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.
And it’s October. How did that happen? I found a ton of produce at the farmers market this weekend. It looked like most people had just harvested the last of a lot of stuff due to the temperature threatening to drop down into the 30s. I happily snatched them up. One lady even added extra patty pans for me because she knew she needed to get rid of them (benefits of shopping late on Sunday). So, armed with what is probably the last I’ll see of the summer vegetables this season as I will be in San Francisco next weekend, I’m celebrating.
A few things of note on this menu. I will be making Thursday and Friday’s meals for my family or at least prepping them so that Ole isn’t forced to juggle unnecessarily. Enchiladas freeze beautifully, but they will also store for a day in the fridge until they’re ready to be baked. I’m adding a delicata squash to the roasted vegetable sandwiches. It’s a great squash, and you can just scrub the skin well and leave it right on for some extra texture.
Monday – Open Face Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches
Tuesday – Thai Red Curry Shrimp
Wednesday – Brown Butter Tortelli
Thursday – Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Enchiladas
Friday – Creamy Zucchini & Coconut Milk Soup
The Preparation Shortcuts:
1. Buy mushrooms in bulk for use in both the sandwiches and the enchiladas.
2. Instead of arugula, you can sub spinach in the tortelli so that you’re using all of it once you add it to the enchiladas.
3. Zucchini and summer squash can be used in the vegetable sandwiches, in the curry and also in the soup on Friday.
4. Coconut milk finds its way to both curry and in soup for this menu. Find it on sale or get it in bulk to save.
The Shopping List:
1 pound raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
12 ounces fresh tortelli pasta
4 cups patty pan squash
2 red peppers
4 zucchini
2 pounds mushrooms
3 limes
1 lemon
1 bunch green onions
16 ounces spinach
2 stalks lemongrass
1 poblano pepper
1 knob ginger
1 bunch cilantro
red curry paste
1 load garlic rosemary bread or make your own favorite bread
8 ounces provolone or mozzarella cheese
8 ounces cheddar cheese
4 ounces Parmesan cheese
8-10 yellow corn tortillas
Pantry Items:
butter
garlic
onions
vegetable broth
Thai chilies
salt
fresh (frozen) oregano
cayenne
cumin
chili powder
chili oil
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
brown sugarLast week from Food for My Family:
Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
Smithfield Blog: Get Your Garden Growing: Fall Gardening
Babble’s Family Kitchen
Monster Cookies (4 coupons for FREE cookies left!)
Gluten-Free Apple Fritters
5 Tree-Nut and Peanut-Free School Lunches
The winner of last week’s Mohawk Valley Trading Company raw honey giveaway is Kel! Let me know when you make the baklava! Yum! Thanks for commenting, everyone!
Great use of the coconut milk this week. The entire menu looks delicious!
Good job! I was just thinking I should be more organized. i manage to whip up some pretty nie dishes on the spur of the moment at this phase of my life… but sometimes getting the idea is the hardest part.
🙂
valerie
Now that’s a MENU! I’d love for you to stop by What’s Cooking Wednesday to share one of your great recipes! Hope to see you there 🙂
Cristi
http://thekingscourt4.blogspot.com/search/label/What%27s%20Cooking%20Wednesday
Shaina, thanks so much for including my zucchini soup recipe in your menu. I am definitely going to check out that brown butter tortelli. It was wonderful meeting you this weekend!