Honey-Mustard Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions:
In one of three shallow dishes put the flour. In the second beat the eggs with the honey and mustard. In the third put the breadcrumbs. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Dip first in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. You might want to spray the foil with non-stick spray for easier removal after baking. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.

Comments:
I was originally going to make Honey Nut Chicken Sticks but when I noticed I didn't have any appropriately flavored cereal I ditched that idea and improvised. This is what I came up with. Worked quite well, I'd say. Better than this version, anyway. :)

Taffy Apple Dip

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
6 apples, cut into wedges

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.

2. Spread mixture on small serving plate; top with nuts.

3. Serve with apple wedges

Comments:
Back at Christmas Cheryl brought some apple dip to our party and Adam loved it. He immediately went and found a recipe. This is actually the first time I've made it. I brought home two bags of apples from the store and when he saw me eating one, he remembered this dip and decided it was time to try it out. I tasted a bit when I put it in the container. Seemed kind of sweet to me, but I suppose that's the point. Adam likes it.

Oh, and I left out the peanuts.

Grilled Bacon-Tomato Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
4 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)
4 slices provolone cheese (1 ounce each)
4 slices tomato
4 bacon strips, cooked and halved
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

Directions:
Top two slices of bread with a slice of cheese; layer with tomato, bacon, basil and remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread. Brush dressing over outsides of sandwiches.

In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
I used whole wheat bread so that's why it looks so dark. I also skipped the basil and Italian dressing and just spread butter on the outside of the bread instead.

These were very good. Basic, simple, but tasty.

Weekly Menu 9/26 through 10/2

Saturday 9/26 - Grilled Bacon-Tomato Sandwiches

Sunday 9/27 - Honey Nut Chicken Sticks (it's in the 365: No Repeats cookbook.)

Monday 9/28 - Pork Tenderloin (in the slow cooker)

Tuesday 9/29 - My night out for the month. Not sure where we're going yet. Any suggestions?

Wednesday 9/30 - Beef & Cheese Manicotti. I've got a card in my recipe box - not sure where the original is from.

Thursday 10/1 - Provolone 'n' Turkey Sandwiches

Friday 10/2 - Smoky Red Rice and Chorizo with Black Beans

Sweet 'n' Saucy Sausage Sandwiches

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 Italian sausage links (4 ounces each), sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped green pepper
1/3 cup ginger ale
1/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon onion soup mix
1 French roll, split
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large saucepan, saute the sausage, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the ginger ale, chili sauce, preserves and soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

Place roll halves, cut side up, on an ungreased baking sheet; top with sausage mixture and cheese. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
Direct quote from Adam: "These are good. You definitely have to make them again."

That would probably be all the commenting I need on this one, but I'll add that I used that sausage that comes in a tube, omitted the green peppers, but kept everything else the same. A tad bit spicy for my tastes, but I'm a wuss.

Really good. You should go make them. Seriously.

Great Grandma's Baked Chicken

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces (about 3/4 cup) soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, rosemary and lemon peel; set aside. Using a small sharp knife, cut into the side of each chicken breast half to create a pocket. Stuff each chicken breast with about 1 1/2 tablespoons goat cheese mixture and secure with a toothpick.

In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs and set aside. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add half the melted butter to the bread crumbs and combine. Keep the remaining butter warm for basting.

Cover a baking sheet with foil. Dip each stuffed chicken breast in the egg and then in the bread crumbs to coat; set on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 45 minutes, drizzling with the remaining butter every 15 minutes.

Comments:
I skipped the whole butter thing and it turned out a wee bit dry. I just thought that it called for a whole lotta butter and that didn't seem like a good idea to me. The result wasn't fantastic, but it was still edible. I'll have to think of an alternate method if we have this again.

On a side note, look at those beautiful beans. We've been able to get all kinds of wonderful produce at our local farm stand this summer: strawberries, corn, melons, blueberries, peaches, beans, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, peppers. We're so lucky to have so many local choices for fresh fruits and veggies.

Soon we'll be seeing pumpkins and squash and then it'll be winter. Boo. Now I'm depressed.

Penne Pasta with Black Beans & Mango

From Recipezaar



Ingredients:
1 (14 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
1 small onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces penne pasta, cooked
1 mango, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Simmer tomatoes, onion and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat for 10 minutes.

2. Add beans and oil. Cook for one additional minute.

3. Place pasta in a serving bowl, and spoon bean sauce over the top.

4. Add mango, basil and salt & pepper to taste.

5. Toss and serve.

Comments:
Once again Adam saw the beans and complained. And then ate it and determined it wasn't horrible. And he'd probably eat it again. *sigh*

Anywho. Picky, complaining husbands aside, this was a total breeze to prepare. Nothing tricky, I skipped the oil, but kept the rest of the recipe the same... for the most part. I almost never cook with garlic - it makes Adam's stomach unhappy - so I usually throw some garlic powder in toward the end instead. I was also feeling lazy and on onion overload so I gave a few shakes of the dried, minced stuff and called it good.

I liked the texture contrast of the tomatoes, beans, and mango. Flavor was good too. We ended up with some leftover sauce so I'll see how it reheats tomorrow.

Adam Cooks Jerky

Adam used a Nesco dehydrator and jerky gun and the accompanying spice mixes



Ingredients:
1 pound sliced or ground meat
1 spice/cure seasoning packet

Directions:
For Ground Meat:
1. Combine entire contents of spice/cure sides with 1 pound lean ground meat. Mix until well blended.

2. Form into strips or sticks using the jerky gun.

3. Dry using food dehydrator.

For Sliced Meat:
1. Mix contents of spice/cure packet with 1/4 cup water. Marinate strips 12 to 24 hours.

2. Dry using food dehydrator.

Comments:
For some unknown reason, Adam decided to get a food dehydrator and make his own jerky. He used some round steak first (on the left up there in the picture) and then used some ground turkey with the jerky gun (on the right.)

