This Week's Menu

Are you shocked? Well, with my mother-in-law coming I figured that if I planned a menu, she could help we make it happen. So here it is!

Sunday - Dinner is being brought in by our ward
Monday - Cheesy Baked Mexi-Rigatoni, zucchini
Tuesday - Creamy Black Bean Salsa Chicken (served as burrito filling or salad topping, your choice)
Wednesday - Shepherd's Pie, salad, rolls
Thursday - Amber's Turkey Enchiladas, rice and beans
Friday - Homemade Pizza (BBQ Chicken and Vegetarian versions)
Sautrday - Creamy Pasta Primavera, rolls

Some of these are "repeat favorites" and some are things that we didn't get to prior to the baby coming.

Our Easter Dinners

We had an "Easter Dinner" with my family on Friday night. Here's what is was:

Roast Lamb

Caitlin's Risotto with Mushrooms

Carrot Souffle (This tastes a lot like sweet potatoes.)

Salad

Then, on Sunday, we had true Easter dinner with my cousins. Here is the run-down of what we had:

Flank-Steak

Salad

Asparagus

Roasted New Potatoes

50/50 Lion House Dinner Rolls

Double-Coconut Cake

Pineapple (straight from Hawaii)

This Week's Menu

We have officially moved into my parents house until this baby comes. So I don't have a weekly menu to post, other than, hospital food - hopefully!

So, now I need your help. Please post your menus in the comments section, so that everyone can be inspired.

Just Another Easter Idea

Okay, so my amazing mom did this for us every year when I was growing up. Doesn't it make sense that the "Easter bunny" would leave your child a "carrot" too?

Just Stumbled Upon

Ok, I just came across this.  At first I didn't get it, must be the "pregnant brain".  Then, when I figured it out, I thought it would make a great addition to next year's St. Patty's feast!

(P.S. I read a study where they had done MRIs on pregnant women's brains.  And, they actually show a 20% shrinkage during pregnancy.  Shocking, I know, but the "pregnant brain" is real!  Just thought I would pass that along.)

Fish with "Jolley Rub"

Okay, perhaps you have heard of "Rub with Love" meat rubs. Well, this is a recipe that we got from a family in our ward during our summer internship, by way of my cousins.

"Jolley" Rub
2 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Put into a small container, mix to combine. Store airtight for a couple weeks.

For the Fish

We put aluminum foil into a baking dish and spray to coat the bottom. Place single-serving sized piece of fish in dish. Sprinkle with "Jolley" rub, and well - rub it in. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or just until the "white milk" of the fish begins to come to the top. Or you can microwave 1-2 serving of fish (sans aluminum foil, covered with cling wrap) in 3 minute increments.

Thanks for the tips, Grandpa Leavitt!

Guest "Chef" Recipe: Classic Risotto

She's back! Caitlin is back with another wonderful recipe for a classic comfort food.

Classic Risotto
1 tablespoon margarine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 cup uncooked Arborio or regular long-grain rice
3 ½ cups chicken broth,divided (up to ½ cup additional broth may be needed at end of recipe)½ cup grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

In a nonstick 10 inch skillet or 3-quart saucepan, heat margarine and oil overmedium-high heat until butter is melted. Cook onion and parsley in oil mixture about 5 minutes, stirringfrequently, until onion is tender.
Stir in rice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of kernels aretranslucent. Stir in ½ cup chickenbroth. Cook about 3 minutes, stirringconstantly, until broth is absorbed.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in 1 cup of the broth. Cook uncovered about 5 minutes, stirringfrequently, until broth is absorbed. Repeat, adding another 1 cup of broth. Stir in remaining 1 cup broth. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste rice. If rice is still“crunchy,” add more broth and continue to cook until rice is soft.
When rice is just tender andmixture is creamy, stir in cheese and pepper.

Caitlin says: "Definietly add mushrooms and you do not need to use as much parmesan cheese which will make it healthier. I like to add more onion."

Chicken & Pasta Salad

This recipe first came from my cousin Erin's wedding. However, I had lunch with a dear friend from our old ward this last week, and she made it. Major pregnancy craving solved! I think I ate 3 servings of it. Yum-o! My husband is blaming my "pregnancy cravings" for a lot of our meals lately. Oh well. He can choose what we eat after the baby comes, when he'll be doing the cooking!

