Chocolate Croissant Pudding

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
6 day-old croissants, split
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
8 eggs
5 cups 2% milk
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:
Place croissant bottoms in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and replace croissant tops.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla; pour over croissants. Let stand for 10 minutes or until croissants are softened.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments:
This was really good - very rich though. It's better with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to cut the sweetness of the pudding itself.

Spicy Shrimp Wraps

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 cup salsa
1 medium ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 envelope reduced-sodium taco seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed
1-1/2 cups coleslaw mix
6 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the salsa, mango and ketchup; set aside. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine taco seasoning and oil; add shrimp. Seal bag and shake to coat.

In a nonstick skillet or wok, cook shrimp over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Top tortillas with coleslaw mix, salsa mixture and shrimp. Fold bottom third of tortilla up over filling; fold sides over. Serve with sour cream.

Comments:
Adam liked the shrimp but didn't think much of the salsa/mango mixture. Prep was pretty easy, although putting taco seasoning on the shrimp made it kind of hard to tell when it was done using color alone. I managed. :)

Crescent Pizza Pockets

From Pillsbury



Ingredients:
1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/4 cup pizza sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup sliced pepperoni (24 slices)
1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll dough on cookie sheet and separate into 4 rectangles; press each into 6x4-inch rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal.

Spread 1 tablespoon pizza sauce on half of each rectangle to within 1 inch of edge. Sprinkle each with 3 tablespoons cheese; top with 6 slices pepperoni. Fold dough diagonally over filling; firmly press edges with fork to seal. Sprinkle each triangle with 1/4 teaspoon grated cheese. With fork, prick top of each to allow steam to escape.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until deep golden brown. Serve warm.

Comments:
I had some... trouble... with the assembly on these ones. I think it's because I had the cheap store-brand, low-fat crescents. They just refused to stay together, tearing at the seams and everywhere else. I also swapped out some sausage for the pepperoni, but that shouldn't have made a big difference. They tasted great, they just kind of fell apart in the oven. Mental note: don't buy store-brand crescents and try to make something else out of them!

Asian-Style Pork Chop Bake

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
2 cloves garlic, minced
ground black pepper to taste
1 dash ground allspice
6 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops

Directions:
To Make Marinade: In a medium, non-reactive bowl, mix the teriyaki sauce, orange juice, sherry, ginger root, garlic, pepper and allspice. Add pork chops to bowl, cover, and marinate in refrigerator for 6 hours, turning as needed.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove chops and marinade from refrigerator. Remove cover and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until internal temperature of meat has reached 160 degrees F.

Comments:
I followed some of the comments from this recipe and marinated the meat all day long. I also moved it to a baking dish and used the left over marinade as a basting liquid. I don't know if I liked this. Adam says the pork was overcooked - I let it go for 30 minutes and let it sit on the stovetop about 5 minutes more to get to 160. I'm not such a fan of pork in the first place so perhaps I'm not the best judge for this one.

Weekly Menu 2/26 through 3/4

Saturday 2/26 - Spicy Shrimp Wraps

Sunday 2/27 - Papas Rellenas

Monday 2/28 - Chicken & Pear Paninis

Tuesday 3/1 - Asian-Style Pork Chop Bake

Wednesday 3/2 - Sweet Onion & Sausage Spaghetti

Thursday 3/3 - Spicy Pigs in Blankets

Friday 3/4 - Spanish Chicken

This Week's Dessert:
Caramel Apple Pie

Crab Macaroni Casserole

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups fat-free milk
2 cans (6 ounces each) lump crabmeat, drained
1 cup (8 ounces) reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Combine flour and milk until smooth; stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Drain macaroni. Add the crabmeat, sour cream, Swiss cheese, salt, mustard, macaroni and 1/4 cup cheddar cheese to the skillet.

Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Comments:
This was pretty easy to make and while I admit it did smell kind of good, I didn't have any because of the crab. We'll see how it treats Adam's digestive system. The butter/flour/milk-based sauces seem to do a number on him sometimes...

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 pound ground turkey breast
1/3 cup crushed baked tortilla chips
1/3 cup bottled salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons finely chopped green onions
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
4 (1.5-ounce) light wheat hamburger buns
4 curly leaf lettuce leaves
4 slices ripe tomato
1/4 cup bottled salsa

Directions:
Combine first 8 ingredients. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat patties with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 3 minutes. Carefully turn patties over; cook 4 minutes or until done.

