WEEKLY MENU 01.21.24
Baby Boy’s Birthday and breakfast for dinner rule the Weekly Menu 01.21.24~
The last full week of January hits the Weekly Menu 01.21.24 with a bang. We’re planning on watching the Buffalo Bills win the game on Sunday while we eat Buffalo Chicken Chowder. Sweet & Spicy Popcorn starts the festivities and we’ll finish up with some Ice Cream Sandwiches that are helped along (substantially) by the purchase of bakery cookies for the base. Our grocery store has some divine chocolate chip cookies that are the perfect size for individually made sammies. We already have a nice selection of ice cream in house, so everyone can choose their own.
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January used to be the slowest moving month, but between our Anniversary, AF’s Birthday and Baby Boy’s birthday, the month flies now with all our celebrations!
Baby Boy has opted for a homemade Italian feast that has all his faves. Baked Fontina starts us out with an outstanding cast iron skillet appetizer that I serve with toasties and mini red peppers.
BAKED FONTINA
We’ll have sausage and meatballs, of course, in my super easy red Pasta Sauce. I’ll whip up a batch of Fettucine Alfredo and a little side salad. We’ll finish with his favorite sweet: Triple Chocolate Cake. I’m not going to lie – I use quite a bit of help on that. I pick out the best chocolate cake mix, prepare exactly as the box says with the addition of a smidge of (decaf) instant coffee granules that I melt in a tablespoon of hot water before adding to the mix. I also add about a cup of chocolate chips to the mix before baking in three 8″ round cake pans.
Then we ice! Frost, really. I buy two jars of frosting and mix in a dash of Kahlua to each jar. Then I use ALL of the frosting between the layers and all over the cake. It’s dense, Baby.
Shaved chocolate curls top to complete the cake. Not surprisingly, this triple chocolate cake is best served with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream. And a glass of very cold milk.
In case you wanted to see the official menu:
What’s for eats for the rest of the Weekly Menu 01.21.24?
Breakfast for dinner is making an appearance this week. The Ham & Cheese Fireball Stuffed French Toast is easy and fast. For a little additional protein, I’ll slow cook some scrambled eggs while the French Toast is in progress. And no breakfast is complete without Breakfast Potatoes, so I’ll make one of my favorites (although I don’t have any non-favorites when it comes to spuds) that is also super fast.
Canned Potatoes save the day!
I buy the whole ones and quarter them before adding to some nice hot oil in a cast iron skillet. Make sure to dry them well with paper towels before you add them to the skillet to avoid splashing. Sprinkle copiously with paprika and test one (or two) for salt. Canned potatoes usually have a lot of salt, so judge accordingly.
The secret to making the very best breakfast potatoes is making sure there is enough hot oil or butter in the pan before adding the potatoes. And then LEAVING THEM ALONE. A little shake to make sure the potatoes aren’t sticking is okay, but don’t be mixing them up or using a spatula to toss them about. They need time to caramelize and get crispy brown. Pay attention to your nose, and check a spud when you deem them to have been in the skillet long enough. It’s going to be longer than you think. Your patience will be rewarded.
The little crockpot comes into play on Thursday with Shredded Chicken Joes. Roasted Red Pepper Pasta rounds out this ready-when-you-are meal. And the beef stew, err Guinness Braised Beef is making an appearance on Friday because we’re souping up Sunday dinner.
WEEKLY MENU 01.21.24
