Recipes for May

8/7/2019 Recipes for May

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WEEK 1Teriyaki Meatballs

*Makes about 26 meatballs, I cut this recipe in half for my family of 4.

Meatballs:

2 pounds ground beef (at least 90% lean)

2 eggs

2/3 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons milk

Sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 3/4 cups water

1 teaspoon ground ginger


1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons cornstarch1/2 cup cold water

For the sauce, in a medium bowl mix the soy sauce, 1 3/4 cups water, ginger,

garlic powder, brown sugar, honey and cornstarch together. In a separate

small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the 1/2 cup cold water. Set both

bowls aside.

For the meatballs, in a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients

except for the ground beef and mix well. Add the ground beef and mix until

combined. Form ground beef mixture into 1 to 1 1/2-inch meatballs. In a 12-

inch nonstick skillet, heat two tablespoons oil over medium heat until the oil

is rippling and hot. Add the meatballs to the hot skillet and brown on all

sides, turning with a pair of tongs. The meatballs don't need to be completely

cooked through, just equally browned on all sides.

When the meatballs have browned, pour the sauce ingredients over the

meatballs and gently turn the meatballs to coat them in the sauce. Heat the



sauce until just simmering and add the cornstarch/water mixture, carefully

mixing so as not to break apart the meatballs as you combine the cornstarch

mixture with the teriyaki sauce. Simmer the meatballs and sauce over

medium heat, maintaining a constant simmer but not cooking at too high of a

boil, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thick and

smooth (if the sauce becomes overly thick, add a tablespoon of water at a

time to thin), about 10-15 minutes, turning the meatballs every two or three

minutes to ensure even cooking. Serve over rice or couscous.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe (www.mykitchencafe.blogspot.com)

Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp Taco Sauce:

1/2 Cup Mayo

1 ½ tablespoons Sugar

1 ½ tablespoons Rice Vinegar

1 tablespoon Melted Butter

¼ teaspoon Paprika


Mix all ingredients together.

I buy popcorn shrimp (freezer section of most grocery stores) and heat it upin the oven. While it is heating, prepare the sauce, cut some cabbage, and

heat up flour tortillas. We garnish our tortillas with shrimp, cabbage, cheese,

and the sauce.

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

6 tablespoons honey

5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)1 tablespoons chili powder


1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I used 3 small chicken breasts)

8-10 flour tortillas

1 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce



1 cup heavy cream (to lighten them up, I have substituted sour cream with

good results)

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate

for at least 1/2 hour (I tossed mine together in a Ziploc bag in the morning

and let it sit in the refrigerator all day). Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce

on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and

shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of

enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover

marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.


Bacon Cheeseburgers

I always prepare the bacon and burgers early in the morning. Cook the bacon

on the stove, and shape ground beef into patties. I like to refrigerate the

patties, they stick together better. Cook on grill and garnish with Bacon,

Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles and Ketchup.

BBQ Chicken & Mashed Potatoes

I set out chicken early and marinate it in orange juice. This makes it nice and

tender in the middle. I sprinkle garlic, salt, and a little bit of onion on both

sides then throw it on the hot grill. Lather on the BBQ Sauce, flipping about

every 3 minutes until chicken is cooked.

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes*Serves 6

5 pounds russet, red or yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

8 ounces light or regular cream cheese

3-4 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper



4 tablespoons butter

1 cup whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X9-inch baking dish and

set aside.

Place the cut potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by one inch. Add 1

teaspoon salt and boil the potatoes for about 10 minutes or until they are

tender.

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them a few times and

add the rest of the ingredients. Mash and mix well to desired consistency.

Scoop the potatoes into the prepared baking pan. Dot with 1-2 tablespoons

butter. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned on top

and heated through.




WEEK 2

Glazed Mini Meatloaves & Rolls

*Makes 7-8 mini meatloaves.

Meatloaves:

17-20 saltine crackers, crushed fine (about 2/3 cup)

1/4 cup whole milk

1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 large egg

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground meat (I used a combination of lean ground chuck and

lean ground pork)

2 teaspoons oil (I used canola oil)

Glaze:

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Stir cracker crumbs, milk, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, egg, mustard,

onion powder, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper

together in a large bowl. Add ground meat and combine until uniform.

Shape mixture into oval loaves (I doubled the recipe and got 10 mini loaves,

so when I make the recipe without doubling it, I plan to shape into at least 5

loaves – they were definitely big enough to be perfectly filling!).

Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is rippling.