It appears that both turned out pretty well. I'm not a jerky person so I can't attest to the taste or quality. Adam is loving it. It seemed pretty simple and the most time-consuming part is the drying, which really happens by itself inside the appliance. I was just glad it didn't stink the house up too much.

Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup 2% milk
1-1/2 teaspoons sherry or chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion

Directions:
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning until smooth. Gradually add milk, sherry and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Remove from the heat; set aside.

Place half of the potato slices in a 1-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with the ham, onion and half of the white sauce. Repeat layers.

Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Comments:
These are kind of time-consuming, but worth the effort. I doubled the recipe so my cooking time was a bit longer. Overall, good flavor - nice and cheesy. Not at all like the awful stuff you get in a box.

Oh, and I obviously didn't peel the potato. I rarely do. The skin is full of nutrients and as long as you clean it well, it's fine. Such fussy work, peeling vegetables. I try and avoid it if at all possible.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

From Allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Comments:
I had made these kind of cookies previously, but lost the recipe. Sorry person who emailed me about that a while back. I looked everywhere and couldn't find where it ended up.

Anyway, while we were at Fleet Farm this morning for a jerky gun (more on that later), I stopped by their candy and nut section to see if anything leapt out at me. Adam spotted macadamia nuts and when I asked if he wanted me to make cookies since he had just finished off the cake in the fridge he immediately grabbed the chance. So, white chocolate macadamia nut it was. He found this recipe and I made it. At the same time that I was making dinner. Talent...

I haven't tried one yet - and probably won't. Neither white chocolate nor macadamia nuts are really my thing. But Adam likes them and he's my target audience, so I'm satisfied.

Weekly Menu 9/19 through 9/25

Saturday 9/19 - Mom's Turkey Meatloaf (got bumped)

Sunday 9/20 - Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Monday 9/21 - Brats in Beer

Tuesday 9/22 - Penne Pasta with Black Beans & Mango

Wednesday 9/23 - Great Grandma's Baked Chicken

Thursday 9/24 - Meat Loaf Cups

Friday 9/25 - Sweet & Saucy Sausage Sandwiches

Lemon-Mustard Chicken with Angel Hair Pasta

From 1200-Calorie-A-Day Menu Cookbook by Nancy S. Hughes



Ingredients:
2 tbsp chopped scallion
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp dry white wine
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup chicken broth
Cooking spray
4 1/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, flattened to 1/4-inch thickness
2 tsp EVOO
1 tbsp light margarine
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3 cups cooked angel hair pasta

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, combine scallion, lemon juice, wine, parsley, mustard, and broth. Mix well and set aside.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet wirh cooking spray and place over high heat. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 1/2 minutes longer. Set aside.

3. Reduce heat to medium-high, add scallion mixture, and stir until smooth, scraping bottom and sides. Stir in oil, margarine, salt, and pepper. Blend well. Pour sauce over chicken, arrange pasta around chicken, and serve immediately.

Comments:
I skipped the wine (used extra chicken stock instead) and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces rather than pounding it - my chicken was weird shaped. I also used regular spaghetti rather than angel hair.

This was pretty easy. But watch out - the scallion sauce gets hot really quickly once you add it to the pan. It's a nice balance of mustard/lemon/onion flavors. Even Adam liked it!

Weekly Menu 9/12 through 9/18

Saturday 9/12 - We just ate leftovers - had a late lunch up in Green Bay and then ice cream from Sonic mid-afternoon. (BTW - there's a Sonic in Appleton now! So exciting!)

Sunday 9/13 - Crispy Beef Tostadas (from Taste of Home, but I don't see if on the website) (got bumped)

Monday 9/14 - Home-Style Ribs. We're back to crockpot Mondays.

Tuesday 9/15 - Adam's on his own. My monthly professional association meetings start up again for the season. It must be fall...

Wednesday 9/16 - Lemon Mustard Chicken with Angelhair Pasta from 1200-Calories-a-Day Menu Cookbook by Nancy Hughes

Thursday 9/17 - Adam's night out for September. It sounds like he might be leaning toward sushi. We'll see how that goes.

Friday 9/18 - Mom's Turkey Meatloaf

Upside-Down Pizza Bake

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 pound Italian sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup julienned green pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Pour spaghetti sauce into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Top with the mushrooms, green pepper, sausage and 1/2 cup cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the biscuit mix, egg and milk until blended. Pour over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Comments:
My edits: Skipped the mushrooms and green peppers and added onions and some leftover pepperoni

This was wonderful. Very simple to make, but mighty tasty. And it can be made in many different incarnations. I thought about using the pineapple and ham left over from abandoned meals last week and making a Hawaiian version. Maybe next time...

Weekly Menu 9/5 through 9/11

Saturday 9/5 - Adam got crab legs from the store so he steamed those and I had some cauliflower and leftovers.

Sunday 9/6 - Upside-Down Pizza Bake

Monday 9/7 - Rumor has it Adam's parents are coming over and we're grilling out.

Tuesday 9/8 - Chicken Caprese Sandwiches

Wednesday 9/9 - Adam won tickets to the comedy club so we'll eat there.

Thursday 9/10 - Meatball Tortellini Soup

Friday 9/11 - Crispy Beef Tostadas (from Taste of Home, but I don't see if on the website)

Better Than Sex Cake

From one of my co-workers. It's a lot like this recipe.



Ingredients:
1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 (12 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12.25 oz) jar caramel topping
1 (8 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 (2.1oz) Heath bars, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1. Bake cake in a 13 x 9 pan as directed. Cool cake for 5 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke several holes in cake.

2. Drizzle milk evenly over top of cake; let stand until milk has been absorbed into cake. Drizzle with caramel topping. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen cake. Cover and cool completely.

3. Spread whipped topping over top of cake. Sprinkle with toffee chips. Store covered in refrigerator.

Comments:
One of the ladies at work brought this in last week. I don't particularly like caramel or toffee so I took home a piece for Adam instead. He LOVED it and insisted I get the recipe and make it immediately. So I did. The one thing he said was the wooden spoon makes holes that are too big. Maybe next time I'll use a fork instead. Other than that, a success.

