Weekly Dinner Menu: March 10-16

I plan my dinners out every week.  It is something that I love to do and hate to do.  I find inspiration from many places:  recipe cards, cookbooks, the internet, Pinterest.  I thought I would share my plans here.

Sunday:
Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps
from Skinny Mom's Kitchen

We absolutely love cheeseburgers in our house and Prince Charming and Bug-A-Boo will eat anything that is in a wrap so why not combine the two.  This is so yummy and easy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Kroger's Simple Truth Organic Ground Beef (85/15)

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 tsp dried minced onion

pepper and salt to taste

6 Kroger 100% Whole Wheat Tortillas

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

OPTIONAL:
sliced tomato
lettuce
yellow mustard
mayo

DIRECTIONS:
Brown ground beef in a large skillet and drain.  Add Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, dried onion, and salt and pepper to the beef and simmer for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle shredded cheese down the center of each tortilla.  Add a few heaping tablespoons of the beef mixture on top of the cheese.  Spread some mustard and/or mayo on top of the beef along with some slices of tomato and some lettuce*.  Roll up the tortilla burrito-style and place wrap on a preheated indoor grill (I used our George Forman).

Grill wraps for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Cut diagonal and serve immediately!  
*you may want to leave the lettuce out.  After grilling the wraps we noticed that the lettuce wilted in the cooking process and we didn't like it.

SIDE DISH OPTIONS:
Mac & Cheese
vegetable-we served green beans, but anything will do.
side salad

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTION:
Beer:  Sam Adams Lager
Wine:  your favorite red

Monday:
Chicken Enchilada Pasta
from Pearls, Handcuffs, & Happy Hour

INGREDIENTS:

2 Kroger Simple Truth Natural Chicken Breast, cooked & shredded (or shredded rotisserie chicken breasts)

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 - 4 oz. can diced green chiles

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 - 10 oz. cans green chili enchilada sauce

2/3 cup red enchilada sauce

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup sour cream

Penne Pasta

OPTIONAL:
avacado
green onions
black olives
tomato
sour cream

DIRECTIONS:
Cook chicken, drain, and shred.  Meanwhile boil pasta according to package and chop the veggies. 
The most time consuming part of this recipe is the time spent chopping the veggies. 
Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet and cook onions for about 3-5 minutes.  Add garlic & red pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes. 

Add cooked chicken, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, & enchilada sauces.  Let sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and heated through.  Now toss in the sour cream, but whatever you do, DO NOT bring to a boil!  Cook on low heat or the sour cream will curdle.  Stir until sour cream is well mixed and heated through.

Drain pasta & return to pot.  Pour sauce over pasta and mix well.  Serve and garnish with avocado, tomato, green onion, and a dollop of sour cream.

SIDE DISH OPTIONS:

side salad

tortilla chips

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTION:

Beer:  Corona

Wine:  your favorite red

Tuesday:

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

from Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts chicken broth

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 tsp chicken bouillon granules

1 tsp dried parsley flakes

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/2 cup dry white wine or additional chicken broth

3 cups cooked wild rice

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, melt butter; stir in flour until smooth.  Gradually whisk in broth mixture.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Whisk in soup and wine.  Add rice and chicken' heat through.

SIDE OPTIONS:

salad

crusty bread

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTIONS:

Wine:  a full-bodied white wine such as Chardonnay or Viognier.

Wednesday:

Eggplant Parmesan
from Little B Cooks










We like to do one vegetarian meal a week.  This is a great one.
INGREDIENTS:

2 large eggplants
3 cups tomato sauce (homemade or bought is fine – I like to make a meat sauce with mushrooms in it for this dish)
8 oz sliced mozzarella 
2 eggs
2-4 cups (start with 2 and add more if needed) of seasoned breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella                   


DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and coat each pan with olive oil (it’s easier if you spread it around with your fingers).  Peel and slice eggplant about a ¼ inch thick.  

In a small bowl whisk together the eggs with about a tablespoon of water.  Pour 2 cups of seasoned bread crumbs on a plate and set aside.  You will dip all the eggplant in the egg mixture and then dredge in the bread crumbs and set each piece onto the baking sheets.  Once you’ve finished this process you will need to drizzle a little olive oil on top of each piece of eggplant.  Place in oven and cook for about a ½ hour, turning each slice of eggplant after 15 minutes.  The eggplant should be a nice golden brown, so increase your cooking time if need be. 

