Well, we started looking for recipes and had out all our Rachael Ray stuff and we weren't finding much inspiration. So, we decided this was the week of no Rachael. EEK! This meant delving in to our other cookbooks and determining which meals we really wanted to try. It actually wasn't that bad once we got started. Paul took Giada & the Panini cookbooks, I took Curtis & Anne, and when we found something we shared and determined if it was for us this week. It also helped that we knew we wanted a seafood dish, needed a chicken dish, and decided the others were up for grabs.
Shockingly enough, our shopping list still isn't terrible and we'll take care of it tomorrow.
So, here it is; the week menu with no Rachael Ray recipes.
Monday - Bellisimo! Panini
Tuesday - KC REP (Bristol before)
Wednesday - Grilled Pizzetta with Ricotta, Sausage, Arugula, & Chili Oil*
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas*
Saturday - Scampi on Couscous
Sunday - Snack Night
*Recipe included on blog
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas
4 10 in. flour tortillas
2 cups (8 oz.) coarsely shredded roasted chicken
2 cups (6 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno finely chopped
Salt
1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the chicken, cheese, cilantro, and jalapeno among the tortillas, scattering the ingredients over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle a tablespoon of barbecue sauce over each. Fold the uncovered half of each tortilla over the filling to form a half-moon shape.
Heat a large flat griddle pan over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas on the griddle. Cook for 3 min. on each side, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden and the cheese has melted. Transfer the quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 quesadillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve.
*Recipe courtesy of Curtis Stone, Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone, p. 122
2 cups (8 oz.) coarsely shredded roasted chicken
2 cups (6 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno finely chopped
Salt
1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
Arrange the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the chicken, cheese, cilantro, and jalapeno among the tortillas, scattering the ingredients over half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle a tablespoon of barbecue sauce over each. Fold the uncovered half of each tortilla over the filling to form a half-moon shape.
Heat a large flat griddle pan over medium heat. Place 2 quesadillas on the griddle. Cook for 3 min. on each side, or until the tortillas are crisp and golden and the cheese has melted. Transfer the quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining 2 quesadillas. Cut the quesadillas into wedges and serve.
*Recipe courtesy of Curtis Stone, Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone, p. 122
Grilled Pizzetta with Ricotta, Sausage, Arugula & Chili Oil
For the Chili Oil:
5-6 Fresno chili peppers roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups EVOO
Bring the chilies and oil to a simmer in a small saucepan; remove from the heat and let the peppers steep in the oil for at least an hour or until the dough has risen and you're ready to make the pizzas. This can be done WAY in advance.
For the Dough (can use pre-packaged dough for time convenience):
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. EVOO, plus more for the bowl
While the oil steeps (look at your multitasking!), combine the yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm (NOT HOT!) water in a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy and yeasty-smelling.
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl; make a well in the center of the flour and add the EVOO and the yeast mixture. Using a fork, stir until the flour and liquids are well combined. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured, clean work surface and kneed until smooth and elastic (6-7 min.). Lightly coat the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour).
When the dough is ready, portion it into 6 golf-ball-size pieces. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (or whatever shape you like). If you're not using the dough right away, wrap each ball individually in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Pizza Topping and assembly:
EVOO
1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb. ricotta (or other mild creamy cheese, such as stracchino, fontina, or taleggio) at room temp.
1 bunch arugula
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and preheat the grill.
Coat a large saute pan with oil, add the sausage, and bring to medium heat. Cook the sausage until brown (10-15 min.). Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Brush the grill with oil and arrange each piece of dough on the grill; you might need to work in batches here. Grill until the dough is stiff and crisp and has lovely grill marks on it, the flip and repeat on the second side, moving occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn (OR, if you want to skip the grill, just put the rolled out dough on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until semi-cooked)
Put the pizzas on baking sheets, schmear each with some ricotta, top with sausage, and put as many pizzas as will comfortably fit in the oven; bake until the cheese has melted (5-7 min.). Again, you may have to work in batches. Remove the pizzas from the oven, top with arugula, and drizzle with the deliciously spicy chili oil.
*Recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell, Cook Like A Rock Star, p. 71
5-6 Fresno chili peppers roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups EVOO
Bring the chilies and oil to a simmer in a small saucepan; remove from the heat and let the peppers steep in the oil for at least an hour or until the dough has risen and you're ready to make the pizzas. This can be done WAY in advance.
