Simple Menu for
Your Vacation:
Try this five-day menu that feeds four people and requires
just 15 ingredients. They include everyday staples, farm stand finds, and items
available in even the smallest supermarkets.
Shopping List
8 plum tomatoes
5 red onions
1 bunch fresh
parsley
3 lemons
12 cups mixed baby
greens
1 (8-ounce) jar
refrigerated mild chunky tomato salsa
4 ounces feta
cheese
1 (6- to 8-ounce)
jar pitted kalamata olives
1 (16-ounce)
bottle extra virgin olive oil
1 small jar
coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1 (16-ounce) box
penne or rigatoni pasta
1 (20-ounce)
sourdough baguette
1½ pounds lean
ground beef
3 pounds frozen
skin-on salmon fillets
4 (6-ounce)
boneless skinless chicken breast halves
Meal 1
Pan-Seared
Salmon with Kalamata Olives and Salsa Cruda
Ingredients:
- 2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
(about 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 (8-ounce) skin-on frozen salmon fillets,
thawed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil
in a small bowl. Mix well, and set aside.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high
heat. Sprinkle salmon with pepper and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place salmon
in skillet, skin sides up; cook 5 minutes on each side or until skin is crisp
and fish flakes easily with a fork.
3. Transfer salmon to serving plates, and top each fillet evenly with
tomato mixture.
Meal 2
Feta-Stuffed Burgers with Grilled Onion on Sourdough
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper,
divided
- 2 ounces feta cheese, cut into 4 (1/2-ounce)
pieces
- 4 (1/4-inch-thick) red onion slices
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 crusty sourdough bread slices
- 4 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
- 12 plum tomato slices
Preparation:
1. Sprinkle beef with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; gently
mix, and shape into 8 thin patties.
2. Place 1 piece feta cheese in center of each of 4 patties. Top with
remaining 4 patties, pressing edges to seal.
3. Brush onion slices with 2 teaspoons oil, and sprinkle with the
remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook on a lightly greased
grill pan or in a skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side or until
tender and slightly charred. Transfer to a plate, and keep warm. Add burgers to
pan; cook 6 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate, and keep warm. Brush
bread slices with remaining 4 teaspoons oil. Add to pan, and toast about 1
minute on each side or until lightly golden.
4. Spread Dijon mustard evenly on 1 side of each bread slice. Top each
with 1 onion slice, 3 tomato slices, and 1 burger. Serve immediately.
Meal 3
Crispy Chicken with Lemon, Parsley, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bread
chicken in a sourdough breadcrumb mixture and serve over a bed of simple greens
flavored with lemon juice and olive oil.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 ounces sourdough bread (about 3 slices),
torn into smaller pieces
- 4 (6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast
halves
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 4 cups mixed baby greens
Preparation
1. Place bread in a food processor; process about 1 minute or to coarse
crumbs. Transfer breadcrumbs to a large plate.
2. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to an even
thickness. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Brush each
chicken breast half evenly with mustard, and roll in breadcrumbs to coat.
3. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until
hot. Add chicken, and cook 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown and
thickest portion registers 165°.
4. Meanwhile, combine lemon juice, parsley, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt,
and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in remaining
1/4 cup olive oil.
5. Place 1 chicken breast half onto each of 4 plates; top evenly with
parsley mixture. Serve immediately with mixed greens
Meal 4
Grilled Salmon Salad with Salsa Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1 (1-pound) frozen salmon fillet, thawed
- 4 ounces sourdough bread (about 5 slices), cut
into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2/3 cup refrigerated mild chunky tomato salsa
- 8 cups mixed baby greens
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Combine mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and 1
tablespoon lemon juice in a shallow bowl; add salmon, turning to coat. Chill 30
minutes.
2. Meanwhile, arrange bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake 8 minutes or until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
3. Remove salmon from marinade; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook
salmon on a lightly greased grill pan over medium heat 5 minutes on each side
or until done. Transfer to a cutting board, and let cool 5 minutes. Cut into
pieces or break into chunks.
