(Also? Run-on sentences. They call to me. And not in a healthy way.)
Recently, I was reminded that one of the best things I can do to keep my kitchen organized is keep my meals planned out at least a week in advance. And the best way for me to keep up to date with that task is to put new recipes on my menu. Cooking new dishes keeps me excited about cooking dinner each night, and keeps my husband interested in coming home to eat. (Not that he has a choice, but it sounds nice, doesn't it?) It also keeps the kids on their toes, because they never know what's coming when they ante up to the table. (Mwuhahahaha!)
For the past few years, my favorite new recipe source, hands down, is Martha Stewart's "Everyday Food." It's a tiny magazine that packs a wallop in the kitchen, because it's ALL recipes. And said recipes are tasty, ingenious, creative -- and they don't require you to make fondant vegetables or have your own bee colony in order to make them work. It's Martha-owned without being too Martha-esque.
Their September 2008 issue was especially killer. When I first picked it up, I started folding down the page corner when I found a recipe I wanted to try. Halfway through the magazine, I realized I'd marked EVERY SINGLE RECIPE so far. And the rest of the magazine was just as good. I guess I'm not tearing out pages from this one. I'm just keeping the whole thing.
Here are a few recipes from the September issue that grabbed me. I can only personally vouch for the Late Summer Vegetable Soup, which was AMAZING. (I made it last weekend, since I had some corn from the farmer's market that I wanted to use up. I'm going to make a few more batches while zucchini, green beans and corn are still in season so I can enjoy summer-in-a-bowl come January.) The other two recipes are on my list for this next week.
Late summer vegetable soup
Herb-crusted salmon with spinach salad
Glazed pork chops with smashed potatoes and stewed green beansAnd here are a few from past issues that are long-time favorites with me and my family.
Mini turkey burgers with sweet potato friesBest kid-friendly meal ever. This is my go-to meal when Corey is out of town.
Roasted pork loin with black-bean and sweet-potato saladThe roasted pork is good. But the black bean and sweet potato salad is scrumptious. I'm thinking about making just that and keeping it around for lunch.
Baby spinach salad with tunaMy favorite salad, which is saying something, because I'm not a fan of salads usually. But this one rocks.
New recipes. They work for me.
(Also -- if you're interested in a creative way to get your kids to try some new foods without having to resort to bribery, check out my post over at 5 Minutes for Parenting today. It's all about my experience with Muffin Tin Lunches. Fun stuff.)