Chicken Cheese-Steak Wraps

From The Biggest Loser Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 cup onion slivers
1 whole-wheat flour tortilla
1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese
1 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp sliced pickled hot chili peppers

Directions:
With a sharp knife, cut the chicken into thin slivers at a 45-degree angle.

Set a medium skillet over medium-high heat until it is hot. Mist with olive-oil spray. Place the chicken and onion in the pan. Cook, separating the chicken, for 2 minutes or until evenly browned and no longer pink. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the tortilla between two damp paper towels. Microwave on low power in 10-second intervals until it's warm.

Place the tortilla on a serving plate. Spread the cheese, leaving about 2" bare on one end, in an even strip running down the center of the tortilla. Top with the chicken mixture, ketchup, and peppers. Fold the bare end of the tortilla up over the filling and then fold the sides of the tortilla over the middle.

Comments:
Didn't totally follow this. I used low-fat cheddar instead of the Laughing Cow (which is Swiss and neither of us like that.) I also skipped the ketchup and peppers because, well, eww. Just the chicken, onions, and cheese were perfect. I used this thin flatbread stuff rather than tortillas as well and that was great too. I think we'd eat this again.

Weekly Menu 8/29 through 9/4

Saturday 8/29 - Cobb Style Rice Bowls (got displaced by golf)

Sunday 8/30 - Chicken Cheese-Steak Wraps (Biggest Loser)

Monday 8/31 - Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Tuesday 9/1 - Adirondacker Burger

Wednesday 9/2 - Farfalle with Turkey, Leeks, & Broccoli

Thursday 9/3 - Sauteed Salmon with Mango-Pineapple Chutney (RR's 365 cookbook - I don't see it on any of the various food sites)

Friday 9/4 - Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Ham

Brown Rice and Edamame

From Recipezaar.com



Ingredients:
3/4 cup long grain brown rice
1 1/4 cups frozen edamame, shelled
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil, toasted
1/2 teaspoon sugar
crushed red pepper flakes
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
salt
pepper

Directions:
In a med saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups lightly salted water to boil. Add rice, reduce to a simmer; cover and cook, 30 minutes. Stir in edamame; cover and cook until rice is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together lime juice, vinegar, oil, red pepper flakes and sugar until sugar is dissolved. With a fork, stir in lime juice mixture and scallions into rice; season with salt and pepper.

Comments:
I was finally able to track down some edamame. None of the grocery stores we usually go to carry it. What's up with that? Anyway, I tried this as my first edamame experience. I think they might have been undercooked, but it was still pretty good. They don't really have a flavor of their own, but the vinegar/sesame/sugar mixture and the scallions helped that along. I'm looking for other recipes for edamame. Let me know if you have a good one.

Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burgers

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 pounds ground turkey breast
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (a generous handful)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 apple, such as granny smith, cut into 12 slices
8 slices extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
4 sandwich-size english muffins, split and toasted
8 leaves red- or green-leaf lettuce

Directions:
In a bowl, combine the turkey, scallions, parsley, grill seasoning and poultry seasoning. Form into 4 patties, pressing your thumb into the center of each to prevent it from bulging.

In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 6 minutes on each side for medium. Top each with 3 apple slices and 2 cheese slices, tent the pan with foil and cook until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the cranberry sauce and mustard; slather on the muffin tops. Pile 2 lettuce leaves on each muffin bottom, top with the patties and set the muffin tops into place.

Comments:
We left off the "burger" part of this so I omitted everything after the cheese. These were good - a nice contrast of sweet, tart, salty. I might play around with it next time - maybe put the cheese and apple inside the burger... hmmm...

Cobb Style Rice Bowls

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 slices bacon
1 bunch kale (8 ounces), stemmed and thinly sliced (4 packed cups)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
5 cups cooked brown rice
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds

Directions:
In a large, heavy skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes; transfer to a paper towel and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the grease. Add the kale and 3 tablespoons water; cover and cook over medium to medium-low heat until tender, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt and cook over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened, about 8 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon salt until dissolved; stir into the rice.

To serve, divide the rice among 4 bowls and layer with the kale, tomatoes, avocado, bacon and sunflower seeds.

Comments:
Adam had considered making this a while ago for one of his "Adam Cooks" nights but opted for ribs instead. So I made it instead. My avocado wasn't ripe so I left that out. This is pretty good. I wasn't so sure about the kale, but it's not bad. I'm thinking the fact that it steams in bacon drippings couldn't have hurt...

Weekly Menu 8/22 through 8/28

Saturday 8/22 - We're going down to Sheboygan Falls for a belated Anniversary Dinner with my dad & Cheryl

Sunday 8/23 - Adam cooks

Monday 8/24 - Apple-Cheddar Turkey Burgers

Tuesday 8/25 - Meaty Rigatoni Bake

Wednesday 8/26 - Cobb Style Rice Bowls

Thursday 8/27 - Oven-Baked Chicken Parmesan

Friday 8/28 - Fish & Chips (the AB way)

Sticky Chicky

From Taste of Home, but I can't find it on their site. It was in the April/May 2009 issue.



Ingredients:
16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (any kind)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp grated gingerroot
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Directions:
Preheat over to 400F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken in the pan in a single layer.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients except the cornstarch and water. Pour evenly over chicken. Turn pieces to coat both sides. Bake, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

Remove chicken from the pan and keep warm. Carefully pour the sauce from the pan into a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water and mix until smooth. Add to sauce. Cook until sauce in bubbly and has thickened. Serve hot chicken with extra sauce on top.

Comments:
My edits: breasts instead of thighs, omitted the ginger, white wine rather than red wine vinegar.

These turned out great. They smelled good while they cooked, came together easily, and weren't too overwhelmingly barbecue-y. Which is good because we all know I don't particularly like BBQ. Adam suggested the sauce would go well with ribs. We'll see if we can't work that into the menu at some point...

