Category Archives: Menu Plan

Anatomy of a Super Salad, & a Rosh Hashanah Blog Party!!!

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When Miriam over at Overtime Cook contacted me about participating in a Rosh Hashana Blog Party, I was excited, but then I thought, “hmmmm,  this seems like a food blog thing, and my blog isn’t really a food blog.”  I mean, I don’t take pretty pictures of food, and I don’t do recipes.  I just organize them.

But then I thought, well, hey, just because I mainly only organize recipes doesn’t mean I don’t have one or two tricks up my sleeve.  So I decided to participate, and I now am happy to present you with:

The First Ever Jewish Holiday Blog Party!!!

(hosted by Jessie of Taste and Miriam of Overtime Cook, and sponsored by Kitchen Aid!)

As you may know, Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is coming up, and Jewish bloggers from all over the world are celebrating with all kinds of twists on traditional Rosh Hashanah foods.

To kick off the celebration, Levana Kirschenbaum is giving away a copy of her fabulous new book, The Whole Foods Kosher Kitchen to three lucky winners. To enter, leave a comment about your favorite kind of apple on this post. Limit one entry per reader per blog so click over to the other participating blogs below for your chance at additional entries!  Giveaway ends 5 am eastern time on September 11th, 2012.

Prize is sponsored by Levana and available to readers from all blogs participating in the Rosh Hashanah Blog Party. Prize can only be shipped within the US. 

This is the first of hopefully many exciting Holiday Blog Parties, so if you wanna be part of the party, please email holidayblogparties@gmail.com.

And now, for my recipe, the Super Salad.

This salad, which can come in many forms, was mainly inspired by my dear friend Maya, who was making super salads back in our seminary days.  She is an amazing cook and baker, and I am happy to be influenced by the little I remember about her delicious concoctions.  Salad is one of those things which can elicit a groan, as in, “ugh, I’m on a diet and all I can eat is salad.”  Maya’s salads never prompted any such sentiment.  Ever.  She has a real talent in making tantalizing and creatively delicious salads out of an otherwise boring dish.

One thing I learned from her is that adding roasted garlic to a salad is a fantastic idea.  I remember sitting in our dorm’s communal kitchen, watching her cut the top off the garlic, wrap it in foil and roast it in our precious toaster oven.  When it was finished, I would watch as she squeezed the hot garlic onto her already awesome salad to make it even more awesome.

My salads probably don’t resemble anything like hers, but I still think of her whenever I make a salad I consider to be super.  Here are my six requirements to make a super salad:

1.  Lettuce.  I know that not all salads require lettuce, but this one does.  Some people like iceberg, but personally, I like the flavor of Romaine.  Yes, it can be a pain to check it, so often I will buy it in a bag (because I live in Baltimore, where I can buy it with kosher certification.  I know, it’s awesome.  Sorry if you don’t have that option).

2.  Veggies.  These can be fresh, sauteed or roasted.  Lately, I’ve been going with the roasted (even though it’s been a million degrees – it’s a little crazy, I know).  I’ll roast some grape tomatoes with olive oil, and an eggplant, seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then add them to the salad.  SO YUMMY.  Zucchini and yellow squash are also yummy additions, as are sliced olives.  And, of course, roasted garlic.

3.  Sweetness.  So, roasted tomatoes are kind of sweet, so that counts, but sometimes I also add Craisins, or raisins, or maybe some sliced up apples.  Mandarin oranges seem to get used in salads a lot, but I’ve never jumped on that wagon.  No reason, just haven’t done it.

4.  Protein.  This could be a sliced hard-boiled egg, cut up chicken (I like sauteed chicken, seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper), tuna, tofu, or beans.  Or a combination thereof.

5.  Crunch.  Croutons work, or sometimes I just crush some crackers and throw those in.  Also nuts are good, and if I use honey-coated pecans I satisfy my need for both sweetness AND crunch.  Win win!

6.  Dressing.  Most of the time I just use olive oil, a vinegar (lately I’ve been rocking the red-wine variety), salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, maybe some ground mustard, and a little honey.  Or I could go a different route and use sesame oil, rice vinegar and some soy sauce.  Or I could make a Caeserish dressing with mayo, mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley.  Whatever.  I just don’t use dressing in a bottle.

Back to the Blog Par-tay…

You know that I have my menu all planned out  already.  Even if you do, too, you should still stop by and check out some of these amazing Rosh Hashanah themed recipes on the following blogs:  

Challah and Bread:

Sides, Salads and Starters: 

Main Dishes:

Desserts and Drinks:

So, go on now, have some fun at this fantastic Rosh Hashanah Blog Party!  And have a wonderful new year, filled with many, many good and sweet things.

