week of Aug 13 2017

Mon - Chicken Dumplings
Tue - Ground Beef Tostadas
Wed - Teriyaki Chicken (Instant Pot)
Thur - tortellini 
Fri Fried Rice

Baked Chicken and Dumplings

chicken and veggies

1 lb cooked, diced chicken or turkey

1 can cream of celery or chicken soup

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 small bag of frozen mixed veggies

1 1/2 can of water

salt and pepper

Sauté the onion, celery and garlic until onion is translucent. Meanwhile, mix soup, water, salt and pepper in a 9x13 baking pan. Add all other ingredients, and mix together.

 dumplings - drop biscuits

2  cups flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

4 tbsp soft butter

4 tbsp shortening

3/4 cup butter milk (to make butter milk - add 1 tsp of white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk, let sit 2 minutes)

 Mix dry ingredients, butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with a fork or pastry bender. Until it resembles peas. Add butter milk mix until it forms a dough. Scoop small dumplings out of the mix and drop into the pan on top of the chicken/veg mix.

Bake at 375 uncovered until the dumplings are golden brown and done all the way through. About 30-40 minutes.

Ground Beef Tosadas

12 corn tostada shells

1 (30 oz) can refried beans

1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 is best)

1 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Optional toppings: Salsa, Pico de Gallo, sour cream, sliced pitted black olives, chopped yellow onion, lime juice

Sprinkle meat with taco seasoning. Brown meat, crumble and drian off fat. Warm beans as package directs.

Warm tostada shells according to package. Top with beans, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, cilantro and any additional toppings as desired.

Fried Rice without extra veggies

Veggie Fried Rice

1 bag Vegetable Stir-Fry Mix, 16 Oz, (I like Sugar Snap Pea Mix, you can use any you prefer.)
3 cups cooked white rice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup peas and carrots frozen mix
2 eggs
Scramble eggs, cook. Warm up carrots and peas and veggie mix. 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 veggies. Serve.

week of Aug 6 2017

2 Bean Salad with Bacon

Sun - Pizza
Mon - Chicken and Rice Bake
Tue - Pork Carnitas
Wed - 2 Bean Salad with Bacon
Thur - Pizza Pasta
Fri - BBQ Beer Can Chicken (Food Network Recipe)

Chicken and Rice Casserole Bake
4 skinless, boneless breast filet
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cans of water
2 cups water
2 cups dry Long Grain White Minute Rice
2 tsp Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Sprinkle Chicken Beasts with salt and pepper - both sides. Mix rice, salt, soup and water in the pan. Evenly spread out rice. Place chicken on top. Cover with foil. Bake in 350F oven for 40-60  minutes, or until rice is done and chicken is no longer pink and liquid is adsorbed.

Pork Carnitas - slow cooker
Place the fresh 3 lb shoulder pork roast and 2 cans (7 oz) Mild Diced Green Chilies with liquid and 1 chopped yellow onion into the slow cooker. Cook in slow cooker 8 hours on low. Shred. Serve on warmed tortillas with taco fixings - such as cheese, lettuce

or cabbage, onions, cilantro, lime juice.

Pizza Pasta Salad

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

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup diced sun dried tomatoes in olive oil OR fresh sliced tomatoes

1/3 cup pitted, sliced olives

1/2 diced green bell pepper

1/2 cup pepperoni, diced

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. allow to cool. In a large salad bowl mix ingredients together. Start with oil 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 ingredients. Serve cool or warm.

Green Bean Salad with bacon
Ingredients
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound green and/or wax beans, trimmed and halved
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 lb bacon, diced
Directions
1. Dressing: Whisk the juice, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then whisk in the olive oil. 
2. Brown bacon in a large non-stick skillet. Drain, leaving about 1-2 tbsp of drippings in skillet.
3. Cook grean/wax beans in skillet until tender, about 5 minutes. Stirring often. Add in white beans. Stir together. Empty into salad bowl with dressing. Serve warm or cold. 

4. Before serving, stir the parsley and chives into the salad and season with salt and pepper.

week of July 31 2017

mon Spaghetti alla Margherita 
Tue - Carne Asada Taco (Food Network recipe)
Wed - Gnocchi with Ham and Peas 
Thur - Omelette (Food Network recipe)


Gnocchi with Ham and Peas I will be using packaged, fresh gnocchi for this instead of making my own. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/gnocchi-with-prosciutto-spring-peas-and-chanterelles-recipe/index.html