Starting Again; This Week's Plan

One of my goals lately has been  to get back into writing this blog.  When I was doing it I really enjoyed  taking pictures and writing about my cooking.  I might do things a little differently this time around and I might not do an article every day or each one have a recipe.  Even when I haven't been writing I still find myself coming back hear to get dinner ideas based on the things I have tried and really liked.

One thing I want to start doing is writing down my plans for the week.  I already do this so that I can get my grocery list together for the week but I'd like to have a record for me and to share with you what my intentions are.  So yesterday we went to the farmer's market and the grocery store and after all that shopping I want something easy for dinner so we had a chicken cordon bleu Stromboli.  It was delicious.  I can't wait to think of some more stromboli fillings.  It's such an easy dinner and pleases the whole family.  You just put your fillings on the pizza dough, roll it up and bake.

This week's plan:

	Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Breakfast	Waffles	French Toast Sticks w/ PB dipping sauce	Whole Wheat Toast with cream cheese and fruit	Banana Bread and Yogurt	Whole Grain pancakes with Fruit	Oatmeal or Cereal with Fruit
Lunch	--	Grilled ham and cheese; Tomato soup	Enchiladas	Pulled Pork	Pot Roast	Chicken Parm
Snack	--	Toddler Trail Mix	Red Pepper hummus and pita chips	Graham crackers and applesauce	String Cheese and crackers	Yogurt Pops
Dinner	Chile Burgers w/ Guacamole and Steak Fries	Chicken Enchiladas, Mexican Rice	Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Fries	Pot Roast, Mashes Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli	Chicken Parmesan, Whole Wheat Spaghetti	Pork Schnitzel, Mushroom Spaetzle, Baked Apples

Note: Darren makes his incredible waffles on Sunday mornings so we're never really that hungry so we kind of graze throughout the day until dinner time.  Also I don't get that inventive with lunch ideas because we tend to eat leftovers if there are any.

Sweet Mustard Pork Roast

I found this blog recently when searching for new crockpot recipes. The funny thing is about two days after I found the blog, the writer was a guest on Rachael Ray. I've grown more in love with the idea of cooking dinner in the crockpot since my youngest was born. It seems like right at 5 o'clock when I'm ready to start cooking is when the baby wants to eat and my toddler wants attention. So crockpot days go by so much easier. I can throw things together during naps or breakfast and not have to worry about it much for the rest of the day.

Anyway, I've tried out a few of her recipes and they've been pretty good. My husband requested a pork roast when making our shopping list so I decided to try this Sweet Mustard Roast. It was yummy!!! I chose it because of our love of mustard but it actually tasted different than I expected. My family asked what barbecue sauce I had used because that's what it tasted like: really good barbecue sauce. Definitely a keeper. I think I'll try what she did and do a beef roast with this same recipe next time. I served this with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. Easy and delicious!

Recipe (Serves 4)

3 lbs beef or pork roast
1/3 c molasses
1/3 c Dijon mustard
1 t garlic powder
2 T apple cider vinegar

Put roast in slow cooker. Top with molasses, mustard, vinegar, and garlic powder. Turn meat in sauce to coat. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high for 4.

Chicken Tandoori

Another issue of Food Network Magazine brought me another Indian dish that I was willing to try: Chicken Tandoori. It is most known for it's fiery red color and is usually cooked in a clay oven (tandoor.) The color comes from certain red chili powders and sometimes even food coloring. While mine was not as red as others the flavor was great and I think this is most important. This dinner was also another milestone for me because I cooked on the grill with no help for the first time. It's just something I've always left to my husband and I love my grill pan. But, with the summer approaching I decided it's time for me to get out there. I used boneless skinless chicken instead of the thighs recommended because that's what I prefer. The funny thing was I did not realize until I started dinner that we had purchased chicken tenderloins. There kind of a pain to cook on the grill as the pieces are so small. Oh well. It was still really good. I served it with Basmati rice, roasted green beans, and some fresh Naan bread (I meant to make some from scratch but forgot about it until it was time to start dinner, but hubby came through with some from the store). Husband happy, kids happy, mom happy.

Recipe (Serves 4)

2 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken
juice of 1 lemon
salt
1/2 c plus 2 T plain yogurt
1 T oil
1/2 red onion
3 cloves garlic
2 inch piece ginger, peeled
4 t tomato paste
2 t coriander
1 1/2 t cumin
1 3/4 t paprika
2 T cilantro, chopped

Preheat broiler or grill. Make shallow cuts in the chicken. Toss with lemon juice and 1 1/2 t salt.

In food processor, pulse 2 T yogurt, oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 1 1/2 t paprika and 1/2 t salt to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the paste and allow to marinate 15 minutes.

Combine remaining 1/2 c yogurt, 1/4 t paprika, cilantro, and a pinch of salt.

To cook either grill until slightly charred or broil in a foil lined pan until slightly charred about 5-6 min per side. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice.

Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Stir-Fry is one of those dinners that is so great when I don't know what to make and want to throw something together quick. This dinner takes about as long as it does to cook the rice (18 minutes). Our family really likes Beef and Broccoli so this is my little take on that. I also added some red bell pepper because my daughter likes it so much. Simple, but satisfying.

