what's for dinner in July?

[Blackdog Lin]

Reviving, in case anyone else has an interest in the subject. :)

My menu planning for the last few weeks consists mainly of figuring out menus that will use our fresh garden produce - a lovely problem to have, I know, but still.....it taxes my brain and imagination most every day.

Saturday: bacon and tomato sandwiches, using our first garden tomatoes of the year. With marinated cukes, of course, since I am absolutely inundated with cucumbers.
Sunday: ham, cheese, and zucchini quiche. Saute'd garden onions and peppers along with the garden zucchini to put in it, and had a few patio Juliet tomatoes to throw in too. It turned out remarkably good. This was my second try at a super-easy quiche crust and both times it has turned out flaky and good alongside of being so easy I don't mind throwing it together. A keeper. We had the quiche with.....more marinated cucumbers. What a surprise.
Monday: chicken and (homemade) noodles, for no other reason than I had broth and chicken in the freezer, DH has been wanting it, and my schedule allowed for the making of the noodles. Had with a little salad plate of garden tomatoes and cukes.
Tuesday: tacos with patio tomatoes on top. We took a break from cucumbers today!
Wednesday (the plan): baked tilapia (planning on a garlic-lemon-butter riff with them), with sauté'd garden green beans (which I plan to go out early and get picked, mud permitting) and a big green salad using up some garden onions, cucumbers and tomatoes.

Anyone else? Perhaps some great Independence Day cooking-outside menus for later this week?

[Aroha]

I love to eat so I do indeed have a great interest in the subject! I also love cucumbers, although I can see how you would want a break from them. And there are none on my menu as it's winter here.

Last night was roast chicken and winter vegetables - kumara, yam and brussells sprouts.

Tonight will be crumbed schnitzel with parsnip and potato chips (home baked).

Tomorrow, slow cooker beef and rosemary, with cauliflower and cheese sauce.

Then pork and crackling and possibly a kiwifruit salsa. Probably carrots.

Pumpkin soup and bacon.

Thanks for prompting me to turn my groceries into a menu plan, now I'm actually looking forward to cooking it all.

[awakenedsoul]

Wow! You people really cook! I baked a loaf of french bread while it was still cool enough to turn on the oven this morning. Had that with some cheese and a salad. Used lettuce, tomatoes, red pepper, carrots, and avocado in the salad. Made home made dressing.
That's great that you're growing so much produce, Blackdog. I've been eating zucchini from my garden daily. I made some tonight and tossed in an extra one for my dog. She loves it as a treat. Saves me money, and she's dancing around as I'm making it. (I just boil it, whole.) Had some fresh raspberries and watermelon for dessert. Once I finish eating this loaf of bread, I'm going to try the NY Times no knead bread recipe.
Your meals sound delicious, Aroha!

[ApatheticNoMore]

Yesterday made mushroom risotto, but it was way too rich. Too rich as in barely digestible, what have I done? :~) 2TB of butter plus olive oil and Parmesan rich. Really if I make risotto again I think I'll stick to a low fat risotto recipe I have (2tsp olive oil + Parmesan), much easier on my system. Made pistou again yesterday. I have plans for it not just eating it with tomatoes (and spread on cheddar cheese, I don't know, I'm insane) like last time - the plan is a soup with pistou, veggies, maybe white beans. I may make cream of salmon soup as well to use up a small piece of salmon. Ok that's the week, plus salads probably for lunch.

[Aroha]

ApatheticNoMore, I had to google pistou because I have never heard of it. There's even a great Jamie Oliver recipe for a bean and vege soup served with pistou. It sounds fantastic, I will have to remember it when summer rolls around, or maybe I can buy some fresh basil from the supermarket and give it a try. Spread on cheese sounds awesome! I often take a slice of cheese and spread either some marmite or some of my feijoa chutney on it for a snack (or lunch when no one else is home, they probably wouldn't go for it).

How do you make cream of salmon soup?

Awakenedsoul - boiled zucchini? Really? I can't see the appeal, do you drizzle any butter or sauces over it?

