Week 8 Menu and Grocery List

(and my very first entry for the Project Food Blog!!)

Recipe Index

8.1  Cobb Salad

8.2  Chicken Fried Rice

8.3  Barbecue Chicken Pizza

8.4  Whole Wheat Pasta with Romano and Prosciutto

Menu Notes

Since the birth of Blackboard Kitchen eight weeks ago, I’ve received so much positive feedback from readers (which I obviously LOVE to hear! ) and I’ve also received many questions (love those too!). One of the most common questions I’ve received is: “When do you have the time to do Blackboard Kitchen?”. My answer is always the same – I make time. (And I get up ridiculously early, but that’s another blog post.) I make time in my day to plan, to cook, to write, and I do this because I love it.

Blackboard Kitchen has allowed me an opportunity to truly pursue my passions: my passions as a teacher, a cook, an eater – and now a blogger, all of which I truly love and throw myself into whole-heartedly. For me, blogging is about more than just sharing what I eat; it’s about guiding my friends, family, and readers through the kitchen. My goal is to teach, inspire, and guide – because I know how intimidating the kitchen can be when you are first getting started and I know the challenges that come along with not knowing where to begin, where to find recipes, or how to shop and cook within a budget.

As Barbara Kingsolver says in (her amazing book) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, “for a dedicated non-cook, the first step is likely the hardest: convincing oneself it’s worth the trouble in terms of health and household economy, let alone saving the junked-up world” (129). I created Blackboard Kitchen in an attempt to convince those dedicated non-cooks that they can do it, and to be a guide for those who want to cook for their health, for those who want to cook to save some money, for those who want to cook to spend quality time with their family, and for those who want to cook to become more connected to their community and the earth. Blackboard Kitchen is here for the cooks, non-cooks, wanna-be cooks, and everyone in between.

Blogging for Blackboard Kitchen takes time, yes. But what I get out of it is so much more than I ever dreamed: I get to hear stories of successful home-cooked meals, budget-friendly grocery trips, and families cooking together for the first time. These are things that not only set me apart as a food blogger, but define why I love what I do and why I have what it takes to become the next food blog star.

While you may not be competing in a Foodbuzz competition like I am, the menu for this week is likely to make you the star of your kitchen! We had a good week of eating and I look forward to hearing all about how the recipes go for you this week. Look for recipes to be posted by Sunday afternoon.

Grocery List

Estimated Cost:  $60

Produce

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 red onion (do you have onion left from last week? You only need about a half onion for this week.)
• 1-2 inches of fresh ginger
• 1 head garlic
• 1 bunch scallions (green onions)
• 7 white mushrooms
• 1 bunch carrots
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 bunch basil

Meat

• 2 lbs. boneless and skinless chicken breasts (I bought two huge chicken breasts and Jason cut them up when we got home – he cut it all into small chunks)
• 8 slices bacon
• ½ lb. prosciutto, sliced thinly

Pantry

• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• Ranch dressing (you can make homemade or buy your favorite brand. I like to make ours with a mix.)
• Brown rice
• Either ingredients for pizza dough or a box of pizza dough mix or refrigerated pizza dough

Dairy

• ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola or bleu cheese
• 1 carton eggs (you will use 4 eggs this week)
• 1 cup grated romano cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella

Freezer (or Refrigerated)

• 1 bag frozen peas

Grocery Notes

I live and cook and teach in Denver – I was born and raised here and I love this city. I love the Denver Broncos and the Colorado Rockies. I love our gorgeous mountain views and our clear, crisp air. I love the deep bluetility of our skies. And I love our food – sweet, red tomatoes and deep purple beets; crusty, golden bread; and hoppy, refreshing beers. Loving these things and buying them locally is one way that I show my love for my city and my state. As Tod Murphy, of the Farmer’s Diner in Vermont says, “What the world needs now [are] more compassionate local actions:…buying locally raised tomatoes in the summer, and locally baked bread. Cooking meals at home. Those are all acts of love for a place.”

I hope that you’ll show your city some love and buy as many of your groceries locally as you can! You can definitely buy all your produce this week at your farmer’s market. (And remember, they only have a few weeks left! Let’s show ‘em some love while the markets are still open.) And what you can’t buy at the farmer’s market, buy from the bulk bins! This week you can buy your brown rice, pizza dough ingredients (if you’re making it at home), and sunflower seeds in bulk.

Pantry Items

As always, there are several pantry items that you will need and are not on this week’s grocery list (because they were on a recent week’s list, and you should have enough remaining to use again this week). Be sure you have the following on hand: reduced-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, olive oil, peanut oil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and ingredients for pizza dough, if you plan to make it.

P.S. If you would like to vote for me in the Project Food Blog competition you can do so here. Thank you for reading and for your support!

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