Am I the only one still using my oven?
…and za'atar lamb meatballs with cucumber mint yogurt
Are you turning on your oven these days?
It seems like my emails and social media feeds are all “no-cook” this and “lazy dinner” that, and while I’m all for a cool, easy dinner every once in a while when it’s a blazing, scorching, sweltering, melty sauna (what other hot adjectives can I throw in?) outside, honestly, most nights I still want a hot dinner. Am I the outlier?
I love a cold lunch. Give me a salad plate or turkey sandwich any day. But when it comes to sitting down together for dinner, it seems we (as in my little family) are most satisfied by a meat+carb+veg combination where at least one of those components is served hot. So yes, I’m still using the oven and standing in front of the stove, and I’m okay with it.
(Just last week as I was making that whipped cream cake and testing a handful of other ideas, I looked around the kitchen at the mess I had made, and thought to myself, “I’m hot, whose idea was this?” Mine. All mine. And I do it again, because that’s what makes me happy. Hot kitchen or not. And boy can my ovens heat up the kitchen.)
Here’s my thinking for this height-of-summer time of year when we still want a hot dinner - I have a pretty good amount of dinner ideas that fall under “toss it in the oven and walk away”. I love that formula. Thanks, oven - you do your thing, and I’ll go read a book in the other room. Or, if I am standing in front of the stovetop, there are plenty of options that can be 30 minutes or less and really don’t require constant supervision. And, almost always right now, our dinner includes a cool, crunchy component whether it’s a simple green salad, a pasta salad, a creamy sauce, or a bowl full of fruit.
This week’s recipe hits a couple of those categories. These Za’atar Lamb Meatballs with Cucumber Mint Yogurt are easily stirred together and then baked in the oven for just 25 minutes. The za’atar seasoning provides so much herby flavor in the meatballs (it’s become on of my favorite seasonings), and the accompanying yogurt brings a refreshing balance with in-season cucumbers and fresh mint that pairs so well with lamb. We like these meatballs with yellow rice and a big slice of a garden tomato, but they are equally as good stuffed in a pita bread or served on their own as part of an appetizer spread.
As always with meatballs (and we know how much I love meatballs!), they can be made ahead of time (so can the yogurt!) and just popped into the oven when the time is right. And, the recipe is easily doubled for more meatball goodness.
So you tell me, are we the only family still eating hot foods for dinner? Have you all moved into the “no-cook” phase of summer? Or, have we given up on cooking entirely and are just eating popsicles for every meal?
MONDAY - Chicken Breast and Veggie Rice
Marinated chicken either on the grill or in the air fryer if we get a thunderstorm (fingers crossed for thunderstorm, the garden needs rain). Then, I’m playing around with a creamy, cheesy rice situation with vegetables mixed in.
TUESDAY - Creamy Tomato and Sausage Orecchiette
I’ll mostly follow this recipe for the pasta, but change the broccoli rabe to swiss chard since I have a bunch coming in right now. Salad and/or fruit on the side.
WEDNESDAY - Date Night!
Today is our anniversary - and it’s a big one! As Marcus likes to say, “20 loooong years”! We made reservations at a nice restaurant we haven’t tried yet, and the Kiddo will hang with Yaya.
THURSDAY - Shredded Chicken Tacos, Black Beans, Chips and Dip
The boys love this shredded chicken, and I love how easy it is! Soft tacos with all the toppings and homemade cheese dip for the chips. I’ll actually make the chicken and prep the toppings earlier in the day, since I have a late afternoon meeting. Then we just have to heat and assemble!
FRIDAY - Friday Night Pick-up
SATURDAY - Dinner at YaYa’s (the in-laws)!
Chicken spaghetti and cucumber salad. And, she got a new ice cream maker and has been on a kick - oreo ice cream it is!
SUNDAY - Dinner at Dad’s! Home
Dad’s out traveling again, so I’m thinking either panini style sandwiches and chips or breakfast for dinner. We have everything for both, so we’ll see what we feel like when the time comes.
LUNCHES for this week -
I can’t believe I’m actually getting a few squash and zucchini this year, and my plants haven’t died from those darn worms! (That was probably the kiss of death…) I’ll do roasted vegetable and grain bowls with what I have coming in - yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and cherry tomatoes. I can make a quick sauce with herbs and greek yogurt or go with a vinaigrette.
EXTRAS for this week
Well, I had what I’m calling a British Bake Off disaster with the Whipped Cream Cake I tried last week. As in, half of it stayed in the bundt pan when I tried to turn it out. (If you’ve ever watched Bake Off and seen someone peek under the bundt pan only to come up with this look of great panic and disappointment, you know what I’m talking about.) It tastes great, but it looks a hot mess. I might try it again this week, but we need to eat the pieces of this one first.
Testing recipes for a berry lemonade concentrate/syrup that you mix with water (regular or sparkling) for a refreshing afternoon treat and a pesto turkey burger that I’m hoping to get to you soon!
Za’atar Lamb Meatballs with Cucumber Mint Yogurt
Makes about 24 meatballs
Meatballs
· 1 pound Ground Lamb
· 1 large Egg
· ¼ cup fresh Breadcrumbs
· 2 cloves Garlic, minced
· 1 teaspoon kosher Salt (Morton or other store brand)
· 2 tablespoons Za’atar
· 2 tablespoons plain Greek Yogurt
· 1 tablespoon fresh minced Mint (will need another tablespoon for yogurt)
Cucumber-Mint Yogurt
· 1 cup grated Cucumber (about one medium cucumber or half of a large English cucumber)
· ½ teaspoon kosher Salt
· ½ cup plain Greek Yogurt
· 1 tablespoon fresh minced Mint
Preheat the oven to 375 with a rack arranged in the top third. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil and coat with non-stick spray.
Make the meatballs - In a large bowl, mix together the egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt, za’atar, yogurt and mint. Using a fork, gently mix in the ground lamb until well combined. Form the mixture into 1 ½ -inch meatballs. (I use my small cookie scoop to evenly portion the mixture.) Gently roll the meatballs between your hands to help form them. Place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, then move the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate.
Meanwhile, make the cucumber yogurt - Toss together the grated cucumber and the ½ teaspoon of salt. Place in a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl to drain for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, gently press on the cucumber to release more liquid. Discard liquid. Mix the drained cucumber with the yogurt and mint. Taste the yogurt, you may want to add another pinch of salt. I added another 1/8 teaspoon.
Serve the meatballs over a bed of the cucumber yogurt, or serve the yogurt on the side.
NOTE – Whenever I have leftover bread that I know we won’t eat before it goes moldy, I put in in a bag in the freezer. When the bag is full, I use my food processor to make breadcrumbs, then put the crumbs back in the bag in the freezer. This way I always have some breadcrumbs for meatballs
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That’s all for now, thanks for reading! See you back here next week!
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