Archive for the ‘September 21 Menu Week’ Category
Break
June 10th, 2010 | 
Author: So I’ve taken a little break…spent some wonderful time with family visiting California and now I am still on a break! Got some delicious recipes from my sister in law, Carla and I will post them soon. Stay tuned!
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Jean’s Rosemary Chicken
Where have I been? Well, it was my birthday and then it was Mother’s Day so I was getting some Royal Treatment!! Had so much fun with my husband, Alex, the kids and our puppy…Rosie! Many of you have asked for me to post some healthy ideas so I will get on that real soon but for now we have Jean’s Rosemary Chicken and it is delicious. Jean usually serves with mashed potatoes (me, too) and something green like asparagus and a salad. Level of difficulty is pretty much anyone can do it so get cooking! PS It freezes very well, just microwave it and you’re good to go!
Ingredients:
6 thighs BONE IN SKIN ON chicken or any chicken pieces bone in and skin on
1 lemon
Lawry’s Season salt (you really must use Lawry’s)
Lawry’s Garlic salt (a must, Lawry’s)
TONS of fresh rosemary
Preheat oven to 500. Spray baking dish w/ olive oil Pam. Sprinkle bottom of chicken w/ Lawry’s season salt and Lawry’s garlic salt and place in baking dish. Squeeze an entire lemon all over chicken. Sprinkle top of chicken with Lawry’s season salt and Lawry’s garlic salt. Put TONS of fresh rosemary all over chicken. Cook uncovered in 500 degree oven until brown (I like it quite brown and crispy looking) then reduce heat to 350 and continue cooking uncovered until done, about 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on size and type of chicken.
This chicken is delicious with the crisp skin and the tender chicken!
Anyone Can Make…Puerto Rican Chicken!
Puerto Rican Chicken is so absolutely delicious and pretty easy to make. Buy the ingredients now and you can be enjoying this over the weekend just like us! It all cooks in one pot so clean up is not bad and it is good for company because you aren’t in the kitchen prepping … it’s just in the pot cooking! Make sure you do the rice in the rice cooker, have your spinned salad in the fridge and you are good to go.
This is the easiest, dump everything in one pot, chicken…and it is delicious!
Ingredients:
4# chicken pieces, bone-in, skin off
1- 15 oz. can tomato sauce (use almost all of it)
3 to 4 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar (I use white)
12 pimiento stuffed green olives (I use many more, we love them)
1 teaspoon capers
12 cloves garlic, crushed in mortar or pressed, if pressed use a bit less
1 onion, vidalia or Spanish, peeled and sliced or quartered
2#’s of potatoes, peeled and cubed (not too big)
1 cup sherry
Wash chicken and place in large pot with all other ingredients, give a little stir and over high heat bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, medium low, cover and keep at low boil for about an hour. That’s it! If not ready then leave uncovered for a bit. Serve over white rice. This freezes very well.
Ooey Gooey
My mom has been in town for a visit and we have sure had fun! (but I haven’t been posting!) I had some ooey gooey butter cake on hand in the freezer (press ‘n sealed and then put in a baggie) and she couldn’t believe how delicious it is. So many people ask me if I have any and I surprise them because I usually always have it iin my freezer or I’d eat the whole thing. Just thaw at room temp. Easy to make, enjoy…
Easy to make with the help of a cake mix!
Ingredients:
1 package (18.25 oz.) plain yellow cake mix
2 sticks butter, melted (1 for crust, 1 for filling)
3 large eggs (1 for crust, 2 for filling)
1 package (8oz) cream cheese at room temp
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 box confectioner’s sugar, sifted (1 # box)
Preheat oven (rack in center of oven) to 350. Put cake mix, 1 stick melted butter and 1 egg in mixing bowl. Blend on low until batter comes together kind of like a ball. Pat the batter evenly in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Smoosh it down until it reaches all of the sides and the top is smooth. In the same mixing bowl blend the cream cheese on low until fluffy (about 30 seconds). Add 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 stick melted butter and beat for about 1 minute. Add the sifted confectioner’s sugar and beat until all mixed. Pour mixture on top of crust mixture in the 9×13 pan. Spread so it covers all of the crust. Bake about 45 minutes (well browned but center a bit jiggly) Cool on wire rack, cut and serve. You may want to put in fridge a bit for easier cutting. I cut with a pizza cutter.
