Menu July 26- Aug 2

This will be my last MPM post for a couple of weeks. We are driving cross-country for my husband's 50th birthday, which happens to be two days before his sister's 50th wedding anniversary. My kids haven't been back to see their aunts and uncles in about 5 years and will meet quite a few cousins for the first time.

My menu plan this week will focus on using up everything in my fridge. The ham from last week got pushed forward to Monday as a result of our unplanned asian dinner.

Monday: Ham, Scalloped Potatoes, Green Beans

Tuesday: Turkey Panini's with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Fruit Salad

Wednesday: Tamales, Red Rice

Thursday: Beef and Vegie Kebabs, Foil Packet Potatoes

Friday: Ham and Beans, Corn Bread

Saturday: Almond Stuffed Chicken, Noodles tossed with any leftover vegies

Sunday: Family Reunion for my side of family in Buffalo

Monday: Anything Still Left In Fridge

I do not love eating out while on the road. Fast food and truck stops = serious intestinal distress. I prefer to pack a cooler with sandwiches and snacks. I will compromise with my husband and eat one restaurant meal per day (breakfast is all my first choice.) We'll be driving thru Kansas City, so a great Bar-B-Q joint would not be out of the question.

Any leftover ham will become ham salad for the cooler. My daughter is an excellent baker, and will bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies to snack on. Fruits and vegies and granola bars will round out our food requirements for the drive there.

To further my goal of cleaning out the fridge, I whipped up a batch of my favorite cheese spread, Fromage Fort. It is a french recipe created specifically for using up odd pieces of cheese. (Many French recipes really are incredibly frugal.) I use a recipe (more of a guideline) from Jacques Pepin. Combine 1/2 pound of assorted cheese, one or two garlic cloves, and 1/4 cup of sherry or other flavorful liquid in the food processor and pulse it into submission. I usually go heavy on strong cheeses like gruyere or aged swiss, with a little parmesan (too much gives the spread a grainy texture.) I rarely salt the mixture, but that is personal taste. I always add a healthy dose of pepper, again, personal taste.

The spread is best on top of slices of crusty bread, melted under the broiler. I had leftover crabmeat this time so I processed it with everything else.

This spread can be tweeked to highlight whatever your favorite cheese happens to be. After our last trip east we brought home some wonderful Wisconsin aged cheddar and apple brandy from Huber Orchards. We served the hot toasts with slices of apple, amazing. The spread holds in the fridge for several weeks, depending on what cheese you used the flavor can get very strong the older it gets.

What's your favorite "clean out the refrigerator" recipe?

For more great menu ideas Visit Laura for more Menu Planning Monday.