Week of March 7, 2021

Sun - Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden Copy-Cat ("Sausage Soup")

Mon - Sausage and Peppers

Tue - Tostadas

Wed - Swiss Steak

Thur - Roast Chicken

Fri -  Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Zuppa Toscana

• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage
  
  
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
• 3 lb potatoes, sliced
• 1 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepot, over medium heat cook sausage, chop into chunks. When no longer pink, remove meat but leave oil in pan.  Add garlic, and oil if there is less then 2 tbsp of fat in the pan. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.

When potatoes are almost done, add the kale and cook until kale and potatoes are tender. Stir in the milk and cream. Return sausage. Heat through. Serve immediately. (If left to simmer the potatoes will begin to turn into mush and disappear in the liquid.)

Sausage and Peppers with Penne

4 Chicken Sausage links (I like the Artichoke and Mozzarella)

1 red peppers, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic

3 cups penne pasta

In a large non-stick skillet, cook sausage and veggies together until sausage over medium heat. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. When sausage is done, add in tomatoes with juice to skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired.

Ground Beef Tosadas

12 corn tostada shells

1 (30 oz) can refried beans

1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 is best)

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Optional toppings: Salsa, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, sliced pitted black olives, chopped yellow onion, lime juice

Sprinkle meat with taco seasoning. Brown meat, crumble and drian off fat. Warm beans as package directs.

Warm tostada shells. Top with beans, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, cilantro and any additional toppings as desired.

Easy "Swiss Steak"
4 steaks (cheap ones are fine, high quality steak - is NOT necessary for this recipe)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkt onion soup mix (OR mushroom gravy powdered mix)
1 1/2 can water

1 (8 oz) sliced, button or baby portobella mushrooms
Thickener (if needed) 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour mixed together.
Mix soups and water together in a 9x13 pan, put in steaks. Make sure to cover the steaks with the liquid. Add in mushrooms.
Cover pan with foil, bake 350F for 3 hours. Checking liquid level (make sure all the water didn't evaporate) every hour.
If the baking liquid is lumpy stir to combine. Stir in thickener if needed. Taste gravy, add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve liquid as gravy over steaks and mashed potatoes. We like seasoned green beans as a side.

Roast Chicken
1 (5-6 lb) bone in whole chicken (completely defrosted if from frozen

1 rib celery
1 carrot

1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
handful fresh parsley and thyme sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Chop onion into 8 pieces. Cut carrot and celery into 3 pieces. Remove skin from garlic. Remove anything in cavity from chicken. Rinse and pat dry. stuff vegetables and 1/2 onion, 1/2 herbs into cavity and neck opening. Put other 1/2 onion and herbs in roasting pan. Rub chicken with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place a meat themamater (oven safe one) in thickest part of chicken. Place chicken on rack in roasting pan. add enough water in bottom to cover bottom of pan. Cover pan (use foil tent if no lid) Roast at 375 about 1 1/2 hours to 165 F internal temp. remove cover for last 20 minutes (when temp at 150 F) to crisp skin.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
1 package (6.9 ounces) RICE-A-RONI® Wild Rice flavor
2 tablespoons of margarine, butter or spread with no trans fat

broth cooking

2-1/2 cups water
6 cups chicken broth (I will be making the broth from left over bones of roast chicken)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (again, left over)

2 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen peas

In a large skillet or soup pot, saute onion in 2 tbsp butter until translucent. Remove, set aside. Combine rice-vermicelli mix and 2 tablespoons margarine in same skillet. Saute´ over medium heat until vermicelli is golden brown, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in 2 1/2 cups water and Special Seasonings; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes. 

Add broth, carrot, celery, cooked onion, peas, chicken to skillet. Boil until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Add slat and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Week of Nov 16th 2015

Biscuit Pizza

Sun French Toast and Ham
Mon  Meatballs Soup
Tue Nachos
Wed Chili and Corn Bread
Thur Egg Rolls and Fried Rice
Fri Biscuit Pizzas - 

Italian Wedding (Meatball) Soup 

Meatballs: Combine 1 lb ground turkey, 1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs, 1 egg, tsp salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl (I like my Batter Bowl for this), mix just until combined. Do not over mix. Using small scoop, spoon out scoop-fulls of mix and drop meatballs in large nonstick skillet - all should fit. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and internal temp of 185F is reached. 

Broth: Saute 1/2 medium onion, 1 chopped carrot, 2 chopped celery stocks and 2 cloves of pressed garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil in soup pot until tender. Add 12 cups chicken stock, meatballs and 1/2 lb chopped escarole. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with Parmesan Cheese shredded on top.

Nachos
8-10 oz corn tortilla chips

2 lb ground beef

Taco Seasoning Packet

1 16 oz can black beans
1 7 oz can mexican-style corn
2-3 cups shredded mexican blend cheese
1 cup chunky salsa

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• Cook ground beef according to taco seasining packet. Reserve 1/2 the meat for chili tomorrow.
• Preheat oven to 375F. Layer chips, beans, corn, salsa and cheese on a baking sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes until warm and the cheese is melted. Top with green onion, tomato, and dollops of sour cream.

