On holiday hiatus...

Happy Holidays!

Menu #71

December is just flying right by!  We are having some great holiday fun along the way though!  I am prepping for a holiday party this weekend, and I’m making this festive-looking pepper jelly as small Christmas gifts to hand out to our friends.  I’m short on time today, but I’ll get the recipe to you later this week.  It’s simple and scrumptious.  Our favorite ways to use the pepper jelly are on bagels with cream cheese, on brie en croute, and as a glaze for salmon…yum!

On to our weekly menu . . .

Monday:  B4D—Pork & Potato hash w/ tomatoes/poached eggs/pumpkin pancakes

I made pork steaks smothered in tomatoes and garlic the other night and I had 2 steaks leftover, so I’m using the leftover to make this hash. 

Tuesday:  Clam Chowder in “Sprouts” bread bowls

Didn’t get to this last week. 

Wednesday:  l/o

Thursday:  Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry/steamed brown jasmine rice/mandarin oranges & edamame

Friday:  Party Food Tasting

I will be busy with party food prep all day, so we will be forced to taste all day!  J

Saturday:  Holiday Party!

Appetizers: 

Barbecue Sausage Slices (spicy beef w/ jalapeno & sweet turkey w/ pineapple)

Queso Dip (spicy & mild) w/ tortillas chips

*Guests are bringing along more appetizers

Soup Station:

Chicken Stew

Roasted Tomato-Red Pepper Bisque

Cheesy Breadsticks

Whole-Wheat Rolls

Desserts:

Cooking-Decorating Table w/ sugar cookies, gingerbread people, vanilla frosting, and lots of sprinkles & candy

Peppermint Fudge

Happy Holidays!!!

Menu #70

We’re back from Arizona and we had a great time!  Laddie’s parents bought a beautiful house on a golf course in the middle of the desert.  He had a great time golfing every day we were there.  X-man even played 18 holes with them one day and had a blast.  We drove to The Grand Canyon National Park and stayed in one of their lodges for a couple nights, what a great experience!  I’ve seen the Grand Canyon on TV plenty of times, but it was so breathtaking up close and personal. 

 Now, it’s back to school and back to our regular routine.  Here’s this week’s menu . . .

Monday:  Orange Chicken/Asian slaw/steamed jasmine rice

Tuesday:  Pasta & Bean soup/breadsticks

Wednesday:  Leftovers

This is Family Fun Night at X’s school and I’m in charge of one of the craft booths.  The kids get to make crafts and then wrap them to give out as Christmas gifts.  There will also be a cookie & cocoa station.  X is going to love this! 

Thursday:  Pork Chops/roasted broccoli/smashed potatoes

I’m not sure how I’m going to prepare the chops yet.   We got a bunch of meat from a friend who had a pig butchered and we are just loving the pork!  He gave us bacon, several different kinds of sausage, and lots of pork chops. 

Friday:  Make-Your-Own Pizza Night/ spinach salad/Ninjabread cookies

I found a great kit at our local grocery store for Ninjabread cookies!  There are little cookie cutters to cut out Ninja-shaped cookies and X can’t wait to make them!  J 

Saturday:  Clam Chowder/breadsticks

As much as I love clam chowder, I’ve never made my own for some reason.  I’m excited to finally give it a try!

Sunday:  Leftover Clam Chowder

Fall Dinner Party: Festive Pork Roast & Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce

Last weekend I threw a Fall Dinner party as a birthday celebration for some friends and family.  On the menu was a roasted pork loin, pasta with roasted butternut squash sauce, and bacon-wrapped green beans.  For the starter I served a fancy cheese platter with brie, gouda, Roquefort, and goat cheese rolled in cranberries & cinnamon.  For dessert I made a beautiful pumpkin roll served with butter pecan ice cream.  It sounds like a lot, but it was a fairly easy menu.  The roast was marinated for 24 hours and then just thrown in the oven to roast…easy.  I made the butternut squash sauce the day before, so all I had to do was re-warm it the night of the party and add some pasta water to thin it out a bit.  I blanched the green beans the day before, pre-cooked the bacon slightly, and wrapped them into bundles, so all I had to do was throw them in the oven for 10 minutes while the roast was resting.  I also made the pumpkin roll the day before, let it set in the fridge overnight, and just added a sprinkle of powdered sugar before serving. 

Festive Pork Roast

3/4 C dry red wine (I used a Paso Robles Pinot Noir)

1/3 C brown sugar

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C ketchup

1/4 C water

2 T grape seed oil (use whatever cooking oil you have)

1 T soy sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 t fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 t curry powder

1/4 t black pepper

4.5-5 lb boneless pork loin roast

In a large sealable plastic bag, placed in a bowl to prevent spillage, add all the ingredients except the pork roast.  Seal the bag and mix everything up by squishing the bag until all the ingredients have combined to make a very fragrant marinade.  Add the pork roast and marinate in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.  Turn the bag every once in a while so the whole roast gets marinated well. 

After marinating, remove the roast from the bag reserving the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and allow to set out at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Place the meat on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan and insert a meat thermometer through the center of the roast.  Roast at 325 degrees for 2 hours 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 150 degrees. 

During the last 30 minutes of roasting, pour the marinade into a saucepot and bring to a boil and cook about 10 minutes.  During the last 15 minutes of roasting, baste the pork roast with the marinade frequently. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce

3-3.5 lb butternut squash, roasted

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 T butter

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

6 sage leaves, sliced or chopped

1 C reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 C heavy cream

S&P, to taste

Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepot over medium-high heat.  Add the bell peppers and cook until starting to caramelize.

Add the sage and garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the roasted butternut squash pulp and chicken broth, season with S&P, and mix to combine.  

Add this whole concoction to a blender and puree until smooth.  Return the sauce back to the saucepot and add parmesan cheese and cream, mix well, and taste for seasoning. 

This would be great tossed with hot pasta, but I just served it on the side so that we could add it as a sauce for the pork also and so that the kids could eat plain pasta if they wanted. 

The curry in the marinade of the pork goes so well with the butternut squash…yum!  

Menu #69

I'm not able to get to my computer right now, so no pics since I'm doing this post from my tablet.

Tomorrow I'm going to post pics and recipes from my dinner party I threw this past Saturday which, by the way, was fabulous!  I decided on a menu of red wine-marinated pork loin roast, pasta with roasted butternut-pepper sauce and bacon-wrapped green beans.  I had a fancy cheese platter for a starter and a beautiful pumpkin roll for dessert.  It was a great night, although I was moving a little slow the next day.  ;-)

We have a short menu because were leaving on Saturday to Arizona to visit my in-laws for a few days.  From there we head to a cabin in the Grand Canyon for a couple nights!  We'll enjoy Thanksgiving dinner at the in-laws on our way back to California.  This week's menu. . .

Monday:  Grilled Burgers on pretzel buns w/ spring mix, tomato, red onion, & Gouda/baked fries

Tuesday:  Zuppa Tuscana & garlic pretzel buns

Wednesday:  Creamy Tomato Sauce w/ whole-wheat penne/roasted spaghetti squash/salad w/  balsamic vinaigrette

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  Breakfast for Dinner to use up everything in fridge...probably frittata or potato-veg hash w/ poached eggs and pumpkin parfaits.

Saturday-Friday:  Visiting in-laws and the Grand Canyon!

Menu #68

X-man missed 2 days of school last week because he was sick with an ugly cold and now it’s my turn.  L  I’m in the recovery stage of an ugly cold and I can’t wait to be over this!  His sick-day soup of choice was tomato soup, which was pretty much all he ate last week.  My sick-day soup of choice is chicken noodle with lots of garlic and I definitely feel better after having it.  My mom always made garlicky soups and honey teas for me when I wasn't feeling well and it always made me feel better. . .and still does. 

