March 26, 2010

Week 11 Recipes & Shopping List

NOTES:

• If you're a new visitor to this blog, please read "how to use this blog" off to the right-hand-side.
• All meals can be prepared very quickly this week, especially if you do a few ahead-of-time preps (see “NOTES” for each meal).
• By clicking on “older posts” at the bottom of this page, you can look back at previous week’s recipes.
• If you are looking for a particular recipe, use the search box at the right-hand-side then scroll to the top of the page to see search results.


RECIPE 1: FISH TACOS
NOTES:
• I chopped up the veggies for the salsa (I made the corn salsa) the night before and then sautéed them when preparing the fish.


Ingredients – for Fish
• 2 pounds fresh or frozen skinless cod
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 3 tbsp mayo or salad dressing
• 1 tsp lime juice
• About 1 ½ c. shredded cabbage (you can use the coleslaw mix if you prefer)
• 8 corn taco shells (either hard or soft)


Ingredients – for Salsa
(Choose either the corn or mango depending on preference):


Corn salsa (Sauté the following ingredients (through salt) in a skillet for 5 min then place in bowl. Add avocado and lime to corn mixture and toss gently):
• 1 c. yellow corn kernels
• ¼ c. finely chopped red bell pepper
• ¼ c. finely chopped red onion
• 1 ½ tsp. minced jalapeno pepper
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 avocado, cut into small pieces
• 2 tsp lime juice

Mango salsa (mix together the following ingredients in a bowl):
• 1 ½ c. chopped, peeled mangoes
• 1 medium red sweet pepper, chopped fine
• ¼ c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1 jalapeno, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Choose which salsa you’re going to make and assemble. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Rinse and pat fish dry with paper towels. Cut into ¾-inch slices. Place in a single layer in a greased shallow baking pan lined with foil. Combine melted butter, cumin, and garlic powder and brush over fish. Bake fish for about 6 min or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together mayo and lime juice. Add cabbage and toss to coat.
3. Heat tortillas. If using hard corn tortillas, heat according to package directions. If using soft corn tortillas, place in a damp kitchen towel in a stack and heat in microwave about 45 seconds.
4. Place hot fish in warm tortillas. Top with cabbage mixture and either the corn or mango salsa.

RECIPE 2: Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients
• 1-2 eggplants, sliced ½ inch thick
• ½ c. flour
• 1 can/jar marinara sauce
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Two beaten eggs
• Parmesan cheese, grated (about ½ c.)
• Mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 c.)
• Cooked pasta to serve with extra marinara sauce, if desired


Directions
1. Cut eggplant and let soak in salted water (use about 1 tsp salt) for 10 min. This helps remove bitterness. Remove them, rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Beat eggs in a bowl. In another bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.
3. Put several tbsp of olive oil in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, then in flour, shaking off extra. Place in hot skillet and cook until browned on one side. Flip and brown the other side. Slices should be soft in the center when done frying.
4. Grease a rectangular baking and spread enough sauce to cover bottom of pan in a thin layer. Spread browned eggplant over sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan.
5. Bake at 350 for 15-20 min or until cheese is browned.


RECIPE 3: Easy Beef Enchiladas
NOTES:
• Make the sauce and cook the beef mixture (through step 2) the night before and store in fridge. Reheat the meat mixture before filling tortillas.

Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine (optional)
• 1 recipe homemade enchilada sauce (see below) or canned enchilada sauce
• Corn or flour tortillas (depending on your preference)
• Shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese

For homemade sauce (Recipe 3.5):
Sauté the onions and garlic in oil then add chili powder, red pepper flakes (if using), flour and about 2 c. water and cook until bubbly and slightly thickened. Add more water and chili powder if you want extra sauce. Salt to taste (you’ll need at least 1 tsp). I usually let the sauce simmer over low heat while I prep the enchiladas.
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 tbsp red chili powder
• 3 tbsp flour
• Salt to taste
• Water
• Red pepper flakes (optional)


Directions
1. In a skillet, cook meat about 5 min. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook several minutes more.
2. Add tomatoes (if using) and cook 1 min longer.
3. In a greased rectangular baking dish, spread some enchilada sauce on the bottom to coat with a thin layer.
4. Fill tortillas (either corn or flour) with meat filling. Roll and place seam-side down in baking dish. If needed, place extra rolled tortillas on top of the first layer.
5. Top enchiladas with rest of sauce and shredded cheddar or Monterrey jack cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 20 min or until cheese is lightly browned.


