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Weekly Menu for the Week of Oct. 8th

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanIt feels like October. It looks like October. It must be October. We were greeted with much cooler temps and rain this weekend. I put socks on my feet, grabbed this cheap, but really beautiful throw blanket from Target with which I'm now inseparable, and turned on the fireplace. We topped our Sunday evening off with a little Braves v. Dodgers, chili, and homemade chili cheddar scones. An ideal October Sunday as far as I'm concerned!

The family and I are heading out on a little family vacation later in the week - but we'll provide recipes for the entire week. Since it feels so much like fall here, I'm embracing fall cooking. Warm meals cooked in the Dutch oven, hearty pastas, and seasonal produce.

Sounds pretty perfect, right? Now if I could just decorate my house for fall (which I don't think I've ever waited this long to do), then we would truly be in the business of fall! [Read more...]

Strawberry Almond Streusel Muffins

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Oregon berries brighten up the inside of these yummy, easy strawberry almond streusel muffins, while streusel & glaze topping adds texture and sweetness!

Oregon berries brighten up the inside of these yummy, easy strawberry almond streusel muffins, while streusel & glaze topping adds texture and sweetness!The summer completely got away from us this year and we never made it - not even once! - to our favorite local berry farm. It's a highlight for our kids, but with the heat of the summer + baby, we just never made it over there. This is, however, one of the reasons why I like to keep a reserve of frozen berries in our freezer at all times. If I'm in the mood to make a smoothie, a berry syrup, or even bake up something...I have a stash.Oregon berries brighten up the inside of these yummy, easy strawberry almond streusel muffins, while streusel & glaze topping adds texture and sweetness! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Oct 1st

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanI guess since October is officially here, I should actually start to decorate. Does it count that I'm decorating my baby in an adorable Halloween cat dress? She was decked out for October yesterday at church and she looked so so cute!

I should probably decorate my house at some point, too! Have you decorated your home yet? I did start buying Halloween candy a few weeks ago, so that counts for something, right? We actually get a TON of trick or treaters and we ALWAYS run out of candy.

I'm working on some fall, cozy home recipes this week and hopefully getting some time to sneak in some writing on the non-food related posts I want to work on. I got a lot of great feedback last week on Instagram when I asked what everyone wanted to see more of on the blog. A lot of different answers and I was excited by them. So, if you have something specific that you would like to see on the blog, will you please throw it down in the comments for me? [Read more...]

Double Cheddar Burger with Grilled Onions & Horseradish Mustard

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Bobby Flay put his spin on an otherwise traditional burger by adding grilled onions, horseradish mustard, and two cheeses - the double cheddar burger!

Bobby Flay put his spin on an otherwise traditional burger by adding grilled onions, horseradish mustard, and two cheeses - the double cheddar burger!It's the end of grilling season. It's sad, I know, but it's true. Well, at least, the end of outdoor grilling season. I mean, here in the Pacific Northwest. You folks down in the Southwest can basically do whatever you want all year long. And maybe not quite the end, as we have a tendency to get a spell of decent weather in late September or early October.

So, maybe grilling season isn't quite over yet, depending on the weather and where you are. (And, hey, if you're down with grilling indoors, maybe grilling season doesn't ever have to end!) But, by and large, the last week of September is laid out before us, the advent of October will bring ALL the ways to cook with pumpkin, and fewer and fewer backyard barbecues. [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Sept 24th

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanBroken record, I know, but it is hard to believe that this is the last week of September already. I feel like the past 12 months (ever since Ruby's been born) have moved at hyper speed. School just started and yet, here we are on the cusp of October and they are already putting Eggnog on the shelves in the grocery store!

#toosoon

If you missed the BLT Sliders last week, guys...! They are good! I'm a firm believer that you should have three things on hand either in your fridge or freezer at all times: Bacon (I keep mine in the freezer), eggs, and cheese. If you've got those things, chances are you can always make some kind of meal. Even if it's just cheesy eggs with bacon (hahaha).

My #1 tip for keeping a well-stocked pantry or freezer is to always buy an extra portion of each ingredient. If I buy diced tomatoes, I always buy an extra can. If bacon is on sale, I buy an extra for the freezer. Of course, I'm not doubling everything into each grocery list, but I pick a few items here and there to buy an extra of so I always have a reserve. [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Sept 17th

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Weekly Menu | Catz in the Kitchen | catzinthekitchen.com | #mealplanDid you know that the first day of fall is this Sunday? I know I keep saying that, but how is all of this possible? We're supposed to have four days of sun in the low 70's this week and I'm excited. It is certainly going to make that transition into fall a little easier por moi.

However, we did have a ton of rain on Sunday - I had to pull out my rainboots and coat, not to mention find my umbrella.

I hope you all had a good week, but if you're in the Carolinas and battling the hurricane (dealing with actual torrential rainfall), I pray that you are all safe. I know that this can be a really hard time of year weather-wise for a lot of you East Coasters. Hang in there! [Read more...]