Add meatloaves (without letting them touch sides) and brown well on one

side, 3-5 minutes. Carefully flip loaves over and tidy up edges using a

spatula (I didn’t need to do this – my meatloaves managed to hold their

shape really well). Brown on this side for another 2-3 minutes.



Meanwhile, mix glaze ingredients together until smooth. Transfer mini

meatloaves to a foil-lined baking pan and spoon the glaze over the top of

each meatloaf. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the center of the loaf registers

160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer (or do like I do and cut one of

the little babies open and if it looks done – pull ‘em out of the oven!).


Lion House Dinner Rolls

*Note: The recipe calls for active dry yeast. I always use instant yeast

because that's what I have on hand. To use instant yeast, cut down the

amount of yeast to 1 1/2 tablespoons and then there is no need to proof the

yeast in the water. Instead, add the yeast and water together with the

following ingredients in the recipe and proceed with the directions.

*Makes about 2 dozen rolls

2 tablespoons active dry yeast

2 cups warm water

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons salt2/3 cup nonfat dry milk

5-6 cups flour

In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes (no need

to do this if using instant yeast - just add the yeast and water together with

the other ingredients). Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg.

Beat together until very smooth. Add remaining flour gradually (about 1/2

cup at a time) until a soft but not sticky dough is formed. Knead the dough

for at least five minutes if using an electric mixer and for at least 10 minutes

if mixing the dough by hand. When the dough is smooth, supple and elastic, place it in a lightly greased large bowl covered with greased plastic wrap and

let it rise until doubled.

Separate the dough into two portions. Roll each section out to an 11X14-

inch rectangle. Brush the top with melted butter. Using a pizza cutter or

sharp knife, cut the dough into two pieces, the long way (see photos below).



Then slice the dough into five or six strips across so you end up with 10 to

12 small rectangles. Roll each small rectangle up like a snail and place on a

silpat-lined or lightly greased baking sheet with the roll resting on it's open

edge. Repeat with the second portion of dough.

Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until

doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes until they are nicely

browned.


Breakfast & Buttermilk Syrup

This is one of my family’s favorites! We cook up waffles, bacon, sausage,

scrambled eggs with cheese and syrup!

Buttermilk Syrup

1 ½ cups white sugar

¾ cup buttermilk

½ cup butter

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1 tablespoons baking soda2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, and

baking soda. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat,

and stir in the vanilla.

Tuna Melts

My husband ate these all the time growing up. They are nice and simple.

Open a can of tuna and mix it together with some garlic powder and salt.

Add about ¼ cup of mayo and mix together. Heat a skillet and butter 2



pieces of bread. Put one piece in the skillet butter side down, put tuna on top

of bread and graded cheddar cheese on top of tuna. Top with other piece of

bread and flip to toast both sides while heating the tuna and melting the

cheese.

Chicken Alfredo & Garlic Bread

I keep this recipe simple and pick up a can of Alfredo sauce from the store.

Cook my chicken on the grill, boil a pan of noodles and poor the sauce over

the two. Sometimes I throw in a few sundried tomatoes also.

For the garlic bread I just spread butter over pieces of bread and sprinkle

them with garlic and Parmesan cheese then broil it in the oven for about 3

minutes.

Potato Tacos & Salsa

Tacos:

We love potato tacos; I have taught myself how to make them. I prepare

some mashed potatoes, sometimes I will even use a garlic mashed potato

recipe. I typically do this ahead of time. Heat oil in a large skillet, make surethe grease is hot. Take a corn tortilla and fill it with the mashed potatoes,

fold it into a taco and place in the grease, flip it cooking both sides and

remove from pan. Garnish with cut cabbage, Mexican Crumbling Cheese (I

use the brand Verole Queso Fresco), and Valentina Mexican Hot sauce. Both

of these items can be found at most typical grocery stores.

Salsa:

1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 whole limes squeezed

2 whole jalapeno peppers

1 whole green pepper

2 bunches of cilantro



8 red Roma tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic minced

½ large onion

2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

1 4 oz can diced jalapenos

2 4 oz cans green chilies

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. This is a large recipe and if

you do not cut it in half, you will have to blend it together in stages.



WEEK 3

Cowboy Dinner*Serves 6-8

Beef Mixture:

2 pounds lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)

1 can (15 ounce) black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cornbread Topping:

½ cup cornmeal

1 ½ cup flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 ¼ cup milk

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.