4. Whisk together salsa, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and
remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season to taste with additional salt, if
necessary. Place mixed baby greens and croutons in a large bowl; add salsa
mixture, tossing well to coat. Divide among 4 plates, and top evenly with
salmon.
Meal 5
Pasta with Caramelized Onions, Tomatoes, Parsley, and Olives
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) box rigatoni or penne pasta
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 4 red onions, thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 4 large plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
(about 2 cups)
- 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over medium-high
heat. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high
heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, 12 minutes or until onions
are golden and very tender. Stir in tomatoes, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until
tomatoes start to wilt. Add olives; cook 30 seconds. Stir in pasta and remaining
2 tablespoons oil; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute or until mixture
is heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, parsley, salt, and
pepper. Serve pasta hot or at room temperature.
Breakfast:
Savory Breakfast Muffins -
This is one of my husband’s favorite grab-and-go breakfasts. I will make these
ahead and freeze them in freezer bags. Then, to reheat, just wrap in a moist
paper towel and microwave for about 1 minute (or until thawed completely and
warm). 15 muffins
Ingredients:
1/2 lb
breakfast sausage (cooked, drained, crumbled) OR 1 cup chopped ham
·
1 medium-sized green or red
pepper, finely chopped
·
1/2 medium-sized onion, finely
chopped
·
1-2 T oil
·
salt, pepper, and garlic powder,
to taste (for sautéing veggies)
·
2 cups homemade baking mix or
all-natural baking mix (find in health food section)
·
1 cup cornmeal (Hodgson Mills is
a great brand with no added ingredients)
·
1/2 tsp. salt
·
1/4 tsp pepper
·
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
·
3 eggs
·
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
·
5 T melted butter
·
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
cheese
Instructions:
Spray
muffin tins with cooking spray and set aside.
Sauté
onion and peppers in 1-2 T oil (or the sausage grease) for a few minutes until
soft. Season with a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder while sautéing.
Preheat
oven to 375 degrees.
Mix
together dry ingredients in large bowl: baking mix, cornmeal, salt, pepper, and
garlic.
Mix
together wet ingredients in a separate bowl: eggs, buttermilk, and butter.
Add
sausage or ham, bell pepper, onion, and cheese to the wet mix, and stir until
combined.
Make a
well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add the wet mixture to the dry
mixture and stir just until combined (do not over mix).
Ladle the
filling into the prepared muffin tins, filling almost to top.
Bake for
15-20 minutes. Muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow to
cool in pans for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
To
Freeze: Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and then fill a freezer Ziploc until
full of muffins.
To Reheat:
Wrap in a paper towel. Microwave on high for approx 90 seconds.
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes – My family plows through these when
I make them, but I hate standing over the stove for an hour…especially on
vacation. So, I’ll work on these ahead of time while cooking up some of these
other meals at the same time. To freeze, let cool and put in freezer bags. To
reheat, toast in the toaster and then microwave a short bit if needed.
Ingredients
2
cups whole wheat flour (I use white whole wheat)
·
4 teaspoons baking
powder
·
1 teaspoon cinnamon
·
pinch nutmeg
·
1/4 tsp salt
·
2 T brown sugar (or
12 drops liquid stevia)
·
2 cups milk
·
4 teaspoons melted
butter, plus more for greasing skillet (or Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
lends a nice coconutty flavor)
·
2 eggs
·
1/2 cup canned
pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
·
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
1
- Mix the first 4 ingredients (flour through sugar) in a large bowl.
2
- Mix the rest of the ingredients (milk through vanilla) in another.
3
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk together just until
smooth, but do not over mix.
4
- Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.
5
- Cook batches in buttered skillet on medium temperature until bubbles form on
the surface. Then flip and cook until golden brown.
6
- Serve warm with butter and real maple syrup.
Oven Omelet – This is so easy to throw together!
It’s basically a frittata, so you can put whatever meat or veggies you like in
it. I’m going to make this ahead and add cooked bacon and some chopped spinach.
