Braised Bratwurst & German Style Potatoes

From Rachael Ray via The Food Network



Ingredients:
4 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt
2 pounds bockwurst or bratwurst (veal or veal and pork)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling plus 2 tablespoons
4 slices center cut bacon
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup white wine or white balsamic vinegar
2 rounded teaspoons sugar
1 cup chicken stock
1 generous handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Halve larger potatoes and leave small potatoes as is, cover with water, bring to a boil, season with salt and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Place sausages in a cast iron skillet, add 1/2-inch of water and a drizzle of oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and let the sausages heat through as the water evaporates. Shake pan and let the casings crisp up until they burst, 3 to 4 minutes, and are golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put a medium skillet on the stove with a drizzle of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and render 2 to 3 minutes then stir in the yellow onion and cook for 5 minutes with the bacon to soften.

When potatoes are cooked, drain and add to bacon and onion. Douse the pan with vinegar and sprinkle with sugar. Pour stock evenly over pan, add the parsley and some pepper and turn off the heat. Stir the potatoes 1 minute to form a starchy sauce and combine flavors.

Halve crispy sausages and serve with the potatoes alongside.

Comments:
There's some cabbage slaw thing that I skipped on this recipe. Cuts the prep pretty much in half. This recipe wasn't too difficult. I just had time coordination problems. It takes so long for water to boil. I want one of the induction cooktops that boils water in 90 seconds or whatever. Too bad they're completely out of my price range. Boo.

Anywho, Adam didn't like the vinegar in the potatoes, but was fine with the meat. Why am I not surprised?

Holiday Baked Ham

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 fully cooked smoked half ham (6 to 7 pounds)
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions:
Place ham with fat side up in a shallow roasting pan. Score fat in a diamond pattern; insert cloves into cuts. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. In a small saucepan, combine the preserves, butter and mustard; heat through. Spoon over the ham. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 140°. Remove cloves before slicing ham.

Comments:
This is what I made for our Christmas dinner, actually eaten Christmas Eve.



I left out the cloves because they're gross. I'm not a ham person, but the glaze was pretty good. Once I got rid of all that fat there. Yuck. I filled up mostly on vegetables. I'd try this one again though. It actually was done in the time they prescribed, unlike most pork recipes that seem to take twice as long to reach the right temperature...

Weekly Menu 12/26 through 1/1/10

Saturday 12/26 - Tilapia Baked in Couscous

Sunday 12/27 - French Onion Soup Mac & Cheese

Monday 12/28 - Lasagna Roll-Ups

Tuesday 12/29 - Carne Asada Tacos

Wednesday 12/30 - Chicken Taco Burgers

Thursday 12/31 - Tortellini-Shrimp Caesar Salad

Friday 1/1 - Braised Bockwurst with German-Style Potatoes

Teriyaki Pineapple & Pork Chops

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 ounces each)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 fresh pineapple
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Directions:
Place pineapple juice in a large resealable plastic bag; add pork chops. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Drain and discard marinade. Combine the rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper; sprinkle over chops.

Peel and core pineapple; cut into eight spears. Grill chops and pineapple, covered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 160° and pineapple is tender, basting occasionally with teriyaki sauce.

Comments:
This is so simple - especially since Adam manned the grill. Ha ha! We skipped the spinach part of the original recipe and boiled up some edamame. Adam has recently become obsessed with it. So much so that we drove to Milwaukee today to Trader Joe's JUST FOR EDAMAME. So sad. Seriously people, if you know where we can get edamame in the shell closer to here (that'd be Neenah), let me know. At least the weather wasn't horrible.

Anyway. The flavor of the pineapple and teriyaki together is mighty good. I'm not a fan of pork, but I ate my whole chop.

Omelet Croissants

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon butter
2 croissants, split
4-1/2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing
4 slices Canadian bacon
4 slices Muenster cheese
1/2 cup fresh arugula
4 thin slices tomato

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water and bouillon; set aside.

In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, red pepper and lemon-pepper in butter until tender.

Add egg mixture. As eggs set, push cooked edges toward the center, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely set, fold omelet in half and cut into two wedges.