In a large 12-inch skillet, brown the ground beef and onion, adding the salt

and pepper, over medium-high heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain

the grease from the pan. Stir in the corn, salsa, and beans. Pour the beef

mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.

For the cornbread, combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and

salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and add the oil, beaten

eggs and milk. Whisk together until just moistened and no dry spots remain.

Sprinkle the cheese over the beef mixture and pour the cornbread batter over

the cheese and beef mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the

pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted



into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.


Crockpot Lasagna & Breadsticks

Lasagna:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 (28 once) can tomato sauce1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 ½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

12 ounces cottage cheese

½ grated parmesan cheese

12 ounces lasagna noodles, uncooked

16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Brown ground beef, onion and garlic in fry pan. Add tomato sauce, tomato

past, salt, and oregano. Cook long enough to get it warm. Spoon a layer of meat sauce onto the bottom of a slow cooker. Add a double layer of

uncooked lasagna boodles (break to fit) and top with cheese. Repeat the

sauce, boodles and cheeses until all are used up. Cover and cook on low for

4 to 5 hours.

Recipe Source: Food.com Crock Pot Lasagna Recipe

Breadsticks:

24 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I like fresh best)

garlic salt

Thaw 24 Rhodes dinner rolls. It's best when they are still cold but



completely thawed. Place cheese onto separate plate. Roll each roll into an

approximately 6"breadstick. Melt 1 stick butter. Place melted butter on

11x17 baking sheet and coat entire surface with butter. Roll each breadstick

in the butter. Next roll each buttered breadstick in parmesan cheese. Place

breadstick on baking sheet in 2 rows of twelve each. Sprinkle with garlic

salt, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until double in size.

Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Recipe Source: The Sisters café. (thesisterscafe.com)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

3 whole chicken breasts, bonesless, skinless

1 lb thinly sliced ham

16oz swiss cheese (I used 8oz sliced package-just cut the slices in half)

8oz cream cheese (I used low fat)

2 1/2 cup hot water (I used chicken broth instead)

3 Tbsp granulated chicken bouillon (if using broth omit this)

1/2 cup white cooking wine

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup butter (I cut this down by a couple tablespoons)

3 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs

toothpicks

Preheat oven to 350. Slice each chicken breast in half, cutting down the

middle. Divide each half cutting through diagonally from side to side into

three very thin pieces. Between two sheets of wax paper (or inside one

gallon sized ziploc bag) tenderize the pieces on both sides using a meat

mallet. Cut the swiss cheese into 1/2″ x 2″ cubes. Lay the chicken flat, place

a slice of ham on the chicken and a cheese cube. Roll up chicken with ham

and cheese, pierce with a toothpick through the middle to hold its shape.

Place each chicken roll side by side in a 9 x 13″ pan. If there is excess

cheese, cut into cubes and place in the pan between the rolls of chicken.



Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken. In blender combine cream cheese,

water, bouillon and cooking wine, puree. Pour the sauce over the chicken

rolls. Toss bread crumbs in melted butter and spread over chicken and sauce

Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45-55 minutes. Makes 18 cordon Blue

Rolls.

Recipe Source: The Sisters Café. From the Gathering of Friends vol 2

(thesisterscafe.com)

Crispy Chicken Wraps

**To prevent the wraps from unrolling during cooking, be sure to start them

seam-side down in step 3.

1/3 cup mayonnaise, light or regular

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 scallions, sliced very thin

2 celery ribs, chopped fine (I omitted these due to my husband’s non-celery

preference)

2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular

2 teaspoons hot sauce (this does not make them spicy but adds great flavor!)

1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces

(about 3 cups)2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (the sharper the better, in my book)

4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

Whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream and hot sauce

in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine. Sprinkle cheese over

tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken mixture

down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open.

Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray. Heat a large non-stick skillet

(or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side

down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.




Home Made Pizza

Pizza Dough:

*Makes 2 12-inch pizzas or 1 large 16 to 18-inch pizza

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Make the dough the night before or early the morning on the day you want

to make the pizza. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer),

mix the water, yeast, sugar, honey and oil. (If using active dry yeast,

increase the amount of yeast to 2 3/4 teaspoons and proof the yeast in the

water until foamy before mixing in the sugar, honey and oil.) Then mix in 1

cup flour and the salt. Continue mixing in all the remaining flour until you

get a nice, soft dough. Knead until dough is soft and smooth, about 10

minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer.

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl and cover

tightly (with a lid or plastic wrap). Place the dough in the refrigerator to

slowly rise until three hours before baking. Three hours before baking,

remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature,

keeping it lightly covered.

