It’s not only the last week in JUNE, Internet, but it’s also a busy week around these parts! I don’t have a whole lot of extra time to devote to seeking out the amazing and complex recipes that trick my cooking-weary brain into wanting to cook, so I’m going simple. My motivation is also driven by a desire to use the basil I’ve been harvesting. I have three smallish basil plants and they are producing a lot more basil leaves than I would have imagined from three smallish basil plants. Good work, friends.
Dinners for the Week of June 24-June 30
- Beef Shish Kebabs: My husband doesn’t normally love shish kebabs, but he recommended them this week so I am happy to oblige. I bought some culotte steak on the recommendation of the Beef Guy at my grocery store and have it marinated in some Wegman’s Zest Savory. I also bought mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions for the veggie skewers. If you are a kebab person, what are your favorite things to kebab? Maybe I will harvest my single zucchini and add it to the veggie skewers.
- Caprese Salad with Balsamic Chicken: We have not had this salad in a very long time, but it’s the perfect vehicle for basil. I’ll probably throw some red bell peppers and red onions into the salad alongside the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. (And I leave the tomatoes whole, so that they don’t get their yick all over the lettuce.) We’ll top it all off with some grilled chicken marinated in my favorite balsamic vinaigrette, which I use as a dressing as well.
- Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes: To be clear, I am not turning on my oven unless the temperatures dip this week. But in the event they DO dip, I will make this sheet pan meal. If they remain in the tropical range, I will grill or air fry the salmon and sweet potatoes and steam the broccoli in my microwave steamer basket.
- Stir Fried Chicken with Mushrooms and Snow Peas: I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but when it popped up in my inbox this morning, I thought it hit all the right notes: veggie heavy, simple, no oven necessary.
For some reason, I also bought some corn on the cob, so I have to find some way to slip THAT into the mix. And I am craving my favorite chickpea salad for lunches, so I’ve got that in the works, too. Except I am just realizing I forgot to buy chickpeas. SIGH. This is what happens when I improvise at the store instead of planning ahead. Don’t be like me.
What do you have cooked up for the last week of June?
I’m hearing everywhere east of here is HOT HOT HOT. It hasn’t really hit us yet because it’s been too rainy to be hot. But it will warm up this week. I am traveling to DC so front-loaded my meal prep for the week. On Saturday night we had shrimp rice noodle bowls and then last night we had greek turkey burgers with corn on the cob (made in the instantpot) and grilled asparagus.
I used to grow basil when I had a condo with a balcony and I made this recipe over and over again. I would make huge batches of the “pesto” (which isn’t really pesto because it doesn’t have pine nuts but is still delicious) and then I would freeze little containers for it. I would often just saute the shrimp in a pan versus grilling it but both work. It’s super easy and a great way to use of gobs of basil. Now I cannot manage to grow basil because the rabbits and squirrels eat it, even if I shake cayennen pepper all over it. So I have given up and just buy it at the farmer’s market instead.
https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-pesto-shrimp-skewers/
That shrimp pesto sounds delicious! Thank you! Hope you have a decent trip this week and that the weather isn’t too yucky.
I love shish kebabs! I might have to make some this week. ❤️🌻
Do it!
Big fat mushrooms on the grill are my favorite. Slimy hot tomatoes are my least favorite. Now you know more about my kebab tastes than my husband does.
Slimy hot tomatoes sounds like a nightmare food.
So many people put cherry tomatoes on their kebabs. It’s GROSS, people. Stop doing that.
Nom on the shish kebabs. I feel like mushrooms are always a must.
I *always* have an extra can of chickpeas on hand…except when I use the extra can and forget that it’s my last can. So I’m in your situation more often than not.
My brain either thinks I have too much of a thing or zero, and it is rarely accurate. (Now I have four cans of chickpeas.)
I don’t usually put veggies on skewers because I can never get them to cook evenly on a skewers. But I do love grilling zucchini, eggplant, peppers, onions, and mushroom.
I bet the corn would be very tasty in the Caprese Salad w/ Balsamic chicken. I made a grilled chicken dish a few weeks ago that was grilled chicken over tomatoes and corn and it was pretty good. I think the corn would go well in stir fry too. Of course these methods involve cooking and then cutting the ears off, which is a little high maintenance sometimes.
No meal plan yet for this week, but we just back from vacation, so I think a lot of veggies are in order.
I never considered putting corn in the caprese salad, but why not?! I bet it would be an excellent addition.
I am pretty terrible at meal planning, but I’m hoping to make the salmon bowls again this week. They were such a hit with everyone and came together so quickly.
Tomorrow night is going to be homemade meatballs, rice, and veggies. A perennial favourite and I’m feeling the need for an easy meal that everyone loves (plus, the meatballs and sauce are already in the freezer from leftovers another time, so it’s extra lovely – basically no work required).
You know, Carla recently rediscovered a love for meatballs, and I would LOVE to get her to eat homemade ones instead of the store-bought ones. (I feel like I could sneak in some more protein or veg if I made them myself???)
I love basil and I have a bunch and I was just thinking I should make pesto! Yum! We have one “coolish” night this week – in Calgary, it would be considered warm – and I think that might be a coconut rice/ roasted veg night.
Yay pesto! And it’s so funny how different your current climate is from your old one!
HOW are we already at the end of June?!?!?!
Surprisingly enough, I don’t care for shish kebabs. I find that the meat (chicken or beef, doesn’t matter) always seems dry to me. But if I am presented with shish kebabs the more mushrooms the better.
I am a big mushroom fan too, Gigi! So good!
I have given up planning and have even taken my laminated menu off the fridge instead of writing on it with dry erase markers. I have stocked a bunch of easy stuff, and everyone can just figure it out. Last night we made mini naan pizzas. The night before was salmon/arugula/goat cheese salads. We have taco stuff that can stretch to a night of quesadillas and breakfast for dinner and avo BLTs, but I don’t want to be the dinner cruise director right now.
Dinner Cruise Director is the worst job. Glad you are able to hang up your dinner hat for awhile!
One of the great things about having my son home is that HE COOKS DINNERS TWICE A WEEK! Like I mean- for all of us! Last night he made pasta, and tonight we’ll have a dinner of leftovers from the last two nights. Yes, I’m living the dream here.
That chickpea salad sounds delicious- I want to make it this week!
I am not even joking when I say that I will be serving Italian Beef and baked pasta (can’t spell mosti. – see?) until the end of time. Thanks, Overzealous me for the grad party excess). Rae started walking a dog yesterday. Her name is Basil. While that may be unrelated to meal prep talk, I thought it was cute to mention here.
I think the corn on the cob would go well with either the first or second dinner.
I made Caprese salad last night, with a choice of vegetarian chicken filets or tofu on the side.
Tonight I’ll make ravioli with spinach pesto (half basil, half spinach– we too have a lot of basil in the garden) and asparagus/
Tomorrow– the hottest day of this week– is a cold beet soup and I haven’t planned further than that. I’m actually hoping to convince Beth to go out to dinner on Thursday because I don’t feel like coming up with anything else and that’s my last cooking day this week. (Friday = pizza, Saturday = Noah’s cooking night, Sunday = Beth’s cooking night.)
Also super busy here and not in the mood for cooking. 🙂
I did buy a few ears of corn last week, prepped them in the microwave (delish) and topped some of our salads with crispy/fresh corn.
I haven’t met a Kabab that I didn’t love!