Week of June 27, 2021

Sun - Cold Sub Sandwiches 

Mon - Panzanella Salad 

Tue - Taco Salad

 Wed - Grilled Pizza 

Thur - Fried Rice

 Fri - Fennell Salad and Sausages

 Tuscan Panzanella Salad Salad: 

1 loaf crusty wheat Italian bread 

1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 

2 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and diced 

1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 

1/4 cup thinly sliced and rinsed red onion (or green onion if red onion is too strong) 

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil 

Vinaigrette: 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 small garlic clove, pressed 3 tbsp Basil Oil or olive oil 

1/2 once fresh shaved Parmesan Cheese, to top 

 1. Preheat oven to 450F for salad, place bread cubes on Bar Pan, bake 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven, and cool completely. In large serving bowl, combine bread cubes, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil. 

2. For vinaigrette, combine vinegar juice and garlic in Small Batter Bowl. While continuously whisking, add in oil. Drizzle dressing over salad, toss to coat. Let stand 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Spoon salad onto serving plates and shave cheese over salad. 

Taco Salad

1 (about 11 oz) sack Doritos or any corn tortilla chips

1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (using left over from roast chicken) OR 1 lb Ground Beef, browned, crumbled and drained

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped (optional)

Beef Taco Salad

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 can black beans

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Salsa and sour cream or salad dressing (optional)

Sprinkle chicken with taco seasoning. Heat chicken and beans, on stove or microwave until hot. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, remaining onions, jalapenos, cilantro, and the juice of the lime in a large bowl. 

Layer salad: chips on bottom, then meat mix, veggie mix, handful of lettuce or cabbage, top with cheese, and salsa and sour cream or salad dressing.

 Grilled Pizza We will be doing build your own pizza, so the toppings will vary but the dough will be the same. My husband will be doing the grilling. Toppings we will have: red, white or pesto sauce; olives, basil, tomato, onion, bell pepper, artichoke, mushrooms, cheese, pepperoni, bacon, sausage, chicken, hot peppers, sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, prosciutto. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/grilled-pizza-three-ways-recipe/index.html

Veggie Fried Rice

Fried Rice without extra veggies

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.

Fennel Salad
1 fennel bulb, bottom only

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

Week of June 20, 2021

Sun- Warm Lemon Pepper Chicken (Pampered Chef) Mon - Japanese Style Pork Chops (Food Network) Tue - Chicken Quesadilla Wed - Pasta Primavera Thur - Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches Fri - Crock Pot Lasagna The Pampered Chef ® Warm Lemon Pepper Chicken Salad 8 oz (250 g) sugar snap peas 1 1/2 lbs (750 g) “B” size red potatoes 2 tsp (10 mL) salt 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4 oz/125 g each) 2 tbsp (30 mL) Lemon Pepper Rub, divided 1 lemon 1 garlic clove, pressed 1/4 cup (50 mL) olive oil 1 medium red bell pepper 1/2 small red onion 1 jar (6 oz/170 mL) marinated artichoke heart quarters, drained 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley (optional) DIRECTIONS: Place peas and 1/4 cup (50 mL) water into Large Micro-Cooker®. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain using small Stainless Mesh Colander; rinse under cold water and set aside. Slice potatoes using Ultimate Mandoline fitted with v-shaped blade. Place potatoes, salt and enough water to cover into Micro-Cooker®. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 13-16 minutes or until tender, stirring twice; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat Grill Pan over medium heat 5 minutes. Rub chicken with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the rub. Spray pan with olive oil using Kitchen Spritzer. Cook chicken 7–9 minutes or until Digital Pocket Thermometer registers 165°F (74°C) and juices run clear, turning once. Remove from pan; set aside and keep warm. For dressing, juice lemon to measure 2 tbsp (30 mL). Combine juice, remaining rub and garlic pressed with Garlic Press in Small Batter Bowl. Slowly add oil, whisking constantly; set aside. Thinly slice chicken, bell pepper and onion using Santoku Knife. Combine peas, chicken, bell pepper, onion, artichokes and parsley, if desired, in Stainless (6-qt./6-L) Mixing Bowl; mix well. Add potatoes and dressing; toss gently. Serve warm. Yield: 6 servings. Nutrients per serving: Calories 300, Total Fat 13 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 50 mg, Carbohydrate 26 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 600 mg, Fiber 4 g Chicken Quesidillas6 Mission® Medium/Soft Taco Flour Tortillas1 lb. Chicken Breast diced1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded1 cup Cheddar Cheese shredded1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt1/2 teaspoon Seasoned Pepper1/2 cup onions, diced1 cup Corn Salad/Salsa, preparedCooking sprayInstructionsIn 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. 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. Philly Cheese "Steak" Sandwiches EASY Primavera 12 ounces fusilli (corkscrew) or bow tie pasta 1/2 pound broccoli florets and/or squash/zucchini 2 carrots, julienned 1 bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, pressed 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 1 jar (15 oz) of your favorite alfredo or parmesan cheese sauce (I use Bertolli) salt and pepper Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Add the squash and/or broccoli, carrots and bell pepper to the boiling water during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta and vegetables and return to the pot. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the tomatoes begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water. Pour the tomato mixture over the pasta and vegetables. WARM option: Add the enire jar of cheese sauce and toss to combine. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper as needed. COOL option: allow pasta and veggies to cool. Toss with 1/2 the cheese sauce OR extra virgin olive oil and grated cheese.