Spread croissants with salad dressing. On croissant bottoms, layer the bacon, omelet, cheese, arugula and tomato. Replace croissant tops.
Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
The picture above is Adam's - no tomato. Here's mine - with tomato, no spinach:



Yeah, I subbed spinach for the arugula since that's what I had here and we (well, ok, Adam) like it better. Also swapped Canadian for regular bacon and ranch dressing for mayo. I can't make an omelet to save my life. Once again I ended up scrambled eggs. There must be a secret I don't know...

Anyway, overall, good recipe. Adam was confused as to why you'd use croissants and then smoosh them in a panini press. He has a point, but the flaky texture is still present, although in a smooshed capacity.

(Drunken) Risotto with Grilled Chicken

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as Mccormick Montreal Steak Seasoning
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds total)
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ cups arborio rice
2 cups Barolo (dry Italian) red wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
2 cups arugula, shredded
2 cups baby spinach, shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high. In a shallow dish, combine the balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, 3 tablespoons of the EVOO and the grill seasoning. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat evenly with the marinade.

2. In a small saucepan, heat the dried mushrooms and chicken broth over medium-low heat.

3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook for a couple of minutes to soften. Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for 1 minute. Add half of the wine; when it has been absorbed by the rice, stir in the remaining wine and the rosemary. When all of the wine is absorbed, ladle in some of the mushroom broth.

4. Place the marinated chicken thighs on the grill and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on the first side and for 5 to 6 minutes on the reverse side.

5. Add a ladle of the mushroom broth to the risotto every few minutes, stirring occasionally and cooking until absorbed. Remove the softened mushrooms from the broth and chop; add to the risotto. Cook the risotto until creamy and al dente, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter and cheese.

6. Thinly slice the grilled chicken. Divide the risotto among shallow bowls and top each serving with the arugula, spinach and sliced chicken.

Comments:
I skipped the wine and mushrooms since I don't like either and Adam doesn't like the wine. (Also skipped the arugula and spinach, obviously.) I subbed additional chicken stock for the wine. Risotto's a little labor-intensive, but so worth it. Yum-a-licious. I grilled the chicken inside on the George Foreman since Adam was too involved in the football game to be bothered to turn the grill outside on. Men... :)

Sailor Sandwiches with Caesar Mayo

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/4 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cod or haddock fillets (6 ounces each)
1 tablespoon butter, melted
CAESAR MAYO:
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
4 teaspoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
SANDWICHES:
2 kaiser rolls, split and toasted
2 lettuce leaves
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
2 slices sweet onion

Directions:
Place milk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, cheese and seasonings. Dip fish in milk, then cornmeal mixture.

Place on a greased broiler pan; drizzle with butter. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Combine the mayonnaise ingredients; spread over rolls. On roll bottoms, layer the fish, lettuce, tomato and onion. Replace tops.

Comments:
Fairly simple, although I never know when fish is done so I usually end up calling Adam over to check. I don't like fish and the fact that I ate half of this sandwich is pretty amazing. The mayo is yummy - I saved the leftovers of that and will probably throw it on something tomorrow for lunch. The fish is ok, but not my thing. Adam said it would be fine without the "sandwich" part too.

Weekly Menu 12/19 through 12/25

Saturday 12/19 - Sailor Sandwiches with Caesar Mayo

Sunday 12/20 - Drunken Risotto with Grilled Chicken

Monday 12/21 - Omelet Croissants

Tuesday 12/22 - Christmas Party for my workplace

Wednesday 12/23 - Teriyaki Pineapple and Pork Chops

Thursday 12/24 - Our Christmas dinner - we've got a ham in the freezer and I'll probably go with something like this

Friday 12/25 - Christmas dinner at Adam's parents' house

Marinated London Broil

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (2-pound) boneless top round steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Pierce steak with a fork. Add steak to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Scrape shallots and garlic from steak; discard shallots and garlic. Place steak on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle steak evenly with salt and pepper. Broil 4 inches from heat for 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing against the grain.

