There are several things to be excited about this week. First, there’s Father’s Day. Second, it’s (FINALLY!) the last week of school. Third, it’s the last week of baseball. There is a lot going on, but there is light at the end of the tunnel in terms of general busyness.

And summer finally begins!

Recipes are included for those meals with an asterisk.

Sunday: Father’s Day. Early dinner out. Brownies with mint-white chocolate crème anglaise when we get home.

We have our traditional outing planned for Father’s Day. It concludes with an early dinner at a lovely restaurant. We’ll have dessert at home. The brownies are from a box, but my oldest son is making the crème anglaise. The recipe is from the book The Great Book of Chocolate by David Leibovitz and Christopher Hirscheimer.

Monday: Grilled pork chop, grilled veggies, salad.

A simple summer meal. The day isn’t forecasted to be too hot, but I do like to get into the habit of not heating up the house too much early in the summer, before it gets scorching.

Tuesday: Baseball night. Asian Mandarin Chicken Salad wraps.

For a dinner picnic at the ball park.

Wednesday: Pasta with Cauliflower*, salad

This recipe is really fun when you use colored cauliflower.

Thursday: LAST Baseball night! Ham and cheese panini.

Maybe I’ll make some cookies, too, for this last baseball night of the season.

Friday: Last Day of School! Grilled Beef Rollups* on the beach.

Provided the weather holds out, I’ll grill everything late afternoon and have it ready to go when my husband gets home. This is a very portable meal.

Saturday: Pizza for the kids. Parents out.

We have a sitter scheduled for Saturday, so we’ll make pizza for the kids and the parents will eat out.

Pasta with Cauliflower

1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
2/3 cup olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper, or more to taste (optional)
Salt, to taste
1 pound pasta
5 stems fresh parsley, leaves only, chopped
1 cup grated Romano cheese

Boil a large pot of water. While the water comes to a boil, soak the cauliflower florets in cold water. When the water boils, cook the cauliflower in the water until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the cauliflower from the water using a slotted spoon. Bring the water back to a boil, and cook the pasta to al dente.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the olive oil. Saute the garlic and pepper for about a minute. Add the cauliflower and salt. Lower the heat and stir gently. Let the cauliflower cook about 10 or 15 minutes.

Drain the pasta and add to the large pan with the cauliflower. Toss together well, adding in the parsley. Cook 2 to 3 minutes more, then serve topped with the Romano cheese.

Grilled Beef Rollups on the Beach

Large cut of London Broil or other cut of meat
Fajita marinade
Vegetables for grilling: sweet onions, zucchini, summer squash, peppers, Portobello mushrooms, scallions, other veggies in season
Tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Sour cream

Marinate the beef in the fajita marinade for up to two days beforehand.

Prepare the veggies in grillable slices or wedges or whatever is appropriate. Toss the veggies with olive oil.

Grill the meat until done to your likeness. Once the meat is done, remove from the grill and let it rest. Grill the veggies after the meat is done.

While the meat and veggies are cooking, prepare all the other bits in portable containers that you can set up buffet style on a beach towel, table, or even out the back of the car. This takes a certain amount of organization and forethought, but it’s worth it.

Slice the beef against the grain. Put it in a large portable container. Put the finished veggies in there, too. Cover to keep warm for transport.

Once at the beach, load up the tortillas with some meat, veggies, cheese, sour cream and salsa. Don’t forget the napkins!