45-60 minutes before baking, move the rack to the lowest position in the

oven, place the pizza stone on it and preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Don't

be nervous about a hot oven! I used to be scared to death to cook anything

above 400 degrees but I promise 500 degrees is the only way to go whencooking pizza. If your oven is a bit sketchy at that temperature, bake at 475

degrees. Also, I think a pizza stone makes all the difference in good versus

great pizza.

Here's a few different methods for making great pizza:



Pizza Paddle/Peel: I have a wooden pizza paddle, which I sprinkle with

cornmeal and place the pizza dough on. I layer my toppings on the dough

and slide the dough quickly onto the hot pizza stone. After about 8 or 9

minutes, the pizza is baked to perfection and I slide it onto a cutting board to

slice and eat.

Alternative Pizza Paddle/Peel: If you don't have a pizza paddle, you can use

the underside of a baking sheet (I use an 11X17 size) or a large cutting board

as a makeshift pizza paddle. Cover it lightly with cornmeal, flour or

parchment paper, make your pizza on the floured baking sheet or cutting

board and gently slide the pizza off of the makeshift paddle onto the baking

stone when ready to bake (if using parchment paper, you can let the

parchment paper slide onto the baking stone with the pizza). Bake for 8-9

minutes until the crust is nicely browned. Retrieve the pizza with a pair of

tongs or a spatula and slide the baked pizza quickly onto a waiting coolingrack.

Rimmed Baking Sheet: If you currently bake pizzas using cornmeal on a

pizza paddle, you'll know how messy it can be - cornmeal everywhere. In

fact, right now, my oven is in serious need of a good vacuuming. So,

ofttimes, I'll still preheat my baking stone like normal and instead of using

my wooden pizza paddle, I stretch the dough into an irregular shape on a

lightly greased rimmed baking sheet (I don't worry about pressing it into the

corners to give it a rustic look), add the toppings, and slide the entire baking

sheet on the pizza stone to bake. Bake the pizza for 9-10 minutes until the

crust is nicely browned. This method still browns the crust nicely - and

while you don't get the extremely authentic crispy pizza crust, it is still

mighty delicious and I can make more pizza at once rather than sliding them

one at a time onto the baking stone.

The Best Pizza Sauce:

*Makes enough for 2 16-18 inch pizzas

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon garlic salt



pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until desired

consistency. All the seasonings can be modified depending on taste - add

what you like!




WEEK 4

Teriyaki Chicken4 boneless, skinless chicken breast

¾ cup sugar ½ cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

1 dash garlic powder

½ onion, diced

1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice

Put chicken in a baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients. Pour sauce over

chicken. (You can cover it and let it marinate for a deeper flavor, or bake it

immediately.) Cover dish with foil. Bake at 325 for 60 minutes. Bake½

hour, then turn over and bake ½ hour on the other side.

Recipe Source: Northridge Favorites cookbook, Sondra Ostler

Hot Dogs

This one is simple… throw some hot dogs (our favorite are Heber National)on the grill and garnish with sauerkraut, ketchup, and mustard.

BBQ Chicken Braid

*Note: the amounts of chicken, onions, barbecue sauce, and cheese in the

recipe can be altered based on your preference - simply add more or less to

your liking.

*Makes 2 large braids

1 recipe French Bread Rolls (found below)

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 red onion, sliced into thin half moons

1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese



1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Rolls: 1 1/2 cups warm water

3/4 tablespoon instant yeast (or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast)2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups all-purpose flour, give or take a few tablespoons

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl by hand, combine the warm

water, yeast, sugar, oil, salt and 2 cups of the flour (if you are using active

dry yeast instead of instant yeast, let the yeast proof in the warm water and

sugar for about 3-5 minutes until it is foamy and bubbly before adding the

oil, salt and flour). Begin mixing and continue to add the rest of the flour

gradually until the dough has pulled away from the sides of the bowl. Judge

the dough not by the amount of flour called for in the recipe but in how the

dough feels. The dough should be soft and smooth but still slightly tacky to

the touch.

Knead the dough in the stand mixer or by hand until it is very smooth and

elastic, about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand. Lightly

spray a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough in the bowl.

