It is that time of the week to see how my food plan went. Did I follow it, boot it, or just give up and do take out all week? Since my days are full with all the exciting things I get to do now so much the same, day in and day out, I am slowly becoming a shell of myself. I have taken on the Rhett Butler mantra and "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" about much of anything right now.
Have any of you noticed that since Covid and thedesolation quarantine, life falls into 4 categories: housework( I am counting working at Mom's in the housework category, even though not much is getting done at my personal home) , cooking, yard work, and Netflix.
And now I have whined enough and need to finish this post quickly so I can move on to my next fun event___repairing a toilet, and finishing the cleaning, then off to Home Depot to buy a screened door for the lake place.
1. Grilled chicken, grilled pineapple, zucchini fries, coleslaw
2. Mediterranean salad, rolls or keto rolls✓
3. Grilled steak, tossed salad, rolls or keto rolls✓
4. Zucchini gratin, sliced tomatoes, coleslaw✓
5. Seared scallops, asparagus, onion cucumber tomato salad, toast✓
6. Takeout✓
7. Greek chicken salad on lettuce leaves, toast or rolls
Monday: We worked at Mom's again. This time we were mostly in the finished basement. We were washing down several of the surfaces with a mild bleach water solution. After coming home, I took a shower immediately and still smelled like bleach, or maybe I just had the bleach smell in my brain and could not get it out. There was no way I wanted to touch or prepare meats.
Zucchini au gratin, coleslaw, sliced tomatoes, toast
Tuesday: We had planned on grilling out, but the rain declared otherwise. I had nothing else defrosted and was not going to cook a steak indoors, so . . .
Mediterranean salad
Harvest:4 zucchini 8 radishes, cukes are blooming like crazy and green beans are beginning to bloom
Wednesday:I finally cancelled my Misfit Market subscription. I was tired of getting spoiled produce, or whatever they decided was enough for two. In the last box I got a completely ruined butternut squash, wilted limp lettuce and 6 collard leaves. I am unsure who thought 6 leaves would be enough for two servings Obviously not someone from the south. After I had it cooked, there was about 1/3 cup, so we each got a couple of tablespoons. This is not the way we eat them! TheHub stopped by Publix on his way home and grabbed a Mojo rotisserie chicken.
Rotisserie chicken, squash, collards
Thursday: Finally it was evening and not raining. I took it as a sign that it was time to cook one of TheHub's Father's Day presents! Son2 has been at Mom's a couple of days while we were sorting through things and has heard me declare I want no more stuff. I guess he took it to heart, and gave TheHub 2 gorgeous strip steaks for Father's Day. Something consumable was the perfect present. Because we are a couple of old farts we do not eat as much meat as we once did, we stuck one in the freezer and shared one.
Grilled strip steak, salad, roll or keto roll
Friday: I had planned on cooking in but my cousin could not be at Mom's to pick up the items she needed for her friend until later in the evening. My sister and I worked sorting and pricing until they got there and it was after 6 when I finally got back to my house, TheHub was busy at work and had not eaten all day, so we decided to run out and pick something up.
Full Moon's pulled pork plate with collards and tomatoes
Harvest: 1 zucchini
Saturday: TheHub and I spent the day getting things ready at the house for Son3 and DIL3's visit. I spent a lot of time at Mom's both before and after her death, and I have neglected my own home. I started in the laundry room and am moving backward through the house. Yuck! We decided we would have a quick dinner and focus on using some of this zucchini.
Seated scallops, zucchini fries, tomato slices, coleslaw
Harvest 3 zucchini
Sunday: Son2 had given me some yellow squash and after a thorough refrigerator cleaning I decided the squash had to be cooked immediately. After the squash was sautéed with some chopped onion I changed the dinner plans to something simple yet delicious (at least to us)
Squash, corn on the cob (or none) sliced tomatoes, coleslaw
Harvest: 3 zucchini, 1 radish (I pulled the radishes because the cucumbers are choking them)
I am doing something different with the meal plan this time. Son3 and DIL3 arrive here mid week and plan on staying a week and a half or possibly 2 weeks. Instead of doing a weekly plan I thought I would just list several different meal options, based mainly on what I have on hand.
These may or may not happen and most likely will be subtracted from or added to, based on what is or isn't happening with the garden, personal tastes, and what everyone is in the mood for.
1. Herb stuffed boneless leg of lamb, rice pilaf, asparagus, tossed salad, rolls
2. Hamburgers and all the fixings, zucchini fries
3. Chicken enchiladas, Mexican street corn, green salad
4. White bbq chicken, coleslaw, green beans, Texas toast
5. Pulled pork, baked beans, caulitato salad, pickles, buns
6. Lady peas, corn, fried okra, cucumber tomato and onion salad, cornbread
7. Grilled grouper, sautéed crab claws, tossed. salad, broccoli, Italian bread
8. Ham, au gratin potatoes, collard greens, dinner rolls
9. Steak, twice baked potato, tossed salad
10. Snapper, zucchini fritters, sliced tomatoes, Greek bread
11. Fettuccine al fredo, tossed salad. Italian bread
12. Greek chicken salad on lettuce leaves, crusty rolls or baguette
13. Squash, green beans, fried green tomatoes, coleslaw, cornbread
14. Grilled tuna steaks with mango salsa, zucchini fries, tossed salad, rolls
15. Bruschetta, tossed salad, assorted cheeses
16. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, green beans
17. Greek meatloaf, potatoes, tomato slices, green beans.
Of course take out is always an option too. I guess time will tell how this all works out!
SHOPPING LIST:
tomatoes
lettuce (depending on the garden)
rolls
lady peas
cucumbers (depending on the garden)
broccoli
okra
grouper
crab claws
snapper
Greek bread
potatoes
collards
mango
baguette
Fried Chicken (I will buy that at Publix. It is better than mine anyway)
texas tost
dinner rolls
p.s. I am in desperate need of any and all zucchini recipes. Pretty soon I am going to be one of those crazy ladies who sits on the front steps with a basket of zucchini. If a car passes with an open window it might be a victim of a random zucchini toss. Just sayin'!
Have any of you noticed that since Covid and the
And now I have whined enough and need to finish this post quickly so I can move on to my next fun event___repairing a toilet, and finishing the cleaning, then off to Home Depot to buy a screened door for the lake place.
1. Grilled chicken, grilled pineapple, zucchini fries, coleslaw
2. Mediterranean salad, rolls or keto rolls✓
3. Grilled steak, tossed salad, rolls or keto rolls✓
4. Zucchini gratin, sliced tomatoes, coleslaw✓
5. Seared scallops, asparagus, onion cucumber tomato salad, toast✓
6. Takeout✓
7. Greek chicken salad on lettuce leaves, toast or rolls
Monday: We worked at Mom's again. This time we were mostly in the finished basement. We were washing down several of the surfaces with a mild bleach water solution. After coming home, I took a shower immediately and still smelled like bleach, or maybe I just had the bleach smell in my brain and could not get it out. There was no way I wanted to touch or prepare meats.
Zucchini au gratin, coleslaw, sliced tomatoes, toast
Tuesday: We had planned on grilling out, but the rain declared otherwise. I had nothing else defrosted and was not going to cook a steak indoors, so . . .
Mediterranean salad
Harvest:4 zucchini 8 radishes, cukes are blooming like crazy and green beans are beginning to bloom
Wednesday:I finally cancelled my Misfit Market subscription. I was tired of getting spoiled produce, or whatever they decided was enough for two. In the last box I got a completely ruined butternut squash, wilted limp lettuce and 6 collard leaves. I am unsure who thought 6 leaves would be enough for two servings Obviously not someone from the south. After I had it cooked, there was about 1/3 cup, so we each got a couple of tablespoons. This is not the way we eat them! TheHub stopped by Publix on his way home and grabbed a Mojo rotisserie chicken.
Rotisserie chicken, squash, collards
Thursday: Finally it was evening and not raining. I took it as a sign that it was time to cook one of TheHub's Father's Day presents! Son2 has been at Mom's a couple of days while we were sorting through things and has heard me declare I want no more stuff. I guess he took it to heart, and gave TheHub 2 gorgeous strip steaks for Father's Day. Something consumable was the perfect present. Because
Grilled strip steak, salad, roll or keto roll
Friday: I had planned on cooking in but my cousin could not be at Mom's to pick up the items she needed for her friend until later in the evening. My sister and I worked sorting and pricing until they got there and it was after 6 when I finally got back to my house, TheHub was busy at work and had not eaten all day, so we decided to run out and pick something up.
