week of April 21, 2013

Sun - Homemade Mac n' Cheese

Mon - Roast Chicken
Tue - Chicken Enchiladas (See June 19, 2011)
Wed -Pork Scallopini
Thur - Yakishoba with Beef
Fri - Stoffer's Lasagana (Frozen Meal)
Sat - Chicken Panini (Pampered Chef recipe, contact me for recipe)

Three Cheese Mac'n Cheese

Ingredients

1/2 lb elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded + 2 oz for topping

6 oz smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded

4 oz Gouda Cheese

2 oz cream cheese

1 lb bacon, cooked crispy, diced

salt and fresh ground black pepper

Topping (optional):

3 tbsp butter

1 cup bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Boil the pasta to al dente. The water, like all pasta water, should be salted before hand until it tastes like salt water. While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and keep it moving for about two - five minutes until it smells nutty, do not burn. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, simmer, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Turn down heat to medium. Stir in the cheese a little at a time, wait until the previous cheese is melted to add the next handful of cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold the macaroni and crispy bacon (reserving handful for topping)  into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and bacon.

OPTIONAL: Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Roast Chicken http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/lemon-and-herb-roasted-chicken-with-baby-potatoes-recipe/index.html

Pork Scallopini

4-6 (about 1 1/2 lb) boneless pork loin chops

1 + 1/2 cup  milk

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs (I use Progresso Italian)

2 lemons

Oil to coat the bottom of the pan (veg or canola)

flour coating:

1/2 cup AP flour

1 tbsp seasoning salt (such as Johnny's)

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

First flatten the meat: Spread a sheet of plastic wrap flat on the work surface. Place 1 loin in the center of the sheet and top with another sheet of plastic. Gently pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet (or the bottom of a small skillet or saucepan) until very thin, about 1/8-inch thick. Repeat.

To bread the meat you will need: 2 bowls, 2 paper plates, 1 non-stick cooling rack, a fork. Set up the assembly line: bowl with 1 cup of milk, paper plate with flour coating, bowl with 1 egg and 1/2 cup milk beaten together, paper plate with bread crumbs and zest of  1 lemon, and last the cooling rack. Put all the chops in the 1st bowl. let set in the milk for 5 minutes. One at a time, place on the flour and coat with the coating. Dip in the egg mix. then place on the bread crumbs and coat the chop. Lay on the cooling rack until all chops are breaded.

To cook, heat the oil in a large skillet on med-high heat. Add loins one at a time, being careful not to splatter yourself. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon on meat.

Meanwhile prepare Pasta-Roni (or Farmhouse) Pasrmesean Cheese Angel Hair Past (according to package). Stir juice of other lemon into pasta before serving with loins.

Yakishoba

2 boxes Maruchan: Yakishoba Teriyaki (OR beef) Flavor Noodles, 4 oz each

2 lb sirloin steak, cut against grain very thin

1 bag frozen stir-fry veggies (about 10 oz) defrosted, and drained if necessary

Prepare noodles according to package directions, keep warm. Preheat a wok or a large skillet. Once it has reached a medium heat, add 2 tbsp oil. add  to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes. Add veggies to the pan and shake frequently. Cook until warmed through. serve over noodles.