Menu Plan Monday - September 15th

Do you ever get that feeling that your life is just passing you by? Sometimes I stop and think how in the world did I get here and I can't believe its fall of '08 already. It feels like just yesterday I was pregnant but now I've got a crazy maniac of a 14 month old son. I get these feelings when the weather starts to change, you know that smell, or when you look outside and the sunshine seems familiar. It's the thing that brings back memories. I've definitely got that feeling so in honor of my trip down memory lane this week will be full of yummy comfort foods. Some tried and true, others a new take on but I promise they will all have you reminiscing, whether its an old memory or just the last bite I can't promise.

Monday
Dinner: Ultimate Mac 'N Cheese with Bacon & Peas

There's nothing better than a huge spoonful of ooey gooey mac and cheese on a cool fall day. We're adding salty smoky bacon and crisp peas to make this a meal in itself. Heck we might even add some tomatoes and breadcrumbs on top too!

Recipe and photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.

Tuesday
Dinner:Chicken Enchiladas

You can't go wrong with traditional chicken enchiladas when you want something spicy to warm up your insides. We're sticking with our theme and bringing Tyler Florence's ultimate recipe home this week with this TexMex staple.

Recipe and photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.



Wednesday
Dinner: Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

An adaptation from the queen of home cooking herself, Paula Deen. I'll be using store bought biscuit dough and of course, changing it to cook in the crockpot. I'm using the leftover chicken from our "Already Married Chicken".

Recipe and photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.

Thursday
Dinner: Beef Shepherd's Pie

Hearty and heart warming version of an Irish family staple. Potatoes, peas and beef, you just can't go wrong.


Recipe and photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.


Friday
Dinner: Hamburgers, Green Bean & Potato Salad

Easy peasy weekend classic American staple. I think I might make this yummy potato salad to go with them too.

Photo courtesy of CookingLight



Saturday
Breakfast: Early morning at a balloon festival, we'll be eating breakfast out for my dad's birthday!
Lunch: Prolly eating out again!
Dinner: NCAA Football Night Nachos

Tradition started back in the 90's when the Cowboys had the Trio (Akman, Irving, Smith) and I was in middle school. We'd always fix nachos. Nothing fancy, just taco meat, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. Simple but tastes great when you're cheering on your team! Gig'em Aggies! and begrudgingly, Hook'em Horns (for my hubby)

Sunday
Breakfast: Oatmeal, toast and jelly
Lunch:Leftovers
Dinner: TBD, that just seems so far away right now to me.

No shopping list this week, since I have everything I need on hand as its mostly leftovers. But just in case you don't I'd suggest picking up a few cans of enchilada sauce, canned chipotle in adobe, frozen peas, WHITE cheddar but regular cheddar will work just fine too, and a can of biscuits. Oh and ground beef and chicken if you don't have any left.

Already Married Chicken

The legend behind this dish is a little sketchy, some date this as 22 years back but others state this as a recent phenom but we do know that in its January 2004 issue, Glamour printed instructions on how to make Engagement Chicken, a dish that at that time had inspired the boyfriends of three women to pop the question. Since then the magazine has received numerous letters from women who say this simple meal was the magic trick that got them a rock.

“I made Engagement Chicken for my live-in boyfriend and less than two months later, I’m wearing a wedding band. This chicken is serious stuff. But please keep me anonymous — my husband doesn’t know he was reeled in by a chicken!” a Woburn, Mass., woman wrote to Glamour recently.

So what is so special about this recipe as Adapted from Marcella Hazan’s More Classic Italian Cooking? This simple and easy dish is basically one whole chicken, lemons and seasoned with salt and pepper so how could a plain chicken make a man pop the question?

I believe it's all about the setting, and the scene. There is something about pulling a whole roasted chicken out of the oven, picture June Cleaver, and doesn't every man deep down want his very own June Cleaver? But still why would the chicken make a man propose marriage? Jon Suder, said the well-dressed bird put marriage on his mind because it seemed like a wifely concoction. "It's a meal your wife would make. It got me thinking," said Suder, who now has three children with the chicken-maker.
While I did not cook this concoction up to get my ring, I have cooked this since and I have to agree. My man did swoon at the sight of his little wifey looking like June Cleaver or Martha Stewart. But since I am already married I realized that I needed to spiffy up this basic chicken in order to really impress my man. So after a little research and guidance from the queen of the home herself, Martha Stewart, here's my "Already Married" (but I want a great gift or bigger ring) Chicken.

