Week of July 26, 2015

Sun - Fried Chicken
Mon - Chicken Pot Pie
Tue - French Dip Sandwiches
Wed - Cheesey Baked Tortallini
Thur - Pork Loin Roast with Wild Rice Dressing
Fri - Tequila Lime Chicken

Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup cooked, diced chicken or turkey (using leftover fried chicken, meat removed from bones and skin)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies or peas and carrots

1 cup cooked, diced potatoes

1 tsp each salt and pepper

2 pie crust rounds (recipe below, or use ready made Pillsbury Pie Crust)

Egg wash: 1 egg and 1 tbsp water beaten together

Preheat oven to 350F. Place 1 pie crust in a 9 inch pan. In a large bowl combine chicken, soup, veggies, potatoes and salt and pepper. When well mixed, spoon into crust. Top with other pie crust round. Cut slits in top crust for venting. Brush top crust with egg wash. Cook for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

CRUST:

2 1/2 cups AP flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vinegar

8 tbsp cold butter

8 tbsp vegatable shortening

Cold water as needed (1 tbsp - 1/4 cup)

Mix flour, butter and shortening with pastry cutter until pea-sized balls form and all the butter and shortening are incorperated into the flour. Add the cold water a tbsp at a time until a dough forms.

Allow to chill for 20 minutes. Cut in half. Roll out into 2 rounds.

French Dip Sandwiches

Au Jus: 1-2 cans beef consomme or beef broth + 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

16 oz deli sliced roast beef - (2) 7 oz packages

4 hoggie rolls, split (something chewy and crusty)

4-8 slices of swiss or provolone cheese (optional)

Sprinkle meat with grill seasoning or salt and black pepper. To assemble sandwiches, cut rolls in half, lay cheese slices on one side of rolls (1-2 slices). Then using a pair of kitchen tongs, dip meat into boiling au jus sauce and pile into rolls. Set ramekins, cups or small bowls with extra dipping sauce along side the sandwiches. 

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Pork Loin Roast
1 - (4 lb) boneless pork loin, with fat left on

2 tablespoons olive oil
6-9 tbsp Garlic and Herb Pampered Chef Rub, or other rub/seasoning mix such as Mrs. Dash
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Brush meat with oil and sprinkle with rub. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. Place in roasting pan.
Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for an additional hour - 1 1/2 hours. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 160F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow to rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Tequila Lime Chicken Recipe

1/2 cup tequila

1 tbsp lime zest (about 1 lime)

6 limes, for freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tsp chiplote chili powder

1 tbsp minced fresh garlic (about 3 cloves)

2 tps kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6 split boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Directions

Combine the tequila, lime juice and zest, chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, but up to 24 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade. Throw away marinade. Grill (on BBQ grill or on grill pan) on medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. 165f with a meat thermometer.

Let stand 5 minutes before cutting and serving. Recommended: Serve with rice, warm tortillas, and lime wedges.

Week of July 19, 2015

Cheeseburger Sliders - Cooked

Mon - Cheeseburger Sliders
Tue - Chicken Strips and Kale Salad
Wed - Lemon Chicken
Thur - Bucatini with Olive Caper Sauce
Fri - Grilled Asian Pork Tenderloin Salad

Uncooked

Cheeseburger Sliders
8 Hawian Rolls
1 lb ground beef
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
8 slices cheedar or american cheese
sprinkle beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix lightly. Do not over mix, it ruins the texture of the meat. Make beef into 8 square patties, they should be a little wider then the rolls.Use your thumb to indent the middle of the patties. Cook on a electric grill or cast iron pan on Medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes on each side.
Top with cheese when done, place on roll. Add toppings if desired, such as tomatoes, pickle, lettuce, onion, mayo.

Chicken Strips

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into strips

1 cup Kraft Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup flour

1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbsp each salt and pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder

Milk

Soak chicken in a bowl of milk, enough milk to cover all the chicken. Put flour, salt, pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, and cheese into plastic freezer bag (gallon size) and shake to mix. Put in a few chicken strips at a time and shake until coated. Use olive oil to coat the cookie sheet. Lay coated strips on the sheet in single layer (no over lapping). Bake at 350F in the oven (or toaster oven or fry in fryer) until done and golden brown - about 20 minutes. Turning chicken over once.

Serve with a Kale salad mix.

Lemon Chicken and Rice

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.

Week of July 12, 2015

Sun - BBQ Chicken
Mon - Pork Verde (Crock Pot) Tacos
Tue - Taco Salad
Wed - Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo Sauce and Beef Raviolis (semi-homemade version)
Thu - Hong Kong Style Noodles
Fri - Waffles for Dinner


Ultimate BBQ Chicken http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/the-ultimate-barbecued-chicken-recipe/index.html 

Ground Beef Tacos

1 lb lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup Pace Pacanta Sauce (not chunky) OR your fav salsa

1/2 tsp ground cummin

1/2 ground Cheyenne pepper

8-12 corn tortillas

Shredded Cheese

1 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped

4 Limes

2 cups shredded cabbage OR lettuce (optional)

Chop onion. Add 1/4 of the onion and 1/4 of the cilantro and the beef to a skillet. Sprinkle on cummin and cheynne. Stiring frequently, brown beef, crumble. Drain. Return to skillet, add in sauce. Heat through.

