Weekly Menu for April 23

This will be my last weekly menu post until the fall. We have hit the time of year when dinners with friends and community events are more common than a night at home. It is what we do here and here is a taste of it this week.

Monday - Rosemary Salt Rubbed Pork Chops and roasted potatoes with green salad.

The pork chop recipe is from Amber at Northwest Edible Life. It is good, fast, fresh and it received a thumbs up from the entire crew. I used local pork chops and rosemary from the garden. I had a meeting and dinner was ready to fly before I was out the door.

For my roasted potatoes, I used red potatoes cut them in 1/4s and then gave them a little toss with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. A trick I like for roasting veggies: put your baking sheet in the oven while it is warming. After tossing the veggies in a bowl with the EVOO, shake them onto the hot sheet and those bottoms will start roasting up! 25 minutes at 425 and they will be finished just in time to be served up hot with those perfect little chops.

Tuesday - Slow Cooker Spicy Beef Tacos from Give Me Some Oven

Taco Tuesday! Surprise! Or not. We had some friends over for dinner tonight. I was able to send them home with a container of beef, some tortillas and beans and rice. Again, I used local beef and it did not disappoint. Add a little guacamole, sour cream and salsa. Bam. Dinner. My girlfriend brought a yummy chocolate chip coffee cake that was devoured by the whole crew! Thank you!

Wednesday - Roasted Veggie Pasta and a green salad

This is just so easy. Our medley this week consisted of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini and ...wait for it...asparagus from the garden! This was our first sampling after a three year wait and it was oh, so tender and good! Incredible really. There is no comparison and I might just have to throw this into the tomato category of homegrown goodness. Yes. There it is.

Cut up the veggies into large pieces. Give them a toss with some EVOO. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw them on a hot baking sheet for 25 minutes at 425. I add the broccoli in on a separate sheet for the last 10 minutes. They roast up pretty quickly.

Spoon pasta into bowls. Add a layer of veggies. Cover with your favorite red sauce. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Done!

We had friends over this night as well. She is the baker friend who makes all things wonderful, so she offered to make a rhubarb and lemon cake for dessert, I was so excited. So delicious and as soon as she posts it, I will share it with you.

Thursday - out to dinner

We took the kids swimming until late and then popped into a favorite local burger spot. I had a "Black and Bleu". It is a grilled chicken breast sandwich with Cajun spices and it is topped with a little bleu cheese. Oh so good and it is served with sweet potato fries. Love it.

Friday - oh, the guilt

I had great intentions of bringing you something extra special. I have several friends who are following a gluten free diet and I wanted to find something fun to offer them as a dinner option. As I was perusing the shelves at the grocery store I came across a packaged gluten free pizza mix from a brand I love. I thought it would be a great hit. I would try it out and keep some in my pantry if all went well. It didn't. I couldn't even get the dough off my hands to do something with it. It so a wet, gloppy mess. I had already prepared all of the toppings and I was frustrated. I yelled out to the Good Apple, who was in the garden, "Grab the kids, we are going out to dinner." I put the toppings in the fridge, threw the gloppity goop in the trash and headed out the door. This was not going to be a week in budget land because wait...

Saturday - Fundraiser dinner for the completion of the local sports fields

Holy cow! The whole island showed up! It was truly amazing. Hundreds of auction items from boats to cakes (and a meet and greet with Steve Miller, who is a local and whose music I LOVE. It was with concert tickets, dinner and lodging...awesome). The dinner was BBQ chicken AND ribs, coleslaw, beans and a roll and it was ALL done to perfection. Messy? Yes. But it was some of the best BBQ I have had (that didn't come off our own grill, of course). I can't even imagine what the headcount was. They had planned for 500 dinners and they had to rally up more food and they did. I am going to guess they served double that without blinking. Did I mention that there was fantiastic live music playing the whole time? Our community really knows how to throw and attend a fundraiser.

A special hats off to the incredibly dedicated group of parents and community members who made this happen. I can't wait to hear how much they raised.

Sunday- Grilled chicken and roasted veggies with a green salad.

Ahhhh. Back home. Back to normal-ish.

I have to head out to the garden, so I will see you on Tuesday.

Do you need some dinner ideas? Check out my other weekly menus or my real food recipes.