Full Moon's pulled pork plate with collards and tomatoes
Harvest: 1 zucchini
Saturday: TheHub and I spent the day getting things ready at the house for Son3 and DIL3's visit. I spent a lot of time at Mom's both before and after her death, and I have neglected my own home. I started in the laundry room and am moving backward through the house. Yuck! We decided we would have a quick dinner and focus on using some of this zucchini.
Seated scallops, zucchini fries, tomato slices, coleslaw
Harvest 3 zucchini
Sunday: Son2 had given me some yellow squash and after a thorough refrigerator cleaning I decided the squash had to be cooked immediately. After the squash was sautéed with some chopped onion I changed the dinner plans to something simple yet delicious (at least to us)
Squash, corn on the cob (or none) sliced tomatoes, coleslaw
Harvest: 3 zucchini, 1 radish (I pulled the radishes because the cucumbers are choking them)
I am doing something different with the meal plan this time. Son3 and DIL3 arrive here mid week and plan on staying a week and a half or possibly 2 weeks. Instead of doing a weekly plan I thought I would just list several different meal options, based mainly on what I have on hand.
These may or may not happen and most likely will be subtracted from or added to, based on what is or isn't happening with the garden, personal tastes, and what everyone is in the mood for.
1. Herb stuffed boneless leg of lamb, rice pilaf, asparagus, tossed salad, rolls
2. Hamburgers and all the fixings, zucchini fries
3. Chicken enchiladas, Mexican street corn, green salad
4. White bbq chicken, coleslaw, green beans, Texas toast
5. Pulled pork, baked beans, caulitato salad, pickles, buns
6. Lady peas, corn, fried okra, cucumber tomato and onion salad, cornbread
7. Grilled grouper, sautéed crab claws, tossed. salad, broccoli, Italian bread
8. Ham, au gratin potatoes, collard greens, dinner rolls
9. Steak, twice baked potato, tossed salad
10. Snapper, zucchini fritters, sliced tomatoes, Greek bread
11. Fettuccine al fredo, tossed salad. Italian bread
12. Greek chicken salad on lettuce leaves, crusty rolls or baguette
13. Squash, green beans, fried green tomatoes, coleslaw, cornbread
14. Grilled tuna steaks with mango salsa, zucchini fries, tossed salad, rolls
15. Bruschetta, tossed salad, assorted cheeses
16. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, green beans
17. Greek meatloaf, potatoes, tomato slices, green beans.
Of course take out is always an option too. I guess time will tell how this all works out!
SHOPPING LIST:
tomatoes
lettuce (depending on the garden)
rolls
lady peas
cucumbers (depending on the garden)
broccoli
okra
grouper
crab claws
snapper
Greek bread
potatoes
collards
mango
baguette
Fried Chicken (I will buy that at Publix. It is better than mine anyway)
texas tost
dinner rolls
p.s. I am in desperate need of any and all zucchini recipes. Pretty soon I am going to be one of those crazy ladies who sits on the front steps with a basket of zucchini. If a car passes with an open window it might be a victim of a random zucchini toss. Just sayin'!
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/172346/sweet-zucchini-relish/
ReplyDeleteThis is our favorite relish! I can't stand zucchini, and refuse to eat it in any form other than in a zucchini bread or this relish!
This looks good! I wonder if I could make a smaller batch using swerve or monk fruit rather than sugar?
DeleteNOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! You can't. You can't because this is a hot water bath canned item, but zucchini is a low acid food, so if you go monkeying with the sugar, you will change the tonicity, which might change the acidity, which would make it unsafe for canning.
DeleteYou COULD do it, however, if you intended to put the relish in the refrigerator, and use it within 6 weeks or so.
When I said reduced batch, that is what I was thinking. To make it and use it without canning. I try to avoid sugar.and look for something I can use a sugar substitute with. It pretty much means long term storage except the freezer is out fo the picture.
