week of dinners, july 31- august 6

weekly summer dinner menu for july 31 - august 6 winding the week down friday night dinner:

grilled eggplant sandwiches with arugala, feta cheese, and tomatoes

casual saturday dinner after the movies:

baby salad greens and parmesan crusted baked zucchini sticks with marinara sauce:

mix 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, and 1 teaspoon oregano in a bowl.  season 1 pound zucchini, sliced into sticks, with salt and pepper.  dip the zucchini in 1 egg, lightly beaten, and then dredge in the bread crumb mixture.  place the zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer with the skin side down.  bake in a preheated 425F oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

sunday supper:

salad greens, mostly vegetable frittatta (adapted from the minimalist, mark bittman, new york times):

put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet (i prefer to use a cast iron) and turn heat to medium.  when oil is hot, add 1/2 chopped onion and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until it is soft, 3 to 5 minutes.  add 4-6 cups of any chopped vegetables, raise heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, from a couple of minutes for greens to 15 minutes for sliced potatoes.  adjust heat so vegetables brown a little without scorching.  when vegetables are nearly done, turn heat to low and add 1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or mint leaves, or any other herb.  cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.  meanwhile, beat 2 or 3 eggs with some salt and pepper, along with 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese. pour over vegetables, distributing them evenly.  cook, undisturbed, until eggs are barely set, 10-15 minutes; run pan under broiler for a few minutes if top does not set.  cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

monday, monday:

black bean chili with quinoa:

simmer 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water until absorbed, about 20 minutes. heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan.  add 1 onion (chopped) and saute until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  add 4 cloves garlic (chopped), 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped), 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 tablespoon cumin and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.  add 1 28- ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 19 ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed), 1 red bell pepper (cut into bit sized pieces), 1 zucchini (cut into bit sized pieces), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.  add the quinoa and simmer for 5 minutes more.  top with sour cream, sharp cheddar cheese, and scallions.

tuesday night breakfast for dinner:

pancakes and chicken and maple breakfast sausage

wednesday dinner:

tossed green salad, falafel pitas with homemade yogurt sauce

thursday dinner:

eggrolls, edamame salad (adapted from the minimalist, mark bittman, new york times):

steam frozen edamame and chill. toss with olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of sugar, lots of chopped mint, salt, pepper, and as much shaved pecorino or parmesan as you like.  picture of salad in hiking and camping post.

enjoy your few days away from work and happy cooking!