Grilled Steak with steak frites and roasted okra

FRIDAY

Grilled Steak; steak frites and roasted okra

Steak frites are more or less shoe string fries served with steak. Super easy1

Roasted Okra
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 3

INGREDIENTS:
18 fresh okra pods, sliced 1/3 inch thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
2 teaspoons black pepper, or to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Arrange the okra slices in one layer on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

THURSDAY
Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
By jenjill on February 10, 2004
Servings:6-8
Ingredients:
1 -2 cup cooked ham, cubed
8 -10 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
10 ounces cream of mushroom soup

Directions:Prep Time: 10 minsTotal Time: 6 1/4 hrs
1.Layer half of the ham, potatoes, onions and cheese in crock pot.
2.Repeat layers.
3.Spread undiluted soup over the top.
4.Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.
5.Adjust amounts to fit the size of your crock pot.

15-minute Black Bean Salad

WEDNESDAY
15-Minute Black Bean Salad
Try this salad recipe that only gets better with time. It is a great one to keep on hand in your refrigerator for a ready-made healthy meal or snack. Beans are great for adding dietary fiber to your Healthiest Way of Eating. One serving of this Black Bean Salad provides 33% of the daily value for this important nutrient. Enjoy!

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
½ cup minced onion
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
2 cup black beans or 1 15 oz can (without BPA), drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
½ cup diced red bell pepper
2 TBS pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
3 TBS fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:

Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
Mix all ingredients together and serve. This salad will keep for a couple of days and gets more flavorful if you let it marinate in the refrigerator for awhile.
Serves 4

Ham & Pineapple melts

TUESDAY

Ham and Pineapple Melts
(makes 2 servings)
Recipe can be found at Closet Cooking
Ingredients:
2 whole wheat english muffins (cut in half and lightly toasted)
4 teaspoons honey dijon mustard
4 slices ham
4 slices pineapple
4 slices cheddar cheese
4 small splashes Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1. Spread the mustard on the english muffin and top with the ham, pineapple, cheese and top with a small splash of Worcestershire sauce.
2. Broil until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 2-4 minutes.

We're going to have this with homefries and corn on the cob

Grilled Steak Salad

MONDAY

Grilled Steak Salad
Yunhee Kim By: Every Day with Rachael Ray Staff
Recipe can be found at Every Day with Rachel Ray website


INGREDIENTS:
1 flank steak (1 to 1-1/2 pounds)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling Salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 Kirby cucumbers, sliced into thin half-moons

1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into thin strips

One 10-ounce box frozen corn kernels, thawed

Chopped mint leaves

8 ounces mixed salad greens

Spice it up!
Add seeded, chopped jalapeño to taste.DIRECTIONS:
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush the steak with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the garlic, the mustard and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the steak and marinate for 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the cucumber, bell pepper and corn.

When the steak is done marinating, place it on a cutting board and pour the marinade into a small saucepan set over high heat to simmer, about 1 minute. Slice the steak into 1/4-inch-thick strips and add to the vegetables. Add the marinade, mint and salt and pepper to taste, and toss.

Divide the greens among 4 dinner plates. Drizzle with olive oil and salt, then top with the steak strips and vegetables.

Serve with fresh bread

Red Beans and rice

TUESDAY
Big Easy Red Beans and Rice
Recipe can be found at CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 4 | Difficulty Level: 3 | Ready In: > 5 hrs

Ingredients:
1 pound red kidney beans
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 pork hambone
Salt to taste
Cayenne to taste
Black pepper to taste
Water
1 pound smoked sausage cut in � inch pieces
Cooked rice

Directions:
Rinse beans; place into crockpot along with onions, bell pepper, garlic, hambone, and bay leaf. Pour enough water in the crock-pot so water is 2 to 3 inches above the beans. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours.

Smash 1/3 of the beans to thicken, remove bay leaf, add smoked sausage, and cook for additional 30-60 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot over cooked rice.

Stir Fry Beef and Peppers

THURSDAY

STIR FRY BEEF AND PEPPERS

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. steaks, 3/4" thick

1 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
2tbsp sesame oil
2 large red or green bell peppers
1 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp sake
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms

1/2 cup water or beef broth
1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tsp fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tbsp cornstarch
salt, pepper, seasonings (optional)
Using a sharp slicing knife, slice the steaks as thinly as possible into strips, cutting across to make thin strips about 3/4" in width. Trim away and discard fat and sinew. Tough cuts of meat may also be used for this recipe; just simmer the sliced beef a bit longer before adding in the remaining ingredients. Alternatively, purchase pre-sliced stir-fry beef or have your butcher cut it for you (but this convenience will come at a premium - be your own butcher for the most economy!)
Sauté steak strips with thinly sliced onions in a few tablespoons olive oil and a tablespoon of butter, stirring often. Add cored and diced peppers and sliced celery.

Add garlic after meat has browned. Add a few tablespoons of sake to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle cornstarch over meat and stir. As sauce thickens, add a few tablespoons of water or beef broth to thin out to desired consistency. Stir in soy sauce.

Note: Be sure to taste what you're cooking! Adjust seasonings, adding beef soup base or bouillon, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and hot pepper, optionally, if more flavor is desired.

Cover and simmer over low heat until meat is tender (about 20-30 minutes); stir in mushrooms and cook 1-2 more minutes (only until mushrooms are heated through).

Serve over steamed rice.

Bell Peppers and Pasta

TUESDAY

Bell Peppers and Pasta

Recipe can be found at AllRecipes.com

Prep Time: 12 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 22 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/4 cups uncooked penne or medium tube pasta
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. In a nonstick skillet, saute onion in oil for 1-1/2 minutes. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds longer. Add the sweet peppers; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the olives, oregano, salt and cayenne. Add water; cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Drain pasta and stir into skillet. Remove from the heat. Stir in cheese. Serve immediately.

