Once-A-Week Cooking

I’ve tried this before, but this is the first time I actually cooked so much it will maybe last two weeks. Maybe. Remember I have an 18-yo and a soon-to-be-13-yo. They eat. A lot. Or actually they don’t. Because when I cook I usually don’t have enough for everyone — can you believe that?

Anyway. Here’s what I cooked today.

2 pounds ground pork — for their favorite “talongganisa“. All that needs to be done is chop up eggplant and stir-fry it together. Will serve over rice.
1 pound pork sausage — into sausage gravy. Add freshly baked biscuits and we’re good to go. Plus fresh fruit will make a great breakfast.
3 packages andouille chicken sausage — the 18-yo cut everything up (it’s fully cooked) and the 10-yo repacked them into 4 containers. One will probably end up in pasta sauce (tomato based), one in lentil and brown rice soup. I don’t know yet about the others. Maybe a mustard-and-sausage combo with some molasses bread…we’ll see.
1 large pasta pot of chicken stock — from turkey wing tips and the back and wings and gizzard and heart of 1 chicken … for quick soups throughout the week.
1 rump roast in the crock pot, with tomatoes, onions, and savory (I ran out of thyme). I’ll add Tabasco tomorrow, and serve it with LOTS and LOTS of veggies.
1 chuck roast in the cast iron skillet — simmering right now in lots of water — I’ll leave it overnight. Don’t know yet what I’ll do with it. Maybe “roast beef” done my mom’s way — a bit on the sweet side. Haven’t done that in a while.
1 package (4 pieces) turkey wings, roasting right now in the oven. I’ll add carrots, celery and onions tomorrow and roast it a bit more, then make gravy and serve with Thanksgiving accompaniments. Yeah, I know it’s June, but doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy some November food, right?
1 London broil marinated in a tequila-lime marinade (the 7-yo and 18-yo worked on the mixture). Will take it out, defrost, then grill. Slice thinly and serve with green peppers and onions (also grilled), salsa and homemade wrappers. Ooooh, and avocado!!

I still have to do the following tomorrow — planned to do today, but I got started late. Next time I’ll start as soon as we get back from the farmer’s market! And I’ll also have the teens clean the kitchen thoroughly the night before. That should save us some time.

- mix up the burgers — garlic, bread crumbs, Worcestershire, maybe some I’ll incorporate some Grana Padano in (not for hubby though). Oooh, and I’ll have to try adding some Irish oats (soaked). I haven’t tried that yet. And I’ll see what other herbs and spices I can get rid of — some of those have been sitting in my spice cart way too long.
- cook or at least marinate the chicken drumsticks and thighs. Maybe Pinoy adobo or asado.
- marinate the chicken breasts, perhaps another tequila-lime mix, so we can grill and add to salads.
- bake 4 loaves of bread for the week
- make chocolate gelato to use up the milk
- make limone gelato using the Italian lemon drink I got from Whole Foods — experiment of the week, let’s see if I can copy my 12-yo’s favorite flavor
- wash, dry, chop parsley and cilantro, so it’s “instant” when we need it.
- grill the red peppers and marinate in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
- grill the zucchini the same way.
- saute the bok choy and beet greens in olive oil and garlic so I just have to reheat them during the week in the skillet. Or maybe I’ll serve them cold.
- make red cabbage and apple saute. To serve with one of the pork dishes.
- mix for scones and muffins

To do during the week:
- make the salads… hmmm…. ranch dressing probably
- guacamole
- fry fish for 1 meal
- salmon cakes for 1 or 2 meals
- one more experiment of the week if time allows — har gow — maybe on Wednesday
- fresh mangoes for dessert

If this works, I’ll do it again next Saturday!