Weekly Meal Plan // March 20-25

Post Vacation Blues

What’s your post-vacation dinner of choice? Usually, our go-to is an order of fajitas or a big batch of spaghetti. We really don’t deviate between those two. Saturday night, it was fajitas delivered to the door after a day that included a water taxi, regular taxi, the most chaotic airport situation I’ve ever seen along with the smallest terminal, a very small prop plane, another 3-hour flight, and a car ride home. Was it worth it? You know the answer to that, friends. Yes! More details to come on our trip to Harbour Island. We stayed at The Landing and loved the breakfasts and dinners there. Cocktails and dinner at The Dunmore were coupled with a moonlit beach. There was so much we didn’t get to on this trip, but I have a “to-do” list for next time. Our boat day to Eleuthra to swim with turtles and stingrays and out to a sand bar with swings was a major highlight.

SUNDAY

Off to the Houston Rodeo to see George Strait. I’m loading up on caffeine in the meantime! For dinner, my kids can have a simple rigatoni with Rao’s Marinara, wilted spinach and melty onions. It will take all of 10 minutes to put together. If you want a more formal recipe, I’m intrigued by this vegan pasta alla vodka.

MONDAY

No school today, so it’s our last official day of spring break. I’ll be working while my teenagers sleep in until noon. For dinner, I’m making Jamaican-style rice and beans adapted from The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook by Coco Morante. This is a meatless Monday dinner that I’ll serve with a side green salad and some steamed broccoli. You can throw some blackened salmon or chicken on the grill to go with it if you’d like. Serves 4.

• 1 1/2 cups brown basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• 15-ounce can kidney beans
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 green onion, left whole
• 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, left whole
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1/4 teaspoon fresh
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in the base of the Instant Pot and stir. Close and seal the lid. Use multigrain setting on high for 22 minutes.
2. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then carefully vent the steam (I throw a folded kitchen towel over the vent and use tongs to turn the valve). Open the lid and discard the garlic cloves, green onion and chile.
3. Stir and fluff the rice and beans and serve warm with a side of hot sauce.

TUESDAY

I have an online class for my Smart in the Kitchen School members tonight! We’re talking all about fish. It will be a mini Fearless Fish class just for members. One of my favorite fish recipes on my blog is this tuna poke. In Houston, I get my sushi-grade tuna from Central Market. It should always come flash-frozen, just thaw it in the fridge the night before using. All of the seafood recipes on my site are here.

WEDNESDAY

It’s my husband’s birthday tonight! Short ribs and sticky rice with a green veggie on the side. the short rib recipe I linked is for a slow cooker, you can literally just throw everything in, but I prefer to sear the short ribs in a hot pan first. It makes a mess of your stove, but the texture of the short ribs will be so much better.

THURSDAY

My sister gets in town today, just in time for my “Friday at the Farm” class at Kitchenette tomorrow. We’ll head up this afternoon and set the table for tomorrow’s class. For dinner, we could have short rib tacos or quesadillas if there’s leftover meat. If not, naan pizzas and a salad.

FRIDAY

Can’t wait to check out the spring Round Top show! I’ll head to my favorites, like Shop Courtney Barton, and roam the tents at Arbors to visit with KD Weave and stock up on my favorite hot pads and hand towels. I’ll share some of my favorite shops and finds on my Kitchenette Farm Instagram over the weekend. Don’t miss Courtney’s porch pop-ups with Christy Lynn on Thursday, March 24 and Friday, March 25, and Loeffler Randall on Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30. If you’re in Round Top for the show, don’t miss the duck confit tacos at the new Round Top Brewing or brisket from Lee Ellis spot Round Top Smoke House.