Weekly Menu - Week of April 16

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French Toast Casserole with Praline Topping

This was one of those weeks where the meals happened, but not for any particular reason. I was making it through my days chasing Lil Miss and trying to keep her from another ER visit. In addition, it was Spring Break for the Lil Man, so there was a whole lot of kid action this week, which was wonderful. Last weekend was Easter and all of my creative energy went into planning activities with a good friend and I lost track of planning for the week's meals. It happens. Want me to add on one more? Ok. I headed off island on Tuesday and didn't get back until Wednesday night. Yup. So it happened, all of a sudden it is Sunday and I am trying to remember what we had for dinner and I am drawing a blank for the most part.  
I CAN tell you that I made Paula Deen's French Toast Casserole for our brunch and it was a huge hit!! Now, this is not something you make everyday because, well, it is one of Paula's recipes (read: lots of half and half and butter) This french toast praline combo is guaranteed to bring smiles and happy bellies...or maybe that was the mimosas.
Monday - I can't remember for the life of me (serious momnesia this week)
Tuesday - Off island dinner...sandwiches. Totally uninspired.
Wednesday - Tortellini with ham, peas and pesto and a green salad Thank you to the Good Apple for having this on the table when we arrived home from the ferry at 6:30 after a FULL day at the zoo. Serious thank you.
Thursday - Kalua Pork TacosYou would think that we would get tired of these, wouldn't you? Nope. Too tasty.
Friday - Pizza Night with friends and bike ridingSomeone else made dinner. I do have to throw a plug out there for her salad which was spinach, quinoa and blueberries. Super yummy. 
Saturday - Pork Deja VuI had a night out with the girls and the Good Apple took the kids to Scooter Night.
Sunday - Teriyaki Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries and...the winning salad from Tracey Balderach at Our Blessed, Beautiful Big City Life. She won the OXO Salad Spinner and our local winner was Rita Miller from Rita the Builder. Congratulations ladies!!
Here is Tracey's recipe:
Vinaigrette:
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 ½ teaspoons onion juice
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup vegetable oil

Combine sugar, dry mustard, salt and vinegars. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
Whisk in onion juice and Worcestershire. Add oil slowly, whisking continuously until blended. Toss with salad. Please note: You will have dressing leftover if you only use 4 cups of mixed field greens.

Spicy Pecans:
2 large egg whites
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Hungarian Paprika
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 ½ cups pecan halves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg whites with salt until foamy. Add sugar,
Worcestershire, paprika, and cayenne. Fold in pecans and melted butter. Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet. Bake 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from over and COOL. Store pecans in airtight container. Yields 4 ½ cups ( plenty leftover for snacking as only I use 1 cup in salad)

Salad:
4 cups mixed field greens ( I use lots more!)
2 green onions, chopped
4 ounces blue cheese, crumpled ( 1 cup) .. Once again, I use lots more!
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, seeded and chopped. Gala’s work great too!!
¼ cup coarsely chopped Spicy Pecans ( I never chop mine)

Optional ingredients which work wonderful:
Avocado, Rotisserie Chicken, Red Onion
Cheers and the meal planning is on again after an off week! 

Weekly Menu - Week of April 9

Since the sun has started shining, my youngest wakes up from her naps and says, "Outside. Boots." And there it is. The latter part of our day is spent entirely outside. While this is good for the kids, it has made cooking (and blogging) more challenging. It is becoming more and more apparent that if I want to keep up with this blogging world, I will need to get a laptop of some variety. Fences. Greenhouses. Laptops. Geesh.

Well the cooking this week has been all about fast meals. Do you have some quick, healthy and delicious meals you would like to share? Tell me about them!

On to this week's menu...

:: Monday - Angel Hair Pasta with Pesto and green salad ::

I wasn't in charge of dinner this night. If I had been, there would have been some roasted veggies of a non-tuberous nature in the mix. Let it be known, I am not complaining or critiquing, just editorializing. I came home from my meeting and the kids, were happy and fed and the kitchen was clean. Yes, I am keeping him.

:: Tuesday - Kalua Pork Tacos from La Fuji Mama (recipe) ::

This is so easy, it is embarrassing. On Monday night, after doing the dishes, I stabbed a pork roast, rubbed it with Kosher salt, threw it in the slow cooker on warm and then poured a 1/4 cup of liquid smoke over it. The next morning I turned it on low for 8 hours and then back to warm. Right before dinner, I pulled it out of the slow cooker, threw it in a skillet, tore it apart, crisped it up a bit and then I served it with tortillas, salsa, guacamole, beans, hot sauce and sour cream. Done. I had some over greens with a little balsamic. A wee bit healthier.

