ON THE MENU~ WEEK OF JUNE 6, 2011

The garden lettuce is showing off at StoneGable. It is just beautiful this year! And it has such a scrumptious-crisp-fresh taste! I think all of the record rains early this spring brought the lush green to my garden. This week we are eating lots of  in-season salads.

I know many of you, dear readers, are looking forward to my kitchen reveal... please be patient. The little odds and ends and touchups are taking as long as the construction. This week a bench and a pendant light should be coming from Ballard Designs. I am hemming curtains and hanging them and installing a rattan shade above the kitchen sink. I am still waiting for window grids, touch up painting, lighting for a cabinet, and fixing this and that.  Thanks for your patience!

Any former Girl Scouts out there? Remember the song, "Make new friends, but keep the old...". This week's menu features recipes from both! My "old" friend Lynne at Happier Than A Pig In Mud made a Spaghetti With Oven Roasted Tomato so full of intensity I just can't resist.  And my "new" friend Sam from My Carolina Kitchen posted Sauteed Shrimp With Fresh Navel Oranges with flavors so intriguing and images so beautiful that I have to try it! I hope you will visit these creative cooks and try these recipes right along with me!

Monday
Spaghetti With Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
Garden Salad Greens with Herb Vinaigrette

Recipe: Spaghetti With Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce
My friend, Lynne at Happier Than A Pig In Mud posted this fabulous, fresh and easy sauce last week and I could not wait to try it. Head on over to my Philly friend and check out this YUMMY recipe!  Click HERE to visit.

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Day
Apricot Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs
Mashed Potatoes
Cucumber Salad


Recipe: Slow Cooker Apricot Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs
8 skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 1/2 TBS fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 cup apricot jam
2 TBS honey
2 TBS lemon juice
2 TBS barbecue sauce
1 TBS soy sauce
1 cup baby carrots
1 tsp cornstarch
1 TBS cold water

Wash and dry chicken. Combine paprika, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme in a small bowl. Rub over chicken and let sit for 15 minutes in the slow cooker. Add carrots.

In a medium bowl combine jam, honey, lemon juice, barbecue sauce and soy sauce. Pour over the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-3 1/2 hours.

Pour off the liquids in the slow cooker to a small saucepan and bring it to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and water in a jar, secure with lid and shake well to make a slurry. Pour slurry into liquids whisking continuously until glaze thickens.

Plate chicken and carrots. Pour glaze over chicken and carrots and gently toss.

Recipe: Cucumber Salad
2 cucumbers, peel removed and cut very thin
1/2 small onion, peeled and sliced very thin
1 1/2 TBS salt
water
1 TBS plus 1 tsp white vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 TBS mayonnaise

Put cucumbers and onions in a bowl and add salt. Toss to coat. Just cover with water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Drain off water and rinse 1 time.

Mix vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise in a bowl. Add to cucumbers and toss to mix. This salad is delicious if made up ahead so flavors can marry.

Wednesday
StoneGable Chili
Rice
Mexican Explosion Salad


Recipe: StoneGable Chili
StoneGable chili is a little sweet... a little spicy. It certainly is a little different and delicious! I combining a family recipe with a gourmet recipe I love. Serve it over rice and sprinkle some good cheddar cheese and crushed tortillas over the top. YUMMY! Pass the sour cream and chopped green onions too!
2 lbs lean ground beef
1 TBS olive oil
1 large onions, peeled and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced finely
1 large green or red pepper, chopped
1 large can of stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans or black beans, rinsed and drained (I combine the two)
2/3 - 1 cup of ketchup
1/2 -2/3 cups chili sauce
2 TBS chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
a sprinkle of taco seasonings from a packet (if I have it, I use it)

In a large dutch oven heat olive oil on medium high heat. Add onions and green peppers and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef and continue to cook until browned.

Add can of stewed tomatoes, ketchup, chili sauce, kidney beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of taco seasoning. Stir to mix.

Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for 40 minutes. Add a little water if the chili gets too thick.

To make the slow cooker version, brown meat, onions and peppers. Add the ingredients in the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low.

