Menu Planning

The hardest thing I have always found about planning menus is taking all the ingredients I have and planning a menu based upon the ingredients in the pantry.  My goal this summer was to try to reuse the items we already owned and limit our shopping trips to once every two weeks. It means trying to plan more efficiently ahead of time and then trying to actually use the items we have in our pantry.

Tools I used:
Google Calendar. I have set up a separate Google calendar for Dinner, where I list what we are planning for meals over the next two weeks and then it syncs with mine and my husband's blackberries. I put in the notes a link to the recipe if it is online or a note of where I can find the recipe.

The new tool I use is SuperCook. It's probably one of the best tools out there. I list all of the items I have in my pantry and then I put them in. I then list things I don't want to use. So Ham, Pork, Bacon, etc. is on the exclusions list since I keep kosher. The website is great if you are part of a CSA (community supported agriculture). I really had no clue how to cook chard or kale the last few years And this year we were much better at finding things to do with out produce.

Recipes that Can be Used for Passover

Meal Ideas

Meats, Poultry, Fish
Apricot Brisket (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apricot-Brisket/Detail.aspx)
Brisket with Portabella Mushrooms & Dried Cranberries (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brisket-with-Portobello-Mushrooms-and-Dried-Cranberries-5787)
Brisket with Dried Apricot and Prunes (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Brisket-with-Dried-Apricots-Prunes-and-Aromatic-Spices-106421)

Golden Chicken (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/sabra.html)
Cinnamon, Apples, Apricot Chicken (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/chickcinn.html)

Turkey Breast stuffed with Matzah & Fennel (http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/menus/2008/04/passover_slideshow?slide=3#showHeader)

Beef Brisket with Oranges (http://www.recipezaar.com/Beef-Brisket-With-Oranges-192492)

Beef Brisket with Merlot & Prunes (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Beef-Brisket-with-Merlot-and-Prunes-241853)

Roman Lasanga (http://www.aish.com/family/cooking/Passover_Menu_with_a_Twist.asp)

Vegetables, Sides, Soups
Roasted Garlic Cauliflower (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Roasted-Garlic-Cauliflower/Detail.aspx)
Acorn Squash with Apple Stuffing (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/squash.html)
Sweet Carrot Kuggle (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/swcarrot.html)
Cauliflower Fritters (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/cauliflower.html)

Roasted Tomato, Pepper, Red Onion Soup (http://www.recipezaar.com/Roasted-Tomato-Pepper-and-Red-Onion-Soup-86101)

Roasted Tomatoes, Onion, & Garlic (http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=12204)

Layer Vegetable Kuggle (http://www.recipezaar.com/Layered-Vegetable-Kugel-53220)

Quinoa & Roasted Vegetables (http://www.recipezaar.com/Quinoa-and-Roasted-Vegetables-122744)

Matzah Apple Kuggle (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Matzo-Apple-Kugel/Detail.aspx)or (http://www.koshercooking.com/Recipes/passover/kugel.html)

Yellow Squash Recipe

We expanded upon this recipe and added zuchinni also. It's been a success!

http://www.recipezaar.com/Yellow-Squash-Pie-311591