Comments:
I had vacation this afternoon (and all next week - woo!) so I had the time to marinate this for two hours, turning every half hour. I cooked it 6 minutes each side on the high broil setting and this is how it came out. A little under-done for my tastes (I'm a "no red, absolutely no chance of my food moo-ing at me" kind of girl) but Adam liked it. He was more taken by the cornbread stuffing. Yes, Stove Top, but we'd never had the cornbread stuff. I think I probably picked up a box by mistake, but he is now insisting we get more. *sigh*

Project Feed Me Recap

So, I kind of missed the end of the nine weeks, but better late than never right?

Week 1: Chili
Week 2: Tuna
Week 3: Mac & Cheese
Week 4: Boxed Dinner
Week 5: Peanut Butter
Week 6: Beans
Week 7: Canned Fruit
Week 8: Canned Veggies
Week 9: Boxed Rice



We took our food along to the meeting on Tuesday since we were having a food drive. We collected a lot of food! Probably four times what we got last year. I'm thinking it helped that we put a note in the newsletter and had a raffle with each item getting you a free ticket.

I didn't win anything. Boo.

Thanks to Natalie for coming up with the concept and leading the pack. Hope she puts together another one!

Sausage, Potato, and Cheese Waffles

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 link sweet Italian sausage (about 3 ounces), casing discarded
1 baking potato, grated and excess water squeezed out
4 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
2 cups milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 5 minutes. Add the potato and butter, lower the heat and simmer until the butter is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, about 10 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir in the milk and eggs until smooth. Stir in the sausage-potato mixture.

3. Using a waffle maker, cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Comments:
Now first off, let's just say these waffles are named in kind of mis-leading manner. Yes, there is sausage, potato, and cheese in the batter. But you don't taste the cheese or potato. And only taste the sausage when you bite into a chunk. Mostly what you taste is pepper and baking powder. So go easy on the pepper.

All in all, not a hard recipe to figure out. I don't really do waffles so much so Adam ended up manning the waffle iron. Division of labor and all that... I'm not sure I really liked these too much for the aforementioned imbalance of flavors. Or maybe I just don't like waffles. Who can say?

Breaded Pork & Mozzarella Stacks with Broccoli

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1/4 pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
8 pork cutlets (about 2 pounds), pounded thin
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 baguette, finely ground (about 3 cups breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 head broccoli—broken into small florets, plus stems peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 250°. Divide the mozzarella among 4 pork cutlets; top with the remaining 4 cutlets. Season with salt and pepper. Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate shallow bowls. Coat the pork stacks in the flour, then in the eggs, then in the breadcrumbs.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 pork stacks and cook, turning once, until golden, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in the oven; repeat with 3 tablespoons olive oil and the remaining 2 pork stacks.

3. Wipe out the skillet and return to the heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, broccoli and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt. Cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with the pork stacks.

Comments:
Since I was only making two I skipped the whole oven part. One thing I'll never understand is why they tell you to use so much more flour/breadcrumb mixture than you'll ever need. 3 cups of breadcrumbs for four "stacks"? That's ridiculous and a total waste of bread. I had a little less than one cup in the bowl for two and used less than 1/4 of them. I don't get it.

Anyway, simple prep and execution, though I never seem to be able to get my oil at the right temp to cook the meat but not burn it a bit. Eh, still tasted fine, and just look at that cheese ooze out! I might not have been at my best since I had a creepy audience most of the time I was in the kitchen tonight:



That's Carly on the counter on the left, Connor is in the hall, and you can see part of Ted on the right side on the floor. JC was in the cat room eating, otherwise I'm almost certain I could have had all four of them staring at me at one time. Freaky!

Christmas Party 2009

We had a decent turnout - maybe 20 people - which makes it hard to say we won't do it again. The hit of the party was our new Keurig coffee maker:



So easy, not too ridiculously expensive.

I didn't make as much food as I had last year (although I did manage to blow a circuit and completely fry a surge protector. Whoops.) and most of the leftovers we did have were taken by Chris and Sarah. We just have a lot of cookies. I mean, dozens. I'll probably take them to work this coming week before they get too stale.

All told, a success. We'll have to see where things are when we determine if we do this again next year.

Weekly Menu 12/12 through 12/18

It's been a rough couple of weeks. My grandfather passed away on the 3rd so right after our Christmas party last Saturday we hopped on a plane to Pittsburgh. The whole trip was one thing after another - messed up bookings, lost reservations, cancelled flights. But the service was nice and it was good to see relatives we don't get to hang with very often. And then we came home to 5 feet of snow in the driveway and a week's worth of work that hadn't gotten done. Sometimes being an adult sucks.

