Category Archives: TaMara
Summer Menus: July Week Three
JeffreyW’s yummy zucchini and summer squash
A little delayed this weekend. No real excuse, except life, as usual, was a little hectic. Today I went for my first ride in at least a year. Had to test out my bike after the crew that was here to replace my furnace and add energy upgrades, also fixed my bike. Loved those guys.
When I got home, I was startled to find a hawk sitting peacefully in my driveway, awaiting my return. I believe he was a young Cooper’s hawk.
For this week, we are raiding the garden – Zucchini and Summer Squash Saute featured along with a Family BLT on Monday.
One of JeffreyW’s many BLT photos. Now I’m hungry.
You can find all the menus and recipes here: July Menus Week Three
At least someone has fresh tomatoes…mine are a long way from JeffreyW’s crop.
Click here for the PDF of the shopping lists, July Week Three Shopping List. Reminder that they are color-coordinated and you can easily cross out ingredients you won’t be using.
Technically this is my BBQ pulled pork sandwich, but you get the idea.
Friday’s menu features Slowcooker Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, perfect for those hot mid-summer days when you don’t even want to fire up the grill.
I’ll be out of town next weekend, so next’s recipes could be delayed. I’m a little nervous – first time with the new pet sitter. She seems great and has had Great Danes herself. But I never know if Bixby is going to be a big lovebug or decide to throw his weight around. And fingers crossed Bailey doesn’t decide to eat any more furniture. Crazy dogs.
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Summer Menus: July Week Two
JeffreyW is the pizza king.
I’ve been busy in the yard today, so this will be short and sweet. For the menus, click here: July Week Two Menus
Tuesday features Adobo Sirloin and Garlic Roasted potatoes.
JeffreyW grills up some garlic potato wedges and steak.
Wednesday serves up a sweet Oatmeal Apple Cookie, along with an easy Tuna Macaroni Salad.
And Friday offers up two quick pizza dough recipes for a family night of Fresh Pizza built with your favorite toppings.
Shopping list is here: July Week Two Shopping List and remember it’s color coordinated so you can easily skip ingredients from the recipes you’re not using.
As always, you can substitute ingredients to suit your own tastes – skip the tuna in the macaroni salad and add a variety of fresh garden vegetables for a quick and easy vegetarian dinner. Choose your favorite cut of steak or bone-in chicken instead of boneless breasts and substitute favorite vegetables for any of the suggested ones.
And finally, a bonus recipe, since peaches are starting to show up at the local farm stands:
Spicy Peach Dressing
- 2 large peaches, peeled, pitted and quartered
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 jalapeño or other hot pepper, halved and seeded
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Purée all of the ingredients, except oil, in a blender or food processor until smooth. Continue to blend, on low, while adding oil slowly. Mix until well blended. Refrigerate.
Spinach Chicken Salad
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
- 1/2 small sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 lb cleaned baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
- 1 peach, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
- 3 ounces crumbled bleu cheese or chevre
Place the chicken in a plastic zipper bag with ½ cup of dressing. Marinate 2 hours in refrigerator. Remove chicken, discard marinade and grill until cooked through (170 degrees at center).
Toss the spinach, onion, walnuts and cheese with the remaining 3/4 cup dressing. Slice the grilled chicken and arrange on top of the salad.
Serving: 4 to 6
Enjoy! – TaMara
Happy Independence Day!
I’ll be doing the usual. Watching 1776 right now (and working…just been that kind of few weeks).
Hope you enjoy your day!
Summer Menus: July Week One
JeffreyW makes dill potato salad
I didn’t forget as July began that we needed the first of the month’s menus. But last week my house (and thus my office) was chaotic. I had many, many worker bees doing major energy upgrades, including installing a high efficiency furnace and conditioning the crawl space. The net result so far is my house has been about 10 degrees cooler on the hottest day.
Needless to say, I did not get a lot of work done, so Friday and Saturday were spent catching up. Today I was able to get to the menus.
Tuesday being 4th of July, the recipes are picnic ready and can easily be doubled for a big group. Including a traditional Potato Salad.
Click here for all the menus and recipes: July Week One Menu
JeffreyW’s tasty looking marinated pork chops
I’m counting on a heatwave so the rest of the week is grilling and cold salads. Monday features Marinated Pork Chops and Grilled Pineapple.
Complete shopping lists are here: July Week One Shopping List. Remember they are color coordinated, so it’s easy to eliminate any items if you are skipping a recipe.
The week finishes out with Fajita Steak Salad and Grilled Asparagus. If you grill the steak the night before (to serve cold), you can broil the asparagus instead of grilling it.
Photo from JeffreyW, of course 😉
That’s it for this week’s menus. Later today I’ll try and put together a collection of our July 4th recipes we’ve posted over the years.
Summer Menus: June Week Four
All this week’s photos are from JeffreyW’s library
This week, at the bottom of the menus is a list of substitutions and ideas, save that for future weeks.
As we finish up June, there are more grilling recipes and a couple of quick and simple meals for those busy days when being in the kitchen needs to be kept to the minimum.
Here are June’s menus and recipes: June Week Four Menu (click for printable PDF)
Monday features Chicken Carbonara. Along with a Sautéed Mushroom Salad
Thursday, Toasted Tuna Sandwiches are paired with a tasty chilled Wild Rice Salad, that can be prepared ahead of time for an easy dinner.
And Friday’s Kid Friendly recipes include Quesadillas and a sweet summer salad.
Click here for the shopping lists: June Week Four Shopping List. Remember they are color coordinated to the menus, so easy to eliminate any ingredients when you skip a recipe. (You skipped a recipe?!? 🙂 )
What’s on your menu this week? Let me know in the comments if you have a question about any of the meals.
Enjoy!
Summer Menus: June Week Three
We’re partying there tonight. Bixby turned three.
Here are the menus for week three: June Menu Week Three
Highlights: Grilled Salmon with Orange Glaze (Thursday) Greek Grilled Potatoes (Monday) and a yummy Chocolate Orange-Cream ice cream treat (Friday).
Here are the shopping lists – remember they are color coordinated so you can easily eliminate any recipe ingredients you aren’t going to use. June Week Three Shopping List
If you have any questions on any of the recipes, hit the comments and I’ll do my best to answer. What’s on your plate this weekend?
Have a great weekend!
Guess Who Is Three Today
This guy!
He’s one month old in this photo. We hadn’t even met yet. That was this day:
It was love at first sight. Not much has changed over the years:
He just keeps getting bigger:
He is not full grown in the photo above – he towers over me now. Really need to update that photo.
Being Bixby is exhausting:
Party on big guy! For all his adventures, including Bailey fun, click here.