Menu: Already Married Chicken, rosemary roasted potatoes and lemon butter asparagus

Already Married Chicken

Marinate the chicken for at least four hours and as long as two days for the best flavor and texture. A salt rub not only seasons the meat but tenderizes it as well.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup coarse salt
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 five-pound roasting chicken
Gremolata (see below)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8 fresh, or dried bay leaves
4 lemons, quartered lengthwise, plus 3 lemons halved (optional)

1. In a small bowl, combine salt and lemon juice. Loosen the skin of the chicken from the flesh. Rub mixture under the skin and in the cavity of the chicken. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag; chill at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse all of the salt off the chicken with cold water; pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine gremolata and softened butter. Rub two-thirds of the gremolata mixture under the chicken's skin; rub the rest on the outside. Stuff the cavity with the bay leaves and the quartered lemons.
4. Place chicken in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Tuck the tips of the wings under the bottom of the bird. Transfer pan to oven. After 40 minutes, baste. If using lemon halves, place in pan, cut side down. Cover chicken with a 14-by-18-inch piece of aluminum foil. Reduce heat to 375 degrees.
5. Cook, basting occasionally, until the skin is crisp and golden, 40 to 45 minutes more. The juices should run clear when the chicken is pierced; an instant-read thermometer should register 170 degrees.in the deepest part of the thigh when done. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Gremolata

• Zest of 6 lemons, grated or finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped roughly fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots (about 2 medium shallots)

On a cutting board, chop lemon zest, garlic, parsley, and shallots until well combined.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds small red or white-skinned potatoes (or a mixture)
1/8 cup good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into 1 layer; roast in the oven for at least 1 hour, or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking to ensure even browning.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, season to taste, and serve.

Lemon Butter Asparagus

Ingredients:
24 thin asparagus spears
1 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Kosher salt

1. Wash asparagus and line them up on a cutting board with the tops even. Cut off tough bottom ends.
2. Bring a skillet or oval casserole filled half full with salted water to boil. Dump in asparagus all at once.
   
3. When water returns to the boil, cook asparagus until crisp-tender, about 1 to 3 minutes, depending on size. Drain. Return asparagus to hot pan, squeeze lemon juice over top. Add butter and a drizzle of olive oil, tossing to coat. Add kosher salt, to taste. Serve immediately.

Once everything is ready place on a candle lit table and serve up this fancy but simple chicken dinner. I'd even open up a bottle of white wine.

Now if you're feeling really happy homemaker go ahead and make a sweet dessert to wash it all down with. Possibly and apple pie with vanilla ice cream or maybe a chocolate cake.

Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole

This breakfast is a classic at our house. We absolutely love it. It's served for special ocassions and a few regular days. It is so sweet and saucy that it feels like you're eating dessert instead of breakfast. I gurantee your family will beg for more and making this casserole saves you the trouble of standing over a griddle flipping individual slices of French toast. Assemble the dish the night before your gathering, and pop it in the oven the next morning. Be sure to serve each slice bottom-side up so the pecan mixture is on top.


Menu: Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole and a big glass of milk 'cause your gonna need it.

Orange-Pecan French Toast Casserole

Ingredients:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup
Cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
2 large eggs
12 (1-inch-thick) slices French bread (about 1 pound)

1. Combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup; pour into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over sugar mixture.

2. Combine rind and next 7 ingredients (rind through eggs); stir with a whisk. Arrange bread slices over pecans in dish; pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to overnight.
   

3. Preheat oven to 350°.

4. Carefully turn bread slices over to absorb excess egg mixture. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until lightly browned.

Recipe and photo courtesy of CookingLight

Crockpot Apple and Onion-Stuffin' Pork Chops with Orange-Pineapple Gravy

I saw this recipe and I knew I had to try it out. It seems a little labor intensive so I decided to go ahead and make some tweaks to it and try doing it in the crockpot along with stuffing. This is definitely an experiment so we'll see how it turns out.

Menu: Crockpot Apple and Onion-Stuffin' Pork Chops with Orange-Pineapple Gravy and steamed green beans.

Crockpot Apple and Onion-Stuffin' Pork Chops
with Orange-Pineapple Gravy

Ingredients:
4 (1-inch thick) pork chops
2 slices bacon, roughly chopped
1 large sweet onion, 1/2 chopped and 1/2 in wedges
4 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced thin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons pineapple-orange juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Set your crockpot to 6 to 8 hours depending on your time needs.

1. Gently cut pockets into chops by slicing horizontally in the side. On a plate, place salt and pepper. Dredge chops in seasoning.
   
2. In a medium skillet over medium heat, saute the bacon, chopped onions, thyme, and sage until the bacon is almost crispy and the onions are beginning to caramelize around the edges, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Using this skillet we will make the gravy, add 1/2 cup of pineapple-orange juice and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and parsley. Transfer to a storage container and put in refrigerator until serving time.
   
4. Pour mixture into a bowl. Add apples, butter, 2 tablespoons of pineapple-orange juice and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper.
   
5. Stuff each chop with apple mixture and hold together with skewers.
   
6. Place chops in the crockpot. Add boxed stuffing mix and amount of butter per directions (I used cornbread) Add 2 cups pineapple-orange juice and remaining onion wedges around the chops. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Allow to cook until thoroughly done. Remove pork chops from pan and let rest 10 minutes.
   
