Weekly Menu Planning - June 2022

I have never tried a meal kit service but someone gifted me a free box of four meals. 3/4 meals were hits - I sometimes make liberal changes or additions. Asian recipes are definitely oversimplified, but there’s nothing stopping you from using traditional techniques and ingredients instead. My friend who subscribes to lots of kits says MarleySpoon are the best. I’m trying Everyplate next - it’s pitch is being coat effective, and I can see from the ingredient selection and “add on” model that is the case. Trying to keep an open mind.

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Someone sent me a HelloFresh trial a few years ago and it was fine, I just wasn’t too excited by the available options the week I tried it.

Cooking mostly for 1, I always think about how many components I need to buy and how else I’ll be able to use them so as not to waste, and that often deters certain meals, so I like that they’ll send just what’s needed. But - the packaging…

Still, have been lacking inspiration so it may be worth another trial of something…

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The contractor/work team never showed up! :weary: But dinner turned out great at least!

And I discovered that Whispering Angel rose goes very well with dishes that have cumin! There was much Whispering Angel to soothe my mood last night.

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I’m not big into sweet and savory (that’s an understatement), but aside from that I’ve rarely seen sweet main meal components - they’re usually chutneys or pickles (the indian kind). So it was unusual to see apples applied as a vegetable. Learn something every day!

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The recipe’s author was similarly surprised by the apple too (in the article she mentioned trying it at a restaurant first). I am not entirely sure what kind of apples the CSA bag contained, but they had enough tartness to hold up in a savory dish, Honeycrisp or Empire maybe. I would definitely use something like a Granny Smith, left to my own devices and just buying ones at the supermarket. The red onion definitely helped pull it over into the savory arena and the coconut provided a really neat textural component.

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Hi everyone and happy saturday! (I’m trying to mood shift out of a deep, dark place… let’s see…)

Last week’s plan got derailed by my home food craving upon returning from the long weekend… made way too much chicken curry and so had to eat it for several meals. But, it was tasty and homey so not a bad thing.

Some actuals and then a plan (mostly time-shifted from the past two weeks):

Tues - Home-style chicken curry with potatoes, rice, roasted cauliflower.

Wed - Capellini cacio e pepe to take a break from the chicken (which I had for lunch), roasted cauliflower.

Thurs - Last of the Mujadara, then a bit of chicken curry with chapatis because I was still hungry.

Fri - Last of the chicken curry (finally), chapatis, rice.

Sat (tonight) - Vietnamese grilled pork chop, broccoli slaw, rice.

Sun - Maybe out to meet friends, otherwise Vietnamese leftovers.

Mon - Out at a charity gala / awards ceremony - after almost 3 years. Looking forward to dressing up (though not the food).

Tues - HO-down / group dinner in Chinatown (my first of these types of gatherings, looking forward to meeting online friends in person)

Wed - I bought some breaded barramundi on sale, thinking of taking inspiration from the fish bharta a few weeks ago, but instead of mashing the fish up I’ll make the broccoli slaw with the mustard and seasonings and have that alongside the fish. Very appropriate, as barramundi aka hilsa is a quintessentially Bengali fish and often eaten as fish fingers :smiley:

Thurs - Leftovers or freezer dive.

Fri - Possibly out, otherwise Char siu pork (using country “ribs”), garlic broccoli, and rice.

Weekend - TBD. Still waiting to make the larb recipe from COTM Simple Thai Cooking… maybe I’ll finally get around to it!

I made a batch of cauliflower soup for lunch after ages. Used up the stub of a roll for croutons as a treat, plus pumpkin seeds on top for some texture.

I think I’ll start doing this (ie a vegetable puree) regularly because it’s a delicious and easy way to stay healthy at lunchtime without much thought. Also, filling. And there are a lot of tasty options to rotate through. Next up maybe Chrissy Teigen’s carrot soup, which I’ve been thinking about lately.

Finally replenished flour for baking… thinking about orange olive oil cake for my friend’s son who’s home from college (he was the recipient of a series of recipe trials on this a few years ago :joy: — and he left last weekend with the entire pan of brownies I baked a day after I got there, so I know he’s good for it :rofl:), and maybe a small focaccia to go with soup lunches or a small boule, let’s see.

Wish you all a better weekend than the week that was.

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So frustrating about the contractors. You’re making amazing sounding meals, especially given the situation.

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Actuals for June 20 week, cooking for 2 in MN. Where summer heat has, today, been replaced by perfect spring cooler/breezy weather. We get to have the windows open, too, since construction workers for the fire station on the corner take the weekend off.

Mon: Countertop oven pork loin, farro, Normandy veggies
Tues lunch: last of the Greek Chicken salad on naan, red grapes, Rhubarb upside down cake (baked in early morning)
Wed: Salmon, pasta salad w shredded carrot, green pepper and light mayo dressing, fresh orange slices
Thurs & Fri: Apple/lettuce salad with shredded chicken and mini-grilled cheese croutons.
Sat: Ground turkey/mac & cheese w/herb& garlic tomatoes “goulash” A Julia Pacheco recipe with salad and baguette
Sun (today): noon - Top sirloin in foil packet, coated w/ dry onion soup & steak sauce. Sliced potatoes w/ lemon olive oil, garlic, oregano. Salad. Slivers of chocolate pie.
dinner (planned) - either reheat of the goulash or
Peachy meatballs w rice (use the rest of the ground turkey).

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The July discussion is ready for whenever your plan is more for July than June.