August Menu Plan

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Does anyone know where July went?  ’Cause tomorrow is August, and that’s just nuts.  What’s even more nuts is that my plan of attack for August is to prepare for the Yomim Tovim (which are coming up in September and October).  Now, don’t get all cranky at me for reminding you that Rosh HaShanah is practically around the corner.  If I didn’t plan this far ahead, I would be a total basket case in the weeks preceding these High Holidays.  It may seem insane to plan ahead this far, but it is actually to maintain my sanity that I do it.  Don’t hate.

I’m feeling a little more ambitious in the kitchen arena this month, but I’m also trying to make larger portions and have them stretch over two days.  This frees me up to make slightly fancier (read: more fun for me) dishes.  I also tried to choose dishes that I could easily make extra portions for freezing.  My freezer is looking a little sparse, and now that I have more energy, I’m happy to start restocking.

Here’s the plan (just like last month, anything in italics means I’m pulling it from my beautiful, beautiful chest freezer, an asterix means I’m making extra of that dish to freeze):

Week One

  • Wednesday, the 1st:  lasagna*, green salad
  • Thursday, the 2nd:  the same
  • Friday, the 3rd:  Tuna Patties, salads, chicken soup, carrot kugel, beef with pearl onions, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 4th:  All of that, minus the soup and the beef, plus cholent 

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 5th:  leftovers, as usual
  • Monday, the 6th:  carrot and cilantro soup* (Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking), cranberry couscous salad (Kosher by Design Lightens Up)
  • Tuesday, the 7th:  the same, plus meatloaf
  • Wednesday, the 8th:  breaded tilapia, orzo and green salad
  • Thursday, the 9th:  homemade pizza*, green salad
  • Friday, the 10th:  chicken soup, potato kugel, balsamic glazed chicken* (KBDLU), Israeli cabbage salad (Quick & Kosher), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 11th:  all of that, minus the soup and chicken, plus cholent

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 12th:  leftovers
  • Monday, the 13th:  creamy thai sweet potato soup* (Kosher by Design Short on Time), beef with pearl onions
  • Tuesday, the 14th:  the same
  • Wednesday, the 15th:  sundried tomato salmon (F&E), rice
  • Thursday, the 16th:  quesadillas with pico de gallo* (KBDSOT)
  • Friday, the 17th:  tuna patties, wine-braised brisket, cucumber dill salad (KBDSOT), lokshen kugel (Spice & Spirit), brownie bites (KBDSOT), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 18th (Rosh Chodesh Elul): everything, minus the brisket and plus cholent

Week Four

  • Sunday, the 19th (still Rosh Chodesh Elul):  leftovers (yum yum brisket)
  • Monday, the 20th:  roasted tomato soup, salmon with bok choy and tomatoes (KBDLU)
  • Tuesday, the 21st:  tex-mex meatballs* (KBDLU), rice, guacamole
  • Wednesday, the 22nd:  lasagna, green salad
  • Thursday, the 23rd:  the same
  • Friday, the 24th:  borscht, gefilte fish, sautéed veggies and lentil salad (KBDSOT), honey rum carrots (KBDSOT), ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 25th:  all of that, minus borscht plus cholent

Week Five

  • Sunday, the 26th:  leftovers
  • Monday, the 27th:  phyllo confetti halibut (KBDSOT), angel hair pasta
  • Tuesday, the 28th:  carrot and cilantro soup, curry chicken salad (KBDLU)
  • Wednesday, the 29th:  the same
  • Thursday, the 30th:  macaroni cheddar salad (Q&K)
  • Friday, the 31st:  lacquered salmon* (KBDSOT), salads, corn kugel*, sautéed chicken* ice cream, chocolate chip cookie bars*

Here are some more pictures of Little Lady, and also the boys.  Enjoy!

awww, so happy!

 

it’s cute, but does she kind of look like she’s searching for escape?

July Menu Plan

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With a newborn in the house, I gotta have a plan.  If not, no one eats.  Well, no one eats anything except snack food and cereal.

In my nesting phase, I cooked, baked and froze a ton of food.  A chest-freezer full amount of food.  Thanks to this frenzy of food-making, I am able to feed my family for close to a month with meals from the freezer.  Whatever food I do make fresh will be extremely simple.  And that’s (partially) how I keep my postpartum sanity.

As a fun project, this month, I made the menu plan pretty and hung it on the fridge.

camp mommy, for Mommy

I got tired of having to print the plans out from my computer.  This method works better.  An added bonus – as I was making my pretty menu project, I realized that there are two fast days, the Three Weeks AND the Nine Days this month.  Good thing I noticed that, since I had originally scheduled to serve two meat meals during the Nine Days and regular meals on the fast days.  Oops.

Here’s the skinny on the menu (anything in italics means the meal comes from my beautiful, beautiful deep freeze):

Week One

  • Sunday, the 1st:  meatballs and rice.
  • Monday, the 2nd: squash soup, bean salad, orzo
  • Tuesday, the 3rd:  salmon, potatoes
  • Wednesday, the 4th:  sautéed chicken, rice, green salad
  • Thursday, the 5th:  cheesy noodle casserole, tomato salad
  • Friday, the 6th:  tuna patties, salads, corn kugel, beer beef stew, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 7th:  all of that, minus the stew, plus cholent (most likely vegetarian cholent, since my husband doesn’t like to eat meat too many days in a row).

