(Fettuccine) with Chicken and Broccoli (Rabe)

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped
6 oz spinach fettuccine
4 tsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head radicchio, shredded
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the broccoli rabe 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl. In the boiling water, cook the fettuccine according to package directions. Drain.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp of the oil. Add the chicken, salt, oregano, and red pepper and saute until cooked through, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.

3. In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 tsp oil. Saute the onion and garlic until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the broccoli rabe and radicchio; cook, stirring frequently, until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the fettuccine, the sprinkle with the cheese and black pepper. Serve topped with the chicken and sprinkled with the basil.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 7

Comments:
So, I had to do some improvising on this one. I can never find broccoli rabe at the grocery store so I end up using plain old broccoli. I also couldn't find radicchio, but I did find a bagged mix of baby spinach, radicchio, and romaine so I figured that was kind of close. I skipped the basil, mostly because I forgot to get it. Also, I used the awesome garlic olive oil again instead of oil + garlic.

Anyway. This was very good. Nice mix of flavors and textures. The greens kind of melt into the background so they're not anything to worry about. I'd have this again.

Strawberry and Mascarpone Granita

From Everyday Italian via foodnetwork.com



Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
2 cups chopped strawberries, plus 1 cup finely chopped
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch salt

Directions:
Place the water, 1/2 sugar, and mint in a small pan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar. Let simmer over low heat to steep the mint. Then strain the mint from the simple syrup. Discard the mint.

In a food processor combine 2 cups of strawberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Run the machine to puree the strawberries. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon juice, and salt. Run the machine until the mascarpone cheese is fully incorporated. Add the mint simple syrup and run the machine to combine. Place the strawberry mixture in an 8 by 8-inch glass dish and place the dish in the freezer. The mixture will take about 4 hours to freeze.

To serve, use a fork to scrape the granita. Spoon the mixture into chilled bowls. Top with the finely chopped strawberries. Serve immediately.

Comments:
Ok, first off, the Cooking Channel is just evil. Like I needed another channel to veg out in front of. It shows retro episodes of pretty much every Food Network show along with some new ones - mostly English it seems. Argh.

Anywho, this was from an Everyday Italian episode I saw yesterday. Since it's strawberry season and we bought an obscene amount of strawberries from our local farm stand, I figured this would be a nice way to make use of some of them. It's pretty easy (given you don't tip your food processor when it's full of the strawberry puree mixture and create a pink, sticky mess all over the countertop, down the cabinets, and on the floor. Not that I did that. Just saying.) and tastes great. It melts really quickly though so you have to eat it fast.

Spanish Tortilla

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium potatoes, cooked and diced
10oz box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup egg substitute
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 ground nutmeg

Directions:
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onions until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, spinach, egg substitute, parsley, salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat and cook, covered, until set and browned on bottom, about 10-15 minutes.
Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a warm platter, or serve directly from the skillet.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 2

Comments:
Simple, basic, tasty. Plus it's meatless and has potatoes. That's always good in my book. I actually used real garlic this time too since I needed it for something else later this week anyway. Wow, that stuff is strong - makes the whole house smell like an Italian restaurant. We'll see how it treats Adam's digestive system. :)

Weekly Menu 6/12 through 6/18

Saturday 6/12 - Spring Vegetable Carbonara (got bumped)

Sunday 6/13 - Spanish Tortilla (WW)

Monday 6/14 - Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Tuesday 6/15 - Fettucine with Chicken and Broccoli (WW)

Wednesday 6/16 - Leftovers (Adam Golfs)

Thursday 6/17 - Inside-Out Pizza Rolls

Friday 6/18 - Teriyaki Pork with Pineapple and Peppers

Spring Vegetable Carbonara

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 slices center-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped seeded red bell pepper

Directions:
1. Cook peas and asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water; drain. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Combine pasta and vegetables.

2. Combine cheese and the next 3 ingredients (through eggs) in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Gradually add hot cooking liquid to egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Add bacon to pasta mixture. Cook bell pepper in drippings for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pasta mixture; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat, and stir in egg mixture. Return pan to low heat; cook for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring constantly.

Comments:
Not the clearest directions ever, but I figured it all out. I think. My egg mixture ended up all clumpy, which the picture in the magazine did not show. Oh well. It still tasted good. I did think the proportion of asparagus to all the other vegetables, and even to the pasta, was a little off. Way too much asparagus in my opinion. Other than that, fabulous.

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 pounds chicken (skinless)
4 tsp canola oil

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, the dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, the turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes longer.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
A few edits - I added some Red Hot to the buttermilk, although it didn't seem to come through in the end product. I also used boneless, skinless breasts so I reduced the overall cooking time - I baked 20 minutes, turned, then another 10. I also skipped the oil step and just sprayed the breasts with cooking spray before baking.

These were good. A little bland - could use some additional spicing up in the breading, but I think we'll definitely try these again. But I really need to keep the mental note to not buy frozen broccoli. It's always a rip off. There were two florets in the entire package. Boo. The potatoes were good though - new potatoes quartered with a glug of Tuscan Blend olive oil, a dump of Italian seasoning, some salt and pepper. Yum.

Middle Eastern Salad Wraps

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp plain fat-free yogurt (I used Greek)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp EVOO
1 small garlic clove, minced (I just used a garlic olive oil)
pinch salt
2 tbsp water
2 tomatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 small onion, thinly sliced
8 tortillas

Directions:
1. To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and salt with the water.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, and onion. Drizzle with the dressing; toss to coat.

