Do you have trouble deciding what to make for dinner? I sure do! To help me conquer the dinner dilemma, I came up with this idea.
Inspired by Taco Tuesday, and Prince Spaghetti Wednesday (you gotta be old to know that one), what if each day was designated for a category/style/region/method of cooking? Giving a day of the week a special designation really helped me focus on what to make during the week. This weekly menu guided me, and still gave me the freedom to choose what to make without actually deciding on the recipe ahead of time. I am a spontaneous cook. It's just the way I roll.
So, here is my first go at a weekly menu calendar. Monday's theme was Better Than Take Out. While I don't cook Asian dishes that often, I thought this theme would give me a chance to test out recipes from other food bloggers that I have saved under my Pinterest board called Better Than Take Out. I tried Half Baked Harvest's Szechuan Noodles with Sesame Chili Oil. The dish turned out delicious, and I love how adaptable this recipe is. It is very easy to make, and you can swap out veggies and add ones you like. You should give it a try. Here is a photo from Half Baked Harvest's website.
Tuesday is (and always will be) Taco Tuesday. I have been making Tacos on Tuesdays for a long time now. I made my Blackened Mahi-Mahi Tacos (or Shrimp) with Corn Salsa This is a family favorite! The blackening seasoning is so versatile. You could use it on beef, chicken, or shrimp. My secret to making the corn salsa is using Trader Joe's roasted frozen corn. My husband about died laughing at me when we were at TJ's together. He was shocked (because I always make things from scratch) at my shortcut and wanted to take a picture of me buying it to incriminate me on social media. Funny guy!
I thought Wednesday would be perfect for Pasta Night. While we don't normally have pasta twice in a week, I have to be more careful when selecting recipes. Plus, what over 50-year-old body needs pasta twice in one week. I made Creamy Chicken Marsala Rigatoni (recipe on the way). My husband said that it tasted as if a chef in a restaurant had made it. That's because you had a chef (me) in your kitchen making it! This recipe is super easy, and I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken (another short cut), which saved on time and on cleaning up. I made the pasta in a large pot, and use the same pot to make the sauce and mix everything up in. It doesn't get any easier. Unless you order take-out.
For Thursday, I'm making Mediterranean Meals. Here is another chance for me to try out other dishes. This will be a night for authentic or inspired recipes from such countries as Greece, Spain, or Israel. I came up with a Greek version of a quesadilla. My Grilled Greek Turkey Pita (recipe on the way) is made up of a turkey patty, seasoned with dill and oregano, roasted red pepper, baby spinach, red onion, with melty, kasseri cheese, sandwiched in between the pocket of pita bread. Served with tzatziki and olives. Very delish!
On Friday's, I get the night off! After a long week of making meals, I should have someone else cook for me, don't you think? And if you're thinking it should be my husband, you are not going to see that guy cooking anything in the kitchen. We have been married for almost 30 years and he has been banned from cooking ever since he overcooked steaks many, many years ago. So, Chef's Night Off is when we can go out and try a new restaurant, order in, or it may involve eating leftovers (I really do not like to waste food). While I enjoy cooking, I love having a day off and being served a meal. It's a simple joy that everyone should do now and then. This particular Friday night, I had friends visiting from out of town. GNO!
I decided Saturday would be a day that I challenge myself. Challenge the Chef is when I try recipes that may be more complicated or take longer to make. It would be something that I couldn't really make during the week. This is a day for making pasta, bread, or roasting a chicken or making braciole. I love Anne Burelle's version of Braciole!
But on this night, I made a good old-fashioned meatloaf. Not really challenging, but it does take a couple of hours to make. A co-worker recommended Tyler Florence's meatloaf, and it was amazing! My kids would never eat meatloaf. Even it if was the last food on earth. Since they weren't home for dinner, I made this classic comfort food for my husband and me.
The only thing I would change about this recipe is to not add thyme. I thought it was a little strong in its flavor for the meatloaf. It was even delicious the next day. I heated up sliced meatloaf in a non-stick skillet. The slices got a nice, brown sear on them. Very yummy!
Moving on to Sunday. Time to get my slow cooker out. While I still want to make a home-cooked meal, I don't necessarily want to spend all day in the kitchen. I thought Slow Cooker Sunday would be good for braising and slow cooker recipes. I can just dump in the ingredients and let the oven or slow cooker do all the work. I have a Pinterest board devoted to slow cooking recipes. See if there are any recipes that you like.
Other dinner night ideas could be Sandwich Night, Breakfast for Dinner, Casual Casseroles, or Vegetarian Dishes. I hope you make up your own weekly menu to inspire you and break out of the dinner dilemma. Until next time, friends. XO!
Comments