Saturday, April 25, 2009

April 27-May1

This week I`m in a week long course, and so our menu reflects the need for simple and quick meals. There are no meals for Saturday and Sunday, as we are celebrating Ken`s birthday on Saturday with supper out, and Sunday will be a day with his family.


MONDAY
Menu: Chicken taco soup, salad
TUESDAY
Menu: Balsamic
salmon, rice, peas

WEDNESDAY

Menu: BLT's, fries
THURSDAY
Menu: Roasted Tomato...soup, salad, buns

FRIDAY
Menu: Black bean
/chicken quesidilla

Thursday, April 16, 2009

April 20-26

MONDAY
Menu: Chicken curry w/veggies
(I substitute chickpeas for chicken), rice

TUESDAY
Menu: pea soup
biscuits

Update: Made soup using this recipe, except left out the celery and added 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water instead of the quart and a half water. It was okay. Don't think I'd make it again, but it was good to use up the hambone I had frozen from a few weeks back. Ken liked it, and Gavin dipped a few pieces of bread in it before he gave up. Oh well. Can't win them all.

WEDNESDAY
airport run - eat on the way
check out this blog for other ideas.

THURSDAY
Menu: Honey garlic
chicken legs/thighs

1/4 cup soya sauce
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced (I use a small grater, way easier)
1tbsp minced fresh ginger (or maybe 1/2 that dried?)
1/2 cup honey
3-5 lbs chicken thighs (I did 4 leg/thighs and halved the recipe)

-Remove chicken skin and arrange in 9x13 glass baking dish
-Combine ingredients, heat briefly in microwave to blend
-Pour over chicken and bake uncovered 325-350F for 45ish minutes, turning halfway
-Doesn't hurt to spoon some sauce from the pan over chicken while it's cooking...doesn't look like much when it's done, but it's definitely tasty

pasta, veggies

FRIDAY
Menu: Mama's in town, we're going out!

SATURDAY
Menu: Spinach quiche
fruit, hashbrowns

SUNDAY
Menu: Tomato soup,
grilled cheese
(or quesidillas?)

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

April 13-19

Monday
-Shake n' Bake chicken legs or Whimsical Chicken
-Baked potatoes
-Mixed veggies

Tuesday
-Oven bbq pork chops

1tbsp chopped onion
1tbsp chopped pepper (any color, I use red)
1tsp butter/margarine
2tbsp brown sugar 1/2 cup ketchup
2tbsp red wine vinegar
1tbsp plus 1.5tsp worchestershire sauce
4 pork chops

Combine onion, pepper and butter in 2 cup measure. Microwave on high 3 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar and worchestershire. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir sauce.

Place chops in baking dish. Brush with half of sauce. Bake at 375 for 45min to 1 hour (depending on thickness of chops), turn half ways and brush with remaining sauce.

-Rice
-Corn

Wednesday
-Tuna melts (tortillas w/tuna, cheese, peppers, tomatoes, onions etc.)
-Nachos and salsa
-Raw veggies & dip

Thursday
-Italian sausage, pasta & bean soup

1lb Italian sausage, casing removed, crumbled and browned * sausage optional, not in original recipe*
1T Olive oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
2 Carrots, finely chopped
2 Celery stalks, finely chopped
3 Crushed garlic cloves
1 10oz can chicken broth, diluted with 1 can water OR 2-1/2 cups chicken bouillon (I use OXO)
1 (28oz) Can tomatoes, including juice
1-1/2t Italian seasoning OR 1t dried basil plus 1/4t each of rosemary and oregano
1/2t Salt
1/4t Ground black pepper
1 (19oz) Can white kidney or romano beans, drained
3c Small shell pasta or 2 cups macaroni
1/2c Chopped fresh basil
1/2c Grated parmesan

1. Fry onions, garlic, carrots and garlic until soft and fragrant
2. Add liquid and spices, drain and rinse beans and add; bring to boil and then reduce to simmer (at least 20 minutes, but longer is fine)
3. Bring back to a boil and add pasta for last few minutes - cook according to package directions (8-10 min?)
4. If using italian sausage, fry in separate pan and add before pasta
5. When pasta is cooked, stir in fresh basil and parmesan (I use dried basil)
6. Serve!

-Biscuits
-Caesar salad

Friday
-Indonesian spare ribs

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1.5 tsp ground corriander (can add a dash more if you like)
1 tbsp liquid honey
1/2 tsp ginger
3lbs spare ribs, cut into bit size pieces

Mix the marinade, and let ribs marinate overnight in the fridge. Place ribs on a tinfoiled baking sheet (might want to double layer the tin foil) and bake in a 325F oven for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, turning ribs half way. They get pretty dark and might look burnt, but they're most likely not.

-Peas
-Potato wedges

4 potatoes, cut in wedges
Pepper, salt, paprika, chili powder (or any combination of spices you like)
Oil to coat potatoes

Toss potatoes in oil, sprinkle with seasoning. Bake with the ribs. If they're the only thing in the oven, I'd typically turn the heat up to 400-425 and bake for 45 minutes or so - but seeing how the oven needs to be lower for the ribs, I just throw the wedges in longer.

Saturday
-Enchiladas (Aunt Rose's recipe)

1lb ground beef
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 or 2 cans green chilis (in the mexican section)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 package enchilada mix (I get the red package of Casa Fiesta I think)
1 cup water
1 cup tomato soup (I use one can, and one can water and it works just fine)
6 large tortillas

Fry ground beef and onion, add the green chilis, refried beans, salt and chili powder. Mix well over medium to low heat.

Mix enchilada sauce, soup and water. Whisk till smooth, and place a bit of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Fill tortillas with bean/beef mixture, roll and place in dish. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350, sprinkle with cheese and bake 10 minutes longer. Eat as is, or serve with sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes.

-Tossed salad
-Corn

Sunday
We're not home for supper on Sunday, you're on your own!