Dinner Plans: Week 12

It's Week 12 of Dinner Plans and we survived the Heat Dome!

That temperature rise escalated quickly as we tried to keep our cool (in more ways than one) during the first major heat wave of the year. Now, the calendar says it's officially Spring and it always seems to line up nicely with the quarterly pantry, fridge, and freezer inventory stock-take I schedule for myself.

Cleaning the pantry, especially at the start of Spring, feels like a balm to the soul. Refresh. Cleanse. Set the stage for the season ahead. It also helps in the practice of the clean-out-the-fridge meals where I lean on what I have to make meals work. See: Pasta with Broccolini and Sundried Tomatoes (below) where I'm using broken lasagna noodles this week rather than going to the store to buy more pasta.

Dinner Plans for Week 12

I'm heading to the farmers market this weekend to pick up more fresh artichokes to recipe test for what I'm calling "Bar Snacks at Home" featuring small bites that are giving restaurant style vibes but from the comfort of home. The fried artichokes from Angèle have been fixated in my brain and I'm on a mission to make these at home to share with friends over a glass of Ca' Dei Frati Lugana I Frati to celebrate the start of a new season.

Apart from recipe testing between work and homeschooling, we're making our way to really making a dent in our freezer stash. I've got frozen blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries that will make for a yummy fruit compote for the week's yogurt and oat bowls. Maybe more for hand pies or a throwback to poptarts?

Frozen turkey tenders can be breaded and baked for an easy dinner (now that it'll be cool enough to resume oven use!) served alongside a simple springtime salad with Little Gems and my new favorite Yuzu Vinegar I picked up at Hudson Green & Goods.

Here’s what else caught my attention in our CSA box, Good Pantry Haul, and the fridge, freezer, and pantry this week:

• Carrots
• Purple Daikon Radish
• Leeks
• Frozen Spinach
• Mandarins
• Ruby Grapefruit
• Little Gems
• Frozen berries and cherries
• Turkey Tenders

Our Game Plan for Dinner this Week:

Sunday: Spinach-Arugula Pesto Pasta with Mini Meatballs 

Monday: Pasta with Broccolini and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Tuesday: Enchilada Stack with Turkey Chorizo, Potatoes, and Peppers 

Wednesday: Crispy Baked Turkey Tenders with Little Gems and Yuzu Vinaigrette

Thursday: Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos

Friday: Herby Slow Roasted Salmon with Braised Lentils

Saturday: Pizza with Wild Mushrooms, Arugula, and Grated TomaTruffle

From favorite recipes to new meal ideas using a wide variety of ingredients, cooking delicious food with our CSA definitely gets us out of a dinner rut while reducing food waste. I share meal ideas for our busy weeks with our weekly newsletter. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to be in the know when they’re live. 😉