Weekly Menu 10/31 through 11/6

Saturday 10/31 - Pizza

Sunday 11/1 - Spicy Turkey Meatloaf (got bumped)

Monday 11/2 - Adam's on his own - I'll be working late and will go straight from work to church

Tuesday 11/3 - Creamed Chicken with Gnocchi Dumplings

Wednesday 11/4 - Beefy Tex-Mex Stir-Fry

Thursday 11/5 - We're going out

Friday 11/6 - Rigatoni Bake

Double-Bacon Gourmet Cheeseburgers

From Weber Grill Creations (the recipe came with something Adam bought - maybe the jerky stuff? I don't remember.)



Ingredients:
10 slices bacon
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck (80% lean)
1 tablespoon Weber® Grill Creations® Gourmet Burger Seasoning
4 thin slices cheese, Cheddar or Monterey jack
4 hamburger buns
4 medium slices ripe tomato
4 pieces lettuce

Directions:
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook half of the bacon at a time until crisp, about 10 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain each batch of bacon on paper towels.

2. Crumble 2 slices of bacon into a medium bowl. Mix in the ground chuck and the Weber® Grill Creations® Gourmet Burger. Shape into 4 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.

3. Grill the patties over Direct High heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until medium, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once when the patties release easily from the grate. During the last couple minutes of grilling, put a slice of cheese on each patty to melt. Also toast the hamburger buns, cut side down, over Direct High heat. Assemble the burgers on buns with the tomato, lettuce, and the remaining bacon slices.

Comments:
I cooked these inside in a skillet. Made some smoke, but not too bad. I had problems with my bun to burger proportions again - this time I made the burgers super thick so they were kind of hard to eat. Someday I'll get it right! Anywho... I couldn't find the Weber seasonings at either of the grocery stores I looked at but luckily they'd included a sample size with the recipe cards so it was all good. I might still keep an eye out for it...

Asian Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mushrooms
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 pounds ground beef
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon prepared wasabi
8 sesame seed hamburger buns, split
3 cups shredded Chinese or napa cabbage

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into eight patties.

In two large skillets, cook burgers in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.

Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise and wasabi; spread over buns. Serve burgers on buns with cabbage.

Comments:
Hmm. I kind of "De-Asian-ified" this a bit. Left out the water chestnuts (Adam doesn't like), mushrooms (I don't like) and wasabi (don't have, not worth buying just for this.) I also (obviously) took the lazy way out and used pre-shredded, bagged cabbage. Other than that I stuck to the plan. They were good. Nice crunch from the celery and cabbage with just a hint of soy in the background.

Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Enchiladas

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 cups diced zucchini
10 ounces frozen corn
15 ounces black beans, rinsed
2 cups enchilada sauce, divided (recipe follows)
cooking spray
8 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided

Enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
28 ounces crushed tomatoes

Directions:
To make sauce:
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add onion and garlic. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes Stir in broth and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes Makes 3 cups!

To assemble and cook enchiladas:
Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium high. Add zucchini and corn; saute 5 mins or until tender. Remove from heat and then stir in the black beans. Spread a cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom on a 13x9 or larger baking dish coating with cooking spray. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mix down the center of a tortilla and sprinkle with a couple of tbs. of the cheese. Roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat and then top with remaining enchilada sauce.

Bake for 30 mins and then add the remaining cheese on the top and cook for 10 mins or until cheese melts.

Comments:
I cheated and bought canned enchilada sauce. Perhaps a mistake, since that's the part I liked the least about this dish. The filling is great and I ate the leftovers that didn't fit in the tortillas by itself and was very happy. I didn't dig the enchilada sauce and will probably disassemble them when I eat the leftovers. Adam didn't mind them - except for the beans.

Project Feed Me Week Three

I've added a "Project Feed Me" area of there to the right, but I figured I'd post each week with an update too to help things out.

It's week three and this week's food is mac and cheese. Kind of funny since I just made that BLT mac and cheese last night. I don't even have to go to the store for this one. I have at least two boxes in the cupboard. Awhile back I had a moment of weakness at Sam's ended up with something like 24 boxes of mac and cheese. Been regretting it ever since seeing as how it has basically no nutritional value. So, this will help get rid of at least two of the boxes!

BLT Creamy Mac 'n' Cheese

From Everyday with Rachael Ray (I don't see it on the site)



Ingredients:
salt
1 pound ziti rigati pasta
EVOO
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise and slice crosswise
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp tomato paste
6 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded asiago, grana padano, or parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the leeks and cook until softened, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in half of the shredded cheese and the reserved cooking water.

3. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Pile into a casserole and top with the tomatoes and remaining cheese. Bake until browned on top, 7 to 8 minutes.

Comments:
This sounded very similar to the BLT Pasta Bake I was going to make last week so when that got bumped I just swapped this out. It was easy to make and tasted very good. I'm looking forward to the leftovers.

Project Feed Me

I found this on one of the cooking blogs I stalk. It sounds like a wonderful idea.

Basic premise: Each week for nine weeks she will post an item that food pantries are in need of on her blog (currently in week two: first week was chili, second was tuna.) Go out, buy two of said item. At the end of the nine weeks, take all your purchases to your local food pantry.

Sometimes it's easy to get lost in the "one step forward, two steps back" that we seem to be stuck in these days. This kind of project reminds us that we are indeed blessed to be where we are. I encourage you to participate, even if it's in an unofficial capacity. Link below to sign up and for additional info.

Weekly Menu 10/24 through 10/30

Saturday 10/24 - Adam's hoping to get some crab legs while they're on sale so I'll be eating whatever I can find.

Sunday 10/25 - Asian Burgers

Monday 10/26 - Inside-Out English Muffin Grilled Cheese (from EDRR, don't see it on the site)

Tuesday 10/27 - Charred Chicken Caesar Sammies

Wednesday 10/28 - BLT Creamy Mac 'n' Cheese (also a EDRR I can't find. They're from the most recent issue - maybe they're not up yet?)

Thursday 10/29 - Spicy Turkey Meatloaf

Friday 10/30 - Double-Bacon Gourmet Cheeseburgers

BBQ Turkey Breast Roast

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breast roast
1 tsp EVOO
2 tbsp barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist an 8 x 8 glass baking dish or nonstick baking pan with olive oil spray. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

Place the turkey on a cutting board. With a fork, pierce each side deeply about 25 times. Drizzle on the oil and rub to coat evenly on both sides. Sprinkle on the reserved seasoning mixture. Rub to coat evenly on both sides. With the smooth side of the breast down, drizzle on half of the barbecue sauce, rubbing to coat. Place the turkey, smooth side up, in the prepared pan. Rub the remaining barbecue sauce over the smooth side of the breast. Pour the water into the pan, taking care not to pour it over the turkey.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Place on a clean cutting board. Carve, against the grain, into thin slices.

Comments:
Ok, so where does one procure a 1 1/2 pound turkey breast roast? I looked at three different stores and couldn't find a turkey breast smaller than 5 pounds. And that sucker would take a whole lot longer than 35 minutes to cook. I went with turkey tenderloins and they ended up kind of dry. I'm not a turkey fan in the first place. Add to that the barbecue thing and I only lasted two bites. Not for me.

Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 cup lukewarm water
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing
2 cups Meat Sauce
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:
Using a standing mixer fitted with the hook attachment, combine the lukewarm water and yeast; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the flour and salt and mix on medium speed until the dough is smooth and wraps around the hook, about 5 minutes. Grease a large bowl with olive oil, transfer the dough to the bowl and let rise, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium skillet, cook the meat sauce over medium heat, stirring, until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes; let cool.

Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out to a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Scatter the cheese on top, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Spoon the meat sauce over the cheese. Brush the border with some of the beaten egg and roll the dough up loosely, beginning at the short end. Transfer to a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, brush with more egg and cut 3 vents on top. Bake until golden-brown, about 40 minutes.

Comments:
Oh who are we kidding. We all know I didn't make the dough myself. And we all know RR wouldn't either. So whatever. The recipe itself suggests using store-bought pizza dough. I've found it gets too dry for my liking so I went with bread dough instead. Worked great except for how my seam came apart during the baking process. And I think I should have lowered the temp back down to 350 because the bottom got a little crunchy. All in all, good stuff. I did alter it a little more by adding sausage and using store-bought sauce. Once again kind of using the recipe for inspiration and going off in my own direction.

Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

From Beer Cookbook: 101 Recipes with Beer



Ingredients:
4 lbs rump roast
1 10.5 oz can beef broth
1 10.5 oz can condensed French onion soup
1 12 oz can or bottle beer
6 French rolls
2 tbsp butter

Directions:
Trim excess fat from the rump roast and place in slow cooker. Add the beef broth, onion soup, and beer. Cook on low setting for 7 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split French rolls nad spread with butter. Bake 10 minutes or until heated through. Slice the meat on the diagonal and place on the rolls. Serve with the sauce for dipping.

Comments:
This was actually pretty good. Good luck "slicing the meat on the diagonal" though. After 7 hours in the slow cooker it just falls apart. I skipped the butter and oven bit and just put the (non-French) rolls in the toaster oven for a few minutes. And condensed French onion soup? Who knew?

