Menu December 7-13, 2009

Weekly Menu:

Before I post my (overdue) Menu for the Week I want to thank Keelie at "Red Writing"- I won a  Christmas door hanging- Week 8 Christmas!!!! Yea!!!!! I usually do not win- that is all changed NOW! Thank you so much Keelie. I am very excited to get this door hanging and enjoy it. Please go to her blog-http://redswriting.blogspot.com/ and see all the fun things going on! THANK YOU AGAIN, AND BLESS YOUR SWEET HEART!

Monday:
Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs
Ceaser Salad (recipe from blog- http://stonegable.blogspot.com/2009/11/sg-menu-for-nov-1-nov-7-2009.html)

Recipe: Homemade Meatballs:
1/2 lb hamburger
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground veal
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves pressed or finely chopped
4 slices of white bread
3-4 TBS milk
1 egg
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp  dried parsley

Preheat oven 400 degrees.
In a food processor make breadcrumbs from the slices of bread.
In a bowl combine all ingredients and incorporate gently with your clean hands.  Do not "smoosh" mixture, it will result in tough meatballs. Gently mix all the ingredients.  Make into balls a little larger than golf balls.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until done.

Tuesday:
Fried (Baked) Clams
Coslaw
French Fries (Baked)

Recipe: Coleslaw
1 bag of coleslaw mix
1/2 cup mayonaise
1-2 TBS cider vinegar
1-2 TBS splenda or sugar

Mix mayo, vinegar and slenda together.
Put coleslaw mix in a large bown and add mayo mixture. Incorporate well.
Best if made ahead and keep refrigerated.

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Day 
Pork and Saurkraut
Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Applesauce with Pears


Recipe: Homemade Applesauce and Pears.
8 apples, peeled, cored and diced ( best if you use a mix of apples, but use granny smith as one for tartness)
3 pears, peeled ,cored and diced (bosc pears have best flavor)
1/8 cup water
Sugar to taste.

In a large pot cook apples, pears and water over medium low heat, until mushy. Time will vary depending on the type and fresheness of fruit.
When fruit is broken down, take off heat and using a potato masher, mash fruit.  This gives some nice texture. If you like smooth applesauce, process in food proccessor, being careful not to overprocess.
Sweeten with sugar to taste.

Options:

• This recipe can be done in the slow cooker. Cook on low until mushy. In my slow cooker- about 3-4 hours.
• If you like cinnamon, add to taste with sugar
• To make a pretty and yummy applesauce, add cinnamon heart candy. When cooking apple add the candy. Pink, cinammony and very fun!

Thursday:
Swiss Steak
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans with Garlic Oil

Recipe: Swiss Steak (Favorite recipe my mom made us)
1 1/2 lbs top round steak I have used bottom round, and chopped steak)
1 onion, peeled, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 -1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper
1 cup catsup, or more if needed
1/2 cup water.
4 TBS veggie oil

Cut steak into meal size portions. Pound steak thin.  In a plate combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge steak and set aside.
In a large frying pan, heat  2TBS oil.  Add onions and peppers. Cook on medium until soft and translucent. Remove to plate.

Heat remaining oil in pan, and add steak, do not crowd. Do a couple at a time if needed. Brown on each side and remove to a plate. Brown all steak.
In a bowl, combine catsup and water.
Return steak to pan, add combined catsup and water and cook over medium heat. Cook with lid on pan, stirring very ocassionally and moving top meat to bottom. Cook about 45min-1 hour. When meat is tender and done, Serve with mashed potatoes. This is the ultimate comfort food!

Friday:
Salmon, Fettuccini with  Roasted Asparagus
Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan, Pine nuts and Champagne Vinegrette ( for recipe see blog- http://stonegable.blogspot.com/2009/11/menu-11-9-through-11-16-09.html#comments)

Recipe: Salmon Fettucini with Asparagus: (My Son-In-Law requested this as an engagement dinner for my daughter and himself)

1 lb salmon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 3/4 cup white wine,divided
 1 bunch asparagus
2 TBS olive oil
salt and pepper
2 TBS butter
4 TBS shallots, minced
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 box fettucini
4 TBS toasted pine nuts.
1 lb salmon
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut of woody ends of asparagus. Line up in half sheet pan and drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil.  Salt and pepper liberally. Roast asparagus for 15-20 minutes.  Cut in 1 inch pieces and set aside.

In a large skillet,add water, lemon, and  1 cup wine.  On medium heat, simmer. Add salmon skin side down and simmer until salmon is done, about 8 minutes.  The very inside of the salmon should be slightly underdone ( it will finish cooking in fetucini). Do not overcook or it will be dry. Set aside. Flake into chunks when cool enough to touch.

Wipe out skillet and add pine nuts. Cook in dry pan, tossing, until lightly brown.  Watch these they burn very easily. Set aside.

Follow directions to and cook fettucini. Drain and return to the same pot.

Wipe out skillet and add butter.  When melted add shallots and cook over medium low heat until soft and translucent.  Add remaining wine and reduce to 2 TBS.

Add heavy cream, bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Add parmesan cheese and stir until melts.
Add cream mixture, pine nuts, salmon and asparagus to pasta pot.  Stir gently and heat.

I know there are a lot of "moving parts" to this recipe, but it is not complicated and goes together very fast.
So delicious!

Saturday:Entertaining with Friends
Chicken Eugene
Rice with Garlic Oil and Parsley
Brown sugar Carrots

Recipe: Chicken Eugene
4 Chicken breast, boneless and skinless
4 slices of good Deli Ham, sliced thick
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1 stick butter
1 soup can full of light cream
1/2 soup can cream sherry

Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Melt 2 TBS butter in large skillet over meduim heat.  When melted add mushroom and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add remaining butter and melt.

In large bowl add cream of mushroom soup, light cream and sherry.  Add butter-mushroom mixture. Whisk together.
In a large baking dish, lay 4 slices of ham. Top with chicken breasts. Pour yummy sauce over chicken.
Bake, uncovered for 1 hour. Serve over rice and add sauce.

Sunday: Soup
Nani's Veggie Soup ( see upcoming post on 12-18  for this wonderful soup)
Homemade bread sticks

Bon Appetit!