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray.  Spoon about a ½ cup of sauce onto the bottom of the pan, then add one layer of the cooked eggplant.  Top the eggplant sauce and then the sliced mozzarella, and repeat process with more eggplant/sauce/cheese (mine is usually 3-4 layers high, depending on the deepness of the dish I’m using).  The last layer will be just the eggplant topped with sauce, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, and end with a layer of the shredded mozzarella cheese.  Bake at 350 for about a ½ hour or until hot and bubbly.

SIDE OPTIONS:

salad

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTIONS:

Wine:  your favorite red

Thursday:
Easy Chicken Pot Pie
from Real Simple












March 14 is Pie Day (3.14).  So tonight we have Chicken Pot Pie and Pecan Pie for dessert.
INGREDIENTS:
1  3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
1  10-ounce package frozen mixed vegetables
1  10.75-ounce can condensed cream-of-mushroom soup
1/4  teaspoon kosher salt
1/4  teaspoon black pepper
1  10-count tube refrigerated biscuits                   
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 400° F. Combine the chicken, vegetables, soup, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.

Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe casserole, cover with foil, and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the foil, cover the filling with the biscuits, and bake until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
SIDE OPTIONS:

salad

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTIONS:

Beer:  Sam Adams Lager

Wine:  Chardonnay

Friday:
Grilled Ham Steaks with Scalloped Potatoes
from Mr. Food and Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking

This is one of our favorite meals.  It is so easy and yummy and once you taste the scalloped potatoes you will never buy a boxed mix again.

Ham Steak

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbsp chili sauce

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

Dash of ground red pepper

1 (1-lb) lean, boneless ham steak (about 1/2-inch thick)

1/3 cup apple jelly

DIRECTIONS:
Combine first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan; cook over medium heat until smooth, stirring often.
Cut ham in half lengthwise. Slice each half horizontally into 2 (1/4-inch thick) slices.

Spray cold grill rack with cooking spray; preheat the grill to medium-high heat (350 to 400 degrees). Baste ham with jelly mixture; place ham on grill. Grill, covered, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until ham is thoroughly heated, basting with remaining jelly mixture.
You can also use an indoor grill, like a George Forman or a stove-top grill plate.

Scalloped Potatoes

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs boiling potatoes

1/2 clove garlic

4 Tbsp butter

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup grate Swiss cheese

1 cup boiling milk

Baking dish that is about 10" in diameter and 2" deep

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8" thick. Place in a bowl of cold water. Drain when ready to use.

Rub the baking dish with the cut garlic. Rub the inside of the dish with 1 tablespoon butter. Drain the potatoes and dry them with a towel. Spread half of them in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle potatoes with half of the pepper, salt, cheese, and butter.

Arrange the remaining potato slices over the first layer, and sprinkle with the remaining salt, pepper, cheese, and butter. Pour the boiling milk over the potatoes.

Set baking dish over heat and when simmering, set in upper third of preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, milk has been absorbed, and the top is nicely browned.

SIDE OPTIONS:

asparagus

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTIONS:

Beer:  Sam Adams Lager

Wine:  Reisling

Saturday:
Crunchy Fish Sticks with Carrot-Apple Slaw
from Redbook Magazine

INGREDIENTS:
Fish Sticks:
1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
3 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
1 teaspoon(s) garlic hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 pound(s) tilapia or catfish fillets, cut into 3- by 1-inch sticks
2/3 cup(s) canola oil
1/4 cup(s) tartar sauce , for dipping
3 tablespoon(s) honey mustard
1 carton(s) (6-ounce) plain or vanilla low-fat yogurT

Carrot-Apple Slaw:

2 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon juice

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

1 Braeburn apple, cored and thinly sliced

2 cup(s) shredded carrots 

1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS:

Fish sticks: Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Place flour and cornmeal on separate sheets of waxed paper. Whisk egg whites, salt, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl. Dredge fish sticks first in flour (tapping off excess), then in egg mixture, then in cornmeal until coated. Place sticks on a baking sheet lined with foil (for easy cleanup).

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat until rippling. In 2 batches, cook fish sticks until golden brown and opaque, 4 to 5 minutes, turning sticks halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm in oven while cooking second batch.

Slaw: In a medium bowl, whisk yogurt and lemon juice until blended. Add apples, carrots, and cranberries and toss. Mix honey-mustard and tartar sauce and serve with fish sticks and slaw.

ADULT BEVERAGE OPTIONS:

Wine:  your favorite white

That's the week of March 10th.  Next week we'll have a St. Patrick's Day feast, right from Ireland.