Layers of Love Chocolate Brownies

From the Copps ad in last week's newspaper. It's a Nestle recipe.



Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Baking Cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup White Morsels
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
3/4 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 8-inch-square baking pan.

Combine cocoa, flour and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract; mix well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Reserve 3/4 cup batter. Spread remaining batter into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle pecans and white morsels over batter. Drizzle caramel topping over top. Beat remaining egg and reserved batter in same large bowl until light in color. Stir in semi-sweet morsels. Spread evenly over caramel topping.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Comments:
I could not get a decent picture of the individual brownie to save my life. I tried in the kitchen, by the window, in the living room. Adam tried. We failed. So yeah, you get the highly unattractive pan with one missing. Sorry...

Anywho, these are not for me. They have caramel and white chocolate, two things I do not like. But I did lick the knife I used to cut them and wow! they're chocolately. Very rich.

Adam Makes Applesauce (The Sequel)

Using a recipe from Recipezaar



Ingredients:
20 large tart apples
4 cups water
1/2 cup brown sugar, to taste
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, to taste
1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, to taste

Directions:
1. Peel and core, and quarter apples.

2. Place in a large pot with the 4 cups water.

3. Over medium heat bring to a simmer, reduce to medium low and cook until apples are soft, stirring constantly.

4. Mash apples until desired consistency is reached.

5. Add Sugar, Lemon Juice and spices to taste.

6. While stirring bring applesauce to a full boil.

7. Remove from heat and ladle into clean hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

8. Process for 25 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Comments:
Adam made applesauce before back in 2006 when we were still at our apartment. (He doesn't remember this, but I have proof.) The urge hit again so we bought a ridiculous amount of apples and he spent a good deal of the afternoon peeling, stirring, and canning. Not my thing (applesauce or canning) but whatever keeps him happy...

Weekly Menu 10/17 through 10/23

Saturday 10/17 - We're going to dinner with my dad and Cheryl at the Idlewile in St. Cloud.

Sunday 10/18 - Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

Monday 10/19 - Easy Slow Cooker French Dip (from the Beer Cookbook)

Tuesday 10/20 - Adam's on his own - my monthly professional meeting - it's student night!

Wednesday 10/21 - BLT Pasta Bake (From RR's 365 cookbook. Link is to Recipezaar - someone posted it there.)

Thursday 10/22 - BBQ Turkey Breast Roast (from The Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Friday 10/23 - Black Bean, Corn, and Zucchini Enchiladas (shhh, don't tell Adam they're "vegetarian.")

Springtime Bows with Asparagus, Ham, and Peas (...or not)

From Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats



Ingredients:
1 pound bow-tie pasta
1/4 cup EVOO
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 pound asparagus
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 pound prosciutto, chopped or shredded
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh basil leaves
salt & pepper

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the bow ties al dente. Drain, reserving a couple ladles of the cooking water.

Halve each stalk of asparagus lengthwise, then cut into 2-inch pieces. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO, shallot, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the asparagus. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooking water, drained pasta, and cheese. Add the peas and prosciutto as you toss. The peas will heat through quickly. Season with salt and pepper and serve in shallow bowls with lots of basil on top.

Comments:
Oo-kay. So, I'm thinking I should rename this one Autumn Radiatore with Asparagus, Bacon, and Green Beans. Utter and total FAIL with following the ingredient list.

I thought I had bow ties, but turns out I didn't, so I subbed another cool shaped pasta. It was a lot smaller than the bow ties would have been so not only did it cook faster (and therefore got kinda mushy) but it took up a lot more space that I anticipated. No worries.

Hey I had asparagus! But I didn't halve it. I just cut it into chunks. Worked fine.

Ham? I guess that'd be the prosciutto. What's the difference between prosciutto and pancetta? Are they the same thing? Eh, doesn't really matter since I generally ignore that and sub bacon. Which is what I did here. Mmmmm. Bacon.

I could have SWORN I got at least one bag of peas a few weeks back when they were 10/$10 at the grocery store. But lo and behold - many, MANY bags of corn. No peas. Drat. So I figured beans would work. They're...green. I nuked them for a few minutes to give them a head start since they are bigger than peas.

All in all, disregarded the ingredients, but followed the method. Adam enjoyed it (although he didn't notice the beans until I pointed out that I had swapped them for the peas. That "not paying attention to what he's eating" thing again I guess) and even went back for seconds. Woo!

Double-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 cup small shell pasta
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup breadcrumbs
Four 8- to 10-ounce chicken breasts
3 cups store-bought marinara sauce

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta for 4 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water. Transfer to a bowl and add the mozzarella, ricotta, parmesan and 1/4 cup parsley; season with salt.