Arugula Salad with beets and goat cheese

MONDAY

Arugula Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

Recipe can be found at Simply Recipes.com

INGREDIENTS
Salad Ingredients:
Beets - (boiled until a fork easily goes in it, about an hour), peeled, sliced into strips
Fresh arugula - rinsed, patted dry with a paper towel
Goat cheese - chevre
Walnuts - chopped

Dressing ingredients:
Olive oil
Lemon
Dry powdered mustard
Sugar
Salt and pepper
METHOD
The amount of ingredients depends on how many people you are serving and how much salad you intend to serve them. The important thing is that this is a good blend of flavors. I didn't try tossing this salad; each plate was composed individually.
The dressing for three individual salads was 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 lemon, 1/4 teaspoon of powdered mustard, 3/4 teaspoon of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Actually, it is all to taste. These are only approximate measurements.
Assemble the salad according to how much you want. A handful of arugula leaves, a few beet juliennes, some crumbled goat cheese, garnish with chopped walnuts. Use a vinaigrette salad dressing or what I've described above.

CrockPot Chicken and Shrimp

SUNDAY

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp

Recipe can be found at CrockPot Chicken & Shrimp
2 pounds chicken, white or dark, skin removed, cut in chunks
non-stick cooking spray or a teaspoon or 2 of vegetable oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/2 cup white wine
12 ounces tomato sauce (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp. dried leaf basil
1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
Cut chicken into cubes or strips. Lightly brown in frying pan with 2 tsp of oil. Place chicken in crockpot. Sautee onion, garlic and parsley in pan for about 1 minute. Stir remaining ingredients, except shrimp, into frying pan then pour over chicken. Cook on LOW 4-5 hours. Add shrimp and cook an additional 1.5 hours on LOW. Be sure shrimp is cooked through before turning off crock pot. Serve with pasta, rice or cous cous.

Serve with green beans

Basil and Prosciutto Wrapped Halibut

SATURDAY

Basil and Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut

Recipe from AllRecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 11 Minutes
Ready In: 16 Minutes
Servings: 2
"Halibut fillets are wrapped in basil and prosciutto, pan-seared and finished in a hot oven for this fast and flavorful fish recipe."
INGREDIENTS:
6 leaves basil
2 slices prosciutto
2 (4 ounce) fillets halibut
1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Lay 3 basil leaves on each slice of prosciutto. Season the halibut fillets with Adobo seasoning, place them on one side of the prepared slices of prosciutto, and wrap the fish fillets with the prosciutto and basil.
3. Set an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, pour in the olive oil and place the wrapped halibut fillets in the pan.
4. Cook the fillets until the prosciutto is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip the fillets over and move the pan into the preheated oven. Bake until the fish is firm to the touch and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and asparagus

Slow Cooker Escalloped Chicken

FRIDAY
Slow Cooker Escalloped Chicken

We were supposed to make this a while ago however we never got to it...so here we go again.

INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - boiled
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup butter
13 cups white bread cubes, baked until
slightly dry
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid from chicken
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup chopped celery
DIRECTIONS:
1. FOR DRESSING: Combine the onion, butter or margarine, bread cubes, poultry seasoning, salt, sage, pepper, reserved cooking liquid, mushroom soup and celery. Mix well.
2. In a slow cooker, layer the cooked chicken and dressing mixture. Cook on low for 4 to 8 hours. Serve.

Serve with pasta and steamed green beans

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

THURSDAY
Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Gourmet | July 1994
Quinoa, though technically a seed in the herb category, has traditionally been considered a valuable member of the grain family. A sacred source of strength for the ancient Incas, it is enjoying as a new popularity here in the United States. The secret of the success of this salad is the steaming of the quinoa. (The traditonal cooking method for quinoa, boiling it in a measured amount of water, does not produce the light, fluffy texture that works so well in a salad.) This dish provides a complete protein and can stand alone as a luncheon or light supper entrée.
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as an entrée or 8 as a side dish

1 1/2 cups quinoa (small disk-shaped seeds)*
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked corn (cut from about 2 large ears)
3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 pickled jalapeño chilies, seeded and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander

For dressing
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil

*available at specialty foods shops and natural foods stores

In a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a large fine sieve.
In a saucepan of salted boiling water cook quinoa 10 minutes. Drain quinoa in sieve and rinse under cold water. Set sieve over a saucepan of boiling water (quinoa should not touch water) and steam quinoa, covered with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, about 10 minutes (check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).
While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer quinoa to a large bowl and cool. Add beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeños, and coriander and toss well.

Make dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking.
Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Turkey burgers, french fries and corn on the cob

WEDNESDAY

Turkey burgers; french fries and corn on the cob

Easy night!

Fennel Crusted Salmon on white beans

TUESDAY
Fennel-Crusted Salmon on White Beans

From EatingWell: February/March 2006,

Serves Two
Delicious warm white beans and fennel are topped with succulent fennel-seed-crusted salmon for a double hit of flavor. For an extra-fresh look, set aside some additional chopped fennel fronds to use as a garnish.

6 servings | Active Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

5 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 bulb fennel, halved, cored and thinly sliced, plus 1 tablespoon chopped fennel fronds
2 15-ounce cans white beans, rinsed
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed (see Tip), cut into 2 portions
Preparation

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes and wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to break down, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in chopped fennel fronds, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, combine fennel seeds and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly on both sides of salmon.
Wipe out the pan. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons oil to the pan and heat over high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the salmon, skinned-side up, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the salmon over, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand until the salmon finishes cooking off the heat, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer the salmon to a cutting board and flake with a fork. Serve salmon on top of the warm bean mixture.

Serve with rice

Toasted Turkey Cranberry Arugula Sandwichs

MONDAY

Toasted Turkey Cranberry Arugula Sandwich Recipes

Recipe can be found at Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 slices French or Italian loaf bread, lightly toasted
1 1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Several slices of cooked turkey breast
2 Tbsp prepared cranberry sauce or cranberry relish
1 handful of baby arugula leaves or watercress

METHOD

Toast 2 slices of bread. Spread mustard on one slice, mayo on the other. To the slice with mustard, add the turkey breast, then the cranberry sauce, then the arugula leaves. Top with the other slice of bread. Cut in half.

