One week out from Christmas, and we finally put up our tree yesterday. Hey, better late than never????
Poor Carla woke up Saturday at 2:00 am with a fever and a horrible sore throat. She draped herself over the furniture all day, huddled under blankets, and ate nothing but popsicles, Jell-O, and a taco shell. When her fever soared to 104, I was sure it was strep, but by Sunday she was a little sniffly and was back to eating normally. So. Just-a-cold it is, then. (She tested negative for Covid.)
My final holiday plans were thwarted by this cold, however. My husband was on call, so he was at the hospital all weekend, and I had planned to go to Target and other places on Saturday while my daughter was in her music lesson. I have little stocking-y things to buy and a few gift cards and other little things. But none of that happened. So… I guess I will be dragging Carla around to all her favorite stores (no) this week, and trying to distract her while I attempt to buy stocking stuffers right under her nose.
Can you tell that I have no idea what to make for dinner this week? I have no motivation to make anything. Nothing sounds good and I am feeling especially grumpy about meal planning at the moment. I do have some truly ancient broccoli in the fridge that I suppose I should do something with, but beyond that I have no idea. How can a person be expected to do everyday things like MEAL PLAN when Christmas is so near?
Dinners for the Week of December 18-24
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry: I am picking this because it’s the first recipe that popped up when I typed “chicken and broccoli” into the search engine.
- Garlicky Spinach and Chickpea Soup: This doesn’t sound good but I bought the spinach already and it won’t last forever.
- Oven Baked Pork Chops: This is a tried-and-true favorite. Maybe I will make some green beans on the side.
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Salmon and Vegetables: My husband doesn’t love salmon, so I will probably do a chicken breast for him. Maybe Carla will eat this?
That’s all I can muster for today, Internet! What are you struggling with this Monday before Christmas?
“This doesn’t sound good but I bought the spinach already and it won’t last forever.” Hahahaha. I think there might be other ways to use spinach? But I also do this sometimes: make a meal I know no one will really love. Why? I actually just took some soup out of the freezer that no one – myself included – liked. But what do I do with it? Throw it out?
I can’t believe Carla is sick again. Booo. It has been such a rough year for illness. Even were we live in Canada everyone has been sick…and we have been well. I hate to be a pessimist, but I fear this means one thing and one thing only. THIS WILL BE A VERY SICK CHRISTMAS for our family. We get sick absolutely every single Christmas and I’m basically sure it will happen again. Harumph.
I just stared at the first bit of your comment with my mouth agape for awhile. There are OTHER WAYS to use spinach???? Why do I not know them???? However, I think I *have* figured out that I can incorporate spinach into my favorite fall salad, so we will do that instead of this soup. THANK YOU. Sometimes my mind is a dark tunnel, Elisabeth.
Ugh, there are so many viruses and such circulating! I am glad that Carla recovered pretty quickly but yikes – 104 is scary high! I am also grumpy since I have covid so need to isolate. I have a few more things to do but it will have to wait until next weekend when I can sneak to target. I have a stocking stuffer for Paul but nothing for Taco. I could ask Phil to get something at Target this week but I know he’s going to say he doesn’t need anything (he does have a lot of gifts under the tree and more coming from extended family but I can’t have an empty stocking for him!!). So it’s best for me to just, um, do it myself…
We made Asian noodle bowls last night (https://iowagirleats.com/asian-noodle-bowls/ – if you make this, use 1/3 to 1/2 of the soy sauce/tamari the recipe calls for. 1/2 c is INSANE and has to be an error). We’ll also have chili and then enchiladas later in the week with some leftover pork carnitas that I froze last month.
I think our thermometer is a little bit of a drama queen, so it probably wasn’t QUITE that high, but it was high enough that I didn’t sleep much for worrying.
My husband and I have similar “disagreements” about present volume. So I am with you on doing it oneself. Those noodle bowls sound great!
I don’t know how anyone is supposed to do anything this week. I have to go to work. Like it’s a normal week. I have a board meeting and dinner for my volunteer gig (THE LAST ONE. I NEVER HAVE TO GO TO A BOARD MEETING AGAIN) on Tuesday, we’re going to see lights at the Rotary Gardens with friends on Wednesday, and there’s a solstice party on Friday. I’m exhausted just thinking about all of this. I generally get home from work, walk the dog, eat dinner, and sleep, so this seems like too much. How come everything is crammed into one week?!
THAT IS A LOT OF THINGS, Engie! Omg. I wish things were more spaced out!
I absolutely hate those days or weeks that I can’t figure out what to make for dinner. This week will probably be one of those as well. I end up making some sort of garbage from cans or boxes and I abhor cooking that way. We spent so much time baking I’m rather tired of the kitchen. LOL.
YES. I totally get that. You were already working hard in the kitchen; the last thing you want to do is make dinner!
Good grief, a fever of 104!!!!! These things always hit at the worst times, it seems. I just realized I am going to be nonstop cooking from now until January 3, and we have houseguests and dinner guests and, I found out YESTERDAY, a houseful of daytime guests for my husband’s family the day after our house guests leave and HOW AM I GOING TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE SUZANNE HOW HOW HOW.
