Weekly Ethnic Food Menus

A few weeks ago, we were given a huge bag of cilantro. That week, we went crazy for cilantro. We made pico de gallo, guacamole, tacos, Spanish rice, and very cilantro-y cilantro chicken!

The next week, we made a HUGE pot of bolognese sauce. That week, we ate nothing but Italian food. Bolognese with angel hair, pizza with bolognese sauce and fresh mozzarella, stromboli also with fresh mozzarella using Trader Joe’s premade pizza crusts, caesar salads, and we also made a delicious tortellini soup. (The tortellini soup was SO tasty and simple! Loaded with carrots and veggies, topped with parmesan cheese)

After that, Matt decided that the following week, we’d have Indian food all week. We made all sorts of goodies that week, too. We started with barbecued tandoori chicken skewers and cucumber raita with basmati rice with a cinnamon stick in it! Later that week we made chicken yogurt curry with raisins and cashews, rogon josh, aloo tikki (potato patties), and Indian spinach simmer sauce from Trader Joe’s. Oh, and also from Trader Joe’s: veggie samosas and lots of tasty naan!

This week, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, it’s been Irish week. A.K.A. “Meat and Potatoes Week.” (And lots of salad to offset the unhealthiness of mass quantities of meat and potatoes) In spite of the Mahoney last name, Matt’s only a little bit Irish. He’s mostly Chinese and also German. Matt did some research online to find some Irish recipes. We started off with shepherd’s pie, and then on Monday Matt made the most delicious thing ever: Guinness Beef Stew in a crock pot. During Monday’s monsoon, boy was it a nice smell to come home from picking Isaac up at daycare! Today is corned beef and cabbage. (Thanks AGAIN, Trader Joe’s, for providing us with corned beef!)

Oh, and since Sunday was Pi Day, Matt also made an apple pear pie which was delicious!

Next week is Chinese, and the last week will be Jewish, in honor of Passover. However, we won’t be doing things kosher for Passover. We’ll just be making some favorites from my family, like the noodle kugel. Oooh, and matzoh brei. Yum, yum, yum.

I’m not sure what we’ll do the week after. Matt was thinking plain ol’ American. We don’t get to dine out at the frequency that we once did, but this way we’re making the yumminess at home all the time!

Mac & Cheese in Greater Boston

I love macaroni and cheese. The real stuff, not just the orange powdery cheese in a box! I tend to order macaroni and cheese whenever I see it on a menu because I just can’t resist! Here’s where I’ve enjoyed it. Make any mac and cheese suggestions.

Zaftigs in Coolidge Corner. It comes en casserole with breadcrumbs on top. Very tasty!

Watch City Brewing in Waltham. Lots of herbs and spices with breadcrumbs. Goes great with beer!

The Local in West Newton. They have 3 types: ham and peas, lobster, and chives with truffle oil. I’ve never had the lobster, but I’ve had (and enjoyed) the ham and peas and the chives with truffle oil. It’s very creamy but the portion is small, so I always get a salad with it.

Church in Fenway. It came in a cute little skillet. I got the small portion for only $7 and it was still pretty filling. The only downside was that it had crumbled crackers on top, which I didn’t like that much.

Solas in Back Bay. Loved it! Cavatelli in a creamy cheese sauce with diced ham, topped with breadcrumbs. It came in a cute little skillet. (I guess I like my mac and cheese served to me in skillets!) It was a little heavy on the ham, but I still really liked it a lot.

Union Street in Newton Centre. Good and HUGE. Come with your appetite, prepare to share, or know your limits and bring some home for tomorrow’s lunch!

Redbones in Davis Square. I’m not really that into barbecue and their sandwiches are sort of “eh” to me, but I really do like their macaroni and cheese. It’s simple but very good!

Those are my favorites, but here are some other places worth noting:

Cambridge Common — Their macaroni and cheese is fine, but definitely a little bland. Not something I’ve ordered upon return visits.

Johnny’s Luncheonette — I used to ADORE their macaroni and cheese, but I can’t wholeheartedly endorse it now. The last few times I’ve gone (didn’t get mac and cheese, got something else) the service was bad and their food was sub-par.

Cabot’s in Newton. I don’t get it often because I usually go there with the intent of ordering ice cream and their mac and cheese plus ice cream would be a dairy overload. Nevertheless, I like their mac and cheese. It’s VERY creamy and there’s a slice o’ tomato on top.

I also really like the mac and cheese at Whole Foods. I’ve only regularly had it at the Newtonville location, so I’m not sure if they use different recipes at different locations but I love the stuff at Whole Foods. Whenever I have a sore throat, I get it!

I also loved the macaroni and cheese at Zon’s in JP, but they’re gone. (sadly)

Project 365: 03/13/03

Matt making some lo/chow mein! YUM!

Project 365: 03/10/09

Holy guacamole!! Matt made some tasty guacamole!

Project 365: 03/07/09

Matt’s last full day in Chicago…chowing down on squid ink pasta.

Avocados

Last year I wrote about my evolving palate, and the latest food that I’ve been enjoying on a regular basis is avocados. I used to not really enjoy them. I thought they were slimy and devoid of flavor. I didn’t like the texture, and I would even use a chopstick to poke out avocados in sushi.

First, I began to get used to the avocados in sushi. Then I began to like it. Then I began to enjoy guacamole. And very recently, I’ve become a big avocado fan! Matt and I are putting avocados on everything now! Salads, turkey sandwiches, on English muffins with eggs and bacon for breakfast, and as a snack I just sliced up some avocado to go on crackers. (Along with some red onion and tomato…I suppose it was sort of the lazy girl’s version of guacamole)

There are now only three foods that I regularly avoid: beans, goat cheese, and black olives. I’m also not a huge mushroom fan but I can make do with them. I wonder if this will change in the near future.

Project 365: 01/28/09

Matt made a delicious fillet mignon for dinner!! He marinated it overnight in wine, olive oil, and rosemary, then topped it with mushrooms and garlic. Finally, he put a sauce made of red wine, onions, and butter on it. On the side, we had carrots, broccolini, and scali bread.

Project 365: 01/26/09

Dinner at the Asgard on Mass Ave. with Mike and Shelley! Our appetizer was tater tots in truffle oil! I am loving the fact that tater tots are winding up on menus everywhere these days. An elementary school favorite made modern.

Project 365: 01/24/09

Making cookies for a cookie swap. This is the first time in a long time that I’ve made cookies that didn’t come out of a tube with a picture of the Pillsbury Dough Boy on it. I like to cook and I like EATING cookies, but I am just not much of a baker. Making these cookies was a big source of frustration for me, but hopefully the end result will be worthwhile. :-)

Project 365: 01/21/09

Steak-umm!! We took a trip down memory lane by making Steak-umm for dinner! Can’t remember the last time I had this and bought it on a whim at Star Market after remembering a conversation I had earlier this week about it. Reminded me of my elementary school cafeteria…all I needed were some tater tots, a half pint container of milk, and a tasteless brownie.