Easy BLT Sliders with Arugula & Camp Sauce

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This easy recipe for BLT sliders with arugula and camp sauce is quick, flexible, and works as a main course, or a party or game day appetizer!

This easy recipe for BLT sliders with arugula and camp sauce is quick, flexible, and works as a main course, or a party or game day appetizer!

While the photos and the recipe have been updated, this post originally appeared on Catz in July of 2012. In the six years since, we've made these BLT sliders more times than we can count - they make a cheap, easy, fast go-to meal that tastes good when it's hot out, when it's cold out, when we're too tired to cook, or when we're whipping up some fun party (or game day?) food! They can be a meal or an appetizer, so that this easy template and do something fun with it!

I can remember my very first BLT. I was staying with my grandma in California and she made me a sandwich I'd never had before. t was a BLT, minus the T because I didn't like tomatoes at the time. She put ketchup in it instead (BLK? BLC?). It was so, so good - I was hooked!This easy recipe for BLT sliders with arugula and camp sauce is quick, flexible, and works as a main course, or a party or game day appetizer! [Read more...]

Weekly Menu for the Week of Sept 10th

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Okay guys, this is the week I've been dreading. Ruby turns ONE on Tuesday!

*I need a moment to sob it out real quick!*

This past year has personally been one of my more challenging for a variety of reasons, but it has also been one of the very best years of my life. Ruby has been such a gift to our family - I can't even describe it. Sometimes I'm just standing in the kitchen making food and I'll be watching the kids play with her and it's just...one of those moments, ya know, where time stands still. Or I wish it did.

I don't have a big party planned or actually any real plans made as of yet...fourth child problems, I guess. But, somehow, I don't think she will care much. Parties are more for us parents than for the actual one-year-old. We will make one of her favorite dinners - French toast and scrambled eggs - and have some cake and presents for her. Not to mention balloons. She loves balloons! [Read more...]

"Pantry to the Rescue" Pesto French Bread Pizza with Artichoke Hearts & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

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Wanting to make your own pizza but a little intimidated by making your own dough? Try this easy, flexible recipe for pesto French bread pizza!

Wanting to make your own pizza but a little intimidated by making your own dough? Try this easy, flexible recipe for pesto French bread pizza!Continuing my "Pantry to the Rescue" series, I bring you a French bread pizza recipe. Now, I totally get that having a loaf of French bread in your pantry at all times is probably unrealistic. Don't worry, I don't keep loaves of French bread laying around in my pantry either. I do keep everything on hand for pizza nights, though, and that includes the ingredients to make pizza dough and a variety of toppings, like canned olives, jarred pizza sauce, artichoke hearts, roasted bell peppers, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes. I also keep cans of pineapple in my pantry for those Hawaiian pizza nights, too.

If you've watched my YouTube video or read about my Trader Joe's faves, then you know that I just keep those items on hand all the time. When I run out, I just re-add them to my list and pick them up the next time. I could of course, buy all of these ingredients at my normal grocery store or even Costco. However, I use Trader Joe's as my "specialty" store because these types of ingredients are typically better quality and often so, so much cheaper!Wanting to make your own pizza but a little intimidated by making your own dough? Try this easy, flexible recipe for pesto French bread pizza! [Read more...]

End-of-Summer Blackberry Lemonade Ice Cream

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Looking for a delectable way to close out summer? We recommend indulging in delicious Oregon berries and whipping up some blackberry lemonade ice cream!

Looking for a delectable way to close out summer? We recommend indulging in delicious Oregon berries and whipping up some blackberry lemonade ice cream!

We're slowly (and sadly) acknowledging that our summer is drawing to a close here in the Pacific Northwest. It's not over yet - the forecast still has a number of days in the 80's, I'm wearing shorts as I type this, and we're still spending evenings out on the patio as often as possible. But...the reality is that the kids are going back to school, the nights are getting cooler, and the first official day of fall is a short three weeks away. So, from a foodie standpoint, we're ticking off a number of food-related activities we want to enjoy as much as we can before the rain and colder temperatures drive us back indoors. Lots of grilling is high on the list, as you can probably guess, but so is homemade ice cream!Looking for a delectable way to close out summer? We recommend indulging in delicious Oregon berries and whipping up some blackberry lemonade ice cream!

We've always wished we made more homemade ice cream than we typically do, if that makes sense. It's really easy, and it's incredibly, well, addicting. Especially if you eat it right out of the ice cream maker. My goodness. And if you don't have any ice cream maker at home for some reason...add one to your wish list. They are fun and CHEAP. Cuisinart makes several models (of which we have two), and the base one, which is wonderful and simple, has been known to go on sale for as little as $25. Just grab one. The reality is that the local ice cream is SO GOOD (is this a "problem" everywhere?!), that between Tillamook, Umpqua, Salt & Straw, and others, it can be hard to work up the motivation to make your own!  [Read more...]