Week 15 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.
• Check NOTES under each meal for ahead-of-time preps.
• 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.
• There are several yummy sandwiches this week. Buy a large loaf of good sourdough or ciabatta and use for both of those recipes.
• Stay tuned for a DELICIOUS RECIPE for using those in-season strawberries you'll find right now - Strawberry Pancake Roll-Ups. I'll post that when I get a chance this weekend.

RECIPE 1: CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PANINI

(Modified from Cooking Light)

(Photo from Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley from www.myrecipes.com)

NOTES:
• This recipe will make 4 sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 c. sliced mushrooms
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• ¼ c. mayo
• 1 tbsp capers
• Cooking spray
• Ciabatta or sourdough bread, sliced
• 8 oz chicken breast (either grilled (on outdoor grill or on grill pan on stove), sliced in thin strips
• Sliced fresh tomato or chopped sun-dried tomatoes (packed without oil) (optional)
• 4 slices provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook chicken on grill outside or on a grill pan coated with cooking spray on stovetop.
2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook mushrooms and garlic in oil for 3-ish min or until mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Combine mayo and capers in a food processor (or chop capers by hand) and pulse until well combined. Spread 1 tbsp mayo mixture over 4 slices of bread and top with mushrooms, chicken, cheese, and tomato (if using).
4. Heat a large grill pan over medium heat (or heat a skillet if you don’t have a grill pan) and coat with cooking spray. Add sandwiches to pan and past a heavy skillet or bowl on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten sandwiches. Cook 2 min on each side or until bread is toasted (leave skillet on top of sandwiches while they cook).

RECIPE 2: PENNE & SAUSAGE CASSEROLE

(From Taste of Home 2010)

NOTES:
• This recipes makes TWO 13 x 9-inch casseroles. Freeze one or halve the recipe.
• I made this the night before (through step 3) and then took out of fridge the next evening for about ½ hour to bring to room temp before baking.
• The original recipe calls for 4 c. fontina and 4 c. mozzarella. I didn’t have fontina on hand so I used all mozzarella with some parmesan.

Ingredients
• 1 ½ lbs penne pasta
• 1 lb Italian sausage (turkey or pork)
• 1 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 ½ c. dry red wine or beef broth, divided
• 2 cans chopped tomatoes (I used the roasted garlic kind)
• 1 15-oz can tomato sauce
• 1 c. beef broth
• 4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 4 c. shredded fontina cheese
• Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Directions
1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, sauté the mushrooms and onion in oil until tender. Add garlic and oregano, cook 1 min longer and stir in 1 c. wine. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, sausage and remaining wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer 15 min.
3. Drain the pasta. Spread ½ c. sauce in each of two greased 13x9-inch rectangular baking dishes. Divide half of the pasta between the dishes; top each with 2 ½ c. sauce and 1 c. each of the cheeses. Repeat layers.
4. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 min longer or until bubbly and the cheese is melted. Sprinkle with minced parsley if desired.

RECIPE 3: ROASTED EGGPLANT & RED PEPPER SANDWICHES

(Modified from Cooking Light)

NOTES:

• This recipe makes 2 sandwiches so double accordingly.
• A recipe next week will use the rest of the pesto.
Ingredients
• 8 ½-inch thick eggplant slices
• 2 tsp olive oil, divided
• ½ of a large red bell pepper
• 4 1-oz slices of ciabatta bread (or sourdough)
• 2 tbsp refrigerated pesto (or make your own with pine nuts, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and parmesan)
• 1 c. baby arugula or mixed greens
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Slices of provolone cheese or soft goat cheese

Directions
1. Preheat broiler and arrange sliced eggplant in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush both sides of eggplant with 1 tsp oil. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise, discard seed and membrane and place ½ of pepper, skin side up, on baking sheet.
2. Flatten pepper with your hand. Broil eggplant and pepper for about 4 minutes; turn eggplant over (but not bell pepper). Broil about 4 min longer until eggplant is softened. Broil bell pepper until the skin is blackened. Place bell pepper in a zip-top plastic bag or brown paper bag and seal. Let stand for 15 minutes then peel and discard skins and slice into thin strips.
3. Broil bread slices for 2 min or until lightly browned, turning once. Place provolone on bread and broil until slightly melted (if using goat cheese instead, wait to spread that on the top bread slice – see below). Remove bread from oven and spread 1 tsp pesto over cheese, then layer sandwiches with eggplant and red pepper. Toss arugula or mixed greens with a little olive oil and black pepper and place over red pepper. Top with remaining slice of bread (if using soft goat cheese instead of provolone, spread 2 tbsp on top slice of bread).