Chicken Pasta Salad (serves 15)
1 lb pasta
1/4 C green onions, chopped
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 large cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 C celery, chopped
2 C red grapes, cut in half
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 can cashews
1 C bottler coleslaw dressing
1 C mayonnaise (or plain yogurt)
salt, to taste

Mix coleslaw dressing, mayo and salt together. Set aside. Mix all other ingredients (except cashews) together and stir to combine. Toss with dressing to coat. Chill in the refrigerator or serve immediately. Add cashews just before serving.

Ok, you'll have to cut it down to "family-size" yourself. My brain just can't do that today, sorry!

Easter

Okay, here is the plan for Easter. We've got to get going there are only 6 more days!!!

Monday, March 17th - Dye Easter Eggs for FHE (kind of an anti-climatic end to our St. Patty's dinner, but what can you do?)
I would love to make these cute t-shirts with Andrew, we'll see if we get that far! Maybe He'll have to do it with Grandma Leavitt.

Sunday, March 23rd (baby cooperating) -
Easter breakfast:
Carrot Cake Waffles or Orange Rolls
Hashbrown/Egg Casserole
Low-Fat Strawberry-Banana Yogurt Smoothie
Easter Lunch:
Easter Egg Open-faced Sandwiches (recipe to be posted)
Easter Dinner (I'm not in charge, but here are the traditional dishes):
Ham
Salad
Funeral Potatoes (Cooking Light has a "Lighten Up" version I would like to try)
"Bunny" Bread
Easter Egg Jell-O or "Jellobeans" (get your molds here), and innumberable other yummy things!

St. Patty's Day

Here's a look at how our day is shaping up. I added some sliced banana "gold coins" to breakfast this morning. And our valentine's day painted toast turned out better, but, oh well! Infamous Green Milk!
St. Patty's traditional dinner - Corned Beef & Cabbage, Potato-Leek Soup, Scones, and "Pot-o-Gold" Jell-O My favorite part, dessert - Sweet Shamrocks!

Homemade Pizza and California Citrus Salad

To make yummy pizza at home, start with a pizza crust from your favorite recipe (or a store bought crust). Our favorite pizzas are BBQ Chicken, Veggie, "Award Winning Pizza", or pepperoni. Tonight, we're having BBQ Chicken and Pepperoni/Cheese. The California Citrus salad recipe comes from a high school friend of mine, who came to dinner with her husband a few week's ago - so yummy!

Baker's BBQ Chicken Pizza
crust
bbq sauce
grilled, diced chicken
cooked, crumbled bacon
chopped greeen onions
shredded cheese (we prefer cheddar on this pizza)

Layer in the order listed above. Bake on a pizza stone at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes. (If you are using a store-bought crust, obviously, follow their baking instructions.)

California Citrus Salad
1 head of lettuce, torn
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
pecan brittle (or just pecans)
1 apple, diced
raisins
craisins
1 avocado, pitted and diced
green onions, chopped
blue cheese crumbles

Just toss it all together until the proportions look good to you!

Honey-Citrus Dressing
2 Tbsp orange zest
3/4 C Orange Juice
1/2 C lime juice
3 Tbsp honey
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper

Shake really well, or whirl it up in your food processor.

Dad's Eggs Benedict

Lest you be fooled, this is not your ordinary Eggs Benedict. But, it is better!
Dad's Eggs Benedict
1 pkg Bran Muffin mix
4 tbsp flour
4 Tbsp butter
2 C milk
Cheddar cheese, shredded (at least 1 C)
Bacon
Eggs (1-2 per person)

Mix and bake bran muffins according to package instructions.
Make sauce: Melt butter in a sauce pan. Add milk and flour to a jar, shake to combine. Pour milk mixture in with melted butter. Stir constantly until thickened. Add cheese to taste, and stir until melted.
Poach eggs in a shallow pan of boiling water. 3 minutes for soft centers, 6 minutes for hard.
Cook bacon.
Split muffins in half. Layer on plate: muffin, bacon slices, eggs, and sauce.