Top bottom halves of buns with lettuce and tomato slices. Place patties over tomato slices, and top each with salsa and top halves of buns.

Comments:
Man, I could not get a decent picture of this. Then Adam tried and ended up with obvious cat foodage on the counter. Gah! Oh well. These were really good. I don't like a lot of junk on my burger so I skipped the lettuce, tomato, and extra salsa and it tasted just fine.

Terrific Teriyaki Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
SAUCE:
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened crushed pineapple
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

BURGERS:
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
3 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons unsweetened crushed pineapple
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound lean ground turkey
6 slices unsweetened pineapple
6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
6 lettuce leaves
6 slices tomato

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, ginger, garlic and sesame oil; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the egg white, bread crumbs, onions, crushed pineapple and 3 tablespoons reserved ketchup mixture. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture and mix well. Shape into six burgers.

Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear, brushing occasionally with remaining ketchup mixture.

Grill or broil pineapple slices for 2-3 minutes on each side or until heated through. Serve burgers and pineapple on buns with lettuce and tomato.

Comments:
I didn't read the recipe too well prior to making these so I didn't have any turkey thawed. So these are all beef. I also thawed a whole pound instead of the half-pound I thought I had pulled out so they were ginormous. And they fell apart. But they tasted good! That's what counts, right?

Weekly Menu 2/19 through 2/25

Saturday 2/19 - Adam's Night Out

Sunday 2/20 - French Onion Pizza

Monday 2/21 - Chicken in the slow cooker

Tuesday 2/22 - Asian-Style Pork Chop Bake

Wednesday 2/23 - Crescent Pizza Pockets

Thursday 2/24 - Martha's Night Out

Friday 2/25 - Spicy Shrimp Wraps

This Week's Dessert:
Chocolate Croissant Pudding

Buffalo Chicken Tacos

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Eight 6-inch soft corn tortillas
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Two skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Frank’s RedHot
2 ounces blue cheese
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
4 cups shredded green-leaf lettuce
6 radishes, shredded
2 carrots, shredded

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°. Wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven.

2. In a nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the pan; cover loosely with foil and cook, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes; transfer to a plate. Brush the chicken on both sides with the hot sauce and tent with foil to keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, using a food processor, blend the blue cheese, mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; transfer to a large bowl. Add the lettuce, radishes and carrots and toss to coat.

4. Thinly slice the chicken against the grain. Lay the tortillas on a work surface in a single layer. Divide the salad among them; top with the chicken and any juices

Comments:
Yeah, doesn't look too appetizing, does it? It wasn't that good. Maybe it was because I forgot the lettuce. Dunno. But neither of us was a big fan of this one.

Pimiento Cheese Sliders

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
16 slices good-quality white bread
1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
3 to 4 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon paprika or sweet smoked paprika
1/2 cup lager beer
Salt and pepper
A drizzle of oil (olive or vegetable)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp yellow cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons well-drained chopped pimientos
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
Several drops hot sauce
8 slices good-quality dill pickle chips or bread-and-butter pickles

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 350°. Cut the bread into 3-inch rounds or trim into slider-size squares. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Combine the meat with the garlic, onion, paprika, beer, salt and pepper. Mix and form 8 burgers (about 3 ounces each) and drizzle with oil. Heat a griddle pan or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and milk and simmer to thicken for about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Melt in the cheese and stir in the pimientos, mustard and hot sauce.

4. Divide the patties among 8 toast slices and top with the cheese sauce and another slice of toast. Garnish with the pickles and secure with toothpicks

Comments:
How do I not have any round cookie cutters or a biscuit cutter? With the mountains of kitchen crap I have it seems almost impossible that I don't have these. But, alas, I don't, so we all get to see my shoddy knife skills at work in that picture. *sigh*

Anyway.

Not bad, can hardly taste the pimientos, Adam thought the cheese was nacho cheese from a can. Not sure I'd do these again, but they didn't suck.

Weekly Menu 2/12 through 2/18

Saturday 2/12 - We went out for lunch with my dad and Cheryl so we just ate leftovers.

Sunday 2/13 - Our Valentine's Day dinner. We're having fondue.

Monday 2/14 - Ribs in the slow cooker

Tuesday 2/15 - IMA

Wednesday 2/16 - Teriyaki Burgers

Thursday 2/17 - Southwestern Turkey Burgers

Friday 2/18 - Crab Macaroni Casserole

This Week's Dessert:
We bought a small cake for Valentine's Day with a ridiculous amount of frosting. Yum!

