I have been super busy today preparing for the upcoming week. Jay and I got up early, went out to breakfast and then went to church. We have been attending Portico church in downtown Charlottesville. The regular pastor has been on sabbatical and the associate pastor has been leading the worship. Jay and I have really enjoyed his messages. It is going to be a little strange for us when the regular pastor return in two weeks but I’m sure he’s great.
Once we got home from church, I immediately began working on school stuff and now its time for bed…where did the day go? Although I got a lot accomplished, the work is not being completed as fast as I would like. I am going to be planning 10 lessons a week which pretty much means that I won’t have a life until almost February. Yikes!
I’m pretty excited about this week’s menu because we’re trying a few new recipes. However, now that I think about the timing, I’m not sure that was such a good idea. Hopefully they will be quick and easy to prepare meals.
- the menu…
Today’s dinner was meatloaf with potatoes and corn on the cob. I used a recipe from Our Best Bites that is just simply amazing! It is a Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf. I’m pretty sure that it’s not healthy but I will eat just about anything that is wrapped in bacon so it didn’t really matter. I do have a trick for making non-healthy recipes, like meatloaf, a titch healthier. Jay doesn’t really like a lot of vegetables, like zucchini and carrots, although he’ll eat them. For this meatloaf, I shredded up a couple of carrots and added it to the meat mixture along with onions and green pepper. I typically add shredded zucchini to sloppy joes as well. This is a great way to lighten up recipes and ensure that you are getting all the daily nutrients you need. Next time I make this meatloaf I’m going to use half meat and half shredded veggies to lighten it up a bit and not feel as guilty about the bacon. haha!
My department is having a pot luck lunch tomorrow and I had to make a dish for that today. I have been worried all week about what to bring to the pot luck. I am a food blogger now, so of course the dish had to be delicious! And, to add an extra layer of stress, this is unlike any pot luck I have ever been to. I grew up in the South and am pretty familiar with pot lucks as well as pot luck etiquette. A sign up e-mail went around the department this week and included the following items for a pot luck: fresh tomatoes, raw carrots and broccoli, lettuce, fruit, pretzels, and more fruit. What exactly am I suppose to do with that? What happened to the casseroles and fried chicken? This is rabbit food. My roommate (we share a classroom) is bringing a bean salad. At least that is a bit hearty and has protein. I decided to make a dip of some kind so I made a 7 layer Greek dip, also from Our Best Bites. The dip is lighter and a nice change of pace from the traditional Mexican 7 layer dip. I have all the fresh ingredients in separate containers and will never remember to take a picture at school tomorrow, so I borrowed a picture from OBB.
Here’s the recipe for anyone that’s interested. I highly recommend this dip!
7-Layer Greek Dip
Adapted by Our Best Bites from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used low-fat)
1 tsp. dill weed
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. hummus
1 c. seeded, diced cucumbers
1 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 c. chopped green onions (about 3 green onions completely chopped)
1/2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/8-1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice until light and fluffy. Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or a small, shallow baking dish. Then spread a layer of hummus. In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and parsley. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread
