May 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 4

Hope y’all are having a happy, healthy and safe Memorial Day weekend!  Did you grill anything good during one of the first nice weekends of the year?  

Instead of grilling tonight, I am on my way to Montana for a work trip.  This trip comes on the heels of getting home from Nashville around 2:30 Friday morning.  All of this crazy travel means there are fewer quick dinner ideas listed in my post this week.  Fingers crossed no additional crazy travel comes up last minute for next week!  

For the soy-glazed chicken thighs mentioned below, the recipe says to bake them.  After making the recipe per instructions, I would suggest grilling them.  Despite lining the pan with foil we have a blackened cookie sheet on our hands.   Do yourself a favor and spare yourself from the extra mess!

OK, my flight is about to board… As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends!  

RECIPES

Soy-Glazed Chicken Thighs With Asparagus And Scallions, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2014 page 58
Grilled Steak with Parsley-Parmesan Salad, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2014 page 122
Pumpkin-Goat Cheese Sweet Potato “Risotto” with Maple-Pecan Crusted Pork, Source: Inspiralized Blog

Soy-Glazed Chicken Thighs- learn from my mess and cook these on the grill!

GROCERY LIST

Produce
2 bunches scallions
1 bunch of cilantro
2 bunches of flat-leaf parsley
1 bunch asparagus 
2 large sweet potatoes
1 shallot
1 head of garlic
Fresh lime juice
Fresh lemon juice

Dairy and Frozen
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
3 oz goat cheese

Meat and Seafood
8 chicken thighs 
1.5 pound flatiron steak
4 boneless pork chops

Interior Aisles
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Aniseed
Chili powder
Red pepper flakes
Thyme flakes
Honey
Maple syrup
Dijon mustard
Chicken broth
Pecans
Reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 can pumpkin puree

May 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 3

Hi y’all!  Thank you for checking out my latest dinner menu post.  I am happy to report I am in the middle of a ten day stretch at home:)  

This week I managed to make the steak salad recipe included below in less than 25 minutes, and the zucchini noodle dish in less than 30.   The butter chicken recipe takes a bit longer to cook, but is worth making on a work from home day.  There is enough butter and seasoning in it that the leftovers the next day are just as delicious as the night before!  

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

Grilled Steak Salad with Beets and Ramps

RECIPES

Thai Catfish Salad (Laap Pla Duk), Source: Food and Wine Magazine, May 2013, page 163
Duck Breasts with Dulce de Leche Chile Sauce, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, May 2015, page 40

Grilled Steak Salad With Beets And Scallions,  Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2015, page 128

Green Curry Pork Tenderloin, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2013, page 18 

Buttery Roast Chicken, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 12

Hand Salad With Buttermilk, Grapefruit, And Mixed Seeds, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 68

Creamy BLT Zucchini Pasta, Source: Inspiralized Blog

GROCERY LIST

Produce

2 medium zucchinis

3 beets

Radishes

1 cabbage

1 cucumber

1 pound Bibb, Little Gem or Baby romaine lettuce

2 limes

2 lemons

1 grapefruit

1 serrano chile

1 bunch of thyme

2 bunches of cilantro

1 bunch of mint

1 bunch of dill

1 head of garlic

3 shallots

1 bunch of scallions or ramps

1 bunch of scallions

2 bunch of spicy greens (arugula or mizuna) 

Ginger root

Orange juice

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Dairy and Frozen

Butter

Heavy cream

Eggs

Parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Meat and Seafood 

2 pork tenderloins

1 3.5-4 pound chicken

1 pound tri-tip, New York strip or skirt steak

Three 1-pound whole catfish

4 12-ounce Muscovy duck breasts

Bacon

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Toasted sesame oil

Red wine vinegar

Balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Pepper

Red pepper flakes

Aleppo-Style pepper

Cumin seeds

Coriander seeds

Dried oregano flakes

Sunflower, sesame and/or poppy seeds

Fennel seeds

Reduced-sodium soy sauce

Green Thai curry paste

Fish sauce

1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

chicken stock or broth

1 14.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

Tomato paste

Dijon mustard

Sugar

Light brown sugar

Maple syrup

Pepitas

4 ancho chiles

1 chile de árbol

1 cup brioche or chill breadcrumbs

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Ramps

Thai chile powder

Roasted rice powder

Dulce de leche

May 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 2

Thank you for checking out my latest weeknight dinner ideas post!  There are fewer recipes posted this week than normal due to my work trip on Sunday and Monday to Florida.  Man, getting in from flights at midnight two nights in a row is rough!  

