Weekly Meal Plan #13: Happy New Year!

January 2-January  8
 
I can't believe it's already 2011!  Time really flies by...especially as you get older.  Weird, huh?  As a kid, time sometimes seems to come to a complete stand still, like when waiting for something exciting to happen.  Ah, memories.  As adults we just have to embrace that time feels as though it goes by more quickly and make every moment count!  Here's to making the first meal plan for 2011 count!

This weeks I've got a couple new recipes for us to try from two new cookbooks I received over the holidays.  Thank you, Kate, for the Betty Crocker Easy Italian cookbook, and thank you, Char, for the CyberFeasts & Foodstocks cookbook!  Here we go!

Sunday - Chicken and Garlic Ravioli with Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Monday -Veggie BBQ Pizza
Tuesday - Poblano Chicken
Wednesday - Tomato Florentine Soup
Thursday - Creamy Burrito Casserole
Friday - Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice
Saturday - Beefy Tomato Stew over Noodles

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Chicken and Garlic Ravioli with Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Betty Crocker Easy Italian

Ingredients

• 2 packages refrigerated chicken and roasted garlic-filled ravioli
• 1/2 cup julienne sun-dried tomatoes in oil and herbs, drained.  Reserve 2 tbs oil.      
• 1 bag frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry, thaw, drained. (I'm considering making my own bell pepper and onion mixture.  I'm figuring 1-2 peppers and 1 large onion should do the trick.) 
• 2 cups shredded provolone cheese

Directions

1. Cook and drain ravioli as directed on package.
2. Heat reserved oil over medium heat in a 12-inch skillet.  Cook bell pepper mixture in oil for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in tomatoes and ravioli.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until hot.
3. Sprinkle with cheese; remove from heat.  Cover; let stand 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.  Makes 6 servings

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Veggie BBQ Pizza

Ingrediants:

• 1 Boboli Thin Crust Pizza
• 1 C Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (or any kind you like)
• 1 C chopped red onion
• 1 C chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to suggested temperature on the Boboli package.  
2. Spread BBQ sauce over pizza crust.  Top with red onion and sweet red pepper.  Sprinkle with crushed red pepper.  Cover entire pizza with mozzarella cheese.  Sprinkle cheddar cheese over mozzarella.  
3. Bake for 10 minutes.

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Poblano Chicken
Cyberfeasts and Foodstocks 

Ingredients

• 3 large poblano chili peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 3 tbs butter 
• 3 chicken breats, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese

Directions

1. Melt 2 tbs butter in skillet.  Saute peppers and onion until limp.  Remove from pan and puree peppers and onions with milk and sour cream in blender.  Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Melt remaining butter in skillet.  Saute chicken 5-8 minutes.  Chicken doesn't need to be done, but the pink should be mostly gone.  Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place chicken in a casserole dish and pour the pepper-onion mixture over top.  Liberally sprinkle the top with cheese.  
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cheese is lightly browned.  Serve over rice.  Makes 4 servings

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Tomato Florentine Soup
Cyberfeasts and Foodstocks

Ingredients

• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 tbs diced basil
• 1 1/2 tsp fined chopped oregano
• 2 oz diced country ham
• grated mozzarella cheese 

Directions

1. Heat oil in heavy saucepan.  Add onion and garlic, cook until soft. 
2. Add crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, broth, spinach, wine and herbs.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 35 minutes. 
3. Add diced country ham and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Serve warm, garnished with Romano cheese.  Makes 2 servings.  

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Beefy Tomato Stew over Noodles
Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs cubed stewing beef
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups stewed tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2-1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• water
• 12 oz bag noodles (I might use rotini for this one!)   

Directions

1. Combine meat and flour until cubed are coated.  Place in slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and onion.  Add water to cover. 
3. Cover.  Simmer on low heat for 6-8 hours.
4. Serve over cooked noodles.  Makes 8 servings.  

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The Grocery List

3 large red onions
2 medium red peppers
3 large poblano chilies
Garlic
4 medium tomatoes
1 bunch spinach
Frozen chicken breasts
1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1.5 lbs cubed stew meat
1 package diced country ham
2 packages of chicken and garlic ravioli
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 can refried beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 jar salsa
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
1 package of taco seasoning
1 Boboli pizza crust
1 package flour tortillas
1 box of noodles
1 bottle BBQ sauce
32 oz sour cream
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
16 oz of shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz of shredded provolone cheese 
Milk  
*Red wine (red cooking wine should work)

Enjoy!

~Chef Val  
*edit