Week of May 29, 2011

Sun - "McCormick Recipe Inspirations - Asian Sesame Salmon" (or chicken)
Mon - Grilled Polenta with Sausage Ragout
Tue - easy beef stroganoff
Wed - Turkey Gyros
Thur - Creamy Lemon-Pesto Chicken and Linguine
Fri - Sweet and Sour Meatballs with white rice


To see recipes for all above, click "read more"





Prepare "McCormick Recipe Inspirations - Asian Sesame Salmon" according to recipe on package. Serve with steamed-in-bag Asian/stir fry veggie mix and white rice.

Grilled Polenta with Ragout

1 lb package of pre-made polenta (looks like a sausage tube, but not refrigerated)

1 cup hot water

1 oz dried mushrooms (porcini recommended)

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped

4 large shallots, finely chopped

6 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 tsp each - salt and pepper

1 1/2 tomato paste

1 tbsp Rosemary

1/2 cup dry red wine

2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 large zucchini, finely chopped

1 medium yellow bell pepper

1 lb lean browned turkey sausage (to make recipe vegetarian, omit sausage and add a 14 oz can of cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed)

Optional toppings: cheese and parsley

Combine mushrooms and hot water and let sit until mushrooms are softened. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat until simmering. Add carrots, shallots, garlic, salt and black pepper to skillet until carrots are tender.

Strain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Dice mushrooms. Add mushrooms tomato paste and rosemary to skillet. Cook 1 minute. Add wine, tomatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, browned sausage, and soaking liquid to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Grill polenta rounds on a grill pan or on the BBQ on medium heat for 5 minutes on each side.

Serve with ragout over polenta topped with cheese and parsley (if desired).

IF YOU WANT AN EASIER WAY TO MAKE THIS, you can buy caned sauce and just add extra chopped up veggies, such as carrots and zucchini, and heat on medium in a sauce pan until veggies are tender.
 

Easy Beef Stroganoff
1 package egg noodles
1 lb beef stew meat
1 can condescend cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp onion powder
water
salt and pepper to taste


Mix soup and 1 can of water and onion powder in a baking dish. Add in meat. Bake, covered, at 350 F for 3 hours. Meanwhile, prepare egg noodles according to package. Drain and set aside until meat is done.
After meat is done cooking, add meat and sauce to noodles in the pot you cooked the noodles in. Mix in sour cream. Heat on medium heat. Taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with a salad or add in peas.


Turkey Gyros (Pampered Chef Recipe)
Gyros:
1/2 small onion
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 lb ground turkey (93% lean)
2 pressed garlic gloves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
4 pita rounds
sliced cucumber and tomatoes


Yogurt Sauce:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 pressed garlic cloves
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup chopped cucumber


1. Start Gyros, preheat oven to 500 F. Finley chop onion, parsley, and press garlic. Add onion, garlic, 2 tbsp of parsley, turkey, thyme and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix vigorously until well blended.
2. Add oil to skillet, heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until simmering. As oil heats, form turkey mixture into four thin, rectangular loaves, about 1/4 inch thick. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side or until browned. Place skillet in oven and bake 6-8 minutes or until internal temperature is 165F, and loaves are no longer pink.
3. Meanwhile, prepare sauce. Combine ingredients in bowl and mix well.
4. Heat pitas in microwave for 30-60 seconds.
5. Remove turkey loaves from oven. thinly slice lengthwise. Arrange on/in pita with the sliced cucumber and tomatoes. Top with 1 tbsp of the yogurt sauce.
4 servings. Calories 410, Total Fat 14 g, Sat. Fat 3.5 g, Carbs 41 g, Protien 32 g, Fiber 4g.


Creamy Lemon-Pesto Chicken Linguine (Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker - DCB - Recipe)
1 lemon
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup 2% milk
1 pressed garlic clove
1/2 prepared basil pesto
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 4 oz each
1 tbsp Citrus & Basil Rub (or Lemon-Pepper Seasoning)
12 oz uncooked linguine pasta
2 plum tomatoes
1/4 thinly sliced basil leaves


1. Zest lemon to measure 2 tsp. Combine butter and flour in batter bowl, whisk until smooth. Add lemon zest, milk and garlic to butter mixture. Microwave, covered, on high for 3-4 minutes or until thickened, stirring every 60 seconds. Add pesto, mix well.
2. Season chicken with rub. Place chicken in DCB, overlapping as necessary. Pour sauce over chicken. Microwave, covered, on high 12-15 minutes or until internal temp reaches 165F in thickest part of chicken. Remove from microwave, let rest covered 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Set pasta aside and keep warm. Seed and dice tomatoes.
4. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta, garnish with tomatoes and basil strips.
6 Serving. Calories 480, Total Fat 15 g, Sat Fat 5g, Protein 34 g, Carbs 50 g, Fiber 3 g.


EASY Sweet and Sour Meatballs
1 14 oz package frozen original (not italian) meatballs
Sauce:
1 can (16 oz) pineapple chunks in juice
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 tbsp corn starch
1 tsp red wine or rice vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, pressed


Heat meatballs according to package, keep warm. Add ingredients for sauce (expectstring  frequently. Add meatballs to sauce.
Meanwhile, make 4-6 serving of white minute rice according to package. Heat stir fry veggies (frozen bag) according to package directions (optional). To serve, layer rice then veggies, then meatballs and sauce on top.