Readjustment

So I have sick kiddos--don't know about you, but if they are under the weather I typically don't send them to school. I spent the day administering popcicles, Raman noodles and anything else that sounded good to them.

Ergo, I blew my menu plan. First of all, I used all my chicken for the pot pie---such a worthy sacrafice. Secondly, I was lucky enough to find some ground beef I had bought and frozen a couple of weeks ago. So...I gave the girls a choice: hamburgers or meatballs?

Hamburgers won. And my hubby-bubs was only too kind to put them on the grill.

In my scrounging of the refrigerator, I did find additional options to go with said burgers. I still had fresh tomatoes and a cuke, and feta cheese to make my killer salad (see recipes) and a sweet potato just hanging around that was begging to be made into sweet potato fries (sans the garlic aioli which I like to make with that--but I was under the gun).

At the end of the day everyone is satisfied and I remember that, sometimes, you kind find inspiration with what you have on hand and can go "off script." so to speak!

Easy Potato Soup!

My oldest daughter really likes potato soup. She won't eat hot dogs or grilled cheese, but she'll eat potato soup. Go figure. I never particularly liked potato soup growing up--I don't really know why, really. Looking back, I'm guessing it was because of the texture, rather than the taste. After all, I certainly liked potatoes fashioned in other ways--baked, fried, gratin, french fried...etc. But I was always kind of a "texture over taste" kind of girl, and still am to a degree.

Anyway, I started buying potato soup mix a few years as a way to get a quick meal on the table as a nice compliment to BLTs. It worked just fine for a while. And then my daughter had Aunt Mary Beth's potato soup. From daughter #1's perspective, that mix was no longer very good. I have to admit, Aunt MB's version was definitely better. But I kept buying the mix as a time saver. Turns out it wasn't a time saver or a money saver when half of it was abandoned in the refrigerator after my husband and I got tired of eating it three nights in a row. So, I went on a quest to find another quick recipe that would attempt to challenge the "potato soup gauntlet" that had been thrown down at my aproned feet by my daughter. Thank goodness for the internet. I found a recipe that seemed to meet the challenge, and I put it into my menu for this week. A new recipe to try can go very well or not so much. I've thrown out enough meals and then cooked up a frozen pizza enough times to know that to be true.

According to my menu plan, I was going to make the potato soup tonight, but my oldest begged me to whip it up last night. So I did. I dished it out to the kids before I tried it myself, figuring that daughter #1's palate would indicate whether it was a recipe to repeat. The good news: the soup passed the test! When the request for a second bowl came through, I decided to dish myself up some. Yup, it was good. Probably not as good as Aunt MB's , but good enough.

The other good news is that I have leftovers tonight to offer my family when they get home from their haircuts. I hope that, like a fine Cabernet or good pot of chili, this, too, will be better with age. Regardless, soup's on at the Duffy household! For the recipe, check under the recipe button!

Pot Pie a Success

The verdict is in an it's a big ol' YUM-O on the pot pie. Full disclosure: chicken pot pie was never one of my favorite meals. I was testing this recipe for a couple of reasons. 1) I want to branch out on my pie offerings and include savory options as well as sweet. 2) I wanted to make a pot pie for my hubby-bubs. It's one of his favorite meals. We've been together 20 years and I've never made one.

My personal experience with chicken pot pie has never really been favorable--mostly memories of processed Banquet meals heated up in the oven, the contents of which was soupy and full of peas (probably for filler).

My approach was to make everything from scratch using fresh ingredients, throwing i what some might think are atypical ingredients like chopped shiitake mushroom and a few slices of crumbled bacon. Additionally, I decided to roast the chicken instead of poach it. I coated it in olive oil and some rosemary--the result being tender and flavorful meat.

I can say now that I am no longer anti-chicken pot pie and this meal will be in the regular fall/winter rotation.

The smell of pie

It's so comforting, isn't it? A pie cooking in the oven creates a warm and inviting environment. Apple pie on tap for dessert at the Duffy household. It is also Saturday--the day I make out my menu for the next week. We have a busy week on tap, with three volleyball games in a row, so I tried to plan ahead to allow for some leftovers on crazy nights. Here's what we have planned:

Sat - burgers on the grill with homemade onion rings (one of our faves--I have to restrain myself from trying them or else there aren't many left for dinner. Alongside that - I plan on making one of my happiest side dishes: tomato cucumber salad with black olives and feta.

Sun - growing up, Sunday nights were my mom's night off for cooking. We usually had cereal and it was a treat! I like Sundays because I actually have time to cook. This Sunday, I'm trying my hand at homemade chicken pot pie. Never done it before, but it is one of my hubby-bubs favorites. Since the Colts don't play until 8:20 pm this will be a perfect meal before I catch the 1st quarter and then head off to bed.

Mon - volleyball game away (quite a bit away), so I've planned for leftovers this night.

Tues - volleyball game away, but closer to the Duffy household, thankfully. It's predicted to be a cool day, so I'm thinking a great night for potato soup (homemade) and BLTs. Check out my tip for making bacon easily on recipes!

Wed - one more game, this one's at home. Something quick, but satisfying is in order. Something quick with chicken and and Stove Top stuffing (I bought 3 lbs of frozen chicken breast knowing I'd need half for the pot pie and keeping some in reserve for an extra meal)

Thurs - leftovers - yup, again!

Fri -who wants to cook on Friday? Usually not me. Although the start of the weekend signals "fun food." Likely to be a pizza and salad night at the Duffys.

Welcome to Duffy's Kitchen

Thank you for visiting my blog! My life is very busy...we are a two-career family with two beautiful, busy daughters. Cooking and baking is love to me. I'm happiest when I have an apron and slippers on in the heartland of our house--the kitchen! My husband and I have backgrounds in the restaurant industry (that's how we met) and love good food and beverage. It isn't always easy to balance work, activities, homework with a special meal. One of my greatest joys is to take my Saturday morning and plan out the week of dinners that takes into account our schedules, the weather and our bank account. I hope that you will find this a place of inspiration and a resource for all kinds of ideas for meals and anything food-related (including ideas for entertaining). I will share my menus, recipes and creative ideas with all of you. Check out recipes to find my most recent menu for the week and a special recipe!