RECIPE 4: Chicken Curry
NOTES:
• Cut up chicken, onion, pepper and carrot the night before and store in a container in fridge until ready to use (store chicken in a separate container).

Ingredients
• 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 onion, chopped into bite size pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• ½-3/4 c. water
• ½-1 can coconut milk (do not use the light kind – you lose too much flavor). Add at least ½ can then decide if you need more to adjust the thickness of the sauce
•2-3 tbsp red curry paste (the Thai Kitchen brand found with the Asian food is good)
• ¼-1/2 tsp salt
• Red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Cooked rice


Directions
1. In a saucepan, sauté the onions and garlic in oil on medium heat for a few minutes. Add curry paste and a little water and continue to cook for a few more minutes.
2. Add chicken, ginger, and water and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, adding more water if necessary to keep sauce to a medium-thick consistency.
3. Add bell pepper, carrots, coconut milk, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer about 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Serve over rice.

RECIPE 5: Easy Skillet Lasagna

NOTES:
• Make meat mixture the night before (steps 2-3) and store in fridge until ready to assemble.

Ingredients
• 1 28 oz can (or two smaller ones) diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp basil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or sausage
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• ½ c. grated parmesan cheese
• 8 oz (1 c.) whole-milk ricotta cheese


Directions
1. Pour the tomatoes with their juice into a quart measuring cup and add enough water to the tomatoes to measure 4 cups.
2. Heat the oil in your largest skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, pepper, mushrooms and ½ tsp salt. Cook about 5 min or until vegetables are softened.
3. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 15 sec. Add beef and cook, breaking up the meat into smaller pieces until no longer pink, about 5 min.
4. Place the broken up noodle pieces over the beef and pour the diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer about 20 min. Check the pan at 15 minutes to make sure that the pan still looks watery. If not, add another ¼ c. water.
5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in ½ c. parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste (stir again) and dot heaping tablespoons of the ricotta over the noodles. Cover, and let stand off heat for 5 min before serving.

Shopping list:

NOTES:
• I have organized the shopping list by category and then within each category by meal. After each item you’ll see a number in parenthesis which corresponds to the meal number. That way you can easily pick which recipes you want to try and then find those items (or cross items out) on the list.
• Under Veggies/Fruit I have italicized anything that is a veggie or fruit but NOT found in the fresh fruits and veggie area of the supermarket.
• For Sides: Add sides to the meals as necessary. Suggestions: Mexican or Spanish rice to meal (1), garlic bread and a veggie for recipes (2), refried beans with (3), a salad or green veggie with (4) and sautéed spinach (or asparagus now that it’s starting to come into season) with garlic, salt and pepper and/or garlic bread with (5).


Meat/Fish
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless cod (1)
• 1 lb ground beef (3), 1 lb (5) (or you can use ½ lb ground beef and ½ lb ground pork for (5))
• Chicken: 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces (4)


Veggies/Fruit
• 1 ½ c. shredded cabbage (the coleslaw blend with carrots will work well if you don’t want to buy cabbage and shred it yourself) (1)
• 1 lime (1)
• If making the corn salsa with fish tacos you need the following veggies (1):
    • 1 c. yellow corn kernels (canned or frozen)
    • Red bell pepper – ¼ c. chopped
    • Red onion – ¼ c. chopped
    • Jalapeno – 1 ½ tsp. minced
    • 1 avocado
• If making the mango salsa with fish tacos you need the following veggies (1):
    • 1 mango
    • Red bell pepper
    • 1 bunch green onions
    • 1 jalapeno
• 1-2 eggplants (2)
• Onion – 1 (3), 1 (3.5) (3.5 = homemade enchilada sauce), 1 (4). 1 (5)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies (3)
• 1 jalapeno (if making either the corn or mango salsa for the fish tacos, you’ll have enough leftover to use for this recipe) (3)
• Garlic – 6 cloves (3.5), 3 cloves (4), 3 cloves (5)
• Bell pepper – 1 any color (4), 1 any color (5)
• 2 large carrots, chopped (4)
• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (4)
• 1 small pkg mushrooms (5)
• 1 28 oz can or 2 smaller ones of diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings (5)
• 8 oz tomato sauce (5)

