What to Cook for Dinner this Week
The farmers’ market in Old Town Manassas was just overflowing this week. I bought ripe peaches and blueberries (for this jam and this jam, as well as for eating); sweet corn whose kernels looked like they might burst, they were so plump; glossy zucchini the color of emeralds; green beans; redskin potatoes and sweet potatoes; cucumbers; big, beautiful sweet onions; bell peppers so ripe they glowed; a bunch of small tomatoes that are somewhere between the size of Juliets and Romas, which I’m going to slow-roast; and a small, perfectly round watermelon for L. All fresh, all local.
I love the farmers’ market. When I shop there, I know where my food is coming from. I know it wasn’t sprayed with chemical pesticides. I know it’s not genetically engineered. I’m supporting my local farmers. And I love that so many other people obviously feel the same way, because the place is jam-packed every minute it’s open.
Anyway, this week’s menu is obviously centered around my farmers’ market bounty, and being that it’s high summer pretty much everywhere, I suspect you all should be able to follow along. Enjoy, friends!
Monday: California-style Turkey Burgers, Spicy Sweet Potato Oven Fries, Cucumber Salad, Blueberry Crisp. Lately, I’ve been serving sweet potato fries with a spicy mayo-ketchup-sriracha dipping sauce. Equal parts ketchup and mayo, with as much sriracha as you need to make it suit your own taste.
Tuesday: Brats, Sweet Corn, Smitten Kitchen’s Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad, Watermelon.
Wednesday: Summer Vegetable Quesadillas. Filled with diced zucchini, leftover corn kernels, sweet onion, and chopped bell pepper.
Thursday: A simple pasta with Slow-roasted Tomatoes. Add a drizzle of olive oil, some halved artichoke hearts, toasted pine nuts, cubed fresh mozzarella, fresh basil. Serve with a Caesar salad.
Friday: Takeout
Saturday: Roast Chicken (leave out the roasted vegetables), My Favorite Potato Salad, and an Arugula Salad with some of those slow-roasted tomatoes, a few pine nuts, and Barefoot Contessa’s perfect vinaigrette.
Sunday: I don’t often make steak, but it just seems like summer is the best time for it. So – Broiled Ribeyes, Hasselback potatoes, green beans prepared this way, and for dessert, Smitten Kitchen’s Grilled Peach Splits with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.
Weekend Breakfast: Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins.
Have a wonderful week!
