Let’s use this thread to share concise weekly dinner menus for each week in August. It’s helpful if you can include your location and how many people you are feeding. Links to recipes are always appreciated, and sources help.
Do you have food-memories from childhood vacations? Growing up, August was always when we took a family vacation to visit one set of grandparents in Chicago. Day-trips to museums, the zoo and the big department stores (riding the escalators!). Lunches were usually sandwiches / picnics, carried to the day’s destination, and an ice cream treat bought on-site. And dinners featured Grandma’s specialties - most memorably, American chop-suey by our German-immigrant Grandma. Returning home, we savored those last days of August freedom – swimming, biking, reading for fun, eating our fill of sweet corn - before school’s start.
We all know plans can change, so it’s fine (practically expected) when your week gets rearranged from your posted plan. You may choose to report actuals for the prior week to share ideas with others.
The July discussion is still available for reporting the last week and follow-ups
Reminder – Keep your comments menu / food related. And in the interest of faster viewing times, please use the Knife&Fork “like” under a comment to indicate you liked it or want to echo what was said by another, rather than posting a separate comment.
Cooking for 1 at the Jersey Shore and trying to use up what I already have on hand in the fridge/freezer/cabinets.
Thursday: leftover meatloaf, zucchini/summer squash casserole, basmati rice cooked with leftover chicken stock
Friday: leftover beef stroganoff over egg noodles, pickled dill green beans
Saturday: same as Thursday
Sunday: skirt steak with jalapeno compound butter, corn on the cob, marinated carrots
Monday: chicken cacciatore made with leftover cacciatore sauce from the freezer, cavatappi pasta
Tuesday: Monday leftovers
Wednesday: fresh spinach pasta from Smitten Kitchen
Breadcrumbs and egg work as binders to allow the meatball to keep its shape and cling to the skewer. Not flipping the meatballs until well browned on the first side will prevent them from falling apart on the grill.
Any other advice for making sure these don’t disintegrate on the grill?
I make them stovetop or in the oven, but this recipe has an interesting technique. I find breadcrumbs dilute the flavor a bit, so tend not to use much of them if at all (but cooking on a grill is trickier, so you may not have a choice).
Thanks so much for all the references! I’ll study them tomorrow, and post results on the WFD thread. I suppose if they don’t fall apart on me, they’ll also qualify for the kebab thread.
I was leaning towards using a grill pan on our kamado grill (I have one of those perforated things), when I realized this morning we’re out of the flat, wooden yakitori skewers. All I have on hand are the thin, round bamboo skewers or giant metal flat skewers, the latter of which don’t fit onto the grill pan. So, I’ll either cook them on a griddle (outside - it’s a beautiful day) or indoors under the broiler. I’m still waffling on the binder. So many decisions to make by this afternoon - it gives me something to think about while I’m pulling weeds.
ETA: another option is to go with the larger sewers directly on the grill … hmm…
Another quiet week has come and gone and I am now gearing up for the weekend. We have another ribfest this weekend since we are lucky enough to have two such festivals in Ottawa - the other was at the beginning of June. I will be heading up with a friend tomorrow night and hopefully clothes shopping since my jeans are threadbare. The malls have been open for a few months now so there is no excuse Here is what is on tap for this week:
Today: take out lunch from a nearby restaurant. I am having arancini in a tomato sauce and a garden salad on the side. I have never had arancini before even though it is widely available and it is delicious! I look forward to having it many more times. The lettuce they served was a little limp but the dressing was delicious. I will be having veggies and dip for dinner.
Saturday: off to the ribfest!
Sunday: mall shopping. I will have risotto with sole and tomatoes for dinner.
Hi, all! Cooking for 2 in Chattanooga, straddling July and August.
Saturday, July 30: Grilled cauliflower with tonnato; green beans, ice cream? I’ll be curious to see if I can motivate DH to grill cauliflower in the heat; otherwise there’s the grill pan…
Sunday: Keema matar (Cook’s Illustrated) on buns; chocolate phyllo tarts
Monday: Scrounge
Tuesday: Chaat potatoes with whatever veg I can find around
Wednesday/Thursday: Takeout/scrounge
Friday: Cheese soufflé as an elegant way to use up bits and bobs in the fridge; salad
Hope you’re all surviving the weather that’s being dished out right now! Have a great week, and happy cooking!
One of my mom’s hidden talents was making awesome souffles. She tended to make a lot of plain meals when I was growing up (fried eggs and bacon for breakfast, meatloaf, roast chicken, etc.) so when she started making souffles I thought woah where did that come from? I tried making souffles when I first moved out on my own but I always ended up with scrambled eggs in the end…
Hello CHers and others. I’ve been following along but for various reasons I wasn’t ready to post, but I’ve missed it. So finally here are my week’s plans for my favorite eating time of year.
Friday (tonight)
Grilled Shrimp with Watermelon, Basil, Corn and Burrata
Sat off to a wedding
Sun. Grilled Pork Chops with Peaches and Pole Beans
Mon BLTs and sweet corn
Tuesday Elote Tacos. New to me but looks tasty
Wednesday Palak paneer
Thursday Low Carb Glazed Salmon with Spicy Cauliflower Rice
Great sounding week. Good luck with the jeans shopping - smart to do it in person since the shipping cost for order/return repeats quickly add up (ask me how I know…)
What type of peaches with your pork chops and will they be cooked? I saw a very small display of Colorado peaches at the grocery this week (didn’t check pricing), and the Lori Ann peaches continue to look wonderful, if pricy. I tend to save the fresh ones for eating as-is or finely diced with other ingredients as a fresh salsa.
Here is what is on tap for this week: