Menu Monday

This week I did a few Rachel Ray meals from her weekly menu planer.  She has a new feature on her grocery list that allows you to pick which of the 7 meals you'd like to make and it will give you a grocery list for only the ingredients needed for those dinners.  So I picked 4 meals and it made me a shopping list in seconds, with everything I need to make 4 dinners; I printed it out and headed to Trader Joe's...where I found everything I needed.

Monday: Chicken in a Pot with Garlic(Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:

One 4 1/2-pound chicken

2 halved lemons

35 unpeeled cloves garlic

4 chopped sprigs rosemary

4 slices crusty bread

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325°.

In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add one 4½-pound chicken, breast side down, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn, then squeeze 2 halved lemons over the bird before stuffing into the cavity; drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper. Cover and roast for 30 minutes. Scatter 35 unpeeled cloves garlic and 4 chopped sprigs rosemary around the chicken, cover and roast for 30 minutes more. Uncover the pot, increase the oven temperature to 375° and roast until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter; using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the platter as well. Dip 4 slices crusty bread into the pan juices, then toast until crisp. Serve with the chicken and roasted garlic.

Tuesday: Out!  Baja Fresh
With DH out for the evening and a late soccer practice, we went out for burritos!


Wednesday: Gnocchi with Butternut Squash Sauce



To Go



Sauce: Costco Gnocchi: Trader Joe's



I was babysitting tonight, so I went with something easy. I served my kids and then brought food to the kids I babysat. I served it with some green beans.



Thursday: Orange Pork with Roasted Beets Salad  (Rachel Ray) 

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 pounds medium beets, trimmed (I bought pre-steamed/peeled beets from TJs)

5 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons vegetable oil salt and pepper

2 bone-in pork chops (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2/3 head red-leaf lettuce, torn

1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
I added crumbled feta on top

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Wrap the beets in foil and roast until fork-tender, about 45 minutes; let cool slightly. Using your fingers, peel the beets under running water.  I got to skip this step since I bought pre-steamed/peeled!

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the orange juice, vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil; season with salt and pepper. Place the pork chops and half of the orange vinaigrette in a resealable plastic bag and marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and grill, turning once, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Let rest slightly, remove the bones and thinly slice. 4. Meanwhile, halve the beets lengthwise, then slice crosswise 1/4 inch thick. In a medium bowl, toss the beets with half of the remaining vinaigrette. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the remaining vinaigrette. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates and top with the pork and beets. Sprinkle with the almonds.

 Friday: Zucchini Onion Pizza (Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:

2 pounds grated zucchini

1 finely chopped onion
1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 cup grated asiago cheese
1 pound prepared pizza dough



I heart pizza!



Directions:

Position an inverted baking sheet (I used a pizza stone) in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°. Toss 2 pounds grated zucchini with 3/4 teaspoon salt in a colander. Let stand for 20 minutes, then squeeze dry. In a large skillet, cook the zucchini and 1 finely chopped onion in 1 tablespoon extra- virgin olive oil until softened, about 7 minutes; transfer to a large bowl, season with pepper and freeze for 15 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup (I used about 3/4 cup of each cheese) each grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese and grated cheese. Divide 1 pound (I used 2 Trader Joe's pizza dough packages, 1 pound each) prepared pizza dough in half. On a parchment-lined (I used parchment to cook my dough for about 10 minutes before putting toppings on) rimless or inverted baking sheet, stretch out 1 piece of dough to a 12-inch round whatever shape you end up with; brush with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle half of the zucchini mixture on top (I added bacon, too!) leaving a 1/2 inch border, and slide onto the hot baking sheet. Bake until golden-brown, 12 to 15 minutes (I bake for about 10 since I already baked the crust). Repeat with 2nd pizza.

And I just had to share these!  My friend, Erin, brought these over to share with the kids at playschool this week.  Our theme was spiders, how cute are these?

Saturday: Trader Joe's Asian Trio

We went on a family bike ride and realized at 6:15pm as we were passing Trader Joe's that we were going to get home at 6:30 with 3 hungry kids and no food on the table.  So we popped into TJ's and picked up some fast and easy things: "Bool Kogi" marinated shortribs, frozen vegetable fried rice, and frozen vegetable goya (pot stickers).  The shortribs BBQ up in a few short minutes, the rice and goya cook up in a little olive oil in a few minutes as well.  A little Asian meal on the table in under 10 minutes.