:: Wednesday - Meatloaf, sweet potato fries and a green salad::

Americana baby. Our local beef makes everything taste better. I add in an egg from a friend's coop, Panko, worcester sauce, ketchup (HFCS free), some diced onion and a dash of soy sauce. I mix it all together and throw it in a bread pan and then into a preheated 375 oven for 40 minutes. Lil Miss eats this like she will never eat again. The next day at lunch, she ate her portion and half of mine. Yes, she is a good little carnivore.

:: Thursday - Pineapple Chicken Teriyaki Bowls ::

Soy Vay's Veri Veri Teriyaki is causing a bit of a stir in my house. I promise I will go more than two days without incorporating it into a meal and then BAM, there it is again. I just love the stuff. This was so fast and simple, I am almost embarrassed to write it up.

3 chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces, one pineapple cut into bite-sized pieces, two red bell peppers cut into bite-sized pieces. Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add everything. After 3 minutes, add a 1/4 cup of SV VVT, keep adding it as needed. Stir frequently and cook until chicken is cooked completely. Serve over brown rice and with a green salad. Yum.

:: Friday - Pizza Night with BBQ Chicken Pizza by Mental Chew ::

Friday nights are pizza and movie nights in our house. This week, we went for our favorite flavors and a new favorite flick, "Lady and the Tramp". The pizza is just so darn easy to make. It is perfect for the end of the week when you want something quick. I am going to start changing up the toppings and pretty soon we will be able to grill them! At the end of last summer, this became a family favorite. What are your favorite pizza toppings?

Pizza crust recipe (adpated from the Bread Bible). Makes 1- 16" pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon active, dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups of organic bread flour
• cornmeal for dusting

---TOPPINGS

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 c Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup mozzarella

Directions:1) In mixer bowl, pour in warm water and sprinkle yeast over the top. Mix in until it dissolves and then mix in honey. Wait 10 minutes or until it is frothy.2) Add in salt, olive oil and 1/2 cup of flour. Using the paddle attachment on level 2, gently mix and gradually add flour until it forms a ball that clears the side of the bowl.3) Switch to hook attachment and knead for 3 minutes on level 5. The dough should be elastic and keep a finger imprint when touched.4) Remove the dough from the bowl. Lightly grease the bowl with olive oil. Place the dough back in a and cover for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until it has tripled in size. 5) Preheat oven to 500, 20 minutes prior to bake time. If you are using a stone, warm it in the oven.6) Remove the dough from bowl and stretch it into a circle. I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal on my marble slab and use a rolling pin to get it started. Place on a cornmeal sprinkled paddle or cutting board and brush with olive oil. 7) Add toppings. In this case, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, thinly sliced red onion and 2 previously cooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces. Sprinkly 1 cup of mozzarella over the top. Place on hot pizza stone for 10-15 minutes. Watch it carefully.
I like to make my crust diameter a little wider than necessary. I brush the sauce out to the end and then fold it back over like a galette.
*Sweet Baby Ray's has high fructose corn syrup in it and is one of the only places HFCS lives in our house. I am always looking for an alternative. Any suggestions?

:: Saturday - Ham, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Salad ::

I gave in. The Good Apple wanted ham. There isn't a single local one available on the island, but sometimes you just have to compromise. It was a simple, yet wonderful dinner for four and we will be eating ham sandwiches for days!

:: Sunday - Ham Sandwiches and Potato Salad ala the Good Apple ::
We (that is the Royal "We") decided that we were going to start spending Easter night on the boat. This was our first night on this boat. We lost our previous boat to a fire over 2 years ago and the family just purchased a replacement in the late Fall. I know it wasn't going to be flawless, but I have to hand it to the Good Apple, he REALLY worked hard to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy. What a dad. I know I am bragging a bit about him this week, but like most couples, we have our real life moments where we drive each other nuts, and he was SO on this weekend. He deserves every bit of the bragging. I am not an easy person to live with, I know this, but we have been together for 16 years and we still love each other. Pretty amazing stuff.