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Cooking for 1 at the Jersey Shore. I keep trying to use up things I already have on hand in the freezer to make some space and save money but I need to be banned from Instacart. slams head on table

Sunday: another shrimp burger with Old Bay mayo (Endless Summer cookbook) because it was so good, green salad
Monday: baked boneless pork chop topped with sauerkraut, roasted baby Yukon gold potatoes, green salad
Tuesday: Monday leftovers
Wednesday: Baked pasta (cavatappi) in the style of baked ziti with leftover vegetable manicotti filling from the freezer
Thursday: Andalusian Gazpacho from the Margaritaville cookbook
Friday: Thursday leftovers
Saturday: smashed burger from the freezer with sriracha/relish/mayo sauce, sauteed zucchini

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I’m not a user of Instacart, but can you remove your “stored” credit card, forcing you to type in all that info each time? It might slow you down… and be nicer to that head :grinning:

Shrimp burger is going on my list for this upcoming week. Thanks for the inspiration.

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Re. CSA and lack of commitment - have you looked into Morrissey Market? They deliver, you just order what you want, but their produce boxes are great. I just ordered their 4th of July package.

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We had a lovely few days in Santa Barbara. Brief report here. We managed to clear out our fridge/freezer enough to solve whatever temp problem it was having… we think. Perhaps something was covering a temperature sensor? We’ll find out!

For two adults in San Diego:

This week’s breakfasts: No mojo. Not going to lie… I’ll be starting the week with a packet of raspberry Pop Tarts (just one day, I swear). We’ll see where I go from there.

S: Takeout: Chicken teriyaki plate (veggies, macaroni salad, rice). Enjoy for lunch leftovers for a few days.

Su: (tonight) Tostadas with leftover taco meat from the freezer.

M: Clam chowder (purchased) with rolls - seafood

T: Sourdough, gouda, cheddar, grapes and/or apple slices - vegetarian

W: Chicken shawarma tacos

Th: Pasta with ground turkey, peas, shallots, white wine, cream… just making it up as I go along to use up some stuff;

F: Chicken quesadillas with guacamole

Have a good week!

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Hello fellow planners!

Reporting back to say that the Spaghetti al Limone with Shrimp, and Crispy Honey Ginger Salmon Bowls were both big hits last week and they’ll be added to our summer rotation. Our only regret about the salmon bowls was that we didn’t realize until after we’d eaten them at that they would have been a great vehicle for chili crisp…all the more reason to make them again!

It’s a short week for us here in Ontario, as Canada Day is this Friday, and our employer (my husband and I work for the same institution) has also given us Thursday off, so we’ll be headed down to the cottage where my mother, fridge and freezer bursting says, “I’ll need to bring in more food!” This is why we always find ourselves having to “eat everything in the freezer” on Labour Day weekend. But I digress…

Cooking for two adults and a 9 yo in southern Ontario:

M - Cheddar brats on a bun, potato salad, grilled veggies (asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini., red onion)

T - Balsamic basil grilled chicken on a bun and side salad with mixed greens, local strawberries and goat cheese (all from this week’s Caro Chambers recipe)

W - Last day of Grade 3 for my kiddo! Creamy bacon pasta

Th - I think my mum asked my husband to bring and make ribs at the cottage. He makes excellent ribs and usually serves with grilled asparagus and some potatoes.

Not sure what the rest of the week holds as we’ll be at the cottage for dinner on Friday. Since it’s Canada Day there is usually also a campfire, s’mores etc.

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That looks like a pretty tasty celebration meal! Let us know how you like it.

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Hi everyone! First I want to report back that I’m positively shocked by how delicious the canned salmon rice bowl I linked to above turned out to be. Even my husband, who has only recently warmed to salmon in general, loved it. We will definitely make it again. So happy whenever I find a cheap, quick meal we enjoy.

Here’s what I have planned for this week, for 2 adults & 2 little kids in Toronto.

Mon - cavatappi with garlic scape pesto, asparagus, and ricotta (Cook this Now), and a salad of ribbons of Swiss chard with panko, parm, and an EVOO/balsamic dressing. The pasta is an annual favorite in June, this year I subbed in asparagus for the sugar snap peas that are in the original recipe. But the real star was the chard salad. I recently discovered I love raw Swiss chard (don’t care for it cooked). It’s the only bitter green I thought I didn’t like, until I tried it raw. So good!

Tues - Spanish tortilla (recipe from Serious Eats) & simple lettuce salad.

Wed - I’m having dinner at a Bengali restaurant with a friend visiting from out of town. The family will get takeout or make hot dogs.

Thurs - last day of junior kindergarten for my kids! We will either go out or have pizza and a sundae bar to celebrate.

Fri - Canada Day. No school/work. We’re going strawberry picking in the morning and will see extended family in the afternoon. I’m planning to make something I came up with recently that was sooooo good. I took poached chicken from the freezer (vac sealed with some poaching liquid) and added it to quickly sautéed onions and garlic. To that I added a jar of good green salsa, and simmered for a bit. Served over rice and topped with cilantro and avocado. It was made out of necessity but now I am repeating it intentionally.

Sat - southwestern pork tenderloin (recipe from the Kitchn), oven fries, simple salad.

Sun - planning to make Smitten Kitchen’s falafel and serving with all the fixings, but I might be tired at this point and we might get takeout.

Have a good week, all!

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Isn’t it awesome when an experiment turns out repeat-worthy and easy too!

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That’s fabulous!

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It’s the best feeling! Do you have any favorite dishes you’ve stumbled into line that?

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