Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Week 4 in 2011



Saturday -

Sunday - Turkey Dogs and Crudites

Monday - Crunchy Tilapia (breaded in panko crumbs), Green Whole Wheat Couscous, Brussel Sprouts, Corn

Tuesday - Asian Tofu, Broccoli, Ramen

Wednesday - Crockpot Beef Stew and No-Knead Rosemary Garlic Baguette

Thursday - Multigrain Pasta with Cauliflower, Spinach, White Kidney Beans, Parmesan and Garlic

Friday - Orange-Mustard Pork Chops, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Frozen Veggie

To see my other menus click HERE

Monday, January 17, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Week 3 in 2011



Saturday - Sausage-like burgers (ground pork, fennel, paprika, garlic), Raw Veggies, Pineapple Chunks

Sunday - Chicken Tortilla Lasagna, Salad

Monday - Tofu-Teriyaki Noodles

Tuesday - Coconut-Panko Chicken Breast Nuggets (Homemade), Cauliflower, Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon

Wednesday - Smoked Turkey Alphabet Soup (crockpot), No-Knead Country Bread, Cheese

Thursday - Leftover Chili (freezer) on Multigrain Macaroni

Friday - Black Bean Quesadillas, Crudites

Check out the rest of my menus for 2011 HERE.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Week 2 in 2011




Saturday ~ Crunchy tilapia, Green couscous (green by adding 1/4 cup pureed spinach), Wedge salad with homemade ceasar dressing.

Sunday ~ Flax rotini with cheese sauce (made with pureed cauliflower), Sauteed garlic kale, Pecan pie muffins for dessert.

Monday ~ Tofu nuggets p.100 of Deceptively Delicious, Broccoli, Rutabaga "fries" p.170 Jan 2011 Chatelaine Magazine

Tuesday ~ Crockpot beef roast, perogies, carrots

Wednesday ~ Pea nutty noodles (p.128 The Family Dinner) with shredded carrot, diced cucumbers, edamame

Thursday ~ Chicken Squash Curry (p.56 Eat Right Volume#3) with Green basmati rice (green from spinach puree of course)

Friday ~ Homemade Pizza (p.108 Pioneer Woman Cookbook) and crudites

For my past menus take a look HERE.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Best Black Bean Tacos EVER!

We had the most delicious black bean tacos EVER last night! I wish I would've taken a picture because I don't like posting recipes with pictures. I will have too take a picture next time and put on here!

The recipe comes from one of the new books I got. The Family Dinner is so much more than a cookbook. There are so many tidbits of information, I think it would be a terrific addition to most family kitchens :)

So here is the recipe for those tacos.

Gary's T-Night Tacos with Cucumber Garlic Salsa (p.9 The Family Dinner)

For the Tacos

Canola Oil
2 medium onions, coarsely grated (I use 1/2 a large red onion on a box grater)
2 15-oz cans of black beans, lightly drained OR 4 1/2 cups home-cooked beans (I used two cans and rinsed them thoroughly)
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
1 Tbsp tamari soy sauce (I used light soy sauce)
2 Tbsp maple syrup (THE REAL STUFF not table syrup corn fructose crap!)

For the Toppings (I say anything you like goes)\

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used Old/Sharp)
1 cup sour cream of Greek yogurt (Greek)
Chopped avocado (I tossed mine with the rest of the lime juice and 2 Tbsp fine diced red onion)
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped lettuce (romaine)
Cucumber Salsa (SO good!)

Heat a large nonstick pan over med-high heat and drizzle the bottom with canola oil. Saute the onions until they start to soften, then add the beans, spices, soy sauce, and maple syrup.

Reduce heat to med-low and let everything gently cook for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and warm for 10 minutes in a 250F oven. (I didn't do this).

Serve the tortillas with bowls of beans, and toppings on the side.

Cucumber Garlic Salsa

1 medium cucumber, peeled (I use 2/3s of an english cucumber)
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup lime juice, divided (I used most of the juice of one lime)
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (I had flat leaf parsley and I didn't use 1/2 cup)

Peel cucumber, cut in cubes, and place in a blender (I used a food processor).

Add the peeled garlic cloves (I fine grated it), half the lime juice and a pinch of salt.

Place the top on the blender and use short pulses to blend, adding only enough juice to liquefy.

Add cilantro, stirring it in with a spoon (I adding the cilantro and pulsed some more).

Side Note:
The girls didn't really like the cucumber salsa but the licked it to taste it. I thought it was cool and refreshing especially on the tacos with great Greek yogurt!

Monday, January 3, 2011

Menu Plan Monday - Week 1 in 2011




Monday ~ Gary's T-Night Tacos (black bean soft tacos) with Cucumber Garlic Salsa (p.9 The Family Dinner)

Tuesday ~ Grainy Mustard Pork Chops, Cauliflower Sweet Potato Latkes (with applesauce, and lets not talk about the fact that we're eating Latkes with pork!), Broccoli

Wednesday ~ Danish Yellow Split Pea Soup (p.80 The Family Dinner) with Cheese Crostini (made with leftovers from No-Knead Baguettes that I LOVE to make!), Green Salad

Thursday ~ Crockpot Chicken (I put it on low for the day and put thyme, sage, rosemary, savory, garlic, onion, salt and pepper on it), Mashed Cauliflower-Potatoes, Carrots

Friday ~ Flax Rotini with Sausage Bolognese (from the freezer)

Saturday ~ I leave open for leftovers, or whatever strikes my fancy that day!

Sunday ~ We're going to start having elaborate Sunday dinners again, but it will depend on next weeks sales so I'm not sure yet!