Menu Planning: March 2013

7/29/2019 Menu Planning: March 2013

1/15

Menu Planning: March 2013

WEEK ONE

Tortilla PizzaRecipe by Mari et Femme

Ingredients: Tortilla (my fave: La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Tortillas) Marinara {or pesto} (my fave: Trader Joe's organic tomato basil marinara) Veggies {be creative} (use whatever you've got in the fridge! Pictured: red and yellow peppers, onions,

kale)

Meat {or no meat} (deli turkey or leftover chicken) Mozzarella (my fave: fresh! or cheese sticks) Toppings: avocado, basil, cilantro, fresh tomatoes, salsa, parmesan, S&P

Directions:

Preheat oven to broil {HIGH}, spread sauce onto tortilla, pile on the veggies (pretty colored ones), meat, cheese,

place in oven under broiler until cheese is bubbly and browning {5-6 minutes}. TURN YOUR BACK AND IT

WILL BURN!

Tips to enhance the yumminess and prettiness:

1. Roast or saut veggies before2. Add your favorite seasonings3. Experiment with the endless combos: tex-mex, margarita, pesto chicken, Thai peanut, etc.)


2/15

Skinny AlfredoRecipe by High Heels & Grills

Ingredients:

1 13.25 oz. box of pasta (I like that Dreamfields Penna Rigate) 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 cups of skim milk 1 cup of chicken broth 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/2 cup grated low-fat Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.2. In the meantime, heat olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan.3. Add garlic and saute until golden brown.4. In a small saucepan, stir together milk, chicken broth, 3 Tbsp. flour (save the other Tbsp. for later), salt, and

pepper over low heat until smooth and thick. Stir into garlic.

5. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the sauce is thick.6. Add the last Tbsp. of flour for additional thickness and stir in with Parmesan cheese.7. When sauce is to the desired thickness (remember it will get thicker as it cools), pour over pasta noodles.


3/15

Cowboy QuesadillasRecipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 C white rice

1/3 C black beans

1 cup diced cooked chicken1/3 C fresh frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)

2/3 C diced tomato

3 Tbs sliced green onion

1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)

1/4 C bbq sauce

6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6)

Dipping Sauceequal parts bbq sauce and ranch dressing

Combine rice, beans, chicken, corn, tomato, green onion and shredded cheese. Add bbq sauce and stir to

combine. Place about 1/3 C of mixture on half of each tortilla and fold over to close.

Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stove top. When hot, spray lightly with cooking spray, or drizzle with canola or

olive oil. Place quesadillas in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Flip and repeat

on opposite side. Cool for a few minutes and then serve with BBQ-Ranch dipping sauce.


4/15

WEEK TWO

Puffed PancakesRecipe by Baked Bree

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

zest of half a lemon

raspberries and blueberries

powdered sugarmaple syrup

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.2. Add the eggs to a blender. Let it run for 30 seconds or so. You can do this by hand if you want to, but I like

how frothy the batter gets in the blender.

3. Add the flour, milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Blend again.4. Pour 2 Tablespoons of melted butter into the blender while it is running.


5/15

5. Take the pan out of the oven and add the rest of the butter. Butter the sides and bottom of the pan.6. Pour the batter into the hot pan and put it back into the oven.7. Fill the center with raspberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Breakfast is served.

Tip: This recipe works best if the eggs are room temperature. I never think about that when I am making this recipe,

so I drop the eggs in warmish water for 15 minutes before, works like a charm.

Yummy Bowl & SauceRecipe by Your Homebased Mom

Layer One - Rice,brown or white

Layer Two - Yummy Sauce

Layer Three - Cheese of choice

Layer Four - Vegetables such as shredded carrots, broccoli slaw, tomatoes, green onions, avocados, olives, etc.

Layer Five - Chicken or other meat of choice

Layer Six - Chopped nuts, almonds, peanuts, cashews, etc.

Layer Five - Teriyaki sauce or other sauce of choice or nothing!


6/15

Yummy Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 C canola oil

1/2 C almonds (for a creamier sauce, use almond flour)

1/3 C nutritional yeast (Whole Foods)

1/2 C chickpeas or 1/2 C garbanzo beans, cooked

1/4 C soybeans, cooked

1/2 C filtered water (I just used bottled water)

1/2 C fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp. dried organo

1 tsp dried cilantro

Directions:

Combine almonds, beans and oil in blender or food processor and process. Add all other ingredients and puree until

nice and creamy smooth. Cover and let refrigerate for one hour. Keep refrigerated between uses.

