Meal One: Fish Taco's
Meal Two: Stir fried Eggplant with egg rolls
Meal Three: Greek chicken salads with tabbouleh couscous
Recipes:
Fish Tacos with Radish Slaw:
Cod, or any white fish you like
Cajun seasoning
1 bunch of radishes
jalapeno
scallions
lime juice
shredded cabbage
corn tortillas
Generously season fish with pepper and cajun seasoning. Place in oven, on greased sheet, at 400 for 15-20 minutes, depending on thickness/size of fish. You want the fish to be flake easily when pearced with a fork. When finished baking, flake fish to pile on tacos
While fish is cooking, thinly slice radishes, chop 1/2 bunch of scallions, dice and seed jalapeno. Place all items in bowl, then juice 1-2 limes over and a dash of olive oil.
Warm corn tortillas to keep them from breaking apart.
Place small amount of fish on tortilla, top with radish slaw and cabbage.
Stir Fried Eggplant over jasmine rice with egg rolls:
Pre-made egg rolls, I love the Trader Joe's ones
Pre-made jasmine rice, also from Trader Joe's
2 T veg. oil
1/2-1 t crushed red pepper flakes
3 baby eggplants, cubed
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 T white vinegar
3 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Pop egg rolls in the oven according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat deep skillet or wok pan over high heat. Add oil and crushed pepper flakes, and let sizzle for 10-15 seconds. Add eggplant, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and stir-fry for 3 minutes more. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with sugar, and toss 1-2 minutes longer.
Remove pan from heat, add basil and toss to combine.
Greek Chicken Salads:
2-4 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless
romaine lettuce, chopped
1 lemon, juiced and zested
3 T red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
2-4 T olive oil
2-4 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves only, chopped
pepper/salt
Mix together lemon, vinegar, garlic, oil, oregano and salt/pepper. Place chicken breasts in baggie with 1/2 of lemon mixture. Let marinate 15 minutes, no longer than 30 minutes. Place Chicken on grill 7-10 minutes per side, until internal temp is 165 degrees
Toss romaine lettuce with remaining lemon vinaigrette. Serve sliced chicken over salad.
Tabbouleh Couscous.
1 1/2 c couscous
1 1/2c boiling water
1/3-1/2 c fresh lemon juice
1 c fresh parsley chopped
1 c fresh mint chopped
1 English cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1/3 c toasted pine nuts
1/3 c sliced kalamata olives
1/3 c feta cheese
Place couscous in boiling water and cover for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Combine all ingredients together and viola....tabbouleh couscous.
Serve with Greek chicken and salad
Shopping List
Cod
Chicken breasts
onion
bell pepper
baby eggplant
romaine lettuce
cherry tomatoes
English cucumber
radishes
cabbage
scallions
jalapeno
garlic
parsley
oregano
basil
mint
limes
lemon
kalamata olives
pine nuts
feta cheese
couscous
corn tortillas
Trader Joe's egg rolls
jasmine rice, pre-made from Trader Joe's is my choice
next up
Sunday: Italian poached egg breakfast
Monday: stew
Tuesday: homemade pasta with meat sauce
Wednesday: meatloaf and mashed potatoes
Thursday:Grilled turkey sausages, grilled peppers over polenta
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
PORK-TASTIC WEEK 9/18-23
Ok, so I cooked one pot of meat that made 3 meals and then I threw in a pasta dish for kicks.
Monday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Slaw
Tuesday: Green Chili Soup
Tuesday/Wednesday: Cuban Sandwiches with Corn Salsa salad
Thursday: Pseudo Hawaiian pulled pork over Bulgar (the idea here was for a real Hawaiian type meal, but I had a time crunch and used what I had to improvise)
Thursday/Friday: Mock Lasagna Pasta Dish
SIDE NOTE: Truth be told I ate the soup, sandwiches and corn salsa on the same night..I just couldn't make up my mind, but it was a ton of food. Then I actually ate the Hawaiian meal and fed my family the pasta, because of our crazy schedules.
Recipes:
BASE PORK RECIPE
: Take pork (use pork shoulder, loin, country ribs or pork butt). Season pork with pepper and seasoning salt (I use Johnny's, or my husbands BBQ rub). In med-high heat skillet, brown pork on all sides in a small amount of olive oil; you are not cooking the meat, you are simply searing in the flavor. Place meat into crock pot and cover with water, also add 1-2 T more of your seasoning mixture. Cook on high 6-8 hours. After eight hours drain liquid, discard fat pieces and shred meat. If you have very lean, boneless meat cooking, after you drain it you can simply poke some tongs around in it and the meat will shred that easy.