Wrap tightly to freeze. To thaw, set it in the fridge for 24 hours and then
bake as directed.
8-9 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (you could sub other cheeses like mozzarella,
fresh Parm, swiss, or pepper jack)
1/2 – 1 cup chopped ham or cooked breakfast sausage
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried parsley, crushed in your hand or 2 tablespoons fresh parsley,
minced
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
. Beat eggs and milk until combined. Stir in cheese, meat,
pepper, and parsley (or any other additions you like). Pour into a greased 8×8
or 9×9 casserole dish. Here is what it looked like before it baked.
Brownie Baked Oatmeal - I’ve made this about once a week for the past two
years. Why stop for vacation? Easy to make and easy to freeze.
Ingredients:
·
2 3/4 cups oatmeal
(quick or rolled oats work)
·
1/4 cup ground
flaxseed (or more oats)
·
2 teaspoons baking
powder
·
3/4 teaspoon salt
·
1/4 cup cocoa powder
·
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
·
1/3 – 1/2 cup honey
(or brown sugar works) (Note: I also replace some of the honey with liquid
stevia to cut back on sugar sometimes.)
·
2 tablespoons melted
coconut oil or butter
·
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
·
1 cup milk
·
2 eggs
·
2 teaspoons vanilla
·
Optional: 1/4 – 1/2
cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat
oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk
together the dry ingredients (the first six ingredients, through cinnamon) in a
large bowl.
In
another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (honey, coconut oil, pumpkin,
milk, eggs, and vanilla).
Pour
the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Mix well.
Optional:
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour
batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake for about 20 minutes (or until an inserted
toothpick comes out clean). Serve with warm milk on top.
Dinner:
·
2 teaspoons olive oil
·
1/4 cup chopped onion
·
2 cloves garlic,
minced
·
1 pound boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
·
1 (15-ounce) can
black beans, rinsed and drained
·
1 (4-ounce) can diced
green chiles
·
1/3 cup prepared
salsa, mild, medium or hot
·
homemade taco
seasoning (see recipe below)
·
1/2-1 cup red
enchilada sauce
·
4-6 (8-inch) whole
wheat tortillas
·
1 1/3 cups shredded
Monterey Jack and or Cheddar cheese
Instructions:
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 9x9 casserole dish with cooking spray.
Heat
oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté 2
minutes. Add chicken and sauté 5 minutes, until golden brown and cooked
through. Add taco seasonings to the meat mixture.
Stir
in black beans, green chiles, and salsa and simmer 5 minutes, until sauce thickens
and reduces.
Put
half of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x9 casserole dish. Arrange 4-6
tortillas on a flat surface. Top each tortilla with an equal amount of
chicken/bean mixture and 1-2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up tortillas and place
side by side in a shallow baking dish. Add remaining enchilada sauce to the
top. Then, top tortillas with remaining shredded cheese.
Bake
enchiladas 15 minutes, until cheese is golden.
Note:
You can easily freeze these before baking. Just be sure to thaw them out before
baking.
Steak Kabobs – We’ll grill out one night, so I’ll
pre-chop the steak and veggies and them put in bags and prepare the marinade in
a separate bag. I’ll store it in the fridge and then transport it all on ice in
the cooler. The day of the cook-out, I’ll simply dump the meat in the marinade
for an hour or two and then thread the skewers.
Ingredients:
·
Sirloin Steak
·
1 C veg oil
·
3/4 C soy
·
1/4 worcestershire
sauce
·
1 tsp pepper
·
2 cloves of garlic
·
1/4 C lemon juice
Instructions
Lay
steak in a 9x9 baking dish. Mix up all ingredients and pour over your steak. Let
it marinade as long as you can! (Up to 12 hours).
Chop
up meat in inch cubes and slide on to kabob sticks.
You
can use whatever veggies you want but we used mushrooms, bell peppers, onions,
and red potatoes. I gave these a light seasoning of olive oil and garlic salt
and onion salt.
Lightly
oil the grill grate. Cook kabobs on the prepared grill for 10 minutes, or to
desired doneness
