On the Menu

I have been having so much fun finding new recipes to add to my What's for Supper list. But this week I encountered one that will absolutely not make the list. I am not a picky eater at all, except that I despise mayonnaise and anything resembling it, like salad dressing. (And I have no idea what the difference is between the two and why people become grossly defensive about one vs. the other, and please don't try to make me understand. They're both icky.) I also don't like salmon patties, beef tongue or brains, and veal. Besides that, I'll pretty much eat anything. Except pigs' feet and those purplish eggs. And cole slaw, egg salad, tuna salad, and potato salad (but that goes back to the whole mayo thing).

But ANYWAY, this week I made a meal that I actually ended up tossing out. The villain: the Food Network's Calypso Beef Soup. So, okay. When I told a few friends the ingredients to the soup after the fact, they said, "What would possess you to think that would be good?" I had my reservations, I really did. Black-eyed peas, ground beef, sweet potatoes, spinach, and coconut milk: hmmm—definitely sounds suspicious. But the reviews on the site were so convincing! "This is the best soup I've ever tasted...and I don't just hand out that title.... My picky husband even went back for 2nds and said it was his favorite as well" and "Everyone thought the flavors were unique and wonderful and all helped themselves to seconds!" Now I have to wonder: What do these poor people eat normally that they found this to be such a treat?

Not my shining moment in the kitchen. We all ate about a dozen bites and threw it out. I didn't even bring the leftovers over to my parents, who will eat anything (including brains and tongue). Fortunately, we had a good portion of this Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip left from our Cub Scout Blue and Gold banquet the night before. This dip, by the way, is aMAzing!! Please, please try it for your next party!

The General Tso's Chicken was delicious, and I didn't get to my other new recipe. One night we did have our favorite Baked Potato Soup and Randy made Fettucine Alfredo again last night at my Mom's special request, along with Pioneer Woman's Buttery Bread and Roasted Cauliflower.

Coming up next week, we'll be having
• Cuban Pork Roast with applesauce,
• chili
• Pioneer Woman's Pasta with Artichokes.

The other nights we have various other dinner plans, so my grocery list this week actually has about 15 items on it. What sorts of interesting things are you eating this week? I hope all your meals are successful—and trust me: don't try the Calypso Soup! Menu Plan Monday , Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, and Balancing Beauty and Bedlam are great places to find more recipes and reviews.