Note: You can also do this in the pressure cooker. On med-high add a little oil to pressure cooker, brown pork on all sides, (you may need to do this in two batches), then add water to hot pan with meat, to cover pork. Top with pressure cooker lid and wait for the "ch..ch.." Let it go about 3 minutes and then reduce heat slightly to just above medium. You still want it to make the "ch.ch.." sound, but just not quite to the degree as before. Let go about 25-30 minutes for 4-5lbs of meat. Remove from heat and let pressure release, after about 5 minutes I run it under cool water to speed the process. Then when the spout has no pressure left, remove the lid, drain and shred.
Divide meat in to meal size servings. I get about 2-3 out of 4 lbs. If I make more, which I usually do, I just divide the remaining and freeze for later use.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches:
1 portion of shredded pork
1/2-1 c favorite BBQ sauce
Hamburger buns
spicy mustard (I love Beavers hot and spicy)
Mix pork and BBQ sauce, to desired amount of sauciness. Top bun with spicy mustard and then pulled pork. Serve with Cole Slaw...I actually serve my cole slaw in the sandwich...don't knock it 'til you try it!!!
Cole Slaw:
2 c shredded cabbage
1/2 c shredded carrots
1/3 c mayo
2 t apple cider vinegar
1 t sugar
salt and pepper.
Mix mayo, sugar, milk, salt/pepper and vinegar together. Blend into cabbage and carrot mix.
Green Chili Soup:
Cuban Sandwiches:
1 portion shredded pork
sliced deli ham
sliced dill pickles
sliced Swiss cheese
Cuban bread...or egg based hamburger buns
Dijon mustard
Spread Dijon onto both sides of bun/bread, top each side with a slice of cheese. Top one slice of cheese with ham slice and the other side with layer of shredded pork, then top the pork with sliced pickles. Place ham side on top of pickle slices and place in panini press or inside the George foreman grill. Let smash/grill for about 5-7 minutes.
Corn Salsa Salad
1 bag green leafy salad/lettuce
1 package of frozen corn
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno or 1 T roasted green chilies
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 limes, juiced
1 t sugar
salt/pepper
Mix together all ingredients and let set at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve on top of a bed of field greens. Typically this makes a lot, so use 1/2 tonight and 1/2 for the following meal.
Pseudo Hawaiian pork with Bulgar:
1 c Bulgar
1 1/2 c boiling water
1 portion pulled pork
1 portion of corn salsa
braggs liquid amino, soy sauce or huli huli sauce...your choice..I used braggs
Place boiling water and Bulgar in bowl and top with saran wrap, let set 1 hour (put it in a larger bowl, because it expands). Heat pork up slightly, to a warm temp. In bowl place Bulgar, pork and corn salsa. Top with your sauce choice and enjoy. This recipe is super simple and a total leftover concoction, but it was delicious.
Mock Lasagna Dish:
So the story with this is that I wanted to make something with my container of cottage cheese, but I didn't want my friend Laura to have to bake a lasagna very long (she just had a baby) and I didn't have time to precook noodles for lasagna or manicotti..so this baby was born. My husband and mother loved it, and Laura said it was yummy.
1 lb rigatoni noodles
1 8 oz container of cottage cheese
1 large handful of shredded mozzarella
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 c spaghetti sauce with meat (3/4 lb ground meat (cooked) mixed with your favorite spaghetti sauce) I make my own and freeze...see post from 2/5/11 for recipe
Grease casserole dish and heat oven to 350. Cook noodles for 1/2 the recommended time. While noodles cook, mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella, egg and parsley. Combine cooked pasta, cheese mixture and sauce mixture and place in baking dish, top Parmesan cheese and bake 20-25 minutes.
