Weekly Menu: It's Gonna Be a Scorcher Out There

I happened to see weather reports as I was flipping through channels on the tv very very early this morning.  We've had relatively mild weather so far but to welcome in the summer equinox next week we're slated for some hot days.  Still below 100F, but hot all the same and possibly drawing near the 100F mark with the heat index.  Which means it will fill like it did at the end of winter, early spring here!  Screwy seasons this year, lol.

I didn't get half done that I'd thought I might today.  I had unexpected company, two different sets of company, and that was distracting.  Kind of cut deep into a planned work day but I'll manage to get things accomplished a bit here and a bit there over the next few days.  I'd thought I'd hunt out a Sunday nap, but it's proven elusive.   So on to other 'work' like eating cookies and sipping cool water and admiring the paint job on the storm door (unplanned task that turned out very nicely indeed), washing a handful of dishes, planning a handful of meals for the week ahead...Lovely summer Sunday!

Cobb Salad, Cheesy Garlic Biscuits,   Frozen Lemonade, and Sugar Cookies
Plenty of fresh salad vegetables on hand including home grown cucumbers from a friend.  John has grown very fond of the frozen lemonade.  I've been making at home and OMGoodness!  It's been so light and refreshing.  Here's what I've been doing which makes ours a little different, a little thrifty and oh so good.  As we've used canned fruit this spring, I've been pouring off the light syrup into ice cube trays and freezing.  I also juiced several lemons this spring and froze that juice.  I also mixed up a simple syrup (1 cup water/1 cup sugar boiled until sugar dissolves). 

Now on to making my frozen lemonade:  To my blender pitcher, I put one cup of water, 1/4 simple syrup, 3 cubes of lemon juice, 3 cubes of the fruit syrup and a good handful of plain old ice cubes.  Blend on smoothie setting until ice cubes are crushed.   It's so good.  I'd forgotten how terrific homemade lemonade is compared to the extra acidic artificial stuff that passes for it.  Why was I drinking that stuff?!

Peach Pancakes, Frizzled Smoked Turkey, Scrambled Eggs, Maple Syrup
I made peach pancakes for breakfast one morning last week and they were so good!  Then today, I watched as Ellie Krieger cooked deli ham as a substitute for bacon on the cobb salad she was making.  Well I tried frying a couple of pieces of the thin deli smoked turkey which got slightly crisp and smokey.  Not a bad substitute and better tasting in my opinion than turkey bacon.  So I'll do that for this night's meal as well.  I wonder if I could put in the microwave as Katie used to do pepperoni slices and make pepperoni chips...hmmm...

Hamburger Gravy over Toast, Mashed potatoes, Spinach and tomato salad
I'm needing a bit of 'love on a plate' this week and this comfort meal from childhood sounds just about right.  Down home kind of good. With a healthy side dish, lol.

Chicken Salad Platter, Crisp Crackers, Peach Cobbler
You can do poached, boiled, or oven fried chicken and serve over a salad or make up chicken salad to serve on a mound of lettuce with carrot curls and boiled eggs on the side.  Either way, chicken salad is refreshing and the warm peach cobbler will be just the right finish for the meal.  Whatever way I choose to serve the chicken, I'll use just two boneless breast halves and will get about enough to serve four, so there will be a bit leftover.

Teriyaki Chicken Legs, Rice Pilaf, Oriental Green Beans, Pineapple Sherbert
I make my own teriyaki sauce with a low sodium soy sauce.  It's easy as can be with a bit of honey and catsup and soy sauce, garlic and oil.  I will soak the chicken legs overnight as they thaw in the marinade.     

Spaghetti Diable, Zucchini, Green Salad, Breadsticks
I'll use the bit of leftover chicken, some onions, mushrooms and fresh tomato to make the sauce.  The casserole will cook quickly, no longer than it will take to bake breadsticks.  

Roast Beef, Squash casserole, Fresh butter beans, peaches
I have the squash already cooked and waiting in the freezer.  The roast will make plenty of leftovers as well.

Ropa Veja in Tortilla, Salsa fresca Salad, Pineapple Sherbert
I'll use some of the beef torn into strips and a few cooked carrots and onions with a bit of broth to put on the tortillas.  If I can buy fresh corn, we might add corn on the cob to this menu.

Oops!  That's 8 meals... Guess I gave you all a bonus this week!