Anyway, we're back and getting caught up. I'd backtrack and post this past week's menu, but it was mostly eating out while out of town and leftovers from our party (although Adam's brother-in-law was nice enough to take most of those home with him so we didn't have too much sitting here.)

And so we move onward to this week:

Saturday 12/12 - Breaded Pork and Mozzarella Stacks with Garlic Broccoli

Sunday 12/13 - Adam's grilling some steaks

Monday 12/14 - Chicken in the slow cooker

Tuesday 12/15 - Christmas Party for my professional association

Wednesday 12/16 - Marinated London Broil

Thursday 12/17 - Sausage, Potato, and Cheese Waffles

Friday 12/18 - Chicken Quesadillas (Biggest Loser Cookbook)

Spicy Turkey (or Chicken) Jack Flats

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound store-bought pizza dough
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 cups shredded Butter-Basted Turkey meat
One 5-ounce bag baby spinach
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
1. Position a rack in the lower half of the oven, place an inverted large baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 500°. Divide the pizza dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls; transfer to a lightly floured surface and cover with a towel.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 12 minutes.

3. Stretch the dough balls into 7-inch rounds. Brush each round with 1 teaspoon olive oil; place on 3 sheets of parchment paper.

Comments:
I altered the recipe a little bit. (What? I never do that...) I used chicken because, well, that's what I have. This was from the November issue and I guess you're supposed to use leftover turkey. I do have a turkey downstairs in the freezer, but since we didn't host the meal here, I had no leftovers. Also, I skipped the pizza dough fuss and just bought flatbread at the store. Much easier if you ask me. So, other than that I stuck to the plan. These were tasty - not too spicy.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

From Everyday With Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
1 red onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup bread-and-butter pickle chips, chopped
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
8 ounces cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

2. In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4-by-12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°, about 35 minutes.

3. Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Comments:
This was pretty simple. I skipped the cooking of the onions step, and they still had a nice crunch when the meatloaf was done. All in all, a great combination of things. Of course, Adam noted it could be even better if it was BACON cheeseburger meatloaf. *sigh* That man and his bacon obsession... The picture is kind of gross, but I think that's because I didn't wait 5 minutes to slice it and the new light in the kitchen is messing with the camera and I can't get a good picture of anything in there.

Unintended Hiatus

I'll be back soon - after I clean up the chaos of unexpected vacation from work during month-end and a blizzard.

No Crust (Spinach) Artichoke Quiche Squares

From Recipezaar.com



Ingredients:
1/3 cup dry sherry or apple juice
2 tablespoons chopped red onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1 (10 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon marjoram or basil
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In medium non stick skillet over medium heat, heat sherry or apple juice, add onion and garlic. Cook until soft, but not brown,stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Spoon mixture into medium bowl, and add all the other ingredients,and mix well. Pour batter into a lightly oiled 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until set and lightly browned. To serve, cut into squares. Can be served hot or cold.

Comments:
I made this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving down at my Dad and Cheryl's house. I added some spinach for color and flavor. I don't know if it was that there were so many other things to choose from or if it totally sucked, but hardly any of it was gone when we left. I have most of it in the fridge. We'll see if it gets eaten.

The corner I tested tasted fine... I'd definitely say try and serve it warm though. Also, it took my oven more like 45 minutes to get the quiche set and browned.

Aloha Chicken

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) peach halves, drained
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained
Hot cooked rice, optional

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown chicken on both sides in 2 tablespoons butter. Transfer to a shallow microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes or until juices run clear.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and pineapple juice until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel, soy sauce and thyme. In the same skillet, saute onion in remaining butter until tender. Stir juice mixture and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Arrange peaches and pineapple over chicken; baste with sauce. Cover and microwave for 1 minute or until sauce is bubbly. Serve over rice with remaining sauce if desired.

Comments:
I think the directions for this recipe are stupid. Just because a recipe is "quick" doesn't mean it has to nuke things in the microwave. I hate, HATE, cooking chicken in the microwave. It's so gross.

