Monday, December 23, 2024

Christmas 2024

Celery and Cucumbers with Cheese Spread?

This is just celery and leftover cucumber slices and the leftover seasoned cream cheese from tea sandwiches the other night. The celery is really good and made me think of celery with pimiento cheese spread at Christmas when I was young, but I'd rather use up the cheese spread I already made.


Deviled Eggs


Gardein Turkey Cutlets with Gravy 

 

Green Bean Casserole


Stuffed Mushrooms with Horseradish Cream Sauce


Boxed Mashed Potatoes


Dinner Rolls


Candied Pears


Pumpkin Pie

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Pre-Christmas Meal Planning

Time to clear out the fridge and freezer to make room for Christmas food. Here is what I have to use up: russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, seven eggs, flour tortillas in a variety of sizes, two open jars of salsa, two open jars of pickled jalapenos, and some random shredded cheeses. The freezer is mostly filled with frozen fruit and veg, which can be reduced by making a vegetable soup and a couple of kale/berry smoothies, maybe for my weekend breakfasts. Here is what I'll make:


Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

I've been making this every week (including last night) and see no reason to stop now when I have a huge bag of broccoli in the freezer.


Seven-Layer Tortilla Pie and Nopales

To use up the variety of flour tortillas and at least one of the open jars of salsa. The nopales are just an open jar in the fridge I need to use up.


Vegan Mushroom Bourguignon

Because it's pretty easy and we all seem to like it, and it'll use up some more of the russet potatoes in the pantry.


Black-Eyed Peas & Whipped Sweet Potatoes & Cornbread & Collard Greens & Nashville Hot Cauliflower Bites

Because I have way too many black-eyed peas, plus this will use up the sweet potatoes in the pantry and the cauliflower from the bourguignon. This is absolutely the best way to eat cauliflower, by the way. Everyone in the house agrees. I cook them in the air-fryer.


Vegetable Barley Soup & Vegetarian Reuben Sandwiches

To use up some of the frozen veg and also hopefully use up the giant jar of sauerkraut taking up space in the fridge.


Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and Deviled Eggs and Crumpets

My Bonne Maman advent calendar has yielded so many tiny jams and spreads that we decided we should have an afternoon tea themed meal and make crumpets to try them on. I'll make a pot of decaf black rose tea too. I'll devil all the eggs currently in the fridge.


Baked Potato Skins

To finish off the russet potatoes (as well as the homemade ranch dip in the fridge). I can fill them with the random shredded cheeses taking up space in the fridge. This can otherwise be a night of a thousand leftovers. I expect we'll need to have at least one leftover night anyway.


Kale-Berry Smoothie

To use up the kale and some of the bananas and berries in the freezer. Weekend breakfasts.


Reminder to self: There are jars of nopales and kimchi in the fridge that can be eaten as savory snacks since I basically eat them cold from the jar anyway.

Sunday, December 1, 2024

Meal Planning

Time for post-Thanksgiving meal planning. My goal is to clear out my fridge and freezer and use up some of what's in my pantry (e.g., beans, pasta). Here is what I'm making:


Vegan Beef with Broccoli and Brown Rice

Everyone in the family really liked this. It uses half a bag of soy curls and a bunch of frozen broccoli. Theoretically I could throw any leftover stir-fry vegetables into it.


Tofu Pot Pie

Because I have two containers of cubed tofu in the freezer to use up.


Taco Night

Because there are way too many tortillas in the fridge right now.


Vegan Lentil Quinoa Loaf and Boxed Mashed Potatoes and Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce 


Vegetarian Chili and Cornbread


Green Enchilada Lasagna (I Can Cook Vegan, pg. 192)


Instant Pot Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans and Baked Potato Skins with Ranch Dressing


Vegetable Barley Soup & DIY Sandwiches