First Menu from Seattle + Scenes from our Weekend

Hello lovelies, so I've been writing, writing, writing and planning, planning, planning and I'm ready to launch my weekly menus again, so...here's my first weekly menu from the northwest! In addition to the relaunch, I'm kicking-off a new menu planning style. I've been thinking about switching things up for a while now because, to be perfectly honest, the detailed weekly menus were way time consuming and while I would love for this blog to be my job, it, sadly, is not. So, I have decided on a new, more writer-friendly approach that I hope you will find just as enjoyable. Here's my plan...I'm going to start taking the weekends off (aside from the occasional "this can't wait to be shared" post!), which means that I will post on Monday (instead of on Saturday) a weeknight meal plan. This means I will no longer be regularly posting about weekend dinners, which I think should work okay since this is typically the time people go out to eat or have more flexible schedules anyway. Also, my family is moving to a bit more patterned meal structure (each day will have a "usual" pattern that we follow) and so the menu planning will follow suit... Mondays = leftovers Tuesdays = slow cooked meal Wednesdays = an old trusted dish Thursdays = new recipe night Fridays = pizza night

I have also decided that rather than continuing to develop all of the recipes on my own, I am going to start spreading the love and link to recipes, when appropriate, via other blogs or websites. This way I can concentrate more on food photos and post content while at the same time sharing some of the great sites that inspire me to cook. We will see how this plan goes and tailor if necessary. Feedback is, of course, welcomed and considered, as always.

Weeknight menu for the week of July 25th:

Monday: our new leftovers night since we always have leftover yummies from the weekend. Because the day is devoted to leftovers, I will use this day to publish the week's menu and to try to post a week recap via photos about our family's happenings or use this as a day to share my rambles and thoughts.

Tuesday: white beans with Swiss chard

Wednesday: grilled salmon, butter turnips, and arugula and strawberry salad

Thursday: Thursdays are a great night to have friends over for dinner or to make it a special night in the kitchen for grown-ups only. This week: a feast of grilled feta, wild rice and pine nut salad, greens with radishes and snap peas, and grilled salmon with lemon and fennel shared with friends.

Friday: We plan to try lots of pizza places around our new city, so I will provide restaurant reviews and also share recipes for those pizza pies we make at home. This week I will review 'zaw pizza.

And, to kick this off according to my plan, here is a Monday photo recap...a peak at how we spent our Saturday afternoon at the Ballard Locks (it is really fun and totally fascinating! You can follow the link to read more about it. Mom and Dad, we will take you here when you visit!) and our picture perfect Sunday of blue skies, no clouds, and 82 degrees.

Watching at the lock for the next set of boats to move through the canal.

Waving to the boaters leaving the Puget Sound and entering Lake Washington. And, doing a little boat "shopping" and dreaming...maybe one day we will be sitting on a beautiful sailboat waving to all of the people watching from the locks above.