Menu Monday: Back on Track

So I'm finally back to menu planning, I think, I hope :)

Monday - chili (it's in the crockpot as I type...though I forgot to set it on the porch, so it's also heating up my kitchen :( )

Tuesday - meeting with a new Insurance agent after work, so it will be a late, quick dinner.

Burgers on the grill with whatever veggies I can find, including a fresh salad from the garden.

Wednesday - grilled chicken* & hopefully some new potatoes from my garden!

Thursday - pork chops with broccoli and potatoes. Today is the only day to cook inside. It's the coolest forcasted temperature of only 82, so I guess this will do. I may move this to grilled pork chops if it's too hot! Anyone got a good pork chop marinade?

Friday - cookout with friends! Grilled chicken*and veggies with a big, fresh, garden salad and birthday cake!

Saturday - Early in the day we have a wedding shower, then planning on coming home for some serious time in the backyard. It's been neglected. We'll probably end up showering and heading out somewhere for a quick bite to avoid heat and mess in he kitchen.

Sunday - hoping for some homemade pizza!

As you have noticed and I pointed out, most of our summer cooking avoids using the stove/oven. Our downstairs stays pretty cool for the most part during the summer, especially when we remember to keep it closed up during the day. However, we have a skylight in the kitchen and the stairway to upstairs is off of the kitchen. The upstairs is always hot. We have to put in a window air conditioner just so Hubby can sleep (which went in last weekend, much to my dismay). That hot air occasionally escapes downstairs. And the skylight creates a bit of greenhouse effect on the sunny days. We have AWESOME light in the kitchen and rarely have to use the overhead lighting...but it does get hot for a few months. So I avoid use of the oven, especially during daylight hours.

I have discovered a wonderful new marinade for my grilled chicken. I will be using this indefinitely I think, it's great! I don't ever measure exactly, sorry. The only downside I've seen is that using the sweet soy does open the chicken up to a little more "blackening", but I think that's also due to my inability to focus only on the cooking meat on the grill :)

• Two parts sweet soy sauce (or soy sauce mixed with a little honey)
• One part balsamic (or red wine) vinegar
• about 2 t garlic powder
• about 2 t onion powder
• about 2 t chives
• one part olive oil
• (add water if you need to stretch it a bit more)

That's my plan, we'll see how I do! Stay tuned for more garden updates...and check out orgjunkie.com for more menu monday!