Menu Monday

Last week I planned a menu that went fairly well. Here’s my recap:

(For recipes, click on the link to see last week’s menu. Recipes can be found there).

On Monday we had the wings but because I was out, the family got the dinner started and made our usual okra recipe, not knowing I wanted to try a new one out.

Tuesday’s Thai Basil Chicken was okay. This is my favorite Thai dish when we eat out so I had a certain level of expectation. This one disappointed. The family ate it okay but I don’t think it’s worth repeating. I’ll have to look for another recipe. Oh, I did sub ground turkey for the ground chicken but I don’t think that was the problem.

Wednesday we ended up eating out so we saved the curried beef ribs for Saturday night. Those were good and we will repeat this recipe.

The lemon chicken piccata was not as good as the picture looked. Full disclosure: I tried to make it THM friendly by subbing almond flour for the flour and it didn’t translate over smoothly. It was more of an “almond crusted chicken with lemon sauce” but the lemon sauce was runny without the flour to thicken it up.

We didn’t make the beer braised pork ribs. The recipe called for bone-in country-style pork ribs but I was shopping at Aldi and all they had was baby back ribs. I bought those instead but now I’ll look for another recipe. We ordered pizza and ate completely off plan.

Sunday was mom’s first Sunday cooking. It’s tradition that we eat lunch after church at my parent’s house. The weather was perfect so we ate al fresco, under the pergola, just like we would if we were at their house in Italy. They extended the pergola so now it holds three tables. We filled all three. The food was fabulous (of course) but the gathering around the table, the talking, the lingering, the younger kids running around, climbing the rope or swinging on the swing, eating ice cream cones while sporting melted ice cream goatees, the older kids engaging in conversation…that part was delicious! Here’s to many more such gatherings!

Then last night, while the kids were at their small group, Michael and I sat outside and had the first fire in the firepit. We decided that life group next week will be around the fire pit. 

This week’s menu:

Monday – Chicken Teriyaki with homemake teriyaki sauce and ginger fried rice

Tuesday – Chicken Thighs with Sweet Red Onions and Balsamic Vinegar, microwaved sweet potato chips

Wednesday – pork satay with peanut sauce, and spicy peanut noodles (from Savor by Shauna Niequist)

Thursday – Sizzling Chicken Fajitas

Friday – Camping. Not sure what dinner will be yet.

May sub out baby back ribs for a chicken day. I need to find a recipe for that though.