Good night sweet island

Part of our boat tradition will be ham sandwiches and the Good Apple's potato salad. It is soooo good and he won't share the recipe. I am ok with that, because HE makes it. I am big on traditions and I am starting to attach one wherever I can.

Lil Miss appreciates the morning view

If nothing hits your fancy, try perusing these menus from previous weeks!

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Also, two quick clicks would be really sweet. Please click on the badge below if Mental Chew has helped you plan a meal or start growing some of your own food or think about what you are offering your family.

To vote, click on the badge and then click "vote" over Mental Chew.

I hope to see you around on Tuesday for "How Does Your Garden Grow?" See you then!

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

 

Weekly Menu - Week of April 2

I can tell we are heading into the longer days. Friends are gathering more often. Dinners are becoming quick, so we can return outside on the days when the sun's warmth still shines. Daily trips out to the garden bed's edge to look for late spring treats whose sprouts are just starting to emerge. Spring. I have to admit that it is getting harder and harder to sit down and blog. I want to be outside with the kids as much as possible and drink up that Vitamin D that the sun has to offer, when it appears. As I sit here typing, Lil Miss just rolled over during her nap to reveal a damp mat of curls on the side of her head. It is actually sunny and warm today.

On to this week's menu...

:: Monday - Chicken Teriyaki Bowls by Mental Chew and green salad ::

This is one of my favorite quick dinners and it has just improved. I used to make my own teriyaki sauce, but since a friend introduced me to Veri Veri Teriyaki by Soy Vay, I am completely hooked! Now this teriyaki sauce has been around since '82 and I don't know how I haven't crossed paths with it before now. Perhaps we have, we just weren't properly introduced. There is a version sold at Trader Joe's as well.

I usually avoid buying pre-made sauces because of all of the additives and HFCS and such, however, check out this ingredient list: preservative free soy sauce, fresh ginger and garlic, onions, expeller pressed soy and sesame oils and bursting with sesame seeds. Did you see how easily you read that list? No Googling or Wikipedia or Dictionary.com needed! Straightforward and tasty, too!

As I was sharing this dinner concept with a friend, she asked me to post it. So here it is...

Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
  
• 2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 1/4 cup Veri Veri Teriyaki by Soy Vay
  
• Head of organic broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 5 organic carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• 2 cups organic long grain brown jasmine rice
  
• 5 cups of water
  

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package directions. You can start this before your prep work. It takes awhile.
   
2. Steam veggies until the color brightens. Remove from heat and slide lid to the side to let the steam escape.
   
3. While the veggies are steaming and the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for two minutes. Add sauce. Cook until chicken is done, approximately 5 more minutes.
   
4. When rice is ready, assemble bowls: rice, chicken on one side, veggies on the other. Add more sauce for the sauce lovers.
   

:: Tuesday - Organic Chicken and Mozzarella Ravioli (pre-made) with steamed veggies and pesto and spinach salad ::
Thank goodness for pre-made organic food. This isn't something I do every day, but it IS incredibly handy to have in the freezer on those days when you realize at 10 AM that you were supposed to take the beef roast out of the freezer on SUNDAY! Oops. I took the leftover veggies from Monday's dinner and threw them in with the ravioli and then made a quick spinach salad. Instant dinner.

Our spinach salad went a little something like this: spinach, craisins, feta, red onion and balsamic vinegar. Yup. Done.

:: Wednesday - COMMUNITY DINNER ::
To say that we are incredibly fortunate to have a healthy and delicious lunch program at our schools is the understatement of the year. The San Juan Prevention Coalition and the school district's "Food for Thought" program join up during the school year to have community dinners that help fund the lunch program. The food is always through-the-roof tasty and made by high school students who are in the cooking program. Enough already, you want to know what they made?

Cost? $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 12. It is the best deal you will EVER get. A big thank you to all of the community members, teachers and students who make this program happen. It makes my heart so happy to see how school lunches have metamorphosed since they took over.

:: Thursday - Nicaraguan Dinner by Abu ::

Now see, I made it, but it wasn't as good as her's. Everyone loved it, but it didn't have that little umph she puts into it.

Beans in the slow cooker. Rice in the rice cooker. Cut up pork into 1" cubes. Mix tbsp of achiote with 2 tbsp lemon juice. Heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in skillet. Add achiote / lemon mixture and stir until pork is cooked thoroughly. Done.