Adam Cooks: Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola

From Rachael Ray via Foodnetwork.com



Ingredients:
4 (1 1/2-inch-thick) beef tenderloin steaks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound Gorgonzola
4 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:
Let meat rest 10 minutes before beginning dinner preparation.

Place a large, flat griddle or skillet over high heat. When hot, using a pair of tongs and a folded paper towel, wipe cooking surface with oil and place steaks on hot pan. Caramelize the steaks, 2 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to moderate. Season meat with salt and pepper and cook 4 to 5 minutes longer on each side.

Preheat broiler to high.

Arrange steaks on baking sheet. Top each steak with 3 ounces Gorgonzola. Place baking sheet 6 inches from broiler heat just long enough to melt the cheese. Remove meat from the oven and top with slivers of fresh sage. Let meat rest 2 or 3 minutes, then serve immediately.

Comments:
What did I tell you - the man loves his steak. Part of mine wasn't done enough for me, but the parts I did eat were pretty tasty. Some of the comments on the recipe post on the website critized using such a strong cheese. Yes, gorgonzola is stinky and has a very distinct flavor. If you don't like it, you probably won't like this recipe. Duh.

Lemon-Grilled Chicken

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
7 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

Comments:
Who makes things with 7 servings? That's kind of weird.

Anyway, totally simple. I didn't grill them - I cooked them on the stove - but they turned out great. Just a hint of lemon in the background. I love chicken...

Weekly Menu 8/8 through 8/14

Saturday 8/8 - Porcupine Meatballs (have I never posted that? I find that hard to believe...)

Sunday 8/9 - Adam cooks

Monday 8/10 - Lasagna Roll-ups

Tuesday 8/11 - My final summer board meeting!

Wednesday 8/12 - Fridge clean-out session

Thursday morning we're making like the Go-Gos and going on vacation! See you next week!

Warm Chocolate and Caramel Cakes

From Delish.com



Ingredients:
Butter, softened
1 jar good-quality caramel sauce
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup strong brewed coffee, warm
1/3 cup light olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar

Directions:
Generously coat six 6-ounce ramekins with softened butter. Chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes, and brush with a second coat of butter. Pour 3 tablespoons caramel sauce into the bottom of each ramekin and transfer to the freezer for 1 hour.

Whisk the cake flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside. Stir the coffee, oil, vanilla, and vinegar together and whisk into the flour mixture just until smooth.

Fill each ramekin with 1/3 cup of batter. Bake at 400 degrees F until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the caramel has bubbled up the sides, about 20 minutes.

Comments:
I know, the balsamic vinegar sounds weird, but you don't even taste it so don't worry. These are pretty easy to assemble. I ended up using about 2 tablespoons of butter to grease the ramekins. The rest of the softened stuff got slathered on a couple fresh ears of corn from the local farmers' market. Yum. Anywho, these are good, but rich, so it's mighty convenient that they're individually portioned out. Still totally bad for you though. Don't look at the nutrition facts. You'll wish you hadn't. Also, they do re-heat pretty well in the microwave.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp

From Rachael Ray via Foodnetwork.com



Ingredients:
12 jumbo raw peeled deveined shrimp, 16 to 20 count per pound
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning or coarse salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
12 slices center cut or applewood smoked bacon, cut in 1/2
Toothpicks

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place shrimp in a shallow dish or bowl. Dress seafood with lime juice and zest, a generous drizzle of sesame oil, grill seasoning and hot pepper flakes. Wrap each shrimp with a half slice of bacon. Wrap each shrimp working from head to tail, pulling bacon snuggly around the shrimp. Fasten bacon in place as necessary with picks.

Arrange the shrimp on a slotted baking pan, such as a broiler pan, to allow draining while bacon crisps. Bake shrimp 10 to 14 minutes, until shrimp is pink and curled and the bacon is crisp.

Comments:
Adam had made the scallop part of this recipe previously so I decided to do the shrimp this time. (And that's what I had in the freezer...) Not too hard, but I was informed I was a little heavy-handed with the lime. Whoops. That's what I get for using an actual lime rather than the bottled stuff.

Weekly Menu 8/1 through 8/7

Saturday 8/1 - If we don't end up going down to Brat Days in Sheboygan it will be a leftover night

Sunday 8/2 - Adam cooks

Monday 8/3 - Leftovers - I work late

Tuesday 8/4 - Bacon Cheeseburger Buns

Wednesday 8/5 - Scrambled Egg Burritos

Thursday 8/6 - Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

Friday 8/7 - Lemon-Grilled Chicken Breasts

Hmm, not too many new ones and a lot of bacon there.

Speaking of bacon, I got a new skillet this week and guess what the first thing I cooked in it was?



Yep, that'd be bacon.

Chicken & Spaghetti Di Napoli

From what looks like one of those recipe cards you pick up in the grocery store - possibly from Creamette?



Ingredients:
6 strips bacon
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced (I omitted)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 26 oz jar pasta sauce
1 lb spaghetti, uncooked
2 tbsp softened butter or margarine

Directions:
In a medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove. Crumble and set aside. In the same skillet, brown chicken in 2 tbsp drippings. Remove. Cook carrot and garlic until tender. Add pasta sauce and chicken. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain. Add butter, toss to coat. Slice chicken. Serve over spaghetti with sauce. Garnish with bacon.

Comments:
I just wasn't feeling very "carrot-y" yesterday but that's the only change I made. That and leaving out the butter. Not necessary... I might make this again sometime with my homemade sauce. This time I used Prego...

Weekly Menu 7/25 through 7/31

Saturday 7/25 - Mac & Cheese Lorraine

Sunday 7/26 - Adam cooks - he's taking me out to The Melting Pot!