Serve with french fries

Braised Venison Roast

SUNDAY
Braised Venison Roast

Cook time 3 1⁄2 hours
Recipe Type Other [2] Main Course [3]
Description

Ingredients

4 lb Venison Roast
1 onion (Cut into thin slices)
3 T Olive Oil
1 Bottle of Guiness Beer

Instructions
Brown the roast on all sides in the olive oil in a cast iron Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sliced onion and stir just a bit so that it gets a little coated by the oil. Pour the full contents of the bottle of Guinness over the roast and onions. Now turn down the heat to about medium low, cover with a very tight fitting lid and braise the roast for about 3 hours. Do NOT allow this to go dry. Check it periodically and if the fluid level is diminishing, feel free to add either water or more Guinness to make up the difference. Once the roast is fork tender, it is time to make a bit of a roux to thicken the sauce. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, then add 4 tablespoons of flour, whisk together for a minute or two to cook the flour. You don’t want it tasting raw. Add the roux to the hot broth of the venison roast and whisk into a beautifully thickened sauce that can be served over potatoes, rice, or roasted vegetables.

Turkey Tetrazzini

SATURDAY

Turkey Tetrazzini II

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ready In: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Servings: 8
"This easy pasta dish is a great way to use the turkey leftovers - and a Parmesan lover's dream!"
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked
spaghetti
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 2/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups chopped cooked turkey
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and place in the prepared baking dish.
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Mix in chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in about 1 1/3 cups Parmesan cheese, and remove from heat.
4. Mix chicken broth mixture and turkey with spaghetti. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until surface is lightly browned.

Grilled Delmonico Steaks with horseradish mashed potatoes and green beans

FRIDAY
Grilled Delmonico Steaks
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 4
"Marinated steaks so tender you can cut with a fork! Friends and family always come running when they know I'm grilling."
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon crushed dried rosemary
3 tablespoons steak seasoning
3 tablespoons steak sauce (e.g. A-1)
4 (10 ounce) Delmonico (rib-eye) steaks
DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine the olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, rosemary, steak seasoning, and steak sauce in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until well blended.
2. Prick steaks on both sides with a fork, and place in a shallow container with a lid. Pour marinade over steaks, cover, and refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight.
3. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, or light charcoal, and wait until coals are completely white. Soaked wood chips may be added to the coals when ready for a smoky flavor, if you like.
4. Remove steaks from marinade, and discard the marinade. Lightly oil the grilling surface, and place steaks on the grill. Cover, and grill steaks for about 10 minutes on each side, or to your desired degree of doneness.

Serve with horseradish mashed potatoes and green beans

Broccoli Tofu Stirfry with Almonds

THURSDAY
Broccoli-Tofu Stirfry with Almonds
Ingredients:

* 500 g broccoli
* 150 g firm seasoned tofu
* 50 g chopped almonds
* 4-5 spring onions
* 1-2 cloves garlic
* 3 tablespoon soy sauce
* 2 tablespoon sake or dry sherry
* pepper or cayenne pepper to taste
* 1 teaspoon vegan sugar
* vegetable oil
* sesame oil

Directions:

Cut broccoli into small florets, peel the stalks and cut into cubes.
Cut tofu into small cubes and spring onions into 2-cm (1-inch) pieces.
Cut garlic into very small pieces.

Mix soy sauce with sake/sherry and vegan sugar.

Heat a wok or large saucepan. Add three tbsp. of vegetable oil and 1
tbsp. of sesame oil. Stirfry broccoli first, then add tofu, then
garlic, almonds and spring onions. Stir until everything is done. Add
the soy sauce mixture, season with pepper/cayenne pepper.

Serve with pasta or rice.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 min

Serve with Jasmine Rice

Pork Chops with Sour Cream Dill Sauce & Spaetzle

WEDNESDAY
Pork Chops with Sour Cream Dill Sauce

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large sirloin pork chops
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons paprika
1 small garlic clove, crushed
3/4 cup, or more canned low salt chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill

Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Place 1/3 cup flour in shallow bowl. Coat pork chops with flour, shaking off excess. Add to skillet and cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to platter. Drain all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.

Add onion to skillet and saute until light golden, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and crushed garlic clove and stir 30 seconds. Mix in 3/4 cup chicken broth, marjoram and caraway seeds. Simmer 3 minutes. Return pork chops to skillet.

Cover and simmer until pork chops are almost cooked through, adding more chicken broth by tablespoonfuls if liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes per side. Reduce heat to low.

Whisk 1 cup sour cream, dill and remaining 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl to blend. Add to skillet and stir until pork chops are tender and sauce thickens, about 5 minutes, do not boil. Transfer pork chops to platter. Spoon sauce over and serve.

4 Servings.

Serve with spaetzle and brussel sprouts

Cream of Broccoli Soup

TUESDAY
Best Cream Of Broccoli Soup

We never had this Wednesday last week as I was late coming home. We have tons of broccoli to use up thanks to Brads Produce so we figured we'd try to make this again.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Onions, celery and broccoli cooked in chicken broth are pureed with milk in this roux-thickened soup."
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
8 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
3. In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup. Season with pepper and serve.

Serve with a small salad and dinner rolls

Slow Cooker Escalloped Chicken

MONDAY

Slow Cooker Escalloped Chicken
"Stuffing from scratch--just some herbs, bread crumbs chopped celery and onion, bread crumbs--slow cooks with boiled chicken and a creamy mushroom sauce in this tried and true family dinner."
INGREDIENTS:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - boiled
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup butter
13 cups white bread cubes, baked until
slightly dry
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups reserved cooking liquid from
chicken
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream
of mushroom soup
1 cup chopped celery
DIRECTIONS:
1. FOR DRESSING: Combine the onion, butter or margarine, bread cubes, poultry seasoning, salt, sage, pepper, reserved cooking liquid, mushroom soup and celery. Mix well.
2. In a slow cooker, layer the cooked chicken and dressing mixture. Cook on low for 4 to 8 hours. Serve.