So I pretty much ignored the directions. Here's what I did:

Cooked the chicken in olive oil. Cooked about 3 minutes per side - I had butterflied the breasts open so they were pretty thin. Took the chicken out, put the onions in the skillet. Cooked for a minute or so and then added in the cornstarch/juice mixture. Cooked another minute or so then added the pineapple and peaches. Brought to a boil, then added the chicken back in to reheat a bit while the rice finished cooking. Voila. Not hard, pretty quick, and no microwaving of chicken. Yay!

Anywho, nice flavor and combination. Adam liked it too so we'll probably see this one show up on the menu again.

Weekly Menu 11/28 through 12/4

Agh! December!

Saturday 11/28 - We'll be going out with some friends to celebrate a birthday and make good on some Fantasy Football wagers. Not sure where yet.

Sunday 11/29 - Aloha Chicken

Monday 11/30 - Brunch Panini - I'm looking forward to using my new panini press. Here's to non-soggy sandwiches!

Tuesday 12/1 - Fish/Fries (from frozen - it's going to be a long day for me at work)

Wednesday 12/2 - Pizza (from frozen - I'll be spending most of my night baking cookies for our party)

Thursday 12/3 - Mitch Fatel @ Comedy Quarter!!! We'll eat there.

Friday 12/4 - Adam's on his own - my group of accounting friends from college are getting together for dinner. Still working out a place for this too. Procrastination!

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

This is the perfect time to be thankful for what you have and join Project Feed Me. See the PFM section on the right for details. Only a few more weeks left!

We're heading to my dad's house for the big meal - I'm making this side dish and Adam made some Chex Mix yesterday. Should be a good time.

Oh, and Go Packers! :)

Ham & Swiss Chicken

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups milk, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
8 slices bread, cubed
12 thin slices deli ham, rolled up
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk eggs and 1-1/2 cups milk. Stir in the butter, celery and onion. Stir in bread crumbs.

Place half of the mixture in a greased 3-qt. slow cooker; top with half of the rolled-up ham, cheese and chicken. Combine soup and remaining milk; pour half over the chicken. Repeat layers once.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until a thermometer inserted into bread mixture reads 160°.

Comments:
Yay! Another picture that looks like cat barf! This was relatively easy to assemble, but it ended up so soggy and runny. I'm thinking maybe a half-hour without the lid might have helped, but I didn't have the time to try that out. I also thought perhaps the leftovers would be less puke-like, but, alas, they were just as runny. It's a good concept, I just think the execution is off. Maybe it was my fault. Who knows. In any case, won't make this one again.

Flatbread Tacos

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 teaspoons ranch salad dressing mix
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 tube (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Optional toppings: sliced ripe olives and shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, dressing mix and lemon juice; chill until serving.

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the beans, tomatoes, taco seasoning and pepper sauce; heat through.

Meanwhile, roll out each biscuit into a 6-in. circle. In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook each biscuit for 30-60 seconds on each side or until golden brown; keep warm.

To serve, spread each flatbread with 2 tablespoons ranch sour cream; top each with 2/3 cup meat mixture. Sprinkle with toppings if desired.

Comments:
OMG, who makes their own flatbread - out of buttermilk biscuits at that? Yeah, not me. I get these multi-grain pita wrap thingys. Work wonderfully. I also skipped the ranch sour cream. Left out the beans since Adam has a strange aversion to them. Hmm, so I guess I didn't really follow the recipe so much as I used it for inspiration. Eh, that's how it goes sometimes.

Spaghetti with Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

From Everyday with Rachael Ray (also seen here)



Ingredients:
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk or water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, 2 smashed and 1 chopped
Two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
Salt
1 pound lean ground sirloin
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
1 large egg
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 20 (1/2-inch) cubes
1 pound spaghetti

Directions:
In a medium bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk.

In a large, wide saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season to taste with salt and let the sauce simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the beef, chopped garlic, parsley, Parmigiano-Reggiano, egg and 1 teaspoon of salt to the soaked bread crumbs and stir with a fork until combined. Place about 2 tablespoons of the mixture in your hand and press a mozzarella cube into the center. Shape the meat around the cheese, forming a ball. Repeat with the remaining meat and mozzarella.

