Weekly Menu Plan

Guess who feels better?!  Yes, that would indeed be me.  It was, thankfully, just a mild summer headcold, nothing much to it, except feeling a bit weak and worn.  I felt, rightly, that having a full day of Shabat rest would set me right back up and it did.  I woke extra early this morning, headed outdoors and did some yard work.  I sprayed with mosquito spray before I went out and honey! they rose around me like a black cloud as I worked but they were indeed repelled by the spray.  I'd watch them fly in towards me and suddenly veer off.  Why it was almost like the commercial, lol!



It's spider wort I'm trying to eradicate.  I planted a couple of stalks a few years back and it sort of spread all across the back flower bed. Samuel dug up a ton of the stuff a couple years ago, but you'd never know it this year. It didn't die down last winter as it usually does so it was now standing some 4 feet high  and had spread still more.  I figured while the ground was a little soft from all the rain we've been having, I might as well try to dig some of it out.  So far there's a wagon load of the stuff dug out.  And probably another wagon load to go!  Ugh...Have I mentioned that while I covet beautiful flowers and pretty landscaping, I loathe dirt?  And sweat?  And physical labor?  Well I meant it.

Last night I looked at my fridge and it's overflowing shelves as I tried to find an item I wanted for supper.  I found, not the food item I was looking for, but a moldy bit of fresh mozzarella.  I was sorry over that as it's the second bit of food waste I've had in a week's time after weeks of literally having NO WASTE at all. I'd meant to use that mozzarella this week, sigh.  Well I waited too late.  But I knew as I looked that it was beyond time to clear and clean and arrange once more.  So that was my next big job today, started right after breakfast. 

I had several leftovers that I worked into this week's menu and I made out a list too of items to become a sort of leftover makeover dish for the freezer. 

Steak and Cheese Burritos, Spanish Rice, Green Salad 
I set out a steak Friday night to thaw.  It was one of those big lovely sirloins we got at meat market.  I'd meant as soon as it was partially thawed, to cut in half and put the rest back in the freezer, but good intentions and an onset of early bedtime...I had the whole steak thawed by morning.  I decided to cook the whole thing and plan meals accordingly with it.
Easy enough to make an old fast food favorite with sliced steak, cooked onions, grated cheese, flour tortilla and a spoonful of that good homemade Enchilada Sauce.  I used thawed leftover rice from last week to make the Spanish Rice, a recipe I definitely need to work with, as it turned out bland and not Spanish like at all.  And yes, there was enough steak for a second meal, you'll see in the menu line-up.

Chicken and Dumplings, Broccoli Salad
I'd intended to make chicken pot pie last week but it was set aside.  Today, as I contemplated the lack of things to make sandwiches with (too low on eggs for egg salad, cheese is too pricey and I've done peanut butter several times over already) I thought I'd boil a couple of breasts and make chicken salad.  While I was at it, I might as well make my own fresh broth and enough extra chicken for the dumplings, right?  I'll serve with that really good raw Broccoli, apple, raisin and nut salad that John enjoys so much.  And I'll make a bit extra, since we've got a lot of broccoli anyway, for later in the week.

Potato Pizza, Green Salad
I'll need to buy cheeses to make this with since my mozzarella bit the dust and the Parm/Romano is long gone.  I made the garlicky tomatoey Aremenian potatoes with the steak dinner yesterday.  I planned to have leftovers to make this pizza, which is oddly enough, delicious and satisfying and not lacking in flavor in the least.  I don't put down a bed of tomato sauce, just a bit of olive oil and some oregano and then dot the potato mixture over that and sprinkle with cheese.  We never miss the meat with this pizza and it's a nice alternative to the more usual pizzas.  I expect to have a few more potatoes leftover but they too will be incorporated in a new dish, another Leftover Makeover.

Pigs in Blankets, Oven Fries, Coleslaw
If I boil a packet of hot dogs my husband will eat three...If I make pigs in blankets he will only eat two.  So to stretch my last package of hot dogs, I'll make the pigs in blankets, which we both love and keep the rest of the hotdogs for a future meal.  I'll bake oven fries alongside.

Italian Pepper Steak Sandwiches on Onions Rolls, Chips, Broccoli Salad
I'll cook some bell pepper strips to pile on with the sandwiches, but the onions and sliced steak are already cooked and marinating in the last of a bottle of Italian dressing in the freezer.  I'll reheat, serve on Onion Rolls with a slice of Provolone cheese.  I think this will likely be reserved for our Shabat day meal as I can make up the sandwiches, pop in the microwave to reheat when we get home.

Macaroni and Cheese, Roasted Italian Vegetables, Green Salad
Our second meatless meal this week, and one that seldom feels meatless as it's so very satisfying and filling.  I know I have zucchini, and should have tomatoes, possibly mushrooms, a bit of broccoli, perhaps even yellow squash by end of the week, which is when I expect to serve this meal. We might skip salad if vegetables are plentiful and have a nice fresh fruit accompaniement,  perhaps ripe lovely peaches or chilled grapes, or a bowl of berries...I do enjoy summer produce!

Oven Roasted Beef, Lettuce and Tomato Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing, Baked Potatoes
I'll get triple duty from the roast for the coming week.  This meal, slices for sandwiches and a salad meal for next week. The potatoes can bake alongside and possibly a dessert for the weekend as well.

I've plenty of Leftover Makeover ideas for the week ahead.  I'll share those in a separte post even though you've previewed three right here in this menu, two from the steak and one from the potatoes.  John just shook his head this  morning as he watched me transform foods into new meals.  I do like to amaze that man of mine.  It lends to my job security, you know, lol!