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 8th:  fast of The 17th of Tammuz (observed).  We’ll break the fast with leftovers.
  • Monday, the 9th:  French roast, carrot kugel
  • Tuesday, the 10th:  tilapia, california salad, rice
  • Wednesday, the 11th:  borscht, potatoes, coleslaw
  • Thursday, the 12th:  cheese blintzes, green salad
  • Friday, the 13th:  salads, broccoli kugel, sautéed chicken, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 14th:  everything but the chicken, plus cholent

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 15th:  leftovers, glorious leftovers
  • Monday, the 16th:  roasted tomato soup,  faux potato kugel, green salad
  • Tuesday, the 17th:  the same
  • Wednesday, the 18th:  Italian pot roast, green salad
  • Thursday, the 19th:  burritos with spinach, cheese, tomato and bean filling, corn salad
  • Friday, the 20th (Rosh Chodesh Av):  salads, fish, corn kugel, sautéed chicken, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 21st:  the same, minus the chicken, plus cholent, a small, small cholent.

Week Four (the Nine Days)

  • Sunday, the 22nd:  tuna patties, corn salad, potatoes
  • Monday, the 23rd:  bean and cheese burritos, salad
  • Tuesday, the 24th:  fish, rice
  • Wednesday, the 25th:  caramelized shallots, chickpeas and orzo
  • Thursday, the 26th:  cheesy noodle casserole, salad
  • Friday, the 27th:  salads, broccoli kugel, beer beef stew, ice cream
  • Shabbos, the 28th:  the same, minus the stew, plus a teensy, potentially vegetarian cholent

“Week” Five

  • Sunday, the 29th:  Tisha B’Av observed.  For the break fast, roasted tomato soup and leftovers (not meat, though)
  • Monday, the 30th:  salmon, rice
  • Tuesday, the 31st:  french roast, caramelized shallots, potatoes

And there you have it.  Yummy dinners, minimal preparation.  Ahhhhh (that was a sigh of relief, not a shriek of anguish, ftr).  If you’re interested, the cookbooks I mainly used for these meals were:  Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking, Kosher by Design Lightens Up, Spice and Spirit, Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook, Kosher by Design Short on Time, and Quick and Kosher.

What are you making for the Nine Days?  What are some of your favorite freezer meals? 

And, just because, here’s a picture of the girl in pink:

pink pink pink

Menu Planning for Pesach!

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Grandma and Bubby feeding the baby (a/k/a grand mommies in totally bliss), last Pesach

This is the first year we’re staying home for the entire Pesach.  A couple years ago, we went to my in-laws for the first days and came back chol hamoed, hosting my in-laws for the second half of Yom Tov (they are easy guests AND helped cook, so it was actually pretty fantastic).  I don’t recommend traveling and making Pesach if you can help it, but if someone has to work chol hamoed, there’s not always a choice.

Anyways, we’re staying home this year.  Since I had had some meager experience with “making” Pesach that one time, I’ve been pretty calm.  I started cleaning and planning a couple of weeks ago, doing a little here and there, and, overall, have not been stressed out.  Then, last night, I sat down to do a menu plan and my head exploded.

Usually, I enjoy menu planning because I’m extremely type-A it helps me function efficiently.  When I don’t menu plan, I end up running to the store multiple times a week, which I prefer not to do.  Not making a plan for Pesach would mean a lot of shopping guesswork, probably a lot of unused items and wasted produce.  I don’t have the time or energy for that, so I strongly prefer to plan, then make a shopping list, and go from there.  It’s just how I roll best.

One of the big hurdles I didn’t consider is the awkward limbo phase when the house isn’t quite kosher for Pesach. I found this wholly overwhelmed.  When would my kitchen be turned over?  I wasn’t sure.  What food could I make when?  And where?  How and what was I going to feed my family?

So, after royally freaking out, and posting said freak-out to Facebook and Twitter, I did the most sensible thing I could.  I walked away from the menu planning, called my mother and moved on to a completely different task.  Namely, putting away kitchen items I knew I wouldn’t be using from here on out (bye-bye coriander!  See ya, toaster!).  After making substantial progress, I felt much more calm and clear-headed.

Then, although it was late, I sat down to tackle the menu planning.  The theme of this menu plan is KEEP IT SIMPLE!   I scoured Facebook (one of my neighbors made a great page – a Passover Support Group.  Fantastic idea!) and blogs for menu ideas, and emailed recipes to myself so I could print them off and put them in my Pesach notebook.  Also, my mother-in-law is coming Thursday (Yay!), and she will definitely help with the cooking, so that’s a big relief.

