Week 382 Menu

Sunday: Roasted chicken , baked sweet potato (with BBQ sauce and blue cheese), and cauliflower rice
Monday: Pumpkin muffins and green beans
Tuesday: Vegetarian Chili
Wednesday: Chicken & veggie enchiladas (ATK recipe)
Thursday: Pizzas
Friday: Chili mac (with leftover chili)
Saturday: Out

Week 381 Menu

Sunday: Chicken pot pie
Monday: Pesto Broccoli Sweet Potato casserole (carryover from last week)
Tuesday: Mac and cheese and cauliflower rice
Wednesday: Baked tilapia with garlicky green beans and Parsnip & Kale Gratin
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Homemade pizzas (pesto or marinara, pepperoni, black olives, red peppers)
Saturday: Out

Basil Pesto

I love pesto. But, I have to buy $73 worth of basil at the store to make it happen, and then I only get a couple tablespoons to show for it. Sigh.....

When we moved to Michigan, we purchased a home with 0.16 acres of land. Mmhmmm. There certainly wasn't enough room to plant a garden, but there was a south-facing window box on the garage! Just perfect for three basil plants. And grow these basil plants did! I find myself practically FORCED to make pesto every 10-14 days because I need to harvest more basil from the basil farm.






I have become creative with my pesto usage now that we've had pesto all summer: pesto pasta, base sauce on a pizza, stir-in for rice or black beans, spread on a sandwich. The possibilities are endless.

 Fresh Basil Pesto
by Simple Eats

2 c fresh basil, packed
1/3 c pine nuts
1/2 c grated Parmesan
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil

1. Combine basil and pine nuts in food processor. Pulse several times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2. Add in the garlic and parmesan cheese. Pulse another couple times. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. While the food processor is running, drizzle the oil into the pesto. Scrape down the sides if the pesto accumulates on the sides of the bowl.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Store in an airtight container and store in the fridge. The pesto will keep for up to a week.

Week 380 Menu

Sunday: Something fast...we are going to a Tigers' game and a wedding!
Monday: Lettuce cups (ground beef, sweet potato/black bean "ground beef," and all the fixins)
Tuesday: First day of school request.....Florida dinner (black beans, rice, sautéed collard greens, and cornbread)
Wednesday: Chicken strips, Pesto Broccoli Sweet Potato casserole, and peas
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Welcome picnic at school: sandwiches
Saturday: Out

Week 379 Menu

Sunday: Out
Monday: Chicken nuggets and green beans
Tuesday: Yorkshire pudding
Wednesday: Burgers on the grill and corn
Thursday: Individual pizzas
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Out

Week 378 Menu

Sunday: Ginger fried rice and broccoli
Monday: Mac and cheese casserole and green beans
Tuesday: Slow cooker ribs and asparagus
Wednesday: Mexico sweet potato casserole with nachos
Thursday: Bulgur wheat caprese salad
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Out

Week 377 Menu

Sunday: Paella (ATK recipe)
Monday: Mexican Sweet potato casserole with tortilla chips
Tuesday: Kale super salad with chicken
Wednesday: Pesto pasta (with homemade pesto!!!)
Thursday: Meatballs and marinara and Cauliflower mushroom crumble
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Out