What’s for dinner? Menu plan – 16 August 2022

Feeling hot, hot, hot? Heatwave has returned to Copenhagen so we are sitting outside on the back deck for our meals, swatting away the first of the summer wasps, and enjoying the late summer heat while it lasts! In other news, it’s Tuesday and time to menu plan (see last week’s post for tips). Here’s the menu at Casa Copenhagen this week! (There is no particular day assigned to our meals, we leave it flexible.)

Last week’s Instant Pot deep pan pizza, pepperoni and green pepper (made using the slow cooker function)

chili con carne from the freezer (I usually make a double portion and freeze for later use) with rice and lots of toppings: tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, cheese, coriander, etc
a very simple sweet and sour chicken in the Instant Pot, will do the rice using the Pot in Pot method so everything is cooked at the same time – simple!
build-your-own-beef burgers with homemade fries and a spinach/tomato salad
we didn’t make Thai Larb as planned last week so it’s on the menu again for this week (we usually use a recipe from one of our favourite cookbooks, Jennifer Joyce, “My Asian Kitchen” and substitute fresh mango for pineapple)

One of our favourite cookbooks! Jennifer Joyce, “My Asian Kitchen”

butter roasted Thai chicken (mix equal parts butter/red Thai curry paste and smear over chicken and bake) with a mixed salad and baby potatoes
one night this week I’m out to leaving drinks for a dear friend who is leaving Copenhagen (boo hoo!) and another night hubby and I are going to a Silver Wedding party, so on those nights I’ll eat a sandwich, a banana and some cheese before heading out
as was the case before both of our kids moved out into their own flats, one day of the week for us is usually leftovers, a frittata/quiche made with any veggies which need using up, risotto (see my Instant Pot recipe here) or Danish smørrebrød (rye bread open sandwiches with various toppings) or the very occasional takeaway
and a super simple dish, ready in 5 minutes and great for these warm summer evenings when you don’t have much of an appetite and it’s too hot to cook – a British curried chicken salad a.k.a. Coronation Chicken!

Remember when planning menus to K.I.S.S. – Keep it simple, Sweetie! Check what you have in your fridge, freezer and pantry before you shop. And don’t let anyone leave the kitchen after dinner until everything is cleared up and put away…