I’m spending my annual summer week on Long Island at my parents’ house, and as many of you know from social media, we’re cooking for a crowd. My sisters and I typically prepare meals for about 15 people most days, with more guests joining on occasion. I put together a weeklong dinner planner below, but I’ll also be making a variety of other favorites while I’m here. On Friday I made chicken shawarma from my book, served with rice, a tomato and cucumber salad, and pickled onions—easy and always a crowd-pleaser. My niece helped me make 16 frozen chocolate-covered bananas for a simple dessert, and I’ll bring them out whenever everyone wants a treat.
Other dishes that work well for big family meals include lunch boards, nachos, turkey meatloaf, a clam boil (which I’ll demo in next month’s online class), pizza night using my parents’ wood-fired oven, pasta with pesto, lots of salads, baked salmon or cod, souvlaki skewers, chicken paillard with Greek salad, and plenty of grilled vegetables.
Follow along on Instagram stories to see the week in real time. Here’s the dinner planner for the week:
Meatless Monday: Chopped Salad from my book — add chickpeas or hummus and serve pita on the side.
Tuesday: The Best Turkey Meatloaf, served with corn on the cob and a fresh tomato salad.
Wednesday: Pasta alla Checca, with optional mozzarella, and a grilled vegetable platter.
Thursday: Grilled Fish Tacos served with Cilantro Lime Slaw.
Friday: Korean Chicken Cauliflower Rice Bowl.
Saturday Lunch: A no-fuss veggie, meat and cheese market board with a baguette on the side — quick to assemble and great for a relaxed midday meal.
Sunday: Marinated tempeh prepared with the turmeric-rice-bowl method, served with coconut rice and roasted or fresh vegetables.
To make the week easier, here are a few things you can prepare ahead of time.
Sunday
- Make all dressings
- Prepare marinades
- Cook corn on the cob and assemble tomato salad
- Shred or slice cabbage for slaw
- Mix taco spice blend
Saturday
- Cook coconut rice
- Wash and prep vegetables
If you want more ideas, check my previous dinner planners in the planner archive. I love seeing your takes on my recipes—please tag me @pamelasalzman and use #pamelasalzman so I can see what you make!
Interested in learning more? Click to find out about my online cooking classes.
If you enjoy these recipes, consider picking up my cookbook for many more ideas and tested family-friendly meals.