Well, it was a wild weekend of not eating at home.  The kids were gone and we took the opportunity for date nights, but now I’m back in the kitchen.

The biggest cooking event this week is my brother’s birthday.  He wants Shepherd’s Pie.  He’s bringing his girlfriend (whom we have never met).  And I have to make a humble Shepherd’s Pie.  Sigh.  You can be assured that I will be piping on the mashed potatoes in rosettes.  He also wants a cream cheese pie with cherry topping, again, a favorite, but not spectacular.  I’ll at least do a shrimp cocktail appetizer.   Oh, and he wants fudge, so I’m trying a recipe with marshmallow fluff that people seem to love. 

I’m planning a simple baked spaghetti with a salad and maybe some bread and garlic butter.    The baking allows the sauce to really get into the pasta.  This also allows me to make it early in the day when I have time and then just have someone pop it in the oven.

Romano Chicken is  chicken braised in an herbed tomato sauce, covered with mushrooms and onions, and then romano cheese.  Maybe a little more cheese than the recipe calls for…  I’ll serve that with a Caesar salad and some bowtie pasta.

CranApple Pork Tenderloin is something I haven’t made in a while.  It’s somewhat seasonal unless you keep cranberries in your freezer.  I may or may not puree the sauce because the boys like cranberry sauce as a side…maybe some of it?  This will be served with potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary, and teriyaki brussels sprouts.  However, because I am lazy prone to making my life easier, I will just roast the sprouts and toss in the teriyaki near the end.

Planning in a few graze/leftover nights, and possibly some hotdogs roasted over a fire in the backyard if the weather cooperates.

Have a great week!