3. To assemble the wraps, soften the tortillas according to package directions. Divide the salad among the tortillas. Fold up the bottom edge of each tortilla, then the left and right sides to enclose the filling.

Serves 4 (2 wraps each). POINTS Value per serving: 4

Comments:
I admit, I didn't eat this. Adam had picked the recipe and it didn't appeal to me at all. Plus, I had filled up on fresh strawberries from our local farm stand. (Eee! I love strawberry season!)

Adam said this was very good. I'll take his word for it. The dressing is kind of runny so perhaps halve that part unless you like runny wraps.

Garlic-Thyme Burgers with Grilled Tomato

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground sirloin
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls or other sandwich rolls
4 baby romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove patties from pan. Add tomato slices to pan; cook 1 minute on each side. Spread about 3/4 teaspoon mustard over bottom half of each roll; top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 patty, 1 tomato slice, and top half of roll.

Comments:
Adam was reluctant to grill the tomatoes at first, but I think we were both glad he did. They were warm, and soft, and sweet. Great idea! The burgers themselves had a nice flavor from the thyme as well.

Summer Vegetable Frittata

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato
9 large eggs

Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch nonstick broiler-proof skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, bell pepper, onion, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and garlic. Cover and cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomato. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates.

2. Combine eggs, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until frothy. Pour egg mixture into pan over vegetables, stirring gently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes or until almost set in the center.

3. Preheat broiler.

4. Broil frittata 3 minutes or until set. Invert onto a serving platter; cut into 8 wedges.

Comments:
Pretty simple. It didn't take 15 minutes for the eggs to set though - maybe 10. The flavor isn't very bold. I didn't really even taste the vegetables. It could have used something - don't know what. Adam dumped a whole bunch of mozz/gruyere on his half, so perhaps his was better.

Cheddar-Stuffed Buffalo (or Beefalo) Burgers

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 pound ground buffalo meat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 English muffins, split
4 romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed
4 tomato slices

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the buffalo, onion, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine. Divide and shape into 4 balls. With your finger make a deep indentation into each ball. Fill each hole with 2 tbsp of the cheese. Pinch the meat closed to cover the cheese and shape each ball into a 3/4-inch thick patty.

2. Toast the English muffins. Spray a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Cook burgers 3-4 minutes per side for medium-rare.

3. Place the English muffin bottoms on 4 plates. Top each with 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and a burger. Place the muffin tops on each burger.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
I used BEEFalo rather than buffalo. There's this great place down past FDL, Beefalo Bill's, that has fresh, natural meats for a pretty reasonable rate.

These burgers are pretty basic. But they are tasty. The romaine we had was, shall we say, past its prime, so we added some pickles instead. I also used the leftover cheese on top of the burger for some extra cheesyness.

Weekly Menu 6/5 through 6/11

Saturday 6/5 - Middle Easter Salad Wraps (WW)

Sunday 6/6 - Garlic-Thyme Burgers

Monday 6/7 - Cod Cakes (prefab)

Tuesday 6/8 - Adam's on his own - I have a summer board meeting

Wednesday 6/9 - Leftovers (Adam Golfs)

Thursday 6/10 - Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken (WW)

Friday 6/11 - Spring Vegetable Carbonara

Pre-Memorial Day Cook-Out

The spread at our Pre-Memorial Day cook-out:





Top: Beer Can Chicken, corn on the cob, veggies and dip, Strawberry, blue cheese, and pine nut salad with strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette, potato salad

Bottom: Chicken, corn, watermelon, Apple Butterscotch Delight

We also had cream puffs courtesy of Cheryl and I made some Chocolate Bailey's Mousse Parfaits that I forgot to photograph.

A good time was had by all (I hope.) The weater was beautiful and we even spent some time out on the deck after dinner.

French Onion-Gruyere Cups

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
One 7.5-ounce can refrigerated biscuits
1 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced (about 8 cups)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 packed cup grated gruyère cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Directions:
1. Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400°. Invert a muffin pan and lightly grease the back side of ten muffin cups with olive oil. Pat a biscuit flat, place over a greased muffin cup and stretch the dough to cover the cup. Repeat with the remaining nine biscuits. Bake until golden-brown, 7 minutes. Let cool slightly, then remove the biscuit cups from the pan and invert onto a baking sheet to cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, heat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every 3 minutes or so, until the onions are softened and browned, about 15 minutes. Divide the onion mixture among the biscuit cups.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Pouring slowly, whisk in the heavy cream and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in half of the cheese; season with salt and pepper. Spoon the cheese sauce over the onions; sprinkle the the thyme and remaining cheese and on top and bake until the cheese is melted and the biscuit edges are golden, 5 to 7 minutes.

Comments:
These were very good. Fairly easy prep, good taste. I might have cut the onions a little big though since they all seemed to come out in one big chunk when you bit into them.

Greek Pizza

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 pound pizza dough at room temperature

Directions:
1. Arrange one rack on the bottom rung of the oven. Preheat oven to 450.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 minutes. If the onion seems to dry, add 1/4 cup water and cook, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until the flavors are blended, about 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta, feta, dill, scallions, and pepper until well blended.

3. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Turn the dough onto the surface. Cut the dough into 2 pieces. Knead each piece lightly, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each into a 12-inch circle. Transfer one circle of dough to a nonstick pizza pan or baking sheet and gently pull the dough back to a 12-inch circle.

4. Spoon the spinach mixture on the dough, spreading the mixture to 1 inch from the edge. Brush the edge with water. Place the second circle of dough on top and crimp the edges to seal. Cut 4 slashes ontop. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven until the filling is hot and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.

