Real Food, Real Life

I am constantly looking at websites, recipe archives and cookbooks to find inspiration to feed my family healthy and interesting meals. Truthfully, I enjoy reading about cooking a lot more than I enjoy doing it, but I am committed to providing my family with healthy meals. I write this blog to help me organize my thoughts, plan my meals and streamline my shopping and food preparation. This is real food and real life. I do not have a staff of writers, nutritionists or support people to do what I do. I am a working mother with three very busy children and a typically complicated life. Grocery shopping is a chore for me and I struggle to find the energy to organize meals every night. I am not a domestic diva nor do I derive pleasure from chopping vegetables into perfect hexagons and making decorative flowers out of spun sugar. I do, however, take great pride in my greatest achievement, my children, and the little darlings need to eat. I refuse to cave in to our societal pressure to do the dinner drive through. Dinner in my family is a time for us to connect and share the events of the day. Granted, we often eat late but we are still afforded the opportunity to share the events of the day with one another over a good meal. I believe that the family dinner is grounding for the family, especially the children.
So, with family dinners my goal, I try to view the planning and preparation of the meals as a challenge. In this way, I am much less resentful of the time it takes to grocery shop and prepare the meals. Organization is the key to success as this is not an easy endeavor. Hopefully, you can find some tips and menu plans that resonate with your goals for feeding your family and that my reflections on my own journey in this blog will make yours a little easier.

Peace,

Julia

Menu Week 4

Sunday
Brisket http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/100844
Carrots, Onions and Potatoes



Monday
Grilled ham and gouda sandwiches with frisee and caramelized onions
http: http:/www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/231733


Tuesday
Fettucine Alfredo http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/105505
Salad
Garlic bread

Wednesday
Pork Chops with Apricots and Prosciutto and Gouda
Asparagus steamed
Pilaf

6 Pork loin chops, cut 1 inch thick
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
6 slices prosciutto or ham
6 dried apricots
11/2 T Olive Oil
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup water
½ cup shredded gouda
Trim excess fat from shops. Slit a pocket in meaty part of each chop cutting toward bone. Season chops with salt and pepper. Chop prosciutto and apricots, mix with shredded gouda .Stuff each chop with stuffing
Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add prok chops and cook turning once 3-5 minutes or until browned on both sides Remove from pan and place in pyrex dish. Add wine and water to frying pan, reduce over low heat and then pour over pork chops. Bake in 350 degree oven until done. Cover with foil until last 5 minutes

Thursday

Refrigerator review

I realized that this is a lot of food for the week so far…so tonight we are cleaning out the leftovers and having a family favorite, Refrigerator Review. Make a salad and all are happy

Friday ( I really want to go to a fish fry)

Corn chowder http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/232298
Salad
Garlic Bread


Grocery List

Meat

1 5-6 lb Brisket
8-10 slices Prosciutto
Ham (lunchmeat)
5-6 Loin cut Pork Chops
Bacon

Bakery

2 loaves french bread

Dairy
4 cups cream
Gouda cheese
Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese

Produce
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Asparagus
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Celery
Garlic
1 cup frisee
½ lb Yukon gold or red potatoes
1 medium sweet potato
Fresh thyme

Dried goods
Fettucine
Beer
White wine
Dried apricots

Canned goods

Tomato paste
1 can Beef broth
1 can Stewed tomatoes
5 cups chicken broth

Frozen Food

3 cups frozen corn

Pantry items

Dijon mustard
Red wine vinegar
Molasses
Soy sauce
Paprika