Monday 7/27 - Crockpot chicken & veggies

Tuesday 7/28 - My night out for the month - I'm thinking Hu Hot but I'm not 100% yet

Wednesday 7/29 - I won free tickets to the Comedy Club so we'll eat dinner there

Thursday 7/30 - Chicken & Spaghetti Di Napoli (from a card in my recipe box, but this one is very similar)

Friday 7/31 - Black Bean Pita Pockets

Adam Cooks: Herb Chicken

From Beer Cookbook: 101 Recipes with Beer



Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt & pepper
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
6 cloves garlic
1 12oz bottle beer
2 springs parsley

Directions:
Salt & pepper chicken and broil them until golden brown. Place the chicken in a slow cooker with the rosemary, sage, thyme, garlic, and beer. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Comments:
Following my bad example, he didn't exactly follow this recipe. He didn't brown the chicken before cooking it. It went on low for about 6 hours. The spices are really strong so unless you're really into it, maybe dial it back a notch or two. The beer also really intensifies in the slow cooker. I don't know that we'll try this one again.

Miniature Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
5 teaspoons butter, melted

FILLING:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons beaten egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of six paper-lined muffin cups; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat on low speed just until combined. Place a peanut butter cup in the center of each muffin cup; fill with cream cheese mixture.

Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until center is set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Comments:
So, I didn't exactly follow this recipe. I realized when I got back from the grocery store that this recipe calls for MINIATURE peanut butter cups and I got full size ones. Oops. So I improvised. Also, I used chocolate graham cracker crumbs since I had them around still from these parfaits. (Hmm, those were pretty good. I should make those again...)

Oh, and my tops totally sank in after they cooled, so I hid that with whipped cream. :)

Cheese Stuffed Burgers

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 hamburger buns, split
Lettuce leaves and tomato slices, optional

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into four thin patties. Sprinkle cheese over two patties; top with remaining patties and press edges firmly to seal.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side or until meat is no longer pink. Serve on buns with lettuce and tomato if desired.

Comments:
Similar to another burger I've made in the past. These are easy to make, the cheese didn't ooze out too much, and it ignited all kinds of creativity in Adam's head. He suggested all kinds of things to put inside the burger - mostly coming back to bacon. He's really on a bacon kick lately...

Bistro Breakfast Panini

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
6 bacon strips
1 teaspoon butter
4 eggs, beaten
4 slices sourdough bread (3/4 inch thick)
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces Brie or Camembert cheese, thinly sliced
8 thin slices apple
1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add eggs; cook and stir until set.

Place eggs on two slices of bread; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Layer with cheese, apple, bacon, spinach and remaining bread. Butter outsides of sandwiches. Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 3-4 minutes or until bread is browned and cheese is melted.

Comments:
These were delicious! I omitted the spinach, but other than that I stuck to the plan. I used Granny Smith apples and these cute mini brie wedges:



Wee Brie! Adorable!

I still can't get them to brown on the press. I even cranked it all the way up this time. I'm not sure what that's about. But they tasted just fine. At least they weren't soggy like the turkey sandwiches always turn out to be.

Pasta Bake With Sausage, Broccoli and Beans

Inspired by this recipe from the show "Cook Yourself Thin"



Ingredients:
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1 pound breakfast sausage
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
Cook the pasta according to package directions, knocking off two or three minutes from the cooking time. In the last two minutes, add the broccoli to the water as well. Drain, and put into a large bowl.

Cook the sausage in a skillet, breaking it up as it browns. Drain and add to the bowl with the pasta and broccoli. Add the beans and cheese and stir.

Put the pasta mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.

Comments:
I caught parts of this while I was reading on the couch earlier this week. I didn't bother to go and look up the actual recipe until after I made this, but I knew I had broccoli to use up, I had thawed sausage for a dish I didn't end up making, and pasta and cheese are always welcome on my plate. I think I needed some more liquid, but overall it was good. I might browse their recipes to see if anything else catches my eye. I saw a different episode where they made cupcakes using grated zucchini instead of butter. Interesting...

Stuffed Manicotti

From my recipe box - seriously no idea where it came from...



Ingredients:
16 manicotti tubes
16 sticks mozzarella cheese
2 cups marinara sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Grease an 11 x 7 baking dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the manicotti tubes for 6 minutes, stirring once at the start to separate tubes. Drain well, then rinse with cold water and drain again.

Insert a mozzarella stick into each tube. Arrange the filled pasta in the prepared baking dish. Pour the sauce on top.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top of the dish.

Comments:
Simplest manicotti ever, although at my store they come in packages of 14, so that's what I make. I also just buy a block of cheese and cut it up. Not the most impressive dish ever, but it's good and easy. Can't ask for more than that.

Adam Cooks: Steak

From Beer Cookbook: 101 Recipes with Beer



Ingredients:
6 12oz New York strip steaks
1 12oz bottle dark beer
1/2 c brown sugar
6 tbsp lime juice
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
3 tbsp whole grain mustard

Directions:
Place steaks in a single layer in a glass baking dish. Whisk beer, sugar, lime juice, garlic, Worcestershire, olive oil, hot sauce and mustard in a large bowl to blend. Pour marinade over steaks. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Remove steaks from marinade and grill to desired doneness.

Comments:
He sure does like his red meat. I can't say that I'm too much of a fan. But since the menu is up to him on Sundays, I eat what he makes. I figure I get to torture him 6 out of 7 days, so it's only fair to even things up a little bit.

Southwest Eggrolls

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed
2/3 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
20 egg roll wrappers
Oil for deep-fat frying

DIP:
1 cup ranch salad dressing
1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and mashed
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon grated lime peel

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Place 1/4 cup of chicken mixture in the center of one egg roll wrapper. (Keep remaining wrappers covered with a damp paper towel until ready to use.) Fold bottom corner over filling. Fold sides toward center over filling. Moisten remaining corner with water; roll up tightly to seal. Repeat.

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Meanwhile, combine the dip ingredients. Serve with egg rolls.

Comments:
I was so impressed with myself. The only thing I left out of this recipe was the cilantro. I even got a fresh lime to zest. Wow! I ended up with 12 eggrolls rather than 20, but I have a feeling I skimped on the amount of chicken. I just cooked up a couple of breasts on the George Foreman and guesstimated. Overall, pretty good. A little spicy for my tastes, and Adam didn't dig the sauce.

