Welcome to the end of another summer weekend! (I know, I’m weeping too.) I can’t believe how quickly August is slipping away. I’m trying to soak up every moment I can.

With that in mind, my menu for this week is focused on two key elements: what is seasonal and fresh right this moment (many of my menus are, but I’m just thinking about it more than usual because the produce here in the Midwest has really stepped up it’s game. There is so much delicioussssssss produce right now) and how to maximize what I already have in my fridge and freezer in order to reduce waste + my trips to the grocery store. Tonight we’re having pan-roasted salmon plus grilled sweet corn. Not a traditional combo but honestly all I want is the sweet corn and the salmon was all I could defrost quickly enough to eat tonight.

• Monday – Street Cart Chicken from Smitten Kitchen Every Day. Yes, I cook from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook a lot. But, y’all. It’s perfect, ok? I will not apologize. I’m going to riff on the recipe this time. I often serve it, at her suggestion, with turmeric rice and flatbread. As I try to lean into anti-inflammatory and avoid grain where possible, I’m going to serve it on a bed of spinach with a tzatziki inspired dressing. (Plus some flatbread for my hubby!)
• Tuesday – Rosemary Chicken with oven roasted green beans and sweet potatoes. It’s ok to serve chicken two nights in a row if they taste totally different, right?
• Wednesday – Burger night! I’ll be working late as my office hosts a virtual evening social event, so I know I’ll want to log off and have an easy dinner. Will probably serve with a side salad and some crispy potatoes (I make them this way, easier than fries and maybe more delicious)!
• Thursday – Grilled pork chops + Cauliflower slaw. This Carla Lalli Music recipe treats raw cauliflower with some of the fixings of traditional Cole slaw, plus grapefruit juice and zest. The whole thing is crunchy and tart and delightful. The grilled pork chops I’m planning to treat with a garlicky, Worcestershirey marinade the night before to tenderize and infuse them.
• Friday – I’ve got some mahi mahi in the freezer calling my name. I need to do some reading to find a cooking method I want to try. I’m dreaming of something seared and then finished slow in the oven. I think butter should be involved, and maybe some fresh herbs. But I’ve never cooked with this fish before so I want to understand it better before deciding. Share any tips in the comments if you have them!

Projects for the week

• I’ve got more blueberries than I can eat, and I eat a lot of blueberries. Eyeing a blueberry almond loaf from NYT. But if not that, maybe some jam? I can’t let them go to waste!
• I made some flavored vinegar last week. I want to check on it to make sure it’s infusing without fermenting. If it is, I might have some fun salad dressings ideas coming your way soon.
• Canning. As I lament summer produce, I’m considering buying a lot of extra at next weeks farmer’s market. I know canning isn’t hard, and I’ve done it before, but it’s been a few years. I’m planning to read up on the process to make some treats I can eat in winter that will remind me of these warm, lovely days.

What are you making this week? What produce