Cover the bowl with lightly greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until ithas doubled (this usually takes about an hour).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

After the French bread roll recipe has gone through the first rise, split the

dough into two parts. Lightly cover one portion and set aside. Roll the other

portion into about an 11X17-inch rectangle (I roll mine out directly on a

silpat liner to make for easy transfer to the baking sheet and oven). Using a

pizza cutter or knife, cut 1-inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on

the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the

center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread half of

the barbecue sauce down the center strip. Top with the chicken, onions and

cheese. Fold the side strips over filling, alternating strips from each side and

pressing them into the dough on the opposite side, forming a braid. Pinch or



twist to seal.

Place the braid on a lined baking sheet (or simply transfer the silpat liner to a

baking sheet) and let rest for 15 minutes. While it is resting, follow the same

steps above for the second portion of dough. Bake the first braid for 15-20

minutes (while the second braid is resting), until golden brown and bread is

baked through.Remove from oven and bake the second braid.

Let the braids rest for 5 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut braid into

sections and serve warm.


Spaghetti

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce:

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups onion, chopped and divided

1 red pepper, coarsely chopped

2 pounds hamburger (at least 90% lean)

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 12 oz. can tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 teaspoons dried oregano

3 teaspoons dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes

2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 carton fresh mushrooms (optional)

1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth

2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and sauté until

translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute.

Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Blend up the



remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly

smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine,

cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1

minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and

mushrooms, if using). Stir until combined and add the bay leaves. Bring to a

boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

NOTE: The sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after

simmering for an hour. I've let it simmer on the stove for up to three hours

before with no problems.


Pineapple Salsa Chicken {Slow Cooker}

*Note: this recipe is so adaptable. I used a can of black beans and a can of

white beans because that is what I had in my pantry, but feel free to

substitute the type of beans you like or have on hand.

*Serves 6-8

6 fresh or frozen chicken breasts

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, like Great Northern, rinsed and drained

2 cups mild or medium salsa

Tortillas or tortilla chips and garnishes, like sour cream, cheese, tomatoes,

lettuce, etc.

Place the chicken in the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook

on low for 6 to 8 hours. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a cutting board

and shred into bite-size pieces. Mix the chicken back in with the rest of theingredients. The mixture will be fairly soupy - I like to drain off some of the

excess liquid before serving, especially if we are eating it in tortillas, so it

doesn't make everything soggy. Serve with tortilla chips and garnishes, like

tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.

Recipe Source: My Kitchen Cafe (www.mykitchencafe)



WEEK 5

Orange Chicken & Egg drop soup

Orange Chicken:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2″ cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce1 tablespoon orange zest

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons green onion

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup water

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and

pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to

accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake

uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice

vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few

minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it

come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it

to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2

sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting

frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.




Egg drop Soup:

4 cups chicken broth, divided

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan.

Stir the salt, ginger and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil.

In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until

smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzleegg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should

cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch

mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

Recipe Source: allrecipes.com Egg drop Soup

Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

*Serves 4-6

Filling:

3 cups cooked, chopped chicken 2 (4 oz.) cans of green chiles, lightly

drained 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, cubed 1 can white or black beans,

rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here)

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 medium onion) 2

tablespoons flour 1/3 cup chicken broth ¼ cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt ¼

teaspoon pepper 1 can (7 ounce) green chile enchilada sauce ½ cup sour

cream

8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded 8 medium (soft taco

size) flour tortillas Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.



In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles.

Mix well. Add the chicken and black beans. Mix to combine. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion

and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn

translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir

well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and

milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy

around the onions and the mixture will become smooth. Cook over medium

heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Add

salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada

sauce and sour cream.

Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish. Spread about 1/4 cup of the sauce

on the bottom of the dish. Fill each tortilla with about½ cup of the

chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, acouple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the

top of the enchiladas. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the

prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I can

easily fit 8 enchiladas in one pan).

Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Top with remaining

cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and

lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.


Italian Meatball Subs

*Note: When I make these, I often prepare and bake the meatballs earlier in

the day. To reheat, I place the meatballs in the pot with the simmering sauce

and let them warm up together.

*Makes 25-30 meatballs/about 7-9 sandwiches

Meatballs:

1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs or crushed saltines 3/4 cup shredded

Parmesan or mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup low-sodium beef

broth 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 eggs, lightly beaten 1 1/2 tablespoons

dried oregano 3 cloves garlic, finely minced 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons



ground black pepper 2 teaspoons dried basil 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

(optional) 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey. To dredge the

meatballs: 1 1/2 cups flour in a shallow baking dish

For the sandwiches:

1 recipe French Bread Rolls, shaped into sub rolls and baked according to

the recipe. Sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese

In a large bowl, mix all of the meatball ingredients together EXCEPT the

meat. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes so the breadcrumbs/crackers can

soak up the liquid a little bit. Add the meat and mix well with your hands

until all the ingredients are combined.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum

foil and lightly grease the foil. Form golf ball-sized meatballs and dredgethem in the flour until lightly coated. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet

about one inch apart. Bake for 20 -25 minutes until the meatballs are

completely cooked through.