[ApatheticNoMore]

How do you make cream of salmon soup?

It was my own invention with a bunch of complementary ingredients. I mostly make it when I buy or thaw a piece of salmon to have a salmon dinner proper (baked salmon, veggies, etc.) and don't get around to it (went out for someone's bday when I planned to eat it this time). Leeks (always leeks), also sometimes other alums like garlic or even onions - often sauté these in some olive oil, chopped potatoes, handful of fresh dill, salmon (often partly baked before throwing chunks in the soup towards the end), salt, pepper, add some cream at the end of cooking the rest of the soup (this doesn't have to be a massive amount - just enough to give it some cream flavor - few TB). I've added things like green cabbage too, though I think it slightly (only slightly) detracts from the flavor - sometimes I'm determined to eat my cruciferous veggies I guess. I've added a chopped carrot sometimes, it's fine, doesn't add or detract from the flavor. The soup will keep several days (as long as soup usually lasts before going bad), thereby prolonging the life of a piece of salmon that's maybe 3 days old (which is use me RIGHT NOW time for salmon).

[Aroha]

It was my own invention with a bunch of complementary ingredients. I mostly make it when I buy or thaw a piece of salmon to have a salmon dinner proper (baked salmon, veggies, etc.) and don't get around to it (went out for someone's bday when I planned to eat it this time). Leeks (always leeks), also sometimes other alums like garlic or even onions - often sauté these in some olive oil, chopped potatoes, handful of fresh dill, salmon (often partly baked before throwing chunks in the soup), salt, pepper, add some cream at the end of cooking the rest of the soup (this doesn't have to be a massive amount - just enough to give it some cream flavor - few TB). I've added things like green cabbage too, though I think it slightly (only slightly) detracts from the flavor - sometimes I'm determined to eat my cruciferous veggies I guess. I've added a chopped carrot sometimes, it's fine, doesn't add or detract from the flavor. The soup will keep several days (as long as soup usually lasts before going bad), thereby prolonging the life of a piece of salmon that's maybe 3 days old (which is use me RIGHT NOW time for salmon).

Any other liquid?

[ApatheticNoMore]

Any other liquid?

Water, it's basically cooked in water (the cream is just for flavor). I suppose veggie or other broth could be used, I could see veggie broth possibly being an improvement (fish broth might work, but I never have that around). It's very ad hoc cooking sometimes here :)

[Aroha]

Thanks :) I usually have most of those things on hand and I really need to learn to incorporate more fish in my diet. And being as I never leave a recipe the way I found it I'm already thinking that coconut cream might be a nice addition too.

[cdttmm]

It's very ad hoc cooking sometimes here :)

This sounds like at our house. Which explains why I have nothing to add to this thread! :D

[awakenedsoul]

Awakenedsoul - boiled zucchini? Really? I can't see the appeal, do you drizzle any butter or sauces over it?

Sometimes I sautee it in olive oil, (cut up like matchsticks) and season with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh parmesan. Other times, I just boil it whole, then slice it in half lengthwise, and have it with butter and seasonings. It's kind of like a potato. I mash it up. This way I can cook some for the dogs, too. (They don't get any butter, salt or pepper on theirs.)

[Aroha]

Sometimes I sautee it in olive oil, (cut up like matchsticks) and season with fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh parmesan. Other times, I just boil it whole, then slice it in half lengthwise, and have it with butter and seasonings. It's kind of like a potato. I mash it up. This way I can cook some for the dogs, too. (They don't get any butter, salt or pepper on theirs.)
Oh, ok. Maybe worth a try. Could cook in the same pot as potatoes maybe? As a lower carb alternative. Or even mash them together? I have never ever ever considered doing zucchini this way, but when you get a glut you really have to get creative.

[awakenedsoul]

Sure, it's kind of like baby food. I like it. I learned it from a South African lady who I rented a room from in my teens. She was a famous Balanchine dancer in NYCB> She would serve something like lamb, a salad, and one whole zucchini per person cooked this way. She was a follower of Dr. Bieler, who wrote Food Is Your Best Medicine. He was ahead of his time. He was really big on eating zucchini, green beans, and parsley.