Sunday: Raviolis, Tortellini, Broccoli
Another busy day, with dinner creeping up on me waaaay too fast.  What's fast?  Made 1 package of raviolis and 1 package of tortellini (it was all I had of each!) and cooked up some broccoli.  The broccoli always gets gobbled down fast when I cook it like this:  TONS of olive oil in frying pan, cook broccoli on med-low for 15-20 minutes, sprinkle with salt.  No pic tonight, sorry.

Monday:  Cheesy Corn and Corn Chip Salad (Rachel Ray)

Ingredients:


2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded (I used spinach)
8 ears corn, cooked, kernels sliced off the cob (I used a package of TJ's organic sweet frozen corn)
2 red or orange bell peppers, chopped
2 chopped jalapeño chiles (skipped -em this time)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley (cilantro!)
Salt and pepper

3 cups corn chips (Rachel suggests Fritos, but I suggest TJ's organic corn chips, SO GOOD!  DH thought they were Fritos until he saw me pull the bag out for a photo op)

Try -um



Directions:

In a large bowl, mix the cheese, lettuce, corn, bell peppers, jalapeños, onion, mayonnaise and cilantro; season with salt and pepper. Put into individual plastic serving containers, cover with a lid and refrigerate for up to 2 days. (I added chopped chicken)  Just before serving, top the salad with the corn chips.

As many of my meals do, this meal got a huge groan from my 6 year old as I served it.  As he started to use the chips as scoopers and actually tasted it, he loved it!  It was also a hit for the younger crowd as well.  The chip scooping was super exciting.  And I will note, it took about 10 minutes total to prepare. This we'll for sure be having again soon.  I wonder if it will taste as good with Greek yogurt instead of the mayo?

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Wow, I can't believe it's Monday already.  I didn't even finish my Rachel Ray meals for the week!  Stay tuned for the final meal of that series, Mini Meatloaves Smothered with Onions, tomorrow.

You've been BOOed!

We started a new neighborhood tradition today, BOOing!  I got the idea from this great website, Organized Home.  They have a big Christmas idea section, including checklists and countdown tables, but also have some fun Halloween ideas, too. To put a spook on your neighborhood, give it a try!


The first house we BOOed


-Print out 2 copies of this cute poem.
-Make 2 "BOO" signs.
-Put together 2 small Halloween themed gift baskets

-Attach the poem and BOO sign to 2 neighbors' front doors and leave the gift basket on the porch. Let the BOOing begin!

-Be sure not to get "caught"! 

Poem:

The air is cool, the season fall,

Soon Halloween will come to all.

With ghosts and goblins, spooks galore,

Trick-or-treaters at the door.

The spooks are after things to do.

In fact, a spook brought this to you.

The treats that come with this short note

Are yours to keep.  Enjoy them both!

Excitement grows when friends like you

One of my little spooks at work

Will copy it and make it two.

Neighbors will have smiling faces;

None can guess who "BOO-ed" which places.

A day or two to work your spell,

But keep it secret! Hide it well!
Join in the fun; the season's here.

So spread these "BOOs" - and share the cheer!

Please keep the BOO going by following these directions:

-Enjoy your treat!

-Place the BOO sign on your front door or a visible front window

-Within the next two days, make two copes of this note and two more BOO signs.

-Make two treat bags or BOO baskets

-Secretly deliver to two neighbors without a BOO

-Keep an eye on nearby front doors to see how far and fast it spreads by Halloween


Whole Foods


I picked up a pumpkin pail from Target, added some "Boo" chips, Halloween Pasta and Candy Shortbread cookies.  The kids around the 'hood are already buzzing!  They've been asking all around, "Do you know who is boo-ing people?"  "So-and-so keeps saying how she was BOOed and doesn't know who did it!"  Love it!  So fun.  There's still time for you to try this in your neighborhood.

Cost Plus World Market



Cost Plus World Market

Eggs and Raising Backyard Chickens, Part II

A few weeks ago an article came out on Simpleorganic.net (which I actually found out about from one of my favorite real food blogs Kitchenstewardship.com) and it got me thinking all about raising chickens again...

Five Foods Women of Childbearing Age Should Eat More Often

The whole womb thing really sets us apart from men. Ladies, if you’re having menstrual cycles, trying to conceive, pregnant, breastfeeding, or nearing or experiencing menopause, make sure you’re paying attention to your intake of:

1. Eggs
Whole eggs, especially the yolks, provide choline for healthy eyes and brain development (for you and any unborn babies in your life), vitamin D for general health, and all the essential nutrients a human being needs. If you have a meal of one item, it may as well be eggs, which are nearly the perfect food for humans. Pay no mind to disillusioned health professionals who tell you the cholesterol in eggs will clog up your arteries. Whole eggs are back in style.