Here is what I came up with:

the Pre-Pesach days

Monday, April 2nd - kind of almost totally cleaned for Pesach.  Except not.

  • lunch – Pesachdik noodles with cheese for the kids, roasted veggie salad for me.
  • dinner – eat out

Tuesday, April 3rd - turn the kitchen over today, major limbo!

  • lunch – more Pesachdik noodles for the boys, salad for me
  • dinner – Bagels and cream cheese picnic on the patio.  Serious vigilance will be exercised.

Wednesday, April 4th

  • lunch – eggs with hash browns as a side (with ketchup, yum!)
  • dinner – fish, matzah meal couscous and sautéed zucchini

Thursday, April 5th

  • lunch – tuna patties and sweet potato fries
  • dinner – scrambled eggs with some veggies, salad and egg matzah

First Days of Yom Tov

Chol HaMoed

Monday, April 9th

  • lunch – eggs, salad (Romaine with cut-up veggies)
  • dinner – leftovers from Yom Tov

Tuesday, April 10th

  • lunch – hot dogs and spaghetti squash
  • dinner – Meatballs and Smashed Potatoes

Wednesday, April 11th

  • lunch – Matzah Pizza
  • dinner – Salmon with Israeli salad and matzah brei

Thursday, April 12th

  • lunch – eggs, salad and fried potatoes

Second Days of Yom Tov

And there you have it!  The menu plan for the first Pesach I’ve ever really made.  What’s the simplest thing on your menu?  

Back in the Menu Planning Saddle Again

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Photo of a typical refrigerator with its door ...

As of late, I have slacked off to the max on the meal planning.  A combination of energy level, disorganization, and a reluctance to acknowledge that my cooking needs have shifted have made a different strategy a must.  Instead of developing that new strategy, I’ve just avoided menu planning entirely.

And how’s that working out for me?

Not good.  Not good at all.  There have been more than a few nights of scrounging around for something suitable for dinner (not always a successful venture).

Being that there are only nine days left in the month, I think I can handle scrabbling together a menu plan for the rest of the month.  After some contemplation, here are the factors I’m working with:

  1. I like to cook, and I enjoy complicated recipes.  I don’t mind cleaning up, but at this moment, I have neither the time nor the energy to clean up a massive mess if it’s not for Shabbos prep.  So, good-bye fancy recipes, for now.
  2. We can (and should) do leftovers, and if I can get two nights of dinner out of one day of work, that is fantastic.
  3. The slow cooker is my new favorite kitchen gadget
  4. I still need to work on doubling recipes for later use.  I also need a second freezer, since the one attached to my fridge is teeny.
  5. Wiggle room is something I need.  This means I’m searching for the balance between planning things out (saves time, money and sanity), and being able to improvise (feeds my creative spirit, takes some pressure off planning and shopping).  I’m still working on that part, and any suggestions would be much appreciated.
  6. I want to switch my shopping day from the beginning of the week (Monday) to the middle of the week (Wednesday), but am firmly entrenched in my current shopping mindset.  The idea of shopping for the days after Shabbos is just beyond me at the moment, but I’m working on it.

And so, with those musings in mind, and a determination to use easy, healthy recipes, I give you…the plan.

This Week:

  • Sunday, the 22nd ~ Leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 23rd ~ Zucchini Lentil Soup (Kosher by Design Lightens Up).  I love this soup, and will freeze whatever we don’t eat.
  • Tuesday, the 24th ~ Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie (from the February issue of Real Simple).  This actually a slow cooker recipe, and I’m using chicken leftover from a big batch of chicken soup.  I have to kosherize the recipe (it calls for heavy cream with the chicken, a kashrus no-no.  I’ll probably make roux from Earth Balance margarine, flour and soy milk).
  • Wednesday, the 25th ~ Leftovers from Tuesday! 
  • Thursday, the 26th ~ Noodles with Sautéed Veggies, which I will try to do in the morning as to reduce dinnertime pressure.  We’ll probably also have cheese on the top, ’cause that’s how we roll.
  • Shabbos, the 27th & 28th ~ Tuna Croquettes (Kosher by Design Short on Time); Salads (made from random veggies I shall pick up from the store); Heart of Palm; Chicken (I’ve taken to making chicken on the stovetop and simmering it with various sauces and vegetables.  It’s working for us for now), Potatoes (cooked with the chicken).  Dessert will probably be something I cobble together from the fillo dough in my freezer and strawberry jam in the pantry.  And ice cream in case that’s a flop.  :)

Next Week:

  • Sunday, the 29th ~ Leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 30th ~ Cheese Sandwiches, but awesome ones with lots of yummy veggies, condiments and on multi-grain bread.  Cut-up Veggies (red peppers, cucumbers, celery) plus homemade dip for a side.  The dip will probably be something along the lines of mayo, olive oil, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and parsley (basically like the dressing in Quick and Kosher’s Sun-Dried Tomato Caesar Salad).
  • Tuesday, the 31st ~ Noodles with Pasta Sauce and Salad.

