When people want a quick dessert they reach for cookies but these doughnut holes can be made in just about 20 minutes and they’re sure to impress because who makes doughnuts these days?
Bento: #27
There’s only one more week in the year so it’s okay that this weeks food is boring and next week might also have boring food but…
Japanese Style Chicken Curry, rice, salad
Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche, salad, mandarins
Minestrone, salad, apple
Fried cauliflower, rice, soy sauce, carrots and hummus, apple
Menu: Friendship Around Town
I have a friend coming in to town on Thursday which always mucks up menus but since most of the week is before that I’m assuming it’ll be find until Thursday night so there might not be a real menu next week but we’ll see when we get there.
Saturday leftovers
out @ burger place
Sunday eggs with toast
veg stuffed meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad
Monday Xmas menu:
Chicken Liver on Bread
Mushroom Tortellini in Duck Broth
Sausage with Vegetables
Chocolate Peppermint Biscotti
Tuesday meatloaf, mashed potatoes, salad, fruit
aloo dahi, rice
Wednesday Xmas leftovers, carrots and hummus, salad
black bean tortilla soup, cornbread
Thursday aloo dahi, rice, spinach salad, fruit
pick up John/probably eat out
Friday black bean tortilla soup, cornbread, fruit
homemade pizza
Things to Make
Xmas:
tortellini
sausage with vegetables
peppermint biscotti
—–
meatloaf
aloo dahi
black bean tortilla soup
cornbread
Shopping List
boxed potatoes
ketchup
salsa
chili beans x 2
peanut butter
corn
spinach
salad
fruit x 3
potatoes
mushrooms
onions
pepper
carrots
duck pate
baguette
ricotta
parmesan
butter
plain yogurt
eggs
milk
candy canes
ground turkey
Recipe: Mushroom Ragu
This is one of those recipes that doesn’t seem like much but it takes mushrooms from a bland, boring food to the perfect topping for almost anything. I used this ragu smothered over the tops of popovers but it’d be great on polenta, over rice, and even as a pasta sauce.
Mushroom Ragu
Menu: Form-ing
Whew the year is almost at its end. I already have plenty of goals for the new year and what I’d like to do with my cooking during that time. I feel like I learned a lot this year about how to cook successfully for ourselves in another country so hopefully I can finalize that going forward. But now, a menu:
Saturday leftovers
out @ party
Sunday eggs and toast
pasta with vegetables
Monday spinach and cheese quiche, salad, carrots and hummus, fruit
salmon, couscous, roasted vegetables
Tuesday japanese chicken curry, rice, fruit
general tsos cauliflower
Wednesday minestrone, salad, breadstick, fruit
spinach and cheese quiche
Thursday stir fry noodles with vegetables, miso soup, boiled egg, fruit
japanese chicken curry
Friday general tso’s cauliflower, rice, salad, fruit
homemade pizza
Things to Make
spinach and cheese quiche
japanese chicken curry
minestrone
stir fry noodles
general tso’s cauliflower
Shopping List
egg noodles
canned tomatoes
white beans
apples
grapes
bananas
carrot
onions
cauliflower
small pasta
salad
goat cheese
zucchini
eggs
cereal
cat food
chicken breast
frozen mixed vegetables
Recipe: Vegetarian Scotch Eggs
When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. While the recipe is technically quite close to a scotch egg what it actually resembles much more closely is falafel stuffed with a boiled egg. The scotch eggs do not really end up tasting anything like your meaty scotch eggs but it is a great twist on falafel. Make sure you spice your chickpea mixture well as the flavor seems to get a little lost after frying.
Vegetarian Scotch Eggs
Adapted from The Swirling SpoonBento: #26
This felt like a lot less plums when I was packing them but I guess it’s fine. I was thinking about trying persimmons because they’re pretty cheap here and I don’t quite remember what they taste like? We’ll see.
Egg fried rice, scallion pancakes, plums 
Creamy orzo with roasted vegetables, tomato soup, plums 
Chicken noodle soup, Danish carrot roll, apple 
Bean and Rice Bowl, carrots and hummus, salad
Turkey and Cranberry Jam Sandwich, boiled eggs, salad, yogurt with plums
Menu: Lots of Vegetables
I don’t know why this shopping list seems to be 90% vegetables but I’m not complaining, that happens sometimes especially when you have a lot of the day to day staples still on hand. Mid-week I’ll do some shopping to make some festive cookies for the weekend but this is just the food based menu.
Saturday leftovers
chicken katsu, rice, tsukemono
Sunday toast and eggs
out after theater 🙂
Monday rolled omelette, rice, tsukemono, fruit
miso udon
Tuesday lasagna, salad, fruit
arepas
Wednesday miso udon, tempura vegetables, fruit
pasta with vegetables and goat cheese
Thursday black bean, avocado, and cheese arepas, corn and tomato salad, fruit
lasagna
Friday potato and carrot fry, chipati, spinach and green pea soup, fruit
homemade pizza
Things to Make
vegetable lasagna
chicken katsu
rolled omelettes
miso udon
arepas
potato-carrot fry
chipati
spinach and green pea soup
tsukemono
Shopping List
canned tomatoes (2)
udon
nori
carrots
potatoes
squash
avocado
onions
eggplant
cabbage
cucumber
apples
persimmons
oranges
cherry tomatoes
pepper
mushrooms
zucchini
salad
masa
rice
ricotta
parm
mozz
eggs
milk
cat food
cereal
chicken breasts
peas
spinach
Recipe: Potato Gratin
I made a turnip gratin previously but I wasn’t in love with it but I think I’ve cracked the code this time. This potato gratin is so good it’s hard to stop eating! Layering the cheese and milk mixture is the most important part but also don’t cheap out and use poor quality cheese because the minimal nature of the ingredients means that basically there’s no where for flavors to hide.
Potato Gratin
Adapted from Country LivingBento: #25
I had a kind of sad week but actually the food ended up looking really good? Clearly this means I should just be sad all the time :p
Spinach Quiche, carrots and hummus, apple tart, apple
Smoked salmon and cream cheese on black bread, sautéed potatoes and green beans, mandarins
Mac and cheese, loaded salad, apple
Chicken Tikka Masala, rice, carrots and hummus, apple
Lentil Falafel, yogurt dip, salad, tomato soup, banana