I like the younger zucchini better. They are tender, and have a delicious flavor.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Since it fits the thread: zuchinnis are really good cooked up in pesto as well, slice them, sautee in olive oil, with some pesto. I also like them sauteed in oilve oil with a bit of not very oily roasted red pepper vinegrette. Just plain sauted in olive oil with or without cheese will do of course.

[Blackdog Lin]

Okay, loving all the zucchini ideas. I've put away 3 quarts in the freezer, which is about all that we'll eat before they get too old, and now am focused on just incorporating them into my menus. Thank goodness that unlike the cucumbers, the zucchini are only producing normally, not going crazy, so I only have to deal with 2-3 a week. Might try some of your new ideas this next week.

We have been eating so well this week that it is almost.....I don't know, obscene, embarrassing. I don't mean eating to excess, I mean being lucky enough to be enjoying all we want of fresh-from-the-garden produce. Seriously, I sent a check (could, because we're not spending much at the grocery store lately) to the local food pantry because I feel kinda guilty in our garden-produce glut. (of course we're giving lots of it away too.) I mean, how can you top:

Grilled pork steaks with fried okra (garden to table: 2 hours. now that's fresh!) and marinated cukes (sigh.) Then turkey club sandwiches with garden tomatoes and lettuce (gifted lettuce) and cukes on the side. Then homemade chicken taquitos using garden onions and peppers, with fried zucchini sticks (again, 2 hours garden to table), and fresh homemade picante (DH is in the middle of canning it) for the tacquitos. And today grilled chicken thighs and garden green beans (garlic-butter style).

I am grateful. (and full.) :)

[awakenedsoul]

Congratulations on your garden, Blackdog Lin. That's fantastic. I probably should have planted some peppers this season...next year. I did plant some Cinderella pumpkin seeds very late in the season and they are sprouting. They make a nice conversation piece in the cottage garden, and are good for soup. I love roasting the seeds, too.

Made a homemade salsa tonight and had that on a quesadilla with avocado. I stopped buying chocolate and was craving it tonight, so I made a mug of cocoa. I used Agave instead of sugar and it tasted great! Made my first batch of the NY Times no knead bread recipe. I was amazed at how fast and easy it was to make the dough! It's setting now for 18 hours.... quite exciting! Should be having that for dinner tomorrow with my parents.

[Gregg]

Eggplant lasagna. Eggplant korma. Eggplant curry. Eggplant parmesan. Guess what went ballistic in our garden this year?

[IshbelRobertson]

When we have a glut of courgettes, I slice them thinly, coat in tempura batter and deep fry as an appetiser.

[Blackdog Lin]

Gregg: I laughed. Out loud. And then I snort-laughed. Thank you.

(what is korma?)

[Gregg]

Lin, its Indian. Similar to a curry. We serve it with rice. We also make it pretty spicy since our peppers are keeping pace with the eggplant.

[Simpler at Fifty]

We have company for 3 days yet. We ate out the last two nights. Tonight we are having ham, baked beans and potato salad. Looking forward to eating in. It is humid today and we turned the air on because the house would get even hotter with the oven on for a few hours.

[awakenedsoul]

Well, the NY Times no knead bread came out great! I did the batter the night before I left to visit my parents. Took it in the car with me for 5 1/2 hours, and finished it and baked it in the Le Creuset pot there. Made lamb chops, macaroni and cheese, and we had the bread. My parents were so impressed with the price and quality of the lamb chops, they're going to join Costco.

[Blackdog Lin]

awakenedsoul - your post made me realize that I have never in my life had lamb chops. I guess it's just not a thing in the rural Midwest. I'd love to try some.

[Aroha]

Blackdog Lin, that's so sad. It's almost a weekly staple for me, certainly was while I was growing up. I wouldn't have it with macaroni and bread though. Probably minted peas, honey carrots and buttery mashed potatoes :) Good kiwi tucker.