Serve with pasta and steamed green beans

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 11/11/2010

Lasagna

SUNDAY

Fabulous Lasagna
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
1 pint ricotta cheese (I'll be making my own ricotta cheese for the first time for this!) Recipe for that can be found here!
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (24 ounce) jar Classico® Tomato and Basil Sauce (I'll be using our own sauce for this!)
12 no-boil lasagna noodles
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until brown and the juices run clear. Drain and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, egg, basil, thyme, garlic powder, oregano and half the shredded mozzarella. Mix well, and set aside.
4. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with a little of the spaghetti sauce. Place three noodles in the bottom of the pan, not touching. Spread a layer of the ricotta mixture, a layer of sausage, and a layer of pasta sauce over the noodles. Repeat three more times. Top with the reserved mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover with foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes, remove foil and bake 15 minutes more, until golden and bubbly.

We're also going to add some fresh spinach to the layers to add a bit more iron and folate.

Serve with salad and dinner rolls

Oxtail Soup

SATURDAY

Oxtail Soup Recipe
Oxtails are beef, and they make the most delicious soup. Here it is made with onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and wine. It does take a long simmering time, but requires little work. The result is well worth it.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds oxtail, cut in 1 to 1-1/2-inch chunks and trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup unsifted flour plus 2 tablespoons
2 Tablespoons beef drippings or cooking oil
2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and minced
2 quarts water, or 6 cups water and 1 pint beef broth or bouillon
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 cloves
2 sprigs parsley
2 medium-size carrots, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/3 cup dry sherry or port wine (optional)
Preparation:

Dredge oxtails5 in 1/2 cup flour, then brown in drippings in a large, heavy kettle over high heat; drain on paper toweling.

Turn heat to moderate and stir-fry onions 8 to 10 minutes until golden; sprinkle in remaining flour, mix well, and brown lightly.

Slowly add water, stir in tomato6 paste, salt, and pepper, also bay leaf tied in cheesecloth with thyme7, cloves, and parsley. Return oxtail to kettle, cover, and simmer 3 hours until meat is fork tender; cool and skim off fat; remove cheesecloth bag.

Separate meat from bones, cut in bite-size pieces, and return to kettle along with carrots and celery. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until carrots are tender. If you like, mix in sherry or port wine8.

Serve as is or strain kettle liquid, serve as a first course, and follow with oxtail and vegetables.

Yield: 6 servings

Turkey Burgers; home fries and steamed veggies

FRIDAY

Turkey Burgers, homefries and steamed veggies

SIMPLE, SIMPLE, SIMPLE

Grilled Ribs with homemade macaroni and cheese & corn on the cob

THURSDAY

Grilled ribs with homemade macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob.

Barbecue Sauce Recipe No.2

Oil
2 cloves garlic crushed
60ml / 2oz tomato ketchup
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon muscovado sugar
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon chili sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice
Method:-

Simply mix together and brush on ribs.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

WEDNESDAY
Best Cream Of Broccoli Soup
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 6
"Onions, celery and broccoli cooked in chicken broth are pureed with milk in this roux-thickened soup."
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
8 cups broccoli florets
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery until tender. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot.
3. In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup. Season with pepper and serve.

Serve with a small salad and dinner rolls

Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

TUESDAY
Broccoli Beef Stir Fry

Time 15 minutesServes 4
Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound round steak, cut into bite size pieces
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
How to make it

In a small bowl, combine flour, broth, sugar, and soy sauce. Stir until sugar and flour are dissolved.
In a large skillet or wok over high heat, cook and stir beef 2 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, and broccoli. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens.
Serve with hot rice!

Greek Salad with grilled chicken and rolls

MONDAY

Greek Salad with Grilled Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

(serving size: 2 cups salad, 3 ounces chicken, and 1 tablespoon feta cheese)
1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
8 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup sliced cucumber (about 1 small)
8 pitted kalamata olives, halved
4 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
2 (1/4-inch-thick) slices red onion, separated into rings
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

Prepare grill or broiler.

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the chicken with 2 tablespoons dressing; set remaining dressing aside.

Place chicken on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray; cook for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Combine the romaine lettuce and the next 4 ingredients (romaine lettuce through red onion slices) in a large bowl, and toss with the remaining salad dressing. Divide the salad evenly among 4 plates; top each serving with sliced chicken, and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Leftover night

THURSDAY
Leftover night. Eggplant parmesan with pasta and dinner rolls

Slow Cooker Provencal Chicken and beans

Chef Meg's Slow Cooker Provencal Chicken and Beans
Ingredients

24 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 (16 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz ) can petite diced tomatoes with basil and oregano or any style of canned tomatoes
1 dash salt
1 dash black pepper
2 t dried basil
1 t dried thyme
Directions

Place all ingredients into a slow cooker, stir and cover with lid; cook on low heat for 7 hours. If you are running late, the mixture will hold for 8 hours, so don't rush.
Makes 6 one cup servings.

Number of Servings: 6

Serve with baked acorn squash and pasta

Greek Salad with dinner rolls

TUESDAY
Greek Salad I
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 4
" An oregano/olive oil dressing with a dash of lemon makes this traditional salad just a bit different. All the veggies, including the Romaine, are chopped so when the salad is tossed, each bit of tomato or pepper, or cucumber gets its equal share of dressing. Six servings."
INGREDIENTS:
5/8 head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and chopped
5/8 red onion, thinly sliced
5/8 (6 ounce) can pitted black olives
5/8 green bell pepper, chopped
5/8 red bell pepper, chopped
1-1/4 large tomatoes, chopped
5/8 cucumber, sliced
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
5/8 lemon, juiced
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large salad bowl, combine the Romaine, onion, olives, bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and cheese.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, lemon juice and black pepper. Pour dressing over salad, toss and serve.

