February 13, 2011

WHAT'S COOKIN' THIS WEEK? February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted my weekly menu, but I’ve been keeping up with the menu planning a little bit off line. This week, my heart is back in it. I wanted a mixture of light-hearted meals and heavy hitters. Some are a little healthier than others, but it’s OK to enjoy some fat every once in a while.

First, I’ll be making a halibut dish for Valentine’s day if I can find the halibut. If you can’t find halibut, tilapia works too. It’s my husband’s favorite! I’ll also make a light wheat pasta dish, a chicken casserole with stuffing mix and some nachos to round out the week. The nacho recipe I found while waiting in the pediatrician’s office for my daughter’s check up one day. They are fantastic and super easy to make.

Remember, own what you family eats one meal at a time. Save time, save money, save your waist line and save headache by planning ahead.

MONDAY – Happy Valentine’s Day!
Fresh Herbed Halibut
Steamed vegetables
Brown rice
Riesling

TUESDAY
Pasta carcione
Garlic bread
Fruit cup

WEDNESDAY
(night off due to other family commitments)

THURSDAY
Chicken stuffing casserole
Peas

FRIDAY
Chicken nachos


RECIPES


FRESH HERBED HALIBUT (allrecipes.com)
Ingredients

  • 1 (2 pound) halibut fillet
  • 1 large lemon, quartered
  • olive oil for brushing
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon dill weed

Directions

  • Preheat the oven's broiler and coat a baking sheet or broiling pan with olive oil.
  • Rinse the fish and pat dry. Place on the greased pan, and brush with olive oil or coat with olive oil cooking spray. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedges over the entire fillet, and season generously with salt first, then garlic and finally dill.
  • Broil for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the fillet is opaque and can be flaked with a fork. Broiling time may depend on the thickness of your fillet.

PASTA CARCIONE (allrecipes.com)
Ingredients

  • 10 ounces spinach, rinsed
  • 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Directions

  • Remove stems from spinach and stack leaves together; chop thin longer strips instead of square chops and set aside.
  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and place in a large bowl.
  • Drizzle olive oil over pasta and add salt and pepper to taste, spinach and tomatoes; gently toss.
  • Add feta cheese and serve warm or room temperature.

CHICKEN STUFFING CASSEROLE (From Yakeroo)
Ingredients

  • 2 diced baked chicken breasts (pre-cooked chicken cubes work great and save time!)
  • 1 c. cream of chicken soup
  • 1 stick butter/margarine
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • ¾ c. chicken broth
  • 1 box Stove Top stuffing

Directions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
  • Mix soup, sour cream and cooked chicken in medium bowl
  • In separate bowl, mix butter and stuffing
  • In a 9x9 pan, put ½ stuffing
  • Pour chicken mixture over top
  • Spread rest of stuffing over top of chicken mixture
  • Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees

HEALTHY CHICKEN NACHOS (Accent Health)
Ingredients (pick what you want and skip the rest)

  • 8 ounces flour tortillas
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • Juice from one lemon
  • Juice from one lime
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 4 chicken breasts, diced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 cup canned black beans (rinsed well)
  • 2 ounces green chilies, drained
  • 1 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese blend
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 cup salsa
  • ½ cup finely sliced green onions
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup light or fat-free sour cream

Chips

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mix together water, lemon juice, lime juice, and canola oil.
  • Working quickly, dip each shell in the lemon and lime solution.
  • Make a stack with the tortillas, then cut them into quarters.
  • Spread the chips in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings that you desire.
  • Bake until the chips are crisp and golden, about 12 to 16 minutes.

Toppings

  • In a sauté pan, heat olive oil until warmed.
  • Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  • Add in chicken and chili powder and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
  • Add in black beans and stir to warm.
  • Remove from heat.

Serve

Layer the chips with toppings as desired.