Dinner Diva Menu week of 12/1

For a number of weeks now, a neighbor friend and I have been swapping meals once a week. On Wednesdays, she cooks two of whatever they're having and gives one to us. On Thursdays, I cook two and give one to her. The idea is that it's almost as easy to make two meals as it is to make one, so with a little extra effort one day a week, we each get a day free of cooking one day a week. I have always enjoyed cooking for people, and it's been really fun and I think both of our families are really enjoying it.

Monday: Pork Chops With Sauerkraut
Ingredients
4 pork chops, approximately 4 ounces each
salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
14 ounces sauerkraut, fresh or canned
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup beer or cider vinegar
Directions
Sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste. Heat olive oil in a skillet and brown pork chops on both sides. Set aside. Rinse and drain sauerkraut, pressing excess liquid out. Mix sauerkraut, onion, apple, parsley flakes, and celery seed. Put pork chops in a baking dish, then cover with sauerkraut. Pour beer and drippings from skillet over. Cover tightly and bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 277; Fat: 16.0g; Saturated Fat: 6.5g; Protein: 24g; Carbohydrates: 10g; Fiber: 1g; Cholesterol: 28Mg; Sodium: 656Mg

Tuesday: grilled shrimp, steamed broccoli, steamed brown rice

Wednesday: (meal swap day!)

Thursday: (meal swap day; my turn to cook!) Lasagna Soup, served in bread bowls

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/SpecialtySiteRecipeDetail.aspx?specialty=swansonbroth&recipeID=23930

To make breadbowls, you can make your own dough in a breadmaker or by hand, or you can buy frozen bread dough. Spray insides of oven safe bowls (if you have any deep oven safe cereal bowls, those work well, or any 2 cup capacity oven safe bowl) with cooking spray. I use 1/2 of a 1 lb recipe for each bowl. Place the dough into the greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise about 40 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 20 min (more or less). Allow to cool. Scoop out the center of the bread and fill with soup. Top with the part of the bread that you removed.

Friday: Tacos

Saturday: pizza, carrots

Sunday: meatloaf, steamed green beans, roasted potato wedges