Weekly Menu 7/18 through 7/24

Saturday 7/18 - Stuffed Manicotti (it's on a recipe card in my box - no idea where it came from)

Sunday 7/19 - Adam cooks - don't know what his plans are

Monday 7/20 - Sticky Chicky (From TOH April/May 2009 - don't see it on the website)

Tuesday 7/21 - Cheese-Stuffed Burgers

Wednesday 7/22 - Bistro Breakfast Panini

Thursday 7/23 - Turkey Club Salad

Friday 7/24 - Pasta Shells with Pancetta, Peas, & Shrimp (from RR Just in Time. This link is to the similar recipe from her show.)

Weekly Menu 7/11 through 7/17

Saturday 7/11 - Southwest Egg Rolls

Sunday 7/12 - Adam cooks - don't know what his plans are

Monday 7/13 - Spaghetti Carbonara

Tuesday 7/14 - Adam's on his own - I've got a board meeting

Wednesday 7/15 - Adam's night out for July - don't know where we're going yet. He won't tell me.

Thursday 7/16 - Calzone Rolls (from Rachael Ray's Just in Time cookbook)

Friday 7/17 - Chicken Caesar Salad

Gnocchi with Spinach and Gorgonzola

From Rachael Ray's Just in Time cookbook (link is to the recipe from her talk show - it's pretty much the same)



Ingredients:
2 17-ounce packages gnocchi
Salt
3/4 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
4 large cloves garlic, grated
2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound gorgonzola crumbles
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the gnocchi. Once boiling, add some salt and the gnocchi, and cook according to package directions.

Place a small skillet over medium heat with the chopped walnuts. Toast the nuts, tossing them frequently in the pan until they are golden brown and smell toasted. Remove from the heat and reserve.

While the water is coming up to a boil and the nuts are toasting, place a medium-size skillet with EVOO over low heat. Grate the garlic over the pan and gently cook in the oil for a minute or two, shaking the skillet every now and then. Add the spinach and toss to combine with the oil, then season with a little bit of salt and a lot of pepper. Add the chicken stock and bring up to a bubble. Once the stock is simmering, add the gorgonzola crumbles and toss until the cheese is nice and melted.

Add the gnocchi to the skillet and toss to coat. Ladle gnocchi into serving bowls, sprinkle with the toasted chopped walnuts and serve.

Comments:
When we started eating, Adam turned to me and said, "You know what this could use? Bacon." Typical. I agree that there was something missing. I omitted the nuts since I don't like them, but I don't think that was it. There are some leftovers so maybe I'll cook up some bacon and see if that makes the dish.

Cheesy Beer Fondue

From Sandra Lee via FoodNetwork.com



Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle lager beer
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cups shredded Cheddar

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring constantly to make a roux. Add beer and bring to slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. Add Worcestershire, mustard and cayenne, stirring thoroughly. Add cheese 1 cup at a time, melting cheese after each addition. Stir fondue until it is smooth. Turn into fondue pot and serve.

Comments:
We LOVE the Melting Pot. Love love. But it's so expensive, we can't go there very often. So we make some fondue at home every once in a while to take the edge off. We eat ours with bread, granny smith apples, and broccoli (for Adam - I don't like raw broccoli.) I found this recipe a few years back and just keep using it. It's so easy and tasty.

Weekly Menu 7/4 through 7/10

Saturday 7/4 - We'll be down in Sheboygan for a late dinner at The Highland House with my dad and Cheryl. We plan to watch the fireworks from their outdoor patio.

Sunday 7/5 - Adam cooks - He plans to make these ribs again

Monday 7/6 - Chicken Fajita Burgers (from Rachael Ray's Get Real cookbook - this recipe looks very similar)

Tuesday 7/7 - Ham & Cheese Breakfast Strudels

Wednesday 7/8 - Bacon Cheeseburger Calzones

Thursday 7/9 - Gnocchi with Spinach & Gorgonzola (from Rachael Ray's Just In Time cookbook)

Friday 7/10 - Sauteed Salmon with Mango-Pineapple Chutney (from Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats cookbook)

Skillet Spaghetti

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, green pepper, 4 tablespoons water, salt, chili powder and spaghetti.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until spaghetti is tender, stirring frequently and adding remaining water if necessary.

Sprinkle with cheese; cover and heat until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
I left out the green peppers and skipped the cheese part since I wasn't feeling cheesy. I love spaghetti. This was a standard preparation sauce with the noodles cooked in the same pan rather than in water. Interesting, worked just fine. I'll definitely try this one again.

(Sorry for the crappy picture. It just would not focus!)

Crash Hot Potatoes

From The Pioneer Woman (Have you discovered this woman? She's amazing!)



Ingredients:
New Potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & pepper
Other herbs (your choice)

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in the potatoes and cook until fork-tender. On a sheet pan, drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the sheet, leaving plenty of room between each potato. With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes, rotate the masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each potato with more olive oil. Sprinkle potatoes with salt, pepper, and whatever herb combination you want. Bake in a 450 degree overn for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Comments:
I kind of cheated by cooking the potatoes in the microwave rather than on the stove-top. Bad Martha. I used garlic salt and Italian seasoning. These were so simple, and a nice change up from the usual oven-baked potato wedges I ususally make. Adam was unsure, but he ate the two I gave him with some sour cream on top.

Slow-cooked Meat Loaf

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
1-1/4 cups water
1 egg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound lean ground beef

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine soup and water until blended. Pour half into a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup mixture.

In a bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, salt if desired and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into a loaf; place in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160°.

For gravy, place reserved soup mixture in a small saucepan; cook over low heat until heated through. Serve with meat loaf and mashed potatoes if desired.

Comments:
So I modified this a little. I used tomato soup rather than cream of celery. It just made more sense to me that way. And you can't tell me those honking pieces of meatloaf came from 1/2 pound of ground beef. There's no way. Anywho, while mine are less "loaf-like" it still tasted good. And Adam liked it after he got over his "you don't make meatloaf in a slow cooker" thing.