MONDAY
Quinoa & Black Beans

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/quinoa_black_beans.html
From EatingWell: EatingWell Serves Two
Stir in your favorite jarred salsa for extra zing. Also good the next day for lunch.

2 servings, about 1/2 cup each | Active Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons broth, (or water)
1/2 cup hot cooked quinoa
Preparation

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until almost tender. Add beans and broth (or water) to the pan. Cook until heated through. Stir in quinoa.

Pork Adobo; Ginisang Munggo with rice

SUNDAY

Pork Adobo
INGREDIENTS:
•2 lbs pork, cubed
•1/3 cup vinegar
•2 tablespoons soy sauce
•3 cloves garlic, crushed
•5 peppercorns
•1 bay leaf
•1 tablespoon sugar
•2 teaspoon cornstarch
•salt and pepper for seasoning
DIRECTIONS:

1.Season pork with some salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker or crockpot.
2.Combine vinegar through cornstarch. 3.Pour and rub over pork. Marinate overnight.4.Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.5.Serve Pork Adobo with steamed rice.

GINISANG MUNGGO
1 cup munggo, washed (mung beans)
1/4 kilo pork belly, cut into small pieces
5 cups water
1 head garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
4 pieces tomatoes, sliced
1 cup malunggay leaves
1 Knorr pork cube
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon cooking oil
PROCEDURE :

1. In a casserole, put water, munggo, and Knorr pork cube.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes or until the munggo is cooked.
3. In a skillet, heat the oil and saute the garlic, onion, and tomatoes.
4. Add the pork and saute until lightly browned.
5. Add in the munggo and stock.
6. Season with pepper and add the malunggay leaves.

Kombucha Green Tea

Kombucha Green Tea

3rd batch first started 29 September

Slightly modified

1 quart water, boiled

3/4 cup white granulated sugar
4 T organic green tea

3 quarts cold filtered water
½ cup kombucha from previous culture

1 kombucha SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) along with 2 very young baby scobys1 gallon wide-mouthed jar

Tea towel to cover the jar during fermentation (even an old t-shirt will work)

Rubber band that fits over the mouth of your jar

2 quart stainless steel pot

spoon (I have a very strong fiberglass spoon that I prefer for this)
funnel (for bottling)swing-top/grolsch style bottles (preferably green or brown tinted glass)

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in your stainless steel pot. Turn off heat and allow water to stop boiling. Dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Add tea and steep for 15-20 minutes.Add remaining 3 quarts of cold water (or water mixed with potable ice made from filtered water) to the brewed tea.

Add at least ½ cup of the kombucha from the previous culture (or, if this is the first time you’re brewing, add any liquid that came with your scoby). Stir to combine.
Once liquid has come to room temperature, place tea into your one-gallon container. Place SCOBY on top (shiny side up).Place the cotton cloth over the jar and secure with rubber band. Store in a safe place at

room temperature.

05 October. Taste test.

I can most definitely tell I used more water, less sugar on this one. So far it's not quite as sweet but it's still very tasty. Not quite ready yet however. It needs maybe a day or two more.

The heating pad we have that is meant for heating seeds to germinate them has been keeping our

kombucha at a average temperature of about 77 degrees so we read the owners manual again and reset the temp to 73 degrees. Let's hope that works.

This batch has a lot more fizz to it! Oh and baby scobys are becoming a bit more defined. I think the time that we're leaving them alone while we're in Montreal is going to do them good.

We have this odd colored part sitting among our scobys. I don't know if this is just a thick part of a immature scoby or what.

Still it's not fuzzy, doesn't look exactly like mold so I guess we're still good.

10 October. Bottling

Today we arrived home late from visiting with family however it has been 12 days (I think anyways) since we started this batch. Using more water and less sugar most definitely makes a difference in fermenting time as it took longer for this batch to get that nice characteristic, sweet, apple cider like flavor to it.

Still, we knew we had to hurry and bottle these as pretty soon we will be traveling again.

This time we decided to go with some flavored and some not. We used apple, grape and lemon ginger. For the lemon we, unfortunately didn't have any fresh lemon so we tried adding just about a tbsp full of lemon juice. Not my first choice but we didn't have much to choose from.

Front two bottles on left are apple, small bottle on far right is green seedless grape, large bottle in back on left is lemon ginger and bottle in back on right is plain.

They will be going in the fridge on Wednesday morning.

Eggplant Elegante

MONDAY

Eggplant Elegante
Eggplant casserole combines eggplant, sauteed onion and green pepper, bacon, and chopped tomatoes. Breadcrumbs and melted butter top off this elegant dish before baking.
Ingredients -
1 large Eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon Salt
8 slices Bacon, fried and crumbled
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 medium Onion, diced
1 (15 ounces) can Chopped or Diced Tomatoes
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup melted Butter or Margarine

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Add eggplant to saucepan. Cover with water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Boil 10 minutes.

3. Drain eggplant thoroughly.

4. Saute onion and green pepper in small skillet. Add bacon and diced tomatoes.

5. Add eggplant. Toss to combine.

6. Spoon mixture into casserole dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top of eggplant.

7. Drizzle breadcrumbs with melted butter.

8. Bake 45 minutes.

Serve with dinner rolls, pasta and a salad

Souvlaki, Tzatziki with rosemary orzo

SUNDAY

Greek Souvlaki Recipe

Use pork or lamb - serving with pita bread is optional but tzatziki is a must! Prep time includes a minimum of 2 hours for marinating.

2¼ hours 2 hours prep

SERVES 4
1 1/2 lbs boneless leg of lamb or lamb shoulder or pork loin, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
coarse salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, onion, oregano, parsley, mint and black pepper in a bowl& mix well. Add meat, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate; marinate for a minimum of 2 hours but overnight for best results. If using wooden skewers soak them in water overnight or for at least 2 hours. Preheat the grill to medium high. Thread meat evenly onto 4 skewers& season with salt and pepper. Grill skewers 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium or cook a few minutes longer if you prefer well done (6 to 7 minutes). Serve with tzatziki sauce and pita bread.

