As usual my plans and my reality did not coincide. I am not one of those whose days go according to plan, so why would I think my meals should? Sometimes I am a slow learner. Even so there is that little bit of me that thinks it is possible.
Planned meals
1. Butternut squash soup, cabbage, roll
2. Chili, cornbread, roasted Brussels sprouts
3. Creamed collards with sausage (Jury is out on this but I am trying it anyway)
4. Anniversary dinner out
5. Grilled swordfish, salad, asparagus, and something else
6. Hub has a dinner meeting so leftovers for me
7. Chicken, rice (orcaulirice), green beans, tomato slices
Changed plans (as usual)
Monday: Got busy doing nothing and threw this together at the last minute
Butternut squash soup, coleslaw, toast
Tuesday: It was our anniversary and we had planned a night out. I put on my big girl undies and actually sat inside the restaurant. Good thing the tables were far apart or I probably would have not stayed there. I am so glad I did because the food was delicious.
Our waiter asked if we were celebrating any special occasion and we told him it was our anniversary. The hostess put rose petals on the table and the manager came to wish us a Happy Anniversary and offered a complimentary dessert. Excellent customer service!
Bacon wrapped scallops, Caesar salad, asparagus. (me) Oysters, red snapper over couscous, mushrooms (TheHub), bite size delicious chocolate something, mini creme brûlée, and bite size pumpkin cheesecake.
Wednesday: TheHub was supposed to be out of town but changed his plans. Lucky for him, he let me know early in the day or he would have been stuck with a PB&J.
Roast Chicken, saffron rice (or none), green beans, tomato slices
Thursday: I was cleaning out the crisper and noticed I had a bunch of bell peppers that had to be used PDQ. So once again dinner planned itself.'
Stuffed bell peppers, leftover saffron rice or caulirice, tossed salad
Friday: We went out together Friday evening, bit it was not our usual date night. It was rainy and cold and we both decided we had rather just go home and have a quick bite there.
Crustless pizza (cheese, sauce, a ton of veggies and pepperoni)
Saturday: We ran a few errands then began feeling the effects of our Covid booster so we headed for home, put on really soft clothes and only wanted something seriously comforting for dinner.
Vegetable chicken soup
Sunday: When I made our meal plan for the week I did not even think about it being Halloween. Since my sons were little bitty things we have had the same Halloween dinner and even now that the nest is empty we have continued that tradition.
Hotdogs or wieners and fixings, coleslaw (me), delicious smelling chips (TheHub)
Used from the freezer:
2 quart bags of chicken broth
2 packs of green beans
pack of ground chuck
1/2 bag mixed veggies
1 pack hot dogs
Put into the freezer:
2 packs sliced cooked chicken
And now on to this week where things are planned but not set in stone
1. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread
2. Creamed collards with smoked sausage, cornbread
3. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad
4. White bbq chicken, caulitato salad, tomato slices (dicey)
5. Takeout
6. Grilled swordfish or salmon croquettes (weather will edecide) with some sides and salad
7. Polynesian chicken, rice or caulirice, green beans, pineapple slices
So have a great week staying on plan, going off plan or with no plan at all!
I am soooo glad that your anniversary dinner went ahead - and that the food was delicious after so much time away from eating inside a restaurant. Excellent customer service indeed - which is ALWAYS welcome and will probably entice me back again. And again.
ReplyDeleteI will take great customer service over excellent food just about every time. Luckily this had both
DeleteQuite a difference between your anniversary dinner and Halloween, but both meals were special.
ReplyDeleteI've yet to venture out to a restaurant but have plans to do so later this month. It's scary but I think I'm ready.
It is scary especially here where so many are not vaccinated. I could feel people staring as we walked to our table masked, but I really don't give a flying fig if they do or not.
DeleteI used to do hotdogs and Mac and cheese for Halloween. Well,this year I made mock Mac and cheese with butternut squash for my soft food only vegan birthday girl.