Serves 6. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
I won't be making this one again. I made a few mistakes in the execution (note to self: never, ever buy Roundy's brand pizza dough again) and it seemed to not agree with Adam's digestive system.

Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
3/4 pound ground turkey breast
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 strips turkey bacon
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 tomato, cut into 4 slices

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the turkey, shallots, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and pepper. Blend in the cheese. Form into 4 burgers.

2. Heat an indoor ridged grill sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the burgers until cooked through, 6-8 minutes on each side. When you turn the burgers, add the bacon to the grill. Cook until crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve the burgers in th ebuns, with the bacon and tomato slices.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
These were simple to make, but ended up being pretty bland. I would have thought the cheese would have given the burgers some kind of punch, but I couldn't even taste the cheese. Just tasted like a plain old turkey burger to me.

Weekly Menu 5/29 through 6/4

Saturday 5/29 - Pre-Memorial Day Cook-out

Sunday 5/30 - French Onion Gruyere Cups (got bumped)

Monday 5/31 - Memorial Day down in Sheboygan with my family

Tuesday 6/1 - Hawaiian Chicken

Wednesday 6/2 - Cheddar Stuffed Buffalo Burgers(WW)

Thursday 6/3 - Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken (WW)

Friday 6/4 - Summer Vegetable Frittata (is from Cooking Light but I don't see it on the website.)

Risotto with Spring Vegetables

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 cups shelled fava beans (about 1 1/2 pounds unshelled)
1/2 cup fresh green peas
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 cup uncooked Carnaroli or Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/2 cup white wine
8 ounces thin asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Cook beans in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Remove tough outer skins from beans; discard skins. Cook peas in boiling water 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.

2. Bring Homemade Chicken Stock to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots and carrot to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice and saffron; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; cook 30 seconds or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup stock; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of stock is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in fava beans, peas, and asparagus with last addition of stock. Remove from heat; stir in cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Comments:
I omitted the saffron (tends to be prohibitively expensive) and subbed edamame for the fava beans. I halved the recipe since I didn't want a ton of leftovers, but went kind of heavy on the edamame since I just used up the partial bag I had in the freezer.

Anywho, this was very good. Even without the saffron it had a good blend of flavors and textures. We'd definitely try this one again.

Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cups cooked white rice
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

Directions:
1. Place the shrimp in a large ziploc bag and pour in 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 2 hours.

2. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray. If using wooden skewers, soak 8 skewers in cold water. Preheat the grill.

3. Drain and discard the marinade. Alternately thread the shrimp, pineapple, and peppers on 8 wooden or metal skewers. Grill the kebabs 5 inches from the heat, turning frequently, until the shrimp are cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Serve over the rice, sprinkled with the remaining 2 tbsp teriyaki marinade and the scallions.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 8

Comments:
Fabian Seafood was in our area this morning so we picked up some super fresh shrimp for tonight's dinner. Only downside - these were not deveined, so Adam got down with the shrimp poo this afternoon. :) Better him than me.

Anywho, fairly easy prep, although the original recipe says to finely chop the pepper, which is obviously not a good idea if you're wanting to thread them on skewers. It also wants you to use their teriyaki sauce (a recipe in the same book) but I lazed out and just used bottled stuff.

I didn't eat the shrimp, but Adam proclaimed it great. I had the veggies and rice, which were also very good.

Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
5 oz lean ground pork
5 oz lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small eggplant, peeled and finely diced (about 1 cup)
1 egg
3 tbsp breadcrumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, lightly combine all the ingredients except the tomatoes. Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs, about 2 inches each.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; set over medium heat. Cook the meatballs, turning as needed, until well browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 3 (meatballs/sauce only - doesn't include pasta/rice)

Comments:
These were very good. I used all beef instead of a mix with pork and served them over gnocchi instead of pasta or rice. There's so much going on in these meatballs that I was afraid they'd fall apart during the browning process. They held up pretty well. I also used a 14.5 oz can of tomatoes since Adam never really likes the sauce part anyway. Threw in a little additional water and it worked out fine.

Weekly Menu 5/22 through 5/28

Saturday 5/22 - Grilled Teriyaki Shrimp (Weight Watchers recipe)

Sunday 5/23 - Risotto with Spring Vegetables

Monday 5/24 - Monterey Jack Turkey Burgers (WW)

Tuesday 5/25 - Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken (WW)

Wednesday 5/26 - Greek Pizza (WW)

Thursday 5/27 - French Onion Gruyere Cups

Friday 5/28 - Provolone & Turkey Sandwiches

Southwestern Salmon

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt
dash hot red pepper sauce
1/4 cup water
1/2-3/4 pound salmon steak
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

Directions:
1. In a food processor, combine the cilantro, lime juice, cumin, salt, pepper sauce, and water; puree. Transfer to a large zip-top plastic bag; add the salmon. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the salmon. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Spray a 9x9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange the bell peppers in a single layer in the pan. Bake, turning once, 20 minutes.

3. Drain the salmon; discard the marinade. Place the salmon ono top of the peppers. Bake until the fish is just opaque in the center, 5-6 minutes per side.

Serves 2. POINTS Value per serving: 6

Comments:
I had actually gotten cilantro for this since I had no intention of eating it. But it got bumped and the cilantro had gone too far downhill to use. So I skipped the food processor step and just threw the spices, lime, hot sauce, and water in a ziploc and marinated the salmon that way.

Adam had little to say. I asked if it was good, he said yes. No elaboration. Men...

