Refrigerate, make ahead...

Thursday's here, announcing just seven days left of the school year.  Only laundry calls today, a couple of mountains awaiting drawers, a shower that's yet to be taken.  Having the whole entire day ahead leaves me many options: do I attend another lunchtime with my kindergartener, shall toddler storytime become our new weekly enrichment, or do I just cut up a watermelon and then make Killer Crunch Brownies to spoil my kids and those at the office.  You know how I enjoy all things kitchen.

A layer of peanut butter/chocolate rice crispies, then marshmallow fluff, all atop a perfectly spectacular fudge brownie.  Don't want to even ponder the enchilada casserole I'll whip up once I get a hold of my poblano pepper, sometime after school pickups.  All this sunshine heading towards a rainy weekend, cabin-bound.

Walnut pie crust

Having bought a two pound bag of Sam's Club's walnut halves and duly roasted a few cups for consumption, I knew I had to figure their way into a pie crust. So luckily allrecipes.com provided the following: 1-1/2 cup ground walnuts (pre-toasted at 350 for 10 minutes), and 2 tablespoons sugar, with 3 tablespoons butter softened or melted. Bake at 325 for a recommended ten minutes, or with me, for a solid twenty-five. So it's cheesecake in lieu of some chocolate silk pie. Blend two eggs, one half cup of sugar, 1 pkg softened cream cheese (neufchatel's perfect), and a half teaspoon vanilla. Blend and pour on cooled pie crust. Cook for another thirty-five. Cool.

Cover in cherry pie filling and chill.

Appetize

Entire fridge is filled with grilled-for-success chicken, steak bites, and brown gravy whipped up for mashed potatoes. The star in my opinion being homemade french bread rolls which are amazing toasted into chicken and mayo sandwiches, or simply spread with jam and butter. Gonna make these again, and again, and again...only requires 10 whole minutes of kneading. But double the batch and stick some in your freezer, and then remake only monthly. Think Italian meatball subs, or if you can bear to hollow them out (fresh breadcrumbs for the freezer) make bread bowls and that Broccoli Cheese soup they're requesting. Oh but leftover chicken brings straight to mind a favorite, Balsamic Chicken Noodle bowl, made with basil, feta, mozz, and yum, linguini!

That guac

Mince 2 Tablespoons onion and one medium garlic clove..., 1 small jalepeno (seeded) and 1/4 cup cilantro. Combine with 3 mashed medium avocados, adding 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp cumin, plus 2 Tablespoons lime juice. Always welcome to add warmed black beans, a staple frequently requested a la Q'doba.

Don't forget the guacamole

Soy sauce and Worcestershire are front row in my pantry. If I meal-planned around those I'd become distracted from my balsamic vinegar, right behind them. As you recall, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar combined with 1/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup mayo...you know, tonight's obligatory potluck dinner?

I'm bringing Mel's broccoli salad, which I'll never just claim as my own, I promise. So back to the soy sauce, the Worcestershire. Gonna have to plan ahead for Mel's sloppy joes to be made with 2-1/2 lbs ground sirloin. Makes you just want to buy an entire five pounds and stick the other half somewhere handy in your freezer.

Then start dreaming about the surefire skillet Mac-and-Cheese recipe you'll make alongside, being certain to keep stocked a block of both Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar. I so splurged on my excitement when I noticed medium-size shells, which I'll use instead of the usual, large elbows. Well, all this after last night's taco meat runs out.

My own recipe, brown (and drain) 3 lbs ground beef, then add 2 cans rinsed black beans (or pinto). Spice it up with 4 teaspoons instant minced onion, 2 teaspoons each of salt and chili powder, and 1 teaspoon each of instant minced garlic, crushed dried red pepper, cumin, and cornstarch. One-half teaspoon of oregano later, and perhaps a half-cup of water to simmer it all together...enjoyed by our family in hard shells, whole wheat soft shells, on Mexican Village chips, or as a shredded lettuce taco salad.

Chill 2 hours before serving

If I had my boots on straight, and knew what was good for me, I'd halt all I hold dear and believe in to make this potluck broccoli salad, the best. Chop 1 1/2 lbs broccoli into bite-size pieces. Add 1/4 cup diced red onion, 3/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1 cup raisins and 6 slices chopped bacon (you'll add 1 cup shredded cheese before departure). But first, whip together 3/4 cup light or regular mayo, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 T balsamic vinegar. Combine merrily.

Oh, the baking

An early Monday morning, only 8:30 twenty-eight minutes ago (really, it's almost nine). Oven preheating for yet another Mel's Kitchen Cafe masterful creation...all tried-and-true, baby! Today I'm out of sugar, yet armed with 3 ripe bananas, and three more preparing for tomorrow's banana bars with whipped cream cheese frosting.

And so, Healthy Banana Oat Bars it is. Can you believe a bar exists made entirely of whole grain flour, rolled oats, a cup-and-a-half of rice crispies, and bananas? Bonded together with only yogurt, honey, and peanut butter. Of course you add nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate chips. And those, my pal, are today's predestined afterschool snack.

Makes me think fondly of all I accomplished this past weekend. Besides the sheetrock going up, texturing of the cabin's bathroom that happened, plus all the fruit and vegetables I cut up. No exaggeration, there were strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple, and watermelon to feed us all...plus old standbys carrot sticks, celery, orange and green pepper spears, broccoli, oh, and cherry tomatoes.

On a great health kick lately, studded with kale/or spinach smoothies...include apple and cucumber, plus a handful or so of mixed berries. So I wasn't surprised when I whipped up both Sugar Cookie Bars AND Pumpkin Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting, because they were both so delish, an essential accoutrement while at the cabin. Plus, all my hard work, I deserved it.