Weekly Menu Planning - April 2026

Cooking Discussions
21

Hi everyone

Spring is slowly springing, even though the temperatures need a memo to that effect.

Weekend will be a busy one with friends and visiting family, but the week should be quieter.

— Fri: Dinner out with friends after the art expo.
— Sat: Family gathering with visitors.
— Sun: Greek Easter celebration with my friend’s family, replete with spit-roasted lamb and other treats including homemade phyllo pies and Easter cookies.

Rest of the week:
— Quick pressure cooker Lamb Plov + tbd vegetable.
— Cappellini with shiitake mushrooms, soy, and butter + Cantonese soy sauce poached chicken
— Adana kebab from COTM Zaytinya / Jose Andres (probably in sheet pan or spread-on-tortilla format).
— Curried lentil and coconut soup (based on this one from Ottolenghi)
— Something with salmon – either Fish Pie or Japanese Pot Rice.

I also need to figure out pronto what I’ll take to my friend’s family’s Easter gathering on Sunday. Thinking mini kofta / cutlets / wanjajeon or a tortilla espanola cut into bite-sized squares, and maybe a ricotta or cream cheese pound cake.

Wish you all a relaxing weekend and a peaceful week ahead.

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22

Writing to you from the passenger seat of our vehicle pulling our camper back to Asheville after almost a week’s vacation in Tampa. We ate out the whole time (except for cold breakfast) and are ready for some home cooking. Here’s my plan with an emphasis on protein. I usually figure out vegetable sides on the fly.

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https://www.seriouseats.com/bastila-moroccan-chicken-pie-recipe-8731421

https://www.eatingwell.com/chicken-piccata-casserole-8364414

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23

The chicken-egg-rice bowl looks right up our alley - thanks for the link.

I’ll look forward to your report on the Bastila on the WFD thread.

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24

I’ve made a few bastillas from different cookbooks, and this is my favorite, although it’s somewhat untraditional (and also more work than some others, though easily spaced out). Flavor is A+.

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25

I’ve only had it once - at a Moroccan restaurant in Seattle 30-40 years ago. It was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten, still memorable, and ever since I’ve thought about trying to make it. Thanks for the encouragement!

ETA: The one I had was bunny… :rabbit:

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26

I’ve had it at a Moroccan restaurant, but as I said, I’ve also made a few; a fairly simple (in terms of spicing, etc.) Claudia Roden one, one from Dorie Greenspan, and the Ottolenghi one (from the Nopi cookbook). All were good, but the Nopi version was special. I need to find an occasion to make it again.

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27

I absolutely love that curried lentil soup. Be sure to add some lime at the end. The brightness makes all the difference.

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28

Yes, it benefits from a bit of acid at the end.
I also like a bit of crunch and spice — chilli crisp, fried shallots, croutons, are all good.

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29

The Cambodian chicken and miso lamb both sound great!
(I’d take some granola off your hands, but then I’d have the same problem :face_savoring_food:)

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30

Love that style of ginger chicken and rice – I’ve most often made the one from Woks of Life, as well as their steamed chicken and mushrooms (rice separate, because I often already have leftover rice).

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31

I just made the chicken and ginger rice from recipetineats and it was okay but it definitely needs more flavour. The only aromatic was the soy sauce with a little fish sauce added and ginger and garlic of course. The next time I make it I think I will try one of those Woks of Life recipes. Have you tried either recipe? And did you try them with lily buds? I’m not sure how easy to source where I live. I have the day off on Thursday and I’m heading to Chinatown for the afternoon so I’ll keep an eye peeled for them.

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32

A late post (half actuals as planned, half future plans) to feed 3 in the Boston burbs…

Sun: baked pasta with a ton of cheeses (SK) - it was good but not great - and salads

Mon: black bean soup, cheese quesadillas

Tues: stir-fried pork with green beans and cherry tomatoes (from Dinner in One), I used Bachan sauce instead of soy sauce and vinegar

Weds: chicken souvlaki, pita bread

Thurs: was supposed to be leftover pasta but there isn’t enough for all of us, so… tbd. Might be the Kevin’s Korean-style beef I have in the freezer. Broccoli on the side.

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33

I’ve been making both those for years. Not with lily buds yet (I picked some up, just haven’t used them yet.)

Which mushrooms did you use? They add a lot of flavor — I use dried black mushrooms and assorted fresh mushrooms.

The kecap manis in the recipe tin eats version may be more intense than regular soy sauce, not sure if you used that or substituted.