Cavatelli with Broccoli

From Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook



Ingredients:
2 cups cavatelli or rotelle
4 tsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli; cook, stirring, until tender-crisp, 3-4 minutes. Add the sauteed vegetables, basil, and salt to the pasta. Toss, adding just enough of the pasta water to moisten. Sprinkle with the cheese and pepper.

Serves 4. POINTS Value per serving: 5

Comments:
I used Barilla's teeny tiny fusili that had been sitting in the cupboard forever. I also used garlic-infused olive oil so I skipped the first step. In this particular case, you do really need the extra pasta water to keep things from drying out. Overall, great tasting result without a lot of work.

Weekly Menu 5/15 through 5/21

This week we're kind of going whatever direction the wind takes us. Tonight I'll be making the salmon from last week that we didn't get to. Sunday evening we leave for NYC and my sister's med school graduation. We'll return on Wednesday and will work out the rest of the week then.

Yay! Vacation!

Chicken Milanese

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 egg white, lightly beaten
salt & pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

2. Combine breadcrumbs and cheese in a shallow dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Dredge chicken in flour; dip in egg white. Dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken on a wire rack; let stand 5 minutes.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 2 minutes or until browned and done.

Comments:
I skipped the spring greens salad that went along with the chicken and just threw some beans on instead. This was pretty simple, and for I think the first time ever I didn't lose all the breading during the cooking process. Must be that 5-minute resting time. Anyway, good recipe.

Carolina Country Style Ribs

From The National Pork Board



Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water, cold
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses, OR 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:
Place ribs in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, set aside. In 4-cup glass measure, stir together vinegar, water, oil, molasses, salt, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper until salt is dissolved. Remove 1/2 cup marinade; set aside. Add remaining marinade to ribs; seal bag and marinate for 4 - 6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove ribs from marinade; discard marinade.

Prepare medium-hot fire; grill ribs over indirect heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until pork is tender and the internal temperature reaches 160º F. Baste ribs twice with reserved sauce mixture during last 15 minutes of grilling.
Serves 6.

Comments:
I made these ribs in the slow cooker rather than marinating and grilling them. They are SPICY!!! And I only used a teensy bit of crushed red pepper. So be careful with these ones. Adam liked them a lot. Figures. :-)

Spaghetti with Spicy Turkey Meat Sauce

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pound ground turkey
Salt and black pepper
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Directions:
1.In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente; drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water.

2.Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Increase the heat to medium-high, crumble in the turkey, season with salt and black pepper and cook until the turkey is just no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and cheese.

3.Toss the pasta with the sauce and 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water, adding more water to thin the consistency, if desired. Serve immediately with more cheese.

Comments:
I really liked this, but what's not to like? Mmmm. Carbs. And yes, those are really whole wheat noodles. Trying to eat more healthfully and all...

I generally ignore the "add starchy cooking water to the sauce" instructions since I prefer a thicker sauce. This recipe was no different. In fact I was kind of afraid it was going to be totally runny, but it really thickened up in the last few minutes of cooking. Yay!

Spicy Chicken Shawarma

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
5 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, halved
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato
1/4 cup prechopped red onion

Directions:
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until browned and done, stirring frequently.

2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining 1/4 cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 tablespoon cucumber, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1 1/2 teaspoons onion.

Comments:
I skipped the coriander and tahini, but followed everything else. These are a teensy bit spicy. Ok, a lot spicy. But remember, I'm a wuss. Adam really liked this and ate the leftover chicken plain. The prep on this is what takes the most time. The actual cooking is minimal. This also ended up sitting for about 20 minutes or so after it was done (aah, the unpredictability of life...) so we ate it lukewarm, which seemed the perfect temperature to not melt the yogurt but also not be gross and cold.

Weekly Menu 5/8 through 5/14

Saturday 5/8 - We'll be grilling an as yet unknown type of meat along with a huge bunch of asparagus that Adam picked up from the local farm stand earlier this week.

Sunday 5/9 - Super-Size Turkey Meatballs

Monday 5/10 - Carolina Country-Style Ribs

Tuesday 5/11 - Chicken Milanese

Wednesday 5/12 - Leftovers

Thursday 5/13 - Cavatelli with Broccoli, a recipe from this Weight Watchers cookbook that we got at a steal at Sam's Club.

Friday 5/14 - Southwestern Salmon, another WW recipe

Flavorful Chicken

From Taste of Home (also seen here.)



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:
In a shallow bowl, combine butter and soy sauce; dip chicken on both sides. Place in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt and paprika.

Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

Comments:
This remains one of our favorite fast and easy chicken meal options. Such great flavors, yet so simple. I've made it many times over the last two and a half years and it never disappoints.

Roadside Diner Cheeseburger Quiche

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1 sheet refrigerated pie pastry
3/4 pound ground beef
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup dill pickle relish
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
5 eggs
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Unroll pastry into a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate; flute edges and set aside. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, onion, relish and bacon. Transfer to prepared pastry.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, milk, mustard, pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Pour over beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheeses.

Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Comments:
Doesn't look so great, does it? I can't for the life of me get quiche to come out of the pan decently. So annoying. Despite its not-so-great appearance, this is very good. There's a lot of stuff going on inside so there are plenty of flavor notes hit. Not sure I'd make this again since it takes so long, I had issues with overflow, and don't look at the nutrition information if you're on a diet. Even though I used half elk meat and all skim milk, I'm sure it still packed a caloric-laden, fatty punch.

Chicken Salad Caprese

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup pitted Greek olives, thinly sliced (I left out)
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, garlic, salt and pepper; drizzle over chicken mixture and toss to coat.