 

Throw some beans and rice in the skillet with a little evoo and sliced up onions. Bam. Crazy tasty dinner, just like that.

 

:: Friday - Pizza Night by Mental Chew and friends ::

Last week I shared the recipe for my BBQ Chicken Pizza, so darn good. This week we were heading over to a friend's house for a dinner / movie / popcorn night and I offered to bring the pizza dough. They offered to supply the toppings and I have since found a new favorite! Chicken, red peppers, pineapple and turkey pepperoni. It was fast and tasty. A little spice. A little sweet. Nice color combo. The whole crowd chowed down and Lil Miss even tried to steal some off of her friend's plate after she ate all of hers. The Lil Man gave it two thumbs up and told me to put it on the repeater list. I would say that is a pretty awesome review.

:: Saturday - Pasta and Pie ::

One of my favorite people celebrated her birthday this week and so...she invited US over for dinner. How does that work out? Well, her parents were visiting, so it just worked out that way. Her husband is a great cook and we had a smorgasbord of incredibly palate pleasing choices. Caesar Salad with croutons, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes. Angel hair pasta with red sauce, kale and meatballs. Angel hair pasta with...now wait for it...Nettle Pesto. You read that right. I have been wanting to make this and MAN was it good. Very fresh tasting. Super Spring-y. Recipe coming soon. I think I am going to try to make some with pecans this week. After we ate the pasta, he came out with a lamb pie. I am not even kidding. He added brussel sprouts to the pie and overall, it was savory goodness. I would have gone in for seconds, but I was so full and the kids were ready to leave the table to go play. Great night with great friends.

:: Sunday - Turkey Burgers, roasted carrot "fries" and spinach salad ::

My burger will have a little Soy Vay on it. So hooked. The fries are just roasted carrots that I cut in long strips. Don't forget to sprinkle a little kosher salt on top.

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Remember Michelle's Bang Bang Cauliflower that I have been chatting up? When I made it last weekend, I made a little extra sauce. The Lil Man and I ate about 20 pieces of raw cauliflower dipped in that sauce for a snack. Now I crave it! I think I just might have to keep a jar of that sauce in the fridge.

Also, two quick clicks would be really sweet. Please click on the badge below if Mental Chew has helped you plan a meal or start growing some of your own food or think about what you are offering your family. I grow it, plan it, cook it, write about it. Trying to anyways!

My blogger mama friend, Becky, is also in the running. Stop by her blog and give her some voting love as well. I mean you can vote for 5 blogs, but we would appreciate your votes.

To vote, click on the badge and then click "vote" over Mental Chew and Not Your Ordinary Recipes.

I hope to see you around on Tuesday for "How Does Your Garden Grow?" We had a great turn out last week and I learned a lot from my readers! I am incredibly impressed with the gardening goals everyone is setting for themselves. We had some excitement pop in our garden this week. See you then!

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

Weekly Menu - Week of March 26

This week the Good Apple was allowed to choose some of his favorites for dinner since it was his birthweek. It's a big birthday, so he gets the entire week. After some inspiration from friends last week and digging around the freezer a bit, here is what we came up with for our menu. 
::Monday:: French Market Soup, fresh bread and green salad from Mental Chew
This is a family favorite from the Good Apple's side. His mom vacuum-packed packets of beans and garni bags for Christmas two years ago and we just worked our way through the collection. This is one of those recipes that used to allow you to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. While that is still the case, the main flavor source is the meat, without a doubt. To save some money, buy bulk beans and then create vacuum packs for later or to share with a friend or two.

I have a feeling this is going to be our last hearty soup for this year. We had a little snow and hail to bring in spring, but I am over it. So there. Here is the recipe for this flavor-packed soup. Be prepared, it takes 6ish hours, but it is absolutely delicious and even better the next day. The recipe makes at least 10 servings. We got just a little more out of it. French Market Soup is great for back-to-back dinners or warm lunches throughout the week, which is what the GA opted for!

French Market Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of mixed dried beans (black beans, pinto, white beans, red beans mix)
• 2 tablespoons of mixed Italian spices - made into a cheesecloth garni
• 12 cups of water
• 2 local hamhocks
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 large can of organic diced tomatoes
• 6 celery stalks, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 large onions, diced
• 1 organic turkey kielbasa, thinly sliced
• 2 organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup red wine

Directions:

1) Wash and drain beans. Add water, salt, hamhocks and spice garni bag. Simmer covered for 3 hours.

