Marin Mama’s Weekly Dinner Menu for December 9th

Marin Mama's weekly dinner menu - December 9th

Last week was not my best week for trying out new recipes.  I should have listened to my gut (intuition) and took a week off from new recipes.  It’s hard because when I see something that I want to cook up, I don’t have patience to wait till next week, I want to make it NOW!  Its like an addiction. Anyway, the universe was telling me to stop cooking, slow down and to finish up all the other things that I kept putting off that really had more of a priority. I’m paying for it now as I have tons to do and don’t know when I’m going to finish it all, but I always remember when I get overwhelmed that, life is long so it will all get done. You know what, it always does.

Anyway, I baked up a batch of these ginger, molasses and pumpkin muffins from a recipe that I had tagged in an old Everyday Food magazine.  They look great, right?  Well, they were just ok, certainly not blog worthy.  They were missing that pop of flavor that I was looking for.  The kids were excited to try them when they came home and saw them cooling on the counter after school, but I didn’t hear the usual positive remarks from them.  I just heard, “Mom, these muffins are OK, but not great, definitely not blog worthy.” Gosh, when did my kids become such foodies?  I guess a year of non-stop cooking and taste testing will do that to a kid.  Anyway, rest assured, if my kids say something is good, then its good!  If you get a double thumbs up from them, then chances are your kids will like the recipe as well.  So, no thumbs up = bye bye muffins!

Ginger molasses pumpkin muffins

I also got excited to try a soup recipe from my William and Sonoma Soup of the Day cookbook.  I saw this recipe for pumpkin ginger soup and thought it sounded pretty good.  I was also excited to cook with a sugar pumpkin, as I have never done that before.  Anyway, after I prepped all the ingredients and had the soup started, I looked at the recipe to see when I needed to add the 1/4 cup of grated ginger (yes, I grated 1/4 cup of ginger for this soup).  Guess what, the book had a major typo because there was nothing written in the instructions as when or where to add that 1/4 ginger.  I swear I read the instructions over at least 10 times to make sure I wasn’t missing it.  I just threw it in with the pumpkin and went with it.  At this point, I had a gut feeling that this soup was not going to turn out well, and you know what, I was right, it was bland and blah!  I saved the soup because I can’t throw away good ingredients like that, but I’m eating it begrudgingly.

Pumpkin ginger soup

Let’s move onto happier things.  I wanted to let you all know about this great new website that I ordered my Christmas cards from this year.  The company is called mpix.  I really loved how my cards turned out and I especially love that they are made on recycled paper and can be recycled yet again!  Yippee!  The company was super prompt in filling and shipping my order.  I ordered the pictures late Thursday evening and they arrived on Saturday!  How’s that for speedy service?  Speaking of being green, I absolutely love these bowlovers.  Forget plastic wrap, get one of these!  Aren’t they the coolest? Santa, here’s another thing I would love to see under the tree!  BTW, I’m just writing these comments from my heart and not my wallet.  I’m not a sponsor for these products at all.  I just like to share what I love. Speaking of things I love, lets move onto this week’s menu.

Bowl covers

Sunday night dinner

Favorite turkey burgers with cilantro lime mayonnaise and  roasted cauliflower.  I know what you’re thinking, turkey burgers in the winter?  Yep, we live in California so we pretty much grill year round, unless it’s raining of course.  John just goes out on the deck with his headlamp and gets it done!  What a guy!

Turkey burger

Roasted cauliflower

Monday night dinner

I’m trying something new here for meatless Monday.  I know last week I wasn’t to successful with new recipes, but I have a good feeling about this week, and I’m not the sort of person who gives up easily.  I’m going to try roasting up some spaghetti squash and serving it with this easy tomato sauce recipe that I found.  I will let you know how it turns out, and if it gets approval from the critics, (my family that is) then I will post it.  I plan on serving it up with some garlic bread and kid friendly caesar salad.

Garlic Bread slices on a cutting board

Kid Friendly caesar salad

Tuesday night dinner

Pasta with walnut pesto, sausage and broccolini.  I love one-bowl meals such as this.  You have your pasta, veggies and meat all together!  Easy-peasy.

Pasta with walnut pesto, sausage and broccolini

Wednesday night dinner

It’s comfort cooking tonight. Chicken with shallots, mashed potatoes with kale and roasted Brussels sprouts. BTW, the Brussels photos need to be majorly updated.  It was one of my first posts and has that lovely border around all the photos!  It’s nice to see how far my photography skills have come in a year though!

Chicken with shallots

Mashed potatoes with kale

Thursday night dinner

Cauliflower soup and couscous cakes.  Zoe has her band recital at school tonight, so we’ll be having something easy and semi-light before heading over to see her performance.

Cauliflower soup

Couscous cakes

Friday night dinner

We’re heading out to see the Hobbit, so we’re eating dinner out!  Yippee!

BTW, I’m happy to say that my Italian wedding soup got over 2,000 pins! Yippee! I lost all of my pins in the transfer from blogger to word press, so it’s nice to get some good pins back!

Italian wedding soup

Oh, stay tuned for Wednesday when I will be showcasing this recipe.  Dark chocolate and coconut pie.  It’s like a eating a chocolate covered macaroon, and is one of John’s favorite desserts.

Dark chocolate pie with coconut crust

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

  1. ginger, molasses and pumpkin muffins – they look amazing and sound it, but meh, that they were just so-so. Maybe doctoring up with a pinch more sugar or cinnnamon or pumpkin pie spice would help. That’s what I always do first!

    And that pie. Whoa. I love the sounds and looks of it from the filing to the crust!

  2. I had a “not so good new recipe week” a few weeks ago it was such a bummer…recipes looked and sounded so good then they were just wahwah…and I so want to make the Italian Wedding Soup!!! Love your recap and of the things to come!