Comments:
This recipe is meant to be a crostini-like appetizer. I just left out the bread and treated it like an entree salad. Worked out fine. Also, I used a "Tuscan Blend" olive oil so I didn't add any extra garlic or basil. It was wonderful!

Potato Salad with Smoked Turkey and Gruyere

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
4 cups salted water
1 pound quartered small red potatoes
1/2 pound smoked turkey breast
6 ounces gruyère cheese
3 ribs celery
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, plus sprigs for topping
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 chopped granny smith apple

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups salted water and 1 pound quartered small red potatoes to a boil. Cook until crisptender, about 5 minutes; drain and let cool. Meanwhile, slice 1/2 pound smoked turkey breast, 6 ounces gruyère cheese and 3 ribs celery into matchsticks. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill and 1 tablespoon dijon mustard. Add the potatoes, turkey, cheese and celery and toss. Stir in 1 chopped granny smith apple. Top with dill sprigs.

Comments:
This was really good. The crunch of the celery, the sweet tartness of the apples. Great combination of flavors and textures. Plus, it's potatoes, so what's not to like? :)

Weekly Menu 5/1 through 5/7

Saturday 5/1 - Roadside Diner Cheeseburger Quiche

Sunday 5/2 - Flavorful Chicken

Monday 5/3 - Leftovers - I'll be working late

Tuesday 5/4 - Spicy Chicken Shawarma

Wednesday 5/5 - Leftovers - Adam's golfing night

Thursday 5/6 - Grillout/Potluck with neighbors

Friday 5/7 - Spaghetti with Spicy Turkey Meat Sauce

Grilled Pork Meatballs with Pineapple-Chiptole Chutney

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds bulk pork Italian sausage
2 scallions, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 slices canned pineapple in juice, finely chopped, plus 1/2 cup juice
One-quarter of a chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine the sausage and half of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Shape into 16 meatballs.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a fork, stir in the sesame seeds.

3. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until cooked through and browned, about 15 minutes.

4. In a small saucepan, combine the pineapple, pineapple juice, chipotle and cumin; cook over medium heat until reduced by half, 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the meatballs; stir in the cilantro and remaining scallions. Serve on top of the rice.

Comments:
I didn't want to buy a whole can of chipotle in adobo for one quarter of one pepper. So I got a serrano instead and chopped that up. Added some nice heat. Which I managed to get in my eye even though I wore gloves while chopping. Argh. Stupid pepper.

Anyway.

This was good. I'm not sure why it's called "grilled" meatballs when you don't grill them, but whatever. Adam liked the meatballs best, but didn't mind the other components. Of course, I preferred the rice and pineapple.

Weekly Menu 4/24 through 4/30

Let's all just pretend that last week never happened, ok? I didn't cook a single meal last week. Not one. It was crazy at work, I had two IMA events, and a major cold. It was not a good week.

But now, back to our regularly scheduled menu planning!

Saturday 4/24 - Grilled Pork Meatballs with Pineapple-Chipotle Chutney

Sunday 4/25 - Adam's going to a Brewers game so I'm on my own

Monday 4/26 - Lime Chicken Tacos

Tuesday 4/27 - Potato Salad with Smoked Turkey and Gruyere

Wednesday 4/28 - Out - Adam's Choice

Thursday 4/29 - Breakfast Tortilla

Friday 4/30 - Chicken Salad Caprese

Mongolian Beef

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

2. Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; sauté for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; sauté 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

Comments:
I skipped the hoisin and sherry, but otherwise stuck to the plan pretty well. Wonderful, although Adam got a big bite of chili paste right off the bat and almost died (his words, not mine.) It's a bit spicy in mass quantities. Anyway, I'd definitely do this one again. I served it over gnocchi instead of the suggested egg noodles and that worked really well.

Andouille and Chicken Creole Pasta

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips
3 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 green onions, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can fat-free chicken broth
1 cup 2% milk
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
1 (16 ounce) package linguine pasta

Directions:
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook sausage and chicken with the Creole seasoning until the meat is about halfway done. Add the mushrooms, green onion, green pepper and red pepper. Sautee over medium heat until the mushrooms begin to shrink, about 10 minutes.

2. Place pasta in a large pot of lightly salted water. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Drain.

3. Stir in the chicken broth and milk, season with lemon pepper and garlic powder, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water until dissolved. Stir into the skillet. Cook, stirring gently, until the sauce returns to a boil. Boil for one minute, then remove from heat and set aside. Serve hot over cooked pasta.

Comments:
I used some Kick'n Chicken seasoning instead of a Creole seasoning since that's what I had here. I also didn't use linguine. We had some Dreamfields spaghetti in the cupboard so I used that.

All in all, a good dish with nice flavors. It makes waaaaaaay too much sauce though. I'd say you could cut both the chicken stock and the milk in half and still be ok. Unless you like your pasta swimming in sauce. I guess that's more of a personal preference thing.

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
4 (6-ounce) skinless cod fillets
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/4 cup canola mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
Lemon wedges

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler.

2. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Combine panko, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fish evenly with pepper and salt. Dip each fillet in egg white, then dredge in panko mixture; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Combine mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice, and dill. Serve with fish and lemon wedges.

Comments:
I went all out here, buying fresh dill and an actual lemon. But I did cheap out and just use regular old bread crumbs that I made. Eh. And you know what? I actually ate a whole piece of fish. Very impressive, if you know my history of fish hating. It wasn't great, but it wasn't totally gross. I think the dipping sauce might have helped with that part. Adam thought it was too lemony, but I didn't mind it.

