Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Our Week in Dinners Oct 17-23rd

Monday Oct. 17th- Chicken and Rice Casserole
(For us, I made this in the morning since I would be out of town, so my hubby could just pop it in the oven for dinner, so it works well for that, or an easy meal after work, etc!)

2 chicken breasts
1 cup brown rice
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups broccolii,chopped
8 oz cream cheese
2 cups (shredded) chedder cheese
1/2 chopped onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves
Season salt
Directions:
* Cook Chicken breasts in skillit w/a little oil,chopped onion, garlic, and season salt to taste. (Tip:Check and make sure you do not have any seasonings that have MSG (monosodium glucanate) in them! Just about everything can be purchased with NO MSG now days!)
*Cook 1 cup rice with 2 cups water until done.
* In a 9x13 baking dish, mix together  hot cooked rice, chicken ( chopped into bite sz pieces), broccoli, cream cheese(may be easier if you have out at room temp for easier mixing),  & chicken broth. Top with cheese. Bake @375 for 20 mins.



Autum Veggie Lasagna
Ingredients: 2tbsp unsalted butter, 2 1/4 cups peeled,cubed butternut squash, salt&pepper
1 can (15oz) pumpkin puree ( or can use fresh cooked, 2 cups)
1 egg, 10 egg roll wrappers (5-in square), 1 3/4 cups shredded gouda cheese (8oz), 8 large basil leaves.
White sauce: 2tbspbutter,1/2 cup finely chopped shallots, 1/4 c flour, 2 cups milk (warmed) 1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese. Salt and pepper ( Melt butter in saucepan, add shallots cook 5 mins, then stir in flour (2 mins) whisk in warm milk, bring to boil, and cook for 2 minutes. (whisk constantly) Remove from heat and stir in parmesan and 1/2 tsp salt &pepper.
*Directions: Melt butter in skillet, add squash and 1 cup water and simmer over med heat, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until water is evaporated and squash is golden and tender. Set aside
*(Position rack in upper third of ocen and preheato to 400)
Grease a 8 in glass baking dish, and spread 1/2 c white sauce in bottom. In a bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree and egg.
cut half the egg roll wrappers into 3 strips each. Fill large bowl with hot tap water(as you work w/the wrappers, dip them in the water to rinse off the starch) Use 1 whole wrapper and 3 strips to cover the bottom of the dish in a single layer ( overlap will be ok) Spread a generous 1/2 c of pumpkin mixture on top and sprinkle w/ 1/3 c cheese. Repeate the layering.
Add another layer of egg roll wrappers, spread with 1 cup white sauce, and top with squash, basil and 1/3 c cheese. Add another layer of egg roll wraps,remaining pumpkin, and 1/3 c cheese. top w/ remaining egg roll wrappers, and white sauce.
Cover dish with Foil, and bake in upper oven for 30 mins., then uncover, sprinkle remaining cheese and continue to bake until top is golden/bubbling ( about 10 mins) Cool, and Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes and Cabbage
This may seem to be too light of a meal for some, so you can easily pair with meat, but this is a easy meal night for our family, sometimes paired with Chicken or fish, other nights, we enjoy a fresh blended fruit smoothie (recipe below) after.
4 Potatoes of choice ( mix red and white, or just use russet!)
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp butter
salt, pepper, fresh or dried Rosemary and basil
Rinse, and cut potatoes into chunks. Set into 8x8 dish. Melt butter and add to oil, and pour over potatoes. Season to taste with above seasonings and mix well to coat oil,butter and seasonings. Cover with foil and bake @375 for 20 mins, then remove foil, toss and contiue to bake for 5-7 mins.
Cabbage: 1 med- large head of green cabbage.
2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, salt and pepper
Chop cabbage, and place in deep skillet with 1 1/2 cups water. Add cider, honey salt and pepper, and bring to boil, then reduce to low boil. Cover and simmer for 20 mins/until water evaporates.

Fruity Smoothies
1 cup mixed (or any) frozen berries
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 tbsp honey
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
3/4 cup coconut milk
Blend above together in blender, and serve. makes two 8 oz glasses
Easy Turkey Chilli
1lb ground turkey, 2tbsp oil,1 onion chopped,2 cloves garlic, 1tsp ground cumin,1 tsp chilli powder, 15oz can chick peas, 2 cups fresh diced tomatoes,(or 14-15 oz can of diced tomatoes) 1/8 cup tomato paste, 1/4 cup sliced scallions.
Brown turkey in oil, add onion,garlic, and spices and cook.  Add chickpears, tomatoes and 3/4 cup water, bring to boil. Simmer until thick. Serves 4.
(add 1/2 cup sweet organic corn if desired at same time as tomatoes!)
Yummy Searved with Wholegraine tortilla chips or fresh bread!!

Lentil Stew ( with Sausage, chicken or sweet Italian)
2 tbsp olive oil, 1 lb chicken or sweet itailian sasauge, 1 onion chopped, 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped, 1 large carrot, chopped, 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 8 oz brown lentils, rinsed. 4 cups chicken broth, 2 cups kale, chopped. Parmesan cheese (to sprinkle over top if desired)
Heat oil over med-high heat, add sausage and cook until browned, transfer to a bowl. Add the onion and carrot, and cook 3-4 mins, add garlic and rosemary, then lentils and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until lentils are tender ( 25-30 mins) Stir in Kale and sasague and cook 3-4 mins.  Season w/salt and pepper.

Boston Baked beans ( Julie O'Hara)

1lb dry navy beans, rinsed
2 bay leaves, 1 large white onion chopped, 5 cloves garlic, chopped, 10 tbsp tomato paste, 4 tbsp sucanat, 2 tbsp pure maple syrup, 2 tbsp low -sodium soy sauce, 5 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tbsp dried mustard powder, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp sea salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, and 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper.
In dutch oven or  heavy ovenproof pot, add beans and enough water to cover by 2 inches.  Nring to a boil unvovered on high heat, boil for 2 mins. turn off heat and cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse beans, wash pot and return beans to pot
to pot with beans, add 6 1/2 cups water, and bay leaves.bring to boil, reduce and simmer until beans are tender, about 1 hour ( partially cover w/a lid)
preheat oven to 300' and add remaining ingred. to beans and stir until combined. When beans return to a simmer, remove lid and transfer pot to oven. Bake uncovered 1- 1 and 1/2 hours stirring every 20 mins, until beans are thick and dry crust forms on top. if beans seem too dry add 1/2-1 cup addtitional water. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
260 calories per servings ( serves 8), 1.5g fat,49 carbs,15g sugar,14g protein

Weekend Baking

Flourless PB & Choc Chip Cookies
 *1 c Peanut butter, 1 c brown sugar, 1 lrg egg, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/2 c semi-sweet chips
* Beat first four ingredients together, stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tbsp of dough         two in apart on baking sheet.                                                                                   Bake @350 for 10 mins
Citrus-caramel Poached Pears
2 bose pears, peeled. 1 and 1/2 cups orange juice (5 oranges, plus zest) 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cinn stick
in sauce pan, place pears, orange juice, sugar, and cinn stick. Cover and cook over low heat until fork tender ( 30 mins) Remove pears and reduce liquid over med high heat until syrupy (12 mins), remove from heat, and drizzle over pears, garnish with zest.

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