RIP Microwave. Last week our extremely LOUD microwave made its way to its eternal resting place in the sky. I will admit, when my mom (who was up working her tail off cleaning my house) told me that the microwave broke, I had to hide my smile. You see, our microwave was no “normal” appliance. From day 1 our microwave has had a quirky personality. Every time it was turned on, the exhaust fan would blast on HIGH. There was no shutting it off, only pausing your conversation or reading the subtitles on the TV as the seconds passed. I used to dream of the day that I could heat up my morning cup of tea AND have a conversation with my husband or watch the morning news. That day is within my grasp. With the passing of our old microwave, we ordered a new one from Lowes and it is scheduled to arrive the middle of next week. Alleluia!

I have never been without a microwave and found that it is one of my most used kitchen appliances. We have been without for 5 days now and I really miss it. I will let you in on a little secret: microwaving save dishes. At least it saves me my husband from having to wash so many pots and pans. There is no quick reheating supper on your plate, then sliding the plate into the dishwasher. The process is complicated by having to get out the proper pan, heating up your food, dishing the food onto your plate and washing said pan by hand. Phew…

As my meal plans show, we eat leftovers at least once per week (usually a couple times). It is no fun heating up leftover lasagna in a pan on the stove (been there, done that). I know, I know, I could just reheat it in the oven (and take 20 minutes), but try telling that to crabby, hungry 2 and 3 year olds with low blood sugar. Needless to say, I will be very appreciative when I see the delivery van stop by and drop off my new, quieter microwave.

Monday

Pork Chop Stir-Fry
I love making stir-fry. It is a great way to use up little bits of extra vegetables and a guarantee that at least half your plate is a fruit or vegetable.  My “recipe” for stir-fry is simple. Protein + Vegetables + Sauce. The sky is the limit for combinations. Tonight we will be using pork as our protein and whatever vegetables we have in our fridge (the rest of the cabbage from last week’s fish tacos, peppers, onions, carrots, celery, etc). I am the stir-fry sauce maker of the house and usually end up combining soy sauce, teriyaki, garlic and hoisen. I’ll serve it over a bit of cooked, brown rice. Done!

Tuesday

Leftovers from the weekend and Monday. This might be a little tricky due to no microwave, but there’s always cereal and eggs!

Wednesday

Roasted turkey, acorn squash and sauteed broccoli.
I received a free turkey when Hy-Vee was running their “buy a ham, receive a turkey free” promotion before Thanksgiving. Since I did not host Thanksgiving, I have a turkey waiting in my freezer to be cooked. It has been taking up almost an entire shelf in my freezer, so I will be happy to get it cooked up. Plus, the almost 11 pound bird will be food for at least 2 other meals this week!

Thursday

Lentil Tacos

Each week I try to fit in at least one “meat-free” meal (fish or beans), and this week’s choice is lentil tacos. YUM. I have made these several times at work and it is one of my most requested recipes. I love taking familiar recipes (tacos) and altering it slightly (swapping the meat for lentils). If you have never tried lentils, the texture is a bit firmer than other beans. The texture is quite similar to ground meat and has an hearty flavor. They cook up in about 20-25 minutes (not the 3-4+ hours that other dried beans take).

Lentil Tacos

All you need: 

1/2 pound dried lentils (about 1 1/4 cups)

3 Tablespoons taco seasoning (or 1 packet)

Whole grain tortillas

Toppings of your choice.

All you do:

1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Add lentils and reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 20-25 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.

2. Add taco seasoning and stir.

3. To serve. Top tortillas with lentils and other toppings (cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, guacamole).
Note: you can find dried lentils in a bag with the other dried beans (usually near the soup section or mexican food section).

Friday

Avocado, Bacon Turkey Burgers

I will be attempting to turn leftover turkey into turkey burgers. Wish me luck!  If they turn out, I will post the recipe. If not, I’ll just pretend it never happened.

Saturday

Turkey ala King with Biscuits

I know that this recipe will turn out. This is one of my favorite winter foods. It is so simple, yet delicious. Creamy soup with chunks of turkey and vegetables all over hot biscuits. Delicious.

Sunday

Rosa Penne with Shrimp and Salad

Here is our weekly noodle recipe to satisfy the kiddos. Instead of the typical red sauce or white sauce, I will be combining the two and swapping in Greek yogurt instead of higher fat sour cream. Yum. I can’t wait to play around with this recipe. I’ll post the recipe once we try it and once I know what all I have modified in the original recipe.