Stir the sauce and raise the heat to medium- low. Carefully place the meatballs in the sauce, submerging them completely. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook without stirring for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti, cook until al dente, about 8 minutes, and drain. Toss the spaghetti with the tomato sauce and meatballs, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano and serve.

Comments:
This is a standard spaghetti and meatballs recipe for me. I just love the simple tomato sauce (I admit, sometimes I'll make the sauce without the meatballs too) and the meatballs aren't half bad either. Mmm. Carbs.

Weekly Menu 11/21 through 11/27

Saturday 11/21 - Mini Ham & Egg Casseroles (got bumped)

Sunday 11/22 - Spaghetti with Mozzarella-Stuffed Meatballs

Monday 11/23 - Ham 'n' Swiss Chicken

Tuesday 11/24 - Flatbread Tacos with Ranch Sour Cream

Wednesday 11/25 - Out

Thursday 11/26 - We're going down to my dad & Cheryl's for Thanksgiving

Friday 11/27 - Buffalo Popcorn Chicken Bites

Baked Popcorn Chicken

No idea where this came from - it's something I printed from Word.



Ingredients:
2 large egg whites
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups Panko
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:
Heat the oven to 450. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg whites, mustard, and salt. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, spread the panko.

Add the chicken pieces to the egg white mixture and toss to coat. A few pieces at a time, transfer the chicken to the breadcrumbs and toss to thoroughly coat. Transfer the breaded chicken pieces to the prepared baking sheet, arranging them close together but not touching. Spritz lightly with cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes, flip, and continue baking for another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown.

Comments:
I used one whole egg and added some "Kick'n Chicken" seasoning to the breadcrumbs (not Panko. Plain, homemade breadcrumbs.) Turned out pretty well, I'd say. We ate them all up. I like that kind of night - we're not so great at using up leftovers most of the time. And everything is better with McCain Smiles, right?

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

From Beer Cookbook: 101 Recipes with Beer



Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder with parsley
6 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup beer
1 10oz package frozen broccoli, thawed and drained
10 oz grated Cheddar cheese

Directions:
In Dutch oven, melt butter and saute onion, seasoning salt, and garlic powder with parsley until onion is tender. Stir in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in chicken broth and beer. Return to a boil. Add broccoli. Reduce heat and add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Comments:
Adam had ordered broccoli cheese soup a restaurant a few weeks ago and was bitterly disappointed when it was pretty much cream of broccoli soup with some cheese thrown on top. I think this was much more what he was expecting. Pretty simple to make, tastes great. Lots of depth of flavor from the broth and beer. Lots of cheese too, so we'll see how it treats my stomach. :)

BBQ Pork Sandwiches

From Slow Cooker Magic in Minutes (also seen here.)



Ingredients:
4 pounds boneless pork loin roast, fat trim
1 14.5oz can beef broth
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup cayenne pepper sauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/4 cup Worcestershire suace
2 tbsp cayenne pepper sauce

Directions:
Place roast on bottom of slow cooker. Combine broth, Worcestershire and cayenne pepper sauces. Pour over roast. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours (low for 10 hours.) Meanwhile, combine sauce ingredients in large bowl; set aside.

Transfer roast to large cutting board. Discard liquid. Coarsely chop pork. Stir into reserved sauce. Spoon pork mixture onto large rolls.

Comments:
I love these kind of recipes. Throw a chunk of meat in the slow cooker, mix up some sauce, and there's dinner! This was pretty good. The cayenne pepper certainly gives it a kick. I didn't skimp on it either so it was the real deal. I could still handle it so I was impressed. I used brown sugar rather than molasses, but I think they're kind of similar so I don't think I messed too much with the flavor combo. I'd make this again.