Super Bowl Sustenance

I tried to be a decent Packer fan today. We even got Packer plates!



We had a decent spread for the two of us and the four others who joined us for what became a nail-biting evening. It got a little rowdy for a little bit there. Luckily no one threw anything (although there was some yelling at the TV) and everything worked out in the end. Go Pack!

Now on to the important stuff - the food:



Ultimate Party Meatballs




Sausage Jalapeno Poppers




Mini Crescent Dogs




Chocolate Oreo Trifle




Crab Cakes




Cheese and some other goodies




Veggies, shrimp, and some Amish friendship bread




"Packer" M & Ms

All in all, an easy prep, I cheated on some things, but everything was good and I think everyone had a good time.

Fontina Ham Stromboli

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
1/2 cup prepared pesto, divided
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/2 pound sliced deli ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto or additional deli ham
1/2 pound sliced fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Cool completely.

On two greased baking sheets, roll each loaf of dough into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread each with 2 tablespoons pesto; sprinkle with onion mixture and basil. Arrange the ham, prosciutto and fontina cheese over each rectangle to within 1/2 in. of edges.

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under.

Brush with remaining pesto and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

Comments:
I think I'm still on the fence with this fontina cheese thing. There's this biting aftertaste that I'm not sure I like. Overall, these were good. A little messy, but satisfying. I made one roll with pesto and one without since Adam decided he doesn't like it.

Knife 'n' Fork Steak Burgers with Blue Cheese Potatoes

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
6 blue potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup crumbled stilton cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
2 pounds ground beef sirloin
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 cup grated onion with juice, plus 1 onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
1. In a large pot, add the potatoes and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, add salt and cook until tender, 15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the cheese, cream and chives; season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the beef, Worcestershire, garlic, grated onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Form 4 large patties.

3. Preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef patties and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes for medium-rare.

4. While the burgers are cooking, heat a medium skillet over medium heat; add the butter. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened, 16 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Divide the patties among 4 plates; top with the onions. Serve with the potatoes.

Comments:
I don't know about these ones. The potatoes were really dry - I couldn't find blue potatoes so I just used some reds, but I don't think that made a big difference. The burgers were ok, but nothing spectacular. It sounded much better on the page than it tasted.

Deluxe Grilled Cheese

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
4 slices French bread (1/2 inch thick)
Butter-flavored cooking spray
1 ounce herbed fresh goat cheese
1/2 small tart apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a small skillet coated with cooking spray, saute onion until tender; set aside.
Place bread slices on a baking sheet; spritz with butter-flavored cooking spray. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.

Spread goat cheese over two untoasted sides of bread slices. Top with apple slices and reserved onion; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Broil 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining slices.

Comments:
I made these in the toaster oven. I heart the toaster oven! These sandwiches were pretty good. Interesting combination of flavors and textures. Onions and apples really go well together. And goat cheese, oh man, I can't get enough of it.

Weekly Menu 2/5 through 2/11

Saturday 2/5 - Fontina Ham Stromboli. No, for real this time!

Sunday 2/6 - Le Super Bowl! Adam's invited some people over. We'll be having: Ultimate Party Meatballs, Sausage Jalapeno Poppers, Mini Crescent Dogs, Chocolate Oreo Trifle, some shrimp, some veggies, some crab cakes (I crapped out and bought them premade - I have a terrible habit of burning them), some cheese, olives, and pickles, and a COOKIE CAKE!



Oh, and probably some beer at some point too. Hey, that's what Packer fans do!

Monday 2/7 - Adam's got a doctor appointment and I've found myself with a meeting at 4 so it'll be each man for himself.

Tuesday 2/8 - Pimiento Cheese Sliders (Martha: Are you sure you want these? Adam: Yeah, let's try them. Martha: You know pimientos are those red things in olives, right? Adam: Oh. Well let's see what they're like. **a few weeks later at the grocery store** Adam: Why are you buying pimientos. They're gross. Martha: *sigh*)

Wednesday 2/9 - Happy Birthday to Me! We've got tickets for Wicked at the PAC and will be going out for dinner beforehand - full inventory count at work be damned!

Thursday 2/10 - Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Friday 2/11 - Convergys-sponsored Happy Hour as thanks for a good quarter.

This Week's Dessert:
I'm going to count the trifle I'm making for Sunday as this week's dessert.