What's For Dinner

It has been far too long between my weekly menu post and I'm not too sure why as I was still doing my weekly menus, so my apologies.

It is a short week, we have dinner out on Thursday and a 40th birthday party on Saturday. So here we go for this week.

Monday - Grilled chicken with harissa & mint yoghurt marinade with avocado and baby spinach salad (this is from Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries - fabulous book)

Tuesday - Kumera (sweet potato), capsicum (pepper), zucchini (courgette) and tomato quiche

Wednesday - Salted cod a Bras (delicious Portuguese dish)

Friday - Veal saltimboca with risotto Milanese

Sunday - Zucchini and Parmesan soup

Right now I'm going to do a bit of reading and catch up on some online magazines.

Bon appetite!

Image: Australian Gourmet Traveller

What's For Dinner

Wet and cold. That was our weekend and we spent most of the weekend in our "winter" room in front of the open fireplace staying warm, building Lego planes, reading and "gasp"... eating on our "nice" couches.  J had a birthday party, but other than that we stayed in that room all weekend.

So this week for dinner, I thought I would make a few meals that would warm me inside out.

Monday - White bean and vegetable soup

Tuesday - I'm out to dinner so F will have a soup from the freezer

Wednesday - Spaghetti meatballs

Thursday - F is out so I'll have soup from the freezer

Friday - Beef strogonoff and jasmine rice

Saturday - Fish and potato pie

Sunday - Roast chicken and crispy potatoes with tomato salsa

Now, something I need to confess about these menus. I have had a few comments about how lucky my family is to benefit from these delicious menus.  Let me clear that misconception, only F and I eat these meals.  My boys hate food. I plan to do a separate post/s about this issue, but I am trying to gather up some courage as it is a sad state here when it comes to my boys and food.  Anyway, just getting tense thinking about dinner tonight for them, so I'll stop right here for today.

Bon appetite and have a happy day.

Image: Cuisine.com.au

What's For Dinner

We went out to dinner on Saturday night to a wonderful Spanish restaurant Delicado in Milson's Point (for the Sydneysiders reading my blog).  We had fantastic tapas that were just gave you a wonderful variety of taste sensations.  It included quail, chorizo and cod dishes so it has me hankering for a bit of fish and meat this week after a few weeks of vegetable soups.

Monday - Chicken pot pie
Tuesday - Lamb shanks with braised fennel, brussel sprouts, cauliflower with mustard dressing
Wednesday - Caldeirada (Portuguese fish stew)
Thursday - Spaghetti bolognese
Friday - vegetable soup ( from Piri Piri Starfish by Tessa Kiros)
Saturday - date night
Sunday - Scrambled eggs, avocado, prosciutto, roquette and toasted sourdough cibatta

Bon appetite!

Image: Australian Gourmet Traveller

What's For Dinner

I've missed a few of these posts, life is busy once again with the boys' return to kindy.  The last few weeks with the evenings being cool I have made lovely soups, I plan to continue the theme this week. So on to this week's menu:

Monday: Lemon and broccoli soup
Tuesday: Creamed salt cod and roast garlic soup
Wednesday: Cauliflower and Stilton soup
Thursday: Chicken noodle soup
Friday: Soupe au pistou
Saturday: Dinner out with friends
Sunday: I make enough soup to freeze for another meal, so I'll choose from whatever I have in the freezer

Bon appetite!

Image: Donna Hay

Smitten

Yes, I too need a comfy nightgown

I love the whimsy of butterflies

A winter stew will taste even better in this vintage pot

So pretty

For the family sofa

To add to the gallery wall I am putting together

A cute twist on a classic pendant

I love corsages and this one is a stunner

A reminder of my childhood suburbs every time I dry the dishes

To wear with my jeans, dresses and mini skirts this winter

I would love a monthly letterpress giftbox like this

Personalised stationery never looked so stylish

I just love this

Some eye candy

One way or another, this book is ending up on my kitchen bench

In honour of Mother's Day this Sunday I decided to list a few things I would like to receive from the boys.  Of course they don't read this blog so hopefully someone else will!!!

It's is L's turn to make his Mama proud at this morning's Mother's Day Concert and Morning Tea.  I forgot to photograph what J made for me along with the card, it was a necklace of beads, really pretty.  I'll take pictures later after I receive what L makes for me.

Have a happy day.

What's For Dinner

Running a little late with this post.  Had a pretty big weekend, too much good food and champagne and wine on Saturday and Sunday lunch, so I was feeling too tired yesterday evening to even pull out a cookbook let alone plan a menu! Today, J is back at kindy and L is back to his term activities, so it has been hectic.