The majority of the recipes featured this week should be prepared ahead.  The chicken, flank steak and pork all need to marinate for several hours.  The good news is if you can prepare the meat in the morning, then it takes less than thirty minutes to get each dish on the table after work!      

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

Fried Eggplant Salad with Feta

RECIPES

Butter Chicken, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, May 2016, page 113

Vindaloo Flank Steak, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, May 2015, page 40

Fried Eggplant Salad with Feta, Source: Food and Magazine, May 2015, page 50

Curry-And-Coconut-Milk-Grilled Pork Skewers, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2015, page 118 

Scallops With Apple Pan Sauce, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2013, page 61

Black Rice Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2013, page 61

GROCERY LIST

Produce

Hearty sprouts (such as daikon or sunflower) or pea shoots

Grape tomatoes

Green beans

One 1.5-pound eggplant

2 Granny Smith apples

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of scallions (at least 8)

1 medium green bell pepper

1 medium red bell pepper

1 lime

1 ginger root

1 garlic head

2 yellow onions

Fresh lemon juice

Meyer lemon juice (or regular)

Dairy and Frozen

Greek yogurt

Salted butter

Unsalted butter

Heavy cream

crumbled feta cheese

Shelled edamame

Meat and Seafood 

8 bone-in chicken thighs

1.5-pound flank steak

1.5 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)

4 ounces fatback

12 large sea scallops

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Sugar

Kosher salt

Pepper

Cumin seeds

Black peppercorns

Whole Cinnamon sticks

Whole Cloves

White pepper

Curry powder

Ground turmeric 

Distilled white vinegar

Red wine vinegar

White wine vinegar

Agave syrup or honey

Fish sauce

One 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

One 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk

Sweetened condensed milk

Chicken Stock

Salted roasted cashews

Walnuts

Basmati rice

Black rice

Paratha or naan

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Vindaloo spice

Dried guajillo chiles

Thai thin soy sauce

May 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 1

It’s hard to believe we are already in May!  Where is the year going?   Do you have any fun plans for Cinco De Mayo?  I am going to make tacos and margaritas, but plan on deviating from the carnitas recipe featured this week by making the pork in the slow cooker.  If you follow the recipe on Thursday you will have to let me know how everything turns out!  

When planning the menus for the month I found May a bit harder to stick to my goal of a different type of animal protein each night of the week.  After going though all of my old May issues of Bon Appétit and Food and Wine, I found that there are a bunch of great desserts, cocktails, chicken and beef recipes featured, but not so many pork, lamb, seafood, etc. dishes that are easy to make in less than an hour.  I wish I had a better idea of why that is!  Do you have any great lamb or turkey recipes to recommend for later in the month?  

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

Crunch Veg Bowl with Warm Peanut Sauce

RECIPES

Roast Chicken with Rhubarb Butter and Asparagus, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2015, page 104

Strip Steak With Lemony Yogurt And Radishes, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 50

Gambas Al Ajillo, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 14

Crunchy Veg Bowl With Warm Peanut Sauce, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 66 

Lamb-Bacon Burgers With Spicy Aioli, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2015, page 24

Double-Pork Carnitas, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, May 2016, page 76

