What are your menu choices for October?

[rodentraiser]

Trying to save money, I decided to start cooking again. I'll make a list of recipes I want to try and then buy whatever ingredients I don't have. Sometimes I don't have to buy anything, sometimes I feel like I have to clean out the store. Anyway, here are a few new recipes I want to try for the rest of October.

Easy Baked Meatballs - I'm using the Swedish meatballs sauce for these
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple
Chantilly Potatoes with a Parmesan Crust
Sesame Shrimp
Ham Salad (basically deviled ham to put on sliders)
Bacon and Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

I also have another box of Hamburger Helper and I want to make tacos at least once, along with a few other things I've made before. But the above recipes are new ones I haven't tried before and hopefully they'll be good.

What meals or new recipes are you planning for the rest of October?

 

[caseydog]

I prefer to stuff chicken thighs. Bacon and cheese are good, although cream cheese might ooze out all the cream cheese. Here is a favorite of mine, chicken bombs. Thighs stuffed with jalapeños and cheese.

CD

 

[caseydog]

Oh, I am going to be in Houston for half of the next six weeks -- through Thanksgiving. I'll have to eat out half of that time. When I am home, I'll be cooking without any pre-made plans, trying to lose the weight I gain eating out.

CD

 

[taxlady]

I have a bunch of things lined up, but I don't know how much energy I will have on any given day, until that day, so I have to be flexible. Here is one of things in that line up. I'll post one now and maybe some more later.

This is quick and delicious. I make my own bulk, Italian sausage because, it's cheaper, it's really easy, and it doesn't have weird ingredients (unless you want to add weird ingredients).

Link to the a slightly more complicated version that has recipe amounts and written instructions:

Orecchiette With Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

This is a rich, meaty variation on the classic Apulian pasta, made with pork sausage, bitter greens, olive oil, garlic, chiles, and al dente orecchiette.

www.seriouseats.com

Easier homemade, bulk, Italian sausage:

Italian sausage, mild

www.copymethat.com

More complex, homemade, Italian sausage:

Homemade Italian Sausage – I Was the Uncle Bill of My Slow Casing Fill

The last time I remember making sausage was with my Uncle Billy many years ago, who was doing his famous dried Italian sausage for Christm...

foodwishes.blogspot.com

 

[HeyItsSara]

i should get pumpkin soon. tis the season!!!

 

[Jade Emperor]

The DH has become more adventurous over the years, but still enjoys the staples of my menus.
I like to stock up on my “weapons”. - those 1% ingredients that really make a great meal and often are the ones that nobody can pick. Herbs and spices are your best friend.
For chicken, try tarragon. For lamb it’s always rosemary and so on. Most meat has a very good babysitter, but don’t be afraid to try other things.
I have been inspired by @pepperhead212 to try growing my own chillies, and just yesterday sprayed some caterpillar death spray because they were being decimated.
Just keep on looking around here, ask questions and grab ideas you like - it’s the best website ever for a community who shares their love of cooking.

 

[Jade Emperor]

Even when I was in the kitchen, with high pressure and tight time, I would never put up a dish if it wasn’t ready.
The takeaway from this if you are a home cook is - TAKE YOUR TIME!
A really great dish is made with care, preparation and those little things that make it memorable. Weapons.

 

[blissful]

We keep a list of things on a noteboard on the fridge that we don't have in the freezer, that we want to eat and freeze the rest for future meals.
It's more of a what batch cooking of food do I need to make when I have time.
Baked beans (black beans)
12 veggie burgers
Chili w/beans (red beans)
WW macaroni
Bake ww bread
And for canning, I'll be canning yellow mustard in the next few months.
Some onions in the basement are sprouting, so we'll sort those and I'll chop and freeze onions so they don't go bad.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Nothing new.

I try to keep it simple and make an effort not to buy out the store or load up on pantry items that I seldom use.

Small boiled dinners appear more often along with sheet pan vegetables, pasta, etc…

Unfortunately, for me, more stick to your ribs foods from now until spring.

These days, I only cook about once a week and fill in with grab ‘n’ go or portion controlled convenience foods.

 

[dragnlaw]

trying desperately to eat out of the freezer.

 

[blissful]

Starting now, October, I know we'll be making crustless pumpkin pie for desserts and snacking. Serving it with nice-cream or a raspberry or blackberry puree/jam (or one of 12? fruit puree/jams on hand in the pantry). We'll even eat it for breakfast sometimes.
We have pie pumpkins, and long island cheese pumpkins (they are white on the exterior), plus dehydrated winter squash, to get us through winter.

 

[caseydog]

At the airport, and already eating out. Fish tacos. I'll be eating out tonight, too.

CD

 

[taxlady]

trying desperately to eat out of the freezer.

So am I. I seem to be making a bit of headway in the fridge freezer. It should get easiear as I get more space. When there is more space, I can find stuff I have and don't have to buy replacements for stuff I can't find, but it's in there, somewhere.

 

[Sweetbun]

I don't know why, but I mostly have potato dishes on the menu in October.

 

[blissful]

I don't know why, but I mostly have potato dishes on the menu in October.

We love potatoes. We make them mashed, baked, potato puffs, a casserole of scalloped potatoes, baked potato and mushroom patties (potato steaks), lefse, gnocci, and condiments spices and sauces. As many ways as Forest Gump's friend makes shrimp.
Any suggestions? Mind sharing?

 

[caseydog]

As many ways as Forest Gump's friend Bubba makes shrimp.

FTFY

 

[LPBeier]

I have very little energy for cooking (or anything). /but my freezer is getting low so I am hoping to make the following to fill it up again.
Chicken Pot Pies
Meatballs (I make the sauce per meal)
Soup
Taco meat
GF baking