The Monday Menu: June 29, 2009

Another week into summer. I had the feeling today that I’m going to wake up one morning and it will suddenly be over, my flowers done blooming for the season, the apples harvested, the leaves falling off the trees. I’ve decided I need to be a bit more organized in my daily affairs and responsibilities in order to appreciate the fleeting days of summer. It is, after all, almost July. When did that happen?

I started my attempt at organization this afternoon. My family had taken my elder children on a pontoon ride down the St. Croix while Kidney Bean napped. In an attempt to be productive I started a to-do list. Then I started to get depressed at the sheer number of things I was able to write down. After filling three pages in Kola Nut’s Diego journal that I’d found in the backseat of the car, I decided I’d stop there before I had an mini anxiety attack. I did manage to check off a few things when we got home this evening already, and I’ll be mapping out designated time for more of them as I make my way through the work week.

In a stroke of genius, I suggested we finish our grocery shopping in a 30-minute power shopping trip in between naps and needing to be at an outdoor barbecue on Saturday. It worked, and I managed to pull together a full menu despite being gone for 75 percent of the weekend. I do not like to start my week off with an empty fridge and the thought of a Monday night grocery trip looming over my head.

Monday – Juicy Lucy burgers (our Greek burgers were such a success that I felt the need to stuff the burger with feta this time), homemade french fries, salads

Tuesday – Teriyaki salmon, potstickers, spring rolls, steamed rice, garlic ginger green beans

Wednesday – Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, pesto cheese bread

Thursday – Drunken game hens, rosemary and garlic mashed potatoes, garlic toast (This stayed on the menu from last Tuesday. It was 95 degrees out and we don’t have AC. A trip to Chipotle to maintain my sanity was definitely in order.)

Friday – Breakfast for dinner: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict (we had this at Gaia on vacation in California last December and we’re going to attempt to recreate it to satisfy my wanderlust at least until we go back this December) with perfectly poached eggs and Ole’s smoked salmon, strawberries and blueberries