Recipe: Mexican Explosion Salad
I will be using garden lettuce.
1 bag romaine salad
1/2 cup canned Mexican corn, drained
1/2 cup black beans, rinsed well and drained
1/2 sharp cheddar cheese
1 tomato, diced
Mexican ranch dressing, recipe follows
Nachos, crushed

Place salad, corn, beans, cheese and tomato in a salad bowl.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 bottle of ranch dressing, 2 tsp pkg. taco seasoning, and 2TBS salsa. Mix well.
Dress salad and add crushed nachos.

Thursday
Salmon Cakes
Tasty Taters
Chopped Salad

Recipe: Salmon Cake
1- 14 oz. can wild Salmon,
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg
1 TBS fresh parsley or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. lemon zest
healthy dash of salt and pepper

In a large frying pan heat vegetable oil and add onions and cook until soft- approx. 4-5 min on medium low heat. Do not brown.
In a bowl add drained salmon, gently pick out bones. Flake
Add onions, mayo, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Mix.
Wipe out frying pan and heat over medium heat. Add vegetable oil to coat and heat.
Meanwhile, make cakes of salmon to resemble the size of a hamburgers about 1 inch thick.
Put in pan and fry until golden brown. About 5 minutes. Turn and brown, about 5 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges and dill sauce.

Dill Sauce:
1/2 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1TBS lemon juice
3 TBS fresh dill or 1 TBS dried dill
1 TBS good quality relish

Mix together, and serve with salmon. Tastes better if made at least 2 hours ahead.

Recipe: Tasty Taters
4 Baking Potatoes
1 stick butter
1-2 onions, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
Aluminum foil

Preheat oven 400 to degrees. Scrub baking potatoes. Place potato horizontally on a cutting board and make 5 evenly spaced cuts in the potato almost all the way through ( If you cut it through, don't worry, just stick it together when you wrap it). The potato will fan out slightly. Slice all 4 potatoes.

Place a thinly sliced onion and a pat of butter (approx. 1 tsp.) in each slit in the potato. Onion will stick out of the potato. Salt and pepper potato.
Wrap securely in aluminum foil. Put potatoes on baking sheet and bake until done, approximately 50-60 minutes. Potato should be fork tender.
Serve with foil intact and take off foil just before eating.

Friday
Sauteed Shrimp With Fresh Navel Oranges
Rice
Sauteed Spinach In Garlic Oil

Recipe: Saute Shrimp With Fresh Navel Oranges
My wonderful friend Marsha from SPLENDEROSA sent me a link to Sam's luscious blog, My Carolina Kitchen.
Doesn't that conjure up pictures of a great southern kitchen with fresh scrubbed floors, flowers on the windowsill and sweet tea? Well, I was so enamoured with her recipe for Shrimp and Navel oranges I just had to give it a try! To visit My Carolina Kitchen and view the scrumptious looking recipe of Sauteed Shrimp With Fresh Navel Oranges click HERE.


Saturday
Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak
Asparagus On the Grill
Panko Crusted Potato Cakes
Citrus Salad

Recipe: Grilled Balsamic Flank Steak
flank steak
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, pressed or chopped finely
2 tsp mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
pinch of salt and pepper
1/4 cup basil chiffonades

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Put flank steak and marinade in a zip lock bag. Marinade for at least 2 hours.
Grill to preferred doneness. Let rest for 10 minutes and cut across the grain.
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Panko Crusted Potato Cakes
2 cups chilled leftover mashed potatoes
2 eggs, divided and beaten
2 TBS chopped onions
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup flour
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
3 TBS vegetable oil

In a bowl add mashed potatoes, 1 beaten egg, onions, salt and pepper. Mix and divide into 8 equal portions.

Form into cakes.

Dredge potato cakes through flour, then egg and coat with Panko. Refrigerate to set, about 30 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet and when it is very hot add 1/2 of the potato cakes. Cook until browned on both sides. Remove to a paper towel to absorb oil. Repeat with the other 4 potato cakes.
Printable Recipe

Sunday: Salad Day
Ceasar Salad With Rotisserie Chicken



                                       

Recipe: Ceasar Salad

Here at StoneGable we eat Ceasar salad often. Romaine will be swithched up for garden Bibb lettuce. Click HERE for a StoneGable favorite!

I am participating in Menu Plan Monday at Organizing Junkie.