Our menu sans meat

Taking stock so far of our meatless Lent, I'm pretty happy with how it's going.  I thought I might easily get stuck in a soup/grilled cheese rut, but it feels instead like I have more choices than days to cook!  We all know what that's about:  the good Lord is lending a hand.  Who says the Spirit can't inspire us with culinary imagination?

Here's a peak at some of our recent hits:

• spinach and artichoke frittata with whole grain oatmeal raisin scones (made from scratch, with just a little rage and hatred from me)
• my sister's stuffed shells--BIG hit, which is saying a lot because my children do not trust her cooking at all.  There was the Chicken Chili Incident, when she lied and pretended they would be having chili and then served a SOUP with chicken, beans and spices.
• shrimp fried rice
• cobb salad with oven-baked shrimp
• 3-bean chili (the real kind that's a thick palette for sour cream and cheddar)
• "Cheese pizza" risotto with tomatoes and a blend of mozzarella and provolone

Of course we've had the regulars: tuna casserole, baked ziti and grilled cheese.  I'm excited about making these:

• black bean quesadillas
• vegetarian Tex-Mex casserole with spiced beans, chilies, refried beans, and those yummy diced tomatoes with jalapenos.
• tuna melt strombolis

I'm a regular vegetarian virtuoso . . . or at least my family is not in the lurch dying for a good pbj.  The little ones do ask for meat by Saturdays, but I'm making sure they're getting plenty of protein in cheese, eggs, beans and peanut butter.