Getting Started on This Week's Dinners

I'm conflicted, with too many ideas for using this week's specials. First of all, with some still crazy warm temperatures, it seems like a chance to fit in one last bbq, especially before Daylight Savings hits Sunday, when we'll be plunged into winter darkness by late afternoon. Yes, there are several salmon specials in the left column that would be great on the grill. Both Sprouts and Sunflower are also offeing some good beef options this week, with New York cut sirloin steak $5.99/lb, marinated beef or chicken kabobs $4.99/lb, or top sirloin steak just $2.99/lb at Sprouts, while Sunflower has New York steaks at $5.99/lb for bone-in and $7.99/lb for boneless. Sunflower also has organic cauliflower on sale for just 99 cents/lb, flowerettes of which are begging to be roasted in a hot oven in the style of Boulder restaurant The Kitchen (possibly the best veggie I've ever eaten).

Next, we need a big pot of something to reheat later in the week too, and with Italian chicken sausage $2.99/lb at both Sprouts and Sunflower, and organic yams just 99 cents a pound at Sunflower, that calls for a nice fall dish of sweet potato and sausage soup from Bon Appetit, fully cooking the substituted chicken sausage, which hardly takes any time. A big salad on the side, plus some Whole Foods Bakehouse fresh bread, and it's a feast.

Then comes the conflict for the end of the weekend. With Whole Foods' excellent air chilled chicken breasts $3.99/lb this week and organic grape tomatoes $2.50 for a pint at Sunflower, I'm leaning towards spicy roast chicken with tomatoes and marjoram from Bon Appetit, warm from the oven on an evening that will be dark just way too soon on Sunday. But the alternative that's tempting me is pasta with winter squash and tomatoes from the New York Times, using the pesticide-free on the vine tomatoes that are 69 cents/lb at Sunflower, and organic butternut squash that's 69 cents/lb at Sprouts. Two good choices, so we'll just see how it plays out.