What's Cookin' This Week? - January 23, 2012

After looking at our schedules for this week, we need some meals that are quick and easy to get to our commitments in time. We also have some things we didn’t get to make last week, so we’ll be adding that to the menu instead of some of the originally planned meals.Flexibility is the key to any sane mother.

Monday – Salsa, Bean and Cheese Pizza (Better Homes and Gardens Fast and Fresh Family Dinners)

Ingredients:

• 4 6-inch corn tortillas
• 4 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper seeded and finely chopped (we’ll leave this out since the little one isn’t a big fan of spicy)
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 cup rinsed and drained black beans
• 1 cup chopped, seeded tomatoes
• 4 oz. shredded cheese
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tortillas on ungreased baking sheet. Lightly brush tortillas with olive oil on both sides. Bake for 3 minutes on each side or until light brown and crisp.

In skillet, cook onion, chile pepper and garlic in remaining oil over medium-high heat until onion is tender. Stir in beans and tomatoes and heat through.

Sprinkle tortillas with half of the cheese. Spoon mixture over cheese. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Tuesday – Chicken Nachos

This is one of our repeats for this week. Click here for the recipe.

Wednesday – Tilapia with tomatoes and olives (Biggest Loser), frozen veggies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 12 small green olives with pimentos cut in quarters
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. minced onion
• 1 tsp. freshly minced garlic
• 1 lb. tilapia fillets

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a bowl, combine tomatoes (and their juice), olives, onion and garlic until mixed

Lightly mist the fillets on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in single layer in a 11 x 7 glass or ceramic baking dish. Top with tomato mixture and roast until fish flakes and is no longer translucent (about 10-12 minutes).

Thursday – Chicken Stuffing Casserole, canned fruit

Although probably not the healthiest menu choice, this is a great comfort food that keeps the family happy. You can't eat 100% healthy all the time, just healthier. Make some easy changes like low-fat sour cream, light chicken broth and light stuffing.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups diced cooked chicken breasts (the frozen chicken chunks work great)
• 1 cup cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 stick butter
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• 1 box stove top stuffing

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup, sour cream, chicken and chicken broth. Melt butter and mix with stuffing. In 9x9 pan, put ½ stuffing mixture. Pour chicken mixture over top and spread rest of stuffing on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

What's Cookin' This Week? - January 16, 2012

This week's menu has some quick and easy recipes that have good variety. I love having so many cookbooks to choose from! It makes cooking exciting when I have new recipes to try. Remember, whether it's a simple or complex dinner, what's important is that you are making your meals as a family and owning what your family eats, one meal at a time. I hope you find something here to try this week!

Monday – Chicken nachos (Accent Health), fruit cocktail

This is one of my family’s favorites. I found this recipe while waiting in the pediatrician’s office one day with my daughter.

Check out the recipe here: Healthy Homemade Chicken Nachos

Tuesday – Spaghetti and meatballs, green beans, garlic bread

For a healthier option, make sure your pasta is wheat. No recipes needed here! Just follow the package directions and enjoy a simple meal that is so much better for you than a trip to the drive thru!

Wednesday – Tequila Lime Chicken (Better Homes and Gardens Fast and Fresh), brown rice, frozen veggies

Ingredients:

• 1 9-oz. package fettuccine
• 1 lime
• 1 10-oz. container refrigerated light Alfredo sauce
• ¼ cup tequila or milk
• 1 9-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked grilled chicken breast strips or chunks

Instructions:

Cook the fettuccine according to package instructions and drain. Grate lime peel to equal 1 tsp. Cut lime in wedges

In medium sauce pan, heat and stir alfredo sauce, grated lime and tequila to just boiling. Stir in chicken strips and heat through. Toss sauce with hot fettucine. Serve with lime wedge.

Thursday – Herb Pork Loin Roast (Biggest Loser), sweet potato fries

I love, love, love this recipe and I'm not usually a big pork fan. It has such a great flavor. We always buy a full pork loin roast, make half and put the other half in the freezer for another time.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
• 1 (2 ½ lb.) pork loin roast
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, mix rosemary, parsley, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and ground red pepper. Rub roast with olive oil and then herb mixture. Let stand 15 minutes.

Preheat large non-stick ovenproof skillet to medium-high heat. Add pork and sear on all sides including ends until just browned. Transfer to oven and roast for 30-35 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 158 degrees in center. Cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes. Slice into thin slices and pour any pan juices over the top.

