Happy Monday, blogworld!
I’m popping in again for another round of Week in Review with Meg and all the gang to share with you guys the highBITES of my week…you know, like highlights, only tastier! 😉
Jason and I could not WAIT for last Monday to get here. Since we knew the cold weather would be moving in, we were looking forward to a good lazy day at home. The ONLY thing on the agenda was to heat up some leftover soup and break out the ingredients for mulled wine that I’ve been hoarding since my birthday last year.
After a few hours in the crock pot, the house was smelling ahhhhhmazing! We took ride on a wine-scented cloud and made our way into the kitchen. We ladled out two mugs, tipped our glasses, took a second to document on Instagram, and…? Curled up our lips and scrunched up our noses. BUT!! Luckily I didn’t pour it out because after it cooled overnight, we tried it again and it was GREAT! Who’d’ve thunk it?
The next day was not only cold but rainy, but it was the perfect day to start reading a new book because I could.not.put.it.down!
Jason found this when we were moving him in and told me it was a good read, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so freaking hilarious! I can’t remember ever reading a book that had me laughing out loud so much. And as a slow reader, I shocked the hell out of myself by finishing it in a day!
Sidenote: You have NO idea how excited I was once I realized this book fit perfectly with the theme of this post. Lol
When it came time to make something for dinner, I could barely be bothered. I needed something quick and easy. At first, I was thinking Asian, but once I got to pulling stuff out of the fridge, I was overcome with a need for comfort food (could have been the fact that this was the first time all day that I’d come out from under my blanket on the couch). And what screams comfort more than food swimming in a pot of gravy?!
Chicken, mushrooms, celery, carrots, and shallots all mixed and mingling with half a jar of Trader Joe’s garlic cooking and simmer sauce, some wine, and a bit of flour to thicken it up…hit THE spot!
On Wednesday, I finally left the house! I went to visit my mom and my newly adopted baby brother. For all you who don’t follow me on Instagram (which is a shame indeed), Gizmo is the newest addition to the family. He’s a chihuahua terrier mix with all the energy that comes with both breeds. In other words, it took 23956 tries to get this photo. 😉
Mom and I shared the last of the leftover soup that I had made over the weekend using the rest of the broth from the gumbo I made, some chicken, veggies, and Israeli couscous. Think chicken noodle soup…with a Cajun flare. Have any of you guys ever eaten Israeli couscous? I’ve had a thing of it in my pantry for umm…two years? and just tried it for the first time and it’s fantastic! It’s great in soup because it soaks up all the flavor.
When I got home later that night, I whipped up a quick curry-ish dish for dinner. I forgot to snap a pic because it was one of those, I’m gonna chew my arm off if I don’t get this food in my mouth NOW kinda moments, but it looked similar to this chicken and veggie curry I made last year…only it was saucier and served with bulgur.
On Thursday, I was feeling thurstay! Sorry, I had to! 😉
While whipping up dinner with Jason, I cracked open a bottle of Blue Moon pumpkin ale that I’d been saving and HOLY CRAP! That’s some damn good beer! It’s so smooth and not overly spicy like most pumpkin/fall ales tend to be.
There’s something to be said about a meal made together as a couple (while dancing around the kitchen with your respective alcoholic beverages). This meal is going down as one of my favorites to date. Pork chops in a mushroom gravy sauce with mushrooms and shallots, roasted kabocha, and Jason’s green beans with bacon and potatoes. Unpictured: some fantastic Italian bread that I picked up on the clearance rack at the grocery store.
On Friday, I woke up and made a HUGE batch of bacon cheeseburger soup for us to eat on over the weekend (in addition to all the other leftovers…like seriously, who am I?!). I started looking at this recipe. Then this one. Then I went off and did my own thing entirely, but it came out pretty good if I do say so myself. Like a creamy potato soup with little burger bits in it!
Now if you don’t mind me, I’m gonna slip down to slumber town. My work week(end) is done and I’m ready to start putting the finishing touches on our menu for Thanksgiving! We’ll be celebrating with my family on Wednesday and Jason’s on Thursday and I’ve got a LOT of stuff to make…I’ve already been to the store THREE times to buy ingredients…and I’m pretty sure I’ll be making at least one more trip before it’s all said and done. Oy!
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday…or for those not celebrating, Thursday! I’ll see you next week for a little recap of it all! 😀
What was your best BITE last week?
What’s on the menu for Turkey Day?