They won’t raise blood sugar because they’re a well-balanced protein and fat, and they even improve the look of your hair and nails. Eggs provide iron, which is hindered by calcium, so skip the milk with your omelet. Did you know Chinese women eat ten per DAY when pregnant? I shot for two eggs a day when I was trying to grow smart babies.

Photo by Andreas Kollegger

Other Resources:

Find Perfect Nutrition in a Whole Egg (no egg white omelets, please!)

What do Labels on Egg Cartons Mean?

Strawberry Milkshake (with raw eggs*)
How to Eat More Eggs
Eggs = Fertility Superfood
Vitamin D Creates Lower Risk Pregnancies

2. Spinach/Greens
3. Salmon
4. Full fat dairy/butter
5. Liver

To learn more about items 2-5, read the rest of the article here.

Ok, so what eggs do I buy?  You know, the organic, farm fresh eggs at the farmer's market cost upwards of $7 a dozen!  Way out of my family's food budget.  So I compromise, which is how I manage to buy most of my foods and feel good about them.  I go back and forth between two types of eggs: 

When I make it to Costco, I buy 2 dozen organic brown eggs for $3/dozen.  They are cage-free, fed organic feed and not given hormones or antibiotics. 

Or I buy Barnstar Omega 3 eggs from Trader Joe's.  At $2.49 a dozen, these eggs are packed with omega-3 essential fatty acids.  The hens are antibiotic and hormone-free and fed a special diet rich in ground flaxseed, loaded with omega-3s.  Omega-3s are essential to the human body and play a roll in the development of childrens' brains.  Omega-3s are what everyone is buzzing about when talking about taking fish oil supplements(which is a whole blog post in itself that I'll get to soon!) 

Something tells me you'll be seeing more posts about backyard chickens!

Menu Monday

Tuesday dinner: Latin-Style Pork (crockpot, adapted from Family Circle)

1 boneless pork loin roast (about 3 pounds), cut in half lengthwise (I used 2 pork tenderloin from TJ's)

2 large yellow bell peppers, seeded & sliced

1 med. onion, thinly sliced

1 -14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 TBS capers, drained

1 TBS ground cumin

1/2 tea cinnamon

3 garlic cloves, sliced

1 TBS sliced pickled jalapenos

1/2 tea salt

cooked white rice

Combine all ingredients (except rice) in crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours OR low for 6 hours. Remove pork and shred. Mix pork back in with crockpot mixture and serve over rice. I served with broccoli rabe (which is coming out our ears!) on the side.

Wednesday dinner: Tortellini and Sausage Stew (crockpot, adapted from Family Circle)

4 sweet Italian chicken sausages, casings removed (TJ's carries)

1 -28 oz. can crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano (I used TJ's traditional marinara)

1 -9 oz. package frozen cut green beans

1 large onion

1/2 tea Italian seasoning

1 package of refrigerated cheese tortellini (TJ's carries)

1 TBS chopped fresh oregano

Combine crumbled sausage (uncooked) tomatoes, green beans, onion and Italian seasoning in crockpot bowl. Cover and cook 3 hours on high OR 6 hours on low. When there is 20 minutes remaining, stir in tortellini, oregano and 1 cup water. Continue cooking. Serve.

Thursday dinner: Latin Pork Quesadillas

I used the left over pork from Tuesday night to make yummy quesadillas. I filled them with cheese, black beans and pork, topped them with salsa,sour cream and avocado.

Friday dinner: Curried Chickpeas with Couscous (crockpot, adapted from Family Circle)

3 medium carrots, finely chopped

4 cups cauliflower florets (about 3/4 pound)

2 -15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen peas

1 med. onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup vegetable broth

3/4 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup dry couscous

1 pound ground beef, cooked (I added this to the recipe, it originally was a vegetarian recipe)

In crockpot, stir together carrots, cauliflower, chickpeas, peas, onion, garlic, curry powder, coriander and red pepper flakes and ground beef if using (I'm sure cooked chicken would taste good in this, too). Pour vegetable brother and coconut milk on top. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high OR 6 hours on low.

Prepare couscous per package directions. Serve chickpeas over couscous and sprinkle chopped fresh basil on top.

