Marin Mama’s Weekly Dinner Menu for December 16th

Marin Mama's weekly dinner menu - December 16th

Zoe and I had fun playing around with the above ribbon. We were trying to figure out something creative to do with it when all of a sudden we got the inspiration to make the word joy!  We were both feeling the joy so we wanted to send some joy your way.  In light of the recent events in Newton, I’m trying to just hug and be with my family and appreciate each moment with them. I’m sending my love, light and prayers to those families in Newton and I can’t begin to fathom what they’re going through. I wish we lived in a world/reality where tragedies like this didn’t happen.  I know that sounds a bit naive, but that is my dream and my wish.  I wish we could all see that we’re brothers and sisters and connected as one and not separated.  My dream is for a world where there is peace, joy, health and love for everyone.  I’m hoping that we move closer to that reality.

Last Monday I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed wondering how I was going to get everything done. I felt the tug to get out into mother nature and play, so I listened to that tug and got out and ran in my favorite canyon among the redwoods.  I ran and frolicked through the trails.  I felt so free and liberated, just like a kid again.  It was just what I needed, and I came home refreshed and so mellow.  I knew everything would get done and that I didn’t have to worry and rush around to get it done.  It just reminds me that when we get outside in nature, it takes all of our cares and stresses away.  Mother nature truly is the most beautiful creation in the world and more beautiful than anything manmade. I thought I would share with you a few photos that I snapped on my run.  This is my favorite trail to run on because it’s nestled in the redwoods and it’s so peaceful and  green this time of year.  I love all the trees in this canyon, from the majestic redwoods to the smaller ones that get all fuzzy and green.  I also love how they hug the trails and create a natural and protective canopy.  Usually when I run this trail, I don’t see anyone, and I feel like I’m running in my own private back yard.  This is my time to meditate and get quiet, and appreciate the world around me.  I hope you enjoy the below photos. Then feel free to enjoy the weekly menu.

Trail through the redwoods

Trail through the redwoods

Trail through the redwoods

Trail through the redwoods

Let’s move onto this week’s menu.

Sunday night dinner

We’ve all had a cold for the past week and honestly all we want is something warm and comforting like soup.  I thought that my heirloom tomato soup days were over till next August, since we use up the last of the frozen reserves, but guess what?  My neighborhood grocery store, Paradise Foods has tons of organic heirloom tomatoes on sale for $2.99 a pound.  I snagged up 10 tomatoes, so I’m going to be making up 2 batches of soup today to serve up for dinner and lunches throughout the week, as well as freeze some for later.  Tonight I’m serving up some fresh heirloom tomato soup with some turkey wraps with apples and brie.  Update, I made the soup today, but honestly, wait until heirlooms are back in season, as the soup was just bland and did not have that robust flavor that it normally has.  I thought it was too good to be true to be making a summer and early fall soup in December.  Make the creamless tomato soup instead!

Heirloom tomato soup

Turkey wrap

If your like most of the country and don’t have heirlooms available, but you’re looking to make up some tomato soup, I have another easy go-to soup that I make all the time, creamless tomato soup.  It’s a classic tomato soup and tastes great alongside a grilled cheese sandwich.

Creamless tomato soup

Monday night dinner

Broccoli lemon pasta.  This is an easy throw together family favorite pasta.

Broccoli lemon pasta

Tuesday night dinner

Soup night again! Heirloom tomato soup, popovers and kale, cranberry, apple and toasted almond salad with lemon dressing.  This salad is so easy to throw together, especially if you have washed and ready to go kale leaves.  The dressing literally takes 5 minutes to whip together and is a sweeter version of my kale salads.  I  predominately use curly kale with some lacinato kale thrown in for the recipe.  My kids love the apple and cranberries in the salad.  It’s a great salad to try on the younger ones because it’s a bit sweeter and did I mention that the dressing is vegan?  Bonus.

Popovers

Kale, cranberry, apple and toasted almond salad with lemon dressing

Wednesday night dinner

Lemon chicken breasts, roasted fingerling potatoes and lacinato kale salad.  Tonight it’s all about easy comfort cooking.  The potatoes take no time to throw together, and the only thing that takes time with the lemon chicken is mincing all those garlic cloves, but you know how I take care of that?  My kids fight over who gets to mince the garlic, so I let them each take turns mincing the garlic with the garlic press.  Problem solved!  I’m learning that getting kids involved on the prep work helps them out, while at the same time helps me out.  It’s a win win!

Lemon chicken

fingerling potatoes

Kale Salad

Thursday night dinner

Leftover night! I’m going to take the leftover chicken breasts and cut them up into thin slices and put them over some kid friendly caesar salad.  I will serve this up with some naan bread because we like our carbs.  I may throw in a cup of soup for those of us that want some.

Kid Friendly caesar salad

Friday night dinner

Italian wedding soup and popovers.  John’s parents are coming into town today so were serving them up one of our new favorite soups!  I hope it becomes one of their favorites as well.

Italian wedding soup

Popovers

Stay tuned for Wednesday when I will show you how to make our favorite twice baked potatoes.

Baked potato

I’m ending the post with 2 last photos from my run.

Redwood trees

redwoods 3

Enjoy your week, and if you have time, get out in this beautiful world!

With love Jackie
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9 thoughts on “Marin Mama’s Weekly Dinner Menu for December 16th”

  1. Wow those old redwoods and the moss and the big trees and the whole Marin landscapes – just gorgeous, Jackie. Thanks for sharing.

    And I want a popover, and pretty much everything else you’re having for dinner!

  2. Nothing like some time in the Redwoods to relieve some holiday stress! That trail looks so beautiful! I love it when everything is lush and the moss grows up the trees. 🙂 Hope you are having a lovely rest of your weekend, Jackie!

  3. those popovers!!!! I so want to make those…they look so good. I just want to tear one apart right now! And I love how you have Joy wrote out in the ribbon that is so sweet…and always love how you showcase your menu for the week…I can’t wait to make your Italian Wedding Soup tonight for dinner! and the photos from your run so jealous that is so beautiful we need to follow those tugs and relax and enjoy 🙂

  4. I love your message for peace, love, health, and joy in this world. I don’t think its naive – you understand that we aren’t there yet – it’s a beautiful wish to have for the world. I am with you. My heart breaks for them. At the same time, there is some comfort in seeing the goodness in people come out in such a huge way. It reminds us that while there is evil in this world, there is so much caring and humanity too.

    I love the JOY on the menu. You and Zoe are so creative with your menus, I always love how they look.

    I also really enjoyed your pictures on your run. I feel the same way about mother nature – being outdoors connects us to the world. It always grounds me and makes me feel more at peace when we spend more time hiking and on the trails. We are both lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world. 🙂

    Your menu looks delicious, comforting, warm and healthy, as ALWAYS! I’ll be right over for dinner. Any night sounds wonderful. 🙂 Have a good week Jackie! Sharon

    1. Thanks for all the kind and inspiring words Sharon. I can only imagine how beautiful it looks in your neck of the woods right now. It’s abundantly sunny, but super cold here today (36 degrees) but I’m super grateful for the sunshine. Have a great week.

  5. Jackie,
    Beautiful message! I love the way you and Zoe created the word JOY for your weekly dinner menu. Your trails look amazing…There’s nothing like getting out for a run or hike in nature…it helps clear the mind and ease the sorrow…a little –that we are feeling right now. Making those popovers again tonight…having stew and this reminded me…thanks!
    xo
    annie

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