In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs. Place the breadcrumbs in another shallow bowl.

Stuff the pasta-cheese mixture under the skin of each chicken breast. Dip the stuffed chicken breasts in the eggs, roll in the breadcrumbs, then place skin side up on the prepared pan. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the breast registers 165°, about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the marinara sauce. Serve each breast on a bed of sauce, topped with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Comments:
Hmm. I followed this recipe pretty well except for the skin part. I have boneless, skinless breasts here. Chicken skin is gross. So I just cut a slit in the breasts and shoved the filling in there. Worked out pretty well. It didn't ooze out all over the place like the last time I made a stuffed chicken breast...

Flavor-wise, it's not bad. Adam claims he didn't even notice there was pasta in it, but sometimes I suspect he eats without really paying much attention to what he's eating. This is a blessing at times when I botch dinner up. :)

Anyway.

I was originally going to defrost some of the pasta sauce I made in the slow cooker a few weekends ago, but I changed my mind last minute and stopped at the store on the way home for what Eat This, Not That recommends - Barilla's Tomato and Basil. Pretty good, although kind of thin and easily separated (as evidenced by the photo.)

Eastern Shore Crab Slaw

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/2 pound green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 pound red cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon celery seeds
Two 6-ounce cans crabmeat, drained
2 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the green and red cabbage. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice and celery seeds; add to the cabbage and toss well. Add the crabmeat and eggs and toss; season with salt and pepper.

Comments:
This is pretty much a brainless recipe. Especially when you cheat and use coleslaw mix in bag. And make your husband hard-boil his own eggs. I don't do hard-boiled eggs so I don't even really know how to go about it. And I hate the smell. But I took one for the team so this could be made correctly.

Adam really liked it although I think my short-cut coleslaw mix thing might have thrown the balance of meat to cabbage out of whack. Still, no complaints. Hopefully he eats the leftovers.

Leek & Bacon Tart

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 9-inch frozen pie shell, thawed
2 large eggs, 1 separated
2 leeks, green parts discarded and whites thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 1/2 cups)
3 slices thick-sliced smoked bacon, cut crosswise 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Prick the crust all over with a fork, fill with pie weights and cover with foil. Bake for 15 minutes; remove the foil and weights.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white; lightly brush the crust with some egg white, reserving the rest. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, add the leeks to a salad spinner and cover with water. Swish the leeks around to separate the pieces and dislodge any dirt. Slowly lift the basket from its bowl so the dirt stays at the bottom; discard the water and rinse the bowl. Replace the basket and spin the leeks dry.

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Add the leeks to the skillet and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, beat together the remaining whole egg, egg yolk, beaten egg white and the sour cream. Stir in the heavy cream, milk, nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set the crust on a baking sheet. Spread the leek-bacon mixture in the bottom, then pour in the cream mixture. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool for 20 minutes before serving.

Comments:
A little more complicated than most RR recipes. I don't have pie weights (we all know what happens when I try to bake pies) so I skipped those and it seemed to turn out ok. I think my shell was only 8 inches so I couldn't fit all the filling in. I also used all milk instead of half heavy cream. It was a teensy bit runny, but nothing serious. Still tasted great.

Adam's suggestion? Add cheese. *sigh*

Weekly Menu 10/10 through 10/16

Saturday 10/10 - Peachy Barbecue Chicken (got bumped by an ill-advised indulgence of a Mexican food craving)

Sunday 10/11 - Leek & Bacon Tart

Monday 10/12 - Eastern Shore Crab Slaw

Tuesday 10/13 - Double-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Wednesday 10/14 - Adam's Night Out

Thursday 10/15 - Springtime Bows with Asparagus, Ham, and Peas (From RR's 365 cookbook - don't see the recipe online anywhere)

Friday 10/16 - Bacon Cheeseburger Calzones

Turkey Goulash

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 pound ground turkey
1 15oz can kidney beans
1 medium yellow squash, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 14.5oz can stewed tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp extra-spicy seasoning mix
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Lightly mist a medium nonstick pot with olive oil spray. Set over medium heat. Place the onions and garlic in the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-7 minutes, or until the onion is tender. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Set the pot over medium-high heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on it. With an oven mitt, briefly remove the pan from the heat to mist lightly with olive oil spray. Add the turkey to the pot. Cook, breaking into chunks with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the beans with liquid, squash, tomatoes, chili powder, seasoning mix, salt, cayenne, and reserved onion mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Comments:
My only problem with this cookbook as a whole is their weird directions. And their obsession with "lightly misting" olive oil spray. Gargh!

