This Weeks Meal Plan

I’m up early this morning, too excited about my Sunday plans to sleep in. Right now I’m on my laptop in my living room sipping Tazo’s “awake” breakfast blend tea. Planning my day, and making my grocery list for the week. My two dogs, Madeline and Cole are right here beside me catching a few more winks. Jim and I leave on Friday to visit friends in San Jose, CA which means I have a short week to plan our meals. Yesterday my friend Allyson and I checked out the Austin Farmers Market in downtown Austin. I’ve always wanted to go, but never stuck to my plans to wake up and get down there. We found some great local goodies so I’m making a list of how I can use these food finds in my meals this week. Sometime before Thursday I will cook Texas Red Snapper and Texas Lamb Chops. Both of these foods will be new to me, but I’ve already found some great recipe guides online I plan on using. Allyson and I also purchased the best smelling fresh basil. I used some of it last night to make homemade tomato sauce, but I think I'm using the rest to make a homemade pesto to freeze for future use.

Jim has specifically requested that I make meatloaf this week – it seems we just finished those leftovers. It’s an easy recipe that I follow, although I change it a little each time I make it (of course. I can’t leave well enough alone.) I have almost all the ingredients on hand but the 1 lb of ground turkey. I need to add that to my shopping list. I usually make meatloaf in a casserole pan – flat like brownies instead of a loaf. For one, if it’s flat then the topping (ketchup, mustard and brown sugar) has more surface area to coat. And secondly, I slice up squares the size of a piece of bread and freeze. This is one of Jim’s favorite lunches ever. He takes out one square of meatloaf, heats in microwave and put between two pieces of bread. Easy, simple and delicious. The fourth meal that I am looking forward to making is my Chicken Verde Enchiladas. I have a great story about these enchiladas, but will write about it when I create the post.

So here is the lineup for this week:

Today I’m making Jim’s Meatloaf and Chicken Verde Enchiladas (with a sour cream twist). I need to get these big dishes done and out of the way so we can eat on them later this week when we need to. (for instance if I completely botch the lamb chops we have this to fall back on.)

Tonight, (Sunday) we are taking Jim’s mom to a local Austin eatery for her birthday. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. We’ve had a lot of rain and expect sprinkles today until about 6 PM when it is supposed to clear up. That is when we are picking her up and going to The Oasis, a restaurant with many decks that looks over Lake Travis. We will be sipping margaritas and eating chips and salsa at 8:05 when the sun goes down right there in front of us, vanishing behind the Central Texas hills. It is a beautiful and moving vision, I can’t wait for her to see it for the first time.

Monday night I’m tackling the Red Snapper and using my beautiful local Texas squash in some way.


Tuesday night I have class so Jim will be eating his choice of leftovers. What do you want to bet it will be meatloaf!

Wednesday night we will have the lamb chops. For dessert I'm going to do something I've always wanted to try - grilled peaches. I have one beautiful peach left over from my peaches and cream ice cream. I may grill the peach with balsamic glaze and serve with a scoop of peaches and cream ice cream. Oh yeah, that sounds GREAT!!!

Thursday night we will eat leftovers – probably enchiladas. I may even assemble the enchiladas today and wait to cook them until Thursday. That would work, right?

Friday we dine in California!!!! Yeah, I cannot WAIT. Stay tuned, I will be posting about how these meals turned out in the coming days.



Look how beautiful this fresh basil is. I can't wait to make homemade pesto with it.