RECIPE 4: CILANTRO-LIME CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO SALSA

(from Cooking Light)

Photo from: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro from www.myrecipes.com

Ingredients

 • 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro

• 2 ½ tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
• 4 6-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• ¼ tsp salt
• Cooking spray
For salsa:
• 1 c. chopped tomato
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled and finely chopped

Directions
1. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; toss & let stand 3 min. remove chicken and discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with ¼ tsp salt.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat (or your outdoor grill) and coat pan with cooking spray. Cook chicken about 6 min on each side or until done.
3. To prepare salsa, combine tomato and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a medium bowl. Add avocado; stir gently to combine. Serve salsa over chicken.

RECIPE 5: COLD SESAME PEANUT NOODLES

NOTES:
• This is a make-ahead recipe since the noodles need to be chilled. You may need to add a little water before serving.
• You will want to double the recipe for a family or 4 or larger.
• Serve with cooked veggies (stir-fry blend) on the side.
• To toast sesame seeds, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing every minute or so until lightly browned (about 7 -10 min)

Ingredients
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 chopped green onion, including green part
• 1 tbsp unsalted peanut butter
• 1 tbsp Tahini sauce (ground sesame seeds)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• Hot water (1/2-1 c.)
• 8 oz soba, rice or ramen-type noodles

Directions
1. Place the garlic, ginger, scallion, peanut butter, tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds and hot water in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Cook the noodles according to the package direction. Drain & rinse with cold water (this keeps the noodles from sticking).
3. Toss the noodles with the sauce.
4. Refrigerate until chilled through, at least 3 hours. Toss again.

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. Side salads go good with the sandwiches (1) & (4). Serve a rice or black beans with (3), and cooked veggies with (2) & (5).
• Please note that recipe (2) makes two large casseroles (one extra to freeze). If you only want to make one, you will want to cut all ingredients from recipe (2) in half.
• Please note that recipe (3) makes 2 sandwiches so double the recipe accordingly (exception: 1 eggplant and 1 red pepper will be plenty for up to 4-6 sandwiches).
• Please note that for a family of 4 or larger you will want to double recipe (5).


Meat/Fish
• Chicken: 1 8-oz breast (for 4 sandwiches) (1), 4 6-oz breasts (4)
• 1 lb Italian sausage (2)

Veggies/Fruit
• Mushrooms: 2 c. sliced (1), 1 lb sliced (2)
• Garlic: 1 tsp minced (1), 6 cloves (2), 1 clove (5)
• Sliced fresh tomato or sun-dried tomatoes (packed without oil) (1) (optional), 1 large tomato (4)
• 2 14 ½-oz cans chopped tomatoes (with roasted garlic or Italian spices) (2)
• 1 15-oz can tomato sauce (2)
• Fresh minced parsley (optional) (2)
•Onions (white or yellow) – 1 large (2), 2 tbsp finely chopped (4), 1 green onion (5)
• Eggplant- 1 large (3)
• Red bell pepper – 1 large (3)
• Refrigerated pesto – 2 tbsp (or make your own with pine nuts, fresh basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and parmesan) (3)
• Mixed green or baby arugula (arugula is spicy so go with mixed greens if that suits you better) – 1 c. (3)
• Cilantro – 2 tbsp minced (4)
• 1 lime (4)
• 1 avocado (4)
• Fresh ginger – 2 tsp grated (5)

Breads & starches
• 1 large loaf good ciabatta or sourdough (1), (3)
• 1 ½ lb penne pasta (2)
• 8 oz soba, rice or ramen-type noodles (or 16 oz if doubling the recipe) (5)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars/Oils/Condiments
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Capers – 1 tbsp (1) (you’ll find these in a small jar near the pickles)
• Oregano – 1 tbsp (2)
• Dry red cooking wine – 1 ½ c. (2) (or beef broth)
• Unsalted peanut butter – 1 tbsp (5)
• Tahini sauce – 1 tbsp (5) – you can usually find this near the peanut butter or near the Asian food. I’ll use it in a recipe next week too and it’s great for making homemade hummus (recipe to come next week).
• Soy sauce – 1 tsp (5)

Dairy
• Provolone cheese slices (1), (3) (you’ll need 1 slice per sandwich for these two recipes) or if you prefer, use soft goat cheese for (3) instead of provolone
•4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded & 4 c. fontina cheese, shredded (2) OR use 7 c. mozzarella and 1 c. parmesan

Other
• Oil
• Cooking spray
• Mayo – ¼ c. (1)
• Beef broth, 1 c. (2)
• Sesame seeds, 1 tbsp (5)

Week 14 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.
• Check NOTES under each meal for ahead-of-time preps.
• 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: BEEF, VEGGIE, & TATER BAKE

Based off a recipe from Taste of Home

NOTES:

• This is a great casserole that even kids will love!