And that’s where we’ll stop for now.  I’m hoping to make a monthly plan for February.  Will keep you posted.

How often do you tweak your planning?  Have you found your rhythm? 

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Image via Wikipedia

Our Thanksgiving Shabbos Tradition

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We didn’t live near any relatives when I was growing up, and since my mother doesn’t particularly enjoy cooking (I think her motto is something like “cook to survive”), Thanksgiving wasn’t ever a big to-do for us.  However, when my family moved to St. Louis twelve years ago, we found ourselves close to family, and that family could COOK!  Boy, could they cook.  We started spending Thanksgiving together, and I enjoyed the food, the camaraderie with cousins I had never really known, and the overall atmosphere.  It was a new holiday experience.

Of course, once I started keeping kosher, I wasn’t able to partake of the yummy food anymore, and then I went and studied in Israel, and then I got married and moved away from family.  My husband didn’t exactly grow up with any Thanksgiving traditions (ah, cultural differences), and since I make the food quantity equivalent of Thanksgiving every week, I was okay with forgoing the tradition.

Until my parents came to visit us over Thanksgiving weekend three years ago, that is.

My parents are great, and they come visit as much as they are able to, which we love.  Oftentimes, this means they are sacrificing their holiday time to come be with us (I think the grandkids are really the main draw).  So, three years ago, they decided to come over their Thanksgiving vacation.

I realized that my parents, while they aren’t foodies by any stretch of the imagination, would still be missing out on the yumminess of all that good food.  I found out that my mom had been telling her co-workers that even though she wasn’t going to be having a Thanksgiving meal, the trip was well worth it (grandkids are yummier than turkey with stuffing, after all).  And I greatly appreciated their sacrifice, as well as the massive consideration they give to us whenever they come visit.  Our lifestyle is just a touch different than theirs, after all.

So, while I was not about to make Thanksgiving only to make Shabbos a day later (or to serve leftovers on Shabbos, which just doesn’t do it for me), I wanted to do something for my parents, to show our appreciation.  I decided to make a Thanksgiving-themed Shabbos.  We had done Chinese Shabbos, Mexican Shabbos, what have you, so why not a Thanksgiving Shabbos?

nothing to see here....

I pored over my November issues of Bon Appetit and put together a spectacular menu.  Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie – the works.  I was really excited about this.

My favorite part of this plan is that I didn’t tell my parents what I was planning.  Not until Thursday night, when I needed to start making the turkey (an 11-pound turkey is not something I could be discrete about).  My mom and I had a blast preparing the turkey together, as well as making the rest of the dishes.

It was a very memorable meal, and my parents were so grateful.  My mother was able to return to the office bragging about the fantastic Thanksgiving meal she enjoyed!

And so our tradition of Thanksgiving Shabbos began.  This year will be the third that my parents will be joining us, and while I no longer have the time or energy to make a super-gourmet meal (sorry, Bon Appetit), I still stick to the theme.  Also, my parents are both on diets, so I exercised a good amount of self-control and scaled back the amount of food.  Here is my menu for this year:

Friday night:

Pumpkin Challah (I have already tried this one, and it is super yummy!)

Green bean salad (with craisins, fried onions and creamy dressing, à la the casserole)

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes (from Kosher by Design Lightens Up)

Glazed Turkey Roast with Cranberry Chutney (also KBDLU)

Frozen Pumpkin Pie (again, KBDLU)

Shabbos day:

Everything I served Friday night minus the roast.  I’m skipping a cholent and making this:

Sweet Potato and Turkey Deli Roll (KBDLU)

~ ~ ~

I’m really looking forward to spending another Thanksgiving Shabbos with family, and happy to continue this new tradition for my kids.

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions? 

Menu Plan for November 2-12

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I’ve been doing some thinking about my menu planning.  While I do love the monthly planning concept, I found that I usually didn’t make at least one meal from the plan per week.  That resulted in a lot of leftover ingredients.  Also, I didn’t feel like I was utilizing the ingredients I have on hand (or in pantry), or using coupons, since I was planning so far in advance, and with such specific recipes.  Since I’m menu planning to save money, this was kind of a fail.

So this month I’m going to do it a little bit differently.  How, you ask?  Well, let me tell you.

Plan in smaller increments

I’m going to try to plan one week at a time.  This way I can assess what’s in my pantry, freezer, etc., and utilize what I have already.  Also, I’ll look for coupons and try to plan my meals around what I can get for less.

Include at least one freezer meal per week

Not only does this make dinnertime prep easier, but if I have unexpected leftovers, I’m not out any fresh ingredients.  That soup/chili/whatever can probably stay in the freezer another week.

