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But this weekend, my husband went out of town and for some reason, I just don't feel as motivated to cook while he's away. So this weekend, the world revolved around the restaurants I visited and the meals I tried there.
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On Friday night, David and I joined a group of friends for dinner at the Mexican Café in Annapolis. Now, if you're an Annapolis resident, I'll assume you've already been there – their margaritas are legendary! Due to a bad headache, I didn't participate in any tequila-drinking – so unlike me, I know! – but I did indulge in the carnitas tacos (no beans, extra rice, please!) I didn't get to enjoy much of it, unfortunately, due to that terrible headache that caused me to box up my food and call it a night almost immediately after it was served, but I particularly enjoyed the leftovers later. I am also a huge fan of the salsa they served with the tortilla chips prior to the meal. I always prefer a salsa that's similar to pico de gallo that tastes very fresh and not too spicy – Mexican Café hit the mark.
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The next morning, after David took off to visit friends on the Eastern Shore, I joined a dear friend at Miss Shirley's in Annapolis for a late eakfast. My friend was in town from Los Angeles, visiting her parents, so it was up to me to find the right place to dine. Though I hadn't eaten there since its opening, Miss Shirley's was definitely the right place. We sat outside – luckily, the rain held off – and enjoyed bottomless cups of coffee and some good eakfast food. My friend was in the mood for a traditional eakfast, so she stuck with the two-eggs, sausage, and hash owns combo, while I was intrigued by the Southern Slammer, a eakfast sandwich made with fried green tomatoes, applewood-smoke bacon, cheddar cheese, avocado, and egg served on Pumpernickel ead. It came with hash owns, but was so large that I couldn't finish it all! It's seems like their award for Best Breakfast in Annapolis this year was well-deserved
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Finally, my weekend ended with a lunch at Coal Fire in West County. This new Crofton restaurant, located at the Waugh Chapel Town Centre, has been on my list to try ever since it opened. I was planning to attend Kegs and Corks in Jessup, but the rain thwarted that plan, so a friend and I decided to get some food, then hunker down with a single bottle of wine in my living room. We split the Crabby Mac and Cheese, which was incredibly rich, but filled with large chunks of crabmeat, as well as the margherita pizza. For $15 each, it was a filling lunch at a reasonable price.
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It's strange to go an entire weekend without cooking. Well, unless you count Ramen noodles "cooking." Ha! I didn't think so, either – though I did add shrimp, spinach, sesame oil, and some Sriracha sauce to jazz it up a bit. What can I say – it's a guilty pleasure when the husband is out of town. So on Sunday evening, I headed to the grocery store and thought about the cooking I plan to do this coming week.
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Menu Monday
Every week, I struggle with planning our dinners. It doesn't help that, when asked what he wants for dinner, my husband always responds, "food." My response: "What kind of food?" Him: "The kind you eat." Thanks, dear. The helpfulness is overwhelming.
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Monday: Slow-cooker pot roast with potatoes and carrots
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Tuesday: I have a post-work meeting, so my husband will heat up a frozen pizza and I'll pick something up. I'm thinking sushi (I'm always thinking sushi).
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Wednesday: Salmon and Broccoli Alfredo
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Thursday: Pork roast with mushroom gravy over rice noodles, zucchini
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Friday: Steaks on the grill, bok choy (on the grill, too? Oh, the possibilities!) and a yet-to-be-determined second vegetable or starch.
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What are you planning for dinner this week?
