Menu Plan Monday, October 30

Monday: Chicken Crescent Casserole (we never had it last week)
Tuesday: Sausage, Pepper and Onion sandwiches
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Thursday: Chicken Chili Blanco
Friday: Sauteed Whiting, Oven Fried Potatoes, and a vegetable to be named later
Saturday: Visit family, eat there!
Sunday: Teriyaki Pork

Visit the Menu Plan Monday headquarters to find all the other participants' plans for the week!

Teriyaki Pork

Teriyaki Pork for Nesco

4 boneless pork chops, cubed
1 tbl cornstarch
1 tbl cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Dark Soy SAUCE (reg. works too)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbl Orange Juice (optional)

Put all of the above into a saucepan over LOW heat until it bubbles...it will thicken up more later. Pour some of the sauce into bottom of cookwell of roaster oven. Add pork cubes and then the rest of the sauce. Bake at 325 degrees; stir 1/2 way through cooking. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

This can also be made in a regular oven, in a Pyrex pan.

I serve it with brown rice...it has a rich, not too sweet sauce.

SOURCE: Bensmom526 at Family Corner

CARBS in the sauce:  70

Chicken Chili Blanco

Get the recipe and photo at Cook and Count.

Chicken Crescent Casserole

Get the recipe, photos and nutrition facts at Cook and Count!

Spanish Garlic Shrimp

Get the recipe with photo and nutrition facts at Cook and Count.

Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

Makes about 4 dozen meatballs and plenty of sauce!! I like to make this in a big batch. I freeze it in "meal size" containers (enough meatballs for one meal plus about 2 cups of sauce in each container).

Get the recipe with photos and nutrition facts at Cook and Count.

Skillet Lasagna

Another "haven't tried it yet!" recipe:

28 oz. can diced tomatoes
water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 lb. meatloaf mix (beef, pork and veal) or ground beef
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
freshly-ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Pour the tomatoes with their juices into a 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until the mixture measures 1 quart.

2. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and salt and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground meat and cook, breaking apart the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

3. Scatter the pasta over the meat but do not stir. Pour the diced tomatoes with their juices and tomato sauce over the pasta. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, about 20 minutes (mine needed considerably more time).

4. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup Parmesan. Season with pepper. Dot with heaping tablespoons of the ricotta, cover and let stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the basil and the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

Variation: can substitute 1 lb. Italian sausage for the meatloaf mix. Add 1 chopped red bell pepper to the skillet with the onion in step 2.
Source: Cooking at Home with America's Test Kitchen, 2005.

My friend recommended using a smaller pasta as the lasagna noodles took a long time to cook. I'm going to try it with rotelle or mafalda.

Pork Roast with Caramelized Onions

1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl sugar
2-lb boneless pork loin, seasoned with black pepper and garlic

I cook this in my Nesco oven.
Preheat the oven to 400. When it's hot, place the pork loin into the roaster and turn it down to 300.

Heat a heavy skillet and add oil. Add onions and sugar. Stir to coat. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are brown and caramelized. Use tongs to place the onions on top of the pork roast and continue cooking until the roast is done (usually about 1 1/2 hours). Use a meat thermometer to verify doneness.

To make in a regular oven, use a foil "tent" over the pork roast after adding the onions.

Swiss Chicken Bake

This is a family favorite and is soooo easy!

Get the recipe with nutrition facts at Cook and Count.

Menu Plan Monday, October 23

MONDAY: Swiss Chicken Bake, rice, broccoli and honey-wheat bread
TUESDAY: Pork Roast with Caramelized Onions, roasted potatoes, green beans
WEDNESDAY: Greek Chicken with Potatoes since we never ate it last week!
THURSDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs
FRIDAY: Spanish Garlic Shrimp with rice
SATURDAY: Chicken Crescent Casserole
SUNDAY: Skillet Lasagna

Visit all the other blogs participating in Menu Plan Monday!

Greek Chicken Recipe (by request)

I'm happy to share the recipe, though we have not yet tried it! That was a new recipe for us, and as it turned out, my husband got called away on a business trip and wasn't going to be home for dinner. The kids and I played "Clean Out The Fridge" and they thought it was fun!

I'll save this recipe for another night, since I think it sounds delicious!

Greek Chicken

1 chicken quartered or chicken pieces, about 4 lbs, skin and extra fat removed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 Tblsp oil
2 unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 in chunks
1 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 Tblsp each oregano and chopped garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup pitted, halved kalamata olives
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Lemon wedges

Mix flour, salt and pepper in a gallon size plastic zipper bag, add chicken a few pieces at a time, close bag
and shake to coat chicken evenly. Heat oil in a deep skillet over med. heat. Add chicken and cook, 10 minutes
or until golden, turning once. Remove chicken to a platter. Add potatoes, onion and salt and pepper to the pan
and cook 5 minutes, or until potatoes are golden, stirring occasionally. Add the oregano and garlic, and cook
1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and return chicken to pan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes or until
chicken is done, and potatoes are tender turn, chicken at least once.
Stir in the olives. Remove to a clean platter, sprinkle with the feta cheese, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Source: Debbie's Country Cookin' newsletter

Menu Plan Monday

I found a fun new meme when I visited a blog whose owner had posted in my combox at my other blog! (Yes, I really do visit my visitors! I find too many great blogs that way.)

It's Menu Plan Monday!