ReplyDeleteThat was very nice of you. I can't remember us not having a hot dog on Halloween. I had forgotten about it an around Wednesday before Halloween TheHub started talking about them. Maybe he is more of a tradition guy than me, though I always thought it was the other way around.
DeleteAnd Happy Anniversary! I'm glad you got royal treatment at the restaurant.
ReplyDeleteWe usually go to Highlands for our anniversary but they have still not recovered from the Covid lockdown. I hope they are not lost to us forever.
DeleteI need a plan! We had hot dogs, too, on Halloween.
ReplyDeleteWe do every year. It is easy to eat while hopping up to answer the door.
DeleteSounds like a week of good meals, planned or unplanned. I am back to cooking without a meal plan as that's easier for me! Looking forward to seeing how this week turns out. :)
ReplyDeleteI really don't like a plan but I am still trying (unsuccessfully) to use things from the freezer and need enough direction to at least remember to thaw stuff.
DeleteWe have no traditional Halloween dinner, but I like the idea. The neighborhood had a chili cookoff this year on Halloween, but we didn't make it because my husbands back was bothering him and he couldn't stand up.
ReplyDeleteWe have a neighborhood party, but it is always mainly the young parents with young kids. I stay at home waiting for them to come "scare" me!
DeleteWe've had pizza many times on Halloween, but have been a bit all over lately (chicken & dumplings in the crockpot this year).
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary! Sounds like a lovely evening out.
We had a fantastic meal on our anniversary. I am still very wary of being in spaces, but know I have to start living a little.
DeleteSo glad to hear your anniversary dinner was pleasurable! Man, I could go for a real (good) Caesar salad again. My chili's still on hold until the flash-frozen Hatch arrives. Color me, growing impatient!
ReplyDeleteI guess I am a simpleton and settle for canned Hatch! My excuse is that I am from the south and don't know any better!
DeleteThat was excellent customer service by that restaurant wasn't it - even better if the food is great! It doesn't cost them a lot to do that but by golly it goes a long way doesn't it. Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteGood service is key if you want my repeat business.
DeleteSounds like a lovely anniversary dinner. I love your hot dog halloween tradition too.
ReplyDeleteI think I have eaten inside a restaurant twice since covid, and I think we were the only ones who wore a mask until we were eating. It has been 10 days, so I'm hoping we stay well. Maybe things will get back to "normal" someday?
Your meals sound good. That white bbq chicken sounds like something I want to try. Thanks!
I have had my booster and feel a little better about going out, b ut till maintain the same mask wearing, hand sanitizing, distance protocol I have been having since March 2020.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! As for plans, having uncle over made it nearly impossible to plan meals. I ate things I should not have. He is leaving tomorrow and I will be planning healthier food right away.
ReplyDeleteSometimes things just get in the way of plans or people replace plans and that is OK.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! That dinner sounds perfect!! And how lovely that the customer service was so grand! That rarely seems to happen anymore! Your meals sound interesting and fun. I am not a great meal planner. Usually in the morning hubby and I discuss what we'd like for supper and I take meat out of the freezer to thaw and that is how it goes. Or we go to the store and pick up some unfrozen meat if I forget to get something out on time. A little planning would probably be a good idea...I will be paying better attention to your ideas from now on. Oh, I wanted hot dogs on Halloween too, but guess what? The "town" told the kids to do the trick or treating on Saturday instead of Sunday, and I was caught totally off guard because I didn't know it until they started arriving on our doorstep. Thankfully we had candy! I don't even remember now WHAT we had for dinner! LOL. Have a blessed week.
ReplyDeleteI read on your blog that Halloween shifted! My neighborhood seems to have a lot of purist young parents and the kids celebrated traditionally.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! Chili is our most typical Halloween meal, but it varies. And always little candy bars for dessert. :-) The creamed collards with sausage sounds interesting -- eager to hear how it turns out. Funny, I was just thinking of creamed spinach earlier today, thinking I need to make it again.
ReplyDeleteWell what Halloween meal would be complete without the requisite little candy bars?
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