Saturday dinner: Whole Wheat Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Raviolis

Tonight I was babysitting, so I made it easy on DH and picked up these new raviolis from Costco this afternoon. However, I was looking forward to leftovers when I got home and there weren't any....guess it went over well.

SUNDAY DINNER - Macaroni & Cheese!

After a wonderful day in SF watching these guys:

I was in no mood to cook! Well, that and we got home at 6pm...no time to make a home-cooked meal and still be in bed at 7. So, we relied on an old standby:But it wasn't all that bad, I added a smoothie to the table, too.
Smoothie:

plain yogurt

frozen organic blackberries (new at Costco)

frozen organic blueberries (Costco)

frozen organic strawberries (TJ's)

bananas

flax powder (Costco)

hemp protein powder (TJ's)

Very Green powder (TJ's)

honey for my hunnies

And it's even served in a dish! That's courtesy of DH, I usually serve straight from the pot. He likes to make it look pretty, and since he did the cooking tonight, he can serve it any way he likes! Thanks babe.

Monday dinner: Chicken in a Pot with Garlic w/ dinner rolls

I love Rachel Ray! Did you know that she publishes a weekly dinner menu with a shopping list and 7 recipes, sent to your inbox? How easy is that? Some weeks I print out the entire shopping list and buy every ingredient and then prepare every dinner she suggests. It's super easy cause you don't have to do any thinking or prepare a grocery list. And then with one shopping trip, I have 7 meals planned! The fun thing, too, is that we try many dishes that I have never made before. Why don't I do this every week? Well, the meals can be a bit time-consuming. Some of them, not all. And also some weeks it's nice to just rely on our old standbys for fast, easy meals. But this week, we're going for Rachel. So here goes......

Chicken w/garlic (from Rachel Ray):

One 4 1/2-pound chicken
2 halved lemons
35 unpeeled cloves garlic
4 chopped sprigs rosemary
4 slices crusty bread

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add one 4½-pound chicken, breast side down, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Turn, then squeeze 2 halved lemons over the bird before stuffing into the cavity; drizzle 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper. Cover and roast for 30 minutes. Scatter 35 unpeeled cloves garlic and 4 chopped sprigs rosemary around the chicken, cover and roast for 30 minutes more. Uncover the pot, increase the oven temperature to 375° and roast until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter; using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the platter as well. Dip 4 slices crusty bread into the pan juices, then toast until crisp. Serve with the chicken and roasted garlic.

Homemade dinner rolls:

I got this recipe from Simple Daily Recipes. Looks easy and yummy, this will be a first attempt.

1 package quick-acting active dry yeast
1 1/3 cup milk (105º to 115ºF degrees)
3 to 3 1/2 cups flour or whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
coarse salt

Dissolve yeast in warm milk with sugar in electric mixer bowl. Stir in 1 cup flour, oil, and salt. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour, scraping dough from side of bowl, until soft dough forms. Cover and let rise in warm place until double, about 45 minutes.
Heat oven 400ºF degrees. Prep a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Punch down dough in center and fold over a few times. Pinch off 1 inch balls of dough and quickly roll in palm of hands. Put 3 balls to one muffin cup; brush with melted butter; sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until crust is light golden brown. Immediately remove from pan. Store loosely covered.

We all enjoyed the rolls. I brushed them with butter and also with the juices from the chicken, instead of crusty bread like the directions mentioned. I baked them for 10 min. with just butter on top and then brushed the chicken juices (with olive oil, rosemary, garlic) and cooked for 5 more min. They were a hit!

Broccoli Rabe:

Of course I finish off the plates with some broccoli rabe on the side. Prepared as usual, lots of olive oil on the stove top for 15 minutes or so...sprinkle with coarse salt (we have been using pink salt) Can drizzle with a little honey for an extra treat...or for picky toddlers.

Raising Backyard Chickens, Part I

I've been wanting to jump on the backyard chicken band wagon for a while now. Well, actually, I didn't realize it was what the Jonses were all doing until I started researching it. Now I know I am not the first thirty-something mom, driving a minivan, with no 4-H experience, who wants to raise backyard chickens for their eggs...in fact, it's the latest trend! But none-the-less, I am intrigued by farm fresh, organic eggs, every morning. Have you tasted an egg that was just laid that same day? If you haven't, you must! The first time I mentioned this to DH he told me I was crazy but to do a bunch of research (really? come on! it's more fun to jump in and learn as you go....also you won't get nervous and change your mind before buying them, but one of us needs to be practical in each situation) and let him know what I find out. So I did a bunch of on-line research. I looked into what they eat, how much they poop, and how long you can be out of town before having to ask someone if they can "can you please take care of our chickens while we're gone?" Oh, and then the legal stuff, like if I'm even allowed to own chickens where I live; geez, do we need to bring the law into everything?

