week Menu 10/10-16

Meal One: Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crockpot





Meal Two: Proscuitto, Pear and Blue Cheese Sandwiches





Meal Three: Lasagna





Meal Four: Sausage and Mushroom Ragu with Polenta





Recipes:





Loaded Baked Potato Soup





5 lb peeled and diced potatoes


1 small onion diced


4 cloves garlic, minced


1 t seasoning salt


1/2 t black pepper


1/2 t red pepper


2 qt chicken broth


2 (8oz) packages cream cheese


crumbled bacon or proscuitto and diced green onion or chives, to top





Add potatoes, onion, garlic, seasonings and broth into 6 qt slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 4 hrs or low 8 hours. Use potato masher or immersion blender to smooth out soup. Crumble both packages of cream cheese into soup and put lid back on for another 30 minutes, stirring a few times. Garnish with desired toppings.





Proscuitto, Pear and Blue Cheese Sandwiches (2 sandwiches worth)





4 slices multigrain bread


1/2 T butter, softened


1 1/2 c arugula


1 small shallot, thinly sliced


1-2 t olive oil


1 t red wine vinegar


black pepper


1-2 oz proscuitto, thinly sliced


1/2 thinly sliced, cored, ripe pear


1 oz blue cheese





Preheat broiler, arrange bread in single layer on a baking sheet; broil 3 minutes, or until toasted. Turn bread over and spread butter evenly over bread slices; broil an additional 2 minutes or until toasted. Combine arugula adn shallot in medium bowl. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, sprinkle with pepper. Toss well to coat. Divide evenly among 2 bread slices, buttered side up; top evenly with proscuitto, pear slices and cheese. Top each sandwich with remaining slices of bread, buttered side down.





Mushroom and Sausage Ragu, with Polenta





1 1/2 T olive oil, divided


8 oz hot turkey italian sausage


1/2 c chopped onion


1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced


2 large garlic cloves, minced


1/4 t kosher salt, divided


1 (14.5oz) can no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained


2 1/2 c fat-free, lower sodium chicken broth


1 1/2 c water


1 c uncooked polenta


4 oz cream cheese


1T butter



Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 t oil to pan; swirl to coat. Remove sausage from casings and add sausage to pan; saute 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove sausage from pan.

Add 1 T oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; saute 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. add mushrooms; saute 4 minutes, stirring occ. Add garlic; saute 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in sausage, 1/8 t salt, and tomatoes; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium; simmer gently for 15 minutes.

Bring broth and 1 1/2 c water to boil in medium saucepan. Add polenta, stirring well. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in remaining 1/8 t salt, cheese and butter. Serve topped with sausage mixture.



note: cook the polenta while the ragu simmers so everything will be ready and hot at the same time.



Lasagna



1 lb ground meat or sausage

2 clove minced garlic

1/4-1/2c water

1/2 small onion diced

1 jar spaghetti sauce

1 egg

2 1/2 c shredded mozzerella

1/2 c parmesan cheese

1 pt cottage cheese

1 T dried parsley, or fresh if you like

dried lasagna noodles



Brown meat in large saucepan with small amount of olive oil, garlic and onion, about 3-5 minutes. Add sauce and a little water if it seems too thick.

In large bowl mix together 2 c mozz. cheese, cottage cheese, egg and parsley

Preheat oven 350. Using s 9x13 inch pan, cover bottom of pan with sauce then layer with noodles, cheese mixture then sauce. Repeat 2-3 times, depending on depth of pan. Top with remaining cheese, and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.



Shopping List



onions

garlic

potatoes

arugula

shallot

pear

chives

mushrooms

cream cheese

cottage cheese

blue cheese

mozzerella cheese

parmesan cheese

proscuitto

sausage 2 lb (1lb per meal)

eggs

spaghetti sauce

chicken broth

polenta

lasagna noodles

multigrain bread