Tzatziki

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
16 ounces (2 cups) of thick Greek yogurt
4 to 10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of diced or grated cucumber (Kirby or "English")
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Preparation:

Prepare all ingredients in advance. Combine oil and lemon juice in a medium mixing bowl. Fold the yogurt in slowly, making sure it mixes completely with the oil. Add the garlic, according to taste, and the cucumber. Stir until evenly distributed. Garnish with a bit of green and serve well chilled. Yield: about 2 1/2 cups Add mint or dill: Slight variations include 1-2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill and/or fresh mint. Tasty additions! Shopping Tip: The thick, full-fat yogurts available at Greek, Middle Eastern, and specialty food markets - or a commercial full-fat strained yogurt - will give the best results. You can also make your own strained yogurt using full-fat, low-fat, or fat-free commercial yogurt.

Rosemary Orzo

1 pound orzo (rice-shaped pasta) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves Bring a 6-quart saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook orzo until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain orzo well and in a large bowl toss with oil, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.

Moussaka

FRIDAY
Classic Eggplant Moussaka

Moussaka is a casserole made by layering eggplant with a spiced meat filling then topping it off with a creamy bechamel sauce that is baked to golden perfection.

It is perhaps the most widely recognized of all Greek dishes and was made famous by the legendary Greek chef, Nicholas Tselementes.

This eggplant version is the traditional rendition, however you can also layer in potatoes, zucchini, or whatever vegetables you prefer. It's hearty and filling so you won't need many side dishes.

While it can be time consuming to prepare, I think you will find that once complete it is a very worthwhile endeavor.

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

3-4 eggplants, about 4 lbs. total
1 lb. potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or lamb)
2 large onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1 cup tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes)
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups plain breadcrumbs
8 egg whites, lightly beaten (reserve yolks for bechamel)
1 cup grated Kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese

Bechamel Sauce:
1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup flour
4 cups milk, warmed
8 egg yolks, lightly beaten
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Preparation:

Prep the Vegetables:
Using a sharp peeler, partially peel the eggplants, leaving strips of peel about 1 inch wide around the eggplant. Slice the eggplant in to 1/2 inch slices. Place the eggplant slices in a colander and salt them liberally. Cover them with an inverted plate that is weighted down by a heavy can or jar. Place the colander in the sink so that excess moisture can be drawn out. They will need to sit for at least 15-20 minutes, preferably an hour. The salt also helps to remove some of the bitterness of the eggplant.

Peel the potatoes and boil them whole until they are just done. They should not get too soft, just cooked enough so that they no longer crunch. Drain, cool and slice them in 1/4 inch slices. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and lightly grease. Add a splash of water to the egg whites and beat them lightly with a fork. Add breadcrumbs to a flat plate.

Rinse the eggplant slices and dry with paper towels. Dip the eggplant slices in the beaten egg whites and then dredge them in the breadcrumbs, coating both sides. Place breaded eggplant slices on baking sheets and bake at 400 degrees for 1/2 an hour, turning them over once during cooking.

When eggplant is finished cooking, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Make the Meat Filling:
In a large sauté pan, brown the ground beef (or lamb) until the pink color disappears. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add wine to pan and allow it to simmer and reduce a bit before adding cinnamon, allspice, parsley, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and sugar. Allow the sauce to simmer uncovered for approximately 15 minutes so that excess liquid can evaporate. It should be a drier, chunkier, tomato sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the Béchamel Sauce:
Melt butter over low heat. Using a whisk, add flour to melted butter whisking continuously to make a smooth paste. Allow the flour to cook for a minute but do not allow it to brown.

Add warmed milk to mixture in a steady stream, whisking continuously.

Simmer over low heat until it thickens a bit but does not boil.

Remove from heat, and stir in beaten egg yolks and pinch of nutmeg. Return to heat and stir until sauce thickens.

Assemble the Moussaka:
Lightly grease a large deep baking pan (lasagna pan). Sprinkle the bottom of pan with breadcrumbs. Leaving a 1/4 inch space around the edges of the pan, place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Top with a layer of eggplant slices.

Add meat sauce on top of eggplant layer and sprinkle with 1/4 of the grated cheese. Top with another layer of eggplant slices and sprinkle once again with 1/4 of the grated cheese.

Pour the béchamel sauce over the eggplant and be sure to allow sauce to fill the sides and corners of the pan. Smooth the béchamel on top with a spatula and sprinkle with remaining grated cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes or until béchamel sauce is a nice golden brown color. Allow to cool for 15 – 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

You can make this dish ahead up until the béchamel sauce and refrigerate. Make the béchamel sauce right before you intend to bake it.

THURSDAY

Soup & Salad combo.

Using up leftovers

Quinoa Salad with Apples and Almonds

WEDNESDAY
Quinoa Salad with Apples and Almonds
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has a mild flavor, a pleasantly chewy texture, and a higher protein content than most other grains. Combined with fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, and a light citrusy dressing, it makes a healthy picnic side.
We never had this last week so we're going to have it on Wednesday instead.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peeled, diced tart apple, such as Granny Smith
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
Coarse salt and pepper
Instructions
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa and water, then bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir, and let it cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil until blended.
Add the apple, celery, raisins, parsley, and almonds to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well. Add the dressing and toss once more to coat the salad. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Garlicy Thai Eggplant

TUESDAY

Garlicy Thai Eggplant

This simple eggplant recipe is aromatic and flavorful, and the generous amounts of fresh garlic make it extra healthy. This eggplant recipe makes a terrific side dish that can also be made vegetarian. It also works with any type of eggplant - whatever is fresh and available where you live. You can also adjust the spice level in this eggplant recipe, taking it anywhere from mild to spicy hot, according to your liking. ENJOY!
Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cooking onion (purple onions work well for this recipe)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-3 red chillies (including seeds), depending on how spicy you like it
1 Chinese (large, with dark purple skin) eggplant, or 2 (thinner, with light purple skin) Japanese eggplants
1/4 cup water for stir-frying
2-3 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
roughly 1/2 cup (or more) fresh basil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
SAUCE:
1 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 1+1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce OR vegetarian oyster sauce, OR Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce (Lee Kum Kee brand)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp. water (mix until cornstarch is dissolved)
Preparation:

First, prepare sauce by mixing together all sauce ingredients except cornstarch. Prepare the cornstarch and water mixture in a separate cup or bowl. Set both aside.
Chop the eggplant up into bite-size pieces (be sure to leave the peel on - this is where most of the nutrients are).
Place 2-3 Tbsp. oil to a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, half of the garlic, chilli, and eggplant. Reserve the rest of the garlic for later.
Stir-fry for 5 minutes. When the wok or frying pan becomes dry, add a little of the water (a few Tbsp. at a time) - enough to keep the ingredients frying nicely.
Add 2 Tbsp. soy sauce and continue stir-frying for 5 more minutes, or until the eggplant is soft and the white flesh is almost translucent. Add a little more water when the pan becomes too dry (up to 1/4 cup).
When the eggplant is soft, add the rest of the garlic plus the sauce. Stir fry to incorporate.
Lastly, add the cornstarch/water mixture. Stir well so that the sauce thickens uniformly (this will only take a minute or less). Remove from heat.
Taste test the eggplant for salt. If not salty enough, add a little more fish sauce. If too salty, add 1 Tbsp. lime juice (or substitute 1 Tbsp. lemon juice).
Now add 3/4 of the fresh basil, stirring briefly to incorporate.
Slide onto a serving platter and sprinkle the rest of the basil over top. Serve with jasmine rice. Enjoy!

**We're going to use some of the pork leftovers in with this.

Mongo Guisado

MONDAY
Mongo Guisado
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups green mongo (mung) beans
2 tbsp oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup diced pork
1 cup small prawns, peeled, heads discarded

2 tbsp patis (fish sauce)
Salt and pepper to taste
100 g (3 1/2 oz) chicharon (pork crackers), coarsely ground
Mongo Guisado Cooking Instructions
Soak the (mongo)mung beans in about 2 cups water for 4 hours.
Bring the same water to the boil and simmer beans until tender and most of the water has been absorbed, about 20 to 30 mins. Set aside.
Heat oil in a casserole and sauté onion and garlic until soft and fragrant. Add diced pork and sauté until brown.
Stir in mung beans and 2 cups fresh water. Bring to boil and simmer over medium heat until pork is fully cooked (add more water if necessary).
Add the prawns and cook until they turn orange in color, about 1 to 2 mins.
Season with patis, salt and pepper.

We're going to have this on top of fragrant jasmine rice since we have a rice monster in our house.

Apple glazed Pork roast with baked acorn squash and buttered noodles

SATURDAY

Apple Glazed Pork Roast
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com
Serves/Makes: 6
Difficulty Level: 3
Ready In: > 2 hrs

Ingredients:
1 Roasting Pan With Roasting Rack
5 pounds shoulder roast
5 cloves fresh garlic, crushed, peeled
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed firm
1 or more cups apple juice or apple cider
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or wine of choice
2 cups water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 apples of choice, cored and washed

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 450 Degrees F.

Find places in the roast and insert the garlic cloves. Rub roast all over with the salt, pepper, brown sugar and mustard mixture. Place roast fat side up on rack in roasting pan in oven that has been preheated to 450 Degrees F. Allow to roast for 20 to 25 minutes at high heat. Reduce heat to 350 Degrees F.. Combine apple juice or apple cider with vinegar and water. Place in pan with roast. Baste roast often and allow to cook several hours until nearing the temperature for RARE pork. (Use meat thermometer). Add apples to pan. Baste apples and roast. Combine honey with cinnamon. Drizzle honey over apples. Baste often until roast and apples are done. Remove to serving platter. Let rest. Slice and serve.

Serving this with a roasted acorn squash and buttered noodles.

Acorn squash are really simple and easy. Just simply cut the squash in half, place a few small tabs of butter inside after removing all seeds, then dust with cinnamon, cloves, and brown sugar.

Eggplant sandwiches & sweet potato chips

FRIDAY
Eggplant Sandwiches
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 2

INGREDIENTS:
1 small eggplant, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (6 inch) French sandwich rolls
1 small tomato, sliced
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet or broiling pan. Place the pan about 6 inches from the heat source. Cook under the broiler for 10 minutes, or until tender and toasted.
2. Split the French rolls lengthwise, and toast. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and garlic. Spread this mixture on the toasted bread. Fill the rolls with eggplant slices, tomato, feta cheese and basil leaves.

Serve with homemade sweetpotato chips

Quinoa Salad with Apples and Almonds

THURSDAY

Quinoa Salad with Apples and Almonds
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has a mild flavor, a pleasantly chewy texture, and a higher protein content than most other grains. Combined with fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, and a light citrusy dressing, it makes a healthy picnic side.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peeled, diced tart apple, such as Granny Smith
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
Coarse salt and pepper
Instructions
In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa and water, then bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir, and let it cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil until blended.
Add the apple, celery, raisins, parsley, and almonds to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well. Add the dressing and toss once more to coat the salad. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Serve with fresh bread

Crockpot Lemon Dill chicken with broccoli rabe

WEDNESDAY

Crock Pot Lemon Dill Chicken

3-4 boneless chicken breasts (we're using chicken thighs, as they have a bit more fat on them. Makes a more tender, juicy dish)
1 tbsp fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt, like Mrs. Dash
1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, grated
1 cup chicken broth, divided use
3 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled is fine)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix dill, lemon rind, lemon juice, garlic and 1/2 cup of chicken broth together and place in crockpot. Sprinkle seasoning salt on both sides of chicken breast and place in crock pot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Remove chicken and put aside. Pour sauce from crock pot into sauce pan and cook on medium heat. Add cornstarch to remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth. Slowly add to sauce pan. Bring to boil stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Serve over chicken with rice.