[awakenedsoul]

awakenedsoul - your post made me realize that I have never in my life had lamb chops. I guess it's just not a thing in the rural Midwest. I'd love to try some.

Oh, they're delicious! I love rack of lamb, too. This was from Australia. Usually I have vegetables and salad with it, but I was cooking for my parents. My mom can't keep vegetables or salad down anymore, so I made things they can reheat eat after I leave. (It's hard on my dad being a caretaker. He's in his 80's.)

Let me know if you try them, Blackdog. Lamb gravy is one of my favorites!

[Rosemary]

A breakfast, not a dinner. Took this camping with us.

Breakfast or Dessert Pies
Makes 3, 4" mini pies
In food processor, process about 8 dates until well chopped. Add a heaping handful of hazelnuts or other nuts, about 1 c old-fashioned oats, and 1 tbsp water. Puree until thoroughly blended and chopped. Test consistency; add a little more water or a little more oats until a good consistency (not too sticky). Divide into 3 and press into oiled pie plates, using plastic wrap to keep it from sticking to your hand. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, cook up a fruit filling on the stove. I used black raspberries and chopped dried apricots, which both thicken and sweeten the raspberries. I added 1 tbsp chia seed for additional thickening. When the filling has thickened, taste for sweetness and add 1-2 tbsp maple syrup if needed.

When filling and crusts have cooled, combine and refrigerate.

The mini pies travel well in a sandwich-sized container (leave in the pie tin). Last summer I made some with our Concord grapes and froze them; every now and then I put one in DD's lunch for a treat. She raved about them.

[Florence]

Monday: Shrimp Jambalaya
Tuesday: BBQ Chicken, beans, corn on the cob
Wednesday: Corned beef hash
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Out

[rosarugosa]

Awakened: That's good to know about lamb from Costco. We love lamb, but don't eat it often due to the high price (plus eating less red meat overall). We'l have to check it out!

[bUU]

We've finally started enjoying harvest meals, after quite a delay in our growing season here in the northeast. We picked up zucchini and squash from the farm at Walden Woods and corn from Hutchins farm (supplemented by bell peppers from afar, as they haven't reached maturity up this way, yet), and that has been dinner the last two nights (with a B12 supplement, of course, given the practically vegan nature of the dinner itself). I think my spouse will be turning to beets tonight. (I don't like beets, so I'll probably be on my own for dinner.)

[rodeosweetheart]

We had chicken in a roaster with potatoes and carrots and vidalia onions last night, which will become soup for lunches this week.

Night before that, we were out and had ice cream for dinner.

Tonight, either butternut squash soup or ice cream, depending if we are out buying paint.

Around here, summer nights are long, and ice cream seems most appropriate.

[awakenedsoul]

Rosemary, Those sound delicious! Very creative....thanks for the recipe. I'm going to write it down for future use.
rosarugosa, I don't buy or eat red meat as often, either. (For the same reasons you listed.) They have nice rack of lamb at Costco, too. (Australian, grass fed...)
I just made bruschetta! Used my leftover homemade sourdough bread. I marinated diced tomatoes in homemade Italian dressing, and sprinkled with green onions and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Yum! I baked it in my second hand toaster oven from the Salvation Army. (Saves electricity and it doesn't heat up the whole house.) I think I'll use the rest of the bread to make stuffed zucchini for dinner. I can cook that in the toaster oven, too.
rodeosweetheart, I hear you. I feel like eating sorbet and watermelon when it's super hot. It's been a little cooler here, and I'm cooking again.

[razz]

Made shepherds pie for DGS on Sunday night with ground beef, mixed veg and rice on top with side of sliced tomatoes. He was highly amused at that dish. He thought that pies should be in a pie shell but it is now a favourite dish, he thinks. He doesn't like potatoes so rice worked well. Shrimp and salad last night and leftover shepherds pie tonight with diced tomato/cuke/pepper salad on the side. Movie and popcorn for dessert.
I may not post often but like the ideas shared so thanks.