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken with Coconut-Lime RiceRecipe by Bev Cooks

for the chicken:

* 6 chicken thighs

* 3/4 cup soy sauce

* 3/4 cup water

* 3/4 cup coconut milk (from a can, save the rest

for the rice)

* 3 huge Tbs brown sugar

* 3 scallions, chopped

* 1/2 white onion, chopped

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1/2 tsp sesame oil

for the rice:

* 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice

* 1 cup (remaining from the can) coconut milk

* 1/2 cup cilantro, plus more for garnish

* on the sidegrilled broccoli

Combine everything except the chicken in a largesealable plastic bag, then dump the chicken in. Seal

it up, swish it around. Stick her in the fridge for

about 4 hours. Flip the chicken half-way through.

When youre ready to grill, preheat the grill to

medium. Add the chicken and grill until cooked


7/15

through, maybe 6 minutes per side. Tent and let rest a couple of minutes.

Pour the coconut milk and another cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, reduce heat and

simmer about 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and fluffy. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

Steak Fajitas with Chimichurri SauceBy High Heels & Grills

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch of fresh parsley (unless you want the chimichurri sauce to be overwhelmed with parsley andcilantro, don't use the full bunch like Sunny suggests, trust me)

1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro 1-2 cloves garlic 1 large red onion salt and pepper

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 1 lb chuck or top round steak 3 poblano peppers (or any of your favorite pepper combinations) 1/4 cup beer (or ginger ale :) 8, 8 inch tortillas lime wedges (optional)


8/15

Directions:

1. Combine the parsley, cilantro (stems and all for both these ingredients), garlic, 1/2 of your onion, salt andpepper, vinegar, lemon juice, and olive oil in a food processor and blend thoroughly. Taste it, if you think it

needs more parsley and cilantro, have at it. However, Sarah and I both felt that the full bunches were way too

much. Also, add as much salt and pepper as you feel it needs.

2. Poke a bunch of holes into both sides of your steak with a fork. Place your steak into a resealable bag and addhalf of your chimichurri sauce. Marinate in the fridge for 1 hour. You can add lime juice or lemon juice to the

remaining chimichurri sauce to create a dipping concoction for later.

3. After your hour of marinating time, salt and pepper your meat and grill it to your liking. As a general rule, forthin strips of beef, cook for about 1 minute on each side. For thicker steaks, cook for around 6 minutes on each

side.

4. Now for the veggies. Slice your peppers and the other half of your onion. Heat your butter on the saut pan untilit just starts to bubble. Add your veggies. Cook for about 8 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring often. Add

your beer/ale/beverage-concoction-I-really-don't-care-what-you-use and cover. Cook until the veggies are soft

and delicious.

5. Now, simply combine your sliced beef and the remaining ingredients as you desire. Serve with lime and sourcream.

WEEK THREE

Monte Cristo SandwichBy Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

8 slices firm bread (a hearty French or Challah), sliced -inch to 1-inch thick

1 cups whole milk

6 egg yolks


9/15


10/15

3. Blend again for a few more seconds.4. Heat the sauce in a large skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the sauce to a heat

proof bowl.

5. Rinse the skillet clean.6. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.7. Add the corn starch and massage the chicken with your hands.8. If using fresh broccoli or green beans, boil the broccoli for 3-5 minutes until soft enough to pierce with a

fork yet firm.

9. Transfer the vegetables to a plate lined with a paper towel.10. Wipe down the skillet until dry.11. Heat approximately 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet on medium-high heat.12. Cook the onion and chicken until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 3-4 minutes.13. Add the remaining vegetables and stir-fry them together for 2 minutes.14. Slowly add a few tablespoons of sauce while stirring the vegetables and chicken.15. Continue to add the sauce a few tablespoons at a time, allowing about 15 seconds between each addition to

allow sauce to slightly cook down.

16. Spoon the stir-fry over a bowl of hot rice. Serve immediately.Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

Recipe by High Heels & grills

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. butter

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 clove garlic, minced

6 flour tortillas (12 inch)

1 can cream of chicken soup

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup uncooked white rice (makes about a

cup cooked)

1 can chipotle peppers (7 oz... or smaller if

you can find it)

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 large can enchilada sauce (or two smaller

cans)

1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

sour cream

Directions:

1. First things first, preheat the oven to375F. While that's heating up, start

up your rice-cooker-engines and get

the rice going.

2. Saut your garlic and chicken breastsin the butter on medium heat until the

chicken is just barely cookedthrough. Cover and let sit.

3. Now assemble the filling byshredding your cooked chicken and

adding the cream of chicken soup,

the cream cheese, the cooked white

rice, cumin, and onion powder.

4. Now, add 3-4 chipotle peppers{depending on how hot you want it}


11/15

to the mix; pulverizing before sticking them in. I've found it helpful to remove the seeds prior to adding the

peppers to the mix; stir until fully mixed.

5. I like to pour my enchilada sauce into a large plate or casserole dish and bathe each tortilla in the sauce fora few minutes before assembling the enchiladas. This makes the tortillas much easier to work with. Slightly

grease your casserole dish {the one you will put the finished enchiladas in}. Transfer your dripping tortilla

to the dish and place about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into the tortilla. Roll up, and repeat. If you have

a 9 x 13 casserole dish, you should get at least 6 enchiladas to fit. Once all the enchiladas are assembled,

pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of that.

