Everyday Cooking: Menu Ideas

Despite all the recipe web sites, cooking magazines and a shelf or two of cookbooks, we still get stumped on what to make for dinner, especially during the week.  I often have the same problem so when I get stuck I turn to a repertoire of meals I make over and over. 

Here's a recent week's worth of meals.

Monday

• Roasted pieces of chicken (takes 45-50 minutes)
• Rice (if I have time I'll turn it into pilaf by cooking the raw rice with a little orzo pasta in some butter/olive oil until the orzo turns light brown and I'll replace the water with boxed chicken broth; it will cook in less time than the chicken)
• Steamed broccoli

Tuesday

• Oven-broiled lamb chops (shoulder cut, broil 2" from the heat source for 6-7 minutes a side, depending on how thick they are, for medium-rare)
• Salad of romaine lettuce, red pepper, red onion, mushrooms, everyday vinaigrette

Wednesday

• Carrot soup (made a few weeks ago and froze) to which I'll add left-over rice from when I made it to go with the chicken
• Focaccia or other substantial bread (I'll grill or toast it if it's a bit stale) with cheese

Thursday

• Halibut fillet, cut into large chunks, dusted with flour, and sauteed in a little olive oil
• Steamed broccolini
• Green salad with mushrooms (probably a bag of arugula that I wash and add sliced white mushrooms) with my every day vinaigrette to which I've added a heaping teaspoon of mustard to suit the pungent arugula

Friday

• Broiled NY strip steaks (a treat; my husband's son is in town and coming for dinner so this is luxurious plus easy)
• Rigatoni with tomato sauce (sauce I made a month or so ago and froze)
• Broccoli rabe steamed and then tossed with olive oil and garlic
• Dessert -- bunch of red grapes and piece of cheese
  

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