Week of March 7, 2021

Sun - Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden Copy-Cat ("Sausage Soup")

Mon - Sausage and Peppers

Tue - Tostadas

Wed - Swiss Steak

Thur - Roast Chicken

Fri -  Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Zuppa Toscana

• 2 cups chopped kale
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage
  
  
  
• 1 tbsp olive oil (if needed)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
• 3 lb potatoes, sliced
• 1 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepot, over medium heat cook sausage, chop into chunks. When no longer pink, remove meat but leave oil in pan.  Add garlic, and oil if there is less then 2 tbsp of fat in the pan. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.

When potatoes are almost done, add the kale and cook until kale and potatoes are tender. Stir in the milk and cream. Return sausage. Heat through. Serve immediately. (If left to simmer the potatoes will begin to turn into mush and disappear in the liquid.)

Sausage and Peppers with Penne

4 Chicken Sausage links (I like the Artichoke and Mozzarella)

1 red peppers, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic

3 cups penne pasta

In a large non-stick skillet, cook sausage and veggies together until sausage over medium heat. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. When sausage is done, add in tomatoes with juice to skillet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired.

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. Top with beans, then meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, cilantro and any additional toppings as desired.

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.

Roast Chicken
1 (5-6 lb) bone in whole chicken (completely defrosted if from frozen

1 rib celery
1 carrot

1 onion
4 cloves of garlic
handful fresh parsley and thyme sprigs
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Chop onion into 8 pieces. Cut carrot and celery into 3 pieces. Remove skin from garlic. Remove anything in cavity from chicken. Rinse and pat dry. stuff vegetables and 1/2 onion, 1/2 herbs into cavity and neck opening. Put other 1/2 onion and herbs in roasting pan. Rub chicken with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place a meat themamater (oven safe one) in thickest part of chicken. Place chicken on rack in roasting pan. add enough water in bottom to cover bottom of pan. Cover pan (use foil tent if no lid) Roast at 375 about 1 1/2 hours to 165 F internal temp. remove cover for last 20 minutes (when temp at 150 F) to crisp skin.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
1 package (6.9 ounces) RICE-A-RONI® Wild Rice flavor
2 tablespoons of margarine, butter or spread with no trans fat

broth cooking

2-1/2 cups water
6 cups chicken broth (I will be making the broth from left over bones of roast chicken)
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (again, left over)

2 celery ribs, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen peas

In a large skillet or soup pot, saute onion in 2 tbsp butter until translucent. Remove, set aside. Combine rice-vermicelli mix and 2 tablespoons margarine in same skillet. Saute´ over medium heat until vermicelli is golden brown, stirring frequently. Slowly stir in 2 1/2 cups water and Special Seasonings; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer 10 minutes. 

Add broth, carrot, celery, cooked onion, peas, chicken to skillet. Boil until veggies are tender, stirring occasionally. Add slat and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Week of March 2021

Mon - Eating out for my birthday!

Tue - Nachos

Wed - Meatloaf

Thur - Veggie Fried Rice

Fri - Chicken Cacciatore and Spaghetti

Nachos
10 to 20 oz corn tortilla chips
1 (16 oz) can black beans
1 (7 oz) can Mexican-style corn
2-3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 cup chunky salsa

Nachos with Salad

Nachos No Salad

• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup green onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 cup shredded lettuce or cabbage
• Layer chips, beans, corn, salsa and cheese on a baking sheet. Bake 5-10 minutes at 425 in the toaster oven (or standard oven) until warm and the cheese is melted. Top with green onion, tomato, cabbage and dollops of sour cream (toppings optional).
• 
  
• Vegetable Fried Rice

  

  Fried Rice, Egg Roll, Ragoon

  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.
  
