Dinner Diva Menu Week of 10/4

Happy October! I can't wait to put all the stuff out for Halloween! The wind has come back to Oklahoma after a much appreciated absence, which will make securing our decor somewhat of a challenge. Last year all my spider webs blew down, constantly, so that well before Halloween it just looked like a mess rather than a spooky welcome.


My new Cooking Light came today. Imagine my disappointment when my recipe did NOT appear in the Reader Recipe section, as I was promised it would for the October issue. I guess I can't be in the news AND in a magazine in the same week unless I change my name to Paris or something. Still, I'm bummed.


The magazine is loaded with fall comfort food recipes that look very tempting. But, it's still hot here, and so I'll leave those recipes for later in the fall.

Monday: playing baseball tonight, so I'll make Mom's Chicken Enchiladas on a Timed Bake and program the oven to be done when we walk through the door.

Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I cook these in the microwave and shred them by pulling apart with two forks)

4 green onions, sliced

2 T. fresh cilantro, chopped

1 jalepeno, seeded and minced

3 cans green enchilada sauce

8 tortillas (calls for corn but I use flour)

1 C. cheddar cheese, pre-shredded (reduced fat preferred)

2 cups lettuce, shredded (or Shreds brand)

1/2 c. salsa

1/2 c. light sour cream

1 can ripe olives, sliced

Oven to 350. Spray 9X13 baking pan with cooking spray. Heat nonstick fry pan over med heat. Add green onions, cilantro, and jalepeno, and saute 2 minutes. Add shredded chicken and 1 can enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Pour remaining 2 cans enchilada sauce in med. bowl and microwave until warm, about 2 minutes. Dip each tortilla in heated sauce and fill with about 1/8 of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place seam-side down in prepared baking dish.

Pour remaining heated sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes. Serve enchiladas with lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and black olives, if desired.

Tuesday: my work night, which means I'll be absent from the kitchen--leftover night or out to eat

Wednesday: Kary's turn to cook..If you're not swapping (why NOT?), try this one for quick jambalaya: grab a box of Zataran's Jambalaya, a green bell pepper, and a lb of pre-cooked sausage or shrimp or chicken (or any combination....I've even used leftover fish fillets). Dice the green pepper, and throw it in a rice cooker with the Zataran's, the amount of water specified on the box, and the meat. Turn on the rice cooker. When it dings, you're done.

Thursday: my turn to cook : Chicken Parmesan, caesar salad, fresh bread (hint, make at least 2 extra chicken breasts for a later meal. Budget saver: buy a head of romaine and a bottle of commercial caesar dressing rather than a caesar salad "kit." Tear the lettuce leaves off the stem just as you need them, and wash them only after you've plucked them...the stem will keep the leaves fresher longer and the lack of excess moisture will also aid in longevity)

Chicken Parmesan (from Cooking Light--prep time, 12 min; cook time 13 min)

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts (or 6 if you're planning on "planned overs" tomorrow)

1/2 c. seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

1/2 t. ital seasoning (if you don't have seasoned breadcrumbs, increase italian seasoning to 1 tsp.)

1/8 t. black pepper

1/3 cup. all purpose flour

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten (stir rapidly with fork until bubbled)

4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (we use whole wheat, about 8 oz uncooked)

3 C. Ultimate Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce (recipe follows) or 3 C. commercial bottled pasta sauce

1 C. preshredded mozarella cheese

Chopped fresh basil, optional

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap. Flatten to 1/4 inch using meat mallet or rolling pin (I use this one from pampered chef: https://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=9784&words=meat%20mallet)

Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, and pepper in a shallow dish. Place flour in a separate shallow dish, and the egg whites in still another shallow dish. Arrange them left to right as follows: flour, egg, breadcrumbs. Dredge each chicken breast in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken, and cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. (Note, if you don't pound them thin enough, this step will take longer... Still tastes good, just be aware.)

Preheat broiler.

Place 1 cup cooked spaghetti in each of 4 au gratin dishes. Spoon 1/2 c. pasta sauce over each serving. Top each with 1 chicken breasts (you'll have two breasts leftover for tomorrow's chicken ceasar salad). Spoon 1/4 cup sauce over each serving, then sprinkle with mozzarella (about 1/4 cup each). Place gratin dishes on a baking sheet; broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with basil, if desired. 4 servings.

I like to bake and serve these in individual au gratin dishes...it's a neat way to present the meal. I just got some really cute ones from the Rachael Ray line: http://www.amazon.com/Rachael-Ray-12-Ounce-Stoneware-Personal/dp/B002EAYTDI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1254690515&sr=8-1 If you don't have au gratin dishes, you can put it all in one 9X13 dish and broil it, and serve it from there onto plates.

