Week of Nov 7, 2011

Sun - Sun Dried Tomato and Smoked Cheese Sauce
Mon - Hot Italian Sandwiches
Tue - BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Wed - Shredded Pork Nachos (use leftover pork)
Thur - Italian Wedding Soup
Fri - Potato-Ham Bake (Better Homes and Garden Recipe) 
Sat - Stove Top Easy Chicken Bake


Sun Dried Tomato and Smoked Cheese Sauce

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

1 cup shredded Smoked Gouda or Smoked Cheddar

1 cup shredded Mozerrela cheese

1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes in oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

In a large non-stick pan, melt the butter on a high heat. Whisk in the flour, turn down the heat to low, and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Turn the heat back up to high and stir in the milk, simmer, stirring, until it starts to bubble. Turn down heat to medium. Stir in 1/3 of the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted, then repeat 2x until all the cheese is incorporated. Stir in the Sun Dried tomatoes with oil. Taste. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta - great on penne (3 cups uncooked, prepare according to package) or cheese stuffed pasta such as tortellini.


Hot Italian Sandwiches
1 Pillsbury Italian Loaf  (prepare according to package)
1 package sliced pastrami
1 package sliced deli ham
sliced porchini peppers
Sliced onion
5-8 slices provolone cheese
Mayo and Dijon Mustard (optional) 
Heat meat in microwave for 30 seconds, or until just warm. Layer ingedents on bread. Serve with chips and veggies with dip.


BBQ Pork
5 lb pork shoulder/roast (so there are leftovers)
2 tbsp BBQ Rub - such as Pampered Chef Smokey BBQ Rub
1/2 apple juice
Sauce: mix 1 cup BBQ sauce (you favorite brand), 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp ketchup
4-6 hamburger buns
Rub pork with rub on both sides. (For better flavor, marinate in rub for 2 hours - to over night, if possible). Pour juice in roasting pan or dutch oven. Put pork in pan. Cover and bake at 325F for 4 hours or until the pork is fork tender and falling apart. Shred/chop about 2/3 of the roast and mix with sauce. Serve on buttered toasted buns. Top with cole slaw if desired. I will also be serving sweet potato fries (from frozen bag).


Pork Nachos - Toss 1 cup shredded pork with 1/2 cup salsa. Use Nacho recipe from week July 31, 2011 but add the shredded pork.


Italian Wedding 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.

THUR - http://www.bhg.com/recipe/pork/potato-ham-bake/

FRI - http://www.kraftbrands.com/stovetop/hearty-meals/easy-chicken-bake/