hot hot hot

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Dinners This Week

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. 

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?

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Dinners This Week

Some of the people in my circle are expecting heat-advisory level heat waves this week, while others are hunkering down to face a winter storm warning. Good times.

I’m on the It’s Too Hot side of the summer weather spectrum, so my approach to dinners this week is avoid using my oven if at all possible. Even in the dead of winter, I start shedding layers and my face grows damp and tomatoey every time the oven fires up and that sounds downright unbearable when there’s no snowy porch to escape to. We have a crockpot, a grill, an air fryer, and (reluctantly) an Instant Pot, so I should be able to accomplish this.

What are your favorite no-cook meals? 

Dinners for the Week of June 17-23

  • Garlic Lime Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Something Green: If you dislike cilantro, look away. But if you are cool with it, this marinade/sauce is going to be your new bestie. The recipe is way more finicky than it needs to be; I think it’s fine to marinate a whole pork tenderloin (or protein of your choice) in the lime-y, garlicky liquid and then throw it on the grill.
  • Teriyaki Chicken with Chopped Salad: I love this salad, and the idea of adding fresh cool things like mandarin oranges, edamame, and red bell peppers makes me very happy. I am going to buy a ginger dressing from the grocery store and use store bought teriyaki. I will probably add chopped up cashews and some crunchy chow mein noodles as well.
  • Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken Tacos: Would I ever turn down an excuse to make tacos? No, I would not. The only heat I like are the kinds you find in the bedroom or in a bottle of sriracha.
  • Birchie’s Chickpea Salad: What’s a better no-cook idea than FINALLY jumping on the Birchie Bandwagon and trying one of the chickpea salad recipes she’s been recommending? I wonder if I can get away with serving my husband a meat-free meal? Or maybe I could supply him a store-bought chicken breast on the side?
  • Street Corn Salad: Speaking of store-bought protein options, maybe I’ll snag a couple of chicken breasts and a salmon filet or two (or grilled shrimp?) and throw together this amazing street corn salad one night.

For lunches, I’m sticking with cherry smoothies and green peppers with cottage cheese.

Stay cool, or warm, out there Internet.