Breads & starches
• Tortillas – 8 hard or soft corn tortillas (1), 1 pkg corn or flour tortillas (3)
• Pasta of your choice to serve with eggplant parmesan - optional (2)
• 2 c. rice (4)
• 1 pkg curly-edged lasagna noodles (5)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp cumin (1)
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (1)
• 3 tbsp mayo or salad dressing (1)
• Vinegar – 1 tbsp (if making the mango salsa with fish tacos) (1)
• Oregano – 1 tsp (2), 1 tsp (5)
• Basil – 1 tsp (2), 1 ½ tsp (5)
• Chili powder – 4 tbsp (3.5)
• Red pepper flakes (3.5), (4), (5)
• 2-3 tbsp red curry paste (the Thai Kitchen brand in a little jar found with the Asian food is good)

Dairy
• Butter – 2 tbsp (1)
• Parmesan cheese, grated – ½ c. (2), ½ c. (5)
• Mozzarella cheese – 1 c. (2)
• Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese to top enchiladas (3)
• 1 small container whole-milk ricotta cheese (5)

Other
• Oil
• Flour – small amounts for recipes (2) and (3.5)
• Eggs – 2 (2)
• Marinara sauce – 1 jar or can (2)
• Large can enchilada sauce (if not making your own – see recipe 3.5)
• 1 can coconut milk (not the light kind!)






March 19, 2010

Week 10

I apologize...we are moving this week so I won't be posting any recipes. Use a previous week's recipes and check back next week for 5 new ones!

March 12, 2010

Week 9 Recipes & Shopping List

NOTES:
• If you're a new visitor to this blog, please read "how to use this blog" off to the right-hand-side.
• By clicking on “older posts” at the bottom of this page, you can look back at previous week’s recipes.
• If you are looking for a particular recipe, use the search box at the right-hand-side.


RECIPE 1: BUTTERMILK CHICKEN TENDERS
(from All You)

NOTES:
• Serve this with a veggie of your choice, cole slaw, fries, biscuits or a side salad.
• You can prepare chicken up to 5 hours ahead of time (through step 3). Cover and refrigerate.
• The chicken should marinate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours so plan accordingly.


Ingredients
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Approximately 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into strips) – Serves 4-6 people
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions
1. Mix buttermilk and Tabasco in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken tenders and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day (in the fridge).
2. Preheat oven to 225°F. In a shallow dish, mix flour with salt and cayenne pepper. In a shallow bowl, beat together eggs with 2 Tbsp. water. Place bread crumbs in a separate shallow dish. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
3. Remove chicken tenders from buttermilk, draining any excess, and dredge individually in flour mixture, shaking off excess; then dip into egg, draining any excess. Next, dip chicken in bread crumbs, pressing gently into crumbs to coat. Place on baking sheet.
4. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add one third of chicken tenders and cook, turning, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm. Wipe out pan and repeat cooking procedure in 2 more batches with remaining oil and tenders.

 RECIPE 2: BEEF STROGANOFF
(from America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook)

NOTES:
• To keep the sour cream from curdling, stir a little of the stewing liquid into the sour cream and then stirring the warmed sour cream into the pan of stroganoff.

Ingredients
• 8 oz egg noodles & 1 tbsp salt for cooking
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 12 oz white button mushrooms, trimmed and halved
• 12 oz beef tenderloin, cut into 1/8-inch strips
• Pepper to taste
• ¾ c. dry red cooking wine
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ½ c. chicken broth
• 1/3 c. sour cream

Directions
1. Bring water in a large pot to a boil for noodles. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and ¼ tsp salt and cook until lightly browned about 5 min then transfer to a bowl. Once water for the noodles boils, cook them with salt according to directions (cook until almost tender but still firm to the bite). Drain the noodles and return them to the pot and toss with 2 tbsp of the butter. Cover to keep warm.
2. Pat the beef dry with paper towels then season with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until just smoking. Brown the beef, about 5 min then transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms.
3. Add ¼ c. of the wine to the skillet and return to medium heat. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until syrupy, about 2 min. Transfer the wine to the bowl with the mushrooms and beef.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook until the onion is lightly browned, about 5 min. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Whisk in the broth and remaining ½ c. wine and simmer until thickened, about 2 min.
5. Add any accumulated juices from the mushrooms and beef. Stir about ½ c. of the sauce into the sour cream, then stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce (to prevent curdling). Add the mushrooms and beef and let warm through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over warm buttered egg noodles.



