What's on Tap May 25

I'm super excited for what's on the menu this week. Tomorrow's Memorial Day, which means I have an excuse to prepare more food than I usually do. Hopefully some of this awesome rain will back off long enough for us to have a picnic, maybe even sneak over to the pool.

The other exciting thing is my produce arrived! Look at my beautiful bounty. My job this week is to incorporate all this wonderful food into cooking before it decides to go bad!

I'll also be drawing from a lot of cookbooks, since I'm making so much food. The first one is Ovenly, a beautiful and inspiring cookbook that makes me want to open a bakery. For reals. (Hereafter referred to as O.)

Who can go wrong with a Southern Living cookbook? This is what it's all about, folks! Hereafter referred to as SLHC.

I've had this slow-cooker cookbook for years and it's almost always a winner. (PSCR.)

I don't have most of the equipment that the Pampered Chef cookbook calls for, but I've never had any problems modifying (or substituting when they expect me to have a certain pantry item). I don't reference this cookbook too often, but when I do, I'm usually pleased with the results (hereafter S/S11).

I bought this sandwich cookbook for those long summer months when the kids are home and it's too hot to cook but everyone wants to eat. While some of the sandwiches are a duh, others are fun and inventive. (4BSR.)

And finally, the French cookbook. I love ethnic foods, and am building a collection of ethnic cookbooks from around the world. Some of these are complicated! But others are not too difficult at all. (AMFT.)

Monday (Memorial Day picnic): Bacon-bread roll (SLHC), potato crisps (S/S11), carrot salad (AMFT), cucumber tzatziki (AMFT), apple salad (SLHC), and nectarine and blackberry tart (O)

Tuesday: leftovers (who doesn't need a break after all that??)

Wednesday: carrot soup (AMFT) with bread

Thursday: Apple-chicken (AMFT) with Lemon-steamed spinach (AMFT)

Friday: Asian Cobb Salad (S/S11), Butternut squash soup (PSCR)

Saturday: Breakfast: Huevos Rancheros Wrap (4BSR), lunch: Cream Cheese Sandwiches with olives and cold cuts (4BSR), dinner: Turkey Casserole (PSCR) and apple rice pudding (AMFT)

Sunday: Pork roast (PSCR) with summer squash

What's on your menu for this week?

Tastefully,

Tamara

Menu planning week of May 18

Time to plan the weekly menu again! This week I wasn't lucky enough to get a basket loaded with fresh produce (I will again on Friday), but I've still got lots of things in my fridge to work with. Including various leftovers from last week's meals!

From the fridge, I'll be making meals with the leftover beans, the pasta, and the corn relish.

The cookbooks I'll be using for new meals are Quick Soups, Simple Salada (QSSS), a cookbook put out by Cooking Club of America. My sister gave it to me several years ago, and I've loved almost everything I've made from it.

The other one I'll be using is Grilling Surf and Turf (GSAT), a book put out by CharBroil Grills. I don't own such a grill, just a normal charcoal one. But I've not had any problem adapting the recipes to work with my grill.

Monday: Bean soup

Tuesday: Chicken alfredo

Wednesday: Brats with corn relish and nachos

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Dad's night to cook

Saturday: Salmon and salsa (GSAT), potato planks (GSAT), Strawberry pie (GSAT)

Sunday: lamb salad (QSSS)

What looks good? Did you try anything from last week? What cookbooks are inspiring you this week? Share your thoughts!

Tastefully,

Tamara 

Creating a Menu: Week of May 10

One of my absolute favorite things to do on Sunday is sit down and plan my weekly meals. This is kind of a like a brain teaser for me. It involves carefully staying within in my budget (sometimes well within if I overspent the week before) and making use of as many ingredients that I already have at home (particularly the perishable items).

Every other Sunday this is especially exciting because I participate in a fresh produce coop that delivers every two weeks. This week I have to make use of broccoli, apricots, mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, carrots, corn, spaghetti squash, watermelon, and a few other things. Some things (like the butternut squash and the bell peppers) will last until next week. Others I must use this week.

While I enjoy concocting my own foods, I rely heavily on cookbooks to get my ideas. There's something nice about being able to write down my changes on the pages and have it right there for next time, or flip through the pages and leave bookmarks on the recipes I want to try. This week I'm pulling from four different cookbooks:

This book I have used so much you can hardly even read the title. Hereafter referred to as BAD.

These recipes are English and it's a hit or miss. Sometimes I enjoy it, sometimes not. Referenced as 3&4I.

I love these little cookbooks that come with the equipment! (Hereafter referred to as AROMA.)

My friend Alana wrote this book, and I encourage you to purchase it if you enjoy the food from it! Referred to as GATG.

I'll share with you my weekly menu as well as the results each day. But I'll only post the recipe and ingredients (as well as my changes) if it's a successful meal!

Monday: Flounder with corn relish, rice, stir-fried broccoli (3&4I), bunuelos

Tuesday: Brazilian beans and rice, onion and tomato vinagrete

Wednesday: lasagna, grilled corn on the cob (3&4I), apricot crisp (BAD)

Thursday: Asian salad (GATG), chicken and mushroom soup (AROMA), watermelon slushy (GATG)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday: Fajita salad (GATG), apricot gratin (3&4I)

Sunday: breakfast omelet muffins (GATG), broccoli and chili spaghetti (3&4I)

I am always so excited to prepare the food and eat new things! The one exciting moment I can always count on in a day is mealtime! I'll keep you posted and share recipes if it's good (because the downside to always experimenting is, it's not always good).

Tastefully,

Tamara