Week Menu 4/4-10

Meal One: Glazed Pork Chops with Roasted Veggies

Meal Two: Elkloaf with faux mac and cheese and brussel sprouts

Meal Three: Turkey Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo and Sweet Potato Fries

Meal Four: Mushroom Buffalo Burgers pesto mayo and salad

Recipes

Glazed Pork Chops:

glaze
1/2	cup distilled white vinegar or cider vinegar
1/3	cup light brown sugar
1/3	cup apple cider or apple juice
2	tablespoons Dijon mustard
1	tablespoon soy sauce
	Pinch cayenne pepper
Chops
4	boneless, center-cut pork loin chops , 5 to 7 ounces each, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick
1	tablespoon vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Combine all glaze ingredients in medium bowl; mix thoroughly and set aside. Following illustrations below, trim chops and slash through fat and silver skin with sharp knife, making 2 cuts about 2 inches apart in each chop (do not cut into meat of chops). Pat chops dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper.

2. 2. Heat oil in heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add pork to skillet and cook until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Turn chops and cook 1 minute longer; transfer chops to plate and pour off any oil in skillet. (Check internal temperature of thinner chops; see note above.) Return chops to skillet, browned side up, and add glaze mixture; cook over medium heat until center of chops registers 140 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; transfer chops to clean platter, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes.

3. 3. When chops have rested, add any accumulated juices to skillet and set over medium heat. Simmer, whisking constantly, until glaze is thick and color of dark caramel (heatproof spatula should leave wide trail when dragged through glaze), 2 to 6 minutes. Return chops to skillet; turn to coat both sides with glaze. Transfer chops back to platter, browned side up, and spread remaining glaze over chops. Serve immediately.

Roasted Vegetables:

Choose 4-5 sturdy veggies (bell peppers, squashes, potatoes, carrots, or fennel) Toss well with 2T olive oil, 2T balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and 2t of your favorite herb blend (herb de Provence or just italian seasoning) Lay out on large sheet pan and roast about 25 minutes, until tender, in a 425 oven

Elkloaf:

2lb ground elk (you can use any meat, but my freezer if full of this stuff)

1 med onion diced

palmful each of grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs

2 eggs beaten

3T Worcestershire

2clv garlic

2T fresh parsley

salt/pepper

1 sprig of fresh thyme

1/3 c red wine

2t tomato paste

4 slices prosciutto

4 slices of swiss or provolone

mix equal parts bbq sauce, ketchup and A1 for a delicious topper to the meatloaves

In sauce pan drizzle small amount of olive oil and heat over medium. Add onion and thyme and saute about 5-10 minutes, until tender. Mix together all ingredients, except prosciutto, swiss and sauce topper. Now you can choose to do one large or 4 individual loaves, but use the same method. On wax paper lined sheet pan, form meat into a rectangle. Layer with prosciutto and cheese. Roll-up meatloaf like a burrito removing wax paper as you roll, sealing edges. Place roll-side down on sheet pan and cover with sauce. Place in 350 oven for 1hr 15 min for large loaf, and 45 min for mini loaves..internal temp should be 16o. Let rests about 10 minutes before serving.

Mac and Cheese:

• 12 ounces multigrain elbow macaroni
• 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 4 slices multigrain bread, torn
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 ounces)
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup 1 percent milk
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking time; drain.
2. Meanwhile, pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add the parsley, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pulse to combine; set aside.
3. Return the pasta pot to medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the pasta, cauliflower, cheese, sour cream, milk, and mustard.
4. Transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Turkey Burgers with Garlic-Rosemary Mayo:

Combine 1c mayo, 1/4 c chopped fresh rosemary and one clove of garlic. Combine 1 lb turkey or chicken burger, salt, pepper and half of the mayo mixture. Once combined, form into 4 patties and place on grill for 7 minutes each side (or use the George for about 5 minutes total). Serve on bun slathered with remaining mayo mixture and top with fresh arugula and tomato slices.

Sweet Potato Fries:

3 sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices/strips

1t salt

1t pepper

1t garlic salt

1/2 t paprika

olive oil

Toss all ingredients together the place on foil lined baking sheet, sprayed with pam. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes tossing a couple times throughout.

Mushroom Buffalo Burgers:

Saute one container of presliced mushrooms in 1T butter and 1T olive oil over med heat for about 5-10 minutes, until tender. Season with Salt and pepper to taste. Grill premade Buffalo burgers (I use the ones from Trader Joes and grill them on the George Foreman with it's raining, like today) Top Burger patties with mushrooms and a slice of your favorite cheese, for and extra kick mix a little pesto with some mayo and slather on the bun.

shopping list

pork Chops

1lb ground turkey or chicken

2lb ground meat of your choice

buffalo burger patties

prosciutto

sliced swiss or provolone

roasting veggies

cauliflower

3 sweet potatoes

mushrooms

arugula

2 onions

fresh parsley

fresh thyme

fresh rosemary

sour cream

cheddar cheese

red wine

elbow macaroni