Weekly Menu 11-3-25
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Halloween was a success! The kids loved the maze, and many came back to repeat the experience several times. Parents appreciated the work that went into creating something the kids obviously loved. I must admit that after a full day on concrete, fixing walls so they were snug again, and adding the last-minute touches—which are anything but last-minute—my body was protesting!
And, yes, we were sweating that we might not receive our November retirement pay, which had me rethinking my menu plans and going back in my head for those ideas and recipes I’d stretched as far as I could when the kids were small and money was always tight.
Sometimes, those are the best recipes and meal plans, though. Does anyone remember heating soup and having it over toast? Or maybe making vegetable soup and serving it in fancy bowls so no one would notice? Another one I recently thought about is serving tuna salad in a popover bowl. The kids loved it!
Monday
A simple yet sophisticated recipe I come back to often is this Goat Cheese Omelet from Fiona Beckett’s Cheese Course cookbook. While it calls for herbs I usually don’t have, I’m using regular minced garlic and parsley from the herb garden. I love the addition of goat cheese, which takes this omelet to a whole new level. It’s light and rich, and perfect for dinner!
I’m serving this light course with a garden salad dressed with Balsamic Vinaigrette and crisp, chilled white wine. And all of a sudden, Monday’s not so bleak!
| Goat Cheese Omelet with Garlic & Parsley Garden Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette Chilled White Wine |
Tuesday
Often, shrimp is thought of as a fancy dish – and it might very well be, but shrimp is less expensive than some cuts of meat, and super easy to fix! Tonight, we’re cooking blackened shrimp from Jo Cooks, but I’m using my own homemade blackened seasoning and serving it atop risotto. I don’t have a recipe for risotto; I make it and may use more chicken stock one time than I do the next. But I always start by cooking the minced onion, then add the dry arborio rice to brown before adding white wine to cook off. I start adding chicken stock, a ladleful at a time, letting it cook down before adding more. When the rice is almost cooked through, I’ll add fresh chopped sage for flavor, continue cooking, and when the rice is cooked through and has the right texture, I’ll add fresh Parmesan cheese and lemon zest. So good!
Garlic toast complements the dish and is an excellent tool for scooping up every last bite from the bottom of our bowls.
| Blackened Shrimp with Parmesan Sage Risotto Garlic Toast |
Wednesday
There are times when you want a casserole, and this is just right! With cheese ravioli in the freezer and mozzarella on hand, we only need to buy some marinara sauce. This recipe is located on page 155 of my Come Home for Dinner cookbook by Betty Crocker. I haven’t made it before, but it looks too tempting not to now when I have most of the ingredients handy.
To make this a complete meal, a garden salad with Italian dressing and crusty French bread is all that’s needed – and dinner is served!
| Cheesy Ravioli Casserole Garden Salad with Italian Dressing Crusty French Bread |
Thursday
Another recipe I come back to often from Betty Crocker’s Come Home for Dinner cookbook is the baked taco sandwich. Using Bisquick to make the crusty bottom, it’s topped with ground beef and cheddar cheese. Once it’s baked, mound on the topping ingredients for a great dinner with little effort.
| Baked Taco Sandwich Topped with Shredded Iceberg Lettuce, Shredded Cheddar, Diced Tomato & Sour Cream |
Friday
On page 286 of the same cookbook, Come Home for Dinner, is a recipe for zesty roasted chicken and potatoes—we’re talking a sheet-pan meal here. Easy-peasy! A dressing is made and brushed over the chicken and potatoes before roasting in the oven. It couldn’t be any simpler, and it looks like a great meal on the fly.
I’m making this meal even easier by serving a side of seasoned, sliced tomatoes and letting them do their own thing—juicy and just right.
| Zesty Roasted Chicken and Potatoes Sliced Tomatoes |
Saturday
I love a crispy, crunchy coating, and this fish is dredged in flour before frying. The lemon butter sauce, however, drives this fish to a whole other level! This recipe from Charm Recipes is not only good for you, but delicious.
Serve the fish with simple sides like steamed rice and green beans for a complete meal that’s beautiful enough to serve in the dining room!
| Pan Seared Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce Steamed Green Beans with Toasted Almonds Steamed Rice |