RECIPE 3: PERFECT PANCAKES
(Yes, it’s ok to eat pancakes for dinner!)

NOTES:
• Heat your skillet for 3-5 min at medium heat before attempting to cook pancakes.
• DO NOT OVERMIX the batter. Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until incorporated. There will be lumps and a few streaks of flour. This helps keep the pancakes fluffy.
• If you’re not a fan of fluffy pancakes, try adding more buttermilk to make a thin batter. I will sometimes do this and cook the pancakes until just soft (not toasted on both sides) then spread honey on them and roll them up tight. So yummy and kids love them.
• This is a great meal to prepare when you also need to clean up the kitchen or run around and pick up the house – just be careful to keep checking on those pancakes so they don’t burn!
• Add a few slices of bacon and scrambled eggs to this dinner to really make it a complete meal (although a stack of hearty pancakes is dinner enough!).


Ingredients
• 2 c. all-purpose flour or 1 c. all-purpose and 1 c. whole wheat
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 c. frozen or fresh blueberries (optional) - if using frozen, rinse them in a strainer until the water runs clear, then spread them on a paper-towel-lined plate to dry.

Directions
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 200 degrees. Set a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet in the oven.
2. Place your skillet (or skillets) on the stove and heat over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Whisk together the first 5 ingredients (through the salt) in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter and then the buttermilk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk mixture. Whisk GENTLY until the mixture is just incorporated. Over-mixing with make flat pancakes that do not cook evenly. A few lumps will remain and maybe several streaks of flour.
3. Once the pans are hot, brush the pan bottom with a little oil (about 1 tsp) and add about ¼-1/2 c. of batter to the skillet. If making blueberry pancakes, sprinkle them over each pancake after pouring the batter into the skillet. Cook until bubbles form (my pancakes rarely bubble much so I just lift one side a little bit to know when to turn them). Place pancakes in oven on cooling rack to keep warm while you finish cooking the rest.

 RECIPE 4: BEEF BURRITOS WITH VEGGIES & RICE
(from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

NOTES:
• Learn to fold a burrito! See: http://www.chow.com/stories/10115 then scroll down a little to see the “How to Fold a Burrito” box. Click on the “begin” button and continue to click “next” until it goes through all the steps.
• Prepare through step 2 the night before or the morning before actually assembling burritos. Place mixture in a container in the fridge until ready to use and reheat before assembling burritos.

Ingredients
• 1 lb ground beef or uncooked bulk chorizo sausage
• 1 c. chopped onion
• ½ c. chopped green pepper (1 small)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ c. water
• 1 tbsp medium or hot chili powder
• ¼ tsp ground cumin
• 1 c. cooked rice
• 1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers, drained
• 8 10-inch flour tortillas
• 2/3 c. chopped tomato (1 medium)
• 1 ½ c. shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (6 oz)
• 2 c. shredded lettuce
• 1 mashed avocado with salt to taste
• Bottled salsa (optional)

Directions
1. Cook 1 c. rice according to directions.
2. For the filling, cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in a skillet until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat and stir in water, chili po9wder, and cumin, Cook about 5 min or until most of the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked rice and chile peppers.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in a moist clean kitchen towel and microwave for about 45 sec – 1 minute or until hot. You may have to flip the stack over and heat a little longer.
4. To fill tortillas, take one tortilla out of the stack in the towel at a time and cover the others back up. (See the website above in “NOTES” to learn how to properly fold a burrito). Use about ½ c. of filling for each tortilla, placing it in the center and top with cheese and tomato. Secure each tortilla with wooden toothpicks if they don’t seem to stay together tightly.
5. Arrange burritos on a baking sheet, seam sides down and bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 min or until heated through. Remove toothpicks (if you used them) and serve with lettuce, mashed avocado and salsa, if desired.