GROCERY LIST

Produce

1 bunch asparagus

1 large rhubarb stalk

1 ginger root

4 plum tomatoes

8 ounces radishes 

1 head of Napa cabbage

3 cups baby arugula

1 bunch of scallions

1 golden beet

1 package of celery 

1 Persian cucumber

1 bunch of bean sprouts

4 lemons

1 lime

1 avocado 

2 red or green Thai chiles

1 bunch of fresh thyme

2 bunches of parsley

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of mint

1 bunch of oregano

1 bunch of sage

3 heads of garlic

1 white onion

Fresh orange juice

Fresh lime juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

1.5 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

1/3 pound fresh mozzarella

Meat and Seafood 

1 3.5-4 pound chicken

2 1-inch-thick boneless New York strip steaks

20 large shrimp

5 eggs

.5 pound thick-cut bacon

1 pound ground lamb

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder

1 pound pork belly

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

Kosher salt

Crushed red pepper flakes

1 chile de árbol

Pepper

Dried oregano

Honey

Dark brown sugar

Peanutbutter

Unsalted peanuts

Unsweetened coconut milk

Soy sauce

Fish sauce

Brown rice

Dijon mustard

Chipotle chile in adobo

Chicken stock

4 brioche buns

Warm corn tortillas

Brandy

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Cardamom pods

April 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 3

Thank you for checking out my latest post!  After a week hiatus due to some crazy work travel, I am happy to be back at home cooking again!  This week I wanted to share some recipes that are easier to prepare in advance, or cook quickly.  The spicy pork dish is great for anyone trying to get dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes, and both the steak and lamb need to marinate so you can prep them in the morning for dinner that night.  

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

Spicy Pork With Asparagus And Chile

RECIPES

Chicken Skewers With Tarragon-Pistachio Pesto, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2011, page 38

Steakhouse Salad With Red Chile Dressing And Peanuts, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2015, page 115

Tarragon Roasted Halibut With Hazelnut Brown Butter, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2013, page 92

Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2011, page 61 

Lamb Chops With Lemon, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2011, page 74

Veal Meatballs with Mustard Greens, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2014, page 104

GROCERY LIST

Produce

2 lemons

2 red bell peppers

1 red jalapeño

1 bunch of parsley

2 bunches of tarragon

1 bunch of mint

1 bunch of oregano

1/2 pound sugar snap peas

12 ounces asparagus

1 head of butter lettuce

1/2 pound mustard greens

2 Persoan cucumbers

2 ounces radishes

1 bunch of scallions

1 ginger root

2 lemons

1 large red onion

1 large white onion

3 large shallots

1 head of garlic

Fresh lemon juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Heavy cream

Eggs

Meat and Seafood 

1 pound chicken tenders

1.5 pound flank steak

12 ounces ground pork

24 lamb rib chops

1 pound ground veal

1 3-3.5 pound skinless halibut fillet

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Unseasoned rice vinegar

Asian sesame oil

Oyster sauce

Soy sauce

Ground fennel seeds

Ground coriander

Chipotle or other smoked chile powder

Mustard powder

Crushed red pepper

Cornstarch

Sugar

Honey

Bread crumbs

Chicken stock

1/2 cup whole hazelnuts

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Unsalted natural pistachios

Raw peanuts

Mirin

Gochujang paste

Gochugaru powder

Shaoxing Chinese rice wine or dry Sherry

April 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 2

Hi y’all!  I am happy to report I am on my second FULL week of being at home!  I am in the middle of a lull between work trips, and am happy to make dinner again on an almost nightly basis.  In addition to weeknight dinners I have enjoyed baking, and making craft cocktails.  Alas, domestic bliss will be short lived as I am off on another 3 day work trip next week.  

This week I included an unusual recipe for spiced duck.  Let me know if you are curious about how it turns out on Friday night! (I found a whole duck in the freezer section of Costco.  Who knew?!?)  Also, for those of you interested in spring food, there are two dishes that feature savory rhubarb.  

