Meal Planning Monday

It's been a couple of weeks since I did this. I've been busy with a new job and my mom moving into her new house (she will live here part-time, yeah!).

Last week it was so hot that I didn't cook at all. Our meals were a hodge-podge of dinners out (someplace air conditioned), cold cheese sandwiches, cereal, and guacamole. I think we went through 4 or 5 avocados last week and tons of pico de gallo. J. and I also drank lots of cheladas (lager beer, Clamato, and a twist of lime), our new favorite summertime drink. So refreshing.

It doesn't seem like it's going to be as hot this week, so I really feel like cooking. Here's what I have up. Oh, and we didn't make it to the farmer's market yesterday (so I didn't get my lettuce starts), but the stuff I bought last week and wrapped in those magic green bags is still doing great. They have changed my life!

[The * indicated locally grown or sourced items. We try to shop local as much as possible.]

• Mexican Monday: Roast chicken*, butter beans* (dried, from the farmer's market), corn on the cob, salsa* and guacamole*.
• Tuesday: Polenta and sweet Italian sausages* in homemade tomato sauce*. P.S. My tomato plants are HUGE!
• Wednesday (sandwich night): Not sure yet.
• Thursday: Tortellini with pesto, salad* (P.S. My basil plants are coming along, too.)
• Friday—Monday: Kicking off the Memorial Day weekend. Not sure yet, my brother and his family will be visiting so I am sure we will do lots of grilling/picnicking. Definitely going to try some recipes from my new Sangria & Pitcher Drinks book.

What are you cooking this week? What are some of your favorite Memorial Day barbecue/picnic foods? God, I can almost taste the potato salad now.  Mmmmm mmmm!

Comments

[Linda]

I LOVE those greenbags! I totally fell for the informercial and made my husband get some on his way home one day. I like knowing that I can buy a bunch of basil or some organic strawberries and not have to use them right away because they last so much longer in those bags. I sound like I'm getting paid to endorse these, don't I? Ha ha.

[kristine]

I'm so buying the green bags!
mond-roasted rack of lamb, sauted shrooms-breen beans, wild rice
Tue- tri tip steaks (quicker than a whole tri tip) raspberry salad, green salad, garlic bread
Wed, BLT's , garlic fries,
thur, ahi tuna, stir fry veggies
fri- chic parmesan, pasta, squash
Sat-Sun-Mon turn into bbq madness, 4 bbq's in 3 days & I have been asked to bring desserts to all of them. I 'm the only who who bakes from scratch, so everyone is expecting something major. I better get planning asap!!

[mamagingertree]

So funny about the green bags. My daughter saw the TV infomercial and is always telling me that we need to buy those. She could make her own informercial.

Monday: Grilled cheese and homemade tomato soup
Tuesday: BBQ chicken, roast potatoes and asparagus
Wednesday: Rice and lentil salad (a Giada recipe), and maybe a grilled skirt steak
Thursday: Bowtie pasta with salmon
Friday: Henna night for my sister-in-law's wedding! Indian food galore
Saturday: Rehearsal dinner for sister-in-law's wedding... more Indian food
Sunday: Sister-in-law's... even MORE Indian food, I can't wait!!

[Karen]

Between farmer's markets and Costco we have no shortage of produce this week. I am talking to my girls about "eating the rainbow," so having all these nice fruits & veggies sparks some great conversations about our food and making good food choices. But I admit I am under pressure to use it all before it goes bad. Maybe I need to look into those green bags!

Mon - pork long rice with tons of veggies, cherry clafouti for dessert
Tues - crispy chicken tacos w/queso fresco and all the trimmings, fruit salad
Weds - grilled pork with lime glaze, grilled asparagus, sabzi polo (basmati with fresh herbs), smores w/nutella (my husband got the Costco size Nutella - just shoot me now...)
Thurs - chicken & potato Korma (sauce from Trader Joes), basmati, big plate of stir fried veggies, sliced oranges
Fri - homemade pizza
Sat - grilled chicken with avocado mango salsa, coconut rice, green salad
Sun - chelo kabob, shirazi salad

[emily]

You inspired me to type out my meal plan for the week - thus I'll probably stick to it a little more than I have been the past few weeks. Your tortellini and pesto sounds yummy - maybe I'll do something with pesto this weekend. Yum!

[Multicultural Mama]

When my now hubby and I first started dating, I put up a blackboard in his kitchen with our weekly dinner menu. (We both worked crazy long hours so it was incentive for us to make it home for dinner every night.) 7 years,two moves and two kids later, I keep meaning to do that again but haven't gotten around to do it!

Sunday we'll be grilling out with the neighbors and my plan is to bring fun food. Shaped hard boiled eggs if my molds from Ichibankan arrive in time, jello jigglers,mango upside down cake and Sangria--both Whole Foods and Trader Joes out here in Chi-town sell it in bottles and both are equally yummy. If I'm inspired though, I may have to try your recipe.

[Multicultural Mama]

Btw, Ichibankan.com has the Japanese version of the Greenbags for $1.00 online. I think their stores might carry them as well.

The molded eggs I spoke of can be found here:

http://lunchinabox.net/2006/06/22/williams-sonoma-for-egg-molds/

Again, go to ichibankan for the actual molds which are $1.50 for 2. I cannot wait until I get mine!

[Rob]

Thanks for the green bag recommendation. Have to see if I can find them in the UK.