RECIPE 5: CHICKEN PASTA WITH ARTICHOKES

Ingredients
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp dried sage, crushed
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 c. fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 8- or 9-oz package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and halved lengthwise (I used one large can instead and it worked fine)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/3 c. dry white wine
• 1/3 c. chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh snipped parsley (optional)
• 1 lb pasta of choice

Directions
1. In a shallow dish, stir together flour, sage, ¼ tsp salt and pepper; reserve 1 tbsp of flour mixture. Coat chicken with remaining flour mixture.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook chicken in hot oil over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet; cover and keep warm. Drain any excess oil in skillet.
3. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms and artichoke hearts in hot butter over medium heat for 3 min or until artichokes are tender (if using frozen).
4. In a small bowl, stir together reserved flour mixture, wine, broth, and 1/8 tsp salt until smooth. Add wine mixture to skillet with artichokes and mushrooms. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly then continue to cook and stir for 1 min more. Pour sauce over pasta and chicken and sprinkle with cheese and parsley (if using).


Shopping list:

NOTES:
• I have organized the shopping list by category and then within each category by meal. After each item you’ll see a number in parenthesis which corresponds to the meal number. That way you can easily pick which recipes you want to try and then find those items (or cross items out) on the list.
• Under Veggies/Fruit I have italicized anything that is a veggie or fruit but NOT found in the fresh fruits and veggie area of the supermarket.
• Add sides to the meals as necessary. I give some suggestions for possible sides in the “NOTES” for Recipe (1). Add a veggie or side salad to Recipes (2) and (5). Recipes (3) and (4) do not need sides (especially if you’re making bacon and scrambled eggs to go with your pancakes in (3)).
• Quickest meals are (3) and (4), especially if you prepare through step 2 in (4) ahead of time.

Meat
• Chicken: 1 ½ lb chicken strips or chicken breasts, cut into strips (serves 4-6 people) (1), 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (5)
• 12 ounces beef tenderloin (cut into 1/8-inch strips) (2)
• Bacon (optional if you want to serve with pancakes (3))
• 1 lb ground beef or uncooked bulk chorizo sausage (4)

Veggies/Fruit
• Mushrooms: 12 oz white button mushrooms (2), 2 c. slicked mushrooms (5)
• Tomato paste – 1 tsp (2)
• Onions – 2 (2), (4)
• Blueberries (fresh or frozen) – 1 c. (3) optional, if making blueberry pancakes
• 1 small green pepper (4)
• Garlic – 1 clove (4)
• 1 4-oz can diced green chile peppers (4)
• 1 medium tomato (4)
• Shredded lettuce – about 2 c. (4)
• 1 avocado (4)
• Bottled salsa (optional) (4)
• 1 8- or 9-oz package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and halved lengthwise (I used one large can instead and it worked fine) (5)
• Fresh parsley (optional) (5)

Breads & starches
• Bread crumbs – 2 c. (1)
• 8 oz (3 c.) egg noodles (2)
• 8 10-inch flour tortillas (4)
• 1 c. rice (4)
• 16 oz pasta of your choice

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Tabasco – ¾ tsp (1)
• ¼ c. dry red cooking wine (2)
• Baking soda – ½ tsp (3)
• Baking powder – 2 tsp (3)
• Chili powder – 1 tbsp (4)
• Cumin – ¼ tsp (4)
• Dried sage – ½ tsp (5)
• White cooking wine – 1/3 c. (5)

Dairy
• Buttermilk – ½ c. (1), 2 c. (3)
• Sour cream – 1/3 c. (2)
• Unsalted butter – 3 tbsp (2), 3 tbsp (3), 1 tbsp (5)
• 1 ½ c. (6 oz) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (4)
• Parmesan or romano cheese - 2 tbsp grated (5)

Other
• Oil
• Flour – small amounts for recipes (1) and (2), 2 c. for (3) (you can use 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat if desired)
• Eggs – 2 (1) , 1 (3) and more if you want to serve scrambled eggs with your pancakes
• Chicken broth – ½ c. (2), 1/3 c. (5) (Chicken broth freezes well so buy it in the larger container if it’s cheaper and freeze what you don’t use for future recipes)
• Sugar – 2 tbsp (3)