• I made the meat mixture ahead of time then just had to bake the tater tots for 10 min, spread meat mixture on top and bake 20 minutes longer. I did not thaw the broccoli since I made it ahead of time and it had time to thaw in fridge.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 c. frozen tater tots

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 pkg (16 oz) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

• 1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of broccoli soup, undiluted

• 1 medium tomato, chopped

• 1 can (2.8 oz) french-fried onions, divided

• 1 ½ c. shredded cheese (you could use cheddar, Colby jack, Monterrey jack)
• 1/3 c. milk
• ¼ tsp garlic powder

• 1/8 tsp pepper or more to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Place tater tots in an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat and season with garlic powder and pepper. Drain and stir in broccoli, soup, tomato, ¾ c. French-fried onions, ¾ c. cheese & milk. Stir to combine and heat through. Pour over tater tots.

3. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese and french onions and bake 5-10 min longer or until cheese is melted.

RECIPE 2: FISH & CHIPS

NOTES:
• Be sure to keep a thin layer of oil in the pan when frying fish or the crust will stick to the pan and/or burn.
• Some liquor stores sell beer in “singles,” that’s how I bought just one Modelo Negro. If you aren’t able to do that – Modelo Negro is actually a tasty beer so enjoy the rest of the 6-pack!
• The fish needs to marinate 1 hour so plan ahead.


Ingredients
• 1 pkg frozen french fries (try sweet potato if you never have!) or make your own fries from fresh potatoes
• 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1 c. dark beer (like Modelo Negro)
• Oil for frying – canola is good
• ¾ c. all-purpose flour
• Tarter sauce (store-bought or see below to make your own) and/or malt vinegar for dipping fish


If making your own tarter sauce for dipping:
• 1 c. mayo
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped dill pickles or dill relish
• 1 tbsp chopped capers
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Salt & pepper

Directions
1. Combine fish and ¼ c. beer in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 1 hour. Drain and sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Place some paper towels on a baking sheet and top with a cooling rack. If making your own tarter sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and chill if desired.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, remaining beer, and ½ tsp black pepper. Add fish to mixture and toss gently to coat. Heat 3-ish tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from bowl and shake off extra batter. Add fish to pan; cook until browned (about 3 min). Turn over and cook about 3 min longer. Place cooked fish on the cooling rack while you finish cooking the rest. Sprinkle with ¼ tsp salt. Serve with fries and tarter sauce (or malt vinegar).

RECIPE 3: SESAME-ORANGE CHICKEN STIR FRY

NOTES:
• Cut up the chicken and veggies and assemble the sauce ahead of time for a quick prep.
• You can vary the kind and amounts of veggies in the stir-fry to suit your family.


Ingredients - Sauce
• 1 c. water
• 1/3 c. low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ c. cornstarch
• ¼ c. orange juice
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp ground red pepper (optional)
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 14-oz can chicken broth

Ingredients – Stir fry
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz boneless skinless breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 c. fresh broccoli florets, coarsely chopped
• 1 c. chopped carrot
• 1 c. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 c. snow peas, trimmed
• ½ c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 c. hot cooked rice

Directions
1. To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir with a whisk.
2. To prepare stir-fry, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and stir fry 4 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan, and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to pan. Add chopped broccoli and rest of veggies and garlic to the pan and stir-fry for 4 min or until veggies are crisp-tender.
3. Return chicken to pan, add sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 min or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

RECIPE 4: CHICKEN MARSALA

Better Homes & Garden Cookbook

NOTES:
• Pound out the chicken ahead of time and cut up mushrooms and green onions.


Ingredients
• ¼ c. all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp dried marjoram, crushed
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 c. slicked fresh mushrooms
• ¼ c. sliced green onions (about 2 or 3)
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ c. chicken broth
• ½ c. dry Marsala or sherry (I’ve used white wine before and it works fine)
• Hot cooked pasta – like linguine


Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, marjoram, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Place chicken breast (one at a time) between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly to about ¼ inch thick. Lightly coat chicken pieces on both sides with flour mixture; shake off excess.

2. In a 12-inch skillet, cook mushrooms and green onions in 1 tbsp butter of medium-high heat until tender then remove from skillet. In the same skillet, cook chicken in remaining 2 tbsp butter for 5 to 6 minutes, turning to brown evenly.