  3. Another great looking menu Jackie. I also had a recipe disappointment this week. I tried a yellow cake and chocolate frosting recipe for my dad’s birthday cake. It was good, but the cake was too tender and fell apart easily, and the frosting while good was not as good as my regular go-to recipe. I managed to “glue” the cake back together with frosting and it still tasted pretty good but not one I’ll probably make again. My 17 year old son is also a foodie and I’m glad about that. When he was about 11 years old, he told one of our neighbors how we had broccoli rabe for dinner and the neighbor teased us for a week about Jake having to educate him on what that was. 🙂 One of our regular go to dinners is spaghetti squash with a fresh tomato sauce and turkey meatballs. Yum! Reminds me that I should make that for dinner this week. Have a good week Jackie! Sharon

    1. Hi Sharon, I saw your cake and it looked beautiful. Your frosting job was spectacular. Ok, spaghetti squash with turkey meatballs, yum! Post it girl!

  4. Recipes that dont work out are the WORST. Especially as I am always so indecisive about whether it works or not. Its like food in restaurants im so opinionated about but as soon its something Ive made, and might want to blog about, I totally lose the plot about whether its tasty enough and ALWAYS need a second opinion. OOOh – but guess what?! The lemon chicken shallot is on our menu this week too!! Grilling outside however, most certainly is NOT. Snow this morning!

    1. Hi Em! Welcome back to blogland. I was so excited to see your new post today and your great new site. I am still thinking about that amazing lunch we had at Cafe Gratitude. The one in San Rafael is now closed and I wished you lived in Berkley so we could go there again. Miss you!

    1. Thanks Erin. I only post recipes that have worked in my house a number of times and that have been approved by my food critics. I’m still eating that pumpkin soup and can’t wait for it to be gone!

  5. Hi Jackie,

    Love your photography! I really love your first picture showing the candy canes with your weekly menu. Everything looks so wonderful! 100% agree that the bowlovers look so cool especially the little one with a paw print 😀

    Zoe

    1. Thanks Zoe! I’m trying to get into the holiday spirit and am already thinking of what to do for this Sunday. The paw prints are cute but I don’t know what leftover I would cover with that one?

  6. Hi Jackie,
    I think I came to your blog at least 5 times yesterday as I planned our menu for the week….I don’t think I ever mentioned how much I love your weekly dinner menu with with candy canes…very festive and colorful. I made chicken with shallots last night…and your popovers for an after school snack. 2,000 pins for your soup…that’s great! Thanks for all the dinner inspiration!
    xo
    annie

    1. Yaay Annie. I’m so happy to hear that you made the chicken with shallots. It’s my fave. It’s funny because pinterest is down. All those great pins counts are somewhere but not showing up on the counter! I hope they get it fixed soon.

  7. Oh girl! I love mpix! I have used them for years and each year they get better and better with what they offer! I love the feel and heaviness to their cardstocks! I used them for our christmas cards too and birthdays and party invites and blah blah blah! Love them! Sorry the muffins didn’t turn out like you wanted but they did look good:)

  8. always such a bummer to spend the time and money and not have a recipe work out! Been there plenty of times. I love those food covers, am putting those on my list too:)

    1. It’s a bummer but we did end up eating everything. I don’t like to waste food. The soup is almost gone, yippee and Andrea actually emailed me a butternut squash soup recipe that I can’t wait to try.

      I knew you would be interested in the bowlovers, being the green girl that you are.

  9. Have I told you lately how much I love your blog? Your photography is beautiful. The colors are rich and crisp and you always have something pretty near by like Crate and Barrel linens or a bundle of silverware waiting for me to taste the wonderful meal you have prepared. The fresh pomegranate with rosemary is so pretty together!
    I have been meaning for you to tell that darling Zoe of yours how much I enjoy her video of the pasta dinner. She did such a fabulous job. It was fun and so inviting and the music was delightful. You two are quite talented!
    Last night I made your Green Beans and Shallot Ravioli (with pumpkin ravioli again, while it is still in the store) and my daughter who had just came home from a long swim practice cheered and said, “thanks mom, this is my favorite dinner.” So I have to thank you! I also made your parmesan chicken for the first time. It was a hit as well. It’s great for me to try new things.
    Wish I lived closer to you, but I am in San Diego so I am glad I have your blog to enjoy.
    Hope you are enjoying this busy, but joyous time of year.
    Love,
    Jill

    1. Jill your comment made my night! I really love hearing from readers because it reminds me why I do this blog when I’m exhausted and have 10,000 other things I should be doing. I’m so happy to hear that your daughter’s favorite dinner is the green beans and shallot ravioli and that you love the chicken parm. I love trying new recipes as well, and this blog sort of forces me to do that.
      Zoe really appreciated your compliment. She grinned from ear to ear when I read it to her, so thanks! We have another video that we’re working on for a cupcake recipe. I hope to post it after the holidays.
      I wish you lived closer as well, but were both in Cali which is cool. One of my blogger buddies lives in San Diego and I keep talking about going down there at some point so we can meet. I will let you know if I do and if you happen to find yourself in the bay area, let me know!
      Thanks for commenting girl!
      xoxo,
      Jackie

  10. You sure do have a patience for menu and new recipes, and I admire you for that! I am not a menu person, most of the time I am an ingredient person: have it and work with it! A spoonful of jam added to those muffins would definitely pop up it’s flavor… 🙂

    1. Hi Marina. I try and follow the weekly menu, but there are times when I just can’t and I fall off the wagon. Some nights life gets hectic and we either go out to dinner or pick up something easy. We actually finished the muffins and the soup, as I don’t believe in wasting food. The muffins actually weren’t that bad, but we’ve had better. The soup, well, that’s another story 🙂

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