2) Add tomatoes, celery, garlic, and onions. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until creamy.

3) Add kielbasa and chicken. Simmer 45 minutes.

4) Add parsley and red wine (pour yourself a glass). Simmer for 15 minutes.

Serve hot and it is best the next day. It is perfect with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan and a chunk of hearty bread.

::Tuesday::Kalua pork from La Fuji Mama (recipe) Taco-styleI cannot say enough about how easy this is. We had a busy evening scheduled, so the night before, after doing the dishes. I just stabbed the pork roast, rubbed it down with salt, threw it in the slow cooker on warm and poured a tablespoon of liquid smoke over the top. 16 hours later. Dinner. I pulled it apart in a skillet and fried it up a bit using it's own juices and we turned it into delicious tacos with avocado slices and salsa. Too easy. Quick note, this week I used a pork loin roast and it was significantly leaner. I am definitely going to use them in the future.
::Wednesday::Roasted Veggie Pasta and Green Salad from Mental ChewAnother incredibly easy night.
I cut up 4 carrots, a head of broccoli, 1 red onion, 10 cloves of garlic and 4 zucchini. I put them in a large bowl, poured 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil over them and a little salt and pepper and mixed them around. Then I placed them on a parchment lined cookie sheet in the oven at 425 for 10 minutes and broil for 5. Meanwhile, I made some of our favorite penne pasta and warmed up a jar of Muir Glenn Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce. To assemble, place pasta, then veggies, then sauce and top with some freshly grated Parm. Sooooo tasty.

::Thursday::Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Breasts, Steamed Broccolini with Balsamic Vinegar for dipping and Brown Basmati RiceYes, another FAST FAST night First, I started the rice in the slow cooker. Next, I poured some Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki over the chicken breasts just before throwing them on the grill. While they were cooking, I steamed the broccolini. For serving, I cut up the breasts and threw mine over mixed greens with the broccolini and drizzled the balsamic over the top. For the kids and GA, I cut up the chicken and served it with rice and broccolini with balsamic in ramekins for dipping. 
::Friday::BBQ Chicken Pizza and Green Salad from Mental ChewI feel like I cheated this week. Every night was SO easy.



Pizza recipe (adpated from the Bread Bible). Makes 1- 16" pizza
Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon active, dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tsp of salt
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups of organic bread flour
• cornmeal for dusting

---TOPPINGS

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1/2 c Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 cup mozzarella

Directions:1) In mixer bowl, pour in warm water and sprinkle yeast over the top. Mix in until it dissolves and then mix in honey. Wait 10 minutes or until it is frothy.2) Add in salt, olive oil and 1/2 cup of flour. Using the paddle attachment on level 2, gently mix and gradually add flour until it forms a ball that clears the side of the bowl.3) Switch to hook attachment and knead for 3 minutes on level 5. The dough should be elastic and keep a finger imprint when touched.4) Remove the dough from the bowl. Lightly grease the bowl with olive oil. Place the dough back in a and cover for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until it has tripled in size. 5) Preheat oven to 500, 20 minutes prior to bake time. If you are using a stone, warm it in the oven.6) Remove the dough from bowl and stretch it into a circle. I like to sprinkle a little cornmeal on my marble slab and use a rolling pin to get it started. Place on a cornmeal sprinkled paddle or cutting board and brush with olive oil. 7) Add toppings. In this case, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, thinly sliced red onion and 2 previously cooked chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces. Sprinkly 1 cup of mozzarella over the top. Place on hot pizza stone for 10-15 minutes. Watch it carefully.
I like to make my crust diameter a little wider than necessary. I brush the sauce out to the end and then fold it back over like a galette. 
*Sweet Baby Ray's has high fructose corn syrup in it and is one of the only places HFCS lives in our house. I am always looking for an alternative. Any suggestions?
::Saturday::Potluck with FriendsSpinach salad with avocado, carrots, craisins, feta and poppy seed dressingThey offered BBQ chicken and edamame
::Sunday::Grilled steaks and Bang Bang Cauliflower from That's So Michelle.You will be seeing this one often. This may now be considered the GA's favorite meal.