  
  Meatloaf (my oven recipe)
  2 lb 15% - 7% fat ground beef 
  1-1/2 cups bread crumbs 
  2 eggs, beaten
  2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  1 tsp each salt and freshly ground pepper
  1 tsp garlic powder OR 2 cloves fresh garlic pressed
  Sauce Topping: 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tbsp BBQ sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar. Mix together in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
  
  
  Mix beef, 1 cup bread crumbs, eggs, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl with a fork or by hand. Keep adding bread crumbs until the mixture holds together when made into a ball.
  Put in a meatloaf pan with holes to allow the grease to dip out. Bake at 350F 1-1 1/2 hours or until middle is no longer pink and reaches 160F in the middle. If desired, spread the sauce topping over the meatloaf (dab off excess grease, if necessary) and leave in oven for 10 minutes.

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

4 chicken breast halves (bone in, skin on)

1 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 tbsp capers

2 carrots, sliced

1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste

Directions

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Brown chicken in 2 tbsp oil in an oven safe pot. Remove chicken after skin is browned. Add veggies to pot and cook for 5 minutes or until onions are soft. Place chicken back and add other ingredients. Bring to boil then set in a 350F oven for 2 hours, or until chicken is fork tender. Serve with pasta.

Slow cooker directions: Place ingredients in Slow Cooker. Cook on High for 6 hours, stirring occasionally and checking fluid level. If the liquid gets too low, add more broth.

Week of Feb 21, 2021

 Sun - Pot Roast

Mon - Egg Casserole and Pancakes (Amelia's B-Day Dinner!)

Tue - Ground Beef Taco Salads

Wed - Baked Potato Soup

Thur - Chicken and Rice Casserole

Fri - Beef Stroganoff

Beef Pot Roast
Ingredients
3 lb chuck roast
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb bag carrots, chopped or baby carrots
4 celery, chopped

Pot Roast (crock pot cooked)

4 cloves garlic, pressed
6 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp thyme
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp browning liquid
5 cups beef or veggie stock
Directions
Brown roast in 2 tbsp oil on high heat preferably in the roasting pan or cast iron pot (Dutch oven) you will be using to roast meat in oven. Turning to brown on all sides. Remove meat. While still on high heat, add 1 cup of the stock, scrap pan. Add all other ingredients except potatoes to pan. Return meat and add enough stock so that liquid reaches about halfway up the side of meat. (Add more stock if needed) Bake covered with foil /lid for 3 hours at 350F. Turn meat over every hour. Remove meat. Add potatoes to pot, and return meat. the liquid should cover the potatoes. Add more HOT stock if need. Cover. Cook for one more hour or until potatoes are tender.
Roast should be fall-apart tender when done.
For Gravy:
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
mix together, whisk into drippings from roast pan on high heat. Boil, whisking constantly until thickness is reached.
NOTE: SLOW-COOKER directions:Add vegetables to bottom of cooker. Pour in stock and bay leaves. Put roast on top and add seasonings. Cook on high for 6 hours. At the last 2 hours, mix in the flour and butter mixture.

Ground Beef Taco Salad

Beef Taco Salad

1 (about 11 oz) sack Doritos or any corn tortilla chips

1 lb Ground Beef, browned, crumbled and drained

1/2 package taco seasoning

1 cup lettuce or cabbage

black bean salsa

Handful cilantro leaves, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2 cups each shredded Monterey Jack and sharp Cheddar cheese

Tomatoes, Olives, Salsa, Sour Cream or salad dressing (optional)

Sprinkle meat with taco seasoning, add mix to coat. Heat bean salsa, on stove or microwave until hot. 

Layer salad: chips on bottom, then meat mix, veggie mix, handful of lettuce or cabbage, top with cheese, and salsa and sour cream or salad dressing, as desired.

Baked Potato Soup
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 box stock (chicken or veggie), heated
4 large baker potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cups milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream
3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup minced chives
grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 lb bacon, cooked crispy and broken up to chunks
Directions
In a large saucepot, over high heat melt the butter add the garlic. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Add the hot stock and whisk to combine. Add potatoes. Add enough hot water to just cover potatoes. Stir in salt and pepper. Boil until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, cook bacon. DO NOT DRAIN potato water.
When potatoes are ready, mash in water with a masher. Leaving some lumps depending on how chunky you like your soup. Stir in the milk, cream, sour cream, and 1/2 the chopped bacon. Heat through, boil until desired thickness is reached. Serve in bowls with chives, cheese, bacon pieces and extra sour cream if desired.

