February Menu Plan

Jan 28, 2026

∙ Paid

Hello from sunny Southern California! If you like tacos, kimchi, seasonal produce, and bright flavors, you’re in the right place.

Every Friday, we chat about California Cuisine recipes that will inspire you, no matter where you live in the world.

Today’s newsletter is the February installment of the 2026 monthly menu plans! Although it is a feature for paid subscribers, the introductory outline is available to all and gives a peek into what the monthly menu plan looks like.

The goal: to provide you with a dinner roadmap each month, taking a little guesswork out of what to cook.

There’s a common misconception that we should focus only on recipes that are easy! Quick! Under 20 minutes! But in reality, I’ve found that what really helps consistently get dinner on the table is a plan.

Being prepared is the key. And that’s what this monthly menu plan offers.

Please don’t feel like you have to slavishly follow the plan down to the letter. No one is going to make every single recipe for the month (but if you do, let me know!). Use the plan as needed, dipping in and out to suit your unique schedule.

The monthly menu plan might not be a great fit for you. And that’s totally okay. It’s not for everyone.

But! You may discover that it is exactly the inspiration you’re looking for this year!

I hope that’s the case, and if it is, I look forward to welcoming you as a new paid subscriber.

What to Expect

The monthly plan is divided into four weeks and includes these sections:

Sunday 1 Hour Prep

Don’t be afraid of the word prep! All we are doing is pulling together a few things that you can keep around and conveniently nosh on during the week. Things like dips, sauces, breakfast items, or snacks. Make one thing or make them all. Nothing takes more than an hour, and things can even be prepared simultaneously. The bonus: this one hour of prep will make your week go so much smoother, at least in the kitchen.

4 Dinner Recipes

I don’t cook every single night and don’t expect that you do either. Just four dinner recipes means there is wiggle room for leftovers, nights out, and too-exhausted-to-cook-it’s-popcorn-for-dinner evenings. These recipes include a variety of proteins and a vegetarian/vegan meal, too. Make one or make them all.

Weekend Extras

A dessert and/or fun drinkie recipe. In California and other parts of the U.S., February is the snowiest month of the year, so I’m featuring warm low-alcohol beverages.

Featured Cook

Because I am a fan of so many talented food writers (and I know you are, too!), each month I’m including recipes from a Featured Cook.

For February, it’s the amazing Rebecca Blackwell! She is a cookbook author, food blogger, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer who shares recipes from the road in her newsletter, Let’s Get Lost. She and her husband live in an RV full-time and travel North America. Summers are spent living on their sailboat in Lake Michigan! You’ll see some of her incredible recipes in this month’s menu plan.

Plus, Rebecca and I have collaborated on a California casual dinner party menu for the paid subscriber post later this month. The menu is perfect for a fun meal at home with a few friends! What’s included? Coordinated recipes (main, sides, and dessert), fun questions to get the conversation started, and a Spotify playlist! Look for that in a couple of weeks.