Shopping List:
4-8 lb pork
sliced deli ham
ground meat, for spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese
Swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese
Monterrey jack cheese
cottage cheese
cabbage
carrot
onion
potato
red and sweet onion
poblano chili p
salad greens
fresh parsley
cilantro
jalapeno
garlic
fire roasted green chilies, fresh or canned
limes
pickles
egg based burger buns
rigatoni noodles
bulgar
mayo
spaghetti sauce
chicken broth
milk or cream
ON DECK: fish tacos, greek night and pesto shrimp pasta
Monday: Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Slaw
Tuesday: Green Chili Soup
Tuesday/Wednesday: Cuban Sandwiches with Corn Salsa salad
Thursday: Pseudo Hawaiian pulled pork over Bulgar (the idea here was for a real Hawaiian type meal, but I had a time crunch and used what I had to improvise)
Thursday/Friday: Mock Lasagna Pasta Dish
SIDE NOTE: Truth be told I ate the soup, sandwiches and corn salsa on the same night..I just couldn't make up my mind, but it was a ton of food. Then I actually ate the Hawaiian meal and fed my family the pasta, because of our crazy schedules.
Recipes:
BASE PORK RECIPE
: Take pork (use pork shoulder, loin, country ribs or pork butt). Season pork with pepper and seasoning salt (I use Johnny's, or my husbands BBQ rub). In med-high heat skillet, brown pork on all sides in a small amount of olive oil; you are not cooking the meat, you are simply searing in the flavor. Place meat into crock pot and cover with water, also add 1-2 T more of your seasoning mixture. Cook on high 6-8 hours. After eight hours drain liquid, discard fat pieces and shred meat. If you have very lean, boneless meat cooking, after you drain it you can simply poke some tongs around in it and the meat will shred that easy.
Note: You can also do this in the pressure cooker. On med-high add a little oil to pressure cooker, brown pork on all sides, (you may need to do this in two batches), then add water to hot pan with meat, to cover pork. Top with pressure cooker lid and wait for the "ch..ch.." Let it go about 3 minutes and then reduce heat slightly to just above medium. You still want it to make the "ch.ch.." sound, but just not quite to the degree as before. Let go about 25-30 minutes for 4-5lbs of meat. Remove from heat and let pressure release, after about 5 minutes I run it under cool water to speed the process. Then when the spout has no pressure left, remove the lid, drain and shred.
Divide meat in to meal size servings. I get about 2-3 out of 4 lbs. If I make more, which I usually do, I just divide the remaining and freeze for later use.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches:
1 portion of shredded pork
1/2-1 c favorite BBQ sauce
Hamburger buns
spicy mustard (I love Beavers hot and spicy)
Mix pork and BBQ sauce, to desired amount of sauciness. Top bun with spicy mustard and then pulled pork. Serve with Cole Slaw...I actually serve my cole slaw in the sandwich...don't knock it 'til you try it!!!
Cole Slaw:
2 c shredded cabbage
1/2 c shredded carrots
1/3 c mayo
2 t apple cider vinegar
1 t sugar
salt and pepper.
Mix mayo, sugar, milk, salt/pepper and vinegar together. Blend into cabbage and carrot mix.
Green Chili Soup:
3-6 roasted new mexican green chile's (canned roasted green chile's work too, but fresh is preferred)
2 c chopped onion
4 T butter
1 cl garlic
1/2 t dried oregano
2 bay leaves
3 1/2 c chicken broth
1 lb baking potatoes (2 med.) peeled and cubed
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1/3 c whipping cream
2 c Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
In a four qt saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, garlic, oregano and bay leaves and cook, covered, stirring twice, for 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, potatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring once or twice, until the potatoes are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remover bay leaves then puree soup to your choice of consistency with an immersion blender. Stir in chile's and return heat to med and bring to a simmer, cook uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in cream and serve topped with grated cheese and tortilla chips.
Cuban Sandwiches:
1 portion shredded pork
sliced deli ham
sliced dill pickles
sliced Swiss cheese
Cuban bread...or egg based hamburger buns
Dijon mustard
Spread Dijon onto both sides of bun/bread, top each side with a slice of cheese. Top one slice of cheese with ham slice and the other side with layer of shredded pork, then top the pork with sliced pickles. Place ham side on top of pickle slices and place in panini press or inside the George foreman grill. Let smash/grill for about 5-7 minutes.
Corn Salsa Salad
1 bag green leafy salad/lettuce
1 package of frozen corn
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeno or 1 T roasted green chilies
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 limes, juiced
1 t sugar
salt/pepper
Mix together all ingredients and let set at least 20 minutes before serving. Serve on top of a bed of field greens. Typically this makes a lot, so use 1/2 tonight and 1/2 for the following meal.