This Week's Menu

Sunday - Breakfast: Dad's Eggs Benedict, Dinner: Homemade Pizza (BBQ Chicken and Pepperoni/Cheese), California Citrus Salad, maybe dessert
Monday - St. Patty's Food
Tuesday - Chicken Pasta Salad, crusty bread
Wednesday - Shepherd's Pie (Yes, we're repeating because Andrew ate it), salad
Thursday - "Meal Swap" Night
Friday - Dad: Fish with "Jolley Rub", Mom & Andrew: Veggie Stuffed Pancakes (mine might be crepes)
Saturday - Leftovers (we need a good "fridge cleanse")

Amber's Turkey Enchiladas

My cousin, Amber, first made this for us when she was in town visiting. They have become a favorite of ours. Apparently, her husband takes whole casserole dishes of them to work to share with the guys.

Turkey Enchiladas
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
2 cans (10 oz) enchilada sauce
1 1/2 C chredded cheddar cheese
12 tortillas (6 inch)

Cook the ground turkey. Stir in 3/4 C enchilada sauce, beans, corn and 1 C of the cheese. Spray a 9x13 casserole dish. Spoon enchilada filling into tortillas, roll up and place in the casserole dish seam side down. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top; sprinkle with remaning cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

St. Patty's Day

I can't believe that Saint Patrick's Day and Easter fall so close together this year (only 6 days apart)! That is a little too close to adequately "shift" holidays in between, so here are my St. Patty's plans:

Monday, March 10th - Shamrock Rice Krispie treats for FHE

Monday, March 17th (if we're still around) -
St. Patty's Breakfast:

Green milk

Green Eggs & Ham

Painted Toast or Shamrock Pancakes

St. Patty's dinner:

Potato-Leek Soup & Corned Beef and Cabbage (from the Baker family Cookbook)

Cheddar-Onion Bites (mine will be on Triscuits)

Bacon, Cheddar & Chive Scones
Pot-o-Gold Jell-O

And, then, for dessert these delicious treats!

And these darling "Wee Leprechauns" will adorn our table (if I ever get around to buying green craft foam).

So those are my St. Patrick's Day plans. Andrew had a great time making the Shamrock Rice Krispies, but mostly he was eating the over-sized marshmallows. At a certain point, you have to cut the kid offf!

"The Taste of Summer in the Winter"

A whole little row of those "beautys" is lining my kitchen counter. I can't wait to flip them over tomorrow and see if it worked. I tried the Cooked Jam recipe for the first time today. My mom always does Freezer Jam, so that is what I have done in the past. But, with freezer space at a minimum these days, I decided to try the Cooked Jam this time.

I had the berries frozen. So, I just whipped them out, defrosted, and "wha-la" - JAM!!! Like I said, we'll see if they seal. Wish us luck, or I will have a lot of jam in my refrigerator.

And, check this out. I was so excited when I found it. I'm seriously considering signing Andrew up for a class, since he loves to "mix" and help me in the kitchen.

Corn Chowder

This is from Rachael Ray's "365: No Repeats" Cookbook, but we have altered it to our liking.
Bacon-Makes-It-Better Corn Chowder
1 pt chicken stock
4 ears fresh corn, sliced from the cob (or about 1 1/2 cans of corn)
5 Tbsp EVOO
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped (I use dried)
1 bay leaf
3 dashes of hot sauce
2 Tbsp flour
1 C heavy cream (or evaporated fat free milk)

Place the chicken stock in a large pot over high heat, bring to a boil. Cut the corn kernels from the cob. Add the cobs to the stock and simmer.
Preheat soup pot over med-high heat with 2 Tbsp of EVOO. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp. Remove bacon with slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel. Add the butter to the pot. Add yellow onions, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently until onions start to brown.
Add reserved corn kernels to the onions, cook 2 minutes. Add flour to pot and cook additional minute. Remove corncobs from stock and discard. Whisk stock into onion and corn mixture, a ladle full at a time. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, cook 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve garnished with crispy bacon.


Note: I add an additional 2-3 Tbsp of flour, because we like thicker chowder. I, also, dice up two baking potatoes and boil them seperately while making the rest of the soup to add in at the end. My husband likes extra bacon!

Shepherd's Pie

This recipe comes from the "Make-A-Mix" Cookbook. So, technically, you can make the meat sauce ahead of time, freeze it and use it for many other recipes. We just make the Shepherd's Pie, so I'll give you the 1 batch version (normally, it is 5 batches).

