Weekly Menu

1) Loaded Backed potatoes with home made cheese sauce (eatathomecooks.com)

• baking potatoes, scrubbed
• fresh broccoli
• bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 3 Tbs. flour
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• salt and pepper

Bake the potatoes until tender.  I poke holes in them and wrap them in foil.  Bake them at 400 degrees for an 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
Cut the broccoli in florets and steam in a pan until tender-crisp.
In a skillet, melt the butter.  Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute.  Gradually whisk in the warm milk.  Let it cook over medium heat until it begins to thicken a bit.  Stir in the cheese, letting it melt into the sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.
Split the baked potatoes open.  Top with broccoli, bacon and cheese sauce. Eat up!

2) Chicken Satay with Balinese Peanut Sauce

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (in the asian aisle)
  
• 2 tsp sriracha sauce (in the asian Aisle)
• 1 tsp. Corriander
• 1 tsp. cumin

16 thawed boneless chicken tenders

Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup cream of coconut (down the pop/drink mixes aisle)
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 2 tsp fish sauce

1) Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes prior to grilling. Mix together marinade ingredients add thawed chicken tenders. Mix until coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2)  In a small sauce pan combine the sauce ingredients and cook over low heat until the sauce is smooth.  3-5 minutes whisking occasionally. If the sauce seems really think whisk in 1-2 tsp of water.
3) Remove chicken from marinade and weave onto the soaked skewers.  Grill the chicken skewers until no longer pink in the middle.
4) Remove from skewers and serve with the warm peanut sauce

As a side I always serve a salad and rice!

3) Lasagna with garlic Bread

• 1pkg pre-cooked lasagna noodles (I buy the whole wheat ones)
• 1 tub of ricotta or cottage cheese
• 1 lb of lean hamburger or ground turkey
• 1/2 cup minced onion 
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 2  cans canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* some like to add 3/4 lb sweet Italian sausage

Over Medium heat brown hamburger, sausage, garlic and onion. stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste. Add in sugar and all seasonings except 2 tsp parsley. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine ricotta cheese, egg, and remaining parsley in bowl.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
To assemble spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce on bottom of 9x13 pan, arrange 6 noodle lengthwise on top of meat sauce, spread 1/2 of ricotta cheese on top of noodles, Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce on top of cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers and top of with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes

Side suggestions: Garlic bread, Salad or fresh green beans

4) Tex Mex Chicken and Rice

• 1 can of corn
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp southwest seasoning
• 2 cup uncooked instant rice (white or brown)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups salsa verde
• 2 tbsp fresh snipped cilantro
• 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese

Cut chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and cook in skillet with a little olive oil. Meanwhile drain corn and cook in skillet until it starts to brown around the edges. In a large skillet add chicken broth, rice, and salsa verde and bring to simmer over medium heat.  To assemble, layer rice in a deep casserole dish (i use the white corning ware because they have lids) Spread chicken on top of rice, spread corn on top of chicken, spread cheese on top of corn and snip cilantro to garnish. Place the lid on your dish and let the cheese melt slightly.

I always serve with a salad.

5)  Chicken Garden Pizza

• 1 pkg refrigerated pizza dough (I use pilsbury)
• 3-4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 a red pepper
• 1/2 a small zucchini
• 1/2 small onion
• 1 small tomoato
• 5-6 broccoli heads
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1-2 cups mozzarella cheese

Cook chicken breasts in skillet with a tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning until no longer pink in the middle. Meanwhile, unroll pizza dough and form onto pizza pan. I use a large stone bar pan. Bake at 350 for about 7 minutes. In small dish mince garlic and add remaining olive oil, Brush oil mixture evenly onto the pizza crust. For the veggies I have a mandoline so it will slice them into really thin pieces. If you don't have a mandoline you can chop them as fine as you can get them. Slice tomatoes. Once Chicken is done cooking use a food chopper (or chop really fine) and chop the chicken so that it is really small pieces.
To assemble sprinkle chicken evenly over the pizza crust, add your veggies and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Sprinkle remaining Italian seasoning on top of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted and starts to brown.