Menu Plan Monday - Bonnie - 25 May 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Monday :
Sushi

Tuesday :
Leftover Salsa Chicken on Tortillas
Corn on the Cob

Wednesday:
Carbonara
Brocolli

Thursday:
Leftover Mexican Beans and Rice

Friday:
Slow Cooker Steak Fajitas

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Baking :

Poppy Seed Muffins
Date Crumb Bars

Menu Plan Monday - Bonnie - 18 May 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.


Monday :
Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Pizza

Tuesday:
Sushi

Wednesday:
Maple Salmon
Rice
Corn on the Cob

Thursday:
Sandra's Crockpot Salsa Chicken
Broccoli

Friday:
Beth's Spinach, Chicken and Orzo Soup
Foccacia Bread
Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli

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Sorry folks, no photos this week !!
I've got a pre-heated bed and good book calling me !
(electric blanket ! gotta love it !)

Menu Plan Monday - Khrista - 05.11.09

I wanted to post this sooner, but my wireless mouse is acting up and giving me such grief!
I'm off to bed...if you want any of the recipes just post a comment and I will be sure to send you in the right direction!

Baking Triumphs!

The other day I whipped up a batch (in only 3 hours!) of cheesy chicken pot pies from scratch. Hmmmmm, must be finals time! Oh, that magical time of the semester when cooking elaborate meals and scrubbing the bathroom with a toothbrush become very appealing.

The Yummiest Meal I've Ever Made!

This is a fillet of Dover Sole with black bean salsa. I lightly seasoned the fish with salt and pepper, sauted it in olive oil for about 2 minutes per side and topped with the salsa. One addition I made to the salsa recipe: I bought fresh corn and roasted it. The sweetness of the roasted corn really went nicely in the salsa!
Yum yum yum yum yum!!

Menu Plan Monday - Bonnie - 11 May 2009

Menu Plan Monday is hosted by I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Last weekend was crazy ... we had a wedding and it was a long (holiday) weekend and well, I just didn't get a menu planned. And then I just grabbed ingredients for a couple quick meals to get us through til Friday when I thought I'd shop. So ...we did sushi and carbonara and easy stuff like that. Then Friday came and for some reason, I didn't get the shopping done ... oh, that's right ... I hadn't planned the menu !! And then we went out on Saturday night and last night I scrounged around and made this out of the few remaining bits and pieces in the fridge ...

sushi rice
fried egg
mushrooms with red, white and spring onions cooked in garlic and soy sauce
sauteed zucchini with garlic salt

So ... here I am Monday morning needing desperately to make a menu !! Let's see what we can come up with ...

Monday ... Sushi. always need something easy on shopping day ...

Tuesday ... Lemony Chicken and Israeli Cous Cous Salad Deliciousness ! and steamed broccoli

Wednesday ... Finally trying Khrista's Vodka Pasta with steamed broccoli (yeah, again !)

Thursday ... Mexican Beans and Rice



Friday ... Chorizo Stuffed Chicken (new recipe), Roast Potatoes with Feta , and this delicious Balsamic Pea Salad that I can't believe I've never posted here ...

I'm going to try something different this week. I'm only going to shop through Friday's meals ... and then I will assess and see if we can make the weekend on the leftovers and bits and pieces. If not, I'll shop again for those two days. I'm hoping this will help us not waste food ...

Chargrilled Salmon with Asparagus in a Lime Vinaigrette

I got this recipe out of the same delicious magazine as the fish recipe.

I made a couple of changes ... here you go with my modified recipe:

salmon fillets. i used 2 big ones for the four of us.
olive oil (to cook fish)
bunch of asparagus
grated zest and juice of 1/2 a lime
2 tbls capers ... I used ones in salt ... DON'T do that !! Way too salty !!
a couple of cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbls extra virgin olive oil
fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
fresh tarragon, finely chopped

We used a non stick grill pan to cook the fish. Rory did it. He did each side for a few minutes til cooked the way we like it ... we like it more well done than the traditional rare in center.

Meanwhile, roast asparagus in oven. (10/15 minutes).

Top asparagus with remaining ingredients. Season.

Place fish on plates. Top with asparagus mix.

I served this with greek croustade.

Greek Croustade

This is my Aunt Lori's recipe ...
I'm cutting and pasting from the email she sent me !

GREEK CROUSTADE

The original recipe has it all wrapped in phyllo dough which is fabulous but more time consuming so we just make it as a side dish. If you double the recipe it makes a nice 9x13 pan. I have also put a spoonful on a strip of phyllo and folded it up into a triangle. You can even freeze those and pull them out at a later date and bake them.

10oz frozen chopped spinach - cook according to pkg - squeeze out excess water
1/4 c chopped onion
3T butter
3T flour
1/4 t crushed tarragon
1 cup milk
2 eggs - beaten in a bowl
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup crumbled feta

In a saucepan, cook onion and butter until tender. Stir in flour & tarragon. Add milk all at once. Stir til thick and bubbly. Stir 1/2 of hot mixture into eggs and then return all to saucepan. Stir in cheeses and spinach. Stir thoroughly to break up spinach. Bake in an oiled pan at 375 for 35-40 minutes. I always watch for the top to start to brown.

***

I put a sheet of puff pastry under mine since I don't really like working with phyllo ... I think next time I'll put a sheet of puff pastry on top too !! The kids loved this 'pie', as they called it !!

Patatas Alioli

Garlic Potatoes

2 pounds potatoes
salt
4 to 6 garlic cloves (I used 6)
1/2 cup mayo
fresh flat leaf parsley, 12 sprigs

Chop potatoes into big chunks like you'd do for potato salad.
Boil 'em to desired tenderness.

While that's happening, mix the garlic (that you've done in your garlic press), and the parsley (that you've chopped), with the mayo.

When potatoes are done, drain, and let cool. (I put mine in the fridge for 10/15 minutes.)
Then mix potatoes with mayo.

Done.

Enjoy.

Yes, you will have garlic breath.

Yes, it is worth it !!

I served this tonight with Pollo en Salsa de Ajo.

Pollo en Salsa de Ajo

I got this recipe out of The Food Of Spain - A Journey For Food Lovers, a great cookbook that some friends gave me a while back.

Chicken in Garlic Sauce

(my modified version)

1 kg chicken. They called for thighs. I used breast.
olive oil
paprika
salt
pepper
8 - 10 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 cup fino sherry
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
flat leaf parsley

Cut the chicken into thirds. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a fry pan over high heat. Cook the garlic (in it's skin) 'til brown. Doesn't take long. Remove. Cook the chicken in batches, til browl all over. Return all the chicken to the pan. Add the sherry. Boil for 30 seconds. Add stock and bay leaf. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, on low heat for 10 minutes.

While that's cooking, squeeze the garlic from it's skin. Add a good handful of parsley and pound to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Stir into the chicken, then cover and cook for 10 more minutes.

Serve hot.