Menu Ideas week of Dec 29

My grandparents, like so many others of German descent, had a tradition of eating pork and saukrout on New Years day. I (gasp) don’t like sourkrout but like the idea of symbolic foods at New Year. If you asked them about it, “they just do (did) it because it’s supposed to be lucky”. In China, as I understand it, noodles are eaten at special occasions because their shape symbolizes longevity and oranges are a traditional new years food because their color is like gold in a way and it symbolizes prosperity. I read on the internet once that the pork on New Years came from the Pennsylvania Dutch, because pigs are believed to always move forward as they forage, not looking back. I like that symbolism, as much as luck (it was good fortune for them, in low income early 20th century appalachia to HAVE pork at all) .

My husband’s family lived for a short time in Louisianna. My mother in law makes a rocking jambalaya. And that is the story of how Jambalika came to be: It is a mild version of Jambalya, heavy on pork, and light on the hot spices (youngling likes it better that way) Rice is a symbol for abundance and prosperity in both oriental and western magical traditions, so that works for the New Year motif too.

Not to mention it is a good excuse for a big pot of pulled pork to gnosh on New Years Eve while we are watching New Year’s Rocking Eve on TV and playing board games until the ball drops. Simple, not a big deal, but fun just the same. We like it.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous 2015!

 

Monday – Tofu Tacos (meatless)

Tuesday  – wedding soup with sundried tomato cibatta bread

Wednesday – slow cooker pulled pork on home baked multigrain rolls and cheaterpants coleslaw

Thursday – Jamba – like – a

Friday Pasta Primavera and Olive Oil muffins (recipe on foodnetwork.com)

 

#PeaceTarot is still only $0.99 for 2015

Menu Ideas 12 October 2014

It’s October, so most of my attention is going to www.ModernOracleTarot.com for the next couple of weeks

Won’t you join me there? Here’s an incentive. Order a three card yes/no reading with the coupon BLOGREADER and it is free…my all-hallows-eve gift to you.

But you have to use the coupon code…fair enough? Plus of all the Tarot card spreads, the question really matters…read what that’s all about HERE

But a psychic’s gotta eat (Nicole Cody wrote a lovely piece about psychics and recipes on www.cauldronsandcupcakes.com … see? I’m not the only one) so here’s my thoughts for this weeks menu. Hamburger and those boneless country ribs that the family loves are both on sale, so this week is a little more meat-heavy than usual. I still try to use it sparingly, as a flavoring ingredient, rather than an individual main dish. But it’s that time of year, too. 

Monday – Boneless Ribs and Apple Salad

Tuesday – mushroom meatloaf

Wednesdays – red beans and brown rice

Thursday – beefy noodles and zuchinni bread

Friday – chicken and green onion stromboli-ish thingys (what do you call stuff wrapped in dough and baked? I refuse to call them those evil processed things that rhyme with plot rockets)

Pork Fat Rules

Was it Emeril that said that? Or Michael Symon? Whoever it was, they were right.

Switched up the menu plan a little and did the pasta faux-jule last night. Tried with the turkey sausage. Some things just need pork – this is one of them.