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!
Rivki Silver ~ thoughts & music 
Wow! Love how colorful it is and I’m so jealous of your organization!
I really have way too much fun making those menus. I figure that since it will be up on my fridge all month, I should like the way it looks! :) And I wasn’t always this organized about meals. It’s been a progression of sorts.
Those ideas all look so good!
Thanks! I kind of want to eat them all right now…
I can barely plan a week of meals ahead of time, nevermind an entire month. I just decided a few moments ago we are going to have portabella burgers tonight….off to market again!
Been there! There was a long stretch where I could only think about dinner about 30 minutes before dinner. Kind of a problem when dinner prep also included a trip to the store… Anyways, as our family grew I had to get more organized if I was going to maintain any semblance of sanity. :)
Call me crazy, but has it not been 97 billion degrees near you? I can’t imagine eating soup in August. Glurg! Do you really eat ht soup during the summer? I might go for gazpacho & I have a great recipe if you are interested! Let me know! :-)
Hahaha, you’re totally right. It is a little looney to make soup, but, in defense of the soup, they are summer soups. Or soups made of summer produce, at least. Really, the soups are there ’cause I couldn’t think of anything else to serve for dinner on those days. I would love to have your gazpacho recipe! Please share!
I’m sending you the link for my gazpacho recipe, which was on a blog. Because, of course, it is attached to a story!
http://rasjacobson.com/2011/08/22/gazpacho-for-muchacho/
It is the easiest thing to make in the entire world, and if you don’t like olives, don’t put them in. If you like corn? Add corn. So much flexibility! I hope V-8 is kosher, if not, I’m sure there is some kind of alternative.
I’m really hoping to work more on my menu-planning skills this coming school year. Sounds so delicious! And the colourfulness helps, I’m sure, in making it more of something you’d want to do…. Oh, and your children are b”H so yummy! I can’t believe she’s smiling already! Your boys look so proud!
I just love making colorful signs. I always have. And thanks for the compliments on the kiddos. The boys are such good big brothers. It’s amazing to watch.
One question though – is it easier or harder to plan meals realistically on an empty stomach?
For me, it’s much more difficult on an empty stomach. I tend to go waaaay overboard with the planning.
LOVE the pictures! So impressed with the menu. I just saw Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking at my friend’s house. Gorgeous pictures. Must get it!
Thanks, I love taking those pictures! I do like the Fresh and Easy book. I’m looking forward to using her pizza dough recipe next week!
ur hubby is one lucky man! my poor guy gets very humdrum dinners…maybe u’ll inspire me to change that!
I’ll remind him how lucky he is. ;) If I didn’t like cooking so much, he would probably be getting a lot less exciting meals. I think most guys are just happy to have hot food. :)
What are the cooking books that you use ?
Very nice pictures !
I like these: Fresh and Easy Kosher Cooking, all the Kosher by Design Books, Spice and Spirit and Quick and Kosher.
Wow. I can’t even imagine planning food for a week, much less a month. I am waaaaaaaayyyyyy impressed! I like the idea of cooking extra to save. If I was a cook, that’s how I would do it, too…I think. =)
And your babies are cute! =)
yeah, it’s kind of intense. It was a start-stop-start process for me, but when I’m doing it, I really like it. It makes my life infinitely easier. And thanks for the compliment on the babies. I love ’em!
At the risk of asking something that’s been covered in an earlier menu planning post…what percentage of this stuff do your kids eat? Do you just make them pasta every night? Do they eat the cheddar out of the macaroni cheddar salad? Do they even touch the amazing fish dishes?
My kids don’t eat any of it, really. Their preferences are for typical kid stuff: pasta, plain American cheese slices, fruit (thank G-d!), and chicken soup. Sometimes fish sticks or chicken nuggets, though I haven’t found a healthy chicken nugget brand. Also french fries and pizza. So I make them their dinner, and then we eat ours later, when my husband gets home.
I try to expand their palette, but usually it’s a no-go. Sometimes they’ll like something random, I’ll get excited and make it again, and then they won’t want it. Ha! Eventually, I hope, they will like more than the typical toddler fare.