Tuesday Family Dinners
So, here I am, with my two (2) older kids out of the nest and living their best lives. Getting together does present it challenges, but Tuesday night is becoming the night we all come together from wherever life has us, as a loving little family enjoying a meal around the table. And what better way to celebrate my family, than a meal fit for royalty? Ok, my royalty at least.
How do I keep the promise of rolling out the red carpet without losing my mind?
Well, let me spill the beans (not literally, that would be a mess). I rely on my secret weapon - batch cooking! Yes, you heard it right. I spend a little time upfront to cook up a storm, and then I can relax on certain parts of the meal so I enjoy the company of my whole family, at least for an evening.
What was on the menu for tonight's extravaganza?
Oh, buckle up, because tonight I went all out. And, I did not have any "batch cooked meats", so I used the occasion to "batch cook" for the next meal. When I say "batch cooking", check out my << BATCH COOKING VALUES >> post for the details. It is all about saving prep time, oven heat, cleanup, and still enjoying an amazing meal. I do NOT like waste, actually, I am going to use a STRONGER word, I hate waste, so batch cooking keeps my family eating well, without me being worn out or crabby. I did meal prep the hard way for too many years, and I am not going back. Plus, I don't like take out, more waste in packaging and do not even get me started on the cost🤯. My goal is to encourage you to cook more, save more, enjoy more, and live your life in a way that brings you joy and peace. Anyway, you can check out the << BATCH COOKING VALUES >> post for more details. Back to tonight's menu ...
Tonight's Menu >> ta da
- My Famous "Low Fuss" Roast Beef [RECIPE << below>>]
I used a Sirloin Cap roast (because it was on sale at Costco) and I bought 4 of the cheapest roasts, as they were $12 off per package - I freaking LOVE a deal, and my meals revolve around sales. The leftovers will be frozen until the next "beef dinner". But all the hard, messy work is done. The messy raw meat, seasoning, searing (I hate the mess of searing meat), and the clean up. So, for the next "beef" dinner, all I need to do is defrost, adjust some seasoning, re-warm, slow cook, sauté, slice, or shred the meat and go from there. Check out << BATCH COOKING VALUES >> article and Go Live Your Life vs slaving over a meal. The leftovers may become stew, beef and barley soup, Mexican Shredded Beef tacos, Beef Stroganoff with sourdough pappardelle, Beef Ragout, etc. The options are endless.
- Sourdough Pappardelle, prepared fresh: mixed in the morning, fermented during the day (best made the day before and fermented overnight in the fridge), rolled and cut 1-hour before dinner, then boiled and oiled in less than 4 minutes.
This is SO EASY and satisfying to make. Check out my << Sourdough Pasta Series >> for details on how to make sourdough pasta part of your everyday. You may never buy pasta again.
- Fresh Marinara Sauce
To use up the tomatoes from my garden, add some onion, celery, carrot, garlic, a splash of wine, and some seasoning and voila a perfect "gravy" for this meal. MARINARA RECIPE << coming soon >>.
- Roasted Carrots
This allowed me to get the side dish out of the way while the roast was cooking. Simply peel, rough chop, drizzle with olive oil, and some of my famous Steak spice and put in the oven under the roast. ROASTED CARROT RECIPE << coming soon >>.
- Blanched Broccolini
Also a Costco find this week. I trimmed and blanched in boiling salty water for 2 minutes. Transferred to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then I left in a colander in the fridge to drain. 15 minutes before serving the whole meal, I drizzled a touch of olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper, then I added the carrots to an oven safe serving dish and re-roasted in the oven at 375°F for 12 minutes. This was just enough time to set the table, open a bottle of wine/juice, and tidy up a few dishes. This could be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Use the little snippets of time to prepare side dishes in advance.
- Sourdough Basque Cheesecake was the pièce de résistance, the roll out the red carpet part of the meal
I had been meaning to "sourdough-ize" this recipe for some time and it turned out great. [RECIPE << coming soon >>]. I served it with some strawberries I had frozen (you know, the strawberries you forget about in the fridge. The ones that are too soft to eat, well, simply wash those up, slice, and place in a ziplock freezer bag. Just keep adding the "past their best date" strawberries to the bag. After a little while, you will have just enough for a time such as this.) Pull those strawberries out of the freezer, sprinkle with some sugar, and defrost. You can speed up the process in a pot over medium heat. NOTE: I like to serve my berries cold, so prep it in advance, so they can chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. If the berries are super juicy, bring the strawberry juice to a boil in a small pot, whisk in a cornstarch slurry (1-2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 3-4 tablespoons of water) over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the strawberries back to the pot and cool. Serve the Sourdough Basque Cheesecake with a heavy dollop of whipped cream, the strawberries and sauce and enjoy. We sure did.
How do I manage to cook such a feast without losing my marbles?
It's all about strategy, my friends. I created a simple timeline in my head, ie: what needs to be cooked (cheesecake, roast, veggies, etc), what needs to be refrigerated (cheesecake and berries), prep time (seasoning the roast, mixing the pasta dough, rolling and boiling the pasta, setting the table and cleanup). Cooking is all about waiting and working stages, so I try to use the waiting stages to get the prep for the next piece done. I also try to keep the kitchen clean by washing dishes as I go - I alway say, if you are washing your hands, wash a dish or two as well.
The other way I save time is if I have "batch cooked" the meat portion of the dish. I keep a freezer inventory, so I can create great meals out of "semi-prepared" meats. Also, during the week or weelend, if my oven is on, I try to think about another thing I can prepare, maybe Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Yams, which make a great side dish any time, or I cook up a big pot of rice to make rice bowls in a pinch, or I chop veggies, so I have a quick salad or veggie platter in a pinch.
My goal is to ALWAYS SAY YES if I have a friend or family member that pops by, and I like to make them a quick meal or snack if that happens. Check out my [FOOD INVENTORY CHECKLIST <<coming soon>>] for the items I always have on hand, that allow me to make a meal out of everything.
SO ... My goal is always family/friends come first.
So, there you have it. With a little bit of planning, a touch of creativity, and a whole lot of love, I managed to keep my promise of rolling out the red carpet for my family without breaking a sweat. Until next Tuesday, when I get to create another food memory for the ones I love, "Go live your life and eat well."
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