3. Remove skillet from heat. Return mushrooms and onions to skillet and carefully add broth and Marsala to skillet. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season sauce to taste with additional salt and pepper.
4. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

RECIPE 5: BAKED SALMON WITH GREEN ONION SAUCE

From Cooking Light

NOTES:

• Fish is great because it cooks quickly with minimal prep. Use this recipe on a busy night; just be sure to take the fish out of the freezer in the morning so it is thawed by dinner time.

Ingredients

• 4 6-oz salmon fillets or cut up a larger piece into fillet-sizes

• Cooking spray

• 2 tbsp chopped green onions + extra for topping cooked fish

• 1 tbsp mayo

• 1 tbsp plain yogurt

• 1 tbsp lemon pepper

• ¼ tsp salt

• ¼ tsp dry mustard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Place fish, skin side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 about 18 min or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

2. Combine 2 tbsp green onions and next 5 ingredients; spread evenly over fish. Bake 2 additional minutes or until sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately and sprinkle with additional chopped green onions 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.
• For Sides: Add sides to the meals as necessary. Suggestions: cottage cheese (1), side salad or a green veggie (2), (4), rice or a rice pilaf (5).

Meat/Fish
• 1 lb ground beef (1)
• 1 lb cod fillets (2)
• Chicken: 12 oz. skinless breast cut into 1-inch pieces (3), 4 skinless breasts (4)
• 4 6-oz salmon fillets or 1 or 2 large fillets, cut into smaller fillets (5)

Veggies/Fruit
• 1 pkg (16 oz) frozen chopped broccoli (1)
• 1 medium tomato (1)
• 1 16-oz pkg frozen tater tots (1)
• 1 pkg frozen french fries (or russet potatoes to make your own) (2)
• If making your own tarter sauce (2): 1 green onion, 1 lemon, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Onions (white or yellow) – ½ c. chopped (3), 1 bunch green onions (4), (5)
• Garlic – 2 cloves minced (3)
• Carrot – 1 c. chopped (3)
• Mushrooms – 1 c. sliced (3), 2 c. sliced (4)
• Broccoli – 2 c. chopped (3)
• Snow peas (fresh or frozen) – 1 c. (3)

Breads & starches
• 3 c. hot cooked rice (3)
• Cornstarch – ¼ c. (3)
• Pasta (like linguine) (4)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars/Oils/Condiments
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder (1)
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (1)
• If making your own tarter sauce (2): 1 c. mayo, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp chopped dill pickles or dill relish, 1 tbsp chopped capers
• Tarter sauce (2) if not making your own and/or malt vinegar for dipping fish
• Low-sodium soy sauce – ½ c. (3)
• Orange juice – ¼ c. (3)
• Sugar – 1 tbsp (3)
• ½ tsp ground ginger (3)
• Sesame oil – ½ tsp (3)
• ¼ tsp ground red pepper (3)
• ½ tsp dried marjoram (4)
• Dry marsala, sherry or white wine – ½ c. (4)
• Mayo – 1 tbsp (5)
• Plain yogurt – 1 tbsp (5)
• Lemon pepper – 1 tbsp (5)
• Dry mustard – ¼ tsp (5)

Dairy
• Milk – 1/3 c. (1)
•Shredded cheddar (or Colby jack or Monterrey) cheese – 1 ½ c. (1)
• Butter – 3 tbsp (4)

Other

• Oil

• 1 can condensed cream of broccoli soup (1)

• 1 2.8-oz can french-fried onions (1)

• 1 c. dark beer (like Modelo Negro (2) Some liquor stores sell beer in “singles,” that’s how I bought just one Modelo Negro. If you aren’t able to do that – Modelo Negro is actually a tasty beer so enjoy the rest of the 6-pack!

• Flour (4), (5)

• Chicken broth - 1 14-oz can (3), ½ c. (4)

• Cooking spray (5)

Week 13 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.
• Check NOTES under each meal for ahead-of-time preps.
• 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.
• I'm going to try and do better about taking a photo of the finished meal. This week I remembered to take one!
• Be sure to look at my homemade pizza dough recipe posted earlier this week. I posted that in response to several requests for it.

RECIPE 1: TWICE-BAKED SPINACH POTATOES

NOTES:
• You should be able to fully assemble the potatoes (through step 4) ahead of time and when ready to serve, let potatoes sit at room temperature for awhile (at least ½ hour) before baking. You may need to bake longer than 15 minutes in this case to heat thoroughly.


