Family Bites

Monday Meal Planning

                              
 I'm a day late on my meal planning for the week, but I thought it might be nice to share our plans, here, with you.  Below is a summary of what we're eating over the next few days and please note that when I meal plan, I only account for the weeknights, as they are typically the busiest.  It's too challenging to try and plan for the weekend, when we always have something different or sometimes nothing at all to do.  If we're home on a Saturday night (and we usually are), I like to make a nice, big dinner.  I also like to have some flexibility and spontaneity in my week, and that happens on the weekend.  

Our current family situation allows for Rob to cook two nights a week.  He's a wonderful cook, and I eagerly embrace his desire to help feed our family.  I've underlined his cooking days below so you can see what he'll be up to in the kitchen:

Monday - Caramelized onion, leek and mushroom frittata, French green beans and salad

Tuesday - Star Wars Birthday Party for my new eight year old! (to be shared later this week)

Wednesday - Meatloaf, rice and broccoli

Thursday - Butternut squash soup, citrus and spinach salad and homemade bread

Friday - Roast chicken, baked potatoes, green beans

So, what are you eating this week?

Happy Birthday..and an Ice Cream Cake

January is the month of birthdays around these parts.  Seventy-five percent of my own four-person family celebrates another year in January, as do many members of my extended family (sister, brother-in-law, cousins, grandparents and so on).  Because we do two birthdays in three days (today's the day off!) I'm always on the lookout for different cake ideas so we're not eating the same thing all week long.  

Since one of the celebrants is a child, he usually gets first pick for his choice of cake.  Then I try to choose something fun for his Dad, a non-cake eater, who still needs to be celebrated.  I decided to go with an ice cream cake for him this year (pictured above, recipe below), which was a good idea for it was happily devoured by everyone last night.  Here are some other great ice cream cake ideas I found circulating the web:

Oreo and Fudge Ice Cream Cake, recipe here 

Chocolate and Peppermint Ice Cream Cake, recipe here 

My Easy Ice Cream Cake

1 litre vanilla ice cream, softened at room temperature

1 litre chocolate ice cream, softened at room temperature

Butterscotch sauce

1 cup peanuts

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup cream

~ Line a springform pan with plastic wrap and place all of the vanilla ice cream into the pan.  Spread it out evenly and smooth the top.  Place in the freezer for 10 minutes or until it hardens slightly.

~ Cover the vanilla ice cream with the butterscotch sauce.  Sprinkle 3/4 cup of peanuts over the top of the sauce and place in the freezer for 5 minutes, to harden slightly.

~ Remove from the freezer and top with the chocolate ice cream.  Spread evenly and smooth the ice cream.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for a minimum of one hour.

~ Combine the chocolate and cream in a bowl set over a pot of lightly boiling water.  Melt the chocolate and stir to combine the chocolate and the cream.

~ Remove the ice cream cake from the springform pan and invert on to a cake stand or plate.  Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cake and cover with remaining peanuts.  Place back in the freezer until ready to serve.