Recipe (Serves 4)

1 lb stir-fry beef or sirloin sliced into thin bite-sized pieces
1 lb broccoli florets
1 red pepper, chopped
1 inch ginger, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c cornstarch
2 T hoisin sauce
2-3 T sherry
1/4 - 1/2 c soy sauce (I use the reduced-sodium)
oil

Combine the cornstarch and beef in a Ziploc bag and shake to coat. Combine hoisin, sherry, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Heat a little oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until browned. Add broccoli, red pepper, ginger and garlic, and continue to stir-fry a few minutes, until broccoli is desired texture (most people prefer crisp-tender; I usually go a little longer because we like it that way and it's easier for little kids to eat). Add sauce mixture and stir to coat and cook to desired thickness. Serve over rice.

Chicken Cacciatore

This recipe has just about all of the things I love in a classic Italian pasta dinner. Except cheese, of course, although it is one recipe where I find I don't miss the cheese. It's just so good. My husband, always budget conscious, recently asked me why I don't ever buy chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. I mainly don't buy them because of the additional fat versus breasts. I decided to try them with this recipe and I was not to thrilled. The fat and the texture just made me miss my chicken breasts. The dish was still very good but I will definitely do chicken breasts next time. Serve it over your favorite pasta (I like it with spaghetti). Delizioso!

Recipe (Serves 4 with leftovers)

2 - 2 1/2 lbs chicken (it will work with both bone-in and boneless)
salt and pepper
1/2 c flour
3 T olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3/4 c white wine
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes w/ juice
3/4 c chicken broth
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1/4 c chopped fresh basil

Season the chicken with about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper and then dredge in flour. Heat oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Saute chicken until brown, about 5 minutes a side. Don't crowd the pan, do it in batches. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add the wine. Simmer to reduce by half and then add the tomatoes (with juice), broth, and oregano. Return chicken to the pan, bring to a simmer, and reduce to med-low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 30 minutes for breasts and 50 minutes for thighs). At this point you can bring the sauce to a boil to thicken slightly. Top with basil and serve over spaghetti.

Bacon Mac and Cheese

Here's the next in my series of mac and cheese recipe. I was looking for inspiration and noticed some recipes with bacon in them. I also decided to change up the cheese a little and did a combination of swiss and cheddar. It was definitely a good idea. When I went to make dinner I realized of all things I forgot to buy macaroni! I did have some pasta wheels in the pantry so I thought I'd try those. It was actually a good mistake because I loved how the cheese filled up the little holes in the pasta. Yum-o! We had this with breaded pork chops and some roasted green beans. It was a comfort food feast.

Recipe (4-6 plus leftovers)

1 lb macaroni or pasta wheels
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 T butter
3 T flour
3 c milk
1/2 t dry mustard
salt and pepper
1/2 lb swiss cheese
1/2 lb cheddar, shredded and divided
3/4 c panko bread crumbs

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Preheat oven to 375.

In large skillet or saucepan add bacon and turn heat to med to med-high. Cook bacon until crisp and remove to paper towels. Remove most of the bacon grease and add butter and flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then whisk in milk and dry mustard. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and sauce just begins to bubble. Remove from heat and melt in swiss and 1 c cheddar. Combine with pasta. In a greased casserole dish pour in about half of the macaroni and cheese. Sprinkle about half of the remaining cheddar on top and then top with remaining macaroni, remaining cheddar and panko bread crumbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes until top is golden and sauce is bubbly.

Chicken Satay Stir-Fry

This is one of those recipes that I can make that is guaranteed to make everyone happy. It is so good and quick and easy. I saw it on a 30 Minute Meal episode originally. It's a great family meal but also great for company. You can have everything chopped ahead of time and then quickly stir-fry it when it's time to eat. I leave out the snow peas because we're not big fans and I don't feel that it really adds anything to the dish. Also, she originally called for creamy peanut butter and then to add some chopped peanuts. I skip a step and just use crunchy peanut butter. The rice is also a great addition to this meal. You can use regular long-grain rice if you don't want to buy jasmine, but don't skip the orange zest. It really adds something.

IMPORTANT: because of the honey in the sauce, this recipe is not for kiddos under 1.

Recipe (Serves 4 plus leftovers)

Rice

3 3/4 c water
zest of 2 oranges
2 c jasmine rice

Stir-Fry

2 T oil
1 1/2 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 cloves garlic, minces
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 medium carrots cut into matchsticks
6 scallions, cut on an angle into 2 inch pieces

Sauce

4 T chunky peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
3 T honey
1-inch ginger root, peeled and minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 orange, juiced


Heat water with orange zest to boiling. Add rice, return to boil, stir. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook rice until tender, 18 minutes. Fluff with fork.

For stir-fry, heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and onion, stir-fry 3 minutes. Add remaining veggies and stir-fry 5 minutes more. Heat all ingredients for sauce together in a small pot over LOW heat, stirring the sauce until all ingredients are combined. Combine stir-fry and sauce and serve over jasmine rice.