8. Reheat gravy made from earlier in the day and pour sauce over pork chops & stuffin'.

Now please remember this is an experiment and you might want to watch your crockpot. Make sure that the stuffing doesn't get too dry, maybe add some water or more juice if you think it needs it. If I make an adjustments I will be sure to let you know.

Serve these chops up with a bag of steamed green beans and you've got a meal that even your mother-in-law will love!

Recipe and photo courtesy of FoodNetwork

Remembering

Remembering 9/11, there are few times in history where an event causes the nation and the world to stop in time. An event that every person who was alive knows exactly where they were and what they were doing. You can ask anyone older than 50 where they were on Friday, November 22, 1963 and they can tell you. And you can ask anyone older than 12 where they were on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 and they can tell you.

I was walking into my accounting class at Texas A&M. I sat down unaware of anything that was happening over a thousand miles away. I overheard classmates talking about how they couldn't believe what just happened but I didn't really understand. My professor walked in and his exact words "Needless to say we won't be having class today" and he walked out. I was stunned, walked out of the room, walked to the bus stop and dialed my mom. I asked what just happened, she told me, there was fear and panic in her voice. The paranoia that more was going to happen, would they strike again, should they leave the city? Off the bus, I got in my truck and drove home to find my roommate panic stricken, her father was at the Pentagon, she couldn't get hold of him. We sat glued to the tv watching in disbelief. We watched as they replayed the events, and we watched as suddenly the towers collapsed. It was like a disconnect, your heart and head just can't wrap around what your eyes are seeing. Together we sat there with that stunned silence, a feeling that we had felt together once before. See we were together when the Bonfire collapsed as well. Finally after hours my roommate got the relief she needed, her father had been at breakfast across the street from the Pentagon.

Funny how you can remember things like this. I remember it with such vivid details, the sky, the bus, the darkness of my accounting room, the smell in the air. All of this and I can only imagine what it must be like for those who were in the thick of it all. So for those who were there, those who lost their lives please take a moment today and remember. Remember where you were, remember those who died, remember those families dealing with the effects, remember those who fight now for the events of that day.

Crockpot Chicken Piccata

If you haven't figured out by now, my family survives on quick fix meals. I absolutely love the convenience of microwavable meals but the quality and content of them can make even the hardest at heart jump out of their skin when you read the labels. The sodium content alone is usually enough to make me start to sweat so to my husband's discontent I've been refraining from buying those go-to dinners. Nowdays I come home from the store and he looks around asking "well what did you buy?", because he doesn't see anything he can grab and eat out of the box. But I know that not only are our homemade meals healthier they are actually cheaper. Because my man can eat and those out-of-the-box meals end up only satisfying him as a snack, whereas I can make much more myself! Case in point is tonight's recipe. Michael Angelo's dinners are absolutely amazing. I love them, what can I say, they're the next best thing to homemade, HOWEVER, they cost an arm and a leg. I usually buy a 2 pack of their Chicken Piccata at Sam's for about $12.00, and we end up eating both packs for 1 meal. Whereas I can make my own with twice as much for less than $5.00! So after a little research and compiling a few recipes I've created a yummy Crockpot Chicken Piccata.

Menu: Crockpot Chicken Piccata, garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned peas

Crockpot Chicken Piccata

Ingredients:
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and ground black pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered
1/4 cup drained capers
1/2 can of diced tomatoes

Set your crockpot on low for 6 to 8 hours, depending on your time requirements.

1. Place chicken in zip-top bags and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until 1/4-inch thick.
   
2. Remove chicken from bag and season all over with salt and black pepper.
   
3. In a shallow dish (or plastic bag), combine flour, lemon zest, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat.
   
4. Remove chicken from flour mixture and shake off excess flour.
   
5. Add chicken to crockpot. Add lemon juice, wine and chicken broth. Add artichoke hearts, tomatoes and capers.
6. Allow to cook thoroughly, once chicken is cooked through you're ready to serve. If the sauce is too running use the cornstarch trick.

When your chicken is done prepare a box of garlic mashed potatoes per its directions and pop a bag of seasoned peas in the microwave. I like Bird's Eye Garlic Peas. Plate your chicken, potatoes and peas! What a yummy home cooked meal!

Photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

The Omnivore's Hundred

I found this on a friend's blog and it's so interesting so I thought I'd join the fun.....

The Omnivore’s Hundred is an interesting list of 100 items that Andrew Wheeler, co-author of the British food blog Very Good Taste, thinks every omnivore should try at least once in his life. He offered this list with the following instructions:

1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4. Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

Here's my list!

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos Rancheros
4. Steak Tartar
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41.Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

And I can say I'm not very experienced in the cuisine of the world!