Lionden Landing

We have been at the beach all week so I did not plan a menu.  Yet now we are home and I just realized I actually need to make Shabbos and cook a real meal.  Here is what we will be having Challah (ofcourse :) ) gefilte fish loaf 16 bean soup - because I need something different before the chagim pot roast mashed potatoes green beans  add in bread chocolate rugelach

For the first time in a super long time, I will be hosting Thanksgiving.  We will have 10 people total. I am putting together a bunch of fun activities for the kids to keep them engaged all day starting with breakfast.  Froggy is working on memorizing a poem to recite. We are doing either this or this as place cards for the guests.  We will have songs and craft options like this and this and this and this (prepped in advance to be managable) Herb Roasted Turkey - brined two days in advance.  I will use non-dairy yogurt in place of the Greek Yogurt homemade cranberry sauce Mashed potatoes Stuffing (two batches, one made in the bird and one vegan) Roasted Brussel Sprouts green bean casserole (parve) - From Auntie Fawn Roasted Cauliflower and Delicata Squash with Spinach Pumpkin pie - From Auntie Fawn Apple Pie

Rosh HaShana is only days away.  Luckily I ordered our meat weeks ago and it is happily waiting in the freezer.  I will do all the shopping tomorrow and then it is time to start prepping. Day 1 Dinner - meat Sangria Challah Gefilte Fish Loaf  Butternut Bisque Beet Salad Roast Turkey Roasted Asparagus Tzimmes Braised Leeks Apple Cake Lunch - parve/ dairy At Friend's - Bring Dessert from SunflowerBakery Day 2 Dinner - Meat   Pumpkin Challah with honey butter Pomegranate Poppyseed Salad   Autumn Soup   Brisket Roasted Green Beans and Mushrooms tzimmes Leek Borekhas Honey Cake Lunch - Parve /dairy Challah  babaganoush hummus veggie platter   quinoa sweet potato bake

Dinner Challah - rising in the fridge Gefilte Fish Loaf Chicken Noodle Soup - in crockpot - will add noodles 1 hr before serving Salad Roast Chicken smashed potatoes  green beans  Seudah Slishit cucumber salad deli rolls hummus tossed salad Tuna fish Desserts/Breakfast Breads   Snickers pie cinnamon rolls chocolate chip oatmeal cookies Those items crossed out are finished and ready to go.

Apparently when I originally did my menu this week, I forgot all about dessert for Shabbat.  I revised the menu and added dessert.  So here is what we have Challah - already rising on the counter Sticky Chicken - currently sitting in the crockpot.  It is delicious even better than my roast chicken recipe but it does not look as pretty when served. Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes - this is a test of a better for you, less cloying version of the sweet potato casserole traditional at Thanksgiving. Steamed Broccoli And for dessert Swiss Cake Roll - We have not had it in ages.  It is currently baking.  I will make the roll later this afternoon. As I said in the original post it is perfect for Pesach if you can do dairy and have the right equipment.  It is a bit fussy but it is faster than any dessert I have ever made. This time we are using Rich's Whipped Topping rather than the silken Tofu.  I don't know if they have a KP version so I don't know if it...

Time marches on whether we are ready or not.  Tonight is Shabbat. We escaped the chaos last week by visiting friends. The house is full of boxes and there is no chance we will have a beautiful home for Shabbat.  Still we will have a restful Shabbat with home cooked food.  I have found the Shabbat dishes, the mixer and table pad( although not the table cloth yet).  I still have to find the candle sticks and Kiddush cup. Tonight's menu Challah veggie tray with hummus steamed broccoli mashed potatoes peach crisp with icecream

I am struggling in the kitchen right now.  I usually love to cook and love experimenting.  Right now though nothing sounds good and I don't even want to go near the kitchen.  I am sure much of the problem is the heat. And the fact that salads don't fly as a meal for the family. Challah Spinach and Strawberry salad Maple Glazed Salmon Rice and Keem Steamed Broccoli Peach Crisp with Peach Ice cream (because I recently discovered we still have frozen peaches)

Acorn's allergies have eliminated a couple of our favorite Shabbat dinners so chicken is showing up much more often.  Froggy asked for corn on the cob especially. Tonight is going to be an extra special festive meal for us.  I hope to make this more standard in keeping with the "proper" way to make Shabbat So that said here are our Shabbos foods gefilte fish chicken soup with kasha and bowties apricot chicken corn on the cob broccoli chocolate sour cream cake with frosting -I will use parve margarine and soy sour cream. sugar cookies with sprinkles

Between all the holidays, visitors and traveling, we have not had a regular menu in what feels like ages.  We are home for Shabbat this week and then back out traveling again the following week. I am really going to enjoy cooking and being normal even if just for a brief bit. I must say I am also very much enjoying having someone else who will eat soup with me.  Daddy and I both enjoy soup but not the same kinds.  Froggy won't eat either but Acorn will eat any kind of soup with great enjoyment. I made a big batch of split pea soup (recipe below) as soon as we got home because Acorn enjoyed it so much at the Grandparents.  I had never made it before because I knew I could not eat a full batch before tiring of it.  Sharing it with Acorn we will easily finish it. Sunday - Roast Chicken, stuffing, peas and carrots. Monday - Meatloaf, acorn squash, green beans Tuesday - Homemade Pasta Sauce, Salad, and Garlic Bread Wednesday - Soup and Sandwiches after Family S...

With the sun out later and the weather more inviting, our family starts to take lots of meals outdoors. We grill and eat on the patio enjoying lots of variety there. But we also go to the pool, playground and outdoor concerts with packed meals. Our travelling picnics are rather redundant evenif they yummy and enjoyed in the beginning. I need some ideas for picnics that are dairy-free, easily transported (ie not too too many components) and family friendly. I would love some that are more elegant although variety is more important than anything else right now. What are your favorite picnic foods?