Meanwhile,  add rest of onion and cilantro, juice of 1 lime, 1 tbsp of lime zest, and 1 tsp of salt to a bowl. Mix together. 

Heat tortillas in microwave in a paper towel for about 1 minute or until hot. (OR heat with a small amount of oil on in a pan, keep warm in a warmer) 

To assemble tacos: tortilla, beef mixture, cilantro mixture, cabbage, cheese, and a dash of fresh squeezed lime juice. 

Hong Kong Style Noodles http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/hong-kong-style-noodles-with-chicken-and-vegetables-recipe/index.html

Sun Dried Tomato Alfredo and Beef Ravioli

1 (15 oz) jar Alfredo Sauce

1/2 (8 oz) jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes in olive oil (I like California Sun brand)

1 cup frozen peas

2 scallions, chopped (optional)

1 bag frozen or fresh ready-to-cook beef or chicken or mushroom raviolis (about 25 oz)

Chop tomatoes, retain oil. Put peas into a microwave safe bowl. Put in water until peas are covered. Heat peas in microwave for about 2 minutes until hot. Drain. Heat up alfredo sauce in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Stir in tomatoes and oil, cook until hot. Stirring constantly so it does not burn. Meanwhile, cook raviolis according to package. Drain. Serve ravoilis with sauce over them and topped with scallions, if desired.

Shake and Bake Porks chops - follow recipe on box
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
4 baking potatoes, peeled and diced
4 roasted garlic cloves, pressed (roast garlic at 350F wrapped in foil for 15-20 minutes or until browned)
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp salt and pepper
Boil potatoes in a large stock pan until tender, do not over cook. Mash with potato masher or a ricer keep in pan. Add garlic, butter, sour cream and salt and pepper. Mix over low heat until butter is melted and everything is incorporated. Serve in a serving bowl immediately. 


Waffles
I like Krusteaz Belgian Waffle mix. I like to add an additional tsp of vanilla extract to the batter. serve with browned sausage or bacon.

Week of July 5, 2015

Mon - Spring Chicken Salad (FoodNetwork)Tue - Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese
Wed - Fried Rice
Thur - Crock Pot Bolenses
Fri - Greek Quinoa Salad

Greek Quinoa Salad
1/2 cup chopped Kalamata Olives
1 (10 oz) Archer Farms Steam-in-bag Mediterranean-Inspired Quinoa

Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese
16 oz elbow maccaroni
1 can cream of chicken or cheddar cheese soup
1 (12 oz)can evaporated milk
2 cups milk
1 tsp each pepper, garlic salt, onion powder
4 tbsp butter
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Mix ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the pasta is done.

Fried Rice

Fried Rice

1 cup frozen bag of Peas and Carrots
3 cups cooked white or brown rice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
2 eggs
Scramble eggs and cook in an oiled non-stick skillet. Warm up carrots and peas in microwave. In the non-stick skillet heat oil, vinegar and soy sauce on high - med-high. Add in rice. Stir until incorporated. Stir in eggs and veggies. Serve.

Beef Bolognese

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced and browned

1 cup chopped yellow onions

1/2 cup diced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tsp thyme

3/4 cup broth

1 lb ground beef or pork

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes and their juices (or 3 cups fresh, seeded, diced tomatoes)

3 oz cream cheese

3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fettuccine or spaghetti pasta

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced and browned

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Layer the beef on the bottom of the crock pot. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, nutmeg, thyme, tomatoes, and broth. Cook on high 6 hours, stirring occasionally. At the last hour of cooking, add in the 4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced and browned, and stir in the cream cheese and adjust the seasoning, to taste. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain. Serve with sauce from crock pot. Top with parsley and shredded cheese. 

July 4, 2015

BBQ Chicken
Grilled Vegatable Pasta Salad
Grilled Corn with Roasted Red Pepper Butter
Fennel Salad
Watermelon

Fennel Salad
1 fennel bulb, bottom only

1 large carrot, peeled
1 celery stock'
2 scallions
vinaigrette dressing (store bought, use your favortie brand)
Slice veggies. Mix with enough vinaigrette to coat, check seasoning for salt and pepper.

Grilled Vegatable Pasta Salad

1 lb penne or fusilli (spirals) pasta (multi-colored looks nice, can also use any small pasta -even tortellini)

1/2 to 1 cup Italian Dressing

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1 zuchini, sliced

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. allow to cool slightly. 

On a grill grate or on skewers, drizzle veggies with oil, then grill until tender. 

In a large salad bowl mix pasta, dressing, and veggies together. Start with 1/2 cup dressing to start, taste if add more if needed. Add salt and pepper last, to taste. It may not need salt at all depending on the dressing. Top with cheese and parsley. Serve cool or slightly warm.