Tasty Mozzarella Chicken

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 can (7 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In a shallow bowl, beat egg and water. In another shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, soup mix and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat with crumb mixture.

Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 22-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

In a small bowl, combine spaghetti sauce and mushrooms; spoon over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 5-7 minutes longer or until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted.

Comments:
I left out the mushrooms, but otherwise followed this recipe pretty well. It's like chicken Parmesan with an onion kick. I don't know that I like it, but Adam thought it was ok. I'm not a big fan of onion...

And no, I didn't make that bread. It's a new thing that was on sale at the store this week - La Brea bread in the freezer section. It's fabulous, but a bit steep at its regular price.

Weekly Menu 6/27 through 7/3

Saturday 6/27 - Hopefully we'll hit Darboy Chickenfest for lunch so we'll just have leftovers for dinner

Sunday 6/28 - Adam cooks - he's planning steak

Monday 6/29 - Slow-Cooked Meatloaf

Tuesday 6/30 - Tasty Mozzarella Chicken

Wednesday 7/1 - I'll be working late - leftovers or something on the way home

Thursday 7/2 - Skillet Spaghetti

Friday 7/3 - Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Meatball Tortellini Soup

From Taste of Home (I can't find the recipe on their website...)



Ingredients:
One 14.5oz can beef broth
12 frozen cooked Italian meatballs
3/4 cup fresh baby spinach
3/4 cup stewed tomatoes
One 11oz can Mexicorn, drained
3/4 cup frozen cheese tortellini
salt & pepper

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Add the meatballs. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the spinach, tomatoes and corn; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the tortellini, salt and pepper; cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until the tortellini is tender.

Comments:
Hrm, what the heck is "Mexicorn"? Is it like Rotel, but with corn instead of tomatoes?

Anyway, didn't do too well following this recipe, but my dish still looked surprisingly like the picture on the recipe card...



So, what did I actually do? I made my own meatballs, for one. How hard is it that you have to buy pre-made, frozen meatballs. Geesh. I used this recipe minus all the onion and plus some Italian seasoning. I mean, they were supposed to be "Italian meatballs" and all. I put the broth into a pot, brought it to a boil, plopped in the cooked meatballs. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Then I added a can of diced tomatoes, a can of corn (regular corn. Mexicorn? Pfft), and some baby spinach that I chopped up a bit. I let that simmer for another couple minutes. Then I added the tortellini, salt, pepper, and let that cook while I made some rolls. Almost didn't burn them this time!

Anywho, I thought this was good. Adam didn't like the tomato part.

Pork Skewers with Pineapple-Scallion Rice

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
One 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks in their juice, drained and juice reserved
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt and pepper
1 1/4 pounds pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

Directions:
In a resealable plastic bag, combine the pineapple juice, garlic, soy sauce, ginger and oil; season with salt and pepper. Add the pork and scallions and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups salted water to a boil. Add the rice, cover and cook over low heat for 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, thread the marinated pork and two-thirds of the pineapple chunks onto four 10-inch skewers and the marinated scallions onto one 10-inch skewer. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Coarsely chop the remaining pineapple chunks and stir into the cooked rice. Remove the grilled scallions from the skewer and stir into the rice. Serve the pork kebabs with the pineapple-scallion rice.

Comments:
I didn't read the recipe all the way through so I actually bought canned pineapple. I've never had any luck getting those wimpy, small pieces of fruit to stay on a skewer, so if I had actually read the recipe I would have bought a cored pineapple and cut it up myself. Oh well. So we skipped the grilled pineapple part. I also only had four skewers so I just cooked the scallions on the stovetop. It all worked out. The rice was a little bland, but the pork was tasty.

Restaurant Review: Uno Chicago Grill

Uno Chicago Grill, Appleton, WI

What we ordered:
Adam:
Grilled Shrimp and Sirloin

Martha:
Personal size Chicago Classic deep dish pizza

We also ordered the Pizza Skins appetizer.

Impressions:
I'd been wanting to try this out for awhile so it was my first choice for this new monthly outing we've enacted. The appetizer was great. A really interesting idea. Their crust is amazing: Not too thin and crunchy but not thick and greasy either. Almost flaky.

Adam had nothing bad to say about his entree. I ate less than a third of my pizza since I'd filled up with the appetizer. It was very good. Great sauce, spicy sausage. It doesn't reheat well though, so perhaps next time we'll skip the appetizer or get a pizza together.

Restaurant Review: Menasha Grill

Menasha Grill, Menasha, WI

What we ordered:
Adam:
Popcorn Crawfish with Cajun tartar sauce
Crab Cakes with Jambalaya and Maque Choux
Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

Martha:
Honey Mustard Cruster
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We both had their bread, salad, and soup which is standard with all dinners.

Impressions:
Honestly, I'm surprised we hadn't gone here sooner. I see their commercials on TV all the time and I knew it would be right up Adam's alley. I looked at the menu beforehand and while there are only two or three things on it I'd be ok eating, Adam pretty much looked at it, died, and went to heaven. With every bite he sighed with pleasure.

The salad was mixed greens with a great raspberry vinaigrette dressing. The soup was chicken sausage gumbo. Not overly spicy, but it did leave a burn in the back of your throat. As far as I can tell, everything Adam had was spectacular. My chicken was very good and the potatoes were very garlicky. I'm talking chunks of garlic in them. While not as strong as the Outback Steakhouse variety, I'm not sure I'd get them again. But that's a matter of preference.

All in all, a great place. Interesting decor, wonderful server, food that you don't ususally find in this area.

Scenes from a Party

Weekly Menu 6/20 through 6/26

Saturday 6/20 - Our Party! Things went well.

Sunday 6/21 - Leftovers from the party. We always make too much food.

Monday 6/22 - More Leftovers

Tuesday 6/23 - Potato-Crusted Chicken

Wednesday 6/24 - Pork Skewers with Pineapple-Scallion Rice

Thursday 6/25 - Meatball Tortellini Soup (it's from Taste of Home but I don't see the recipe on their site)

Friday 6/26 - We'll be trying to get to the drive-in for the second time this season.

