Dinner Diva Menu Week of 9/21

Sorry...getting this out late. I'm still catching up in my new routine: homeschool mom, baseball mom, wife, gymnastics coach, puppy raiser. I left out crafter because that part of me has gone dormant! I'm still a cook though, even if my meals are a little more on the quick and easy side.

Monday: we had leftover night before our baseball game.

Tuesday: Beef and Broccoli, rice, commercial pot stickers

1# boneless top round steak, 3/4" thick
2 T. corntstarch
1T. brown sugar
1 can beef broth (14.5 oz)
1T. soy sauce
1/4 t. each garlic powder and gr. ginger
4 C. broccoli flowerets
4 C. hot cooked rice

Slice beef thinly. Mix cornstarch, 1 C. broth, sugar, and soy until smooth. Set aside.

Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over med. high heat until hot. Add half of beef and stir fry until browned. Set aside and keep warm; repeat with other half of beef.

In same skillet, add remaining broth, garlic, and ginger and broccoli. Cover and simmer 5 min or until broccoli is tender-crisp.

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to pan. Cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Return beef to pan, heat through.

Serve over rice.

4 servings

Wednesday: Meal Swap Day, Kary's turn to cook. If you're not swapping with anyone, try:

Baked Orange Roughy, steamed peapods (I like the steam in the bag kind), and whole wheat pilaf (made by Near East. You can find it by the commercial rice mixes, like rice a roni, or in the ethnic section)

For the fish, heat oven to 400. Combine 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1 t. italian seasoning, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, put mixture into shallow dish. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg white.

Lightly brush both sides of 4 orange roughy fillets with egg white, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Arrange fillets on lightly greased baking sheet. Optionally, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Bake approximately 20 minutes or until fish is opaque throughout.

Thursday: Meal Swap Day, my turn to cook: Sweet and Tangy Chicken, rice, salad

Sweet and Tangy Chicken

6 slices bacon (I use turkey bacon)
8 boned chicken thighs
flour for dredging
1/3 C. honey
3 T. dijon mustard
1 t. curry powder
salt
cayenne pepper

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, saving drippings in pan. Drain bacon on paper towel, crumble, and set aside.

Oven to 350. Dredge chicken pieces with flour, shaking off excess.

Place skillet with reserved drippings over low heat, add chicken and cook until all pieces are browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Bake chicken uncovered 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine honey, mustard, curry, salt and cayenne to taste. Drizzle mixture over chicken and bake uncovered 10-15 min more, until chicken is tender. Top with crumbled bacon just before serving.

4-6 servings.


Friday: (Vegetarian) Greek Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Feta, salad, garlic bread

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=223856

Saturday: pizza, carrots

Sunday: Shrimp Ratatouille Rolls

1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
1 med. eggplant
2 med. zucchini
1 med. green bell pepper
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
16 oz canned diced tomatoes
3 T. tomato paste
1 T. red wine vinegar
2 t. salt
2 t. fresh basil, chopped
1/2 t. ground pepper
1/2 t. cayenne (or less to taste)
6 french rolls
2 cups mozzarella, shredded

Cut eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper and onion into small cubes. Saute' vegetables and garlic in large saucepan with olive oil for 5 minutes.

Drain tomatoes. Add tomatoes, paste, vinegar, salt, basil and peppers to sauteed vegetables. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Slice a thin slice off the top of each roll. Hollow out each roll, leaving a 1" border. Place rolls on baking sheet and warm in 350 oven for 5 minutes. Add shrimp to vegetable mixture; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Spoon mixture into rolls; sprinkle with cheese and broil until cheese melts and is lightly browned.