Week 23 Themed Menu & Recipes

The week off with the kids and hubby was WONDERFUL!!!  Now back to helping you all with great dinners ideas for the week. 
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Weekly themes are as follows:

• Mediterranean Monday - We will mostly do Italian or Greek dishes but this day opens you up to try almost any dish.
• Tokyo Tuesday - Asian inspired dishes
• Wrap it Up Wednesday - Wraps, Sandwiches, Burgers, Salads, etc...
• Taco Thursday - Spanish inspired dishes
• Free for All Friday - This day is used for leftovers, dining out, or pot luck
• Slow Cooker/Simmer Saturday
• Seafood Sunday

***Saturday and Sunday are interchangeable depending on your families schedule that week.

As always, at the end of each recipe there will be a link to direct you to the site where I found these meals. You can print from the blog page or from the link that I provided.

Notes

1. My daughter has a peanut allergy so we substitute and/or omit items that may be in a particular recipe, please do the same if you or anyone in your family has any allergies/dietary needs/personal preference (vegetarian).
2. Some meals that I put on the menu will be my first time making them as well. So feedback is always appreciated
3. If there is a meal that I know my kids will not eat I will make a "kid friendly" version of it for them, I will make note of this within the recipe.
4. All families grocery budgets vary so please adjust ingredients or brands to fit the needs of your family.
5. The majority of the meals are 30 minutes or less. Meals that do take longer will have steps to help you prepare ahead of time. We all have busy schedules!

 

 

Monday - Orzo Risotto w/Spring Greens

& Grilled Chicken Breast

rachaelraymag.com

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups orzo pasta
• 4-5 boneless chicken breast
• Grill seasoning (for chicken)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus enough to drizzle on chicken breast
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups packed baby spinach
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan.  Season chicken with grill seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.                           
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the orzo until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until just golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese and simmer, whisking often, until just thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. 
4. While making sauce for orzo, grill chicken breast on grill until no longer pink in the center.  Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes.                    
5. Stir in the cooked orzo, reserved pasta water and the peas; season with salt and pepper. Cook until warmed through. Remove from the heat and fold in the spinach and scallions. Serve sprinkled with the remaining 3/4 cup parmesan cheese and grilled chicken breast. 

Serves 4, Ready in 30 minutes
Rachael Ray Magazine orzorisottowithspringgreens

Tuesday - Lemon Chicken

closetcooking.com

 

Ingredients

• 1 lemon (zest and juice)
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 small chili (chopped, or 1 teaspoon chili sauce)
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken (cut into bite sized pieces)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons ginger (minced)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 3 green onions (chopped)
• 1 handful cilantro (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)

Directions

 

1. Mix the lemon zest, juice, chicken stock, soy sauce, sugar, honey, and chili in a bowl. Do a taste test here to balance out the tartness, saltiness, sweetness and heat.

2. Place the chicken into mixture and marinate for 10-20 minutes.

3. Heat the oil in a pan.

4. Add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about a minute.

5. Add the chicken reserving the marinade.

6. Saute the chicken until cooked, about 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the reserved marinade and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 7-10 minutes.

8. Add the green onion, cilantro and sesame seeds and remove from the heat.

9. Serve on rice or noodles.

 

Serves 4, Ready in 30-35 minutes

Closet Cooking lemonchicken

 

Wednesday - Hawaiian Burger

bhg.com

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds lean ground beef                            
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (4 ounces)                            
• 1 cup finely chopped onion                            
• 1- 8 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained                            
• 1/2 cup diced ham                            
• 1- 2.8 ounce package cooked bacon pieces                            
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper                            
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder                            
• 8 slices sharp cheddar cheese                            
• 8 hamburger buns or plain bagel thins                            
• Leaf lettuce (optional)                            
• 2 medium tomatoes, sliced (optional)                            
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced (optional)
• Chips, Fries, Salad...you choose the side

Directions

 

1. In a very large bowl combine beef, blue cheese, onion, pineapple, ham, bacon pieces, pepper, and garlic powder; mix well. Shape meat mixture into eight 1-inch-thick patties.