Shepherd's Pie

1 small onion, sliced

1/4 tsp minced garlic

1/3 -1/2 C finely chopped celery

1/2-3/4 C chopped carrots

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp salt

dash of pepper

1/2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce

1 C ketchup

dash of hot sauce (optional)

Saute onions, garlic, celery, and carrots over medium heat, until onions are golden. Add grounf beef, stir and cook until meat is browned. Add salt, pepper, worchestershire sauce, ketchup and hot sauce. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Meat Sauce (above)

1 can french-cut green beans, drained or 1 pkg frozen green beans

2 C mashed potatoes

1 C grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish. Layer casserole in order listed above ending with the cheddar cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until bubbly.

You could also make this up ahead of time and top with cheese just before baking - which is probably what I will do since it is for my "Meal Swap" night. So yummy!

Michael's Wonderful Nachos Grande: Recipe Review

We, finally, got around to trying out this recipe. We like it a lot, but did make some alterations.

Michael's Wonderful Nachos Grande
original recipe here
1 pound ground turkey
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon water
2 (15-ounce) cans turkey chili with beans
1 (1.25-ounce) package reduced-sodium taco seasoning
6 ounces fat-free baked tortilla chips (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
1 1/2 cups bottled salsa

Preheat oven to 350°.
Cook the turkey, onion, and water in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add chili and taco seasoning; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with chips. Spoon turkey mixture over chips; top with cheese. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with chopped jalapeño, and cut into 6 wedges; serve with salsa.

I started by cutting the recipe in half. (You know, in case we hated it, I didn't want to be throwing a lot away.) I prepared the turkey mixture exactly as directed. But, then, I dumped it into a small baking dish, added a little extra water, and threw it in the oven topped with cheese. Bake it for 10 minutes and served it with chips on the side, because my husband isn't really into corn tortillas/chips as the base of a casserole.

Overall, it had really good flavor. And we loved it as a dip/chili with the chips on the side.

Recipe & Review: Blueberry-Crumb Muffins

This is a recipe that I found online in an article for Breakfast Breads. It looked too good not to try it.

Blueberry-Crumb Muffins (6 jumbo muffins) From Parents.com

original recipe here

Crumb Topping:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold butter, cut up
Muffins:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 pint (1 cup) fresh blueberries
Confectioners' sugar (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degree F. Coat the 6 wells of a jumbo muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare Crumb Topping: In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, light-brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Work in butter with your fingertips until crumbs are formed. Set aside until batter is mixed and in the muffin pan.
Prepare Muffins: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water, the eggs and oil. Stir flour mixture into oil mixture just until moistened. Gently fold in berries.
Divide batter among prepared wells, about 2/3 cup in each. Top batter with crumb topping, dividing equally (about 1/4 cup on each).
Bake at 350 degree F for 33 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer directly to wire rack and continue to cool. Before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

So, I followed the recipe exactly until dividing up the batter. I don't have a "Jumbo" muffin pan, so I used a regular muffin pan. I got 9 muffins with slightly heaping 1/3 C scoops of batter each. Then, I just divided the topping evenly. They still needed to bake for 35 minutes before they were done. (I started checking at 25 minutes, but maybe that's my oven.)

The verdict: I would have liked a slightly "sweeter" muffin. But that could easily be remedied by switching the amount of flour and brown sugar in the topping, or adding a little more sugar and water to the batter. We'll see what happens next time! Overall, we did like them, and my husband said that he would like to eat them again. Does that make it a success?

Note: When I ate these the second day, I thought they were much better!

"Award-Winning" Spicy Pork Chili

We got this recipe from our good friends the Krumpermans. They got it from a ward chili-cookoff. It was the first-prize chili that year. The great part is that you make a "Garlic Pork Roast" which you could eat for your Sunday dinner and, then, you shred the leftovers for the Pork Chili.

Spicy Pork Chili
1 container (2 cups) Garlic Pork Roast
2 cups hot or medium salsa (we use Newman’s Roasted Garlic, medium)
1-2 tsp. chili powder
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Toppings:
½ c shredded Colby Jack cheese
sliced green onions
Sour cream

Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until hot (or leave in crock pot).
Sprinkle with toppings.