INGREDIENTS
• 3 large baking potatoes (about 12 ounces each)
• 1/2 c. milk
• 1/2 c. tub-style cream cheese (about 4 ounces)
• 1 3/4 c. (7 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded & divided
• 1/4 c. finely chopped onion
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 (10-z) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry OR fresh baby spinach, chopped & sautéed in a little oil until wilted
• Sliced green onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 450.
2. Poke a few holes in each potato with the tines of a fork and microwave on high until slightly soft to the touch, about 8-12 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Carefully transfer the potatoes to the oven and cook directly on the hot oven rack until a skewer slides easily though flesh, about 20 minutes.
3. Cool potatoes enough to handle and cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/4-inch-thick shell. Mash pulp with a potato masher.
4. Combine milk and cream cheese in a large bowl, and stir with a whisk. Add potato pulp, 1 cup cheddar cheese, onion, salt, pepper, and spinach; stir well. Spoon potato mixture into shells; sprinkle each half with 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese.
5. Place stuffed potatoes on a baking sheet; bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with green onions, if desired.

RECIPE 2: BACON & VEGGIE QUICHE

NOTES:
• Double this recipe for breakfast or lunch leftovers the next day.
• I like to make my own pie crust and then use the extra edges of crust to re-roll and make “mini-quiches” in crème-brulee dishes. These are great for kids or for a light lunch the next day.


Ingredients
• 1 unbaked pastry shell or make your own pie crust
• 2 c. fresh baby spinach
• 1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 c. fresh broccoli, chopped into small pieces
• ¾ c. chopped sweet onion
• Olive oil
• 1 5-oz can evaporated milk
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• ½ c. crumbled tomato and basil feta cheese

Directions
1. Line unpricked pastry shell with two layers of foil and bake at 450 for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the spinach, mushrooms, broccoli and onion in oil until tender. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, rosemary, salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, transfer veggies to egg mixture and stir in cheddar cheese and bacon. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
3. Bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

RECIPE 3: DEEP-DISH CHICAGO PIZZA

NOTES:
• Sauté the veggies the night before and shred cheese (if not buying the pre-shredded kind) and store in a containers in fridge.

Ingredients
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 pkg dry yeast (2 ¼ tsp)
• 1 c. warm water
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• About 2 ¾ c. flour, divided
• ¼ c. yellow cornmeal
• ½ tsp salt
• Cooking spray
• Sausage (chicken, turkey or pork)
• 2 c. thinly sliced mushrooms
• ¾ c. chopped green bell pepper
• ¾ c. chopped red bell pepper
• About 2 c. mozzarella and ½ c. parmesan cheese, shredded
• Your favorite store-bought pizza sauce (I like Muir-Glen) or homemade

Directions
1. Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a large bowl; let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in olive oil.
2. Lightly spoon 2 ½ c. of the flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine with cornmeal and salt. Stir into yeast mixture until dough forms a ball. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 5 min).
3. Add enough to the remaining flour (1 tbsp at a time) to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough well feel sticky). Place in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top and cover to let rise in a warm place 45 minutes or until double. Punch dough down, cover and let rest 5 minutes.
4. While dough is rising, heat skillet to medium heat and cook sausage, breaking up into small bits until cooked through. Remove and using a small amount of the oil leftover, cook mushrooms 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bell peppers and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.
5. When dough is ready, roll into an 11x15 inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface and place in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; press dough up sides of dish.
6. Spread a layer of sauce over dough and top with sausage, veggies, & cheeses. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until crust browns and cheese bubbles. Cool 5 minutes before cutting.

RECIPE 4: SHRIMP FRIED RICE

NOTES:
• Cooking and chilling your rice ahead of time is essential for good fried rice. Do this the night or morning before.
• Don’t forget to thaw the peas before getting ready to make dinner.

Ingredients
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 c. finely chopped green onions
• 1 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4 c. cooked long-grain rice, chilled
• 1 1/2 c. frozen green peas, thawed

Directions
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels then season with ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and 1/8 tsp sugar. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in pan and lower heat to medium. Add eggs; stir-fry 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Stir in onions and ginger; stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce mixture, shrimp, rice, and peas; cook 3 minutes or until heated.