DeleteIs your local foodbank taking them? You never know right now, they may need them. I don't love cooked veggies so about all I make with zucchini is chocolate cake lol. Have a lovely time with your son and DIL
ReplyDeleteOur church has a food mission but for insurance reasons they cannot accept home grown food,
Deletehttps://simpleslug.blogspot.com/2009/05/lenas-lemon-pepper-chicken-recipe.html
ReplyDeleteUses lots of zuke!
Yum! I am going to try this but I am going to have to ketofy the recipe, because my fat butt was not doing keto for a few weeks and it shows!
DeleteI think you just about summed up quarantine for me - have been binge watching the Sopranos the last couple of days and I NEVER thought I would sit down and watch so much TV.
ReplyDeleteThis is a zucchini (or eggplant) recipe that I have had for ages. Have to type it out though!
1 large eggplant - or 3 small zucchini
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper (capsicum?)
2 eggs softly beaten
1 cup mayo
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 teaspoon sat
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Put zucchini in dish with 1/4 cup of water. Cover and microwave for 4-6 minutes on high. Drain well. Combine eggs, mayo, onion, green pepper and parmesan well and add to zucchini. Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Let stand for 6 minutes before serving!
That sounds really good!
DeleteHere are some suggestions for you:)
ReplyDeletehttps://ye-mek.net/recipe/stuffed-zucchini-recipe
https://www.food.com/recipe/kabak-m-cveri-turkish-zucchini-fritters-127269
https://www.giverecipe.com/zucchini-mezze/
https://littleferrarokitchen.com/savory-turkish-zucchini-pie/
My grandma used to let the zucchinis overgrow and she would cut thin long strips about an inch (or more) wide and would sun dry them. She would not use the middle section where the seeds are. After the strips dried really well, she would just put them in a cloth bag and hung it in the kitchen for the winter. She would mix chopped meat, chopped onions and parsley with some rice. Sprinkle salt and pepper and make a mixture. She would take the dried strips and soak them in hot water till they became tender. She then would put a little of that mixture and roll the strips up placing them in a pot neatly. She would mix tomato paste and warm water and pour over the rolled meat filled strips, add a little oil and cook on stove top, till the meat was cooked. I know it sounds like a lot of work but it really isn't. She would serve the cooked rolls with garlic yogurt or plain yogurt. Dried zucchini has a different texture and taste.
Alternately you can follow the video below. It is in Turkish but, you really do not need the translation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJrxhcZEtNo
If you try any of these, please let mw know. Enjoy!
I have a dehydrator that I could dry the strips in. This is a good idea and a good way to preserve them. I feel bad about not utilizing everything that is producing in the garden. I am going to have to check out the other links too!
DeleteSigh on the market box. Spoiled produce is inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteI quite like zuchinni slice - which I am sure you already know.
Have a HEAP of fun with the family - which I know you will.
I am so ready for daytime conversations!
DeleteI was so teed off with the past couple of boxes. I know if I contact them they will refund money, but I had rather cancel and buy my own, than have to go through the hassle over and over.
I've never thought you were a whiner. You took good care of your mom. The meals might not have followed your plan, but everything sounds good.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I can be an excellent whiner, Janie!
DeleteWell, if you're going to brag, then I think we need to have a whine-off because I'm good, too.
DeleteI know with Keto you are not doing much pasta, but we love the layered pasta, sauce, veggie-with or without cheese depending on if my older daughter is over, and zucchini is our vegetable of choice. along with spinach and mushrooms. I wish I lived closer and I would take them off your hands. I love a good zucchini fritter, and of course the breads. I know none of this is keto friendly. What about just posting on Facebook Marketplace and setting a box on a corner-help yourself folks! A few years ago on my birthday my daughter and I went for coffee and the coffee place had boxes of squash to give away. I was so happy!
ReplyDeleteRight now I am processing it at an alarming rate. I like zucchini, just not every single day.
DeleteGrate the zucchini and freeze. Later, you can bake some zucchini bread and give as holiday gifts to neighbors and friends. Or, have zucchini noodles with every meal! :D The dehydrated zucchini sounds interesting, too; an ideal way to preserve them for later.