Anyway, it will be fine. IT WILL BE FINE. *sobs into mint chocolate*
NICOLE. I am hyperventilating a bit about all your guests. You will get it done and it WILL be fine, but OMG.
It’s a ham sandwich kind of a week and yet you have a meal plan!
I’m dying laughing about trying to buy stocking stuffers with Carla along. Yeah, not gonna happen.
[Checks calendar, gasps to find out that it is in fact exactly one week to Christmas]
Seriously, what was I thinking?!? Where is the ham sandwich?!?!
Birchie, I spent FIVE HOURS running errands with her today and it was… challenging. I did not buy a single stocking stuffer but I did learn about 80 new things that she NEEDS for Christmas siiiiiggggghhhhhh.
I hope Carla is feeling much better. I realized after looking at the dressing recipe that I need onions and celery. And more butter! I thought I was finished going to the store. Ugh!
Margaret, I am very impressed that is all you have left to buy! I anticipate at least two more trips to the grocery store. Probably three. Yuck.
Regarding stocking stuffers; get thee to Target.com and order them STAT. They should get here before Christmas.
And honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t call this a ham sandwich kind of week; who has time to cook or meal plan when we’ve got so many details to attend to?
I’m surprised, too, Gigi! What was I thinking?!
I have pretty much given up on cooking substantively, given how much my husband has been traveling and Christmas prep and party prep and various medical appointments that have sprung up for my dad. I cook and bake all day and then we have eggs for dinner or order pizza or eat a few cookies and call it a day. Angus is home now so I just made pulled pork out of a roast that would rival that giant rib that tipped over Fred Flintstone’s car in the opening number. It’s a weird time of year. Magic and merriment and pain in the assness beyond belief.
I love that spinach garlic chickpea soup SO MUCH. I made it two weeks in a row, and my family loved it the first time, but the second time I got an ‘oh’ when I told my husband what was for dinner. He eats whatever I make and doesn’t complain, but I think 2 weeks in a row was too much for him.
I’m sorry Carla is sick, that’s hard, especially when you are trying to get things done.
My menu plan this week is: Turkey/Veggie chili (today); Chicken/fake Chicken and salad (tomorrow); Meatloaf or meatballs somehow (Wednesday); Thursday – who the hell knows. I suspect next Tuesday will be leftovers from the freezer, because I have to work the day after Christmas and it’s going to be a busy week and Wah!
Ug, sorry to hear about Carla; I hope she is feeling better today! For stocking stuffers, I am sure you could root around in the closets and find a few things that you don’t use or that haven’t been opened as filler. Is that gauche? Or you will have to send her on “errands” at Target while you whisk stuff off the shelves!
For dinner I am having ham sandwich every day except Saturday when I will be gorging myself on food!
I have a suggestion! Go to Target.com and order a bunch of stocking stuffers TO BE PICKED UP. I assume your store does this? They’ll put the whole order together and you just pick it up when it’s ready. That way even if Carla is with you, it’ll already be in the bag and she won’t see what it is. And- I know. Taking your kids to the store with you one week before Christmas, when all the presents have already been bought, rarely goes well (you can always add a few last-minute gifts to your Target order!)
You got your tree up in plenty of time. Every time I read a book about Christmas in the “old days” they’re decorating the tree on Christmas Eve! So you’re actually early.
YES TARGET PICK UP! THAT IS THE SOLUTION. Drag your little sickie along and have Starbucks come to the car with your order. You can also do curbside at Ulta, assuming your Target doesn’t have one— now that my Target is also an Ulta, I use this feature way less often)
I’m sorry Carla was sick. My kids always got sick on Thanksgiving or Christmas when they were younger, usually on the actual holiday, at a grandparent’s house.
104!!! Kids can get such high fevers! Glad she is feeling a bit better! I got my UN-announced observation this week, the principal just walks it “can I stay?” I can’t say no, so, of course, come on in. The lesson was good and the students did not let me down, so all is well. But the week before winter break, what are you thinking??
Do the order for pickup thing, like Jennystancampo and Sarah recommended. Expect that they will be out of at least a few things you want, but that they would’ve been out of whatever it is when you went in, too.
We do groceries for pickup from a Kroger almost every week, and it’s a plus in my life. Especially when someone in the house is sick and shouldn’t really be out at all.
Well, it is no longer Monday before Christmas – it is Thursday before Christmas and things are a little nutty. On Monday I had Coach and Rae home puking. On Tuesday we sort of celebrated Curly’s bday after Reg’s game and we decorated our tree, finally, On Sat our study closet shelves that hold the weight of the world ripped out of the wall. On Wednesday our fridge drawers in the kitchen ceased working along with an incessant beeping to alert us of the malfunction. Sweet Jesus. Timing. I made a turkey breast last night and I have a vat of chicken tortilla soup from Curly’s bday that I’ll plug in for today. After that – it will be a figure it out on your own sort of thing.
This week has been so crazy for me! Plans every night! And somehow I also have to work (and get a lot done since I’ll be OOO until 1/4 after tomorrow) AND make food for myself? What is this nonsense?!
I hope Carla’s illness hasn’t lingered too much this week! It can’t be fun to see a 104 temp!
haha I thought the Garlicky Spinach and Chickpea Soup sounded great.