Garlicky Chicken Noodle Soup

yields:  4 servings w/ leftovers

2 split chicken breasts

6 cups cold water

2 T grape seed oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

3 handfuls of baby carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

S&P

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 qt chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1/2 t garlic powder

1 t poultry seasoning

2 large handfuls of whole-wheat egg noodles

Place the chicken breast in a pot and pour in the 6 cups of water and add a pinch of water.  Allow the water to just come to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer.  Poach the chicken for 30 minutes, remove from the water, and allow to cool before cutting into bite-size pieces.  Strain the poaching liquid and set aside for later use. 

In a large pot heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery, season with S&P, and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5-8 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.  Add the reserved poaching liquid, chicken stock, bay leaves, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning, and season with S&P.  When it comes to a boil, partially cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Turn the heat up to medium and add the noodles to boil about 10 minutes, then add the cubed chicken and cook until warmed through and the noodles are tender. 

Tuesday:  Garlicky Chicken Noodle Soup/salad & breadsticks

Wednesday:  Leftover soup, salad, & breadsticks

Thursday:  Chicken Marsala/garlic & olive oil whole-wheat penne w/ zucchini

Friday:  Coconut-Curry Chicken Thighs w/ peppers/steamed jasmine rice

Saturday:  Fall Dinner Party!  Menu:  TBD

I’m having my BFF over for an early birthday dinner combined with a belated birthday dinner for her hubby.  It’s going to be a fun night filled with yummy food, tasty wine, and great conversation.   I haven’t quite decided on the menu yet though.  I want it to be comforting, Fall festive, and delicious, of course.  My first thought was a pancetta-wrapped pork roast w/ creamy baked polenta and butternut-pepper soup for a starter, but I’m now leaning towards a large pot of Beef Bourguignon over buttered noodles with a cheese, nut, & dried fruit platter for a starter.  I’m thinking something with apples for dessert. . .

Sunday:  Party Leftovers!

Slow-Cooker Italian Pork Roast

This is a simple pork roast recipe that can easily be adapted to whatever you have on hand.  I used up some leftover vegetables from the week before along with herbs from the garden.  It was supposed to be served with polenta but I didn't have everything I needed for that, so I went with pesto smashed potatoes and parmesan roasted broccoli.  It was a delicious meal!

For the broccoli, I drizzled broccoli florets with olive oil and seasoned with S&P and roasted them at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, added shredded parmesan cheese and roasted for another 5 minutes.  For the potatoes, I just made regular mashed potatoes with milk and a little butter and added a couple of large spoonfuls of pesto.

The next day I made little pesto tater tots with the leftover smashed potatoes and they were so tasty!  I used the same recipe for my regular mashed potato cakes omitting the addition of green onions.  I then placed them on parchment paper and baked them in a 400-degree oven for about 20 minutes, turning them over during the baking process to brown all sides.  I served them with a marinara dipping sauce. . .yum!  I actually don't have a pic of the finished tots because they went so quickly!  :-)

Slow-Cooker Italian Pork Roast

1 handful of parsley leaves

10 basil leaves

2 large sprigs of rosemary

1 T minced garlic

1-1/2 t salt

5 grinds of fresh black pepper

2 lb pork sirloin roast

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

2 carrots, chopped

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 C diced tomatoes

1/2 container sliced cremini mushrooms

1/2 C reduced-sodium chicken broth

Coarsely chop up all the herbs and set them in a mortar along with the garlic and S&P.  

Use a pestle to grind everything into a paste.  You could easily use a small food processor for this step if you don’t have a mortar and pestle. 

Rub the garlic-herb paste all over the pork roast.  Heat up the oil in a large pan over high heat and sear the roast on all sides, creating an herb crust.

Put the carrots and onions into the slow cooker and add the roast on top.  Add the tomatoes on top of the roast along with the mushrooms and pour the chicken broth around the roast.  Cook on low for 6 hours.