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So, this week, I’m doing something a little different for my new recipes.
If you saw my Instagram stories, you know I got sent a complimentary meal kit box that’s kind of like Blue Apron, but half as expensive.
(I’ll write a full review of it next week, but in case you want to check it out now, it’s called Dinnerly, and it’s $5/serving.)
The box came with three meals, and we’ve used two of them so far.
First, Sonia and Zoe made a spaghetti dish with meatballs made of sausage.
Using sausage for the meatballs was a nice change of pace! I’ve used browned sausage in a tomato sauce before, but never as proper meatballs.
My girls often make spaghetti on nights when they’re fending for themselves, and now that they’ve learned how to make super simple meatballs, they can up their spaghetti game.
Last night I made their recipe for tacos with cabbage slaw, using the grass-fed beef in the box.
I do like cabbage slaw, but I think I like it better with fish tacos than with ground beef tacos. But it was still interesting to try.
The best part of the tacos was the smokey chili powder they included. I am totally going to look for that at the grocery store.
Sonia is not normally a fan of ground beef tacos, but she liked these, and I think it must be because of the chipotle powder. So, yay!
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Ingrid
Saturday 16th of September 2017
Just discovered a Penzeys close by. So friendly, always a freebie, always worth it for the quality. My favorite is Garam Marsala for chicken tikka masala. Yum.
WilliamB
Friday 15th of September 2017
For herbs, spices, and flavorings, I can't recommend Penzey's highly enough. These days they're running a lot of deals - buy *this* at a discount, get credit toward anything else. (The company is trying to promote civility and hope; their deal to buy spices for hurricane survivors was amazing.) Their spices mixes are Da Bomb. I think I could live off Brady Cheese Sprinkle.
Two new recipes this week: CI's Garlic Bread, using an Italian bread recipe from Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads. Both came out AMAZING. That's some seriously garlicky Garlic Bread. For a 1 lb loaf, it uses 1 stick of butter, 1 T. garlic powder (Penzey's, natch), 1 T. crushed garlic, salt and cayenne. The roommate and I ate half a loaf for dinner.
FG: if you ever want more bread recipes, I recommend Bernard Clayton over James Beard any day. Clayton and KAF are the only ones I use any more.
The bread was really good, too. It came out soft, chewy, a little tangy, and a distinct but not-too-crusty crust. Perfect for the garlic bread. Definitely worth the effort to make and an ideal complement for the garlic spread. NB: the 4 lb recipe was too much for my 14 c. Cuisinart food processor. I had to finish the kneading by hand. Still worth it.
Kristen
Friday 15th of September 2017
I'll have to check Penzey's out. Do you feel like even basics like garlic powder are better?
Deb
Thursday 14th of September 2017
I use Ancho Chile Powder when I make Chipotle at home. https://www.culinaryhill.com/homemade-ancho-chile-powder/ Not sure if that is what you are talking about, but it is good!
Here is the Chipotle Chicken knockoff recipe: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/chipotle-chicken-recipe/
And the rice here: https://www.culinaryhill.com/chipotle-cilantro-lime-rice/
This by far the best new thing I have made this year!
Fiona Chain
Thursday 14th of September 2017
Goodmorning Kristen, This week I made two, new to me, recipes. The first one was a wonderful meatloaf (it really was, so delicious) and the second one was Chorizo and Apple savoury rolls, they were the bomb! Sorta the same principle as using the sausage meat as meat balls, but you skin and then blitz the chorizo meat to make the filling for the puff pastry rolls. So simple and yummy. I tried a meal box a little while ago, just to see what it was like and also I had a discount voucher. I found it great quality but way too expensive if I were to buy it at full price week after week. It was fun for a trial though. Have a lovely day. Fi
kristin @ going country
Thursday 14th of September 2017
Mexican slaw on tacos is my favorite. Such a satisfyingly fresh crunch to balance all the heavy other stuff.
It's not really a recipe, but I've been very much enjoying at least some parts of a British fry-up for breakfast lately. My understanding is that this involves bacon, fried eggs, tomato, baked beans, and fried bread. Usually I just have the eggs and tomato fried in bacon grease (I always have bacon grease, even if I don't have the actual bacon at the time), often the baked beans. Sometimes the bacon too. So good all together. I would be all about the fried bread if I could get away with it without having to report some unfortunate blood glucose levels. Stupid gestational diabetes.
Lindsey
Thursday 14th of September 2017
Usually includes sautéed mushrooms, too.