Menu Plan for 2/9-2/15

MONDAY 9 FEBRUARY
Crockpot Indian Curry

1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed-
4-6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs -
1 T tomato paste
2 T curry powder
1 t ground coriander
1 t ground cumin
1 inch peeled and grated ginger
few dashes of hot sauce (I used Tobasco)
1 yellow onion. chopped
2 or 3 cloves of smashed and chopped garlic
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 of an eggplant, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped
The Directions.
Assemble all of your spices, coconut milk, tobasco sauce, and tomato paste. Combine the sauce ingredients in the bottom of your crockpot. The sauce will be a lovely yellow.Add the chicken, flipping it over a few times to coat it nicely. Pour in the garbanzo beans.Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and then add to the Crock-Pot. Don't worry about stirring them in the sauce. Let them sit on top of the chicken and steam away.Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked our dinner on high for almost 6 hours. The chicken was fully cooked, but still had shape, and the vegetables were soft and quite nice.Stir carefully to mix flavors. If you stir too rough, the sweet potato will fall apart.

Serve over rice

Had to add this one as I had to use up the remainder of the coconut milk from Saturday night's dinner.
TUESDAY 10 FEBRUARY
Black-Bean and Tomato Quinoa Gourmet July 2007
Quinoa is a fast-cooking, protein-packed whole grain. Steamed, it makes a perfect partner for lime-spiked black beans and fresh tomato.
Yield: Makes 4 (side dish) servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup quinoa1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium tomatoes, diced
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.
Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don't worry if lid doesn't fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

WEDNESDAY 11 FEBRUARY
Slow Cooked Athenian Chicken
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
6 chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup white wine (water or chicken broth may be substituted)
In a small bowl, combine first three ingredients. Rub ingredients over chicken. Place chicken in crockpot, then add soup and wine into crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
Reduce this one!

Serve with pasta and grilled zuchini slices.


THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY
Use up leftovers

FRIDAY 13 FEBRUARY
Bay Scallops with Spinach recipe
Ingredients:
2 lbs of fresh spinach, stemmed and washed, not dried.
1 lb of bay scallops.
3 large cloves of garlic, peeled.
¼ cup of white wine.
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.
2 teaspoons of olive oil.
2 teaspoons of salt.
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest.
Freshly ground pepper, to taste.
Preparation Instructions:
Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.Add the garlic and lemon zest and cook for 20 seconds, stirring continuously.Add the spinach and toss occasionally until wilted.Drain off the liquid and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Keep warm.Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Add the scallops and sauté for 1 minute or until just cooked through.Remove the scallops from the pan and add the lemon juice and wine.Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, for 15 seconds.Remove from the heat, then toss in the scallops and season with the remaining salt and pepper to taste.On serving plates, place a mound of spinach in the middle and surround with scallops.
Serve over pasta

SATURDAY 14 FEBRUARY
Beef Haggis (from Jack Poulter, jpoulter@islandnet.com)

1 lb beef heart
1 lb boneless beef brisket
1 lb boneless lamb shoulder
1/4 c onions (dried) or 1 large, chopped
water or beef stock, as required
1 lb beef liver
3 cups pinhead oatmeal or rolled oats
1 cup beef suet
2 tbs. salt
1 tbs. black pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
cow's bladder, sheep's stomach or pudding basin (bowl)
Chop coarsely heart, brisket, lamb and onion. Put in large saucepan, cover with water/stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes. Add coarsely chopped liver and simmer a further 30 minutes. Pout off cooking liquid and reserve. Chop cooked meat finely and in a bowl mix in, one at a lime, oatmeal, suet, salt, pepper and cayenne. Pour in reserved liquid until firm and moist. Spoon mixture into bladder and secure ends with string. Place in top half of a steamer and steam over simmering water for 1 1/2 hours. (If no bladder/stomach is available put into a ovenproof bowl, cover with foil or waxed paper (tied on) and steam as above.)
To reheat for serving, wrap in foil to protect skin, place in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for 1/2 hour per pound. (If bowl was used to steam it, put it back into a pan of water and simmer for same time.) To serve, cut skin and spoon out. May also be served battered and fried.
This is traditionally served as an accompaniment to other meats on a festive occasion, e.g., Robby Burn's Birthday. It may also be eaten as a dessert by pouring a few ounces of Drambuie over it. I have done this and enjoyed it.

SUNDAY 15 FEBRUARY
Best-Ever Chops
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com/
Category: Pork Chops
Serves/Makes: 4
Ready In: > 5 hrs
Ingredients:
4 pork chops, each about 1/2 inch thick
2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
1 can (14 1/2 ounce size) stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 beef bouillon cube
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Directions:Add all ingredients except water and cornstarch to the crockpot. Cook on LOW for 5 1/2 hours. Mix cornstarch and water together and stir into crockpot. Cook 30 minutes more. Serve over rice.