For the Dough (can use pre-packaged dough for time convenience):
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. EVOO, plus more for the bowl
While the oil steeps (look at your multitasking!), combine the yeast, sugar, and 1/2 cup warm (NOT HOT!) water in a small bowl. Stir to combine and let sit for 10-15 minutes until foamy and yeasty-smelling.
Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl; make a well in the center of the flour and add the EVOO and the yeast mixture. Using a fork, stir until the flour and liquids are well combined. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured, clean work surface and kneed until smooth and elastic (6-7 min.). Lightly coat the mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour).
When the dough is ready, portion it into 6 golf-ball-size pieces. Dust a work surface with flour and roll each piece of dough into a rectangle (or whatever shape you like). If you're not using the dough right away, wrap each ball individually in plastic and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Pizza Topping and assembly:
EVOO
1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 lb. ricotta (or other mild creamy cheese, such as stracchino, fontina, or taleggio) at room temp.
1 bunch arugula
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and preheat the grill.
Coat a large saute pan with oil, add the sausage, and bring to medium heat. Cook the sausage until brown (10-15 min.). Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Brush the grill with oil and arrange each piece of dough on the grill; you might need to work in batches here. Grill until the dough is stiff and crisp and has lovely grill marks on it, the flip and repeat on the second side, moving occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn (OR, if you want to skip the grill, just put the rolled out dough on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until semi-cooked)
Put the pizzas on baking sheets, schmear each with some ricotta, top with sausage, and put as many pizzas as will comfortably fit in the oven; bake until the cheese has melted (5-7 min.). Again, you may have to work in batches. Remove the pizzas from the oven, top with arugula, and drizzle with the deliciously spicy chili oil.
*Recipe courtesy of Anne Burrell, Cook Like A Rock Star, p. 71
Sunday, April 22, 2012
April 23-29
Whew! This weekend flew by and now it's time for another work week. Lucky for us (being teachers) it's 22 more days until summer vacation. But, of course summer vacation is full of lesson planning, professional development meetings, and teaching summer school. Still a busy time, but not as stressful as the regular school year!
This weekend we went to the opera & a Royals game, visited with great friends, and kept ourselves very busy - we did get our shopping done & the menu planned on Saturday, but with our busy go-go-go weekend, we didn't have time to post until now.
Here's the menu for this week:
Monday - BLT Creamy Mac & Cheese
Tuesday - Papa Murphy Pizza Night
Wednesday - Drunken Pork Chops & Savory Green Rice w/ Fontina
Thursday - Open TBD
Friday - Shrimp & Cheese Grits & Fried Okra*
Saturday - Spicy Chicken & Spinach Orzo*
Sunday - Snack Night
*Recipe included in the blog
This weekend we went to the opera & a Royals game, visited with great friends, and kept ourselves very busy - we did get our shopping done & the menu planned on Saturday, but with our busy go-go-go weekend, we didn't have time to post until now.
Here's the menu for this week:
Monday - BLT Creamy Mac & Cheese
Tuesday - Papa Murphy Pizza Night
Wednesday - Drunken Pork Chops & Savory Green Rice w/ Fontina
Thursday - Open TBD
Friday - Shrimp & Cheese Grits & Fried Okra*
Saturday - Spicy Chicken & Spinach Orzo*
Sunday - Snack Night
*Recipe included in the blog
Spicy Chicken with Spinach Orzo
1 1/2 cups orzo pasta
3 oz. fresh rinsed spinach
2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
1 large onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 jalapeno chile seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 in. thick strips
3 tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 lemon
Season the chicken with salt/pepper and set aside.
In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil, add salt when it is at a rolling boil, and cook the orzo until al dente (it will still have a bit of hardness to it on the inside, but the outside will be tender) according to the package. Place the spinach in a colander and drain the orzo over the spinach; return both to the pot. Stir in 1 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt/pepper. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 min.). Stir in the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds. Push the onion mixture to the side of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 2 min. Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomatoes, zest and juice the lemon, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the chicken is cooked through (about 4-5 min.).
Serve the chicken on a bed of the spinach orzo.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, November 2011, p. 67
3 oz. fresh rinsed spinach
2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
1 large onion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 jalapeno chile seeded and finely chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 in. thick strips
3 tomatoes seeded and chopped
1 lemon
Season the chicken with salt/pepper and set aside.
