Menu #56

This is a creamy slaw with hints of sweet, sour, and smoky.   It’s the perfect side to Bourbon-Glazed Pork Chops.  The pork chops are marinated in bourbon, Dijon, brown sugar, and garlic and then grilled.  This was all food for the private chef menu, but I had a small portion of slaw left that we’ll be eating tonight for dinner.

We were supposed to go to a family event at a local park tonight, but the weekend’s festivities have left us tired and wanting nothing more than to hang out and catch up on some DVR shows.  We actually had a last-minute date night on Sunday night and had a great time.  We first had appetizers and drinks at a nearby Irish Pub and then headed to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, The Gambling Cowboy.  X-man hung out with our good friends, The Browns, and had an equally fun evening.  Although we enjoyed our fun weekend, we are happy to do nothing tonight.  :-)

Cole Slaw w/ Apples & Pecans

2 apples, thinly sliced

2 lemons, for juice & zest

1 10-oz package shredded cabbage

2 carrots, shredded

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 C chopped pecans

1 T Dijon

3/4 C mayo

1 t chili powder

1/4 t cumin

1 t sugar

S&P, to taste

After you slice the apples, set them in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon & water to cover.  Allow the apples to sit in the lemon water for a few minutes.  This will prevent them from browning. 

Put cabbage, carrots, onion, pecans, & apples in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Combine Dijon, mayo, chili powder, cumin, sugar, and S&P in a small bowl and mix well.  Add the dressing to the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.  Set in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This week’s menu . . .

Monday:  Ham-Swiss Sanwdwiches/cole slaw w/ apples & pecans/baked beans/pickles

Tuesday:  Shrimp Scampi/salad/garlic wheat toast

Wednesday:  Slow-Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches/grilled potato wedges/sautéed peppers

Thursday:  Chicken-Turkey Sausage Gumbo/brown rice/corn muffins

Friday:  Make-Your-Own-Pizza Night

This is my new sneaky way of getting X to eat veggies, although it’s not that sneaky because they’re in plain view and not hidden like I used to do with soup.  Pizza is my new soup!  I set out a bunch of different vegs and he adds whatever he wants.  He usually coordinates the shapes of his pizza dough to whatever character he’s pretending to be at the time and then “decorates” his creation with vegs.  For example, a month ago his pizza was shaped as a claw fist.  Yes, you heard me, a claw fist; this was the day he was pretending to be wolverine.  He decorated the claws with orange & red peppers as well as yellow tomatoes.  A couple weeks ago his pizza creation was a sword adorned with scallion & pepper jewls, because he was Captain Hook on this particular night.  I'm wondering what this week's creation will be since, at the moment, he's pretending to be Dr. Two Brains (an evil-scientist villain from PBS's Word Girl).  

Saturday:  Housewarming Party #3!  Tri-Tip & Hot Dogs/BLT potato salad/caprese pasta salad/garlic bread/raspberry-oatmeal bars & lemon bars

This is the last of our party-hosting summer festivities.  It’s been such a fun summer in our new home!  I can’t believe summer is almost over and X will be starting Kindergarten in just a couple weeks!  Somebody slow down the time, so I can catch up!!!

Sunday:  Party Leftovers!