RECIPE 5: TUNA MELTS

NOTES:
• Use this on a day you’ll know you’ll be busy! Make the tuna salad the night before. You may need to freshen salad with a spoonful of mayo and squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients
• 5 6-oz cans tuna or 4 7-oz packages, flaked
• 2 ribs celery, chopped fine
• 1 c. mayo
• ¼ c. minced red onion
• ¼ c. minced dill or sweet pickles
• ¼ c. minced fresh parsley
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste
• High quality sandwich bread
• 2 tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick (optional)
• Provolone cheese (1 slice per sandwich or two if they’re thin)

Directions
1. Toss all of the ingredients together (through salt and pepper to taste) in a large bowl.
2. Adjust an oven rack so that it is about 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler. Arrange the bread on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove ½ of the bread slices and set aside. Spread about ½ c. of tuna salad over bread slices on baking sheet and top with sliced tomato and provolone. Broil until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown, 3-6 minutes. Place remaining slices of bread over top of cheese and broil another minute to warm top slice of bread again 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.
• For Sides: Add sides to the meals as necessary. Only two meals may be in need of a side this week. Suggestions: Side salad and applesauce (2), good kettle-cooked potato chips and a dill pickle slice (5).

Meat/Fish
• 6 slices bacon (2)
• About ½ lb chicken, turkey or pork sausage (3)
• 1 ½ lbs medium shrimp, peeled & deveined (4)
• 5 6-oz cans chunk light tuna or 4 7-oz packages (5)

Veggies/Fruit
• 3 large baking potatoes (1)
• Onion – ¼ c. chopped WHITE or YELLOW (1), sliced GREEN ONIONS for topping potatoes (1) & 2 c. GREEN ONIONS finely chopped (4), SWEET onion – ¾ c. chopped (2), RED onion – ¼ c. (5)
• Spinach – 1 10-oz frozen package or 10 oz fresh (1), 2 c. (2)
• Mushrooms – 1 c. sliced (2)
• Fresh broccoli – 1 c. chopped (2), 2 c. (3)
• Green bell pepper (3)
• Red bell pepper (3)
• Frozen peas – 1 ½ c. (4)
• Freshly grated ginger – 1 tbsp (4)
• 2 ribs celery (5)
• ¼ c. minced dill or sweet pickles (5)
• Fresh minced parsley – ¼ c. (5)
• 1 lemon (5)
• Garlic – 1 clove (5)
• 2 tomatoes (optional) (5)

Breads & starches
• 1 unbaked pastry shell or make your own pie crust (2)
• ¼ c. yellow cornmeal (3)
• 2 ¾ c. flour (3)
• 4 c. long-grain rice (4)
• High quality sandwich bread (5)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Crushed dried rosemary (2)
• Low sodium soy sauce – 3 tbsp (4)
• Rice vinegar – 2 tbsp (4)
• Sesame oil – 1 tsp (4)
• Crushed red pepper (4)
• Dijon mustard – ½ tsp (5)

Dairy
• Milk – ½ c. (1),
• Tub-style cream cheese – ½ c. (1)
• Cheddar cheese: sharp shredded cheddar cheese – 1 ¾ c. (1), 1 c. (2)
• 1 5-oz can evaporated milk (2)
• Tomato and basil feta cheese – ½ c. (2)
• Mozzarella cheese, shredded – 2 c. (3)
• Parmesan cheese, shredded – ½ c. (3)
• Slices of provolone cheese for tuna melts (at least 1 slice per melt) (5)

Other
• Oil
• Eggs – 4 (2), 3 (4)
• Small amount of sugar (3), (4)
• Cooking spray
• Yeast – 2 ¼ tsp or 1 pkg (3)
• Your favorite pizza sauce (I like Muir-Glen) (3)
• Mayo – 1 c. (5)

Homemade Pizza/Calzone Dough

This post is in response to several requests for my homemade pizza dough recipe. Scroll down or click on "Older Post" to see last week's recipes.

When I make this dough, I usually double or triple the recipe and then freeze extra in zip-lock freezer bags. When I want a quick weeknight meal, I take out the dough in the morning (or around noon if you stay at home) and put it in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap. When you get home, roll out dough, spread on some sauce, top and bake!

This recipe makes two very thin crusts or one thick crust. When I want a medium crust, I double the recipe and make 3 crusts (and freeze what I don't need right then). If you make thick crust, you may want to bake it for about 5 minutes before adding sauce and toppings to make sure the crust cooks throughly. Try it once without pre-baking and see if you need to next time. A lot depends on your oven.

I bake my pizzas at 500 degrees on the lowest rack and check after 10 min. They usually take about 15 minutes.

I usually add some whole wheat flour to the dough (up to 1 c. per recipe below). Use this same recipe for calzones as well!