Garlic Pork Roast
3 ½ pound boneless pork loin roast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup chicken broth

Trim pork; cook in oil on medium-high till brown on all sides; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place onion and garlic in crock pot, put pork roast on top and pour chicken broth over it. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

For the Chili: Shred the pork, saving 1 cup of the liquid to pour over the shredded pork. Can be stored in containers and frozen up to 4 months, or refrigerator for 4 days.

The "Garlic Pork Roast" recipe will make enough for 3 times the "Spicy Pork Chili" recipe, if you just use it for that. We like to reserve a little extra liquid that the recipe calls for. The chili recipe will make dinner for 4 people, or my family with one-time of leftovers. For company, I 2 or 3 times the recipe.

This Week's Menu

Sunday - Spicy Pork Chili, salad, vegetable, cornbread
Monday - Michael's Wonderful Nachos Grande (we didn't get to this last week, I forgot it was Fast Sunday), zucchini
Tuesday - Shepherd's Pie, salad
Wednesday - Bacon Makes it Better Corn Chowder, fruit, maybe rolls
Thursday - "Meal Swap" night
Friday - Amber's Turkey Enchiladas, rice & beans, fruit
Saturday - Leftovers/Eat out

Okay, I guess, I'll have a lot of recipes to post this week. Stay tuned for the goodness to unfold.

"Healthy" Treat

When I was pregnant with Andrew, I made the comment to some ladies in my ward that I thought I ate so much better when I was pregnant. They laughed at me. But it is true. When I'm pregnant my body just does not handle sugar well. It flat out makes me ill.
So here is a recipe for my new favorite treat. The recipe makes four servings, but it is really easy to cut down for one!

Very Berry Smoothie
2 C orange juice
1 C low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 small ripe bananas
1 C berries (fresh or frozen) - strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries

Blend together until smooth.

And check this out: 168 cal, 1 g fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

I like to add three ice cubes to my single-serving version. You could also add vanilla protein powder to this and have a yummy breakfast. I usually end up sharing mine with Andrew, because you can't eat in front of a two-year-old with out sharing. He says, "Mom, that's so yum!"

Guest "Chef" Recipe: Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

This is my amazing sister, Caitlin! She's here with a recipe for all of us to try. It can be served as a side dish, or with the simple addition of chicken or shrimp could easily be turned into a main course.

For a make-ahead meal, cook the orzo, then toss with the rest of the ingredients in a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake at 375º for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Orzo with Zucchini, Tomatoes, and Goat Cheese

1 (16-ounce) package orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and diced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Cook the pasta in a Dutch oven according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, and toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium heat. Add zucchini; cook 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in parsley and next 5 ingredients (parsley through bell peppers). Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in pasta and cheeses.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Caitlin recommends that you "Double the veggies and ½ to ¾ the orzo." Thanks for the recipe, can't wait to try it!

Mom's Taco Soup

This is an awesome recipe that my mom gave me when I was in college! It is the first thing that I ever cooked for my husband, and remains a favorite today.

Taco Soup
1 lb. ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cans stewed tomatoes (I use diced tomatoes because I don't like to chop them in the pot.)
2 cans pureed tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 kidney bean, 1 black bean)
2 cans corn
2 pkt taco seasoning
1 C salsa
1/2 - 1 C rice (optional)
2 tsp beef boullion
salt & pepper, to taste
optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips

Brown the beef, and drain. Put all other ingredients into the soup pot, and heat through (about 20 minutes).

We don't add the rice to ours anymore. And, I cut the recipe in half for my little family. Enjoy!

This Week's Menu

Sunday: Lunch Michael's Wonderful Nachos Grande, Dinner with my parents and cousins
Monday: Taco Soup, fruit
Tuesday: Easy Parmesan-Garlic Chicken and Pasta, rolls, salad
Wednesday: Spaghetti Frittata, zucchini, possibly salad
Thursday: Meal-Swap Dinner
Friday: Chicken Quesadillas with Fruit Salsa and Avocado Cream (We'll probably stick with a "spicy version" and skip the Fruit Salsa this night.)
Saturday: Leftovers or Eat-Out

I "Meal-Swap" with a friend in my ward once a week. Our families are about the same size, and sometimes a full recipe is too much for on family. So I take her dinner (a main course and one side) on Tuesdays, and she brings me dinner on Thursdays.