s turn tonight (we alternate): pork chops, homemade applesauce, couscous, and broccoli.</p>
<p>Last night I made burgers, which my kids swear are the best: choice of cheddar or muenster, avocado, bacon, grilled and/or raw onion, tomato, lettuce on toasted buns with a side of fries.</p>
<p>Now that I’m working from home, I can cook a real meal for lunch. 
I made mushroom stroganoff over Yukon Gold potatoes, and savoy cabbage with bacon. We’re going out for dinner.</p>
<p>Tonight we are having leftovers from the weekend. Because DS2 is a vegetarian, I usually make more than one thing. We have black bean/sweet potato soup:</p>
<p>[Rustic</a> Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup + How to Cook Beans | My New Roots](<a href=“http://www.mynewroots.org/site/2011/02/rustic-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-soup-how-to-cook-beans-2/]Rustic”>Rustic Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup + How to Cook Beans - My New Roots)</p>
<p>Escarole salad (keeps beautifully for a day, dressing and all):</p>
<p>[Winter</a> Citrus, Escarole, and Endive Salad Recipe | MyRecipes.com](<a href=“http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/citrus-escarole-endive-salad-50400000124434/]Winter”>http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/citrus-escarole-endive-salad-50400000124434/)</p>
<p>Shrimp cocktail, and a homemade turkey shepherd’s pie (leftover turkey pieces from the freezer (Thanksgiving), frozen corn, frozen green beans, frozen peas, and fresh carrots cut into cubes and steamed, boxed turkey gravy from TJ’s, all mixed and put in a large pie dish, covered with mashed potatoes and baked).</p>
<p>I found halloumi cheese half off, so I planned a Greek dinner around that: Grilled marinated shrimp, grilled halloumi (will use a cast iron griddle on the stove for those), chicken loaf (leftovers from the freezer) with tsatsiki, marinated chopped veg salad, white bean & sun-dried tomato puree, Greek flatbread, olives, and roasted persimmons. All homemade!</p>
<p>My H and I decided to try a beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner but we have never cooked one before so we did a dry run yesterday. Delicious!!! And plenty left over for tonight! Not sure how to reheat it though.</p>
<p>We’ll have that with sauteed green beans and roasted tomatoes.</p>
<p>Since I’m here, does anyone have a good salad recipe that would compliment this menu for the holiday?
Italian wedding soup with escarole
Homemade pasta with red sauce
Beef tenderloin
Roasted asparagus
butternut squash</p>
<p>^ EPTR, how about one with fennel? This one has beets: [url=<a href=“http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/blood-orange-beet-and-fennel-salad]Blood”>Blood Orange, Beet, and Fennel Salad Recipe | Bon Appétit]Blood</a> Orange, Beet, and Fennel Salad - Bon App</p>
<p>I’ve been making chicken noodle soup.
Not fancy, I just make stock from a rotisserie chicken after removing the breast meat & pan roasted veggies, but it is really good & I feel virtuous.</p>
<p>Pork chops, brown rice with veggies and homemade applesauce.</p>
<p>Y’all put us to shame.</p>
<p>Those look good, Globalnomad!!! Thank you! I think the one with beets is the winner!</p>
<p>We had a big meal tonight: pork chops, applesauce, mashed potatoes, lima beans, corn, tossed salad with just-picked grape tomatoes from our backyard garden, rolls. Strawberry ice cream too! :)</p>
<p>Chicken Fajitas, Hold the Tortilla for me.</p>
<p>Super easy. Vidalia onion. Red Bell pepper. Chicken I sauteed the other night, sliced thin. Minced chipotle pepper. Sprinkled with my homemade chili powder (mostly Penzey’s ancho chili). All sauteed in a skillet. Drizzled with a few TBS of salsa from a jar. Sprinkled with shredded “Mexican cheese” and popped under the broiler to melt the cheese 'til bubbly. I eat it right from the skillet (at least it’s a fancy All-Clad) for one dish convenience!</p>
<p>Once I accepted that a lousy flour tortilla adds nothing, I was happy to just have more chicken, more onion, more pepper, and more cheese and “hold the tortilla”.</p>
<p>This is pretty much in my weekly rotation, usually with leftover chicken, but also as the third night of grilled flank steak. It’s really easy and really good. Sometimes I spice it up with some fresh anaheim chile peppers.</p>
<p>We had takeout–laulau, poi, poke (raw fish), lomi salmon (like salsa with salted salmon), haupia (coconut pudding), and opihi (a salty small shelfish). It was delicious and so easy!</p>
<p>The other day, it was rainy and cold, so got the butcher to cut me some shin meat and made a delicous beef soup with carrots and watercress–it was so easy and hearty–perfect for the cooler weather. My SIL had us over for dinner–hotpot with assorted greens, chicken and I brought sliced filet salmon. All was cooked in chicken broth made from “better than bullion.” Perfect dinner!</p>
<p>Planned ahead just right (unless the power goes out). Turkey breasts were at Target for 99 cents a pound…so I bought one yesterday. I’ll roast it later today, and we will have it with rice, and veggies. Then we will have leftovers for another meal, sandwiches…and turkey soup!</p>
<p>One possibility is not to reheat that tenderloin and just serve it cold (or microwaved to just past room temperature) with a horseradish sauce.</p>
<p>We have a party tonight so I’ll probably cook pork chops for ds, there are green beans and leftover mashed potatoes.</p>
<p>Sliced beef tenderloin over a generous salad for the guys. For me, a bowl of my homemade tomato soup - trying to lose the 3 pounds i have already put on this holiday season!</p>
<p>Spanish Tortilla (frittata) with kale, potato and smoked ham; chickpeas and mushrooms; fennel, red onion and orange salad on arugula with shallot vinaigrette and olives.</p>
<p>Love the tortilla - - leftovers work for breakfast or lunch!</p>
<p>I’m looking for a tried and true baked brie appetizer. There are several online, but I don’t want to guess about it’s results. Does anybody have one? I’ve eaten one that had fruit–maybe pears or apples–and nuts as a topping, Thanks, if you can help.</p>
<p>Beil, I made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious and very easy - and festive with the colors!!! You can make the cranberry sauce or used prepared:</p>
<p>[Cranberry</a> Pistachio Baked Brie | Gimme Some Oven](<a href=“http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cranberry-pistachio-baked-brie/]Cranberry”>Cranberry Pistachio Baked Brie | Gimme Some Oven)</p>
<p>I just eat whatever I feel at the moment out of whatever is available. I cannot tell couple hours before I get home, what I will eat. It could be banana with prunes and nuts, apple, beer. It could be bloody steak (couple times / months). I could fork couple peices of smoked salmon before I even think of anything else. I just do not want to spend my time on it, I want to get over with eating and do something more exciting. We always have tons of dried fruits and nuts and lots of fresh fruit. Fruit is my primary source of calories, next ones are nuts. We rarely have sweets at home, but when we do, I do not mind having some.</p>