Fiesta Chicken and Rice

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added whole tomatoes, undrained
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
3/4 cup chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound skinned, boned chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
1. Drain tomatoes and green chiles, reserving liquid from each together in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add water to reserved liquid to measure 1 cup; set aside. Chop tomatoes; set tomato and chiles aside.

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; add oil. Place over medium heat until hot. Add rice, onion, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until rice is golden.

3. Stir tomato, green chiles, reserved 1 cup liquid, chicken, and remaining ingredients into rice mixture. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Comments:
I left out the green chilies (let's say it together - "because I'm a wuss") but in my defense I did add some red pepper flakes so I don't think the end result was lacking in the spicy department. I also used diced tomatoes. What's the use of getting whole tomatoes if you're just going to cut them up anyway. Huh.

Anywho, pretty simple prep, yummy results. I'd definitely make this again. I considered using brown rice instead of white, but since it takes so much longer to cook I'm not sure that'd work. I'll have to ponder that one a little further...

Croque Monsieur-Style Monte Cristo Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
salt & pepper
Grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
8 slices good-quality white bread
5 ounces gruyère cheese, cut into 8 thin slices
8 slices baked ham
2 eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat a griddle pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

2. In a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 1 1/3 cups milk and cook until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the mustard and turn off the heat.

3. Spread the sauce on 1 side of each bread slice. Top each of 4 slices with 1 cheese slice, 2 folded ham slices, another cheese slice and 1 of the remaining bread slices.

4. Beat the eggs with the remaining 2/3 cup milk and coat the sandwiches twice in the batter. Wipe the griddle with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter nestled in a paper towel, then add the sandwiches to the griddle and cook, turning once, until deep golden, about 8 minutes. Halve the sandwiches diagonally.

Comments:
So I skipped the mustard sauce stuff and I just used some regular mustard by itself. I thought it turned out pretty well. Not spectacular. Adam commented that it was like a combination of grilled cheese and French toast. Pretty much. Not sure we'd have these again, although they did give me a real hankering for grilled cheese!

Weekly Menu 4/10 through 4/16

Saturday 4/10 - Andouille and Chicken Creole Pasta

Sunday 4/11 - Adam's going to a Brewers game so I'm on my own

Monday 4/12 - Pork Tenderloin in the slow cooker

Tuesday 4/13 - Out [it's our 5-year dating anniversary. I wonder if Adam will remember? :-)]

Wednesday 4/14 - Spring Salad with Grapes and Goat Cheese

Thursday 4/15 - Mongolian Beef

Friday 4/16 - Sweet & Saucy Sausage Sandwiches

Sweet Onion Mac & Cheese

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
1 pound whole wheat macaroni or penne pasta
3 tablespoons butter
2 large onions—peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground thyme (about 1/3 palmful)
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup beef stock
2 1/2 cups grated gruyère or swiss cheese
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:
1.Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente; drain.

2.While the pasta is working, heat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter to melt, then add the onions, bay leaf and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are light caramel in color, 15 to 20 minutes.

3.Preheat the broiler. Discard the bay leaf. Stir the flour into the onion mixture. Stir in the milk and beef stock and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 1/2 cups cheese until melted, then stir in the mustard.

4.Add the pasta to the sauce and toss. Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish, top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil until brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Top with the chives and serve immediately.

Comments:
I think this was supposed to be similar to this dish, but it really didn't even come close to the supreme deliciousness of the original. The onions were nowhere near as sweet and soft since the cooking time was drastically reduced. That's not to say this was bad - it was fine - but it was far beneath the original.

Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) package firm water-packed tofu, drained
1 3/4 cups water, divided
1 (1/2-ounce) package dried sliced shiitake mushroom caps
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained and cut into julienne strips
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup thinly diagonally sliced green onion tops

Directions:
1. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels. Cover tofu with several more layers of paper towels; top with a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard paper towels. Cut tofu into 1-inch cubes.

2. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes. Stir in broth and next 6 ingredients (through garlic); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture, tofu, and bamboo shoots into broth mixture; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Slowly drizzle egg into broth mixture (do not stir). Place pan over low heat; cook 1 minute. Stir soup gently to combine. Sprinkle with green onions.

Comments:
This one was not for me. At all. I had no plans to even try it. But Adam liked it. Said it had a nice mixture of textures. To each their own, I say.

Pancetta, Mozzarella, and Asparagus Pizza

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 teaspoon dry yeast
6.7 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups), divided
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 cup very thinly vertically sliced asparagus
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:
1. Combine warm water and yeast in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 5.6 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt to yeast mixture; stir until blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining 1.1 ounces (about 1/4 cup) flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (the dough will feel sticky).

2. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If an indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

3. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add thyme, pancetta, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until pancetta is crisp. Stir in pepper.

4. Preheat oven to 475°.

5. Place a baking sheet in oven for 15 minutes to preheat. Punch dough down; cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Stretch dough into a 10-inch circle on a floured surface. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cornmeal on preheated baking sheet, and place dough on sheet. Spread pancetta mixture evenly over dough. Arrange thinly vertically sliced asparagus over pancetta mixture; sprinkle evenly with shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Bake flatbread at 475° for 10 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cut flatbread into 8 wedges.

Comments:
So let's pretend I made my own flatbread. Right. Actually, I didn't make this at all. The night it was planned I copped out and convinced Adam to make some burgers on our new grill. He ended up making this for lunch on Thursday. He had the day off, I was having a rough day at work. It was a nice surprise to come home for lunch to something already made for me.

The asparagus on a pizza thing took a little adjusting to, but overall it was good. Cheese, salt, crust. Yum.