Weekly Menu 11/14 through 11/20

Saturday 11/14 - Crab Cakes (got bumped)

Sunday 11/15 - Kick'n Chicken Lettuce Wraps (It's a Weber recipe but I don't see it on their site)

Monday 11/16 - BBQ Pork Sandwiches (Slow Cooker Magic)

Tuesday 11/17 - Adam's on his own - my monthly meeting

Wednesday 11/18 - Baked Popcorn Chicken (not sure where it came from - it's a print-out)

Thursday 11/19 - Mini Ham & Egg Casseroles

Friday 11/20 - Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Beer cookbook)

Crab Cakes

From Redbook (found via Delish.com)



Ingredients:
2 slice(s) soft white bread, torn into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon(s) mayonnaise
1 teaspoon(s) white wine Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon(s) pepper
1/8 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2 pound(s) lump crabmeat
1 scallion, sliced
1 tablespoon(s) oil

Directions:
Set out bread for about 1 hour until slightly dry.

Mix egg, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and salt in medium bowl; add bread. Toss crabmeat and scallion into mixture. Shape mixture into 8 patties.

Cook in hot oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes per side until lightly browned and cooked through.

Comments:
Easy dinner option for Adam. I used breadcrumbs rather than setting out bread and waiting for it to dry. I didn't burn them this time, so already I did better than my last attempt. Adam ate them all up and seemed to like them.

Chipotle Pork Quesadillas

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 boneless pork chops (about 3/4 pound)
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
8 medium flour tortillas
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until browned, 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool; cut into thin strips.

In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their juice, the garlic, chipotle and cumin and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes; stir in the pork and chopped cilantro.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Brush one side of each tortilla with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Working in batches, cook the tortillas oiled side down until grill marks form, 1 to 2 minutes.

Arrange 4 tortillas grilled side down on a baking sheet. Divide the pork mixture among the tortillas and sprinkle with the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas, grilled side up. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Cut into wedges and top with the cilantro leaves.

Comments:
I left out the chipotle and cilantro and used some leftover 4-cheese Mexican blend instead of monterey jack. Even so, I think these turned out pretty well. Oh, I also ditched the grillpan thing and just browned the tortillas up on my griddle. Prep was pretty simple and they were mighty tasty. Adam didn't dig the tomato thing and thought the bottom of the tortilla got a little soggy. True. But still tasty.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 large egg white
2 tbsp minced toasted pecans
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
2 small (1/4-pound) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with olive oil spray.

In a small, shallow bowl, beat the egg white with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine the pecans, parsley, and salt. Spread half of the mixture on a sheet of waxed paper. Dip 1 chicken breast into the egg white to coat. Place the smooth side of the breast on the nut mixture. Press to adhere. Place the breast, nut side up, on the prepare baking sheet. Repeat with the second breast and place on the baking sheet, not touching the other breast.

Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Comments:
There they go with that olive oil mist thing. *sigh* I used parchment paper on the baking sheet. Worked fine. I also butterflied the breasts to make them thinner, coated both sides with the nuts. I'm a rebel.

This was pretty good. I think I'd try and get the nuts finer next time. I put them in my off-brand "Slap-Chop" and didn't really go to town on them. It might just be a personal preference, but I didn't like the big chunks of nuts.

I'd probably make this again. Simple, relatively quick, and tasty. (Oh, and not totally bad for you - that's a plus too.)

Philly Cheese Steak-Stuffed Garlic Bread

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 1-pound loaf peasant bread
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound onions, thinly sliced
1 pound sirloin steak or sirloin tips, very thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine
8 slices provolone cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Slice off the top 1/2 inch of the bread; reserve. Scoop out the insides of the loaf, leaving a 1/2-inch-thick shell, and cut into cubes.

In a large skillet, heat 6 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and rosemary for 2 minutes. Place the bread shell on a baking sheet; brush the inside with some of the seasoned oil. Add 3 cups bread cubes to the skillet with the remaining seasoned oil and toss to coat; transfer to the baking sheet, surrounding the bread shell. Reserve the skillet. Place the bread top on the baking sheet cut side up. Bake until browned and toasted, 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the reserved skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden, 10 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add the steak to the skillet and cook for 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the onions.

Spoon half of the steak-onion mixture into the bread bowl; top with half of the cheese, then half of the croutons. Layer with the remaining steak-onion mixture, croutons and cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with the bread lid. To serve, slice into wedges.

Comments:
Not too complicated although getting all that filling to balance inside (and on top of) the bread took talent. And it promptly fell over when I cut it.