[Blackdog Lin]

Sunday: bacon and eggs and hashbrowns and sliced garden tomatoes (we were both craving breakfast food).
Monday: Taco pizza, using up garden tomatoes, the last of the gifted garden lettuce, and some of the leftover homemade picante that DH got done and canned last week.
Today: bacon-n-tomato sandwiches with roasted garden okra on the side.

razz: enjoyed your casserole description and DGS's reaction to same. (he doesn't have to know it's just something we do to use up food so it won't go to waste, does he? :) )

Keep 'em coming guys!

[ApatheticNoMore]

Made ratatouille yesterday. Was kinda sick and so half way through it I wondered what ever possessed me to cook when sick. But once a recipe is started it must be completed. Joy of Cooking recipe - not the easiest recipe for ratatouille but not the most difficult either (the most difficult is definitely the best tasting, but it involves roasting the red peppers beforehand etc. so it wasn't going to happen)

Made an apricot crisp today. I don't usually make dessert because yea I need to eat more sugar than I already do >8) But had butter around and some farm fresh apricots from some farmland I visited recently and I don't usually have either around so ... half recipe, used brown rice flour for the flour, oats, just this minute remembered I forgot the cinnamon and nutmeg and just sprinkled it on top while baking (doh), butter, sub-ed some maple sugar for some of the brown sugar. We'll see (really though I think it's impossible to ruin fruit crisp). Will eat it for breakfasts, and I mean that :)

ETA: don't try to reduce the sugar in a crisp. When they say mix sugar in with the fruit as well as on the top - do it, don't just assume on the top will suffice! Ok a little sourish were those apricots, I'll eat it anyway. The other modifications worked fine.

[awakenedsoul]

With this weather, I haven't been doing much cooking. I've been eating lots of watermelon, salads, and drinking cold lemonade. I plan to make some tomato sauce with olive oil and fresh tomatoes from the organic co op. I'll use dried herbs that I've saved. I think I have some spaghetti in my stockpile. I've been eating up the leftover homemade bread for sandwiches. My meals are nothing fancy, but they're inexpensive and nutritious! I'm impressed with everyone's cooking. Once it's cooler, I'll start making more of my favorite recipes again.

[Blackdog Lin]

I have been feeling guilty lately with what is really a.....I think the meme is first world problems?

I would like to cook/eat some Brussels sprouts. I am missing them. Or some broccoli. Or cauliflower. But I am focused on using up the garden produce, as much as I can, while it's fresh. Therefore all menu planning must utilize green bell or Anaheim peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, or okra. And we are only a household of two, and only cook one full meal a day. So.....it would be silly for me to spend money at the grocery for Brussels sprouts, when I have all this bounty.

That said, we're still eating like royalty (okay, I don't cook like royalty, but I'll bet even rich people don't get to eat such an abundance of freshness). :) This week: Sunday was breakfast pizza w/peppers and homemade picante, and fresh tomato juice with it; then breaded and deep-fried zucchini, okra, and bell peppers, with an oriental dipping sauce, in the evening; Monday was stuffed bell peppers and marinated cukes on the side; Tuesday was hamburgers with tomatoes and all the fixin's, and fried okra on the side; and today was (fake, 'cause I was lazy and used flour tortillas) chicken enchiladas full of peppers, and a garlic-butter zucchini-corn sauté thing on the side.

Life is good. Even without Brussels sprouts. :)

[awakenedsoul]

I think you deserve the brussels sprouts for all of your hard work, Blackdog Lin. I remember one year when I was growing a lot of my own food, I started to get sick of it. I felt guilty, but just saturated. My mom used to get that way with cooking.

I was going to make some guacamole tonite for a change of flavors. But, I had eaten all of the avocados from Costco. Hard to believe...I've been making so many salads...I did make the tomato sauce this a.m. and had some pasta. If I'm going to cook, I need to do it very early in the morning. It was 104 degrees here today.

[Aroha]

You could freeze the peppers, pickle the cucumbers, make tomato sauce and then just go buy a broccoli.