Weekly Menu 4/3 through 4/9

Didn't do so great on keeping to the menu last week either. Hopefully things are back to normal this week...

Saturday 4/3 - Sweet Onion Mac & Cheese

Sunday 4/4 - Easter this year is up in Green Bay with Adam's family

Monday 4/5 - Croque Monsieur-Style Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Tuesday 4/6 - Scrambled Egg Burritos

Wednesday 4/7 - Leftovers

Thursday 4/8 - Fiesta Chicken & Rice

Friday 4/9 - Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

Tortilla Bread Pudding

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 ounces cured chorizo sausage, finely chopped
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
4 large flour tortillas (about 9 inches), ground into coarse crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Using a food processor, puree 1 cup corn.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 cup corn and cook until the corn begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chorizo.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, pureed corn and tortilla crumbs. Add the onion-chorizo mixture and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes; let sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the scallions.

Comments:
A pretty easy dish to throw together. I used whole wheat tortillas, which I can never find in a large size, so I just used 6 medium ones and it seemed to work ok. Both Adam and I liked this one a lot.

P.S. Oh my God, I just typed "Gorilla Bread Pudding" up there as the title and almost posted it. Where did that come from? I must be more tired than I thought...

Farro Mac & Cheese

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
2 cups farro, rinsed
4 slices bacon
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups whole milk
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan of boiling, lightly salted water, cook the farro, undisturbed, until tender, 20 to 25 minutes; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes; drain on paper towels. Crumble and reserve.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth; cook until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in half of the cheese until smooth, about 3 minutes.

4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked farro, three-quarters of the bacon, the cheese sauce and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Spread evenly in a greased 9-by- 13-inch baking dish; sprinkle the remaining cheese and bacon on top. Bake until the cheese is melted and golden, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Comments:
I know, another slightly cat-puke-looking dish, but I promise you it tastes better than it looks!

So, farro. Let me tell you, it was quite an effort to get this grain, and I'm really not even sure we ended up with the right stuff. According to Wikipedia, it's kind of debated as to what "farro" really is, so I suppose as long as we got kind of close it's not a huge deal. That said, this is what I found after stopping at two grocery stores and three bulk stores:



This dish takes a little longer than your average mac and cheese since the grain requires more pre-cooking than a pasta would. The grain itself doesn't have much of a taste and even after 20 minutes or boiling and another 30 in the oven it still has a crunch. The bacon permeates the entire dish giving it a smoky flavor. Overall, a wonderful combo.

Grilled Cheddar-Apple Sandwiches

From Everyday with Rachael Ray



Ingredients:
8 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
1 granny smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
8 slices bread

Directions:
Divide the cheese and apple slices among 4 bread slices, then top with the remaining 4 bread slices. In a large skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add the sandwiches and cook, turning once, until golden-brown, about 5 minutes.

Comments:
Totally simple, made even easier by skipping the accompanying parsnip soup and using a panini press. Oh, and we also added turkey. Perfect for those nights you come home from work after a long day and just want to fall into bed the second you get through the door but are then greeted by hungry cats and a hungry husband. *sigh*

Oven-Roasted Turkey

Based on a recipe from Recipezaar.com



Ingredients:
1 8- to 10-pound turkey, thawed with giblets and neck removed
4 sprigs rosemary
4 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs sage
1 lemon, halved
1 apple, halved
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper (or to taste)

Directions:
Wash the turkey and pat it dry. Place all of the herbs, all the butter, half the lemon and half the apple into the body cavity. Place the other half of lemon and apple into the neck cavity. Truss the turkey with kitchen string or dental floss. Rub canola oil all over the turkey and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Cover the turkey loosely with foil.

Roast in a 325 degree oven for 2 1/4 hours. Remove foil. Continue roasting 30-45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 180 degrees. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving.

Comments:



I never really saw the big hullabaloo about cooking a whole turkey. Yes, it takes some time, but it's kind of hard to mess up. Anyway, combined a couple "recipes" to get some flavor and time ideas. It turned out quite well, I think. Then Adam took the leftovers, tried to make jerky from them, and turned them into turkey pellets. Ha!

Weekly Menu 3/27 through 4/2

My goodness, the menu last week got ignored a lot with me working long hours and various other unexpected occurrences. This week is going to be nuts again, but hopefully I've planned things better.

Saturday 3/27 - Tortilla Bread Pudding

Sunday 3/28 - My dad and Cheryl are coming up so we'll probably go out somewhere.

Monday 3/29 - Smokin' Chicken Burgers

Tuesday 3/30 - Mini Cheeseburgers

Wednesday 3/31 - Leftovers

Thursday 4/1 - Flatbread with Pancetta, Mozarella, and Asparagus

Friday 4/2 - Hot & Sour Soup with Tofu

"Favorite" Meat Loaf

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs, drained (such as Contadina)
3 (1-ounce) slices reduced-calorie whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon water

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, celery, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender.

3. Combine onion mixture, ground round, and next 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Combine chili sauce and water; brush over loaf. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Comments:
This dish was really good. The tomatoes in the meat mixture along with the onion and celery really keep it nice and moist. And let me tell you my favorite ingredient lately? Thai chili sauce. This stuff is AMAZING. It's spicy, but not too over the top, given you don't eat it off a spoon straight out of the jar. I'll definitely keep this in rotation, although with its hour cooking time, it might get relegated to weekends only.

Santa Fe Turkey Skillet

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
2 (1/2-pound) turkey tenderloins, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
Cooking spray
8 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
1. Combine turkey and chili powder, tossing until turkey is coated. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey, and sauté 5 minutes or until done. Remove turkey from skillet; set aside.