Ok, it seemed easy enough. Here's what I found: they eat organic chicken meal and/or graze from your yard...hey, DH won't have to mow the lawn ever again- he's sure to agree now! You give them an auto-water thing that attaches to your garden hose. They need a coop to live in, protect them from the elements and to lay their eggs in. They also need an attached run, some space to run around outside the coop (unless you are going to give them free-reign of your yard, which Sunnie (our 11 year old dog) wouldn't necessarily be too thrilled about after all these years as queen. At any rate, I figured we could leave for about 4 days without having to ask someone to check in on them...and since we haven't been gone for more than 3 days at a time in the last 3.5 years, I figured that's no problem. And lastly, in my unincorporated part of the county, I can own up to 11 chickens, no roosters. Phew!

So, now it's time to shop!! Look at these chicken coops. So cute! I'm sure any one of these would look so great in my backyard, don'tcha think?

I reported back to DH with all my info and told him of my excitement and that I really think this could happen! I promised to be the one to take care of them, clean up the poop, and cook the eggs. I started showing him the adorable chicken coops. The hefty price tags were of slight cause of concern, he even said at one point, "I can make you a chicken coop." Really? Ah, nah...I'd rather have board and batten in the family room. He also suggested checking Craigslist for coops. However, still a bit weary of it all he suggested I ask a couple of friends who have raised chickens before.

Ok, back to work. I send out an email to a friend who has a lifetime membership with 4-H. She's raised every farm animal known to man, she'll tell me how easy it is and put DH's mind at ease. And then I went on to search Craigslist for weeks looking for just the right coop. I finally heard back from my 4-H friend, who in a nutshell, told me to "go for it.....and if it doesn't work out, you can always sell your coop and chickens on Craigslist"!! Not exactly what I needed as amo to convince DH. And then I found it, THE ONE. The most adorable, red wooden chicken coop. It had a shingled roof, 4 nesting boxes, room for up to 6 chickens, was 2-story and had a 6 foot long run off one end. I ran out into the yard and measured my spot, perfect fit. It was on Craigslist, from San Francisco, for the low low price of $150! I emailed the seller right away....and then emailed DH, "If we're gonna do this, here's the coop we need to buy!" That evening, DH sat down with me for one of those serious talks. He appreciated my excitement and then reminded me of all the living things I am responsible for keeping alive already each day. He isn't completely opposed to raising chickens, he just is a bit fearful that I will be taking on so much that it will put me over the edge (OH, that's so sweet, he doesn't think I'm already over the edge). He suggested that we wait until spring. If I'm still super excited about it in the spring, perhaps we can re-visit the idea. Ok, he's got a point.

So I emailed a good friend the link to the most adorable, perfectly sized, perfectly priced chicken coop. I told her that I am going to wait a bit and that she should buy this coop for her family (she and her husband were also thinking about jumping on the band wagon). She too thought it was the cutest coop she'd seen and was shocked I was not already in the car on my way to pick it up. She sent the link on to her husband...and his reply, "Why don't you wait until Celeste has had chickens for a while to see how it goes for them before we decide to buy some ourselves." Guess they'll be waiting until spring, too.

By the way, if you want to do a little of your own research, a great place to start is Backyardchickens.com. They have a great website packed with information. There is also a forum you can browse through to get great ideas for coops, see what other people's questions are, and learn about many cool tips from those who actually have chickens!

Pumpkin's Back at Trader Joe's!

I, like many others, have a love-hate relationship with Trader Joe's. We all know how one day you can walk in and find your favorite chips discontinued. For instance, my latest mourning is the Challah Bread. I used to buy a loaf of Challah Bread every week for French Toast. One special morning each week was "French Toast Day!" Well, no longer. This holiday season they have replaced their Challah loaf with "Holiday Challah", a round of bread. Update 10/13/10: The Challah Loaf is back! Guess they got enough complaints. The holiday round is gone. So people, it does work, speak up and tell the "Captain" at TJ's what you want them to carry/bring back! I'm sure it tastes the same, but the round shape just doesn't lend itself to perfect slices for French Toast.

