Menu Monday

Thursday- Chicken Pot Pie- a surprise two-fer

I made this with what I had on hand, I hadn't been grocery shopping in over a week.

2.5 ish pounds boneless chicken, cooked, cubed (I used thighs (10)cause they are so tasty, but breasts work well too) I BBQd mine with s/p

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

1 stick butter (I know!)

3/4 cup flour

5 cups chicken broth, hot

2 tea salt

1/2 tea pepper

1/4 cup heavy cream (I know, again!)

3 carrots, chopped

5 stalks celery, chopped

10 oz frozen peas

couple sprigs fresh rosemary, it's what I had, but parsley would be good

2 pack Trader Joe's pie crusts, thaw for 60 min. at room temp.,

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan and saute onions and shallots until translucent, about 10-15 min. Add flour, over low heat and whisk constantly for 2 minutes. Add broth, simmer on low for 2 ish minutes until thickens a bit, stirring. Add salt, pepper and heavy cream. Add cubed chicken, carrots, celery, peas and rosemary.

Place 1 pie crust in pie dish, smooth sides and trim any parts hanging over. Pour chicken mixture in. Cover with 2nd pie crust, pinching the two pie crusts together at the edges. Cut a few holes in the top to let the steam out. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Let stand 10 min. before cutting.

Now, I can't do this if I try...but, the amounts I used ended up making enough for me to make 2 whole chicken pot pies! I wasn't prepared for this. So I poured the rest of the chicken mixture into a bowl to freeze. Now I just need to buy another pie crust and I'm all set for a second night of chicken pot pie, sans the work!

Friday: Caprese salad toasts and BBQ Flank Steak

Today we were introduced to the wonderful Draper Farm. It's really an incredible idea that I was so excited to learn about. Membership is free and after you attend a 1 hour orientation, you are allowed to go tot the farm at any time and pick your own organic vegetables. It's like having a farmer's market available 24/7. About a 15 min. drive from our house, you park at the end of a cul-de-sac and would have no idea it was there unless you knew about it. It's just in the middle of a residential neighborhood. We picked some super sweet tomatoes, green beans, chard, and summer squash.
Then from our own garden I picked a handful of basil and assembled a plateful of Caprese Salad bruschetta toasts. I also BBQd a flank steak (which I forgot to take a pic of)

Saturday Morning- French Toast

Using homemade bread from Uncle Bob, I made our standard french toast:
eggs
milk
syrup (in the batter)
cinnamon
butter for frying pan
powdered sugar for sprinkling


Saturday dinner: Chow Mein w/teriyaki beef, Draper Farm green beans, and rice (for my DH)

Noodles from Costco
beef pre-cut from Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's Very Teriyaki sauce/marinade
Draper Farm beans
Jasmine white rice

Sunday dinner: Gnocchi with butter sage sauce, chard, BBQ flank steak (leftovers)

Whole wheat/potato gnocchi from Trader Joe's, cooked according to package.

Sauce:

3 TBS butter melted in saucepan, add 5 minced garlic cloves, 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped, and sprinkle with some salt. Cook for about 5 minutes until sage is sizzling and garlic is soft. Add drained gnocchi and fry gnocchi for about 4 more minutes.

Chard: cook for about 15 min. over medium heat with olive oil and garlic, add salt at the end (I also added some red pepper flakes for those who like it with a little kick)

And the steak, microwaved left overs from Friday night.

Monday: Pizza Night!

Smoky Veggie Pizza

Trader Joe's uncooked pizza dough, cooked for about 12 minutes before topping
Trader Joe's pizza sauce (in refrigerator section near dough)
Smoked mozzarella cheese (can find it at Trader Joe's!)

Saute in olive oil: 5 cloves garlic, half red onion chopped, 6 oz. crimini mushrooms chopped, handful of broccoli rabe chopped, salt and pepper.

Spread sauce on pizza crust. Sprinkle about half the cheese over the sauce. Spread sauteed mixture on top. Sprinkle rest of cheese. Bake at 450 for about 12 minutes.

Meat Lover's Pizza (aka- the one for my husband)

Trader Joe's pizza dough
Trader Joe's pizza sauce
pepperoni
Italian chicken sausage, casings removed, cooked
Mozzarella cheese
Oregano, dry

Pretty self explanatory! 450 for 12 minutes (after baking dough without toppings for 12 minutes, of course)
And I served a side salad of arugula and sweet mustard greens, abundant in our garden right now, with Draper tomatoes.