A look at the weekly menu in the middle of January that includes plenty of coffee, hiding in the house, and a Keurig Brewer and Millstone Coffee giveaway to keep you warm this winter.

It’s Tuesday. My computer is acting slow. Last night I asked my husband to make dinner. I offered some slightly pathetic options, and he turned them into a meal. It is one of the reasons I married him. Suddenly microwave rice and chicken and fresh green beans became Singapore-style rice with cilantro and lime, a peanut sauce made from scratch and garlic green beans. Then I yelled at him. It wasn’t my finest moment.

Perhaps it was because I was dealing with a bit of a groggy head, made that way by the head cold that has taken up residence. Perhaps it’s because I know that I’ve been slacking in the family dinner department between holidays, the book and taking on more projects. Still, it may have just been the day and the overwhelming feeling that gripped me as I stared around at my messy house and my husband, in the middle of it, with his peanut sauce and green beans and 8 stitches running the length of his pointer finger.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that the weekly menu needs to come back. So, it’s here again. I hope you’ve missed it as much as my family has.

Monday – Coconut Ginger Chicken and Vegetables

Tuesday – Potato Kale Soup with Whole Wheat Pitas

Wednesday – Crunchy Kale and Coconut Bowl

Thursday – Chicken Fried Rice

Friday – Mediterranean Bean Salad with Chicken

The Preparation Shortcuts:

1. Make extra farro on Wednesday and use it in place of the barley in the bean salad for Friday.
2. Extra pitas from Tuesday become Friday’s meal as well.
3. Use the kale in both Tuesday’s soup and Wednesday’s farro bowl of goodness.
4. Extra rice and chicken from Monday turn into the building blocks for Thursday’s meal. Use leftover vegetables to fill in the gaps.

I’ve just been existing on coffee, which isn’t such a bad thing, but a bit of sustenance every now and then wouldn’t hurt either. Let’s talk for a moment about coffee. I prefer mine dark. Espresso, dark roasts, strong brewed. You may prefer something on the lighter side, which is just as well.

I also like slow drip, cold pressed, french press and so many other nerdy coffee delivery mechanisms I can’t possibly keep them straight. However, there are more days than not where I need a cup to go, a cup right now while I’m in the middle of this and that and five other things, and I would just like it to materialize without a whole lot of effort on my part. Enter the Keurig.

My friends at Millstone decided they’d like to share a cup of coffee or two with us here. Seeing as how there’s always time for another cup in my life, I accepted. Millstone offers a few K-Cup varieties–Foglifter, Hazelnut Cream, Breakfast Blend–all Fair Trade Certified and a bit of something for everyone. The Foglifter ended up being my favorite. While a medium roast, it is full bodied and complex, and a medium roast does offer more caffeine than a darker roast, after all.

Plus, the little coffee fact on their website informed me of this: “Turkish bridegrooms were once required to make a promise during their wedding ceremonies to always provide their new wives with coffee. If they failed to do so, it was grounds for divorce.” Perhaps that’s what Ole was missing. Husbands, take note. Failure to provide coffee may result in massive meltdowns.

Note on the Keurig: Did you know you can buy a filter for the Keurig and use it for any of your favorite coffee grounds, too? Less waste and still convenient one-cup brewing. Additionally, they have tea and hot chocolate options for other members of the family, too. A certain 11-year-old wants you to know about them. She said I had to tell you.

THE PRIZE

One lucky reader will win a Millstone Keurig Coffee Package that includes:

• Variety of Millstone K-Cup Portion Packs in Breakfast Blend, Foglifter and Hazelnut Cream
• Crate and Barrel coffee cup
• Keurig Elite Brewing System
• $25 grocery shopping card to help you get your menu back on track

HOW TO ENTER TO WIN

1. Leave a comment. How do you take your coffee?

2. Follow @FoodforMyFamily on Twitter and tweet the following, and come back and let me know you did:

Enter to win a @Keurig Brewing System and Millstone K-Cups from @FoodforMyFamily http://su.pr/5UZW1d #giveaway

3. Share the giveaway on Facebook or join the Food for My Family community on Facebook. Come back and leave a comment letting me know you did so. If you already do, THANK YOU. Just let me know.

THE RULES:

This giveaway will run until Sunday, January 29th at 11:59 p.m. ET and is open to all U.S. residents. A winner will be chosen at random using Random.org from all eligible entries. Each reader has 3 chances to win by completing the above tasks and leaving a separate comment for each entry method completed. Chosen winner must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize. Good luck!

This giveaway is sponsored by Millstone Coffee and J.M. muckers. Tips, opinions and random thoughts are 100% mine.

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