I love the flavor of sesame oil to finish, though it’s not always in the original Hong Kong version (which gets most of its flavor from intense toppings, and some drizzled sauce at the end).

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34

I used king oyster mushrooms this time since I had some in the fridge that I wanted to finish up. i didn’t bother getting more mushrooms since I would have leftovers and I am trying to finish up bits and bobs in the fridge. I have some dried shiitakes in the pantry and I think in retrospect I should have tossed some in my stir fry.

I only used soy sauce and I think therein lies the problem. I was thinking after I should have added a little sesame oil since it adds so much flavour to the stir fry and I didn’t realize kecap manis would add so much flavour since I’ve never used it before. I will add it to my grocery list.

Thanks for your feedback!

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35

Cooking for 3 in southwestern Ontario.

Wed:
Pasta Primavera. I like this recipe with a beurre blanc sauce.

Thu:
beef kofte and rice pilaf, Calabrese eggplant parm (not fried, Rosetta Costantino’s recipe from My Calabria)

I don’t think the recipe is online but it can be found on some FB videos.
Here are some of Rosetta’s other recipes.

Fri:
maple ginger salmon, roast potatoes

Sat:
roast chicken thighs, orzo

Sun:
take-out to be determined

Mon:
maybe pastitsio, maybe Zaytinya’s Hünkâr Begendi (Turkish braised Lamb with Creamy Eggplant )

Tue:
paella or another main course pilaf

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36

You read my mind. I want to make this with corn-burrata ravioli as a side for salmon tonight. I never knew the recipe calls for white wine vinegar. Thanks!

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37

I hope you like it!

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38

It’s stupid warm here today (hi 70s), but that means the plants in our rock garden are finally starting to bloom :heart_eyes: I guess it beats 30s and snow :woman_shrugging:t2:

My OG plans to screen Sinners for ma ladies fell through again due to everyone’s crazy schedules. So tonight we’ll be eating leftovers: that fab mapo doufu I made Monday, with the addition of my PIC’s excellent baby bok choy. Already looking forward to it. If it’s not too muggy / windy, we might take the Vespa to the beer garden for a HH drank in a bit.

Tomorrow my PIC is meeting up with a couple of grad students at our favorite watering hole, and I may just join him. The small plates this week appeal — there’s a softshell crab sammie, an arugula steak salad, ½ dozen urrsters — so we’ll probz split a little something. I also snagged the ONE order of roast pork coming in from Chinatown to the Asian grocer I stopped in earlier for tofu & ginger, which might provide additional, post-drankage sustenance :cocktail_glass: :pig_nose:

Friday we’re having 6 friends over for a lamb shoulder feast. The shoulders we inherited from our friends will be prepared two ways: the smaller one will be turned into my PIC’s fabulous youvetsi, and the large one will go on the Primo low and slow. I’ll make maroulosalata (with feta, shallots, and a simple dressing of olive oil, RWV, dill), plus either baba ganoush or melitsano. To be decided tomorrow. We’ll ask our Lebanese friend to bring dessert, since she’s such a fantastic baker.

Saturday we’re possibly getting together with a friend. Not clear yet on deets.

Sunday one of the folks interested in house & cat-sitting over the summer is coming by for a meet & greet in the afternoon. Dinner’s gonna hafta be something sssssspicy. TBD.

Monday might be cheeborgerz & fries. We still have a couple of TJ’s chuck & brisket patties & almost always have LW fries in the freezer. Easy peasy.

Tuesday I am finally gettin’ my hair did (after almost NINETEEN WEEKS), so we might have to go out for me to parade it around :smiley:

Wednesday our HK buddy and his boo are throwing a random mid-week party at the cocktail lounge my trio played recently. They’re retired and like spending money on their friends. What’s not to like? Plus the joint has FAB blue cheese stuffed olives for their dirty martinis & very good pizza. Should be fun! :partying_face:

Have a wonderful week, fellow HOs, hold your friends & loved ones close, and eat all the good tings :black_heart:

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39

Greetings, People.

Cooking for two adults in the PNW.

FRI: Salmon Caesar.

SAT: Epicurious’s Korean rice bowl (an early version) with beef, egg, and asparagus.

SUN: Fish and chips. Cucumber salad.

MON: Fish chowder of some sort. Focaccia. Cucumber salad.

TUE: Woks of Life stir-fried chicken and asparagus.

WED: Pork chops! Potatoes. Roasted carrots. Applesauce.

THUR: Melissa Clark’s Green Goddess roast chicken with garden herbs. Spuds. Veg TBD.

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40

this sounds delish!

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