Weekly Menu July 5~ 11, 2010

Weekly Menu:

I'm sure this will turn out to be an interesting week! We are having a heat wave and our AC is broken! It happened last Tuesday night and right away I called out our AC guy! He could not save it! So out came the salesman and now we are getting a new AC... but it could not be installed till this Thursday.

The end of last week and the weekend were gorgeous, so we didn't mind not having a frosty cool house, but now it is hotter in my home than outside! And I don't do well in sweltering humidity!

Enough whining... we will make do. I know many of you probably don't have AC (God bless your all), and we didn't in our first home either. So buck up, I say to myself. Look at the bright side (trying to find one) and get on with life! There are many wose things that can happen.

This new glitch in our living condition will certainly affect my menu this week. Lots of light and no OVEN dinners... at least until the AC is up and running!

I am going to make some delicious sounding recipes from other bloggers at the end of the week. One of the greatest things about visiting other blogs is all of the yummy recipes and friendly people to be found!

Monday:
Herb Grilled Salmon
Pasta Salad (Left over from 4th of July picnic)
Baby Spinach, Pear, Candied Pecan and Bleu with Sweet Celery Seed Vinaigrette

Recipe: Herbed Grilled Salmon
1 1/2 lb salmon fillet
juice of 1 lemon
1 lemon quartered for garnish
2 TBS good white wine
2 TBS mayonaise
1 tsp garlic salt
1 TBS shallots, chopped finely
1 TBS fresh dill, chopped finely
1 TBS fresh parsley, chopped finey
1 tsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1 TBS lemon zest
dash of pepper
Heavy duty aluminum foil

Heat outdoor grill to hot.
In a small bowl mix mayonaise, garlic salt, shallots, dill, parsley, paprika, lemon zest and pepper.

Make a foil baking dish for your salmon by using a long length of  HEAVY DUTY foil and folding up the sides of the foil. The dull side of the foil should be facing up. Make sure it is long enough to hold your fish.

Put salmon in foil baking dish, and sprinkle with lemon juice and wine. Spread mayonaise mixture over salmon.

Grill in a covered grill on the hot setting for 10 minutes for every 1 inch thickness of salmon. Do not turn. DO NOT overcook. This is the biggest reason salmon tastes dry and flavorless! The salmon should be slightly pink in the middle when you take it off the grill. It will continue to cook even after it is off the heat!

Use lemon to garnish and add extra flavor.

Recipe: Celery Seed Vinaigrette
I had this fabulous salad for Lunch at the General Sutter Inn, Lititz Pa. this weekend. It was so fantastic! The elements were very straight forward so I am reconstructing it for dinner this week! I am experimenting with this vinaigrette recipe. Hopefully it will come out light yet slightly sweet!

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon minced shallots
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon grated onion
pinch of salt

Put all ingredients in a jar with a lid and give it a good shake! I always use this easy jar trick for all my vinaigrettes. Keep those versatile ball jars on hand!

Tuesday:
Garden Shed Dinner Party
Boys it's takeout for you tonight!

Wednesday:
Artisan Pizza On The Grill
Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Shaved Parmesan and Lemon Vinaigrette

Recipe: Artisan Pizza On The Grill
The recipe and how-to for a made to order pizza will be featured on  Foodie Friday in two weeks.

Recipe: Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts, Shaved Parmesan and Lemon Vinaigrette
Click HERE and look for it in Tuesday's menu. This great salad probably appers on StoneGable's menu more than any other dish. I could eat this every day!

Thursday:
Old Fashioned Chef's Salad With A Twist!

Recipe: Old Fashioned Chef's Salad With A Twist
All the ingredients, except the dressing come from the deli and produce isle of the grocers!
Plate each serving individually.
1 head romaine lettuce
1 head iceburg lettuce
1/2 cup grated carrots (pre cut)
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
8 slices of good deli ham
8 slices of off the bone deli turkey (not pressed or prcessed, real cooked sliced turkey)
8 slices good swiss cheese
8 red beet pickled eggs
1/2 cup oil cured olive mix
1/2 cup crumbled, cooked bacon
1 lb. container of broccoli salad
Bleu Cheese Dressing

Wash, cut and toss salad greens with carrots and broccoli salad.
Place salad in the center of 4 large dinner plates.
Slice deli meats and cheeses into 1/2 inch strips.  Cut eggs in half.

Arrange deli meats, tomatoes, eggs and olives around the outside edge of the plate.
Add a dollop of Bleu Cheese Dressing to the middle of the salad. Top with crumbled bacon and green onions.

Recipe: Bleu Cheese Dressing
Please try this wonderful homemade dressing... you will never want bottled dressing again. Make a double batch and keep it in the frig.

1 cup  full fat mayonise
1/2 cup full fat sour cream
3 TBS chopped green onions (I use the white and green parts)
1 TBS wine or champagne vinegar
2 TBS lemon juice  ( I often use more- we love lemon flavor)
1 large sprig parsley
pinch of salt and pepper
2/3 cup good bleu cheese

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. This makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Friday:
Cajun Jumbalaya
Roasted Brocccoli with Grated Sharp Cheddar

Recipe: Cajun Jumbalaya
I love the idea of Jumbalaya, but it can be very work intensive! I found a BEAUTIFUL blog, Hospitable Prusits, and the recipe for Cajun Jumbalaya looks so great that I just have to give it a try!
Click HERE to get this yummy recipe and see a truely beautiful blog (that is after you have finished at StoneGable).

Saturday: Family Company and a Relaxed Dinner
Paula Deen's Tomato Pie
Chopped Salad

Recipe: Paula Deen's Tomato Pie
I am sending you to see Paula by way of Mary at Home Is Where The Boat Is. This is a new favorite blog of mine. Mary's posts and photography are stunning! To see Mary and Paula click HERE. I am so excited to make this summery, yummy recipe!

Recipe: Chopped Salad
1 head iceburg lettuce, chopped in small pieces
1/4 head red cabbage, chopped in small pieces
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2- 1 cup shaved good parmesan cheese (I say, more is best)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 prepared Good Season's Italian Dressing

Add all ingredients except dressing and toss well. This is not rocket science, so if you want more or less of something go ahead! Dress salad accoriding to your taste.

Sunday:
The White Farmhouse Poulet En Croute
Potatoes Anna
Baked Breaded Zucchini Crisps

Recipe; The White Farmhouse Poulet En Croute
My wonderul blogging buddy, Maggie at The White Farmhouse, has a delicious recipe for stuffed chicken breasts in puffed pastry that sounds out of this world. She made it up! And I didn't see that it had an official name... so I named it for her. And because it is company worthy, I gave it a french name (french is... HOT these days  and so is her recipe!). Give Poulet En Croute a try by clicking HERE. Go visit Maggie she will give you a very severe case of giggles every time!

Baked Breaded Zucchini Crisps:
The zucchini plants at StoneGable are riotous! I can't give them away fast enough!
2 zucchinis, cut into 1/4 inch rounds
1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
2 eggs

Preheat oven for 474 degrees.

In a large shallow bowl mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. In another bowl scramble eggs.

Dip zucchini rounds in egg and then dredge in bread crumb mixture. Place zucchini on a single layer baking sheet, sprayed liberally with cooking spray.

Bake for 6 minutes on one side. Turn and cook another 6-10 minutes until browned and crisp.

Have a Wonderful Week! Keep Cool!

I am joining Ask Ms Recipe for Menu Monday! Click Here to get more menu ideas!