March 5, 2010

Week 8 Recipes & Shopping List

NOTES:
• If you're a new visitor to this blog, please read "how to use this blog" off to the right-hand-side.
• By clicking on “older post” at the bottom of this page, you can look back at previous week’s recipes or click on any of the archives off to the right-hand-side.
• If you are looking for a particular recipe, use the search box at the right-hand-side.
• For busiest nights, make the following recipes:
             (1) - precook rice to speed it up even more
             (2) - quick if you prepare soup the night before
             (3) - brown hamburger and onion ahead of time then all you have to do is assemble casserole and bake it for 40 min
             (4) - pre-slice peppers, chop/grate ginger and toast sesame seeds ahead of time for extra-quick prep
             (5) - also a quick recipe, especially if you choose not to make your own white sauce (although this only takes 15 min)



RECIPE 1: EASY RICE & BEANS WITH AVOCADO

NOTES:
• You can make this the night before, cool, and put in fridge. Reheat and add avocado, diced green onions, and cheese before serving. OR you can just premake the rice to speed up the next day's prep.
• 1 ½ or double this recipe for lunch leftovers the following day.


Ingredients
• 1 1/2 c. brown or white rice
• 3 c. water
• 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 c. halved cherry tomatoes or 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies or jalapenos
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/3 c. chopped green onions
• ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped black olives (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• Flour or corn tortillas (optional)


Directions
1. Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 35 min.
2. Stir in beans, cook 10 minutes or until rice is done. If using canned tomatoes, add them here. Place rice mixture in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, tossing gently to combine.
3. Serve with flour or corn tortillas if desired.



RECIPE 2: VEGETABLE SOUP

NOTES:
• This soup can be made ahead, cooled, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.


Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 ribs celery, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 garlic cloves
• 5 c. vegetable broth
• 2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled (if desired) and chopped medium
• 1 14.5-oz can tomatoes with Italian seasonings
• 1 c. frozen peas, thawed (optional)
• Optional: 1 can white beans (navy or cannellini) and macaroni pasta
• Oregano & basil to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for serving (if desired)
• Crusty bread for serving (if desired)


Directions
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-low heat until shimmering. Stir in the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, ¾ tsp salt and a little basil and oregano (about 1/2 tsp each). Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the veggies are very soft, about 20 min.
2. Stir in the broth, potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 min. If using beans and macaroni, add them with the broth.
3. Off the heat, add the peas. Let the soup stand for 2 min. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
4. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and crusty bread if desired.



RECIPE 3: OH-SO-TASTY (AND EASY!) TATER-TOT CASSEROLE

NOTES:
• You can brown hamburger and onion ahead of time to speed up prep.
Ingredients
• 1 lb hamburger
• Pepper, salt, garlic powder to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 small pkg (10 oz) frozen peas
• 16 oz tater tots, frozen

Directions
1. Brown the hamburger in a skillet with a little oil or butter and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
2. Add chopped onion when hamburger has almost finished cooking and cook on low 3-5 min more. Drain if necessary then add peas and stir.
3. In a greased casserole, layer hamburger/pea/onion mixture on bottom then soup, and frozen tater tots. Bake 40 min at 350. If you like your tater tots crispy, turn the broiler on and broil 3-5 min or until browned (watch closely as the broiler can burn things easily!).


RECIPE 4: HONEY-SOY GLAZED SALMON WITH SPINACH & PEPPERS

NOTES:
• If you pre-toast the sesame seeds and pre-chop the ginger and red pepper, you can pull this meal together in about 15 minutes!


Ingredients
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• Approximately 1 ¼ lb salmon fillets – this is enough for 4 people (you can buy one or two larger fillet(s) and then divide up into how many portions you need)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped or grated
• About 10-12 cups spinach (seems like a lot but it cooks down)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted (to toast, simply heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add sesame seeds, shaking pan to mix them up every few minutes until lightly golden)
• Brown or white rice to serve as a side


Directions
1. Toast sesame seeds (see above for directions) and cook rice according to directions.
2. Meanwhile, heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine the honey and 1 tbsp soy sauce.
3. Place the salmon on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with oil and season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Broil for 5 min then spoon honey mixture over the top and broil until salmon is opaque throughout, 2-5 min more.
4. While fish is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the bell pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until just tender, 3-4 min then stir in the ginger.
5. Add the spinach and ½ tsp salt, and cook, tossing until just wilted. Add the remaining 2 tsp of soy sauce and stir in the sesame seeds. Serve spinach/pepper mixture either next to or over the rice.