2. For a charcoal grill, place patties on the grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, covered, for 12 to 14 minutes or until done (160 degrees F to 165 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling. Top burgers with cheddar cheese. Continue to grill, covered, for 2 minutes more or until cheese is melted. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as directed.) Serve burgers on buns. If desired, top with lettuce, tomato, and onion.

3.  Serve with chips, fries, or salad...YOUR CHOICE

 

Serves 8 (cut recipe in half or make as is and use leftovers for Friday), Ready in 25 minutes

Better Homes and Gardens hawaiianburger

 

Thursday - Slow-Cooker Carne Guisada

marthastewart.com

 

 

Ingredients

 



2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast or bottom round, cut into 1-inch pieces

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, diced medium

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced medium

1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced small

5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

Flour tortillas, warmed, grated cheddar, and cilantro, for serving

Black beans, warmed and seasoned

 

Directions

1.  Season beef with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over high. In two batches, cook beef until browned on all sides, 5 minutes per batch (add 2 teaspoons more oil for second batch). Transfer to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
2. In same skillet, cook 2 teaspoons oil, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic over medium, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly pour broth into skillet, stirring until liquid is smooth. Simmer 2 minutes, then transfer mixture to slow cooker, along with tomatoes and bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 6 hours.
3. Serve in tortillas with cheese and cilantro alongside prepared black beans.

Side Note:  This serves 10 so take the leftovers and freezer for yet another meal in the future.  Don't forget to label it.

 

Serves 10, Ready in 6hrs 15mins

Martha Stewart slowcookercarneguisada
 

 

Friday - Churro Waffles w/Bacon

chicachocolatina.blogspot.com

 

Ingredients
 

1 teaspoon salt                                                                                                                                 

4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 eggs                                                                     
2 cups of all purpose flour1 1/2 cups warm milk                                 

1/3 cup butter, melted                    

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 shakes  of cinnamon plus
8-10 slices of bacon
Fresh fruit
  
For the churro topping
1 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup cinnamon
1/2 cup of melted butter

Directions                            

1. In a large bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking powder and sugar; set aside.  Also at this time you can combine your churro topping and set it aside. Preheat waffle iron.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, butter and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture;  Next fold in three shakes of cinnamon beat until blend.
3. At this time you can also melt your 1/2 cup of butter used to pour over waffles. Next generously spray your waffle iron with no stick cooking spray. Than ladle the batter into a preheated waffle iron. Cook the waffles until golden and crisp. Once fully cooked immediately pour melted butter on each side of the waffle and than dip each buttered side into your cinnamon/sugar churro mixture.
4. While waffles cook make your bacon and set aside on a plate with a paper towel.
5. Serve immediately with the bacon and fresh fruit.  You can drizzle waffles with a little extra syrup at the end. Although this waffle is obviously sweet enough.

Serves 4-6, Ready in 30 minutes

Chica Chocolatina churrowaffles

 

 

Saturday - Crock Pot Balsamic Chicken & Spring Vegetables

youbeauty.com

 

 

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 zucchinis, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 2 yellow squash, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red onion, peeled and sliced into rings
• 1 head garlic, peeled, cloves intact
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Use a 6-quart slow cooker and add the chicken. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped vegetables, garlic cloves, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Pour this mixture on top of the chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. Serve with brown rice or quinoa.

Serves 6, Ready in 4 hours
You Beauty youbeauty.com

Sunday - Salmon With Brown Butter & Almonds

realsimple.com

 

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  unsalted butter
• 1 1/4  pounds  skinless salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1  pound  green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
• 1/4  cup  sliced almonds (optional)
• 2  tablespoons capers

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Cook the fish until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to individual plates.
3. Meanwhile, fill a second skillet with ½ inch of water, bring to a boil, and add ¼ teaspoon salt.
4. Add the green beans to the second skillet, cover, and steam until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to plates.
5. Wipe out the green bean skillet and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat.
6. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds and butter are golden brown (but not burned), 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the capers. Spoon over fish and beans.

Serves 4, Ready in 20 minutes
Real Simple salmonwithbrownbutter

 

 Hope you enjoy and have a SUPER week!!!