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

RECIPES

Grilled Hanger Steak with Spring Vegetables and Hazelnuts, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2016, page121

Spicy Chicken Thighs With Rhubarb-Cucumber Salsa, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2012, page 36

Pan-Seared Tuna Steaks with Ginger Vinaigrette, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2015, page 64

Spice-Roasted Duck, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2014, page113 

Blistered Diced Radishes with Parsley, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2014, page 30

Roast Pork Tenderloin With Carrot Romesco, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2014, page 40

GROCERY LIST

Produce

1 bunch of Broccolini 

1.5 pound small carrots

2 cups spicy greens (watercress or baby mustard)

1 pound radishes

1 habanero, Scotch bonnet, or Thai chile, with seeds, stemmed

1 head of garlic

1 bunch of scallions

3 rhubarb stalks

1 bag fresh English peas

1/2 pound asparagus

4 ounces watercress

1 English hothouse cucumber

1 bunch of cilantro

1 bunch of thyme

1 bunch of sage

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley

3 medium shallots

2 lemons

1 large ginger root

1 small onion

Fresh lime juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Meat and Seafood 

6 large skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

Two 3/4 to 1-pound hanger steaks

Two 1-inch-thick yellowfin tuna steaks

1 large pork tenderloin (About 1.5 pounds)

One 5.5 pound Pekin (Long Island) duck

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Salt

Kosher salt

Sea salt

Black Pepper

Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

Smoked sweet paprika

Coriander seeds

Fennel seeds

Caraway seeds

Toasted white sesame seeds

Soy sauce (regular and low-sodium)

Red wine vinegar

Honey

Hazelnuts

Pine nuts

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Sake

Mirin
Sweet pimentón de la Vera

April 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 1

The calendar may say April, but it feels like early March in the DC area.  I planted some beets, broccoli, carrots and radishes in my new backyard, and I am now second guessing if that was a good idea with the possibility of snow this weekend... Yikes!  

I love the collard green salad recipe included in the list for this week.  Last year I think I cheated and made it twice!  The seed brittle is delicious, and easy to clean up if you use a silpat mat on your cookie sheet. 

As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and if you find my blog useful please share it with your friends.  

Chile-Cumin Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Cucumber (and Roasted Golden Cauliflower)

RECIPES

Pork Tenderloin with Sage, Garlic and Honey, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2015, page114

Chile-Cumin Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Cucumber, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2015, page 108

Scallops with Charred Scallions and Marcona Romesco, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2016, page 92

Pepper-Crusted Skirt Steak with Charred Leeks, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2016, page 60 

Chicken Saltimbocca with Asparagus, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2014, page 72

Blackened Carrots, Source: Source: Food and Wine Magazine, April 2016, page 62

Collard Greens Salad with Ginger and Spicy Seed Brittle, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, April 2015, page 53

GROCERY LIST

Produce

4 medium leeks

1 large red bell pepper

1 pound thick asparagus

2 bunches of sage

1 bunch of thyme

1 bunch parsley

1 bunch oregano

1 bunch Parsley

1 bunch of mint

1 hothouse cucumber

24 scallions

1 head of garlic

1.5 pounds carrots

2 ounces pea tendrils or shoots

1 onion

1 lemon

1 ginger root

1 bunch collard greens

Fresh lemon juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Plain sheep’s-milk or cow’s whole-milk yogurt

Meat and Seafood 

Eight 3-ounce chicken cutlets

8 slices of prosciutto

2 pounds skirt steak

1.5 pound pork tenderloin

12 large sea scallops

1.25 sounds ground lamb

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Canola oil

Salt

Kosher salt

Black Pepper

Coriander seeds

Cumin seeds

Black peppercorns

Sweet smoked paprika

Fennel seeds

Ground coriander

Ground cumin

Bay leaves

Nutmeg

Dried oregano

Cayenne pepper

Garlic powder

Crushed red pepper

All-purpose flour

Dark brown sugar

Chicken stock

Dijon mustard

Balsamic vinegar

Sherry vinegar

Red wine vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

Dry white wine

Honey

Raw sunflower seeds

Raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Raw sesame seeds

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Vin Santo

White peppercorns 

Marcona almonds

3 pasilla chiles

Toasted sesame oil