Pseudo Hawaiian pork with Bulgar:
1 c Bulgar
1 1/2 c boiling water
1 portion pulled pork
1 portion of corn salsa
braggs liquid amino, soy sauce or huli huli sauce...your choice..I used braggs
Place boiling water and Bulgar in bowl and top with saran wrap, let set 1 hour (put it in a larger bowl, because it expands). Heat pork up slightly, to a warm temp. In bowl place Bulgar, pork and corn salsa. Top with your sauce choice and enjoy. This recipe is super simple and a total leftover concoction, but it was delicious.
Mock Lasagna Dish:
So the story with this is that I wanted to make something with my container of cottage cheese, but I didn't want my friend Laura to have to bake a lasagna very long (she just had a baby) and I didn't have time to precook noodles for lasagna or manicotti..so this baby was born. My husband and mother loved it, and Laura said it was yummy.
1 lb rigatoni noodles
1 8 oz container of cottage cheese
1 large handful of shredded mozzarella
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 T chopped fresh parsley
2 c spaghetti sauce with meat (3/4 lb ground meat (cooked) mixed with your favorite spaghetti sauce) I make my own and freeze...see post from 2/5/11 for recipe
Grease casserole dish and heat oven to 350. Cook noodles for 1/2 the recommended time. While noodles cook, mix together cottage cheese, mozzarella, egg and parsley. Combine cooked pasta, cheese mixture and sauce mixture and place in baking dish, top Parmesan cheese and bake 20-25 minutes.
Shopping List:
4-8 lb pork
sliced deli ham
ground meat, for spaghetti sauce
mozzarella cheese
Swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese
Monterrey jack cheese
cottage cheese
cabbage
carrot
onion
potato
red and sweet onion
poblano chili p
salad greens
fresh parsley
cilantro
jalapeno
garlic
fire roasted green chilies, fresh or canned
limes
pickles
egg based burger buns
rigatoni noodles
bulgar
mayo
spaghetti sauce
chicken broth
milk or cream
ON DECK: fish tacos, greek night and pesto shrimp pasta
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Week 9/11-17
Only three meals this week, but I was able to wrestle the best way to make pizza on a gas grill and a great left over salad that I just had today and it was soooo good.
Sunday: Enchiladas
Monday: Off
Tues: Taco night at the neighbors
Wed: Pizza on the Grill, with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and turkey sausage
Thurs: Poached Egg and Grilled Asparagus Salads
Friday: Off
Recipes:
Enchiladas:
1 lb meat, I used burger this time...which is my husbands favorite
1/2 c sliced olives
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained...optional
corn or flour tortillas..your choice
cheddar cheese, shredded
1-2c enchilada sauce...your choice, if you like spicy and simple mix a small can of el pato and a small can of tomato sauce..perfect.
Brown ground meat in large skillet over med-high heat. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce...you could also add minced garlic and dice onion to the pan in the beginning if you prefer. Drain any oil out of meat skillet then add beans, olives, corn and 1/3 c enchilada sauce and mix together.
Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, then put 2-3 spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of pan to lightly coat. Fill tortillas with meat mix, and a little cheese if you like, then roll up and create a single layer across dish. Top rolled, filled tortillas with remaining sauce and cheese.
Bake 325 for about 20 minutes.
Note: if you have leftover meat mix, you can just freeze it for next time, it does really well for a couple months, if sealed well. Then the next time you want enchiladas, most of the work is done.
Pizza on the Grill:
1 large pizza dough ball, I went to bellagios, but use what you like
1 lb turkey sausage
about 2 cups spaghetti sauce, or pizza sauce
1 onion, sliced in half rings
8oz sliced mushrooms
fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh Parmesan cheese
olive oil and butter
In large skillet add 1 part olive oil to 1 part butter over medium heat. Add sliced onions and brown/caramelize for about 15 minutes, stirring periodically. If they are getting too brown, lower the temp to med-low. You want them caramel colored, not black.
Place mushrooms on a large plate, leaving a circle open in the center. Dab small amount of butter on top of the mushrooms. Place in microwave, covered with a paper towel, for 5 minutes. This is so crazy, but my mom has always done it, and my husband loves it, and it's easy.
In additional skillet, over medium heat, brown turkey sausage. Drain any accumulated fat, then add sauce and turn to low and let simmer.
At this point you should go turn on your grill so that you can get it super hot!!!!
