What I'm Cooking in February 2015

In case you need inspiration for menu planning! I've divided what I'm cooking into categories. Regular dinners are pretty self-explanatory. Sunday dinners are for our youngest son and his girlfriend, who come to be fed something besides cereal and ramen noodles every Sunday night. We are hosting 2 potluck dinners in February and attending another, so I've included my contributions for those. On Friday nights, we usually stay in and play with a craft project while sipping cocktails and nibbling on something yummy. Some Saturdays, I get to make us a special breakfast, so I've included those. The miscellaneous includes recipes I'm making for neighbors & friends, special lunches just for me, and, this month, a special Valentine's Day cocktail and dessert. My wife is slated to make dinner Valentine's Day, so I wanted to do something nice for her, too. Since our legal wedding anniversary is February 21st, we'll wait until then to go out for dinner. Hope this is inspiring to some of you who have a hard time planning menus.

Regular Dinners:

-Lebanese veggie soup, good bread, fruit

-Fried chicken, mac & cheese, salad with pears, walnuts, & blue cheese, baked apples

-Filets with creamy paprika sauce, egg noodles, limas, pumpkin bread

- Pasta e fagioli, roasted beet salad w/apple & goat cheese, good bread

-Broiled citrus chicken, black beans & rice, maduros, avo & onion salad

- Corn dogs, fries, salad, corn

-Corn chowder in bread bowls, fruit

-Jambalaya, salad, corn, good bread, King Cake (Mardi Gras)

-Chicken sofrito, jasmine & wild rice with garbanzos, currants, & herbs, roasted cauliflower & hazelnut salad

Sunday Dinners:

-Chili, appetizers by my darling wife, spice cake (Super Bowl)

- Slow-cooker roast, mashed potatoes, corn, salad, ginger-pumpkin mousse

-Brisket with carrots & onions, mashed potatoes, salad, apple & cranberry sauce, rolls

-Pumpkin bread pudding (wife’s night to cook)

Potluck suppers:

-Baked spaghetti

-Apple & brie toasts, red beans & rice, chocolate lavender truffles, Westminster punch (hosting)

-Baked spaghetti, pimiento cheese dip with crackers, brownies (hosting)

Cocktails & Crafts:

-Cheddar cheese ball & crackers, from-scratch hot chocolate with peppermint Kahlúa,

-Oniony chicken dip with tortilla chips, Smooth Operator cocktails

-Garlic spread & crackers, Moscow Mules

-Fruit & nut spread with crackers & fruit, Canalettos

-Kahlúa velvets, pesto coins

Special Breakfasts:

-Chocolatey gingerbread waffles, bacon, fruit

-Slow cooker oatmeal with walnuts, apples, & raisins

Miscellaneous Yumminess

-Mocha coffee mix

--Chocolate fallen soufflé cake + Raspberry Royale cocktails (Valentine’s dessert & cocktails)

-Super Veggie Sandwich