Friday: Chicken Caesar Salad (slice the extra chicken you made on Thursday and fan it out over a bed of romaine. Sprinkle with parmesan and croutons and drizzle with caesar dressing. Optionally, add cherry tomatoes and red onions.)

Saturday: our Pizza night

Sunday: We're planning a trip to Tulsa today, so we'll be eating out.

Dinner Diva Menu Week of 9/28

Big week! Our neighborhood's frozen meal swap may be appearing on the local news as an example of one way to save money. To that end, I'm including some more money-saving food tips in this week's blog.

Monday: Stir Fried Pork with Broccoli and Cashews, rice

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=384688

Tuesday: Sloppy Joes, home fries, steamed green beans

Budget tip: use ground turkey, which is cheaper (and leaner) than ground beef. Or, compromise with a half and half mixture of turkey and beef.

Home Fries:
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=264293

Wednesday: Meal Swap Day, Kary's turn to cook. Leftovers (another budget-saver) are a good alternative. Hint, change it up a little: Bake a few potatoes and stuff them with the leftover joe meat, top with cheddar and bake at 350 5-10 min or until cheese melts.

Thursday: Meal Swap Day, my turn to cook: Stuffed Pork Chops, parmesan noodles, sautee'd yellow squash

Stuffed Pork Chops
4 Pork Loin Chops, 1 1/4" thick
1/2 lb pork sausage (or turkey sausage)
1 C. onion, chopped
1 cup cornbread, crumbled and dried
3/4 C. shredded apple
2 t. fresh thyme, minced, or 1/4 t. dried thyme
1/3 C. apple jelly
1/3 C. apple Juice
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Cut a slit in each chop with a sharp knife, the length of the fat side almost to the other side, but not all the way through. Refrigerate chops while preparing stuffing. Cook sausage and onion in large skillet until sausage is brown, drain well. Wipe skillet with paper towel. Return to skillet and and stir in cornbread, apple, and thyme. Spoon 2 T. of apple juice over stuffing mixture and toss to combine. Spoon 2 T. stuffing into each pork chop pocket, use toothpicks to secure stuffing in pockets. Set aside remaining stuffing. Place chops on a rack in a roasting pan. In small saucepan combine jelly and lemon juice. Cook over low heat and stir until jelly melts. Brush chops with glaze and bake, uncovered, in a 375 oven for 20 minutes. Brush chops again with glaze, and add the remaining stuffing around the chops. Return to oven for another 20 minutes.


Noodles (use spinach fettucini for the most elegant and colorful meal presentation) http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1850,154168-236193,00.html

Friday: (budget friendly, vegetarian): French toast, turkey bacon, fresh fruit

Substituting breakfast for dinner 2-4 times per month is a fun way to save money!

Saturday: pizza, carrots

(buying frozen pizza or even take-and-bake pizza is significantly less expensive than delivery)

Sunday: Steak, baked sweet potatoes, steamed mixed vegetables

Budget steak: buy a top sirloin large enough to feed your family. Marinate it in commercially bottled italian dressing for several hours (half a bottle for a 1-2 lb steak, full bottle for a larger steak). Grill to desired doneness, then thinly slice it across the grain. Fan it out on a platter for serving. Elegant, tasty, and not too pricey (for steak that is)!

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.

Dinner Diva Menu Week of 9/14

Monday: Impossibly Easy Chicken and Broccoli Pie
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/impossibly-easy-chicken-n-broccoli-pie

Tuesday: Turkey and Ham Tetrazzini, romaine salad, french bread

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=665346

Wednesday: Out To Eat, or leftovers

Thursday: Herb-Rubbed Ribs with Cherry-Zinfandel BBQ Sauce, corn on the cob, coleslaw, biscuits, roasted applesauce, peach cobbler a la mode

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1634800

Friday: Lemon Pepper Shrimp Scampi, steamed edamame, garlic toast

Saturday: Pizza, raw veggies and dip

Sunday: leftovers

Dinner Diva Menu Week of 9/7

Monday: Out to eat

Alternate: try fish packets:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1626,154168-224201,00.html

Tuesday: leftovers
Alternate: grilled shrimp, steamed brown rice, steam-in-a-bag veggies of choice

Wednesday: Meal Swap, Kary's turn to cook

Thursday: Meal Swap, my turn to cook: I'm making a grilled whole chicken with oven roasted vegetables and homemade bread

To grill a whole chicken, coat a foil roasting pan with cooking spray. Rinse and pat dry a whole chicken. Place the chicken in the foil roasting pan, sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Place on a hot grill over indirect heat for approximately 15 minutes per pound. It will come out tender, juicy, with a crisp, golden-brown skin.