I like to split the dough so it is easier to work on the grill. I made three individual pizzas for this dinner. Roll out dough using a little extra flour to make the dough easy to work with, and use your hands to stretch that out. Once you have them the size you want, brush the top with a little olive oil.
Now go turn off your grill....now throw dough on grill, oil side down, brush other side with oil and close lid...maybe 3 minutes..feel free to check it. Then when the top is a little bubbly and you can see it is a little tan on the bottom, go ahead and use 1-2 spatulas to flip dough. Top cooked side with meat sauce, onions, mush and cheeses. Turn grill back to low and close lid until cheese is melted. Using both spatulas, remove pizzas from grill and enjoy.
NOTE: this is a crazy process that my husband has concocted, but it works so great. He tried to keep it a secret from me, so only he could do it, but alas, I drug it out of him. The great thing is that each person can make their own pizza and then the grill gives it an extra kick.
So remember...hot grill, turn off, put pizza on, flip, top, turn to low, melt. TADA
Poached Egg and Asparagus Salads:
I use the recipe from eating well magazine. I have a new found love for poached eggs.
www.eatingwell.com/recipe/asparagus_salad_poached_egg.html
Sometimes I also drizzle the asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar before I roast it, just to add a little twist. Also, my husband like to crumble bacon or prosciutto on top. I don't always use arugula either, it is best with a wild green though.
Sweet Potato:
This doesn't exactly go with the meal, but it is what I had and what we ate.
Poke fork holes in each potato in several areas.
place in oven at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. Slit in half, lengthwise and top with butter and brown sugar
Shopping List
ground burger
turkey sausage
eggs
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
garlic
lemon
onion
mushroom
arugula
asparagus
sweet potato
black beans
olives
corn
enchilada sauce
spaghetti sauce
pizza dough
tortillas
Notes: So I had some left over grilled asparagus and juice from the balsamic vinegar I put on it. I also had some of the crab filling from last week in the fridge that needed to be eaten. So I brought some lettuce today and topped it with the leftover crab/breadcrumb mix and asparagus, both slightly heated. Then I drizzled the vinegar from the asparagus over the top.....holy moly that was so good. I have a little leftover pasta, some pizza/spaghetti sauce and the crab mix that I think I am going to combine for lunch tomorrow. We know how I hate to waste.
On Deck: PORK: in the crock pot, pulled pork sandwiches, cubano panini sandwiches, and Hawaiian pork and rice. Yummy! Busy week, so this will make things go smoothly...cook once, eat thrice!!
Sunday: Enchiladas
Monday: Off
Tues: Taco night at the neighbors
Wed: Pizza on the Grill, with caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms and turkey sausage
Thurs: Poached Egg and Grilled Asparagus Salads
Friday: Off
Recipes:
Enchiladas:
1 lb meat, I used burger this time...which is my husbands favorite
1/2 c sliced olives
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained...optional
corn or flour tortillas..your choice
cheddar cheese, shredded
1-2c enchilada sauce...your choice, if you like spicy and simple mix a small can of el pato and a small can of tomato sauce..perfect.
Brown ground meat in large skillet over med-high heat. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce...you could also add minced garlic and dice onion to the pan in the beginning if you prefer. Drain any oil out of meat skillet then add beans, olives, corn and 1/3 c enchilada sauce and mix together.
Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, then put 2-3 spoonfuls of sauce in the bottom of pan to lightly coat. Fill tortillas with meat mix, and a little cheese if you like, then roll up and create a single layer across dish. Top rolled, filled tortillas with remaining sauce and cheese.
Bake 325 for about 20 minutes.
Note: if you have leftover meat mix, you can just freeze it for next time, it does really well for a couple months, if sealed well. Then the next time you want enchiladas, most of the work is done.
Pizza on the Grill:
1 large pizza dough ball, I went to bellagios, but use what you like
1 lb turkey sausage
about 2 cups spaghetti sauce, or pizza sauce
1 onion, sliced in half rings
8oz sliced mushrooms
fresh mozzarella cheese
fresh Parmesan cheese
olive oil and butter
In large skillet add 1 part olive oil to 1 part butter over medium heat. Add sliced onions and brown/caramelize for about 15 minutes, stirring periodically. If they are getting too brown, lower the temp to med-low. You want them caramel colored, not black.
