Dinners This Week

By Suzanne on June 24, 2024

It's not only the last week in JUNE, Internet, but it's also a busy week around these parts! I don't have a whole lot of extra time to devote to seeking out the amazing and complex recipes that trick my cooking-weary brain into wanting to cook, so I'm going simple. My motivation is also driven by a desire to use the basil I've been harvesting. I have three smallish basil plants and they are producing a lot more basil leaves than I would have imagined from three smallish basil plants. Good work, friends.

Dinners for the Week of June 24-June 30

Beef Shish Kebabs: My husband doesn't normally love shish kebabs, but he recommended them this week so I am happy to oblige. I bought some culotte steak on the recommendation of the Beef Guy at my grocery store and have it marinated in some Wegman's Zest Savory. I also bought mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions for the veggie skewers. If you are a kebab person, what are your favorite things to kebab? Maybe I will harvest my single zucchini and add it to the veggie skewers.

Caprese Salad with Balsamic Chicken: We have not had this salad in a very long time, but it's the perfect vehicle for basil. I'll probably throw some red bell peppers and red onions into the salad alongside the tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. (And I leave the tomatoes whole, so that they don't get their yick all over the lettuce.) We'll top it all off with some grilled chicken marinated in my favorite balsamic vinaigrette, which I use as a dressing as well.

Sheet Pan Salmon with Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes: To be clear, I am not turning on my oven unless the temperatures dip this week. But in the event they DO dip, I will make this sheet pan meal. If they remain in the tropical range, I will grill or air fry the salmon and sweet potatoes and steam the broccoli in my microwave steamer basket.

Stir Fried Chicken with Mushrooms and Snow Peas: I haven't tried this recipe yet, but when it popped up in my inbox this morning, I thought it hit all the right notes: veggie heavy, simple, no oven necessary.

For some reason, I also bought some corn on the cob, so I have to find some way to slip THAT into the mix. And I am craving my favorite chickpea salad for lunches, so I've got that in the works, too. Except I am just realizing I forgot to buy chickpeas. SIGH. This is what happens when I improvise at the store instead of planning ahead. Don't be like me.

What do you have cooked up for the last week of June?