Pancakes and Egg Dish
My daughter Amelia's birthday! Mickey Mouse Pancakes!
Pancakes - use pancake mix and follow directions for mixing.
Heat a griddle or large non-stick skillet to medium (325 on the griddle). Use a large scoop for Mickey's head and a leveled small scoop for each ear. Wait to flip until bubbles form. Cook to golden brown on each side and cooked through. Pancakes are temperamental, if they burn too fast turn down the heat.

Oven Beef Stroganoff
2 lb stew meat (beef cubes)
1 can condensed Healthy Request mushroom soup
2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp each onion salt, garlic powder, salt and pepper
water as needed
1 cup sour cream
3 cups whole grain egg noodles
2 tbsp butter and 2 tbsp flour combined, to thicken gravy/sauce
Preheat oven to 350f. In a 9x13 oven safe pan, mix mushroom soup with 1 1/2 cans full of water until combined. Add Worcestershire sauce and seasonings, mix. Place meat in soup mix. Bake, covered with foil, for 2-3 hours until fork tender. Keep liquid level up to just covering meat. Add more HOT water as needed. Meanwhile, boil noodles, according to package.
When meat 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. Add in sour cream. Mix with meat and noodles. Serve immediately. Serve with a green salad or a veggie. (We like seasoned green beans with this).

Week of Feb 14th 2021

 Sun - (Valentine's Day) Paella

Mon - Chicken Florentine Pasta

Tue - Carnitas

Wed - Verde Enchilidas

Thur - Pot Roast

Fri - Beef and Barley Soup

Paella

1 smoked link sausage ( like kelbasa)

1/2 lb shrimp

2 cups long grian rice

1 cup peas and diced carrots

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 celery stalk

2 garlic cloves, pressed

4 cups chicken/veggie stock

olive oil

Salt and Peper

Chives, Parsely, chopped, to taste

In a large pan with a lid, heat 1 tbsp of oil on medium heat. Brown sausage. Remove. Add extra oil, if needed to have abuot 2 tblsp in the pan. Saute onions until translucent. Add garlic, stir until fragrant. mix in rice, then pour in stock. Add sausage, pepper, celery, peas and carrots. cover and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Then put shrimp on top, turn up heat to medium, recover and cook for another 5 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked thru and have turned pink, and a crust has started to form on the bottom of pan.

Service with chopped chives and/or parsely on top.

Pork Carnitas Tacos with Slaw

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, fresh lime lime juice.

Enchiladas

2+ cups cooked diced or shredded Pork (left over carnitas)

 12-16 corn tortillas (taco size)

Green Chili Enchilada Sauce (see below, can be done week before or buy premade)

1 tsp salt and pepper (each)

1 1/2 - 2 lbs Shredded Colby jack cheese

Enchilada sauce: Sauté 1 small yellow onion diced in sauce pan until translucent. Add 1 cup chicken broth bring to boil. Add 1 (7oz) can of diced green chilis, and1 diced poblano (mild), and 1diced anaheim chili (medium), or 2diced jalapenos (spicy). Take off heat. Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tsp garlic salt. Use an immersion blender or a regular blender to blend until smooth. Taste add salt as needed.

Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until flexible.

Spray a 9x13 rectangular baking pan with oil. Spoon a few spoonfuls of sauce to bottom of pan.

To assemble the enchiladas, place tortilla in the pan, fill with a spoonful of meat, sauce, 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 sauce over the top. Sprinkle with cheese. Heat in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes until hot.

Beef Pot Roast
Ingredients
3 lb chuck roast
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb bag carrots, chopped or baby carrots
4 celery, chopped

Pot Roast (crock pot cooked)

4 cloves garlic, pressed
6 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp thyme
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp browning liquid
5 cups beef or veggie stock
Directions
Brown roast in 2 tbsp oil on high heat preferably in the roasting pan or cast iron pot (Dutch oven) you will be using to roast meat in oven. Turning to brown on all sides. Remove meat. While still on high heat, add 1 cup of the stock, scrap pan. Add all other ingredients except potatoes to pan. Return meat and add enough stock so that liquid reaches about halfway up the side of meat. (Add more stock if needed) Bake covered with foil /lid for 3 hours at 350F. Turn meat over every hour. Remove meat. Add potatoes to pot, and return meat. the liquid should cover the potatoes. Add more HOT stock if need. Cover. Cook for one more hour or until potatoes are tender.
Roast should be fall-apart tender when done.
For Gravy:
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
mix together, whisk into drippings from roast pan on high heat. Boil, whisking constantly until thickness is reached.
NOTE: SLOW-COOKER directions:Add vegetables to bottom of cooker. Pour in stock and bay leaves. Put roast on top and add seasonings. Cook on high for 6 hours. At the last 2 hours, mix in the flour and butter mixture.

