Five Meals for Your Family Table.....Week 26

Happy Monday friends! We are so darn excited to be on vacation this week. And we are laying low at home, so I still need to have some meals planned. Here's a five meals we will have at our family table this week.

one

Grilled fish is a staple for us in the Summer. Grilled Salmon with fresh pineapple salsa is a little bit of summer on a plate. Simply season the salmon with a drizzle of EVOO, sprinkle with salt & pepper and grill about 5 minutes per side. You can grab the recipe for the salsa here.

two

We are celebrating the 4th of July holiday with some friends. On the menu is a hot dog bar... the perfect meal for a big party. This is a pic I found on Pinterest, but my girlfriend does the same thing. Grill up a bunch of dogs and put out a bunch of toppings. Place a few cards that highlight how to build your dog. You might have a Southwestern dog, Chili Dog, Chicago dog....it's a simple way to make hot dogs a little more exciting! I think it's a great idea for any Summer party.

three

These Buffalo Chicken Wraps are so, so good....and they cook in the crockpot. You need to make these! Place a pound of boneless chicken in the crockpot with 2 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of your favorite hot sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Take the chicken out, shred it and drain the pot (reserve about 1/2 cup of liquid). Return the chicken to the pot and add 1 cup of diced celery, the reserved liquid and more hot sauce if you need more heat. Layer the chicken into some large romaine leaves and sprinkle with bleu cheese.

Four

love "food bowls"... the concept of layering lots of yumminess into a bowl just works for me. These Mediterranean Shrimp Bowls are a perfect bowl. Some flavors of summer with fresh tomatoes,and these bowls will be on repeat until the Fall.

Roast 1lb of peeled shrimp (seasoned with EVOO, Salt & Pepper) at 425 for 5-7 minutes, or until pink. While the shrimp is cooking, cook a package of couscous, according to package instructions, and wilt some baby spinach with EVOO salt & pepper. Layer couscous, chopped tomatoes, spinach and kalamata olives. Top with shrimp, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a sprinkle of feta.

Five

I am still on a mission to make a fun burger each week. These Steak burgers remind me of an iceberg salad you get in a steakhouse. Mix 1 1/2 lbs of ground sirloin with 2 TBSP of Steak seasoning and form into 4 burgers. Layer the bun with lettuce, tomato, the burger, one piece of bacon and some crumbly bleu cheese. These were a hit in our house... so much flavor packed into a burger!