Double up

This is kind of in line with the whole freezing thing.  It makes it easier in the future.  It’s not hard to double a kugel or a soup, so why not do it?  Exactly.  Also, I’m going to make a BIG NOTE on the recipes I plan on doubling, since last time I kept forgetting which ones I meant to double, and that got pretty frustrating.

Be more flexible

Instead of planning around the yummy, delicious recipes that I have been, I’m going to try to leave a little more wiggle room for whatever may arise that week.  The downside of being more vague is that I’m worried that I won’t pick up all the items I need at the store, but I’ll try to find a solution to that.  Probably I’ll just have to put more thought into the shopping list.

And now…

The Menu Plan for the rest of this week

  • Wednesday, the 2nd~ Black Bean Chili  (from the freezer – oh yeah), cornbread, salad
  • Thursday, the 3rd~ Date night!!
  • Friday, the 4th~ Tuna Croquettes (from Kosher by Design Short on Time); Salad; Chicken Soup (from freezer); Curry Chicken (Kosher by Design Lightens Up); Broccoli Kugel (from freezer); Apple-Blueberry Cake (KBDLU).
  • Shabbos, the 5th~ all of that, minus the soup and the chicken, plus cholent

and for the 6th-12th

  • Sunday, the 6th~ leftovers
  • Monday, the 7th~ Cauliflower Soup, salad, potatoes
  • Tuesday, the 8th~ Meat lasagne with veggies
  • Wednesday, the 9th~ Salmon Burgers (from freezer); sweet potato fries
  • Thursday, the 10th~ Homemade Pizza
  • Friday, the 11th~ Gefilte fish; Salad; Chicken soup (from freezer); potato kugel (make double); Duck Sauce Chicken (Quick and Kosher); Fudge Brownie Torte (KBDLU)
  • Shabbos, the 12th ~ ditto what I said about last Shabbos day meal

There are always the staples for lunch, namely, the cheese and bread for sandwiches and the nosh.  Also breakfast food, which I sometimes forget to think about (oops).

I also want to make these carrot kugel muffins from Miriyummy, since I would like my boys to ingest some vegetables, and coating them in carbs seems the most promising strategy.

And there you have it.

Does a long or short plan work best for you?  Why?

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September Menu Plan

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I have a confession to make:  I didn’t menu plan at all in August.  Not once.  You can imagine me, wandering the aisles of the supermarket aimlessly, with only a list of essentials, without focus and drive.  Our dinner situation was less than ideal many times.  It was a disaster!  Thankfully, my husband is supremely understanding.

Why did this happen?  Partly, my lack of a functioning oven (thanks to my curious toddler) has seriously dampened my drive to cook.  There are only so many things I can do on the stove-top before I start wishing that I could just pop a kugel in the oven.  Plus, my toaster oven bit the dust, so there goes my milchig repertoire!  Ah, Murphy’s Law.  Those losses, combined with the upheaval of moving, resulted in the lack of menu planning.

However, some good did come out of the chaos.  I tried some new things that I wouldn’t have previously, and I introduced some new regulars into my snack routine.  I learned that I like a little wiggle room in my organization.  So, I’m going to add one “wild card” item to my shopping list each week, that way I can explore other food choices without feeling like I’m deviating from my plan.

And how happy am I to present this month’s plan?  Very.

Note that for about a week before Rosh Hashanah I am basically not making dinner, just pulling out meals from the freezer.  I want to try and simplify the cooking preparation for the holiday, and hopefully go into the new year with a low stress level.

I’ve never actually planned for this many RH meals before, as we’ve always gone out for most of them.  However, now that the kids’ bedtimes are a factor, as well as just wanting to be home and be a host for a change, I’m trying to plan these out.  So, if you have any suggestions for ways to make things smooth, I’d love to hear them!  Also, if you want to come for a meal, we’d love to have you!

A common chicken soup variation, with egg nood...

chicken soup: it's just so good

Dinners

Week One

  • Sunday, the 4th ~ Noodles with cheese, Marinated Zucchini Salad
  • Monday, the 5th ~ Ribollita con Ceci – a seriously yummy sounding soup from Ilana-Davita, leftover salad from yesterday
  • Tuesday, the 6th ~ Honey-Thyme Glazed Chicken with 3-Onion Jam (from Kosher by Design Lightens Up), Near East Rice
  • Wednesday, the 7th ~ Za’atar-Rubbed Halibut (KBDLU), steamed green beans, Israeli couscous
  • Thursday, the 8th ~ Pasta with Middle Eastern spices,  Lemony Chickpea Salad
  • Shabbos evening, the 9th ~ Gefilte Fish,  Spreads (Hummus, olives, heart of palm),  Sweet Potato Salad (KBDLU), Chicken Soup (from freezer), Noodle Kugel (store bought, unless my oven is finally fixed), Delicious Juicy Chicken, Coconut Milk Ice Cream.  I’ll probably bake something if I can.