Place mushrooms on a large plate, leaving a circle open in the center. Dab small amount of butter on top of the mushrooms. Place in microwave, covered with a paper towel, for 5 minutes. This is so crazy, but my mom has always done it, and my husband loves it, and it's easy.
In additional skillet, over medium heat, brown turkey sausage. Drain any accumulated fat, then add sauce and turn to low and let simmer.
At this point you should go turn on your grill so that you can get it super hot!!!!
I like to split the dough so it is easier to work on the grill. I made three individual pizzas for this dinner. Roll out dough using a little extra flour to make the dough easy to work with, and use your hands to stretch that out. Once you have them the size you want, brush the top with a little olive oil.
Now go turn off your grill....now throw dough on grill, oil side down, brush other side with oil and close lid...maybe 3 minutes..feel free to check it. Then when the top is a little bubbly and you can see it is a little tan on the bottom, go ahead and use 1-2 spatulas to flip dough. Top cooked side with meat sauce, onions, mush and cheeses. Turn grill back to low and close lid until cheese is melted. Using both spatulas, remove pizzas from grill and enjoy.
NOTE: this is a crazy process that my husband has concocted, but it works so great. He tried to keep it a secret from me, so only he could do it, but alas, I drug it out of him. The great thing is that each person can make their own pizza and then the grill gives it an extra kick.
So remember...hot grill, turn off, put pizza on, flip, top, turn to low, melt. TADA
Poached Egg and Asparagus Salads:
I use the recipe from eating well magazine. I have a new found love for poached eggs.
www.eatingwell.com/recipe/asparagus_salad_poached_egg.html
Sometimes I also drizzle the asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar before I roast it, just to add a little twist. Also, my husband like to crumble bacon or prosciutto on top. I don't always use arugula either, it is best with a wild green though.
Sweet Potato:
This doesn't exactly go with the meal, but it is what I had and what we ate.
Poke fork holes in each potato in several areas.
place in oven at 350 for about 30-45 minutes. Slit in half, lengthwise and top with butter and brown sugar
Shopping List
ground burger
turkey sausage
eggs
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
garlic
lemon
onion
mushroom
arugula
asparagus
sweet potato
black beans
olives
corn
enchilada sauce
spaghetti sauce
pizza dough
tortillas
Notes: So I had some left over grilled asparagus and juice from the balsamic vinegar I put on it. I also had some of the crab filling from last week in the fridge that needed to be eaten. So I brought some lettuce today and topped it with the leftover crab/breadcrumb mix and asparagus, both slightly heated. Then I drizzled the vinegar from the asparagus over the top.....holy moly that was so good. I have a little leftover pasta, some pizza/spaghetti sauce and the crab mix that I think I am going to combine for lunch tomorrow. We know how I hate to waste.
On Deck: PORK: in the crock pot, pulled pork sandwiches, cubano panini sandwiches, and Hawaiian pork and rice. Yummy! Busy week, so this will make things go smoothly...cook once, eat thrice!!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Menu Week 9/4-10
So I took a week off to figure out the best way to make this blog work, with photos and videos and whatnot. I decided that instead of posting what I am going to make this week, I will actually post what I had last week, so that I can include tips/changes and photos as I do them. Then at the end of the page I will put down what is planned for next week, mainly so my husband can see it.
Menu
Monday: Pasta with Kale, with Broccoli
Tuesday: Taco Salads
Wednesday: Teriyaki Beef and rice
Thursday: Cajun chicken with peach salsa
Friday: Spaghetti
Saturday: Crab stuffed yellow squashes with couscous
Recipes:
Pasta with Kale, and Broccoli
I use the recipe from the Food Network...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pasta-with-escarole-recipe/index.html
However, I sub Kale for the escarole (mainly because I didn't know where the escarole was at the store and I instead grabbed Kale, I figured they were both green right? I also discovered that I LOVE KALE.) Also I use prosciutto instead of pancetta, or bacon, your choice though. Oh, and I use whole wheat spaghetti. Then when I pull the pasta and Kale out of the boiling water, I throw in the broccoli florets while I mix everything together. I usually let it boil about 3-5 minutes.
Taco Salads
Teriyaki Beef
Cajun Chicken with Peach Salsa
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
cayenne pepper, seasoning salt and pepper
olive oil
3 large peaches, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
Juice of 1-2 limes, depending on how juicy they are
1 T sugar
salt and pepper.
Combine ingredients from peaches-salt and pepper in large bowl and set aside to come together while you prepare the chicken.
