December 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 2

Happy Monday y’all!  I wanted to share a quick round of weeknight dinner ideas before cooking tonight.  Most of the recipes can be made in under 30 minutes, and it looks like the chicken will be easy to re-purpose for lunches later in the week.

The key for making a few of the other recipes below in less than an hour is to prepare portions of them in advance.  For example, roast the spices for the chicken ahead of time and make the brine for the pork over the weekend.  The fennel, broccoli and sweet onions can also get chopped on Sunday for use early in the week.  

  

Ok, time to start the Shrimp à l’Américaine!  As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and share my blog with your friends!  

RECIPES

Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks with Cilantro-Shallot Relish, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2013, page 152

Coriander-Crusted Steak with Miso Butter Sauce, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2010, page 55

Benno and Leo's Brined Pork Chops with Fennel, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2014, page 179

Roast Hen with Yassa Marinade, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2016, page 151

Coriander-Roasted Broccoli, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2016, page 83

Shrimp à l’Américaine, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2016, page 84

GROCERY LIST

Produce

1 lemon

3 medium fennel bulbs

2 heads of broccoli

1 fresh Thai bird chile

1 bunch scallions

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch mint

1 bunch thyme

Fresh ginger root

5 shallots

2 sweet onions

1 medium onion

1 head garlic

Fresh lemon juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Fat-free Greek-style yogurt

Meat and Seafood 

12 chicken drumsticks 

12-ounce top sirloin steak

6 1-pound pork rib chops

4 1.25-1.5-pound Cornish game hens

2 pounds large shrimp 

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Canola oil

Sesame oil

Distilled white vinegar

Unseasoned rice vinegar

Dry white wine

Soy sauce

Kosher salt

Ground pepper

Crushed red pepper

Sweet paprika

Garam masala

Ground cumin

Whole cumin seeds

Ground coriander

Whole coriander seeds

Whole black peppercorns

Bay leaves

Ground tumeric

Light brown sugar

All-purpose flour

15-ounce can diced tomatoes

Tomato paste

Dijon mustard

Sake

Cognac

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Red miso

Tamari

December 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 1

Who else is in disbelief that Christmas is only a few weeks away?  I keep asking myself where did 2016 go?  It’s also pretty hard to believe that this means I have been posting quick dinner ideas for over a year now.  I know I shared some of the recipes featured below last year, but they were too good not to make again in 2016!  Being able to marinate the firehouse chicken up to three days in advance makes it one of those meals you can prep on Sunday for the middle of the week. 

If you make the steak tacos I’d be curious to know how they turn out if you use flour tortillas instead.  The flavorless and dry corn tortillas from the grocery store detracted from what was otherwise a quick and flavorful dinner.  

OK, I am off to find some long johns for my trip to the mountain timezone tomorrow.  Wish me luck that I make my connecting flights and don’t freeze to death in the arctic blast taking over that part of the country!  

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and share my blog with your friends!  

RECIPES

Steak Tacos with Pineapple, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, December 2015, page 124

Firehouse Chicken, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2015, page 12

Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Brown Butter, and Lime, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2015, page 68

Green Curry Pork Tenderloin, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, December 2016, page 20

GROCERY LIST

Produce

1 large head of cauliflower

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 pineapple

1 lime

1 head garlic

1 red onion

1 medium shallot

1 ginger root

Fresh lime juice

Fresh orange juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Meat and Seafood 

3.5-4 pound chicken

1.5 pound skirt steak

1.5 pound pork tenderloin 

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Toasted sesame oil

Distilled white vinegar

Salt

Kosher salt

Paprika

Black pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes

Pure maple syrup

Agave nectar

Soy sauce

Raw shelled pumpkin seeds

Green curry paste

1 14.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
Tortillas

November 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 2

Somehow the last few days of November got away from me, so I am writing this final November post a few days later than usual.  The short ribs and hot dog recipes were too good not to share with y’all!  

Are you shocked to see hot dogs featured on here?  Well, we’re only a few weeks away from January which means I am fitting in a few extra meals with bread and rice before hubby goes strict Paleo for the month. I hope you find the hot dogs as delicious as I did!

OK, I'm off to grocery shop for the week ahead.  As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and share my blog with your friends!  

Loaded Hot Dog with Chipotle Mayo

RECIPES

Soy-Braised Short Ribs, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, November 2016, page 78

Cider-Glazed Chicken Breasts With Apple-Fennel Salad, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, November 2011, page 50

Flattened Pork Chops With Greens And Mustard Pan Sauce, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, November 2014, page 54

Moroccan Halibut And Carrots, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, November 2009, page 62

Loaded Hot Dogs with Chipotle Mayo, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, November 2016, page 44

GROCERY LIST

Produce

4 cups mixed baby lettuces

1 bunch mustard greens

1 fennel bulb

2 large carrots

1 Granny Smith apple

1 lemon

1 bunch scallions

1 bunch mint

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch dill

1 ginger root

2 shallots

1 yellow onion

1 head garlic

Kimchi

Apple cider

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

4 ounces crumbled cheddar cheese curds or sharp cheddar cheese

Meat and Seafood 

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

5 pounds English-cut bone-in short ribs

4 bone-in pork rib chops

8 beef hold dogs

2 5-ounce halibut fillets

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Canola oil

Grapeseed oil

White wine vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

Kosher salt

Ground black pepper

Cayenne pepper

English mustard powder

Mustard seeds

Toasted sesame seeds

Ground cinnamon 

Sugar

Brown sugar

Honey

Whole grain Dijon mustard

Piccalilli or pickle relish

Mayonnaise

Soy sauce

Mirin

1 can chicken stock

Dry red wine

Rice

8 hot dog buns

Fritos 

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Chipotle chile in adobo