Cracking the code on a perfect summer dinner

I’m going to be honest, friends. It’s a free-for-all at our house right now. There’s no more summer camp, and Pablo’s taken two weeks off work to be with the girls while I work from home. Turns out having four people in a house (one of whom is trying to do her full-time job, keep up with this newsletter, and still have fun in the kitchen) feels juuuust a bit chaotic. The week has been a total blur — early wakeups to squeeze in work, soft steps so my kids don’t wake up, breakfast dishes, work meetings, emails, quick exchanges with my family before I hole up again, lunch dishes, the afternoon shift, peanut butter-covered knives and peach skins in the kitchen sink, snack dishes, pool time, wet towels and swimsuits, and wow, it’s time to eat again, dinner dishes, bedtime stories, aaaand crawl into bed to do it all over again the next day.

It’s been exhausting. But. But. But! I can also see the privilege these days hold.

I get to keep my girls close by, smother them in good morning kisses when they finally come downstairs around 9:30, have a big lunch with them at midday, hear their giggles (and screams! and fights!) through my closed office door.

Yes, this week has been stressful and demanding, wearing both my employee and mom hats at basically all hours of the day. But I’m acutely aware that I’ve got a front-row seat to my all-time favorite show. How about your summer? How’s it going? -Katie

• Corn, tomatoes, and clams: This was a recipe from Six Seasons (page 230), and all I can say is that I’ve come to the realization we don’t eat enough clams at my house, and this recipe is absolutely stunning. I loved the gentle hint of garlic that permeated every bite, the pops of fresh corn, the bursting, jammy cherry tomatoes. We mopped up every last drop with some warm bread, and I’m convinced I cracked the code on perfect summer dining with this one. -Katie

• Cheesy potato and egg tacos: I finally tried those easy tacos that Ali Stafford told us about and wow, you guys. So simple and so yummy! Lola only ate her egg, and Fernandito refused to try it, but I enjoyed mine with hot sauce. -Meredith

• So I somehow forgot that this week and next my kids don’t have summer school. While there are a handful of childcare options still open, we decided my husband would watch them while I work. When we checked the meal plan this week and saw a summer bean stew with pesto swirled in, my husband and I actually laughed out loud at the idea of them crying as soon as that hit the table. So we did a quick swap and made a big batch of cocido instead. We normally eat this meat-forward stew in winter, but it really hit the spot this week: tender chickpeas, savory broth, and melt-in-your-mouth potatoes and carrots soothe the soul any time of year. The best part is all the leftover broth and meat, which I portion into glass jars and freeze. This turns into one of my greatest quick dinner hacks of all time: I pull these pre-portioned jars out of the freezer, let them thaw, and simply add little star pasta for a comforting bowl of soup for the kids. -Katie

• I made a double batch of Jenna Helwig’s Instant Pot meatballs in marinara from Bare Minimum Dinners. We had them with lunch over pasta, and I froze the other half to welcome us when we’re home from our vacation. Future me will be very pleased! -Meredith

• I love a good chicken sandwich, and my kids seemed excited about having one this week, too. I used Ali Slagle’s marinade for all-the-time chicken thighs in I Dream of Dinner (page 268), and it was delicious! About two bites into their sandwiches, however, my kids abandoned ship and wanted their chicken cut into pieces. I couldn’t really blame them — we tried a new brand of buns, and they sort of disintegrated as we dug in. You can’t win them all, and when you’re working from home and feeding kids around the clock during summer, you just gotta roll with the punches. -Katie

• We had a lot of simple meals again this week: a big bowl of gazpacho to last a few days, simple grilled chicken breast, and a sweet potato and regular potato tortilla española (had to clear out my pantry before our trip!) -Meredith

• I have been wanting to try this sheet-pan kebab recipe for weeks now, and it did not disappoint. I found little pockets of prep time to prepare the meat mixture, salad, and even some homemade pitas, so the day we ate it, it was as simple as baking the meat. My kids loved the homemade pita, but their review of the kebabs (as always) kept me humble: “The meat is the worst part!” Respectfully, I disagree, and I will definitely be making these again soon. -Katie

• Not a food recipe, but a recipe nonetheless: Fernandito and I made our own play dough this week with flour, salt, oil, and water. He spent quite a while using cookie cutters and “baking” in his play kitchen while I caught up on email. I loved listening to him narrate what he was doing, especially when he said, “Okay, now we need to let the dough rest!” Wonder where he got that from? -Meredith

• Those pitas I mentioned above didn’t puff up in my oven. So what did my obsessive brain tell me to do?! Make them again! They didn’t puff up the second time either, so now I’m officially a woman on a mission, and I will not rest until I crack this code. All tips and tricks welcome! -Katie

• Big thank you to my friend Maggie for recommending these delicious sourdough cheese crackers. Fernandito helped me make them, and Lola helped me gobble them up! -Meredith

• I made my first St. Louis gooey butter cake this week, and I feel quite smitten with the idea of a breakfast or snacking cake with yeast in it. I used a recipe from Midwest Made by Shauna Sever (I adore this book — flipping through its pages feels like home to me), and I loved the final cake’s chew. I think I overbaked it just by a few minutes, but it was still delicious. My 5-year-old said, “Te ha salido BUENÍSIMA!” or, “Wow, this turned out GREAT.” I’ll take it! -Katie

Monday: Build-your-own taco bowls featuring my favorite avocado cilantro dressing, black beans, sautéed corn, and a peach salsa. I think the girls will get a kick out of constructing their own meal!
Tuesday: Red pepper, potato, prosciutto frittata topped with ricotta (via Six Seasons, page 248) with a side salad (I’ll serve my kids plain or turkey-filled omelettes most likely, ha!)
Wednesday: Pablo’s rice with pork ribs, mushrooms, and roasted red peppers (via my husband’s heart)
Thursday: Grilled salmon with the most addictive orzo salad (via Dinner a Love Story)
Friday: Leftovers and/or last-minute clearing out the fridge as we’re heading to Galicia for a week the following day
Other: We’ll be having dinner with my in-laws one night this weekend, and I think I’ll bring these raspberry cheesecake swirled brownies, or a galette with some leftover pie dough in my freezer.

Monday: We’re going to do a day trip to Lagos, Portugal, and I’m excited to explore the little town I haven’t seen in 15 years! I’m tempted to check out this oyster bar, but with two kids in tow, we’ll probably go to a more traditional restaurant.
Tuesday: We’ll have fresh seafood on the barrier island of Culatra before we take a dip in the crystal-clear waters. For dinner, we’ll have grilled chicken, veggies, and probably this salad I can’t stop making.
Wednesday: Wild boar stew and fried chicken at this restaurant, which is tucked away in the mountains of Moncarapacho. We ate there last year, and it was incredible.
Thursday: If we’re up for another long car ride, we may go to this beautiful vineyard for lunch or dinner. If not, we’ll stop by the fishmonger for something to grill at home.
Friday: My goal is to find a restaurant with bacalhau à brás on the menu, which shouldn’t be difficult! My whole family loves this cozy dish.
Other: We will be consuming LOTS of ice cream, yummy pastries, and freshly baked Portuguese bread with salty butter.