Here's my menu (recipes to be posted during the week as I cook them):
MONDAY: Drunken Roasted Chicken
TUESDAY: Pork Cubes Smothered in Onions
WEDNESDAY: Greek Chicken & Potatoes
THURSDAY: Spaghetti with Italian Sausage
FRIDAY: Breakfast for Dinner--homemade waffles and fruit
SATURDAY: Swiss Chicken Bake
SUNDAY: Beef, Swiss and Onion Sandwiches

All menus, of course, are subject to change at the whim of the Husband of the Chef! Yesterday that whim worked out great, as we ended up inviting friends over for a spontaneous "Chili and Chicken Wing Dinner."

Visit the other blogs participating in Menu Plan Monday!

Portuguese Easter Bread

Not just for Easter anymore! I made this one today. I am here at the computer to keep myself out of the kitchen, or there won't be any left of it for our dinner. It is a soft, slightly sweet, rich bread. It smells and tastes amazing. This recipe yields a 1-lb loaf but it rose REALLY high.

In your machine, place in recommended order:
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tbl butter
1 beaten egg
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Use BASIC DOUGH cycle. This will make a very soft, smooth, wet dough that looks like it didn't rise enough--don't worry! Turn onto floured surface and shape for a loaf pan. Place in prepared loaf pan. Let rise 1 hour (it won't rise too much) and then bake at 375 for about 35 minutes. It will rise VERY high in the oven so leave enough room between oven racks.

Source: Donna German, The Bread Machine Cookbook II, page 100.

Whoever said "Man cannot live by bread alone" never tasted this stuff.

Hawaiian Chicken

Serves 4, cooks quickly!

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch chunks
1/2 cup flour

SAUCE:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 tbl minced garlic
1/4 cup pineapple juice

Flour chicken and saute in a little olive oil until brown on all sides. Add sauce. Stir to coat chicken. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring often. Serve over rice, with pineapple chunks on the side.

Spaghetti Sauce with Meatballs

3 pounds ground round
3 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs
crushed red pepper
garlic powder
oregano
basil
parsley
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cans tomato puree, 29 ounces
1 can crushed tomatoes, 29 ounces
3 cans tomato paste, 6 oz
6 cups water

MEATBALLS: Mix meat, egg, bread crumbs, onion and spices. Form into meatballs. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes until brown. Drain with slotted spoon.

SAUCE: Mix tomatoes, puree, paste, water, more of the same spices. (I prefer to use about a tablespoon of jarred minced garlic, instead of garlic powder, in the sauce). Add meatballs. Boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 3 to 4 hours over lowest possible heat. Stir frequently.

Keep cover on pot for thinner sauce, uncovered pot for thicker sauce.

Great Big Gingerbread Cake

Great Big Gingerbread Cake: 

Find this recipe with nutrition information and photos at Cook and Count!

Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken & Dumplings
(4 servings)

Get this recipe at Cook and Count!

Simple Sandwich Sunday

I just wasn't in the mood to cook a big meal tonight. I often find that this is the case on Sundays. While I love to cook, a day of rest is nice--but I don't necessarily need a meal out to get that rest.

One thing I've been mulling over today is the attempts I have been making for the past few months to let Sunday be a day of rest. And when my husband asked why I didn't want to go to the store with him to find a replacement for our Dead-As-A-Doornail Printer, my answer was:

"I can do the same things 7 days a week if I'm not careful. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, errands. I am trying, on Sundays, not to do the things that can't be done another day." I didn't stop him from his errand, because his schedule is different from mine. But he did understand my reasoning. I need to simplify on Sundays, to make it a different day--in a good way.

It has meant that I put in a little extra on Saturday and Monday, in the cleaning and laundry departments. And shopping will get done if it's a necessary item for a meal not well planned (like today's dinner). But I've been getting better at it.

Tonight we had hot sandwiches for dinner. They weren't too hard to put together and they tasted great. Served with a salad, you've got a whole meal.

For 4 sandwiches:
8 slices cooked roast beef or pot roast (or more if the slices are thin)
1 cup au jus gravy or beef broth
4 crusty rolls, sliced
1 large onion, caramelized
4 slices Swiss cheese

Heat the roast beef in the gravy. Place onto sliced rolls. Top with onions and cheese. Broil for a couple of minutes until the cheese melts.

Honey Wheat Bread

This started out as the Outback Steakhouse bread from the Top Secret Recipes website. I've had this recipe for at least 10 years and have been tweaking it ever since. It's not "Outback bread" anymore, but we love it.

In the bread machine, place these ingredients in the order recommended by the manufacturer:

3/4 cup warm water
1 tbl butter
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp caramel color (find it in Asian grocery stores)--this is optional
1 cup bread flour
About 1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tbl cocoa powder
1/2 tbl sugar
1 tsp instant coffee or espresso powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Use dough cycle.
Shape dough into a loaf, and place in prepared pan or on baking sheet if you like your bread "free form."
Let rise 1 hour.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Serve WARM!

"The Law of Life"

Found in some old email:

THE LAW OF LIFE
Whatever you give away today
or think or say or do
will multiply about tenfold
and then return to you.
It may not come immediately,
nor from the obvious source,
but the LAW applies unfailingly
through some invisible force.
Whatever you feel about another,
be it love or hate or passion,
will surely bounce right back to you
in some clear or secret fashion.
If you speak about some person,
a word of praise of two,
soon tons of other people
will speak kind words to you.
Our thoughts are broadcasts of the soul, not the secrets of the brain.
Kind ones bring us happiness,
petty ones, untold pain.
Giving works as surely as
reflections in a mirror.
If hate you send, hate you'll get back,
but loving brings love nearer.
Remember, as you start this day,
and duty crowds you mind
that kindness comes so quickly back,
to those who first are kind!
Let that thought and this one
Direct you through each day....
The only things we ever keep
are the things we give away!