For the sweet potatoes, check out the recipe posted the first week of January on Wednesday by clicking here.

Own what your family eats one meal at a time and get them in on the action! Let them help with meal preparation and meal planning to get them excited too.

WHAT'S COOKIN' THIS WEEK? - Week of January 9

Onto week two of January’s menu. I’ve tried to create a mix of meats and veggies throughout the week for variety and to continue to expose the little one to different types of foods. I’m very lucky to have a good eater in my house who is willing to try pretty much anything at least once!

Since it’s January, it seems appropriate to include a recipe from The Biggest Loser. I love watching how this show transforms lives! I don’t have quite the same challenge in front of me, but we all need to work to live healthier

Monday

Baked Ziti (Biggest Loser), garlic bread and Caesar salad

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• Olive oil spray
• 1 (14 oz.) box of fiber-enriched ziti or penne
• 1 (15 oz.) container fat-free ricotta cheese
• 2 egg whites
• 4 cups shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Low fat, low sodium marinara sauce
• 2 tbsp. reduced fat grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the over to 450 degrees and spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray.

Cook pasta according to directions. In a separate mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg whites, and 3 of the 4 cups of mozzarella. Add in the garlic powder and salt and pepper. Once the pasta is cooked mix it in with the ricotta mixture.

In the baking dish spread 1 cup of pasta on the bottom. Then spread 1/2 of the pasta/ricotta mixture on top of that. Next spread a layer of 1/2 cup of sauce, then layer the remaining pasta/ricotta mixture over that. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce and sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top.

Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for 10 more minutes. Pull out of oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

Tuesday

Taco night

Tuesdays are hectic in our house so we need something super easy. For taco night, we just cook up some ground turkey and use whatever toppings we have on hand to make tacos or taco salads – whatever each person likes.

Typical Ingredients:

• Ground turkey
• Black beans
• Taco seasoning
• Taco shells
• Shredded lettuce
• Shredded cheese
• Black olives
• Tomatoes
• Salsa
• Sour cream

Wednesday

Turkey brats, baked beans and fruit cup

You won’t need any recipes for this menu. We get spinach and cheese turkey brats from Sam’s Club and cook up some baked beans with a side of fruit for an easy, quick, healthy dinner for the fam.

Enjoy!

Thursday

Italian white beans and chicken (Betty Crocker Quick Fixes), biscuits

Italian White Beans and Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups cut-up cooked chicken (about 1 lb.)
• ½ cup chopped drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• ¼ cup sliced ripe olives
• 2 cans (15 oz. cans) greater northern beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions:

In a 10-inch skillet, heat olive over medium heat. Cook basil and garlic in oil 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently until hot.

Shopping List: (don’t forget to check what you already have first to save money!)

• Tomatoes
• Caesar salad kit
• Garlic
• Garlic bread
• Biscuits
• Buns
• Black olives
• Black beans
• Baked beans
• 2 cans northern beans
• Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• Fruit (canned)
• Marinara sauce
• Wheat ziti or penne
• Taco seasoning
• Taco shells
• Salsa
• Red pepper flakes
• Garlic powder
• Dried basil
• Ground turkey
• Turkey brats
• Cubed chicken
• Sour cream
• Ricotta cheese
• Eggs
• Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• Parmesan cheese (grated)
• Mexican blend cheese (shredded)

WHAT'S COOKIN' THIS WEEK? - Week of January 1

Happy New Year's everyone! As the new year starts, so do new or renewed commitments to making this the best year ever. One way for us to do that is to take back our dinners and own what our family eats. My little one is old enough now that she loves helping mom in the kitchen, so I'll have a little helper by my side this year to make some tasty, healthy meals.

You've already seen the menu for the month, but here are the recipes for this week's menu.

Sunday
Pork shoulder ribs with barbeque sauce, mashed potatoes and frozen veggie

Pork Shoulder Ribs

I’ve only made ribs once, and they were on the bone in the smoker. I thought I would try something new for New Year’s Eve, especially since they were on sale this week at Meijer. I found a great recipe online at Cooks.com that I’m trying out.

Ingredients:

• 2-4 lbs. boneless beef or pork ribs (I’m using pork)
• ¼ c. salt (reviews said try using half the amount of salt listed)
• ¼ c. sugar (reviews said try brown sugar
• 3 (18 oz.) Masterpiece Barbeque Sauce (I’m using Anna Mae’s Smoky Sweet Sauce and some Montgomery Inn sauce if more is needed
• Paprika

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix equal amounts of salt and sugar (see note in ingredients about salt). Add paprika to taste. Roll each portion of meat in sugar-salt-paprika mixture. Place meat in large baking dish in about one inch of water (halfway up each rib).