[Florence]

Monday: Tuna salad sandwiches on sourdough bread
Tuesday: Chicken-Rice Bake
Wednesday: Scrambled eggs, sausage, toast
Thursday: Spaghetti and meat sauce
Friday: Out

[Blackdog Lin]

Aroha: sorry, I wasn't clear enough. There are 2 gallon bags of bell peppers and 1 of Anaheims in the freezer already (9-10 mos. worth I think); and 9 pints of various pickles canned; and 12 qts. of tomatoes and 5 qts. of tomato juice (and DH is canning tomatoes and juice again tomorrow); and 3 bags of zucchini chunks in the freezer, along with 2 bags of snow peas; and 14 qts. of green beans canned; and 24 (I think) pints of picante canned; and 1 gallon of okra frozen (and oh, there's so much more okra to come!).....

We HAVE been preserving. I try to keep the preserving to one year's worth. Hence my menu-planning to use up the excess.

Florence: tuna salad sandwiches. Must have been something in the air. We had them yesterday. Easy and cool/refreshing on a hot summer's day. Of course we had to have ours with fresh tomato and cucumber slices on the side. :)

[mm1970]

We are having orzo salad with roasted zucchini and cherry tomatoes for dinner. Lunch is kale chips and tacos.

This afternoon I'm making chili (at least it's raining, even if it's still hot). My husband cleaned out our freezer on Friday, and we tossed some really old stuff. It gets away with me. I found 1/2 gallon bag of last year's frozen peppers, hence the chili.

[Tiam]

Last night was zucchini fritters, or zucchini pancakes...not sure what to call them. My favorite way to use up my least favorite garden veg.

[rosarugosa]

We had grilled eggplant (I think Japanese) sandwiches on wonderful farmer's market bread with goat cheese, romaine, and a perfect tomato. Very delicious.

[ApatheticNoMore]

Tonight I had a piece of salmon I'd thawed, sauteed with cajun spice then baked. Served it with zuchinnis and some other yellow squash thing, cooked in garlic olive oil (although the novelty olive oil is really less useful than you'd think), topped with pesto (i'll freeze pesto - use a little at a time. It also happens to be one thing the garlic olive oil really works well in). 3 for 4 on the zucchini in this thread and they are fast becoming my favorite veggie!

Also made a half recipe of some clam white sauce for the week ahead, traditional is pasta but I'll probably just eat with rice for dinner and see how that works. Made half recipe becker lamb patties thursday but they are mostly eaten. Apricot crisp long devoured. I ate ratatouille till I could stand no more and there's still more (this is the virtue of half recipes - but I made the full recipe of that). I was certainly bad with the red meat and carbon last week, not just 1/2 pound of lamb in lamb patties (just for me), but also ate mom's broccoli beef one night (broccoli, red peppers, ginger, soy sauce a grass fed flank steak I picked up at the farmers market for her). If she makes more broccoli beef though I don't think I'll do well resisting ...

[rosarugosa]

Hey ANM, I'll be interested in hearing how you like the clam sauce on rice. If you use arborio rice, then I think you could call it a shellfish risotto :)

[profnot]

I LOVE cold salmon lox, which is cheap and plentiful here. I mix it with plain Greek yoghurt, lemon juice, and fresh cilantro. (No bagels as I have given up grains and starches.)

I do NOT turn on the oven in summer. Using the slow cooker is my life.

The nice spiral-cut hams are only available at Easter here. So I bought 2 and froze one. Cold ham is lovely in summer. I recently thawed the ham, trimmed the skin and fat, put the sliced meat into several baggies, and popped all but two in the freezer. The bits of skin went into baggies in the freezer as treats for my pug. The odd cubes of ham I put in baggies then the frig.

I couldn't let the bone, etc, go to waste so I put everything into the slow cooker with water to cover. Set the cooker on high and let it rock for 24 hours. Then I used the broth to make split pea soup. I added the cubes of ham and put into plastic containers for enjoying this fall and winter when it is cold and rainy.