SUNDAY
If you’re cooking at home over the long weekend, I suggest super easy tomato confit pasta. Roasting the tomatoes brings out their sweetness and creates a delicious sauce. Use good quality extra virgin olive oil and your favorite pasta, whether it’s gluten-free, whole wheat or whatever floats your boat!
MONDAY
Monday I’m taking the day off (because’s it’s my birthday!) and keeping my kitchen clean. My mom made me a buttermilk chocolate sheet cake that’s sitting on her kitchen counter as I type. If she’s not careful, it will be gone by morning.
TUESDAY
Beer braised beef barbacoa from my friend Kate Ramos. I’m adapting this for the InstantPot and cutting the quantities in half. I’ll either serve it over polenta with quick pickled red onions, avocado slices and cilantro or in tortillas with all the toppings. Here’s how to make polenta:
- Boil 5 cups water in a medium-size heavy sauce pan. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour 1 cup cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk (switch to a wooden spoon when the mixture thickens). Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Turn heat to low. Cook for 40-45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes super thick or starts to stick to the bottom of the pot, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir.
WEDNESDAY
Today I’m excited to speak at a Theta Alumni meeting in Houston about easy dinner hacks and weeknight meal planning. Since I’m grabbing some samples of my “cheater dinners” to bring to the talk, I may as well cook one up! Or make cheese, green chili and barbacoa quesadillas with leftover meat from Tuesday. If you make the quesadillas, InstantPot black beans would be a perfect side.
THURSDAY
We sort of have a Mexican theme going this week. My husband has requested green pozole and I’m happy to oblige. I like to top my bowl with shredded green cabbage, radish slices and avocado.
FRIDAY
I have a big Accenture class tonight and we’ll be cooking up a storm in the oven and on the grill. Follow along on stories and I’ll try to snap some photos in the midst of teaching and cooking! I’m finalizing the menu now, but really hope my tri tip with Chinese black bean sauce gets the green light! If you’re cooking at home, I suggest a Friday date night in. If you don’t feel like grilling tri tip, make honey hoisin pork tenderloin and grill some asparagus and red peppers on the side.
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