1) Stop by and check out the salad recipes that are compiling at the OXO Salad Spinner Giveaway and post your favorite salad recipe in the comments for a chance to win your own.
2) TUESDAY is the beginning of "How Does Your Garden Grow?" I hope to see you there. This weekend is a big gardening weekend for us. The onions and potatoes arrived!!!  Also, some plants are finally sprouting up, so I will have something to take photos of, finally. Will the peas make a showing? You will have to wait and see.

Weekly Menu - Week of March 19

This week was different from most, the Good Apple was gone all week and as it turned out, of course, I had a sick babe on my hands. My wonderful island friends family brought us into their homes for dinner. I was so thankful for the reprieve and it was a good reminder to return the favor to friends who are on this road solo. It was a tough, humbling experience. 

The pictures were lacking this week because, well, I just couldn't pull it together. I DID capture Friday's dinner because I HAD to. It is one of our favorites and I can't wait to write it up. 

On the subject of pictures, I hereby declare that I will no longer ruin your palette with yellow toned photos. If they are yellow, they will not get posted. That's all there is to it. Now, this is going to be more easily achieved between now and September because there will be sunlight at dinner time. So basically, there are no excuses. Just sayin', throw me a reminder come October that you don't like to see yellow food. Sorry!

THE MENU

Monday- Grilled chicken breasts marinated with Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce*, steamed broccolini with balsamic vinegar served over greens and rice. Yum! (Did I mention the hot fudge sundaes with homemade whipped cream? Thank you A.S. for making the dessert run and making the sundaes with perfect whipped cream).

Tuesday- Turkey meatloaf, roasted potatoes and carrots, spinach salad with oranges, craisins and blue cheese crumbles. Dessert here too! Blueberry Streusel Pie. Num num num. 

Wednesday - Ravioli with Muir Glen Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce, sautéed zucchini and garlic (from last summer's garden!) and green salad. 

Thursday- Chicken Enchilada Soup from Mental Chew A good friend tried this recipe and suggested adding lime. GREAT idea!

Friday- Nicaraguan Dinner, this is one of our favorite meals and it is always made with love by one of our favorite family members. Pork with Achiote and Lime, Cabbage salad with a vinaigrette, and Dirty Rice (beans and rice). 

Saturday - Sesame Noodles, again. We had just returned back to the island. We were tired. I was exhausted to be honest. This time I used Yakisoba Noodles and it was just as good, if not better. 

Sunday - out to dinner for the Good Apple's 40th birthday at Roche Harbor's MacMillan Room. 

Check out this menu: 

Cave-Aged Maytag Blue Cheese Salad - America's oldest working dairy crafts this naturally aged cheese. Garnished with toasted slivered almonds, hardcooked egg and Maytag Blue Cheese.

Potato-Crusted Scallops with Smokey Bacon-Onion Relish (from the menu) Alaskan Weathervane scallops lightly breaded with potato, then seared golden. With Rain Shadow greens topped with smokey bacon-onion relish around our Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

AND dessert. We will be rolling out.

The kids stayed home with a sitter and ate a lasagna I had in the freezer, made by one of my island angel friends. 

Next week, it is all the Good Apple's choice since it is his birthweek. Hold on to your defibrillators, here we come.

*Trader Joe's Soyaki is also known as SoyVay on other market shelves. We even saw it at Costco this week. (We stocked up on organic chicken and turkey!!!)

Weekly Menu - Week of March 12

This week had some highs and lows. Two recipes didn't make it to the final menu, but we are still working on them so you can taste a refined version soon.
All recipes are linked below to their original source.

Monday - Steak and Bang Bang Cauliflower from That's So Michelle.

I cannot say enough about this cauliflower recipe, Michelle hit a major home run with this one. It is SO delicious. The Good Apple actually said that it is probably one of the best things I ever made. Seriously. THAT good.

Tuesday - Curry Butternut Squash Soup from Mental Chew served with a green salad

Wednesday - Roasted Veggie Burritos from Mental Chew

Ingredients:

• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Red Onion
• Cauliflower
• Sweet Potato
• Garlic
• Burrito fixins: tortillas, salsa, sour cream, hot sauce, cheese, rice, beans

Directions:

1. Cut veggies into bites size pieces. Place into a large bowl and tumble with a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper.
2. Cover a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour veggies onto sheet in a single layer. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Add any fresh herbs you desire.
3. Assemble burritos.