When the meatballs come out of the oven, let them sit for about 15 minutes.

Gently scrape off any fat and place the meatballs in a 9X13-inch baking dish

(or similar size). Pour the hot tomato sauce over the meatballs.

To assemble the sandwiches, slice the buns in half. (If desired, lay the buns

flat open on a baking sheet and top one side with cheese - toast in the oven

for 4-5 minutes at 400 degrees until the buns are toasted and cheese is

melted.) Place 3-4 meatballs on each bun and top with desired amount of

sauce. Serve immediately with lots of napkins.

Sauce:

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil 2 teaspoons

dried oregano 1 teaspoon sugar (this helps cut the acidity of the

tomatoes) 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a low

simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes on low. Keep warm until the meatballs

are finished baking.




Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken

*Note: If you don't have a food processor to make fresh bread crumbs, you

can try using a blender and pulsing the crumbs or try using panko breadcrumbs (usually found in the Asian foods aisle). If you are using a food

processor, you can also add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to the

bread crumbs and pulse to combine to create an even finer crumb.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 thick slices whole wheat bread (for about 2 cups fresh bread crumbs)

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum

foil and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine butter

and garlic in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter

has melted. Pour the butter/garlic mixture into a shallow pie plate or similar

dish and cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a food processor, tear the bread into large chunks, and pulseuntil the bread is ground into crumbs. Pour the bread crumbs into a shallow

pie plate or shallow bowl and toss with the Parmesan cheese, salt and

pepper.

Dip each chicken breast in the melted, cooled garlic butter. Transfer to the

bread crumb mixture and turn until coated on all sides. Arrange the chicken

in one flat layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any of the remaining

melted butter over the chicken. Bake the chicken until it is lightly browned

and just cooked through, 40-50 minutes. The baking time will depend on the

thickness and size of the chicken you are using. Don't overcook or the

chicken will be dry.




Broccoli Cheese Soup

Note: To make my life easier, while the soup is coming together, I put the

chopped broccoli in a large glass bowl, cover with saran wrap and

microwave for about 3-4 minutes. It cooks perfectly and just in time to add itto the soup.

*Serves 4

1 can chicken broth (about 1 3/4 cups of broth)

1 small onion, diced

1/3 c. flour

1/4 c. butter

Pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon)

2 cups milk

1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, preferably sharp or extra sharp

1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

2 1/2 to 3 cups chopped, lightly steamed or blanched broccoli

Simmer chicken broth and chopped onion for 15-20 minutes in a covered

small saucepan, until onions are soft. Heat milk in microwave for 1-2

minutes. In a separate medium-sized stockpot, melt butter then add flour and

pepper. Cook together for a couple of minutes, then whisk in warmed milk.

Stir and heat together on medium-high heat until soup starts to thicken. Nextadd chicken broth and continue to stir until well blended. Add cheeses and

steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.


Italian Bread Bowls

*Note: as with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in

the recipe as a hard fast rule (unless a weight measure is given and then I pull out my kitchen scale). Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a

multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast

doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and

feel of the dough rather than how much flour I've added compared to the

recipe.



*Makes 6-8 bread bowls

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast (use 1 tablespoon instant yeast)

2 1/2 cups warm water

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

7 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornmeal

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

In a large bowl (or bowl of an electric mixer), dissolve yeast in warm water.

Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. (You can omit this step if using

instant yeast.)

Add salt, oil and 4 cups flour to the yeast mixture; beat well. Stir in the

remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well with an electric mixer at

medium speed after each addition until a soft but not sticky dough is formed

(you may not need to use all 7 cups). This bread bowl dough needs to be a

bit firmer than a roll/bread dough so that the bread bowls rise up instead of

out.

When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface

and knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 minutes (or let knead in an

electric mixer). Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and

turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place

until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Punch dough down, and divide

into 6-8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round ball. Place loaves on

lightly greased baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal (or use silpat liners or

parchment paper). If desired, slash the top surface of the bread bowl several

times with a sharp knife or razor. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free

from drafts, until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes untilgolden brown and baked through.


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