We were able to get some great deals on cantaloupe and seeded watermelon this weekend. I truly dislike seedless watermelons. The flavor is insipid. There is something about whatever it took to breed the seeds out that also bred much of the taste out. So, we are always on the lookout for real watermelons. There is an entire generation of children that do not know how to spit watermelon seeds! I also was able to pick up veal soup bones for very little, so I'll be making some stock this week. I bought whole chickens on a good sale, and put them in the crock pot last night to cook up the meat for other meals. I'll be separating the meat from the bones and fat today, and then using the juice in the crock pot, the bones and fat, along with some vegetables, herbs, peppercorns and a little salt to make stock from that. I almost always make stock when we roast poultry, so we use the whole thing up, but this way I have precooked chicken meat in the freezer for tacos, casseroles, etc, and can season it as I wish later.

This past week, Rich turned our leftover fish into these amazing fish tacos. He fried up corn tortillas to make into taco shells, quickly heated up the fish in a frying pan and put it all together with lettuce, tomatoes, thinly sliced jalapenos and some fresh mozzarella (because we didn't have queso fresco or goat cheese). It was astonishingly good. Lisa ate some, even though she'd already had dinner out while she was about town.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time thinking up meals this week. Lots of melon. We still have four meals in the freezer, though one of them has broccoli in it and Yasmina does not do well when I eat broccoli. She and Alexander were the only two whose stomachs couldn't handle something I ate, he couldn't cope with turkey, of all things, and now we have this broccoli issue. Anyway, I'm thinking that we're going to use up some of those freezer meals, to make my life easier.

We're going to try to get more raspberries from the girls in our homeschool group. They are less expensive than in the stores, the money goes straight to those who worked for them, we get to help a local homeschooling family and the berries are fresher. Winning all around. Since much of our gardening got pushed aside this year, and we've been battling the deer, we don't have a ton in our garden, though the kale and cabbage and onions are doing very well. We're planting some cole crops and quick growing things like radishes, beets and lettuce as fall crops. Remind me in a month to plant the garlic, too.

This is Lisa's last week here, so we'll be taking our traditional trip to get manicures and pedicures together, and probably go out for drinks afterward. This may also affect our menus this week, as we may decide to make different things or go out.

• Monday: Chicken and Brown Rice Casserole, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Onions, Greek Olives and Goat Cheese Marinated in Red Wine Vinegar and Olive Oil, Watermelon


• Tuesday: Hamburger Casserole from the Freezer, Salad, Cantaloupe


• Wednesday: Fiesta Casserole, Salad, Watermelon


• Thursday: African Chicken from the Freezer, Bulgur Pilaf, Sauteed Kale with Garlic, Cantaloupe


• Friday: Cream of Poblano Soup from the Freezer, Olive Oil Rolls, Cantaloupe


• Saturday: Pork Tacos, Salsa Rice, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Changed my mind. We'll have instead, Pork Souvlaki, Grilled Crookneck Squash, Rice Pilaf, Laban bi Chiyar, Watermelon


• Sunday: Crockpot Indonesian Chicken (with red pepper flakes, lime juice and lime wedges on the side, not sure about the honey/sugar, I'll taste to see if it needs it), White Rice, Sesame Stir-Fried Green Beans (we ate something else and are trying again this week) & more Watermelon!

I will post recipes upon request.

What is on your menu this week?

Labels: Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Tales from the Kitchen