May be stored at room temp for 5 days or in fridge for 1 week. I cut into squares and press ‘n seal each quare then freeze so I always have a snack in freezer. (individual pieces thaw quickly and are also yummy frozen!) You may want to bake ahead and press ‘n seal the entire cake for up to 6 months. No matter what, you’ll always have dessert on hand!
Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja
What a joy to have my sister in law Elvia, brother in law Juan along with niece and nephew, Nina and Nicholas come for a visit! We had a wonderful time and I thought you would all enjoy learning how to prepare Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja. There is nothing better than a crock pot meal, especially when you come home from a hard day at work OR a fun day at the beach (yes, Spring Break is here, thank goodness!)
Elvia’s Crock Pot Ropa Vieja SUPER EASY!!!
Ingredients:
Flank Steak (I use about 2#)
1 cup chopped yellow or Spanish onion (or 1 container already chopped)
1/2 cup chopped green pepper (or 1/2 container already chopped, label and freeze the other half)
1/2 cup green, pimiento stuffed olives, no juice
3 to 4 garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
8 oz can tomato sauce (I like more so I get the larger can and add about 10 or 12 oz)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine
Night before: Put chopped onion, green pepper and pressed garlic in crock pot. Add all other ingredients, except for the meat and salt. Stir around to mix it up. Use the salt to salt meat on both sides and put on top of everything in crock pot. With spoon put some of the sauce on top of the meat, too. Cover and put in fridge overnight.
Morning of: You may flip meat, if you wish. Cook in crock pot on low for 8 hours.
Ready for dinner? Shred meat with fork and serve with sauce over white rice. The shredded meat is delicious and fun for really young ones because it looks like spaghetti! This also freezes very well.
My Friends Cooked For Me!
Well, they really cooked for our entire Recipe Exchange. Hats off to Susan, Ashley, Ricki and Tammy for an awesome brunch! It was great for Easter Brunch ideas and so yummy.
Baked French Toast With Sweet Pear Topping
Fantastic, ladies!
If you are not a Brunch/Breakfast person then you may want to try:
Sour Cream Pound Cake (my sister, Kim, fills the middle, empty part of the bundt with jellybeans..after it has cooled..and it looks really cute)
You may also want to look under the appetizer section for some easy ideas.
Happy Easter to all of you and God bless you!!!
Tortellini and Broccoli
Problems, problems… for some reason I cannot get this recipe to post so just go on the left hand side down to “Pasta” and you will find Tortellini and Broccoli there. Great for a meatless meal and SUPER FAST and EASY! Enjoy, Debi
March 16, 2010 Ginger Chicken With Broccoli and Carrots
Need the easiest, fastest meal? Try this and change it up any way that you want. The idea is to bring dinner back to the table! Let me know how you did…
Ginger Chicken With Broccoli and Carrots
Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, fresh broccoli florets, carrots, gourmet garden ginger spice blend ( in produce section, 4 oz. tube)
Wash broccoli florets and carrots. Peel and cut carrots into small pieces and make sure florets are on the smaller side, too.
Set grill pan on high and spray with olive oil Pam. Spread ginger blend on one side of washed (don’t forget to pat dry)chicken and set in pan to brown, spread ginger blend on the other side of chicken, sprinkle with Sea salt. Flip chicken (and put more Pam in pan while flipping). Add veggies, turn pan to simmer and cover. Ready in about 3 minutes. If veggies need to cook longer, remove chicken and let veggies cook longer, you may need to add more Pam or ginger. I like it kind of charred and crunchy. Serve with salad and ginger dressing. ( I serve what our daughter likes, which is Makoto brand, found in the fridge section of produce)
March 15, 2010 Picadillo
For those of you who do not know me…I’m Debi, The Weekly MenuMaker. My main goal is to help people bring dinner back to the table! Today’s recipe is Picadillo. If we have been out of town and there is NO FOOD in the house I know that I can always pull this meal together because I have it already cooked and in the freezer. Even if I have had a crazy day and think dinner is nowhere in sight, well, it is in my freezer… you get the idea. It is very easy, I know that you can do it!