Anyway, I made this my way. That is, in a way that makes sense. I put some olive oil in the pan, heated it, added the onions, garlic, and turkey. Cooked it until the turkey was done, added everything else (except the "spicy seasoning mix." What the heck is that?) and cooked it for 40 minutes. Turned out fine. Perhaps I added a few more calories using actual oil rather than a spray. Eh. It'll happen.

I thought this was very good. A nice spicy burn in the background from the chili powder and cayenne. Adam hated it. He has this thing against beans and it ruined the whole thing for him. He pretty much picked out the squash, ate some turkey, and then declared the dish "too bean infested." He then snacked on potato chips. I thought that might happen. Oh well. More leftovers for me!

Mini Caesar Salad Pizzas

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 canned anchovy fillet
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
3/4 head romaine lettuce, shredded (about 4 cups)
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped

Directions:
Preheat a grill to medium-high. Using a food processor, puree the parmesan, 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and anchovy.

Cut the pizza dough into 4 pieces. On a baking sheet, rub the dough with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and press each piece into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle. Place the dough on the grill, cover and cook until browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Brush one side of each pizza with the anchovy dressing. Top with the lettuce and tomato; drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Comments:
I skipped the grill part and just baked the crust in the oven. 10 minutes and it was perfect. I also opted for anchovy paste rather than messing with a food processor and a can of fillets. Really, when am I going to use all the other ones in the can if this recipe only needs one? It worked just fine. Adam didn't seem to be bothered by it and even requested seconds. Woo! He did suggest perhaps making it a CHICKEN caesar salad pizza. Interesting thought.

Weekly Menu 10/3 through 10/9

Saturday 10/3 - Turkey Goulash (Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Sunday 10/4 - Mini Caesar Salad Pizzas

Monday 10/5 - Chicken and Veggies (in the slow cooker)

Tuesday 10/6 - Onion Soup with Cheese Crostini

Wednesday 10/7 - Spicy Meatballs with Chili Sauce

Thursday 10/8 - Carbonara Pasta Frittata

Friday 10/9 - Peachy Barbecue Chicken

Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
1 cup white rice
1 cup drained piquillo peppers or 2 roasted red peppers
1/3 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
One 3/4- to 1-pound package Spanish chorizo, cut on an angle into 12 slices
2 serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 15-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
Salt and pepper

Directions:
In a pot, bring the chicken broth and EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, to a boil. Add the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Using a food processor, puree the piquillo peppers. Stir the puree into the rice along with the parsley and paprika. Cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat a drizzle of EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp, turning, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Add the chiles, onion and garlic to the skillet and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and beans; season with salt and pepper.

Serve the rice in shallow bowls topped with the beans and chorizo.

Comments:
Mark this day down in the record books. I actually bought and used a serrano chile. Yes, really. I was impressed with me too. I did leave out the piquillos though so it was more like "slightly pink rice" rather than "red rice". I can't try too many new things at one time. That'd be scary.

Anywho! This was pretty good. I did eat a couple pieces of chorizo even though it's not really my thing. Overall, not too spicy. But still a little much for my wussy taste buds. Adam didn't get the whole effect since he was preoccupied with cable connectivity problems tonight. Hopefully he'll try some leftovers. Ha.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

From a recipe card in my box. No idea where it's from.



Ingredients:
4 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
14 manicotti tubes
15 oz Ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tbsp butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
In a heavy skillet over medium heat add 1 tbsp olive oil, onion, and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until meat is brown and onion is translucent. Remove and cool. Cook manicotti until slightly softened. Remove and cool. Combine ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and mix well. Stir meat into cheese mixture.

Spoon 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese mixture. Arrange in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Dot entire dish with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Comments:
Yeah, not the prettiest picture there. They kind of fell apart on the way out of the pan. But they taste good so I guess looks aren't everything. This is my favorite go-to meat-filled manicotti recipe. Good combination of meat and cheeses.

Provolone 'n' Turkey Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 slices rye bread
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 slices provolone cheese (1/2 ounce each)
10 spinach leaves
4 ounces sliced deli peppered turkey
4 roasted sweet red pepper strips
4 teaspoons butter

Directions:
Spread two bread slices with mustard. Layer with cheese, spinach, turkey and red pepper. Top with remaining bread. Spread outsides of sandwiches with butter. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
I used whole wheat bread again. Perhaps I left it on a little too long. It still tasted ok so I'm not too worried about that. :) Left off the red pepper since we don't like them much.

Another simple sandwich option. Good for those nights I work late and come home to both hungry cats and a hungry husband.