ReplyDeleteThe meal plans/possibilities you have come up with sound good to me. I've been going the route of meal possibilities, myself, with good results.
No Netflix, at my end. Just regular TV and basic cable that my daughter talked me into getting.
TheHub and I are watching various series either on Netflix or Amazon Prime. My only issue with him is that he will not binge watch, so I am having to learn how to watch one episode a night. I am going to spring for Disney Plus for a couple of months so we can watch Hamilton.
DeleteI'm hungry right now and everything sounds so good whether or not you had it. Have a great visit with your son and family.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad they are coming for several reasons. I want them to enjoy some space and outdoors safely. I am also ready to see humans during the day. Before Mom died I saw her and her sitters everyday, and even when Mom could no longer carry on a conversation I could at least talk to her.
DeleteI am allergic to most squash so absoltely no help. But the menu including bbboneless lamb looks great. Netflix and prime and now I have hulu so more scandinavual thriller series than I can keep up with. I dont cook beyond the slow cooker and am not allowed to touch living plants, lol.
ReplyDeleteTheHub is leaning toward adding Hulu. I think he has seen ads for a couple of shows he wants to watch. Before Covid we went out at least once a week, usually more than that and the Netflix/Amazon Prime has kept us somewhat entertained. Since I see no end soon to our imposed isolation adding Hulu might be a pretty inexpensive entertainment "fix". Plus we are able to control when we watch, so we would never miss one of our neighborhood pop up distanced visits because our show was coming on.
DeleteWe cancelled our MM box too. Not enough produce and my last box was delivered late and had multiple issues with items on the verge of spoiling. Here is my zucchini recipe. It really does taste like pineapple. :)
ReplyDeleteZucchini-Pineapple
4 quarts cubed or shredded zucchini
46 ounces canned unsweetened pineapple juice
1½ cups bottled lemon juice
3 cups sugar
Yield: About 8 to 9 pints
Directions: Peel zucchini and either cut into ½-inch cubes or shred. Mix zucchini with other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Fill jars with hot mixture and cooking liquid, leaving ½-inch head space. Adjust lids and process for 20 minutes.
I have seen this but never tried it and totally forgotten about it. This might be the year I give it try!
DeleteAs yes, the zucchini overload! I remember the year my brother put in 6 (yes six!) plants. He did drive-by drop-offs of bags of zucchini to everyone he knew. Since neither of my children like zucchini as a veg I made a lot of chocolate zucchini loaf. :)
ReplyDeleteYour meals always sound so tasty, in comparison to my boring meat, potato/pasta and veg. I'm trying fish tonight which I haven't done for a long time. I hope my son will eat it.
Take care and stay well!
I planted 5 zucchini. I had no idea they are so prolific! I had asked TheHub to pick up a pack of yellow squash seed and instead he came home with yellow zucchini. I am not even a huge zucchini fan, but we are eating it all the time now.
DeleteSince I only get 3 or 4 small zucchini a week in my grocery order, I like to eat it as zoodles. But back in the day, when I was growing zucchini faster than we could eat it, I was cutting it into chunks for putting into soups and stew and freezing it in portions. I also grated it into 2 cup measures for the freezer to make loaves later and I also would add the frozen grated zucchini into my fried ground beef when cooking. I often add frozen grated zucchini in my morning omelettes. I don't have any recipes for you right now, but I get the impression you just need to get ideas for preserving it right now.
ReplyDeleteI have frozen about `15 zoodle "nests". Measuring it out in grated cup portions is a great idea.
ReplyDeleteYou're SO lucky to have Publix where you live. When we lived in Florida we always shopped there. My favorite supermarket, ever. Zucchini recipes? Here's one we'll be making later this week (a stir-fry). Saute onion, add garlic when onion is transclucent, add zucchini cut up however you like it with whatever flavorings you want (thyme and red pepper flakes for us), cook for a couple of minutes then add a drained can of white beans and either a can of diced tomato or several handfuls of cherry tomatoes cut in half. Cook on low until everything is hot and the zucchini is a cooked as you like. A squirt of lemon stirred in right before serving is nice.
ReplyDelete