For the veggies: Cut up carrots, potatoes (fingerling potatoes are wonderful in this), onions, and your choice of squash (I like acorn or butternut)...sweet potatoes are also good. Toss with a light coating of olive oil, kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Arrange in a single layer in a casserole dish, and bake uncovered for about an hour at 400 degrees, stirring about every 15 minutes.

Friday: homemade mac-n-cheese, steamed broccoli, fresh cut watermelon

Heidi's Mac-N-Cheese

1/2 box whole wheat rotini pasta
1 cup preshredded colby-jack cheese or mexican blend
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup 2% milk
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Cook pasta to al dente. Drain. Pour hot pasta back into the saucepan you used to cook it. Leave it on the still-hot burner with the burner off. Add cheeses, yogurt, and milk, and stir until cheese is melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve. Makes 2-3 servings.

Saturday: pizza, carrots

Sunday: Hamburgers, baked sweet potatoes or sweet potato fries, broccoli slaw

Dinner Diva Menu Week of 8/9

August already, and many of my friends' children have begun school. Mine will start soon, maybe this week, their first year as homeschoolers. I'm nervous about beginning a new adventure, but I know that our time together will strengthen our bonds, bring our family closer, bring us closer to God, and enrich our lives through trials, tribulations, joys and celebrations. A family that learns together stays together! I trust this is the right decision for us, and that God will lead the way.


Sunday: We're spending the day on the boat today! I needed a recipe that will travel, and can be served cold. This one was in my inbox today, and I think we'll try it! I always try to make at least one new recipe a week. For sides, I'll likely serve chips and dip.

Chicken Strawberry Salad
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=589721


Monday (vegetarian): Tri-Colored Tortellini, homemade pasta sauce, french bread, fresh salad

I got the tortellini from Sam's, and the kids just love it! It goes together quickly and is nothing short of satisfying.

For the sauce:
Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce
1 T. Olive Oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced, or 4 t. bottled minced garlic

Sautee above together until onion is tender, then add:
1 can tomato paste
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (I use fire-roasted)
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 c. red wine
1/2 t. italian seasoning



Tuesday: Grilled pork tenderloin, baked sweet potatoes, sautee'd zucchini


For the zucchini, I spray a fry pan with cooking spray, then add about a teaspoon of butter. I heat that on medium heat until hot, then add 3-4 zucchini that have been cut to bite sized pieces. I sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sautee' over med heat for several minutes, stirring frequently.


Wednesday: Meal Swap Night, my night to cook:

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans, asiago breadsticks

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=780291

Asiago Breadsticks:
I use this recipe for asiago cheese bread, but instead of shaping into a round disk, I shape into breadsticks, then put the olive oil and cheese on.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2159328_asiago-cheese-bread.html

Thursday: leftovers or out to eat

Friday: Meal Swap day, Kary's turn to cook. If you're not swapping, serve:

hamburgers, home fries, corn on the cob, coleslaw

(For vegetarians, try portobello mushroom burgers in place of beef patties)

coleslaw: combine 1 12 oz bag of coleslaw, 1/2 bottle marzetti's light coleslaw dressing, and 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds


Saturday: another day on the boat, another cold but summer-perfect recipe (also new to me):
Tropical Chopped Salad with Shrimp
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=701117

Dinner Diva Menu Week of 8/2

Sunday: Lasagna, french bread, salad


HEIDI'S EASY LASAGNA

1 lb. mild italian sausage, casings removed
32 oz. roasted red pepper pasta sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 c. water
2 c. (15 oz. container) Ricotta
3 c. (12 oz.) shredded Mozzarella
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. lasagna, uncooked

Brown meat in 3 quart saucepan; drain off excess fat. Add sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate bowl, except lasagna, for filling. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Layer 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna over sauce; cover with about 1 1/2 cups sauce. Spread 1/2 of cheese filling over sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna, sauce, and cheese filling. Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer. Allow to stand about 15 minutes before cutting for easier handling. 8 to 10 servings.
Lasagna will expand to fill empty spaces.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce (makes enough for two recipes)
2 t. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/4 c. bottled minced garlic
(saute' above together, then add:)
1 cup dry red wine
2 T. sugar
2 T. chopped fresh basil
1 t. dried italian seasoning
1/2 t. black pepper
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 can tomato paste

Simmer uncovered about 15 minutes, then stir in:

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Use immediately or freeze for later.


Monday: Jerk-Spiced Shrimp, fruit salsa, cornbread
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1911385

http://www.delregno.com/recipes/2008/03/quaker-easy-corn-bread.html

Tuesday: Grilled Ribeyes, steamed fresh green beans, baked sweet potatoes

Wednesday: shredded chicken bbq sandwiches, fresh spinach salad

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Crab Salad with Avocado and Tomatoes, grilled garlic bread
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1875502

Saturday: Pizza or leftovers