Lightly pound out chicken breasts so that they have a relatively even thickness (you can keep them in a plastic bag, so that juice doesn't fly around your kitchen). Sprinkle with seasonings, adjust the amounts according to how hot you like your chicken. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large skillet, just to lightly coat the bottom, over med-hi heat. Add chicken in even layer, do not move it around, let it cook on the one side for about 5-7 minutes, then flip. Then chicken should come right off the pan (there should be a nice seared side that makes that happen) if not let it cook a minute or so longer. Then cover pan, reduce heat to medium and let cook and additional 10 minutes.
I like to serve this with quinoa and a side salad, or steamed veggie.
Spaghetti:
1 lb Spaghetti noodles, whichever you prefer
1 Jar of favorite spaghetti sauce, or frozen container of one you have prepared ahead
1 lb ground meat, use burger or sausage..again this is your choice, I use a combination
1 package of button mushrooms
butter
olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Place sliced mushrooms on large plate, leaving a circle open in the center, and dab a small amount of butter around, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with a paper towel and place in the microwave for 5 minutes. ( I know it sounds a little coo coo but my mom does it and it is great for this and for pizzas)
Saute diced onion over medium-high heat in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add meat and brown. When meat is browned, add mushrooms and any juice on plate. Add sauce and heat through.
Top noodles with sauce and Parmesan cheese. You can also sprinkle with fresh parsley if you are feeling sassy
(truth be told I make my meat sauce ahead of time and freeze it in containers. Then on spaghetti night I freshen it up with the mushrooms and parsley. I figure if you are going through the trouble of making the meat sauce, why not do a ton now so that later it is easy?...see "Two week freezer clean out, from Feb 5, 2011 for my meat sauce recipe)
Crab stuffed Yellow Squash with Couscous: Ok my husband made this on the fly...WHAT? it was sooooo amazing, this is what I came home to after work...this is what he said he did...
4 yellow yellow squash..short and fat, not long and skinny
Meat of One fresh crab
1 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic
panko bread crumbs
So, cut the tops off of the squash. Place in baking dish, lined with a little olive oil. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, then take out and scoop out insides.
In the meantime, saute onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil for about 10 minutes, then add crab to combine. Take off of heat and add about 2 large handfuls of panko and salt and pepper. Stuff squash with filling...you may have some extra..so maybe get more squash or make crab cakes late? Top stuffed squash with panko and Parmesan cheese, then bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve along side of seasoned couscous...yummy. I topped it with fresh parsley for some color and a little added flavor
Shopping List.
chicken
prosciutto
ground burger
sausage
flank steak
crab
cheddar cheese
sour cream
ginger
garlic
scallions
kale
broccoli
lettuce
tomato
onions, sweet and red
jalapeno
mushrooms
yellow squash
lime
peaches
olives
spaghetti sauce
black beans
pine nuts
white wine
soy sauce
tortillas
rice
quinoa/couscous
pasta x 2
On Deck...
Sun: enchiladas, Mon: I'm gone, Tues: poached egg andasparagus salads, Wed: carmelized onion, mushroom and sausage pizza on the grill, Thurs: beet and feta pasta, with grilled chicken?
Menu
Monday: Pasta with Kale, with Broccoli
Tuesday: Taco Salads
Wednesday: Teriyaki Beef and rice
Thursday: Cajun chicken with peach salsa
Friday: Spaghetti
Saturday: Crab stuffed yellow squashes with couscous
Recipes:
Pasta with Kale, and Broccoli
I use the recipe from the Food Network...
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pasta-with-escarole-recipe/index.html
However, I sub Kale for the escarole (mainly because I didn't know where the escarole was at the store and I instead grabbed Kale, I figured they were both green right? I also discovered that I LOVE KALE.) Also I use prosciutto instead of pancetta, or bacon, your choice though. Oh, and I use whole wheat spaghetti. Then when I pull the pasta and Kale out of the boiling water, I throw in the broccoli florets while I mix everything together. I usually let it boil about 3-5 minutes.
Taco Salads
Cook 1lb burger meat and season to your taste with taco seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, then add one can of drained black beans.
Bake tortillas in 375 oven for 20 minutes over large oven safe bowl or taco salad shell pan. Then layer in tortilla shell lettuce, tomato, onion, olives, meat/beans, cheese, sour cream and salsa.
