Week of July 17, 2016

Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Kale salad

Sun - French Toast with berries

Mon Slow-cooker Mushroom Chicken

Tue - Tacos de Carne Asada
Wed - Caprese Linguine
Thur - Teriyaki Meatballs
Fri - Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Kale Salad

Baked Mushroom Chicken
2 lb (4-6 peices) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 can full milk
1 tsp each salt and pepper
water as needed
Preheat oven to 350f. In a 9x13 oven safe pan, mix mushroom soup, salt, pepper and seasoning, with milk and 1/2 can full of water until combined. Place chicken in soup mix, making sure not to overlap. Spoon sauce over top to coat, if needed. Bake, covered with foil, for 2-3 hours until fork tender. Keep liquid level up to just below covering meat. Add more HOT water as needed. 
SLOW-COOKER OPTION: Mix ingredients in crock pot and cook on High 6 hour or Low for 8 hours.When chicken is done, take out to thicken sauce if necessary. To thicken sauce, combine 2 tbsp each butter and flour (do not use margarine). Whisk in sauce and boil until it reaches desired thickness. Replace in sauce. Serve immediately. Serve with mashed potatoes and a veggie. (We like seasoned green beans with this).

Tacos de Carne Asada (steak tacos)

2 lb steak cut into thin strips (I like skirt steak or sirlion)
1 tbls taco seasoning (taco seasoning mix: 1 tbls cumin, 1 tbls smoked paprika, 1 tsb chili powder
limes
taco size corn tortillas
Toppings if desired: sour cream, guacamole, cheese, Pico De Gallo, shredded lettuce or cabbage, lime juice
Sprinkle steak with taco seasoning. Grill or cook on grill pan over medium heat until browned and cooked to medium. Heat tortilllas. Serve with toppings.
Teriyaki Meatballs
Sauce:
Kikkoman Teriyaki & Glaze Baste, 11.8 oz
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 cup brown sugar (optional, if you like the sauce sweet)
1 cup hot water
Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1 cup panko bread crumbs
juice 1/2 lime
1 tbsp ground fresh ginger
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, pressed or finely grated
1 tsp sesame oil
First, prepare 4-6 serving of white rice according to package.
Then, Combine ground meat, bread crumbs, egg, ginger, soy sauce and oil in a large mixing bowl (I like my Batter Bowl for this), mix until completely combined. Using small scoop, spoon out scoop-fulls of mix. Drop into a large non-stick skillet that has 1 tbsp of canola oil in it. If desired, you can roll with your hand to make rounder. Cook over high heat until browned.
Meanwhile, mix sauce ingredients in a large bowl. Add to non-stick skillet with the meatballs when the meatballs are brown on all sides. Simmer on medium-low heat until it thickens and the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
OVEN OPTION: drop one ball at a time in a cup of the mini-muffin pan. Bake 375F until done then mix with sauce.

Caprese Linguine

• 1 pound linguine

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 cups roasted cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup olive oil (good quality, tasting olive oil such as California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

• 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, cut into strips

• 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced or shredded (about 1 cup) 

• To roast tomatoes:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-tomatoes-recipe/index.html . 

• Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large serving bowl, mix all ingredients together. Serve warm.

Week of July 10, 2016

Pork Roast

Sun - Pork Roast
Mon - Pork Sandwiches
Tue - Tostadas
Wed - Chicken Caesar Bakes (Pillsbury Recipe)
Thur - Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Rolls
Fri - Philly Cheese "Steak" Sandwiches

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).

Food Network

Chipotle Beef Tostadas Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 large white onion, minced
Kosher salt
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
1 10-ounce can Mexican-style diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, diced
2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
Freshly ground pepper
8 tostada shells (flat crisp tortillas) or taco shells
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, half of the minced onion, 1 teaspoon salt and the chipotle chile powder; cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned and the onion is tender, about 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, beans and zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender, about 6 minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the coleslaw mix, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.
Divide the tostadas among plates and spoon the beef mixture on top. Top with the cheese, slaw and the remaining minced onion. Serve with lime wedges.
Per serving: Calories 805; Fat 54 g (Saturated 19 g); Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 1,297 mg; Carbohydrate 47 g; Fiber 11

Chicken Fried Rice and Egg Rolls

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.


Chicken Caesar Bake
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/caesar-chicken-salad-squares/1b912815-6395-4d74-8372-133fea1b5b67
NOTES/CHANGES:

1. I don't care for mayo, so I omit that entirely, and double the dressing.
2. I switch the "bacon flavor bits" (imitation bacon) for Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits OR 1/2 lb crisped, diced bacon.
3. Sprinkle on Shredded Parmesan on crust right before baking
4. Too hot to bake? You can do this recipe in a wrap instead of a dough! Use a lettuce leaf or a flour tortilla.

Philly Cheese "Steak" Sandwiches
1 lb lean ground beef OR 1 lb of very thinly sliced sirloin steak with 1 tbsp oil
1/2 yellow or sweet onion
1 green bell pepper
Sliced Provolone cheese
4-6 hoagie rolls
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Mayo (optional)
Season ground beef with salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Chop onion and bell pepper into very small pieces. Add to meat in a large nonstick skillet. Use a spatula to chop meat up into small pieces. Brown beef mixture over meduim-high heat until no longer pink. Drain.
Meanwhile, warm rolls in the oven on low heat (170-200F) or in the microwave for 10-30 seconds. Spread on Mayo if desired. Add scoops of the meat mixture until it reaches desired fullness. Top with 2 cheese slices. 

Week of July 3, 2016

Sun - Sausage Ragu with Spaghetti

Swiss Steak

Mon - 4th of July (BBQ ideas from Food Network)
Tue - Chicken Quesadillas
Wed - Swiss Steak
Thur - French Toast with Sausage Links
Fri - Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Quesadillas

6 Medium/Soft Taco size Flour Tortillas
1 lb. Chicken Breast diced or shredded
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Pepper
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 cup Corn Salad/Salsa, prepared
Cooking spray
Instructions:In a skillet, cook the meat, adding seasoned salt and pepper, until completely cooked. Place in bowl and set aside. Pour the two cheeses, corn salsa, and onions into the bowl with the meat and thoroughly mix. Place an equal amount of the filling mixture on each tortilla. Fold each tortilla over to create a "half moon" and press down lightly.
 Coat the skillet or griddle with cooking spray and warm to a medium heat. Lightly brown each quesadilla for two to three minutes on each side until the cheese melts. Remove quesadillas from the pan and cut each into 3 wedges. Serve with the sour cream

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.


Chicken Enchiladas
2 cups fully cooked diced or shredded chicken, salted
12-16 corn tortillas (taco size)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 large can (around 7 oz) of diced green chilies
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsb chyenne chilli powder or Chipotle Chili Rub
1 cup of sour cream
Shredded cheese
Mix soup, chili's, sour cream in a bowl, and set aside. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until flexible.
Spray a 9x13 rectangular baking pan with oil. To assemble the enchiladas, place tortilla in the pan, fill with a spoonful of chicken, cream mixture, and a sprinkling of cheese. Roll the tortilla up with the open side down. Repeat until pan is full. I usually do 12 total - 8 down lengthwise, an two sets of two on the side of the pan. Spread the rest of the cream mix over the top. Sprinkle with cheese.
Heat in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until hot.