This Week In My Home: Well Seasoned

When it comes to meals seasoning is everything, agreed?  We can eat very bland meals or we can spice (and herb) things up until they take on a new personality.  The trick with seasoning is balance and knowing what compliments what.  Certain flavors just go together naturally.  Others are surprises to the palate but work very well.  For instance, did you know that allspice adds a nice little something extra to a pot roast or stew or even cubed steak?  It has a knack for enriching the beefy flavor somehow and making it richer.  That is especially lovely in the autumn.

Now many people love the taste of pumpkin or at least, per Pinterest they do.  I'm not a huge pumpkin fan but I must say here and now that the Pumpkin, Bean and Chicken Enchiladas I made last week pretty much wowed me.  They will definitely be on  my future autumn (and possibly winter)  menu lists.  Today I found a recipe for a roast chicken that has nice rich autumn flavorings and combines with onions, sweet potatoes and cauliflower which sounds very good to me.  

Let's start planning.

What you need to know about this week:  John works two days.  Those two days I don't plan my own meals as typically I have leftovers.  This week our Saturday meals have all been leftovers as well, but I'll throw in a bonus menu for you all to consider.

Saturday:  Bagels and cereal for John and Bess, peanut butter toast for me, an assortment of things to tempt the baby.

Leftovers

Leftovers

Now on to planning the rest of the week.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Roast Autumn Vegetables, Hearty Green Salad, One Hour Bread

Even though I don't have a whole chicken in the house, I can use the same spice rub, change up the roasting times and make this dish for us.  I have all other needed ingredients on hand.  I'll be decreasing the recipe a bit anyway, since it's just John and I.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Mashed Potatoes, Thyme Roasted Carrots, Green Beans with Walnuts

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Apple Harvest Salad, Crusty Bread

I have leftover wild rice, broth and a chicken breast that will make a lovely soup, I think.  The salad is something I tried this weekend and liked well enough to repeat: Lettuce, thinly sliced Gala Apple, walnuts and cheddar cheese. We served with a french type dressing but blue cheese would be pretty awesome with this salad as well.

Spam and Potatoes Au Gratin, Steamed Brussels Sprouts, Waldorf Salad

Due to some lab results John got we're changing up our morning diets a little.  We'll be eating more oatmeal, which is high in fibre and good for us on a lot of counts.  I decided that we'll curb our breakfasts a bit but have one really hearty breakfast a week.  Just a slight change but it's bound to save money, calories and be beneficial all around.

For both breakfasts and suppers, although I don't list fruits in these meals we always have a piece of fruit.  I don't list them because I'm not always sure what fruits we will have on hand.  Right now it's apples and kiwis but we shop this week so we're bound to add others.

breakfasts:  Oatmeal x 3 with Toast

Bran Apple Muffins, Cheddar Cubes

Eggs and Toast x2

Bannocks, Sausage, Hash Browns

(bannocks are oatmeal pancakes)

There will be a slight change here as well.  Tuna is the only fish John really doesn't mind eating, so we'll be adding in tuna at least once a week and sometimes twice.  Typically we mix the tuna with a bit of apple (shredded is best but now and then I dice it) because the apple neutralizes the acid in water packed tuna which makes it more digestible for us. 

supper: Tuna Salad sandwiches, 1/2 ounce chips

Toasted Cheese Sandwiches,  Red Pepper strips

Vegetable Soup, Cheese and Whole Wheat Crackers

on my own 2xs

PBJ sandwiches, Carrot and Celery Sticks

 Chicken Salad Sandwiches, Grape Tomatoes

Jobs This Week

I was so busy this past week.  I had company nearly all day Sunday, was out of the house on Wednesday and Thursday all day long, and had company here Thursday evening through Saturday morning.  I was shocked when I went back over my list of jobs last week and marked off those I'd accomplished.  I nearly finished my list and that was by no means all that I did last week!  Go me.

Weed the Rose bed and start to trim back roses.

Plant the last of the pansies in the strawberry pot.

Move the coleus that is in the strawberry pot to another container.

Plant the daffodils.

Clean living room, kitchen and kitchen sitting, dining room windows.

Wash the outside windows all around the house.

Strip and refresh guest room.

Bills, Errands, Groceries

Lab and Pharmacy test (the last is a special study that is being done but requires a doctor's office visit)

Move in new chair and ottoman, move out old recliner, move new recliner.  

Put sealer on the map table top.

Fun This Week

Since I'll be in Warner Robins anyway this week for labs and doctor office, I'll take time out to visit a couple of Goodwill stores, and the junk shop that I love to plunder in despite it's grittiness and treat myself to lunch.  

My daughter in law and grandson will return for at least a one night visit before they head home and I will spend time with them,