Bake for one hour and turn meat. Bake for another hour and remove from oven. Drain and add barbeque sauce as needed. Increase heat to 400 degrees. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and serve.

Monday

Stuffed shells (three cheese and spinach), garlic bread and veggies

Stuffed Shells

For these shells, I use my Aunt Mary’s manicotti recipe, fill the shells by using a piping bag (Ziploc bag) and freeze the ones I’m not going to use immediately for an easy meal next month. This is also great to make on a Sunday and put in the refrigerator overnight and throw in the oven the next night.

Ingredients:

• 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach – thaw and squeeze out excess water
• 1 (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ c. shredded parmesan (grated works too)
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 (28 oz.) jars spaghetti sauce

Instructions:

Mix together filling in a bowl.

Stuff uncooked jumbo shells with filling using a Ziploc bag with a cut corner as a piping bag for easy filling.

Set aside shells that will be used within the next day. Take remaining shells and spread on a baking sheet. Place in freezer. Once they are frozen, you can store them in freezer bags for future easy meals.

Combine spaghetti sauce and 1 ¼ cup water. Spread 1 cup sauce in a 13x9x2 pan. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan cheese for topping. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, or until heated through.

Tuesday

Steak stir fry, brown rice

Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• Strip steak cut into small strips
• Red pepper
• Green pepper
• Bean sprouts
• Zucchini
• Snow peas
• Stir fry sauce

Instructions:

Cook strip steak with olive oil. Mix in stir fry sauce and simmer briefly. Mix in vegetables cut into bite-size pieces and cook in stir fry sauce for a few minutes. Serve over rice.

NOTE: Marinade chicken for tomorrow

Wednesday

Chicken with marinade, sweet potato fries, peas

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bottle marinade (we are using a mesquite marinade)
• Sweet potatoes
• Minced garlic
• Rosemary (dried or fresh)
• Olive oil
• Salt
  

This one is pretty easy. I marinade the chicken overnight so it is ready to just put in the oven. I usually pound my chicken pretty thin first to make it easier to eat. Put chicken in baking dish and bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

For sweet potato fries, cut sweet potatoes into fry-like strips. Toss with a mixture of minced garlic (1 tbsp.), dried rosemary (1 tbsp.) or fresh rosemary finely chopped, olive oil (2 tsp.) and a pinch of salt. Cook for 15 minutes at 450 degrees. Turn fries and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Thursday

Lemon and herb salmon packets (Betty Crocker Quick Fixes)

Lemon and herb salmon packets (a meal in itself)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked instant rice
• 1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth (fat free or low sodium)
• 1 cup carrots (matchstick-cut)
• 4 salmon fillets (4-6 oz. each)
• 1 tsp. lemon pepper seasoning
• 1/3 cup fresh chopped chives
• 1 medium lemon, cut into slices

Instructions:

Heat grill. Spray four 18x12-inch sheets of aluminum foil with cooking spray.

Mix rice and broth in medium bowl. Let stand for five minutes until most of the broth is absorbed. Stir in carrots.

Place salmon fillets on center of each foil sheet. Sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning and top with chives. Arrange lemon slices over salmon. Spoon rice mixture around each fillet. Fold foil over salmon and rice so edges meet. Seal edges fold over a few times to make a tight seal, but leave space inside pocket for expansion.

Cover and grill packets 4-6 inches from low heat 11-14 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Place packets on plates. Cut large X across top of each packet and carefully fold back foil to allow steam to escape.

Shopping list:

• Bean sprouts
• Carrots
• Fresh chives
• Fresh parsley
• Fresh rosemary
• Green pepper
• Russet potatoes
• Red pepper
• Lemon
• Snow peas
• Sweet potatoes
• Zucchini
• Frozen spinach (10 oz.)
• Frozen veggies (2)
• Peas
• Garlic bread
• Brown rice
• Instant white rice
• Stir fry sauce
• Barbeque sauce
• Pre-mixed marinade
• Spaghetti sauce
• Jumbo shells
• Chicken broth
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Lemon pepper seasoning
• Chicken breasts
• Salmon filets
• Pork shoulder boneless ribs
• Strip steak (or any kind you can find inexpensively)
• Eggs
• Parmesan cheese
• Ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
• Shredded mozzarella (low-fat/fat free)