6. Cook for 20-25 minutes depending on if you like crispy or goopy enchiladas. Serve with sour cream.WEEK FOUR

Bacon and Pea Macaroni & CheeseRecipe by Foodie Bride

Ingredients

8 oz penne or macaroni pasta (I use Dreamfields) 8 oz frozen peas 4 thick slices of bacon, cut into small pieces 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I use fat-free Greek) Dash of hot sauce 4 oz cheddar, shredded 4 oz fontina, shredded (or other melt-friendly cheese - not more cheddar) Salt Pepper


12/15

Instructions

1. In a medium saute pan, cook the bacon to a crisp and then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and setaside.

2. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, until al dente.3. Add the peas to the pasta water in the last minute of cooking.4. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining the pasta and peas.5.

Return the pasta and peas to pot.6. Add 1/4 cup pasta water (it must be hot), the yogurt, a few dashes of hot sauce, and 1/3 of the grated cheeseand stir until the cheese has melted.

7. Stir in remaining cheese, one small handful at a time to prevent clumping.8. Add additional pasta water as necessary to thin and melt the cheese sauce.9. Season with salt and pepper.10. Add the bacon, mix well, and serve.

8 Can Taco SoupRecipe by High Heels & Grills

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained

1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained

1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce

1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth

1 packet taco seasoning

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a largepot.

2.

Heat until warm, stirring occasionally.3. Serve with tortilla chips.


13/15

WEEK FIVE

Baked Pasta with Roasted Peppers and ZucchiniRecipe by Fuss Free Cooking

Ingredients:

2 small zucchinis, grated About 1 whole red peppers worths of roasted pepper (mine came in a jar soaked in oil, drained) 1 medium sized onion, diced 1 small head of garlic, peeled & finely chopped 1 x 400g (14 oz) crushed/whole tomatoes in a can 1 x400g (14oz) cannellini beans in can *optional* 2 cups of penne by San Remo 1 tbsp Masterfood Italian Herbs Black pepper Salt to taste cup shredded cheese (I used a mix of mozzarella, romano and parmesan) Fresh parsley for garnish *optional*
http://www.sanremo.com.au/http://www.masterfoods.com.au/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/83/ProductId/1517/Italian-Herbs.aspxhttp://www.masterfoods.com.au/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/83/ProductId/1517/Italian-Herbs.aspxhttp://www.sanremo.com.au/


14/15

Directions:

1. Peel onion and garlic. Dice onion and finely chop garlic. Set aside.2. Roughly grate zucchinis. I used a food processor with a grater disc to do mine. You want the zucchinis to

be quite coarsely grated. I find the juice from zucchinis is likely to ooze out if they were grated finely. You

dont want that.

3. Blend the canned tomato with roasted pepper until silky smooth. Set aside.4. Heat some olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add onion and saute until almost translucent. Follow by

garlic and dried italian herbs, saute until aromatic. Then add zucchini. Saute until wilted.

5. Add the tomato-pepper mixture, cannellini beans to the pot and a quarter cup of water. Let it simmer overhigh heat until boiling then turn the heat to low to a gentle simmer, covered.

6. Notethe beans are totally optional. I just like to bulk up my food so it lasts a couple of days.7. Simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat and set aside.8. Get ready your preferred short pasta. I usedSan Remos penne. Cook according to the packet direction

however, remove the pasta from the boiling water one minute before the specified cooking time.

9. Add the pasta in the sauce and mix to combine. Heat the pasta mixture until the pasta is al dente.10. Transfer the pasta to a baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese over it and place it under a grill until the

cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped parsley just before serving.

Stuffed PoblanosRecipe by Martha Stewart Recipes

Ingredients

1 can (28 ounces) wholetomatoes in puree

1 jalapeno chile (ribs andseeds removed, for less

heat), minced

2 small onions, chopped 3 garlic cloves (2 whole, 1

minced)

coarse salt and groundpepper 1 can (19 ounces) black

beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 1 cup shredded pepper

Jack cheese

1 teaspoon ground cumin 4 large poblano chiles,

halved lengthwise (stems

left intact), ribs and seeds

removed

Directions1. Preheat oven to 425. In a

blender, combine tomatoes

in puree, jalapeno, half the

onions, and 2 whole garlic

cloves; puree. Season with

salt. Pour sauce into a 9-

by-13-inch baking dish; set

aside.
http://www.sanremo.com.au/http://www.sanremo.com.au/http://www.sanremo.com.au/http://www.sanremo.com.au/


15/15

2. In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and3/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper.

3. Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish. Sprinklepoblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.

4. Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover, and continue to cook until sauce is thickenedslightly and cheese is browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.

Menu Planning: March 2013

Documents

Transcript of Menu Planning: March 2013