What's for Dinner?

I love to cook. That is to say, I love to cook when I have the time and energy, spending time in the kitchen isn't going to pull me away from one of my favorite tv shows, and I am interested in eating whatever it is I am about to cook. In an average week, I rely on Shabbos leftovers for Sunday night dinner, make a baked ziti for Monday and Tuesday dinner, cook something random for Wednesday night dinner, and order out on Thursdays (did I mention I love...as in love...pizza?).

In other weeks, I rely heavily on cereal, ice cream, and takeout to get me through the week. Healthy, I know.

Anyway, on those nights when I do decide to cook dinner, I am usually only interested in making something that takes 25 minutes or less, doesn't involve a lot of cleanup, and uses ingredients that I already have on hand. This is what I came up with this week:

Tuesday: Chicken hot dogs over ziti with broccoli (thank you frozen bodek veggies) and mushroom tomato sauce

Wednesday: Baked breaded flounder with rotini pasta tossed with olive oil, mozzarella, fresh basil, and fresh tomatoes

Thursday night is reserved for Shabbos cooking (as is Friday afternoon after I get home from work). We're having guests this week. Honored guests at that! My mom is coming in town to spend Mother's Day with her grandsons (my husband and I will be there too, but we're just an added bonus; it's the kids she comes to see), my best friend from college just finished her JD and is coming to town with her husband, and my brother is making a special guest appearance to surprise my mom! A regular menu won't do. Here's what I have planned:

Shabbos Dinner:

• Butterflake challah
• Homemade chicken soup (from the freezer; I made it a few months ago and was saving it for an occasion like this one)
• Tomato basil chicken (Kosher By Design, Short on Time)
• Salami Quiche Florentine (KBD, SOT)
• Hearts of palm/avocado/tomato salad
• Sweet potato casserole
• Cake (should have been brownies, but more about that later...)
  

Shabbos Lunch:

• Challah
• Red bliss potato salad (Kosher By Design)
• Tomato basil chicken (sound familiar?)
• Green beans with garlic
• Corn on the cob
• Cake (should have been brownies, but more about that later...)