In a large pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a boil, add salt when it is at a rolling boil, and cook the orzo until al dente (it will still have a bit of hardness to it on the inside, but the outside will be tender) according to the package. Place the spinach in a colander and drain the orzo over the spinach; return both to the pot. Stir in 1 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt/pepper. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 5 min.). Stir in the garlic and jalapeno and cook for 30 seconds. Push the onion mixture to the side of the skillet. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 2 min. Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomatoes, zest and juice the lemon, and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the chicken is cooked through (about 4-5 min.).
Serve the chicken on a bed of the spinach orzo.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, November 2011, p. 67
Shrimp and Cheese Grits with Okra
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 5 oz.)
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced (white and green portions separated)
Salt & Pepper
8 slices bacon
1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/3 cup parsley finely chopped
3/4 cup EVOO
1 lb. frozen cut okra thawed and patted dry
3 Tbsp. flour
Season the shrimp with salt/pepper and set aside.
(Here is what we do to use all parts of the shrimp: during the peeling and deveining of the shrimp, put the outer shells into a pot. Bring the shells and 5 cups water to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the shells and you now have shrimp stock to use instead of just water in the grits!)
In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water (or shrimp stock) and the evaporated milk to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, slowly stir in the grits, partially cover and simmer, stirring about every 30 seconds to prevent clumping, until the grits are just thickened (about 15 min.). Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, 3/4 of the scallion greens, and salt/pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
While the grits are cooking, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until almost crisp (about 8 min.) and remove to paper towels (crumble when cool). Stir in the scallion whites and garlic and cook for 1 min., then add the shrimp and cook until shrimp is opaque (about 3 min.). Turn the heat off and stir in the parsley, then transfer to a bowl; wipe out the skillet.
In the same skillet, heat the EVOO over high heat. Season the okra with salt/pepper and toss with the flour. Fry the okra in a single layer, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots (about 5 min.); take out, season with a little salt while still hot, and let sit on paper towels.
Put some of the grits in the bottom of a bowl, top with the shrimp and okra, and finish with a sprinkle of the remaining scallion greens and crumbled bacon.
* Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, October 2010 Menu Planner
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese (about 5 oz.)
1 bunch scallions thinly sliced (white and green portions separated)
Salt & Pepper
8 slices bacon
1 lb. large shrimp peeled and deveined
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/3 cup parsley finely chopped
3/4 cup EVOO
1 lb. frozen cut okra thawed and patted dry
3 Tbsp. flour
Season the shrimp with salt/pepper and set aside.
(Here is what we do to use all parts of the shrimp: during the peeling and deveining of the shrimp, put the outer shells into a pot. Bring the shells and 5 cups water to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the shells and you now have shrimp stock to use instead of just water in the grits!)
In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water (or shrimp stock) and the evaporated milk to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, slowly stir in the grits, partially cover and simmer, stirring about every 30 seconds to prevent clumping, until the grits are just thickened (about 15 min.). Remove from the heat, stir in the cheese, 3/4 of the scallion greens, and salt/pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
While the grits are cooking, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until almost crisp (about 8 min.) and remove to paper towels (crumble when cool). Stir in the scallion whites and garlic and cook for 1 min., then add the shrimp and cook until shrimp is opaque (about 3 min.). Turn the heat off and stir in the parsley, then transfer to a bowl; wipe out the skillet.
In the same skillet, heat the EVOO over high heat. Season the okra with salt/pepper and toss with the flour. Fry the okra in a single layer, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots (about 5 min.); take out, season with a little salt while still hot, and let sit on paper towels.
Put some of the grits in the bottom of a bowl, top with the shrimp and okra, and finish with a sprinkle of the remaining scallion greens and crumbled bacon.
* Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, October 2010 Menu Planner
Sunday, April 15, 2012
April 16-22
You asked for it, so you got it! We've posted the recipe for the Ham & Asparagus Lasagna!! We hope you enjoy it! Let us know what you think of it.
As for this week, we're not terribly busy, but do have things to do. It's the week before pay day so you know what that means, scrimping and saving to stretch the dollar. In honor of this week, we decided to do a week's meals out of our pantry and only went shopping for some add-ons & sale items. In total, we spent $38 between Aldi and Price Chopper for our meals this week - not too shabby!
Since it's Paul's birthday week and we have friends coming in from out of town this weekend, we are going out a bit more than usual - but thanks to Groupon, OpenTable, and Gift Certificates, we shouldn't be spending too much extra money!! Which keeps it a not too shabby spending week on food.
