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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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 

Here it is! Weekly Meal Plan #1

August 29^th –September 3^rd

Sunday –  Honey Mustard Salmon and Roasted Asparagus

Monday – Red beans with orzo salad

Tuesday – Center Cut Pork Chops with an Apricot Glaze

Wednesday – Creamy Zucchini Linguini

Thursday – Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice

Friday – Cajun Steak Sandwich w/Sweet Potato Fries

Saturday – Swiss Enchiladas

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunday: Honey Mustard Salmon and Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

            1 lb of wild salmon (1” thick)

            2 tbs. Dijon Mustard

            2 tbs. honey

            Salt

            Pepper

            1/2 lb fresh asparagus

            1 tbs. olive oil

            Salt

            Pepper

            1/8 C breadcrumbs                       

            1 tbs. parmesan cheese

Directions for salmon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Wash salmon and place in a baking pan.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Mix the mustard and honey and pour over salmon. 

Bake for 20 minutes.

Directions for asapargus

Wash asparagus and trim 3 inches off the bottoms.  Place in a baking pan.  Add 1/2 tbs. of olive oil, and roll the asparagus around so they all are glazed in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Toss breadcrumbs with remaining olive oil and parmesan cheese.  Sprinkle over asparagus.  Place in oven with salmon when the salmon has about 15 minutes left to bake. 

Makes 2 servings

Recipe from the cookbook, What to Eat with IBD, by Tracie Dalessandro MS RD CDN.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Monday: Red Beans with Orzo Salad

Ingredients

      14-ounce can chicken broth

      1 1/2 C  water

      1 1/3 C  dried orzo pasta (rosamarina)

      1/4 C finely chopped onion

      1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

      15-ounce can red beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained

      1 oz. prosciutto or cooked ham, cut into thin strips (about 1/3 cup)

      2 Tbs. snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley

      1/3 C  finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a medium saucepan, combine chicken broth and the water; bring to boiling. Stir in uncooked orzo, onion, and herbes de Provence. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or just until orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring often.

   

Stir in drained beans, prosciutto or ham, and parsley; heat through. Top individual servings with Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  Red Beans with Orzo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday: Center-Cut Pork Chops with Apricot Glaze

Ingredients

            1 lb boneless center-cut pork chops (4 chops, 1” thick)

            Salt and Pepper

            2 Tbs. olive oil

            1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

            1/3 C apricot preserves

            3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

*There are two different I’ve prepared this dish.  Here are directions for both.

Directions #1

Wash and dry pork chops and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, brown chops on both sides in olive oil over medium heat.  Remove from pan, but leave the drippings.

While the pan is still hot, add balsamic vinegar and reduce it for 2 minutes.  Add mustard and preserves to pan and whisk together. 

Place pork chops back in pan and continue to cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until internal thermometer read 165 degrees.  Serve on platter topped with sauce.

Directions #2

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash and dry pork chops, place in a baking pan and season with salt and pepper.

In a small saucepan, reduce the balsamic vinegar over medium heat for about 2 minutes.  Add mustard and preserves and whisk together until fairly smooth.  Pour over pork chops.

Bake for 15 minutes. 

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from the cookbook, What to Eat with IBD, by Tracie Dalessandro MS RD CDN.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday: Creamy Linguine with Red Pepper and Zucchini

Ingredients

      1/4 C. olive oil

      1 large zucchini, diced

      1 large sweet red pepper, diced

      2 cloves garlic, minced

      1/2 tsp. salt

      1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

      1 (12 oz.) package linguine pasta

      1 C. 2% milk

      2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

      1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*You could also add 2 cooked, diced chicken breasts for protein.

Directions

In a large skillet, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini, red pepper and garlic to hot oil, and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook, turning occasionally, until zucchini and pepper are slightly browned on all sides, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

Stir milk into zucchini, and simmer until it is reduced by about half, about 10 minutes. Add pasta to skillet, and stir well. Sprinkle parsley and 1/2 C. Parmesan over the top, and toss. Garnish with remaining

Makes 6 servings.

Original Recipe from Recipe4Living.  Creamy Zucchini with Linguine

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday: Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice

Click here for recipe --> Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday: Cajun-Steak Sandwiches and Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients

            20 oz. pkg.  frozen french-fried sweet potatoes

            8 oz.  trimmed rib-eye steaks or boneless beef top steak, cut 1/2 inch thick

            3 tsp.  Cajun or blackening seasoning           

            1/4  C  mayonnaise

            1 Tbsp.  ketchup

            1 tsp.  molasses

            2 ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

            1 tomato, sliced

            Sliced green onion (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread sweet potatoes in 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut steaks in half crosswise. Coat both sides of steaks with 1-1/2 tsp. seasoning. Heat a cast

iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook steaks in hot skillet for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, ketchup, molasses and remaining seasoning.

Place one steak on each roll half. Top with some of the sauce tomato slice, and green onion. Serve remaining sauce with fries.

Makes 4 Servings

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens. Cajun Steak Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday: Swiss Enchiladas

Ingredients

         Cooking spray

         1 1/2  C  chopped onion

      2 large cooked chicken breasts, diced

      2  garlic cloves, minced

      2  (4.5-ounce) cans diced green chiles, undrained

      1  (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

      2  C  2% reduced-fat milk

      2  Tbs.  all-purpose flour

      1/4  tsp.  salt

      6  to 9 flour tortillas

      1  C shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken, garlic, chiles, and tomatoes. Reduce heat, and simmer 7 minutes or until liquid evaporates. Set aside.

Combine milk and flour in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in salt.

Warm tortillas in microwave.  Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture and about 2 1/2 tablespoons cheese down center of each tortilla; roll up. Arrange filled tortillas in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour milk mixture over tortillas, and top evenly with remaining 1 cup cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven.

Preheat broiler.  Broil casserole for 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Makes 6 servings.  (Actually, I think it makes about 9 tortillas, depending on how much filling you put in.)

Recipe from My Recipes.  Swiss Enchiladas


ENJOY!!!

Favorite Meal #2

Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice


This meal is SO easy, our dog could make it!

This dish is great for evenings where you don't have a lot of time and it makes enough to have left overs or create future microwave dinners!  Now, it uses ground turkey.  I know...but, wipe that look of disgust off your face!  It's a great, healthy alternative to ground beef, and you can't even tell it's ground turkey with everything that is in it.

Ingredients:


1 tsp of olive oil (if you have a nonstick pan, don't worry about this)
1 lb ground turkey (you know where I get mine cheap?  ALDI!)
1 cup long-grain rice
1 cup of red kidney beans (canned, or fresh as look as you cook them first)
1 (7 ounce) can of corn kernels (again, canned and drained, or fresh off the cob!)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (ALDI!  Their Fit and Active brand)
1 1/4 cup of chunky salsa (however spicy you like it)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:


If you don't have a nonstick pan, heat up olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  If you do have a nonstick pan, don't worry about the olive oil, just heat up the pan over medium heat.  Start boiling water for rice (whatever your box calls for) in a small saucepan.  Add ground turkey to skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes.  During this time, you should be able to add rice to sauce pan and cook until ready.  Set rice aside if ready early.

Once turkey is nicely browned, drain excess oil, then add the rice, beans, corn and chicken brother.  Stir to combine.  Cover and Simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Add salsa to turkey mixture and stir to combine.  Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese!

Super yummy and versatile! Serve as is in a bowl, serve in a tortilla, or scoop it up with tortilla chips!   How ever you and your fellow gobblers like it.  Makes a great meal for the following night, or freeze individual servings for easy microwave dinners.

This dinner was originally brought to you by Food.com...Salsa-Fied Turkey and Rice