July 15 Meal Plan
Hello!
Is it the dog days of summer yet? It is hot here and the days are so long. I’m pretty much exhausted by dinner time and we don’t want to heat up our house any more than we have to. We are eating the easiest, fastest dinners and cooking out on the grill as much as possible. Stay cool!
Quick Links
ginger lime chicken, quinoa salad // roasted tomato focaccia sandwich // burrito bowl // grilled pizzas // watermelon granita
Weeknight Meals
Ginger Lime Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Salad
This grilled chicken is marinated in mayo, lime zest, ginger and salt. So simple and it doesn’t necessarily seem like it would work but, oh boy, it does. The mayo keeps it very juicy and mostly cooks off while grilling. We always use chicken thighs for this.
Quinoa salad is a great make ahead addition to dinner because the flavors keep getting better as it hangs out. I love adding peaches or nectarines to it this time of year for a little contrast. And feta is always welcome. If you aren’t eating meat, seared halloumi would be a good way to fill this out and leave you satisfied.
Roasted Tomato Focaccia Sandwich
This was so good and incredibly easy (store-bought focaccia!). It would be a great dinner with friends or just to feed a good amount of people quickly.
If you wanted to make your own focaccia, here’s my favorite recipe, just add oil packed sundried tomatoes and parmesan to make it similar to the Trader Joe’s one.
…or throw it all in a big tortilla and have yourself a burrito.
This is the ideal meal for our family because there’s guaranteed to be something on the table that everyone likes and I know that it will make excellent leftovers.
Weekend Meal
The answer to the question “how can we make pizzas in the summer and not heat our house to 1,000 degrees?” These take a little more work to pre-grill the crusts and then top and finish on the grill, but they are worth it.
I used a slightly different method than the recipe calls for since I’ve had mixed results in the past. Basically, I don’t like to top the pizza with only one side cooked because it is sticky and messy. I made the pizzas larger (two instead of four) and cooked it lightly on both sides before removing it to add toppings, then returning it to the grill. Keep the burner on on one side and put the topped pizza on the unlit side so the cheese melts and the toppings cook but the crust won’t burn.
Treat of the Week
Sorry to shout at you, but it’s just the perfect dessert for this time of year, especially with some whipped cream on the side.
Something to listen to
Three delightful songs: Hearts on the Floor (dancey and happy vibes), Strong Swimmer (Josh Ritter is my all time favorite), The Weather (this acoustic version is a little heartbreaking and beautiful).
Take care of yourself,
Emily
I have decided I would like 1. for you to become my personal/ family’s chef OR 2. to live at your house and eat all your food
The improved instructions for grilled pizza were so helpful! no more burned crusts with lukewarm cheese on top. I used the simple pizza dough recipe cited with a longer rise in the fridge and made 2 pizzas. With only 2 of us, I was able to cook both on the grill, then wrap and freeze one. I pulled it out today and finished it up on the grill per your instructions. a bonus easy meal for a small family.