My husband is turning 30 this week! Wow! I should make a list of his 30 favorite foods or something. I know the first one would be cheese. :) Here is what we'll be having this week for dinner...Thursday will be extra special...and will definitely include cheese!
*Monday: Margarita Pizza (we had lots of leftovers yesterday...including an AMAZING Boston Baked Beans recipe--see below--I made for a picnic Saturday. So we'll have our pizza tonight!) and watermelon.
*Tuesday: Salmon with Black Bean Couscous Salad
*Wednesday: In preparation for the big day today, I'm going to make both boys in my household happy with a good ole' grilled hamburger. I'll be using this recipe, and topping our burgers with onions, salsa, pepper jack cheese, guacamole and jalapenos.
*Thursday: Stuffed Poblanos, corn on the cob and fresh guacamole (avocados, red onion, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, salt, tomatoes--mix)
For dessert, Burke isn't a cake kind of guy. But he LOVES brownies and ice cream. So I'll be making brownies, with Mexican Ice Cream Sundaes on top!
*Friday: We're going camping!
*Saturday: Leftovers
*Sunday: Summer Panzanella & cherries
BOSTON BAKED BEANS
-1/2 c. molasses
-1/2 c. ketchup
-1/4 c. dijon mustard
-3 cans (15 1/2 oz. each) navy beans (I used Great Northern's), drained and rinsed
-coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
-1 large onion, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
-4 slices bacon, halved crosswise
Preheat oven to 375*F. Combine molasses, ketchup, and mustard. Add beans, and season with salt and pepper; mix to combine.
Transfer to a 2- to 3- quart covered baking dish. Scatter sliced onion over beans; lay bacon slices on top, in a single layer.
Cover dish, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover; cook until bacon is crisp, 30 to 40 minutes more. Let cool 5 minutes, and stir well before serving.
25 July 2010
20 July 2010
a new week
Well, this week's menu is going to include Tuesday through Friday (since I was gone for Monday!). I'm pretty excited about a few of these dinners!
*Tuesday: Wraps (I buy yummy tortillas--spinach, tomato basil, etc. Then we add turkey, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, avocado, provolone or muenster cheese, spinach leaves, cucumbers, peppers, pickles, purple onion, etc. Then we top it off with a little mustard or vinaigrette. SO yummy!) with pasta salad
*Wednesday: Chicken Enchiladas with Green sauce--see recipe below (I try to stay away from cooking too much--but I MISS IT! I'm getting excited for fall=soups!)
*Thursday: 6th Wedding Anniversary!
*Friday: Brown-Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Snow Peas, and Avocado--see recipe below
*Saturday: Leftovers
*Sunday: Tomato/Basil/Mozzarella Pizza (this is our favorite pizza--recipe from the Noorda's. It is SO simple. Use your favorite pizza crust. Top with fresh tomato slices, fresh Mozzarella slices, and basil. Bake at the hottest temp. your oven will go until cheese begins to slightly brown.)
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN SAUCE
-2 TBLSP olive oil
-1 large onion, coarsely chopped
-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-3 pounds tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed well, and coarsely chopped
-3/4 c. water
-coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-1 pound chicken, shredded (you can use a rotisserie chicken from the store for ease, or cook some chicken breasts however you like)
-1 c. frozen corn kernels (about 5 oz.), thawed
-12 corn tortillas
-2 c. coarsely grated white cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
Preheat oven to 450*R. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add onion and garlic. cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 4 to minutes. Add tomatillos and the water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer; cook until tomatillos are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor, and blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Combine chicken with 1 cup tomatillo sauce and the corn; mix to combine. Transfer remaining sauce to a shallow bowl.
Hold each tortilla with tongs and heat over a gas-burner flame until lightly charred. (Alternatively, heat in a small skillet over medium-high until warm and soft.) Wrap tortillas in kitchen towels to keep warm. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in sauce, place on a work surface, and fill with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 1 TBLSP cheese. roll up, and arrange, seam side down, in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining sauce, chicken mixture and cheese; cover dish with aluminum foil.
Bake until sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue to bake until cheese is browned, about 15 minutes more. Let enchiladas cool 10 minutes before serving.
BROWN-RICE BOWL WITH SHRIMP, SNOW PEAS, AND AVOCADO
-2 c. water
-1 c. long-grain brown rice
-1/4 c. soy sauce
-1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
-2 TBLSP rice vinegar
-2 tsp. light brown sugar
-1 TBLSP vegetable oil
-1 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
-8 oz. snow peas, stem ends and any strings removed, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
-1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
-coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add rice; cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand covered, 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make sauce: Stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
While rice is standing, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp, snow peas, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are opaque throughout and snow peas are bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Fluff rice with a fork, and divide among four bowls. Top with shrimp mixture and avocado; serve sauce on the side.