Hope you have a great week!
Here's what's on the menu for this week:
Monday - Paul's Birthday!! American @ Crown Center
Tuesday - Ham & Asparagus Lasagna*
Wednesday - South African Tilapia
Thursday - Chicken Marsala
Friday - Enchiladas*
Saturday - Lyric Opera - Nica's 320 before & Webster House after
Sunday - KC Royals - snack night
*Recipe included on the blog
As for this week, we're not terribly busy, but do have things to do. It's the week before pay day so you know what that means, scrimping and saving to stretch the dollar. In honor of this week, we decided to do a week's meals out of our pantry and only went shopping for some add-ons & sale items. In total, we spent $38 between Aldi and Price Chopper for our meals this week - not too shabby!
Since it's Paul's birthday week and we have friends coming in from out of town this weekend, we are going out a bit more than usual - but thanks to Groupon, OpenTable, and Gift Certificates, we shouldn't be spending too much extra money!! Which keeps it a not too shabby spending week on food.
Hope you have a great week!
Here's what's on the menu for this week:
Monday - Paul's Birthday!! American @ Crown Center
Tuesday - Ham & Asparagus Lasagna*
Wednesday - South African Tilapia
Thursday - Chicken Marsala
Friday - Enchiladas*
Saturday - Lyric Opera - Nica's 320 before & Webster House after
Sunday - KC Royals - snack night
*Recipe included on the blog
Ham and Asparagus Lasagna
1 lb. fresh asparagus cut into 1 in. pieces
1 lb. lasagna noodles
4 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion finely chopped
1/3 cup flour
4 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
Salt/Pepper
1/2 lb. ham sliced or shreaded into 1/2 in. pieces or so
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large, shallow pot of water to a boil and add a hand full of salt once it is at a rolling boil. Prepare a medium size bowl with ice and water and set to the side. Add the asparagus to the water and cook for about 2 minutes until just tender; then, with a strainer, transfer the asparagus with a slotted spoon or strainer to the ice water bowl (this stops the cooking and keeps the asparagus bright green). Bring the large, shallow pot of water back to a boil and stagger the lasagna noodles so they do not lay completely one over the other; cook about 7 minutes until slightly tender. Take the noodles out one by one and place on a baking sheet in a row, using wax paper or parchment paper to stack on top of each other (we usually use our silocone baking pads to separate the "layers") and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and some salt & pepper and cook about 5 minutes until softened. Using a whisk, whisk in the flour and cook about 1 minute to get out the raw flour taste. While you are whisking, slowly add the milk in, along with some salt & pepper, and bring to a boil, making sure to whisk the mixture every 30 seconds or so to prevent scalding the milk. Once the milk is boiling, lower the heat to simmer and whisk constantly until thickened (if you are unsure of the thickness, take a wooden spoon and dip it in; if you take it out and the mixture completely slides off it needs more time, and if you take it out and it leaves a nice white cover that stays with the spoon it is thick enough). Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 the parmesan and 1/2 the nutmeg; add more salt & pepper to your taste if needed.
In a 9x13 baking dish, ladle in just enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Take your lasagna noodles and place in an even layer (you can cut your noodles to fit if needed, just save the remains in case you need them in a later layer). Top the noodle layer with 1/5 of the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle 1/4 of the ham, 1/4 of the asparagus, and 1/4 of the remaining parmesan (we like also add a bit of fresh grated nutmeg over each layer too). Repeat layers 3 more times - if you find you need less or more layers, just reserve enough ham, asparagus, and parmesan to meet your baking dish's needs. Top the last layer with noodles, remaining cheese sauce, parmesan, and nutmeg. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes until heated through. Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes, or until top is golden and noodles start to "crisp" up. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
* Original recipe courtsey of Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008, p. 72
1 lb. lasagna noodles
4 Tbsp. butter
1 large onion finely chopped
1/3 cup flour
4 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp. fresh grated nutmeg
Salt/Pepper
1/2 lb. ham sliced or shreaded into 1/2 in. pieces or so
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large, shallow pot of water to a boil and add a hand full of salt once it is at a rolling boil. Prepare a medium size bowl with ice and water and set to the side. Add the asparagus to the water and cook for about 2 minutes until just tender; then, with a strainer, transfer the asparagus with a slotted spoon or strainer to the ice water bowl (this stops the cooking and keeps the asparagus bright green). Bring the large, shallow pot of water back to a boil and stagger the lasagna noodles so they do not lay completely one over the other; cook about 7 minutes until slightly tender. Take the noodles out one by one and place on a baking sheet in a row, using wax paper or parchment paper to stack on top of each other (we usually use our silocone baking pads to separate the "layers") and let cool.
Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and some salt & pepper and cook about 5 minutes until softened. Using a whisk, whisk in the flour and cook about 1 minute to get out the raw flour taste. While you are whisking, slowly add the milk in, along with some salt & pepper, and bring to a boil, making sure to whisk the mixture every 30 seconds or so to prevent scalding the milk. Once the milk is boiling, lower the heat to simmer and whisk constantly until thickened (if you are unsure of the thickness, take a wooden spoon and dip it in; if you take it out and the mixture completely slides off it needs more time, and if you take it out and it leaves a nice white cover that stays with the spoon it is thick enough). Remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 the parmesan and 1/2 the nutmeg; add more salt & pepper to your taste if needed.
In a 9x13 baking dish, ladle in just enough sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Take your lasagna noodles and place in an even layer (you can cut your noodles to fit if needed, just save the remains in case you need them in a later layer). Top the noodle layer with 1/5 of the remaining cheese sauce. Sprinkle 1/4 of the ham, 1/4 of the asparagus, and 1/4 of the remaining parmesan (we like also add a bit of fresh grated nutmeg over each layer too). Repeat layers 3 more times - if you find you need less or more layers, just reserve enough ham, asparagus, and parmesan to meet your baking dish's needs. Top the last layer with noodles, remaining cheese sauce, parmesan, and nutmeg. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 30 minutes until heated through. Uncover and cook for 10 more minutes, or until top is golden and noodles start to "crisp" up. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
* Original recipe courtsey of Everyday with Rachael Ray, April 2008, p. 72
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Chicken Fajita Salad with Poblano-Buttermilk Dressing
2 limes
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
2 poblano peppers
1 onion thickly sliced in rings
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 medium flour tortillas
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Zest the limes and put 1/2 the zest into a shallow bowl, reserving the other 1/2 of zest. In the same bowl juice the limes (save 1/2 a lime for juice in the dressing). Add the chicken breast to the bowl along with 1 Tbsp. EVOO and salt & pepper; coat both sides with the marinade. Cover and let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the peppers and onions with 2 Tbsp. EVOO and salt & pepper.
If using a grill: transfer the peppers to the grill and tent with foil. Grill for 10-15 minutes and turn occasionally until the skin is charred and black.
If using the stove: set the broiler to high and transfer the peppers to a baking sheet. Keep an eye on them and when they are charred and black on a side, rotate the pepper to another side until the whole pepper is charred and black.
Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.
During this time, grill the chicken and the onions, turning once 5-6 minutes on each side; let chicken cool on a cutting board and when the onions are cool, slice and put in a bowl.
Peel the peppers and discard the seeds, then slice. Using a food processor, puree 1/3 of the peppers with the buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. EVOO, juice the saved 1/2 lime, and the reserved zest. Season the dressing with salt & pepper to taste. Transfer the remaining peppers to the bowl with the onions.
Brush tortillas with remaining 2 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt & pepper and cayenne pepper. Grill on grill or in grill pan, turning once, until crisp and golden; about 2 minutes. Cut tortillas into 4ths.
In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with about 1/2 the poblano-buttermilk dressing. Slice the cooled chicken thinly and serve on top of the romaine. Add the pepper/onion mixture and the remaining dressing to each individual salad; serve with the grilled tortillas.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, May 2009, p. 62.
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 lb.)
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt & Pepper
2 poblano peppers
1 onion thickly sliced in rings
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 medium flour tortillas
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large head romaine lettuce torn into bite-size pieces
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium heat. Zest the limes and put 1/2 the zest into a shallow bowl, reserving the other 1/2 of zest. In the same bowl juice the limes (save 1/2 a lime for juice in the dressing). Add the chicken breast to the bowl along with 1 Tbsp. EVOO and salt & pepper; coat both sides with the marinade. Cover and let sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the peppers and onions with 2 Tbsp. EVOO and salt & pepper.
If using a grill: transfer the peppers to the grill and tent with foil. Grill for 10-15 minutes and turn occasionally until the skin is charred and black.