INGREDIENTS
1 c. warm water
1 pkg yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
2 1/2-3 c. flour (use up to 1 c. whole wheat).
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 1/2 c. flour and mix well. Add oil, salt and rest of flour.
2. Knead for at least 5 min until dough is elastic, soft and smooth (it should still be a little sticky but not sticking to hands). I usually knead my dough in my electric standing mixer with the dough hook. About halfway through, I'll take it out of mixer to check if it needs a tbsp or two more of flour. Remember, it should still be sticky and even sticking a little to the bottom of the mixer. (If freezing dough, divide up and place in zip-lock freezer bags BEFORE letting dough rise).
3. Let dough rest in a greased bowl covered with plastic wrap until double (about an hour). If in a hurry, you can let it rest about 20 min and it will still turn out good!
4. Punch dough down, divide into the number of pizzas you're going to make, roll into balls, and let rest 15 minutes.
5. Oil your pizza pan (I use olive oil then sprinkle with a little cornmeal).
6. Either roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin or press out onto pan with fingers. Top pizza with sauce and desired toppings.
7. Bake at 500 degrees for about 15 min.

Week 12 Meals & 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.
• Check NOTES under each meal for ahead-of-time preps. Meal 5 is cooked in a crock-pot.
• 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: SCALLOPED POTATOES WITH CHEESE & HAM

NOTES:
• This is a great way to get rid of leftover Easter ham!
• You can make this ahead of time and store in fridge. Reheat leftovers.


Ingredients
• 1 can (10 ¾ oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 c. milk
• 2/3 c. condensed cream of potato soup
• ½ c. chopped onion
• ¼ c. butter, melted
• ½ tsp garlic, minced
• ½ tsp pepper
• ¼ tsp seasoned salt (like Lawry’s or a generic brand)
• 8 medium red potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (use the slicer on your standing grater)
• 3 c. fully cooked cubed ham
• 1 ½ c. (6 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients (through seasoned salt). Add potatoes, ham and cheese and toss to cot. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for around 65 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are tender. Let stand 10 min before serving.

RECIPE 2: Grilled Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Calzones

Ingredients
• Homemade pizza dough or refrigerated dough
• 1 Vidalla or other sweet onion, cut into ½-inch thick slices
• 1 red bell pepper, quartered
• 1 yellow pepper, quartered
• Cooking spray
• 1 lb hot Italian turkey sausage links
• About 2 c. pizza sauce
• 1 ½ c. mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Let pizza dough stand at room temp (if using refrigerated) for about 30 min to an hour.
2. Prepare grill (or use a grill pan on the stove) to medium high heat. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3. Coat onion slices (1/2-inch thick slices) and bell peppers (quartered) with cooking spray and place on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill veggies 4 min on each side or until browned. Grill sausages 8 min or until done, turning occasionally to brown on all sides. Remove veggies and sausages from cook and cool slightly.
4. Cut onion slices in half and cut bell pepper pieces into ½-inch strips. Cut sausages diagonally into thin slices.
5. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; divide dough into 4 equal portions and roll into a 9x5 inch rectangle. Spread ¼ c. sauce evenly over each rectangle leaving a ¼-inch border. Arrange sausage over half of each rectangle and top evenly with onion and bell peppers. Sprinkle with 1/3 c. cheese. Fold other half of dough over filling and press edges together with a fork to seal.
6. Place calzones on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and coat calzones with the spray. Bake at 500 degrees for 15 min for until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut each calzone in half and serve with remaining sauce.

RECIPE 3: CHICKEN & CORN CHOWDER

NOTES:
• I used a rotisserie chicken for this recipe out of convenience. You don’t have to buy the rotisserie chicken the day you’re going to use it in a recipe! Buy it when you buy your groceries and pick off chicken at your convenience and freeze in two containers for two future recipes.
• I made this recipe in the morning and reheated for dinner.

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 6 green onions
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 small packages frozen corn kernels, thawed and divided
• 1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth
• 2 cups milk (I used 1 ½ c. skim and ½ c. heavy cream because that’s what I had on hand).
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Melt butter in a large pot oven over medium-high heat. Remove green tops from green onions; chop & set aside. Thinly slice white portion of each onion. Add sliced onions to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, 1 package of corn, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. While mixture simmers, combine the remaining corn and milk in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Add milk mixture to pan; simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle 2 cups chowder into each of 4 soup bowls; sprinkle evenly with green onion tops. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.

RECIPE 4: SKILLET SAUSAGE AND SPINACH PASTA

NOTES:
• Make this through step 1 if you want and store in fridge until ready to finish.