So....French Toast Day has been replaced with "Pumpkin Pancake Day"! The Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancake and Waffle Mix is just one of their many holiday offerings my family loves. This mix has the perfect amount of pumpkin taste and is super sweet- not needing any syrup!

I picked up a couple of boxes when it came out a few weeks ago. First we made pancakes, yum! Then this morning I decided to try the directions for waffles (which is just replacing milk with water). They had the same yummy pumpkin taste as the pancakes, but actually came out a bit too soggy (I like crispy waffles). I will say they are much better as pancakes and we'll stick with that for the next couple months. :-) Overall, these are a family fave we look forward to every fall.

Menu Monday

I have to start off by apologizing that this week's Menu Monday is rather short! I got away for a relaxing girls-only weekend with my 3 bridesmaids (and friends for the last 30 years)! So Friday-Sunday nights I did not cook for my family. I enjoyed meals cooked with friends, take-out, and cozy favorite restaurants (in addition to chatting, dancing, chatting, shopping, chatting, drinking wine, did I mention chatting?) But here are a few nights of dinner at home this last week.

Wednesday dinner: Summer squash, black bean burritos with tomatoes and "sour cream"

-garlic
-onion
-shallot
Saute in EVOO (extra virgin olive oil, thanks Rachel Ray) until soft/translucent.
Add chopped summer squash and cook for about 10 minutes until squash is soft. Add tomatillos and fire roasted green chilies (TJ's), s/p too.

Meanwhile, heat black beans and grate some cheese (I use TJ's grated Mexican blend).

I use these wonderful uncooked tortillas from Costco's refrigerated section- Tortilla Land Uncooked Flour tortillas. Cook on one side for 30 ish seconds and then flip. Sprinkle on cheese, spoon on beans and squash mixture. Cook another 30 seconds or so. Remove from heat and roll. Top with tomatoes and "sour cream". I discovered this great yogurt at Trader Joe's that we use as sour cream and everyone loves it! It's Trader Joe's Greek Style plain low fat 2% yogurt. We'll never go back to sour cream! It's creamy and tart, like sour cream, but super healthy.

Thursday dinner: Garlic Chicken Paninis

picture courtesy of Panini Happy

I got this wonderful recipe from Kathy over at Panini Happy! Served with some broccoli rabe on the side, easy peasy!

Garlic Chicken Panini Brine adapted from Chowhound with Basil Garlic Mayonnaise from Epicurious

INGREDIENTS:
1 quart water

1/4 cup kosher salt

2 tablespoons honey

1 bay leaf

1 crushed garlic clove (I put in 5)

6 whole black peppercorns (I put in about 10)

A dash of dried thyme

A dash of dried parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (thin-sliced)

1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces (I used Trader Joe's Tuscan Pane, sliced, YUM!)

Basil Garlic Mayonnaise (see recipe below)

1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, sliced about 1/4″ thick

1 small jar of roasted red peppers ( used tomatoes instead)

4 slices Swiss cheese (I used Gouda instead)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine water, salt, honey, bay leaf, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, parsley and lemon juice. Add chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the panini grill (I use a George Foreman) to medium-high heat.
Grill the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Set chicken aside. Turn off the grill, wipe it clean and preheat it again to medium-high heat.
For each sandwich: Spread Basil Garlic Mayonnaise inside two baguette halves. Place a chicken breast cutlet on the bottom bread half. Arrange layers of artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers on top of the chicken. Add a slice of cheese and close the sandwich with the top bread half.
Grill the sandwich for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Slice in half, serve immediately and enjoy!

Basil Garlic Mayonnaise
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 garlic clove, smashed (I used 3)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used half regular TJ's mayo and half TJ's reduced fat mayo)

DIRECTIONS:
Pulse basil, garlic, salt, and cayenne in a food processor until finely chopped. Add mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Chill, covered, 1 hour (for flavors to develop).

Mine!

Monday dinner- Left over burritos (aka: anything in the refrigerator that is still good, stuffed into a tortilla with cheese)

Here's what I had:

-some of the summer squash from burritos a few days ago

-some chicken from the paninis

-some rice from last night

-a can of black beans

-sour cream (aka Greek yogurt)

-cheese

A glimpse into the coming week:

With fall upon us, I'm dragging out the crock pot. I have three meals planned in it:

-Curried Chickpeas with Couscous

-Chicken Sausage & Tortellini Stew

-Latin-style pork

All adapted from Family Circle, Sept. 2010