Week Two

  • Sunday, the 11th ~ leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 12th ~ Black Bean Chili, Cornbread (assuming the oven works, that is)
  • Tuesday, the 13th  ~ Curry Chicken (KBDLU), Basmati Rice
  • Wednesday, the 14th ~ Salmon Burgers (KBDLU), Baked Spicy Sweet Potato Fries (Quick & Kosher)
  • Thursday, the 15th ~ Pasta Mama Rosa, Wilted Red Peppers with Garlic
  • Shabbos evening, the 16th ~ Tuna Croquettes (from Kosher by Design Short on Time), Spreads, Purple cabbage salad, Lentil Soup (Q&K), Broccoli Kugel (Q&K), Confetti Chicken (KBDLU), Frozen Pumpkin Pie (KBDLU)

Week Three

  • Sunday, the 18th ~ leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 19th ~Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Israeli couscous
  • Tuesday, the 20th ~ Chicken Lo Mein
  • Wednesday, the 21st ~ Black Bean Chili (from freezer)
  • Thursday, the 22nd ~ Pasta Salad
  • Shabbos evening, the 23rd ~ Tuna Croquettes (from freezer), Spreads, Beet Salad (Spice & Spirit), Chicken Soup (from freezer), Broccoli Kugel (from freezer), Duck Sauce Chicken (Q&K), Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Week Four

  • Sunday, the 25th ~  leftovers from Shabbos
  • Monday, the 26th ~ Salmon Burgers (from freezer)
  • Tuesday, the 27th ~ Creamy Cauliflower Soup (from freezer)
  • Rosh Hashana Evening 1, the 28th ~ Yummy Round Challahs (yay!),  the Simonim, Sweet and Sour Salmon (S&S), Waldorf Salad (S&S), Chicken Soup with Kreplach (Hadassah Jewish Holiday Cookbook), Honey Chicken (Q&K), Tzimmes (HJHC), Honey Cake Minis (HJHC)
  • Rosh Hashana Day 1, the 29th ~ Sweet and Sour Salmon (leftover), Spreads, Broccoli and Olive Salad (S&S), Pot Roast (S&S), Tzimmes (leftover), Oatmeal Apple Crisp (S&S), Honey Cake Minis (leftover)
  • Rosh Hashana Evening 2, the 29th ~ Baked Gefilte Fish, Waldorf Salad (leftover), Chicken Soup with Kreplach (leftover), Bruschetta Chicken (KDBLU), Lokshen Kugel (S&S), Oatmeal Apple Crisp (leftover), Ancie’s Carrot Cake (KBDLU)
  • Rosh Hashana Day 2, the 30th ~ This meal is basically just leftovers from the previous three meals.

Lunches

As always, my husband takes his cheese sandwich, fruit & chips combo to work.  On the days that he’s home, he usually eats the same thing, so that’s easy.  I tend to finish leftovers or make an egg or pasta dish.  Or, I just finish whatever my kids don’t eat from their lunch.  Whatever is the easiest, really.

The kids will typically eat pasta, cheese sandwiches, peanut butter sandwiches, or scrambled eggs for lunch.  I found  some great microwavable corn on the cob, so that’s a nice side.  I’m trying to introduce more vegetables into their diet. Leftover gefilte fish is usually a hit with them, too, carrots and all.  Peas have been out of the rotation for a while, so I’ll probably reintroduce them.

Snacks

After I go on my baking spree, I’ll have lots of muffins, scones and cookies to choose from.  Other favorite snacks include raisins and almonds (who’s humming the song now?), protein bars (like CLIF or Luna), and maybe, when I’m feeling very good, fruit.  My husband is great about snacking on fruit.  I am great at snacking on carbs.  Sigh.

Happy cooking, and Shanah Tovah!

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image via Wikipedia

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Menu Ideas for the Nine Days

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Illustration of various salmon

fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads

It’s hard to believe that the Nine Days are already upon us.   They just snuck right up.  In case you’re not familiar with the rules for food during Nine Days, meat and wine are off the menu.  Last year I posted some menu ideas, but they were a little light on the protein.  This year, I’m going for a more balanced menu.

It’s not a real menu plan per se, since my husband is working some crazy shifts and won’t always be home exactly for dinner.  I don’t know about you, but when my husband isn’t around for dinner, I am totally cool with eating cereal.  Or chips and salsa.  Or a cheese sandwich.  My kids eat roughly the same selection of food for dinner every night, so they’re good.  I just don’t have the motivation to get things dirty in order to feed myself.  Not the healthiest choice, but, hey, dishes.

