One of the things we strive for when planning our menus is making everything fit together into one nice, neat little package. We look to use ingredients in different ways throughout the week so that we’re benefiting from the ability of do-aheads and being able to buy in bulk. We also benefit from a well-stocked pantry.
Monday – Quinoa Taco Salad
Tuesday – Ham and Pineapple Pizza
Wednesday – Chicken Fajitas
Thursday– Spring Panzanella
Friday – Ginger Chicken Stir Fry
The Preparation Shortcuts:
1. Use leftover Easter ham for the pizza on Tuesday. It’s a great way to get rid of it without making a second ham dinner.
2. On Wednesday cook the extra chicken for Friday’s meal.
3. Use similar vegetables in both the panzanella and the stir fry. In this case, asparagus. Choose whatever is fresh and in season where you live. This can help save money if you are able to buy in bulk.
4. Use leftover dinner rolls and bread from Easter meals for the panzanella. It’s a great way to repurpose leftover bread.
5. Cut your stir-fry vegetables and get them ready on Thursday while you’re making the panzanella. This way you’ll be ready to just dump into the pan on Friday, a quick and easy meal for the start on the weekend.
The Shopping List:
2 pounds chicken breast
lemons
1 yellow pepper
2 red pepper
1 green pepper
4 leeks
1 head cabbage
2 large carrots
1 red onion
2 tomatoes
2 limes
8 ounce baby spinach
1 bunch cilantro
1 avocado
2 bunches of asparagus
1 fresh or 1 can pineapple
1 can white beans
1 can black beans
stir-fry sauce
1 can pizza sauce
4 ounces mozzarella
4 ounce feta cheese
Pantry Items:
garlic
onions
olive oil
white wine vinegar
peanuts
flour
quinoa
oregano
ground ginger
cumin
cayenne pepper
chili powder
crushed red pepper
salt
pepper*day-old bread from Easter
*leftover ham from EasterLast week from Food for My Family:
Such a cute family shot, Shaina. Can we book you for a 2nd birthday shoot?
.-= niki´s last blog ..Natural Fun with Spring Eggs =-.
Beautiful children! We didn’t do the required snapshot this year. Probably first year it hasn’t happened. Might have something to do with teenagers who do not see it as necessary.
Menu sounds yummy. That panzanella recipe has me intrigued. We had a 17th birthday at our home on Easter Sunday. Birthday girl requested Fettucine Alfredo w/Chicken for her birthday lunch. While I was cooking the chicken, I just decided to do the whole bag of it. Sliced and diced what we weren’t using for lunch and put it in the freezer. Used some of it last night in an orange sesame stirfry. I love having part of the prep work done in advance.
.-= Nancy´s last blog ..why didn’t i think of this sooner? =-.