If using the stove: set the broiler to high and transfer the peppers to a baking sheet. Keep an eye on them and when they are charred and black on a side, rotate the pepper to another side until the whole pepper is charred and black.
Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap for about 15 minutes.
During this time, grill the chicken and the onions, turning once 5-6 minutes on each side; let chicken cool on a cutting board and when the onions are cool, slice and put in a bowl.
Peel the peppers and discard the seeds, then slice. Using a food processor, puree 1/3 of the peppers with the buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. EVOO, juice the saved 1/2 lime, and the reserved zest. Season the dressing with salt & pepper to taste. Transfer the remaining peppers to the bowl with the onions.
Brush tortillas with remaining 2 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt & pepper and cayenne pepper. Grill on grill or in grill pan, turning once, until crisp and golden; about 2 minutes. Cut tortillas into 4ths.
In a large bowl, toss the romaine lettuce with about 1/2 the poblano-buttermilk dressing. Slice the cooled chicken thinly and serve on top of the romaine. Add the pepper/onion mixture and the remaining dressing to each individual salad; serve with the grilled tortillas.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, May 2009, p. 62.
Warm Tortellini Salad with Roasted Tomatoes and Green Beans
1 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes quartered lengthwise
3 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt/Pepper
2 hoagie rolls (6 in.) split
1 garlic clove halved
1 lb. package frozen cheese tortellini
1 lb. green beans trimmed and halved into 1 in. pieces
3/4 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt & pepper. Roast until tender (about 20 minutes). When they have cooled for a minute use a slotted spoon and press the tomatoes so they break apart into pieces, they transfer the tomatoes and any juice to a large bowl.
While the tomatoes are roasting, brush the cut side of the hoagie halves with 1 Tbsp. EVOO, season with salt & pepper, and place cut side up on a baking sheet. During the last 7 minutes of roasting the tomatoes put the hoagies in the oven until toasted to your desire. Remove from the oven and rub the cut side of the garlic over the hot bread (you can always use more or less garlic to match your taste).
Also during the tomato roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to give flavor to the water. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions, then add the green beans the last 2 minutes of cooking and drain. Add to the large bowl with the tomatoes and mix. Let cool a few minutes and then add the mozzarella and parsley and mix. Finally, add salt & pepper and EVOO to taste and serve with the toasted garlic bread.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, December/January 2009 Menu Planner
3 Tbsp. EVOO
Salt/Pepper
2 hoagie rolls (6 in.) split
1 garlic clove halved
1 lb. package frozen cheese tortellini
1 lb. green beans trimmed and halved into 1 in. pieces
3/4 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, drizzle with 2 Tbsp. EVOO and season with salt & pepper. Roast until tender (about 20 minutes). When they have cooled for a minute use a slotted spoon and press the tomatoes so they break apart into pieces, they transfer the tomatoes and any juice to a large bowl.
While the tomatoes are roasting, brush the cut side of the hoagie halves with 1 Tbsp. EVOO, season with salt & pepper, and place cut side up on a baking sheet. During the last 7 minutes of roasting the tomatoes put the hoagies in the oven until toasted to your desire. Remove from the oven and rub the cut side of the garlic over the hot bread (you can always use more or less garlic to match your taste).
Also during the tomato roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt to give flavor to the water. Add the tortellini and cook according to the package directions, then add the green beans the last 2 minutes of cooking and drain. Add to the large bowl with the tomatoes and mix. Let cool a few minutes and then add the mozzarella and parsley and mix. Finally, add salt & pepper and EVOO to taste and serve with the toasted garlic bread.
*Recipe courtesy of Everyday with Rachael Ray, December/January 2009 Menu Planner
Saturday, April 7, 2012
April 8-15
We're busy prepping for Easter dinner tomorrow with both Paul and my families coming over. Should have a full house and plenty of food - 2 of my favorite things. Since we're doing all that, I'll be sure to post recipes from this week a little later on, but wanted to make sure we got the menu out on time.
If you haven't already done so (which is you), please take a moment and vote for which recipe you'd like us to publish from the choices to the left. Voting ends soon!!
We haven't gone shopping yet, but are heading out soon - so no total update on our spending. Man, I'm sounding more and more like a slacker as I type this.
We hope you and yours have a safe & happy Easter! "Here comes Peter Cottontail; hoppin' down the bunny trail ..."
This week's menu is in 2 parts.