Ingredients
• 8 oz pasta (like penne or ziti)
• ½ lb hot or mild Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped (optional)
• Baby spinach (4 large handfuls)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes in their juice with Italian seasonings or roasted garlic
• 2 c. chicken broth
•1/2 c. heavy cream
• Parmesan cheese, grated (for topping pasta)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté onions and bell pepper (if using) and ½ tsp salt until onions and pepper are softened, about 5 min. Stir in sausage, oregano and basil and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 min.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook about 15 sec. Pour can of tomatoes over meat mixture and sprinkle pasta over top. Pour broth and cream over pasta. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally (and checking to make sure the pasta is drying out – if so add more broth or water), until the pasta is tender, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach a handful at a time and cook until wilted. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

RECIPE 5: PULLED PORK TACOS (CARNITAS)

NOTES:
• This is a crock-pot meal. Shred lettuce and cheese ahead of time and place in containers in fridge for a quick prep when you are ready to eat!
• You can use this same shredded pork recipe for sandwiches. Leave out the chipotle pepper or jalapeno if desired.

Ingredients
• A 2 ½-3 lb pork shoulder or pork butt
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo or 2 fresh jalapeno chiles, seeded and sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp dried oregano, crushed (I just crushed it between my fingers)
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 c. beef froth (or water)
• Corn tortillas
• Toppings: shredded lettuce, Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime – let ingredients sit at room temp together for at least 10 min), sour cream, salsa.

Directions
1. Mix spices (garlic through pepper) in a small container. Set aside.
2. Place onions, chipotles or jalapenos, and ¼ c. beef broth or water in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Using a knife make incisions all over pork and insert spice mixture. Rub extra on outside of pork.
3. Heat a tbsp or two of oil over medium high heat and brown roast on all sides, about 8 min total. Transfer to crock pot and pour rest of beef broth (or water) into pan where you browned your roast, scarping up any browned bits. Pour this into crock pot over meat, cover, and cook on low 10 hours or on high for 5.
4. Remove roast and let cool enough to shred the pork, using two forks to pull it apart. Return to slow cooker and stir to combine with onions, chipotles or jalapenos and juices.
5. Serve with warmed tortillas, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime), sour cream, salsa.

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: bread and/or a spinach salad (3), side salad and a green veggie like peas or broccoli (4), rice & refried or black beans (5).

Meat/Fish
• 3 c. fully cooked cubed ham (a great way to use leftover Easter ham if you have it!) (1)
• 1 1/2 lbs hot Italian turkey sausage links (or use 1 lb if it comes in that size of package and just use a little less than what recipes (2) and (4) call for) (2), (4)
• Chicken: 2 c. chopped cooked or shredded chicken (buy a rotisserie chicken, shred and freeze if you prefer)
• A 2 ½ - 3 lb pork shoulder or butt (5)

Veggies/Fruit
• Onions (white or yellow) – ½ c. chopped (1), 1 (4), 1 (5), Vidalla or other sweet onion – 1 (2), 1 bunch green onions (3)
• Garlic – ½ tsp minced (1), 3 cloves (4), 6 cloves (5)
• Red potatoes – 8 medium (1)
• Bell peppers – 1 yellow, 1 red (2), 1 any color (4) (optional)
• Frozen corn – 2 small packages (about 10 oz each)
• 1 bag baby spinach (4)
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (either Italian-style or garlic) (4)
• 2 tbsp chopped chipotles in adobo or 2 fresh jalapenos (5)
• Toppings for tacos (5): shredded lettuce, avocado, pico de gallo (chopped cilantro, onion, and tomato with salt and a little lime – let ingredients sit at room temp together for at least 10 min), salsa

Breads & starches
• Homemade pizza dough or refrigerated dough (2)
• 8 oz penne or ziti pasta (4)
• Corn tortillas (5)

Spices/Sauces/Vinegars
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Seasoned salt (1) (Like Lawry’s or a generic brand)
• ¼ tsp garlic powder (1)
• Oregano - 1 tsp (4), 2 tsp (5)
• Basil – 1 tsp (4)
• 2 tsp ground coriander (5)
• 2 tsp ground cumin (5)
• 1 tsp onion powder (5)

Dairy
• Butter – ¼ c. (1), 1 tbsp (3)
• Mozzarella cheese – 1 ½ c. (1), 1 ½ c. (2)
• Milk – 1 c. (1), 1 ½ c. (3)
•Shredded cheddar cheese – ½ c. (3)
• Heavy cream – ½ c. (3), ½ c. (4)
• Parmesan cheese, grated – ½ c. (4)
• Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese to top tacos (5)
• Sour cream for topping tacos (5)

Other
• Oil
• 1 can condensed cream of potato soup (1)
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (1)
• Pizza sauce (2)
• Cooking spray (2)
• Small amount of flour (3)
• Chicken broth - 1 14-oz can (3), 2 c. (4)
• 1 c. beef broth (or water) (5)