Day 1: Pumpkin soup with cranberries and apples
Day 2: Braised chicken with parsnips and leeks
Day 3: Homemade pizza, Napa cabbage salad
Day 4: Braised short ribs, Mashed Hubbard squash, Roasted beets and brussels with garlic thyme dressing
Day 5: Spaghetti squash bowls with homemade pasta sauce (frozen supply), Carrot sticks, Fruit smoothie
Day 6: Unstuffed cabbage
Day 7: Potato leek soup
Notes: Braising and Bubbles
Lots of braising going on in my house this week! If you aren’t familiar with this cooking technique, this is a way to sort of “steam” your food in the oven or stovetop. You cook the food briefly on your burners, leave some liquid in the pan, cover, and then finish cooking (braising) either on the stovetop or transfer to the oven. The cover ensures that you retain the moisture which will concentrate the flavor in the liquid as the food continues to simmer. Braising creates the most wonderfully tender meat and vegetables and if you master this skill you will be the star of your household!
The other star this week – bubbles. Have you heard of these? I’m not talking about the kind you blow or a pod of people, although I strongly encourage socializing in person with only your own small group of people right now. The bubbles I’m referring to are these globes that are like see-through igloos. Many bars and restaurants are putting them outside so that you can still enjoy their business in the colder months, but in a safe way during the pandemic. It is my husband’s birthday (hence a lot of meat in our meals this week) and we are renting a “bubble” at a local wine bar. This is a way that we can get our family out doing something different in the colder weather. Of course as soon as I booked it, the weather changed to beautifully warm and sunny 70 degree days, which is very rare for Wisconsin in November! I was imagining that we would be in our little bubble with mugs of hot chocolate (mine spiked of course), playing games, and giving cheers to my husband while snowflakes swirled around us. Oh well, I’m just happy that we get to support one of our favorite local businesses and I suppose it is just more motivation to do this again!