NOTE: Make a second sheet of veggies and BOOM...you have tomorrow's dinner half way done!

Thursday - Roasted Veggie Galette based on Flour Arrangement's recipe
Take your favorite roasted veggies or serve it just as Suzanne writes it. I like to use roasted carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and turnips. This is a family favorite with a green salad. (No photos...this is a fill in recipe for the experimentation that went awry this week, but I promise, you will love this recipe.)

Friday - Salsa Chicken Tacos from Mental Chew
Get your crockpot ready.


Ingredients:

• 4 boneless organic chicken breasts
• 2 containers of your favorite fresh salsa
• 2 cans of black beans (Eden Hills is my favorite)
• Tortillas and your favorite taco toppings

Directions:

1. Pour half a container of salsa into crockpot.
2. Add 2 chicken breasts, 1 can of beans and top with remaining salsa in first container.
3. Add 2 chicken breasts, 2 can of beans and top with second container of fresh salsa.
4. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
5. Pull chicken apart and serve!

It really is that easy and it tastes like you worked on it all day. When serving this to guests, don't admit how easy it was. This is a great dinner for a crowd or to have two nights in a row, which is what we did.

Saturday - Salsa Chicken Deja Vu (leftovers)

Sunday - Five Fist Chili from Mental Chew served with a green salad and cornbread
This is a great one to make extra for hot lunches during the week.


A lunch favorite this week were the Sesame Noodles with broccoli added and the Quinoa Bites. Both can be spruced up with green veggies this week to celebrate St. Patrick's Day!!


Next week's recipes are going to be quick and mostly veggie...stay tuned.

Click here to see other Weekly Menus.

All photos are taken by Val Curtis and can be used with permission only.

 

Weekly Menu - Week of March 5

Monday - Sesame Noodles, Steamed Broccoli and Green Salad


Tuesday - Butternut Squash, Chicken and Quinoa Stew and Whole Wheat Bread
















Wednesday - Jamie Oliver's Garlic Crispy Chicken, Roasted Acorn Squash and Steamed Broccoli

Thursday- Shredded Beef Tacos from Gimme Some Oven

Friday- Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Pea Salad and Garlic Bread

Saturday- MooShu Pork from Jungle Frog Cooking, Rice and Egg Rolls

Sunday - Bob's Red Mill Black and White Bean Soup Mix - recipe right from the package!

DETAILS:
Monday - The recipe I actually followed was awful, so I worked all week to bring you this one. Add broccoli, tofu, carrots, you name it. The noodles provide a delicious base. Lil Miss was scouring the floor for dropped noodles. Seriously.

Tuesday - This recipe was fast, filling and healthy. Excellent leftovers the next day as well.

Wednesday - This was another fast dinner. I followed Jamie Oliver's recipe with the exception that I doubled it and used bread crumbs instead of saltines. When I first mixed it, it came out really wet, so I added bread crumbs until it got the proper crumbly consistency. (~ 2 cups)

Thursday - These are becoming a favorite in our house. I followed the recipe to a T.

Friday - Easy night. Muir Glen Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce and a pound of local ground beef. We took it to a friend's for dinner and she provided the rest. What a treat!

Saturday - I ended up modifying this recipe quite a bit, partially because the measurements are in grams and I don't have a food scale (what?!). I used 2 lbs of pork tenderloin and half of a HUGE napa cabbage, which made a TON. We had two lunches out of it. I also used one large portobello mushroom and no bamboo shoots. For the sauce, I added another tablespoon of sesame seed oil and 1/4 c honey and I used peanut butter. It was WAY too salty without the additions.

My major shortcut for this recipe was that I went to the local Chinese Food restaurant and bought the pancakes. When I read the recipe, I decided that I didn't want to spend my day making the pancakes and I know that I am horrible at getting dough thin. So I cut to the chase and bought them. That sidestep made this a quick dinner. In addition, I would say this is great over rice. We had a tasty warm lunch on Sunday before heading out for a hike. Lil Man said we HAVE to put this on the repeater list.

Sunday - The Good Apple made this one. I had the mix in my pantry and most of the ingredients. The only thing we omitted was the butternut squash since we didn't have any on hand. It was absolutely delicious. Deep, hearty flavors and great for lunch. Definitely a repeat.