Weekly Menu 6/13 through 6/19

Saturday 6/13 - Adam's helping a friend move - here's hoping for good weather! I'll just probably snack my way through the day.

Sunday 6/14 - Adam's meal. Not sure what he's got planned.

Monday 6/15 - Three Cheese Shells

Tuesday 6/16 - Adam's on his own - second summer board meeting

Wednesday 6/17 - Adam's night out. He hasn't told me where we're going yet.

Thursday 6/18 - Pizza (haven't decided whether homemade or frozen) and BLT Stuffed Tomatoes

Friday 6/19 - Salmon Delight Burger

Fish 'n' Chips

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
2 sweet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds), each cut into 12 wedges
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cooking spray
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
3/4 cup buttermilk
Four 5-ounce skinless, boneless tilapia fillets, each cut lengthwise into thirds

Directions:
Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450°.

On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and 1 tablespoon parsley; season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and bake on the lower rack until tender and crisp around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, coat another foil-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk and fish, turning to coat. Working with 1 piece at a time, coat the fish with the cornmeal mixture; transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Spray the fish with cooking spray; bake on the upper rack until golden-brown, 12 to 14 minutes.

Comments:
Adam picked this out but apparently had told me not to make the sweet potato part. I guess I forgot. Oops. He tried one and made a great dramatic show of how it almost killed him. *sigh* Good thing I only got one sweet potato instead of two. He did like the fish though, so that's good. :)

Baked Potato Bites

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 red potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and patted dry
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1/2 pound bacon
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the potato rounds on a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil, season with salt and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 25 minutes, flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon until crisp; crumble and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together the sour cream and cream cheese until smooth.

Arrange the potato slices on a platter in a single layer and top each round with a dollop of the sour cream mixture, some bacon bits and the chives. Serve warm.

Comments:
Yum. These were really good. I think they'd make a good party food since room-temp would probably be ok. Nothing really else to say about them.

Cheddar-Crusted Chicken

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Four 8-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup salted baby pretzels
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup shredded or crumbled sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt

Directions:
Sprinkle a little water into each of 4 quart-size plastic storage bags. Place 1 chicken breast in each bag, push out the excess air and seal it up. Using a heavy-bottomed pot, pound each breast until evenly thin, just shy of busting out of the bag.

Place the pretzels, bread crumbs, cheese, thyme, nutmeg and pepper in a food processor and pulse to grind until they’re the consistency of bread crumbs. Transfer the ground pretzels and cheese to a shallow dish.

Crack the egg into a second shallow dish and lightly beat with a splash of water. Place some flour in a third dish. Coat the chicken first in flour, then egg and finally in cheese and pretzel crumbs.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium-high heat and add the coated chicken breasts. Cook in a single layer, 3 or 4 minutes on each side, until the juices run clear and the breading is evenly browned. Cut off a piece of a cutlet and taste, to see if you want to salt them a little.

Comments:
I skipped the applesauce part of this recipe. I also skipped the pounding part. I just cut the breasts I had in half. It worked great. I'll try and remember that next time, for sure. In any case, the recipe as made above makes WAAAAAAAY too much breading. A total waste. Cut it in half and you'll still be fine. And we couldn't really even taste the cheese so I might play with proportions next time. Very good though.

Cheddar-Studded Tex-Mex Meatloaf Patties

From Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats (I haven't found it on Foodnetwork or her magazine's site yet)



Ingredients:
(Quick side note: My one issue with this cookbook is when she has a "Master Recipe" and a "Then Try" recipe, the ingredient lists and directions get really convoluted. Definitely not user-friendly. So here's my take on it. No guarantee this is the recipe that she actually meant, but it worked.)

1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/8 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 green pepper, finely chopped (I omitted)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
5 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 pound cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch dice

Directions:
Place the meat in a large mixing bowl and create a well in the center of the meat. Fill the well with the bread crumbs and dampen them with the milk. Pour the egg over the bread crumbs and then add all the other ingredients. Mix together and form into 4 oval patties (if you want them ridiculously huge. I'd say aim for 6-8.) Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Fry the meatloaf patties for 7 minutes on each side.

Comments:
I'd tried this one before and couldn't figure out where the recipe was from. It took me until now, while going through all my cookbooks, to find it again. Sad. Anyway, after deciphering the recipe it was easy to knock this one out. I cheated on the potatoes. They're about 3/4 boxed flakes, 1/4 leftover baby red I microwaved and stirred the leftover scallions into.

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Ham

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds), cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped
1 pound penne pasta
1/3 pound sliced boiled ham, cut into ribbons

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°. Spread the cauliflower on a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil and toss; season with salt and pepper. Bake until browned, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Cook, without stirring, until the butter is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in the sage and remove from the heat.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, drain and return the pasta to the pot. Stir in the ham, cauliflower and reserved pasta cooking water. Stir in the sage butter and season with salt and pepper.

Comments:
Another pretty simple dish. I almost burned the cauliflower though. Adam was unimpressed. He still ate it and even took some of the leftovers for lunch the next day. That's better than the turkey meatballs did...

Weekly Menu 6/6 through 6/12

No posts at all last week? That's terrible...

Saturday 6/6 - We rented a pontoon boat out on the Wolf River. Yeah, not the greatest given it was cold and rainy. But we had a nice lunch over at the Fin 'n' Feather.

Sunday 6/7 - Adam's meal. Not sure what he's got planned. Sounds like either steaks or Chinese. I think we're back in that rut...

Monday 6/8 - We've started this new thing - we each pick one day a month to go out to some place of our choice, and the other person can't complain about it. This is my day to choose - I've selected Uno Chicago Grill.

Tuesday 6/9 - Cheddar Studded Meatloaf (I finally figured out where the recipe came from!)

Wednesday 6/10 - Cheddar Crusted Chicken

Thursday 6/11 - Meatloaf Cups and Baked Potato Bites

Friday 6/12 - Fish N Chips