Three Bean Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 can 16 oz refried or pinto beans
1 can 15.5 oz Black Beans

1 15.5 oz can Kidney beans

1 14 oz cans diced tomatoes with jiuce (use ones with chilis, for hotter chili)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 onion, diced

2 small cloves garlic

1 green and/or red bell pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp cummin

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tbsp oil

Use left over beef (or brown 1 lb ground beef) Sauté onions and bell peppers in oil on medium until onions are translucent. Add garlic, cook until fragrant. Add beef, beans, tomatoes with the juice, paste, and seasoning to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Serve with shredded cheddar cheese and/or fresh chopped onions on top, if desired.

Corn Bread http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cornbread/8990e15c-fc1d-4a8d-b8b3-4b37f45eca49

Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Egg Rolls:
1 lb ground pork or chicken/turkey
1 bell pepper
1/2 medium onion
1 cup fine shredded cabbage
1 carrot
2 tbsp Asian Seasoning Mix
Salt and Pepper
Egg Roll wrappers
In a food processor  shred bell pepper, onion, carrot, and cabbage. Sprinkle ground meat with Asia Seasoning Mix, salt and pepper. Cook ground meat and shredded veggies in a skillet, over med-high heat until meat is browned and veggies are soft. Use a spatula to crumble the meat and veg into very small pieces. (I prefer to cook meat prior to rolling to ensure it is done)
Use the directions on the egg roll wrappers on how to roll these together. Allow to cook in freezer for 5 minutes before frying at 365F until golden brown on both sides 3-5 minutes. keep warm in oven if necessary.
Rice:
1 lb cooked, diced chicken
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup peas and carrots frozen mix
2 eggs
Scramble eggs, warm up carrots and peas. In a non-stick skillet heat oil, vinegar and soy sauce on high - med-high. Add in rice. Stir until incorporated. Stir in eggs and carrots peas.

Make Your Own Pizza Bar

Mini-Make-Your-Own Pizza
Pillsbury recipe using Grand's Biscuits. I like to put out toppings and let the family make their own before baking. The kid's think it's fun!

Week of Nov 1st, 2015

Sun Steak Fajitas
Mon Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tue - Beef and Barley Soup

Steak Fajitas

Wed Pork Milanese
Thur Lemon Chicken
Fri Scalloped Potatoes with Ham (see Week of Dec 21 2014) 

Sat Waffles with sausage links

Steak Faitas

2 lb steak cut into thin strips (I like skirt steak or sirlion)

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1 medium onion

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper

limes

Fajita size Flour tortillas

Toppings if desired: sour cream, guacamole, cheese, Pico De Gallo, lime juice

Sprinkle steak with cumin, salt and pepper. Slice steak and vegetables into strips. Zest 1 lime. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp veggie oil over medium-high heat. Add the zest and juice of the lime. Cook meat, peppers, onion, and garlic for 7-8 minutes or until the peppers and onions are tender. Serve with warmed tortillas and toppings.

Grilled Cheese and Soup

8 slices of bread

16 slices of cheese (I like cheddar or american)

butter, softened OR mayo OR margarine

1 can Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup (made according to directions with water)

Goldfish crackers for soup (optional)

Lightly butter both sides of bread. Place 2 pieces of cheese on 4 of the bread slices. Top cheese with another slice of bread. move to a large non-stick skillet. Cover and cook on medium for 5-10 or until the bottom piece turns golden brown. Uncover. Turn sandwiches over and cook until golden brown on other side, about 3 minutes. Serve hot with hot soup. Serves 4.

Beef and Barley Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb beef stew meat

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (1/2-inch) diced carrots (4 carrots)

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup   (1/2-inch) diced celery (2 stalks)

2 garlic cloves, pressed

3 bay leaves

32 oz beef broth

2 cups water

1 cup   pearled barley

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, turning over when the meat no longer sticks to the pan, for 10 minutes until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and put on a plate/bowl. 

2. Add carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the fat in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to brown. Add the bay leaves. Return the meat to the pot and add the broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Discard the bay leaves, and skim off the fat.

3. Meanwhile, bring at least 4 cups of water to a boil and add the barley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, drain, and set aside.

4. After cooking beef and veggies for an hour, add the barley and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Taste, add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

Pork Milanese

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/pork-milanese-recipe.html 

serving with Pasta-Roni Parmesan noodles, prepared according to directions.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

vegetable oil to cover bottom of large skillet

2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1 inch cubes

Salt and pepper

Breading:

¼ cup corn starch

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 egg and ½ cup milk beat together.

Sauce:

4 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 4 teaspoons water

1 lemon, juice and zest

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup chicken stock

Directions

Set up breading station for chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cover each piece in corn starch, then egg mix, then panko.

In the large non-stick skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add to pan. In a sauce pan, stir together juice, zest, sugar, vinegar and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture and bring liquid to a simmer. Simmer until reduced. Serve over chicken.