Easter Sunday Menu:
Crostini & Hummus for appetizers
Ham from Burger's Smokehouse in California, MO
Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Green Rice
Pasta Salad
Rolls
Carrot Cake Whoopee Pies for dessert
The rest of the week:
Monday - Chicken Fajita Salad w/ Poblano-Buttermilk Dressing*
Tuesday - Warm Tortellini Salad w/ Roasted Tomatoes & Green Beans*
Wednesday - Pork Skewers w/ Pineapple-Scallion Rice
Thursday - Toastachos
Friday - Paul has Rehearsal for sister's wedding tomorrow = Tim having leftovers
Saturday - Red Beans & Rice
Sunday - Snack night
* Recipe included on blog.
If you haven't already done so (which is you), please take a moment and vote for which recipe you'd like us to publish from the choices to the left. Voting ends soon!!
We haven't gone shopping yet, but are heading out soon - so no total update on our spending. Man, I'm sounding more and more like a slacker as I type this.
We hope you and yours have a safe & happy Easter! "Here comes Peter Cottontail; hoppin' down the bunny trail ..."
This week's menu is in 2 parts.
Easter Sunday Menu:
Crostini & Hummus for appetizers
Ham from Burger's Smokehouse in California, MO
Potato Casserole
Green Bean Casserole
Green Rice
Pasta Salad
Rolls
Carrot Cake Whoopee Pies for dessert
The rest of the week:
Monday - Chicken Fajita Salad w/ Poblano-Buttermilk Dressing*
Tuesday - Warm Tortellini Salad w/ Roasted Tomatoes & Green Beans*
Wednesday - Pork Skewers w/ Pineapple-Scallion Rice
Thursday - Toastachos
Friday - Paul has Rehearsal for sister's wedding tomorrow = Tim having leftovers
Saturday - Red Beans & Rice
Sunday - Snack night
* Recipe included on blog.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
April 1-8
Yes, we've noticed ... we use a ton of Rachael Ray recipes. We're working on developing an upcoming menu based on recipes from all our other sources, but for some reason are finding it difficult. We do love her recipes and find them to be fairly easy, so we tend to stick with them. Not to mention we have a bunch on the "must try" list that come from her magazines.
Speaking of "must try" recipes, we've dedicated this week's menu to new recipes we have not had before (we found 5 recipes in our magazines before we even got to the other sources ... hence what started our discussion on using other sources). Since they're new, we thought you might try them along with us also, so we've posted 3 of the 5 recipes here on the blog. If you do try them, we'd love to hear how they worked out (or didn't) for you!
And, for those of you keeping track of our weekly finances, we came right in at $75.60 this week for groceries for all new recipes - and stocking up on the ground turkey sale at Price Chopper! Not bad at all.
Here's what's on this week's menu:
Sunday - Spaghetti Squash w/ Sausage & Greens*
Monday - Grilled Chicken & Roasted Tomato Salad
Tuesday - Zucchini & Ricotta Tart*
Wednesday - Sausage, Potato, & Cheese Waffles*
Thursday - Italian Paninis
Friday - Spicy Potato Tacos*
Saturday - Spinach & Egg Noodle Casserole
Sunday - EASTER Sunday (ham, green bean casserole, potato casserole, green rice, rolls, etc.)
*Recipe included on the blog
Speaking of "must try" recipes, we've dedicated this week's menu to new recipes we have not had before (we found 5 recipes in our magazines before we even got to the other sources ... hence what started our discussion on using other sources). Since they're new, we thought you might try them along with us also, so we've posted 3 of the 5 recipes here on the blog. If you do try them, we'd love to hear how they worked out (or didn't) for you!
And, for those of you keeping track of our weekly finances, we came right in at $75.60 this week for groceries for all new recipes - and stocking up on the ground turkey sale at Price Chopper! Not bad at all.
Here's what's on this week's menu:
Sunday - Spaghetti Squash w/ Sausage & Greens*
Monday - Grilled Chicken & Roasted Tomato Salad
Tuesday - Zucchini & Ricotta Tart*
Wednesday - Sausage, Potato, & Cheese Waffles*
Thursday - Italian Paninis
Friday - Spicy Potato Tacos*
Saturday - Spinach & Egg Noodle Casserole
Sunday - EASTER Sunday (ham, green bean casserole, potato casserole, green rice, rolls, etc.)
*Recipe included on the blog
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