2. Coat skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add green onions and garlic to skillet; sauté 2 minutes. Add beans and next 4 ingredients; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly heated.

3. Add turkey and tomatoes to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thoroughly heated.

Comments:
I liked this a lot but Adam thought it could use more spice. I used ground turkey instead of tenderloins and a regular tomato rather than cherry ones. It had a good mixture of flavors, textures, and colors. Might even be better with some cheese on top...

Maple Country Style Ribs

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds country style pork ribs
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dash ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine ribs, maple syrup, soy sauce, minced onion, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, garlic powder and pepper in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 9 hours.

Comments:
These were kind of disappointing. There was not a lot of flavor at all. I'm not sure where it all went since I'm positive I added all the ingredients. Not the best ribs we've had, but not terrible. Probably a one-timer though.

Weekly Menu 3/20 through 3/26

Saturday 3/20 - Meatloaf

Sunday 3/21 - I've got a whole turkey defrosting that I'll be cooking

Monday 3/22 - Leftovers - I'm guessing something with turkey...

Tuesday 3/23 - Farro Mac & Cheese

Wednesday 3/24 - Tortilla Bread Pudding

Thursday 3/25 - Grilled Cheddar-Apple Sandwiches

Friday 3/26 - Louisiana Catfish with Okra and Corn (and Happy Birthday, Catherine!)

Alaskan Cod and Shrimp with Tomato

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
5 large tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound Alaskan cod
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir the garlic in the oil until golden brown; add the tomatoes and mix well until juicy; stir in 1 teaspoon oregano. Lie the cod and shrimp into the mixture; season with salt; cover and simmer 3 minutes. Flip the cod and season again with salt and 1 tablespoon oregano; re-cover and cook another 3 minutes. Remove the cover and allow to cook until the juice evaporates slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.

Comments:
I had every intention of eating the fish part of this one. I tried a corner and was done. I'm sorry, I just don't like fish. At all. Adam liked it though.

Spring Onion and Chicken Stir-Fry

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta (I used rice noodles)
2 teaspoons chili oil
4 chicken breast tenders, halved
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 cup sliced green onions (about 4)
1 1/2 cups fresh bean sprouts

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain well.

Add oil to a 10-inch nonstick skillet, and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken; stir-fry 5 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Combine broth and next 3 ingredients, and stir well with a whisk.

Add green onions to pan; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Return chicken to pan. Stir in broth mixture, drained pasta, and bean sprouts.

Comments:
This was kind of blah. I'm not sure why, since there's a lot of different things going on in the dish. It wasn't bad, just not a powerhouse of flavor. Probably won't try this one again.

Beer-Cooked Chicken

From allrecipes.com



Ingredients:
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. To Marinate: Pour 1/2 of the beer into a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Add chicken breasts, toss to coat, cover dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.

2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked; remove from skillet and reserve, keeping warm.

3. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium high heat and add chicken. Saute 5 to 6 minutes each side or until cooked through and juices run clear. Reduce heat to low, pour remaining beer over chicken and add reserved mushrooms. Cover skillet and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Comments:
I screwed this one up a little. I didn't read the whole recipe and so I dumped the beer "marinade" before I realized I was suppose to add it to the pan later on. Whoops! I just threw in some chicken stock instead. It seemed to turn out alright. I'm sure it didn't give the dish the same flavor, but it worked. Just my luck that I'd used our last bottle of beer to marinate the chicken. *sigh*

Turkey Sauté with Cranberry-Port Sauce

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds turkey breast slices
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 cup port wine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:
1. Sprinkle turkey with pepper and salt. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of turkey slices; cook 5 minutes or until browned on both sides, turning once. Remove from skillet, and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining turkey.

2. Add cranberry sauce, wine, and vinegar to skillet; bring to a boil. Return turkey to skillet; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes, basting turkey with sauce

Comments:
This picture looks kind of unappetizing, but this was really good, I promise. The tartness of the cranberries and vinegar, the richness of the wine, the smooth turkey. Wonderful and really quick to throw together too.

Spicy Jerk Chicken Kebabs with Bell Peppers and Pineapple

From Cooking Light



Ingredients:
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
4 whole cloves
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
8 garlic cloves
3 large shallots, peeled and cut in half
1 (3-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño pepper, halved and seeded
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups (1-inch) cubed pineapple (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cups (1-inch) pieces green bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray

Directions:
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add first 3 ingredients to pan; cook for 1 minute or until lightly toasted and fragrant.

Place spices, brown sugar, and next 9 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a blender; process until smooth. Combine spice mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade. Thread chicken, pineapple, and bell peppers alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Brush reserved marinade onto pineapple and bell peppers. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 8 minutes or until chicken is done.

Comments:
These were very good. They're spicy, but not too spicy. There's definitely some kick from the jalapeno and pepper, but I could handle it. It helps that the pineapple and peppers have such a light, sweet taste to offset the heat. I'd make this again. We're going to look for some more metal skewers though because the wood ones broke in half when I took the stuff off of them. Yikes!

Weekly Menu 3/13 through 3/19

Saturday 3/13 - We're going to a wedding/reception

Sunday 3/14 - Stuffed Chicken

Monday 3/15 - Maple Country-Style Ribs

Tuesday 3/16 - Adam's on his own - my monthly meeting night

Wednesday 3/17 - Santa Fe Turkey Skillet

Thursday 3/18 - Tenderloin Steaks on the grill

Friday 3/19 - Spinach, Blue Cheese, Pecan, and Cranberry Wraps