*Tuesday: Wraps (I buy yummy tortillas--spinach, tomato basil, etc. Then we add turkey, sprouts, lettuce, tomato, avocado, provolone or muenster cheese, spinach leaves, cucumbers, peppers, pickles, purple onion, etc. Then we top it off with a little mustard or vinaigrette. SO yummy!) with pasta salad
*Wednesday: Chicken Enchiladas with Green sauce--see recipe below (I try to stay away from cooking too much--but I MISS IT! I'm getting excited for fall=soups!)
*Thursday: 6th Wedding Anniversary!
*Friday: Brown-Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Snow Peas, and Avocado--see recipe below
*Saturday: Leftovers
*Sunday: Tomato/Basil/Mozzarella Pizza (this is our favorite pizza--recipe from the Noorda's. It is SO simple. Use your favorite pizza crust. Top with fresh tomato slices, fresh Mozzarella slices, and basil. Bake at the hottest temp. your oven will go until cheese begins to slightly brown.)
CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN SAUCE
-2 TBLSP olive oil
-1 large onion, coarsely chopped
-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-3 pounds tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed well, and coarsely chopped
-3/4 c. water
-coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-1 pound chicken, shredded (you can use a rotisserie chicken from the store for ease, or cook some chicken breasts however you like)
-1 c. frozen corn kernels (about 5 oz.), thawed
-12 corn tortillas
-2 c. coarsely grated white cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
Preheat oven to 450*R. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium; add onion and garlic. cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, 4 to minutes. Add tomatillos and the water. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer; cook until tomatillos are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer tomatillo mixture to a food processor, and blend until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Combine chicken with 1 cup tomatillo sauce and the corn; mix to combine. Transfer remaining sauce to a shallow bowl.
Hold each tortilla with tongs and heat over a gas-burner flame until lightly charred. (Alternatively, heat in a small skillet over medium-high until warm and soft.) Wrap tortillas in kitchen towels to keep warm. Working with one tortilla at a time, dip in sauce, place on a work surface, and fill with 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 1 TBLSP cheese. roll up, and arrange, seam side down, in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining sauce, chicken mixture and cheese; cover dish with aluminum foil.
Bake until sauce is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove foil, and continue to bake until cheese is browned, about 15 minutes more. Let enchiladas cool 10 minutes before serving.
BROWN-RICE BOWL WITH SHRIMP, SNOW PEAS, AND AVOCADO
-2 c. water
-1 c. long-grain brown rice
-1/4 c. soy sauce
-1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
-2 TBLSP rice vinegar
-2 tsp. light brown sugar
-1 TBLSP vegetable oil
-1 pound fresh or frozen (thawed) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
-8 oz. snow peas, stem ends and any strings removed, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
-1 piece (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
-coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add rice; cover, reduce heat to low and cook until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand covered, 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make sauce: Stir together soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
While rice is standing, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add shrimp, snow peas, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are opaque throughout and snow peas are bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
Fluff rice with a fork, and divide among four bowls. Top with shrimp mixture and avocado; serve sauce on the side.
12 July 2010
this week...
*Monday: Bean, Corn & Tortilla Salad
*Tuesday: Grilled Chicken with Roasted Pepper Sauce (see recipe below) & Asparagus
*Wednesday: Black Bean Burgers (from Costco) & Corn on the Cob
*Thursday: Whole Wheat Waffles & Peach-Strawberry Smoothies (see recipe below)
*Friday: Pasta!
*Saturday: Race Day!
*Sunday: Dinner in Michigan!
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH ROASTED-PEPPER SAUCE
-vegetable oil for grill
-2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
-2 red bell peppers, quartered lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
-1 TBLSP red-wine vinegar
-3 TBLSP olive oil
-3 to 4 TBLSP water
-Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and grill until softened, 10 to 15 mins. Meanwhile, grill peppers, skin side down, until charred, 6 to 8 mins. Let peppers and garlic cool slightly. Use paper towels to rub off skins from peppers; squeeze garlic cloves from skins.
In a blender, combine garlic, peppers, vinegar, 2 TBLSP olive oil, and 3 TBLSP water; season generously with salt and pepper. Blend until emulsified, adding up to 1 more TBLSP water, if needed, to thin sauce.
Rub both sides of chicken breasts with remaining TBLSP olive oil; seasongenerously with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 mins. per side. Serve with sauce.