This week's menu will be a little lighter than last week to compensate for the weekend and also it is going to be a fairly warm week, so some outdoor meals will be on the cards.  So onto this week's menu:

Monday: Linguini with rocket, cherry tomatoes, lemon zest, chilli, garlic and breadcrumbs
Tuesday: Herb & pine nut crumbed chicken schnitzel with brussel sprouts & baby potatoes with melted butter & vinegar sauce
Wednesday: Salmon poached in white wine, vinegar and water with asparagus and potato salad
Thursday: Roast beef fillet, treviso (from raddichio family) and sweet potato salad
Friday: Fried sardines and stuffed tomatoes
Saturday: Date night with F
Sunday: Celeriac soup

Bon appetite!

Image: Australian Gourmet Traveller

What's For Dinner

While the last few days have been lovely and quite warm, this evening's weather report advised a cold week ahead, in fact there were snow flurries in the Snowy Mountains with more expected in the next few days.

With the cold in mind here is this week's menu:

Monday - Parsley pesto gnocchi with a salad of rocket, pear and blue cheese
Tuesday - Roasted vegetables and chorizo frittata
Wednesday - Garlic and herb roasted chicken and roasted cauliflower with green chili and almond salad
Thursday - Roast beef fillet with parmesan parsnip mash and steamed green beans
Friday - Prawn, zucchini and basil rice
Saturday - Dinner party at friends' place
Sunday - Creamy scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toasted sourdough

If you have access to today's Sun Herald lifestyle magazine then you can check out the gnocchi and the roasted cauliflower recipes by Karen Martini. The remainder of the recipes are from Donna Hay Magazine issue 44.

Bon appetite!

Image: Donna Hay

What's For Dinner

The cool weather has definitely arrived and according to the Weather Chanel (we are addicted in this house to the weather) it is here to stay.  So this week marks the beginning of some lovely meals to warm the insides.  Last Thursday I received in the mail, the latest edition of Donna Hay magazine which has some lovely winter recipes I can't wait to try over the coming months, two of which I will try this week.  So onto this week's menu:

Tuesday - Proscuito wrapped beef mince patties with potatoes, tomatoes, beans and olives
Wednesday - Red lentil & white bean soup with crispy pancetta
Thursday - Pasta fagioli
Friday - Crispy potato, trout and beetroot salad
Saturday - Farfalle with smoked chicken, seeded mustard and thyme
Sunday - Caldo verde (Green soup - traditional Portuguese soup)

Bon apetite!

Image: Australian Gourmet Traveller

What's For Dinner

We are almost at the end of the first month of Autumn (Fall), but if you live in Sydney you wouldn't know it.

We had a friend from Wellington, New Zealand with us this weekend who asked if we knew when it would start to get cold, I said that I recall always spending Anzac Day swimming at the beach and that I didn't think this year would be any different (for my foreign readers, that is a national holiday similar to Armistice/Remembrance Day that falls on the 25th April). It has been hot and sticky so I'm still on light meals, salads and BBQs.

So my menu for this week:
Monday - Grilled procscuitto, eggplant, fetta and capsicum stack with mescalum salad
Tuesday - Honey-glazed chicken and kumera (sweet potato) skewers with spinach pecan and salad
Wednesday - BBQ pork cutlets with avocado salsa and couscous salad
Thursday - BBQ prawns with chilli lime dressing and rocket, blue cheese and pear salad
Friday - Thai fish burgers
Saturday - Homemade pizza
Sunday - Pesto chicken with grilled zucchini (courgette)

Bon apetite!

Image courtesy ninemsn.com.au

What's For Dinner

The weather is still quite warm and in fact very humid despite the calendar saying that we are about to start our second week of Autumn (Fall). This week all I want to eat is fish, so off to Donna Hay we go. I do hope you find something to tempt your taste buds.


Monday - Pan-fried snapper with preserved lemon dressing
Tuesday - Sesame crusted fish with Campari dressing and fennel and witlof salad
Wednesday - Roasted fish, potato and asparagus with dill butter
Thursday - Creamy trout with smashed baked potato
Friday - School family bbq at Lane Cove River National Park
Saturday - Crispy seafood with herb dipping sauce and a rocket, blue cheese and pear salad
Sunday - Lemon and chilli fish burrito

Bon apetite!


Image courtesy of Donna Hay

What's For Dinner

Image: Yahoo!7Food

Last week was a bit of a crazy week, I think because my weekend was so busy I never had a chance to sit quietly for a bit to gather my thoughts and organise myself let alone my week.