Teriyaki Beef
2lb flank, round or blade steak, sliced thin against the grain
black pepper
2 T veg oil
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c sugar
2 T mirin, sherry or white wine
2 t cornstarch
2 t fresh grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8-1/4 t red pepper flakes
2 scallions, sliced thin
Prep the sauce ingredients and assemble sauce while beef browns (soy, sugar, mirin, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes). Pat steak dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat 1 T of oil in large skillet over med-hi heat until just smoking. Brown half the steak on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer steak to clean bowl, and repeat with remaining oil and steak. Add sauce to skillet and return to med-hi heat, simmer, scraping up any brown bits until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add steak and any accumulated juices to skillet and continue to simmer until steak is heated through. Sprinkle with scallions and serve over brown rice. I found some super yummy and easy to make brown rice in a microwave bag at trader joes, you should try it.
Cajun Chicken with Peach Salsa
2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
cayenne pepper, seasoning salt and pepper
olive oil
3 large peaches, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
Juice of 1-2 limes, depending on how juicy they are
1 T sugar
salt and pepper.
Combine ingredients from peaches-salt and pepper in large bowl and set aside to come together while you prepare the chicken.
Lightly pound out chicken breasts so that they have a relatively even thickness (you can keep them in a plastic bag, so that juice doesn't fly around your kitchen). Sprinkle with seasonings, adjust the amounts according to how hot you like your chicken. Pour a small amount of olive oil into a large skillet, just to lightly coat the bottom, over med-hi heat. Add chicken in even layer, do not move it around, let it cook on the one side for about 5-7 minutes, then flip. Then chicken should come right off the pan (there should be a nice seared side that makes that happen) if not let it cook a minute or so longer. Then cover pan, reduce heat to medium and let cook and additional 10 minutes.
I like to serve this with quinoa and a side salad, or steamed veggie.
Spaghetti:
1 lb Spaghetti noodles, whichever you prefer
1 Jar of favorite spaghetti sauce, or frozen container of one you have prepared ahead
1 lb ground meat, use burger or sausage..again this is your choice, I use a combination
1 package of button mushrooms
butter
olive oil
Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Place sliced mushrooms on large plate, leaving a circle open in the center, and dab a small amount of butter around, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with a paper towel and place in the microwave for 5 minutes. ( I know it sounds a little coo coo but my mom does it and it is great for this and for pizzas)
Saute diced onion over medium-high heat in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add meat and brown. When meat is browned, add mushrooms and any juice on plate. Add sauce and heat through.
Top noodles with sauce and Parmesan cheese. You can also sprinkle with fresh parsley if you are feeling sassy
(truth be told I make my meat sauce ahead of time and freeze it in containers. Then on spaghetti night I freshen it up with the mushrooms and parsley. I figure if you are going through the trouble of making the meat sauce, why not do a ton now so that later it is easy?...see "Two week freezer clean out, from Feb 5, 2011 for my meat sauce recipe)
Crab stuffed Yellow Squash with Couscous: Ok my husband made this on the fly...WHAT? it was sooooo amazing, this is what I came home to after work...this is what he said he did...
4 yellow yellow squash..short and fat, not long and skinny
Meat of One fresh crab
1 onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic
panko bread crumbs
So, cut the tops off of the squash. Place in baking dish, lined with a little olive oil. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes, then take out and scoop out insides.
In the meantime, saute onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil for about 10 minutes, then add crab to combine. Take off of heat and add about 2 large handfuls of panko and salt and pepper. Stuff squash with filling...you may have some extra..so maybe get more squash or make crab cakes late? Top stuffed squash with panko and Parmesan cheese, then bake an additional 15 minutes.
Serve along side of seasoned couscous...yummy. I topped it with fresh parsley for some color and a little added flavor
Shopping List.
chicken
prosciutto
ground burger
sausage
flank steak
crab
cheddar cheese
sour cream
ginger
garlic
scallions
kale
broccoli
lettuce
tomato
onions, sweet and red
jalapeno
mushrooms
yellow squash
lime
peaches
olives
spaghetti sauce
black beans
pine nuts
white wine
soy sauce
tortillas
rice
quinoa/couscous
pasta x 2
On Deck...
Sun: enchiladas, Mon: I'm gone, Tues: poached egg andasparagus salads, Wed: carmelized onion, mushroom and sausage pizza on the grill, Thurs: beet and feta pasta, with grilled chicken?
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