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)