Easy Dinner Menus for the First Week in May

I sat down to make menus this morning so that I could go shopping while my three year old was in preschool. She was having a hard morning, so after I hand fed her breakfast I told her to go snuggle in her bed. When I went to get her dressed she was fast asleep. The poor little thing. At least I gave her the choice to either go to preschool or get in bed. She is still asleep and since I can't grocery shop I thought I would post my menu with links to the recipes. I don't feel great this morning and posting is much easier than cleaning the house.

These are in no particular order. I tried to use some things that are on sale and economize in other ways.

Mediterranean Burgers (I posted the recipe a few posts back) with oven fries--I wash some potatoes, put them through my french fry attachment to my Bosch, then I put them in a large ziploc with about 2 T canola oil on them and shake them. I dump them onto a large, greased cookie sheet and sprinkle them with some Johny's Seasoning Salt from Costco. "It's pure magic!!" I bake them at 475 for about 1/2 hour, turning once after 20 minutes or so.

Omelets with toast or flat bread--I am going to use ham chunks, cheese, tomatoes, fresh herbs, avocado, sour cream etc. Then I just let everyone pick what they want. I cook flat bread on my griddle using flattened pieces of well floured artisan bread.

Strawberry Chicken Salad with artisan bread
I am going to substitute feta for the blue cheese.

Curried Chicken Sandwiches From Sunset--May 2009 page 106
Lightly season mayonnaise with curry powder. Toast sliced sourdough bread and spread half the slices with your favorite mango chutney (I like Patak's brand) and the rest with the curry mayo. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, baby spinach leaves, and sliced English cucumber on half of bread. Top with remaining bread.
I will probably have fresh mangos, or maybe apricot lassis with these sandwiches. To make an apricot lassi I take 1 1/2 C plain yogurt, 1 can apricot nectar, honey to taste, about 8 ice cubes, throw it all in the blender and blend it up. You can make any flavor by changing the nectar flavor. I bottled peach and apricot nectar in pint jars last year, so that is what I will use.

Ginger Beef Salad with Miso Vinaigrette and artisan bread and fresh fruit.

Bistro Chicken Pasta Salad with bottled fruit salad (I mix peaches and pears--including the juice--with lots of frozen blackberries).


Economies--I am going to buy one big thing of plain Feta at Costco or Sams Club and use it in the pasta salad, strawberry salad, and Mediterranean burgers.

I bought the Top Sirloin Steak for $2.89 a pound at Buy Low and am substituting it for Flank Steak in Ginger Beef Salad with Miso Vinaigrette. I bought extra to freeze for other easy meals.

From my artisan bread dough I am going to make pitas for the burgers, bread for the Curry Chicken sandwiches, flat bread, grill bread, boule shaped bread to go with the salads, etc. It is really easy--I promise.

Strawberries are in season and therefore inexpensive.

I am going to use 1 rotisserie chicken from Costco for all the recipes with chicken even if they say to use grilled chicken instead.

I am using things I have bottled or frozen for side dishes.