The most important part of the day for me? Celebrating the family supper. We all spend our days in different places: Jon heads off to work, not to be seen until dinner time. Graham spends half the day at preschool learning and discovering. Will delightfully plays the morning away with our nanny and slumbers for the duration of the afternoon. And I’m here and there, working, spending time with the kids, and finally cooking a dinner that I know will fill our bellies and fuel our conversation at the dinner table.
The bonus at our dinner table for the last few weeks has been the addition of Jon’s parents, our Grammy and Grampy. Sure, there are more mouths to feed and inevitably a small battle over who gets to sit next to Grammy (Graham is usually victorious in this matter), but it’s made the process of making a family dinner even more valuable.
I’m sure it’s been a trial for Grammy and Grampy (traditionalists when it comes to food) to get accustomed to my wildly random dinners: I’ve served them everything from vegan dishes to beef-based Mongolian crock pot dinners. But this week, I’m going to honor their more conventional suppers and bring it back to basics. Or at least as basic as we can get in my house. 🙂
In honor of Celebrating the Family Supper, I offer you a weekly menu plan sure to keep everyone at the dinner table long enough to share a story and learn about each others’ day. And don’t miss: it’s more fun when your kids are with you. Try having them help you with the pretzel rolls on Tuesday’s menu. They’ll love seeing one of their favorite foods made from scratch!
Monday: Chicken Dinner
Roasted Carrots – Peel and quarter carrots. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garam masala (my favorite spice for carrots). Roast at 450 degrees 25 minutes, flipping once.
Tuesday: Cooking with kids (Vegetarian)
Corn Chowder with Zucchini and Orzo – I add a dash or two of curry powder for extra flavor!
Pretzel Rolls (These are so much fun to make with the kids!)
Wednesday: Pasta Dinner (Optional Vegan)
Sopa Seca with Beans (omit topping with cheese for vegan diets)
Roasted Broccolini – Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 450 degrees until browned and crispy in spots (about 15 min.).
Thursday: Comfort Food
Loaded Veggie and Tuna Noodle Casserole (I plan to use cream of mushroom instead of cream of chicken soup)
Shredded Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Shred 2 pounds of brussels sprouts in food processor. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 450 degrees 25 minutes, tossing occasionally.
Friday: Lasagna Night (Vegetarian)
Mixed Green Salad
Weekend Entertaining
Roasted Cauliflower and Sesame Spread with pita chips
Shrimp Farro and Spring Vegetables
Weekend Breakfast
Easy Lunch Idea:
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