PEACH-STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES
-2 ripe peaches
-1 c rinsed and hulled fresh or frozen strawberries (do not thaw)
-1 c milk
-3 TBLSP nonfat dry milk powder
-1 to 2 tsp sugar
-1 c ice cubes
Peel, pit, and slice peaches. In a blender, combine peaches with strawberries, milk, milk powder, and sugar. Add ice; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.
*Tuesday: Grilled Chicken with Roasted Pepper Sauce (see recipe below) & Asparagus
*Wednesday: Black Bean Burgers (from Costco) & Corn on the Cob
*Thursday: Whole Wheat Waffles & Peach-Strawberry Smoothies (see recipe below)
*Friday: Pasta!
*Saturday: Race Day!
*Sunday: Dinner in Michigan!
GRILLED CHICKEN WITH ROASTED-PEPPER SAUCE
-vegetable oil for grill
-2 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
-2 red bell peppers, quartered lengthwise, ribs and seeds removed
-1 TBLSP red-wine vinegar
-3 TBLSP olive oil
-3 to 4 TBLSP water
-Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
Heat grill to medium; lightly oil grates. Wrap garlic cloves in aluminum foil and grill until softened, 10 to 15 mins. Meanwhile, grill peppers, skin side down, until charred, 6 to 8 mins. Let peppers and garlic cool slightly. Use paper towels to rub off skins from peppers; squeeze garlic cloves from skins.
In a blender, combine garlic, peppers, vinegar, 2 TBLSP olive oil, and 3 TBLSP water; season generously with salt and pepper. Blend until emulsified, adding up to 1 more TBLSP water, if needed, to thin sauce.
Rub both sides of chicken breasts with remaining TBLSP olive oil; seasongenerously with salt and pepper. Grill chicken until browned and cooked through, 5 to 8 mins. per side. Serve with sauce.
PEACH-STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES
-2 ripe peaches
-1 c rinsed and hulled fresh or frozen strawberries (do not thaw)
-1 c milk
-3 TBLSP nonfat dry milk powder
-1 to 2 tsp sugar
-1 c ice cubes
Peel, pit, and slice peaches. In a blender, combine peaches with strawberries, milk, milk powder, and sugar. Add ice; puree on high speed until smooth. Serve immediately.
07 July 2010
fruit pizza
I made a festive fruit pizza for our July 4th celebration. I used this recipe for the crust (I'm really excited to try it again and actually make sugar cookies with it!), made up my cream cheese frosting (a little cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk & vanilla), and added "red, white & blue" fruits. Tasty, tasty!
05 July 2010
July!
We are officially in July! Which means I want to turn my oven/stove on as little as possible, and actually if I didn't have a family to feed, I would probably be living on market produce--cherries, corn on the cob, watermelon, berries, peas, etc. Nevertheless, I still have to cook. So here is what we are having this week...
*Monday: Buttermilk Baked Chicken & Cabbage/Carrot slaw
*Tuesday: West Coast Grilled Vegetable Pizza & corn on the cob
*Wednesday: Grilled Tomato Linguine, salad & homemade croutons (Cube bread--Pumpernickel, Country, Italian, etc.--bake in oven at 400* with olive oil drizzled on top. I like to season with salt, pepper, a little garlic & parmesan. Bake for about 20 mins., turning croutons once or twice)
*Thursday: Leftovers
*Friday: Tacos--I use ground turkey, brown in a pan and season with your favorite taco seasoning. Of course we will have lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocados, beans, etc. to add to our tacos. ;)
*Saturday: Fresh Mozzarella BLT with Pesto (yes, I know we had this last week...we may have it every week for the rest of my life... :) *I actually like turkey bacon and it is so much better for you, so if you'd like to substitute like us, feel free!
*Sunday: Leftovers!
*Monday: Buttermilk Baked Chicken & Cabbage/Carrot slaw
*Tuesday: West Coast Grilled Vegetable Pizza & corn on the cob
*Wednesday: Grilled Tomato Linguine, salad & homemade croutons (Cube bread--Pumpernickel, Country, Italian, etc.--bake in oven at 400* with olive oil drizzled on top. I like to season with salt, pepper, a little garlic & parmesan. Bake for about 20 mins., turning croutons once or twice)
*Thursday: Leftovers
*Friday: Tacos--I use ground turkey, brown in a pan and season with your favorite taco seasoning. Of course we will have lettuce, tomato, cheese, avocados, beans, etc. to add to our tacos. ;)
*Saturday: Fresh Mozzarella BLT with Pesto (yes, I know we had this last week...we may have it every week for the rest of my life... :) *I actually like turkey bacon and it is so much better for you, so if you'd like to substitute like us, feel free!
*Sunday: Leftovers!
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