Eh. The meat wasn't really my thing, but the onions were wonderful and sweet. Adam suggested that next time perhaps do individual portions and use some other kind of beef - top round maybe? I don't know my cuts...

Baby Back Ribs

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Three 2-pound racks baby back ribs, cut into 6 equal portions
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon chili powder

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°. In a 6-quart ovenproof pot, stand the rib sections upright to form a circle. Add 1/4 cup vinegar, the salt and 1 quart water; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to the oven and bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours; transfer the ribs to a plate.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, chili powder and remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar.

Preheat a grill to medium. Brush the meaty side of the ribs with half of the sauce and place meaty side up on the grill. Cover and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, 10 to 15 minutes. Brush the ribs with the remaining sauce before serving.

Comments:
Originally I was going to throw these in the crockpot, but I went ahead and did them the way the recipes says instead. I laughed when I copied the directions from the website this morning - they totally edited the first step. I even read the directions to Adam last night to make sure I wasn't going insane because they made no sense. Here's what they say in the magazine:

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a 6-quart ovenproof pot, stand the rib sections upright to form a circle. Add 1/4 cup vinegar, the salt and 1 quart water; bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to low, cover and bake until tender, about 1 1/2 hours; transfer the ribs to a plate.

Hmm. Why would you lower the heat to low when you're putting the pot in the oven? I was confused, but decided to turn the burner off and put the pot in the oven. Guess I was right about that! Ha ha.

Anyway, faulty instructions aside, this was pretty easy. Takes some planning ahead since it takes about 2 hours to cook. Adam liked them a lot. And while I'm not really a rib kind of person, these were alright. I still prefer my crock-pot Home Style Ribs.

Weekly Menu 11/7 through 11/13

Saturday 11/7 - Ribs (although I'm really ignoring the directions and just throwing it all in a crockpot...)

Sunday 11/8 - Philly Cheese Steak-Stuffed Garlic Bread

Monday 11/9 - Adam will be out so I'll be making Chicken Caesar Salad for myself

Tuesday 11/10 - Chipotle Pork Quesadillas

Wednesday 11/11 - My Monthly Night Out

Thursday 11/12 - Pecan-Crusted Chicken (Biggest Loser)

Friday 11/13 - Crab Cakes (well, for Adam anyway)

Beefy Tex-Mex Stir-Fry

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 poblano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound ground beef
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the poblano, onion and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato and tortilla chips and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the meat mixture among 4 plates and top with the cheese.

Comments:
At first I was wary of the not draining the beef thing, but it worked out alright. It wasn't greasy - I guess the tortillas suck some of it up, huh? Anywho, couldn't be simpler. Well, ok, so I made the mistake of touching my eye with the hand that de-seeded the hot pepper, which is never advised. I swear even now, days (and multiple showers and hand-washings) later, I still must have some of it under my fingernail. Strong stuff! But other than that, pretty brainless. Adam suggests topping it with some sour cream. And bacon. He always wants bacon on everything.

Creamed Chicken with Gnocchi Dumplings

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 1-pound package potato gnocchi
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup chicken broth
2 scallions, chopped

Directions:
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until toasted, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until thickened. Whisk into the chicken mixture, then stir in the gnocchi. Bring to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper and top with the scallions.

Comments:
Hmm, mine doesn't look quite as appetizing as the picture on RR's site does. I guess the red pepper adds a little color variety and leaving it out left us with a completely white dish. Eh. The flavors in the dish speak for themselves, even without the pepper. Very good. Could probably make less of the "cream" stuff and be ok.

Spicy Turkey Meatloaf

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and garlic to pan; cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes.

3. Combine mushroom mixture, panko, and next 8 ingredients (through egg) in a large bowl; stir well to combine. Shape turkey mixture into a 9 x 5–inch rectangle on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.

4. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and nutmeg in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spread ketchup mixture evenly over top of meat loaf; bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I skipped step #2 and just added some minced onions and garlic powder into the turkey mixture. It turned out quite well although it took closer to 55 minutes to get to 160. Just a little spice from the chile sauce in the background so I could deal. Adam was unimpressed. Shocking... He could probably eat the chile sauce straight from the bottle and be unaffected. In any case, I'll probably make this again. It wasn't difficult and came out pretty good.

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.)