Beef and Barley Soup

left over shredded beef for roast (at least 1 cup)

2 box 32 once boxes of beef stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (1/2-inch) diced carrots (4 carrots)

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup   (1/2-inch) diced celery (2 stalks)

2 garlic cloves, pressed

3 bay leaves

32 oz beef broth

2 cups water

1 cup   pearled barley

1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large stew or pasta pot. Add oil in the pot, then put in carrots, onion, celery, and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.

2.  Add the broth and bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Raise the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard the bay leaves, and skim off the fat.

3. Add the barley. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. 

4. Add in the left over meat, and cook until how. 

5. Taste, add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

Week of Feb 1st

Mac n Cheese

Sun Mac 'n Cheese
Mon - Bacon Cheeseburger Tater Tot Casserole
Tue - Chicken Fajitas
Wed - Chicken Alfredo with Bacon
Thur - Falafel with Rice Pilaf
Fri- Loaded Baked Potatoes

3 Cheese Mac n' Cheese

2 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni

3 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

3 cups milk

1 cup EACH sharp cheddar, provolone, and gouda, shredded 

4 oz cream cheese

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

Salt and Pepper to taste

Fresh black pepper

Topping (optional): 3 tbsp butter,1 cup bread crumbs. if you desire a crispy topping. Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Boil the pasta to al dente, according to package. 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 on a med-high heat. Whisk in the flour, turn down the heat to low, and keep it moving for about 2-5 minutes, until it smells nutty. Make sure it's free of lumps. Turn the heat back up to high and stir in the milk, simmer, stirring constantly, until it starts to bubble. Turn down heat to medium. Stir in cream cheese, until incorporated  Stir in 1/3 of the cheese at a time, waiting for each patch to melt. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Fold the macaroni into the mix. Taste, add more salt and pepper if needed. May serve now

OR  if desired, bake to get a crispy crust: pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. top with extra cheese and/or topping. Bake for 10-30 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving. (baked option showed above).

Tater Tot Cheeseburger casserole

1 can of condensed cream of cheddar cheese

1 (25-30 oz) bag of tater tots

1 lb ground beef

1/2 lb bacon, browned (I will be cooking the whole 1 lb package, using the other half for alfredo)

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

seasoning mix: 1/2 tsp each salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

1. Crisp tots in oven on a cookie sheet at 425F for 10 minutes. 

2. Season ground beef, brown and drain. Set aside.

3. Layer 1/2 the tots, 1/2 the soup, 1/2 the bacon, 1/2 beef, and then 1/2 the cheese in a 2 quart casserole dish. Repeat. Bake at 350F until warm in center, about 30 minutes.

Chicken Fajitas

3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

3 tablespoons lime juice

Zest of 1 lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

Salt and pepper

6-8 Fajita size Flour tortillas

Toppings if desired: sour cream, guacamole, cheese, Pico De Gallo, extra lime juice

Sprinkle meat with cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp veggie oil over medium-high heat. Cook meat, peppers, onion, and garlic until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice and zest. Serve with warmed tortillas and toppings.

Chicken Alfredo with Bacon

1/2 lb bacon

2-3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 package (12 oz.) fettuccine, cooked and drained
1 jar Bertolli® Alfredo Sauce

Use a electric grill to grill chicken until cooked through. Slice

Cook fettuccine according to package. Heat sauce over medium heat until it comes to boil. Careful, it burns easily.
Toss hot fettuccine with hot sauce. Garnish, if desired, with fresh ground black pepper and chopped parsley.

Falafel

Falafel, Rice Pilaf, Hummas, Veggie Sticks

1 (14 oz) can white canneli beans, drained

1 (14 oz) can chick peas, drained

1 cup bread crumbs
2 large egg
1 cup AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 small handful Italian parsley, chopped fine

1 small handful cilantro, chopped fine

Using a food processor with the chopping blade mix beans, bread crumbs, eggs, salt, pepper, cumin, oil until completely Incorporated. Add herbs, mix until incorporated. Place into a mixing bowl, add flour and fold in until completely mixed. 

Using large scoop, spoon out scoop-fulls of mix. Drop into deep fat fryer or a pan with 1/2 inch oil in the bottom of a large skillet. Drain when done. serve with tzaziki  and lemon wedges (for squirting over the falafel).