Monday Menus...a few days late!

This week the kids have been in camp down at the Boll Family YMCA in downtown Detroit-LOVE IT!!! I meant the camp, but I would be lying if I said that Greg and I haven't enjoyed our days together without breaking up fights every 10 minutes or the constant whining. Oh the joys summer can bring: delicious fresh & local food, warm weather & C-A-M-P!!!!!! We have spent most of these last few days wandering around in the city and I will post on that at the end of the week with a special post on our favorite new and old place in the "D," but for now I will leave you with a new weekly menu and recipe.

Monday: Taco Night

Tuesday: Spanish saffron rice, sauteed kale w/ golden raisins & pine nuts & an arugula, tomato, cucumber & feta salad

Wednesday: Left-over rice, steamed broccoli, sauteed summer squash topped w/garlic scape pesto & panzanella salad

Thursday: Arugula tossed w/goat cheese, pine nuts & red onion & a balsamic vinaigrette, gratin of potato & summer squash w/Herbs de Provence & fresh bread

Friday: pear, fig & gorgonzola salad w/ homemade personal pizzas night

Saturday: Graduations Parties

Sunday: Watermelon, feta & mint salad & a sweet onion tart



SPANISH SAFFRON RICE:

serves 4

3 Tbsp. of e.v.o.o.
1 medium onion minced
1 1/2 C. long grain white rice
1 1/4 C. stock (Veggie or Chicken)
2 C. peeled, seeded & chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
1 tsp. saffron threads
Coarse Salt ( I prefer Pink Salt for this dish...would love to try gray salt with it as well...)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 C. roasted red peppers diced
1/4 C. Spanish green olives cut into thin strips
1-2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add rice and stir to coat the rice with oil for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high and add stock, 1 cup of water, the tomatoes, saffron & 1 tsp. of salt (Most of the time I use an extra cup of stock rather than water for extra flavor.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed-about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with fresh pepper.

Add the red peppers, olives and parsley to the rice and fluff and mix with a fork. Season to taste with pepper & serve.

*This is adapted from the cookbook: You Say Tomato by Joanne Weir