My menu last week was appalling, mostly takeouts, cocktail food at a school function, there was an impromptu dinner party at our place on Wednesday night and we decided to do pizzas as we were given a pizza oven at Christmas which we just love.

Well, I'm back to the world of lists and planning and I can't tell you how happy I am, so here is my menu for this week.

Monday - Chicken, chorizo and endive salad with garlic croutons and semi dried tomatoes

Tuesday - Brown rice and kumera (sweet potato) salad with lemon dressing

Wednesday - Couscous tabouli

Thursday - Tuna, kipfler and asparagus salad

Friday - Crispy duck and mango salad

Saturday - Beef salad with avocado

Sunday - Grilled octopus salad

Bon apetite!

* If you have the March 2010 Australian Home Beautiful you will find the unlinked recipes above in there.

What's For Dinner

It is almost 5pm so I need to get started on my boys' dinner (meatballs and spaghetti with raw carrots and rocket, they're not into cooked vegetables just yet). So I had better post this week's menu quickly.

F and I have a few things on this week so it is a short menu.

Monday - Green bean, spinach and beef salad

Tuesday - School cocktail party

Wednesday - Blood orange, fennel and chicken salad

Thursday - Lime-marinated fish with cucumber and avocado salad

Friday - Mothers' Group dinner

Saturday - Spinach, celery and smoked chicken salad

Sunday - Vegetarian pizza

Have a delicious week.

Image courtesy Sydney Markets

What's For Dinner

Image: Stone Soup

Hi everyone, back to my weekly menu posts.

Monday- BBQ barramundi with steamed brocollini and asparagus, butter beans and red capsicum

Tuesday - Thai beef salad

Wednesday - BBQ marinated chicken breast with almond buttered asparagus

Thursday - Zucchini enchiladas

Friday - Nicoise salad

Saturday & Sunday - I'm in Canberra to visit a friend and see the Musee D'Orsay exhibition at the National Gallery

Have a happy day.

What's For Dinner

Image courtesy of cuisine.com.au


Week two of salads only for dinner.


Monday - Chargrilled Eggplant, Red Capsicum, Tomato, Onion & Parsley
Tuesday - Mixed Vegetable Salad with Peanut Sauce
Wednesday - Burghul Salad with Chickpeas & Red Capsicum
Thursday - Roasted Vegetable and Herbed Ricotta Salad
Friday - Chicken and Watercress Salad with Almonds and Fetta
Saturday - Salad of Poached Salmon, Fennel, Asparagus with Citrus Dressing


Have a happy day.

What's For Dinner

Photo by Chris Court courtesy of Donna Hay

My husband and I have decided start a diet of sorts. The aim to lose 4% of our current weight (about 2.5kg for me) in 6 weeks by ramping up the exercise (for me actually doing some, so back to the gym it is) and eating lighter meals.


The kids of course will still get their usual food (we're still at the experimentation stage), growing active and skinny boys need as much high kilojoule food as their parents can manage to feed them!!

So the next 6 weeks it will mainly be salads, chicken and fish dishes for F and I. Wish me luck.


Monday - Toasted pine nut and seet potato salad

Tuesday - Smoked chicken salad with pine nut dressing

Wednesday - Garlic and tomato simmered beans, herb roasted tomatoes and Tunisian carrot salad
Thursday - Prawn salad with avocado salsa and tomato dressing
Friday - Mediterranean lentil saladSaturday - Slow cooked salmon salad with basil mayonaise

What's For Dinner

Donna Hay

Extremely hot weather is predicted for Sydney this week, so I'm planning a few BBQs and salads for the week mixed with some French and Portuguese delights.

• Grilled chicken and vegetable stacks
• Mussels in white wine with rocket, avocado and lemon and herb marinated labanne (yoghuts cheese)
• Espetada (beef kebabs with bay leaves) and tomato, capsicum (pepper), fennel and cucumber salad
  BBQ trout stuffed with fennel, leek and capers with toasted pine nut and kumera (sweet potato) salad

Bon apetite!

What's For Dinner

I'm a list fanatic, I have many on the go at any one time. It drives my husband crazy, he is a bit more spontaneous, whereas I like to have an idea of where I'm headed for the day.

I have two boys; L who is 4.5 years and J who will be 3 in a few weeks, so having a weekly menu ready saves me frustration at 4pm just as there energy levels seem to peak and they require my undivided attention.

This week menu:

Seared salmon salad

Saltimboca with steamed baby beans

Roast chicken breasts with potato, tomato and capsicum

Mexican pork cutlets with avocado salsa

Vegetable frittata

Bon apetite!

Photo courtesy of Dona Hay