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

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?