Anyways, here are some ideas for dinner plans during these next nine days:

  • Jeff Nathan’s Pan Roasted Salmon with Summer Vegetables – this is from the Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher magazine.  I just got this, and I’m enjoying it so far.  This dish has protein (fish), veggies and I would probably serve it with rice (Near East rice, my favorite).
  • Smoked Salmon Salad – also from the Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher.  This salad also has bagel chips, so it can really fill you up.  I love a salad as a meal.
  • Mediterranean Tuna Burger – again, Summer 5771 Joy of Kosher.  I would include some fries with this burger, but not the deep-fried fries (ewww).  I made the Vegetable Fries from the same magazine, and they were DE-licious.  Sweet potato, parsnip and beet sprinkled with olive oil and baked, then sprinkled with a little kosher salt.  Everyone loved them, even the baby!
  • Vegetable and Cheese Filled Pasta Shells, from CookKosher.com.  This meal is an all-in-one.  You have the starch, the protein and the veggies.  Easy Peasy.
  • This Quinoa and Smoked Tofu Salad from JoyofKosher.com  looks amazing.  I might actually consider making this one for myself..
  • Ilana-Davita shares an Egg Curry recipe, which would be good to make, especially since I have four cans of coconut milk sitting in my pantry.
  • This Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Soup from Midwest Mama in Israel sounds delicious, and would help me use up the remainder of the butternut squash I have sitting in my fridge.

We’ll see which of these meals I actually make, and which I’ll save for a future menu plan.

What about the meal before the fast?  What is everyone making for that?  Is there a specific dish that you always prepare?  I’d love to know! 

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image via Wikipedia

Menu Plan, week of July 17th

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Shortly after I moved, one of my friends asked me when I was going to make a menu plan again.  “After I finish unpacking,”  was my reply.  However, wandering the aisles of my new grocery store (I love you, Seven Mile!) with considerably less focus than usual was not super pleasant, or productive.

Cue heroic music, enter the menu planning. 

I’m not quite organized enough to plan for the whole month, but I will share my plan for this week (I was also going to share my plan for last week, but I used the back of it for my shopping list and it is now MIA.  Sorry).

Three fortuitous incidents helped shape my food choices:

Cover of "Kosher by Design Lightens Up: F...

thanks, Honey!

One, my husband bought me a new cookbook for my birthday (awww, isn’t he great?).  He got me Susie Fishbein’s Kosher By Design Lightens Up.  I had wanted a kosher cookbook that was on the healthier side (read:  no onion soup mix in the recipes, no deep-fried Chinese food recipes which I would wistfully ignore).  So far, I really like it.

Two, until very recently (like, Motzei Shabbos), all my books were packed.  The only reading material I had access to were my friend’s old copies of Binah (thank, E!) and my two years’ worth of Bon Appetit magazine.  So, I’ve been poring over many scrumptious and sumptuous recipes as well as educating myself on various foodie facts (did you know that this is the peak season for pluots?  Me neither.  I don’t even know where to get one, or what it is exactly!).  Jesting aside, I do love that every month, Bon Appetit picks a food at its seasonal peak and provides several delicious ways to prepare said food.  Also, the recipes for each month are appropriate for the season, which is something that I do want to become more familiar with.

Three, my mother is in town (yay!), so I am actually able to potchke around in the kitchen as she enjoys her grandmotherly privileges.

And now, the menu:

Sunday, July 17th

  • Ultimate Veggie Burgers ~ Kosher by Design Lightens Up (KBDLU); Oil and Vinegar Potato Salad ~Bon Appetit, July 2009 (BA 7/09) – it was sooo yummy, and I was able to pop the leftovers in the freezer for next week!

Monday, July 18th (A Pre-Fast Meal)

  • Eggplant Gazpacho (BA 7/09); Flounder with Fresh Dill and Lemon ~ from my brain (fmb); Kasha Pilaf (KBDLU)

Tuesday, July 19th (Shiva Asar b’Tammuz, ain’t no dinner tonight)

  • Break the fast with leftovers from Monday.  I tend to go on baking frenzies on fast days, so we’ll see if there’s anything else to eat)

Wednesday, July 20th

  • Spicy Chicken Peperonata with Lime and Mint Dressing (BA 7/09), served with warm tortillas, pareve sour cream, avocados and Near East Spanish Rice

Thursday, July 21st

  • Huevos Rancheros (KBDLU).

Shabbos night, July 22nd

  • Gefilte Fish, baked with Marinara sauce (fmb); Bok Choy Slaw (KBDLU); Chicken Soup (from freezer); Wheat Germ Crusted Chicken Cutlets (KBDLU); Lokshen Kugel ~ Spice and Spirit; Blueberry Crumb Bars (BA 7/09)

Shabbos day, July 23rd

  • Everything from the night, minus the fish and soup, and add cholent and liver (store bought, that).  Yum!

~ ~ ~

And there you have it.

Now, I do make a different thing every night, and my good friend, E, mentioned that she likes to make double and serve the same thing two nights in a row.  It sounds like a good plan to me, and since my children aren’t old enough to protest, and my husband is okay with leftovers, I may adopt this plan.  What I’ve done in the past is freeze the double portion and bring it back out a different week.  I have to decide which plan I prefer, I guess.

For those of you who menu plan, how do you factor in your leftovers?

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image via Amazon

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