RECIPE 5: FETTUCCINE ALFREDO WITH CHICKEN & VEGGIES

NOTE: Making your own white sauce is very simple but if you don’t want to mess with it, buy a jar of premade Alfredo sauce.


Ingredients – For White Sauce
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• Dash of black pepper
• 1 ½ c. milk
• ¼ c. grated parmesan cheese


Directions – For White Sauce
1. In a small saucepan melt butter and cook garlic for 30 sec. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper – mix until thick and there are no longer lumps. Slowly add all the milk and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or wire whish to evenly blend fat-flour mixture and milk. Stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly then add cheese and stir until incorporated.

Ingredients – For Pasta
• 1-2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (depending on family size and how much meet you want)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1 pkg frozen mixed veggies
• 16 oz fettuccine noodles
• Extra parmesan cheese for serving


Directions
1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then slice into 1/2 –inch wide strips. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook pasta according to directions. If using the steam-fresh type of frozen veggies, cook according to package directions and set aside. If using regular frozen veggies, throw in at the end of the cooking time with the fettuccine noodles for however many minutes the package recommends.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken and cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Stir and cook until browned on all sides.
4. Drain pasta. Stir veggies and chicken into white sauce and serve over pasta with extra parmesan cheese if desired.



SHOPPING LIST:
NOTES:

• I have organized the shopping list by category and then within each category by meal. After each item you’ll see a number in parenthesis which corresponds to the meal number. That way you can easily pick which recipes you want to try and then find those items (or cross items out) on the list.
• Under Veggies/Fruit I have italicized anything that is a veggie or fruit but NOT found in the fresh fruits and veggie area of the supermarket.
• I have included sides in the recipes and shopping list for recipe (1) and (4). Add sides to the other meals as desired.

Meat
• 1 lb ground beef (3)
• Approx 1 ¼ lb (for four people) salmon fillet(s) (4)
• 1-2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or strips) (5)


Veggies/Fruit
• 2 c. cherry tomatoes OR 1 can diced canned tomatoes with green chilies or jalapenos (1)
• 1 avocado (1)
• 1/3 c. chopped green onions (1)
• Onions – 2 (2, 3)
• Garlic: 2 cloves for recipe (2), 2 cloves recipe (5) (if making your own white sauce)
• 2 ribs celery (2)
• 2 carrots (2)
• 2 medium russet potatoes (2)
1 can diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings (2)
Frozen peas – 1 c. (2) (optional), 1 small 10 oz pkg (3)
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen tater tots (3) – I guess this is technically a vegetable? 
• 1 red bell pepper (4)
• 1 tbsp chopped/minced fresh ginger (4)
• 10 – 12 c. spinach (4)
1 pkg frozen mixed veggies (5)

Breads & starches
• Brown or white rice – 1 ½ c. (1), 1 c. (4)
• Flour or corn tortillas (to serve with rice - optional) (1)
• Crusty bread, to serve with soup (2)
• 16 oz fettuccine noodles (5)


Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Oregano (2)• Garlic powder (3)

• Basil (2)

• 3 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (4)
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds (4)
• 1 tbsp honey (4)

Dairy
• Cheddar cheese- ½ c. (1)
• Grated parmesan cheese – for topping soup (2), ¼ c. if making your own white sauce (5) and for topping pasta (5)
• 1 ½ c. milk (5) – if making your own white sauce
• Butter – 2 tbsp (5)

Other
• 1 15-oz can black beans (1)
• 1 tbsp chopped olives (1) (optional)
• 5 c. vegetable broth (2)
• 1 can white beans (optonal) (2) and/or macaroni pasta (2)• 1 can cream of celery soup (3)


• 1 jar alfredo sauce (if NOT making your own) (5)