Picadillo This is wonderful to serve with white rice, sweet plantains, peas and a salad. I make a large amount because it is so great to freeze in containers and always have on hand for dinner or to take to someone in need! I get rave reviews when I take this to someone’s house for dinner and you will, too.
Picadillo: 3 to 4 # ground beef (I use chuck most of the time)
1 green pepper or 1 package already chopped from produce section
1 onion (not small and anything but red) or 1 package already chopped in produce
5 cloves garlic, pressed(you can get the ones already peeled and in fridge section of produce NOT THE ONES ALREADY CHOPPED IN JAR)
1 large ripe tomato(you will peel, seed and chop at home; easiest way to peel is drop tomato in boiling water for a few seconds, remove w/ tongs and peel comes right off)***IF THIS IS A PAIN FOR YOU: 2nd choice: buy POMI brand chopped tomatoes instead of the fresh tomato. You will find it in a carton type box by all of the tomato sauce at the store. If doing this then omit the tomato sauce as well and pour the whole Pomi carton in. It’s about 26 oz. or so.***
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 bottle capers (you can buy the least expensive and about 3 oz), drained
1 bottle green pimiento stuffed olives (the size depends on your love of olives),drained
30 shakes red wine vinegar
4 oz. tomato sauce (but I always get an extra one or an 8 oz. can b/c I end up using more)
1/2 cup red wine ( I buy the Sutter Home cabernet in the little plastic 4 pack bottles)
5 shakes hot sauce (I use Crystal)
2 tablespoons brown sugar(you may omit and use more white)
AT LEAST 2 tablespoons white sugar (I end up using more)
12 shakes nutmeg
1/8 to 1/4 cup water
10 shakes salt
4 tiny boxes raisins or your own amount.
After this list you may not want to make it BUT IT IS So EASY!!!!!! PLEASE MAKE THIS! It is so good.
Brown beef (stovetop)until all red disappears and drain in colander. Put meat right back in pot. Add 1 onion, chopped, 1 green pepper, chopped, 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped, 5 cloves garlic, pressed(or minced), 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon crushed oregano and capers (drained) to the meat. Mix and cover on medium low for about 10 minutes. Add DRAINED olives (amount your choice), about 30 shakes red wine vinegar, 4 oz. tomato sauce(I add more), 1/2 cup burgundy wine, 5 shakes hot sauce, 2 tablespoons each brown and white sugar,12 shakes nutmeg and 4 tiny boxes of raisins. Stir and cook at about medium for 5 minutes or so. Add 1/8 to1/4 cup water(I usually do 1/8) and 10 shakes salt. You can taste and add anything at this point….don’t be afraid…more vinegar, sugar, wine, tomato sauce, nutmeg , salt or simply nothing. At this point I usually end up calling my mom or my sister and ask what they think it needs…like they really know, they live 3 hours away!! Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. THIS IS THE GREATEST MEAL TO FREEZE and have on hand! Serve over white rice.
Rice: Get your rice cooker and make Jasmine rice!!! Picadillo goes over rice so make a lot.
Peas: I use Green Giant frozen Steamers bag for the microwave. Prepare according to package.
Plantains: (Platanos) You may purchase super ripe (black) sweet plantains in produce department and peel and fry up or peel, spray with Pam and bake or even boil OR purchase a box of GOYA brand ripe plantains found in the freezer section of your grocer. Microwave according to instructions. For those of you who are not familiar with these, they are sweet and delicious… a must for your family!