Variety is the spice of life. Also salt. Don’t forget the salt.
This week, I’m sharing dinner recipes AND some of my existing go-to bread/muffin recipes that I appear to have been keeping to myself. Sorry about that.
The Winners
Banana Bread
The availability of overripe bananas — and the ability to make banana bread — depends entirely on how much I’ve been going to the gym. Since I’ve had my maybe-hairline-fracture, maybe-bone-bruise, definitely-inflamed elbow problem, I’ve been missing Muay Thai, which means that there have been lots of bananas. Good for bread, bad for my overall attitude. This is a solid recipe; I usually substitute 1/3-1/2 whole wheat flour.
Ease: 5/5
Flavor: 5/5
Make it again? Yes, regularly
Lite Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
I am a woman of balance. If I’m using applesauce instead of oil and whole wheat instead of white flour, then I wholeheartedly believe in balancing that with chocolate chips. This recipe for lite pumpkin chocolate chip muffins is a winner. They freeze well, are reasonably filling, and feel like a treat.
Ease: 5/5
Flavor: 5/5
Make it again? Yes, regularly
Sloppy Joes in the Slow Cooker
The Husband has been making bread. Part of his breadmaking efforts includes spectacular brioche buns. They work really well with burgers, but we were looking for an alternative use. Enter sloppy Joes in the slow cooker from The Kitchn. You know what my favorite kind of slow cooker meal is? The kind where you just dump everything in the crock and ignore it. This is that recipe.
Ease: 5/5
Flavor: 5/5
Make it again? If the good bread keeps coming, absolutely
One Pot Baked Greek Chicken Orzo
You know those recipes where you think, yeah, that sounds good, but the family probably won’t like it? One pot baked Greek chicken orzo was that recipe. It has lots of veggies, including zucchini: a no-go for The Assistant. It’s based on a bed of orzo pasta: The Husband complains when I make pasta. But hey, I liked the look of it, so I went for it. And it was good! Two caveats, though: it took MUCH longer to absorb the liquid than advertised (like twice as long), and it’s definitely a hands-on, can’t make ahead sort of meal.
Ease: 3/5
Flavor: 5/5
Make it again? Yes
Braised White Bean Stew
Another surprise! I really expected complaints with this one. But no! Both The Assistant and The Husband want me to make braised white bean stew again. Modifications: I threw in a smoked pork chop for a little bit of added protein and flavor; I used chicken broth instead of veggie because that’s what I had; and as with most stews and soups, I tossed in a parmesan rind. I got it started in the Dutch oven on the stove, and then moved it to the oven to simmer while we were out.
Ease: 4/5
Flavor: 5/5
Make it again: Yes
This is Fine
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Skillet
This was an odd one: I’ve never before had a recipe where 2/3 of the family said “yeah, this is great!” while I said “meh.” I’d been eyeing the creamy roasted red pepper chicken skillet for a few weeks, but it requires hands-on cooking at dinnertime. This isn’t a make-ahead meal. And so, with limited hands-on time, it kept getting punted from week to week. There’s nothing wrong with it. I just expected more… oomph? I don’t really know what it was missing. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood.
Ease: 3/5
Flavor: 4/5
Make it again? If they ask for it
The Husband will be in and out this week, so I’m not sure how many new recipes I’ll get to try. I’ll keep you posted.