Serve with broccoli rabe sauteed in olive oil, garlic and some thinly sliced lemons

Leftover night

TUESDAY
Soccer practice night therefore we will be using up soup. Bread served alongside

Black Bean Avocado Salad with bread

Black Bean Avocado Salad

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 8
INGREDIENTS:
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
1 1/3 cups chopped peeled avocado
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice
DRESSING:
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Maple Soy Salmon with sauteed swiss chard and brown/white rice mixture

SUNDAY
Grilled Maple-soy Salmon

This is a recipe that was originally printed in the Clean Eating magazine
23 Minutes to Prepare and Cook

Ingredients
4 salmon fillets or steaks (about 4 oz. each)
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp soy sauce


Directions

Place salmon in a large, shallow glass continer. In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup and soy sauce, and brush on both sides of salmon (or on skinless side only, if salmon has skini.), using entire amount. Let sit for 15 minutes.

Place salmon directly on grate over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip with tongs or a spatula and grill for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until salmon is no longer shiny or translucent in the middle. The flesh should be firm and just slightly flaky. Serve immediately.

Number of Servings: 4

Serve with sauteed swiss chard and white and brown rice.

Swiss chard is really easy to prepare. Simply chop up coarsely after rinsing well. Mince some garlic finely, allow to sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the healthy compounds to become active in the garlic.

Now saute garlic in 1tbsp olive oil, allow garlic to become slightly softened and browned. Add swiss chard. Cook long enough to wilt swiss chard.

Lengua Burritos with homemade mexican corn

SATURDAY
Beef Tongue (lengua) burritos
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Hours 15 Minutes

Ready In: 8 Hours 30 Minutes
Servings: 20

Ingredients:
1 beef tongue
1/2 white onion, sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 Roma tomatoes
5 serrano peppers
salt to taste
1/2 onion, diced
2 packages flour tortillas(for tacos we prefer corn but flour tortillas are so much easier to fold into a burrito than corn are. Especially for us gringos!)
Directions:
1. Place the beef tongue in a slow cooker and cover with water. Add the onion slices, garlic, and bay leaf. Season with salt. Cover and cook on Low overnight or 8 hours. Remove the tongue and shred the meat into strands.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the tomatoes and peppers in the hot oil until softened on all sides. Remove the tomatoes and peppers in a blender, keeping the oil on the heat; season with salt. Blend briefly until still slightly chunky. Cook the diced onion in the skillet until translucent; stir in the tomato mixture. Cook another 5 to 6 minutes. Build the tacos by placing shredded tongue meat and cooked frijoles refritos (see recipe below) into a tortilla and spoon salsa over the meat.

FRIJOLES REFRITOS
1/2 recipe of Frijoles de Olla
6 Tbsp. lard (or substitute vegetable oil)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped white onion
Optional: chili powder, garlic, cumin, cheese for garnish

Heat the lard in a heavy 10" frying pan. Add the onion and fry over gentle heat until transparent, about 1 minute. Add a cupful of beans and their broth and mash down over fairly high heat. A wooden potato masher works best. As they begin to reduce, add some more and keep mashing until they have all been incorporated. Continue frying, scraping sides and bottom of pan to prevent sticking, until the mixture becomes a thick paste and you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.
Shortening can be substituted for lard, but the taste won't be as good!

Mexican Corn

Okay, this one is all my own. More or less anyways.

We're going to take some locally grown corn that we've frozen, thaw it and then mix it with some fresh cilantro, tomatoes and nopalitos. Add some cumin and voila. Mexican corn.

Serving some mexican rice on the side. We have a package of some rice that we're going to use up.

Turkey burgers, steamed veggies and french fries

FRIDAY

Turkey burgers, steamer veggies and homemade french fries.

Leftover night~Thursday

THURSDAY

leftover night. Soup, salad and bread.

Eggplant tofu stir fry

WEDNESDAY

Eggplant Tofu stir fry

We've made something like this before but this time we're going out more on our own.

2 to 3 Japanese eggplants, skin peeled off

1 block tofu, cut into square chunks

2 carrots

2 stalks celery

handful mushrooms

onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 tsp, ginger, diced

soy sauce

Thai chili sauce

sesame oil

peanut oil

chicken broth

cornstarch

This is actually very simple. Saute the celery, carrots and garlic in the peanut oil until slightly tender. Add the chopped onions, and eggplant and mushrooms. Saute until eggplant and mushrooms are slightly wilted. Add tofu and allow to cook fully. Remove everything from wok. Now add the sesame oil, ginger, thai chili sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth and cornstarch. Allow to thicken some. Add celery, carrot, garlic, tofu and eggplant mixture and toss lightly to thoroughly coat. Serve over jasmine rice.

Apple Avocado Salad & fresh bread

TUESDAY

Apple Avocado Salad

Baby greens tossed with chopped red onion, chopped walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and fresh lemon zest. When ready to serve fold in the apple and avocado slices. Salad is topped with vinaigrette made from mandarin orange juice, fresh lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, minced garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and salt.

Ingredients -
1 (10 ounces) package Baby Greens
1/4 cup chopped Red Onion
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled Blue Cheese
2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
1 Apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1 Avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Dressing:
4 Mandarin Oranges, juiced
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Zest
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt, to taste

Preparation:
Salad:
1.In a large bowl, toss together the baby greens, red onion, walnuts, blue cheese, and lemon zest.

2.Mix in the apple and avocado just before serving.

Dressing:
1.In a container with a lid, mix the mandarin orange juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and salt.
2.Drizzle over the salad as desired.

Serve with fresh bread

Honey Lime Glazed Grilled Ahi with Benihana style salad

MONDAY
Honey Lime Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna
This very simple glaze recipe is great paired with meaty Ahi tuna fillets. The tangy limes and the sweet honey work so well with the subtle smokiness from the grill. This grilled Ahi tuna recipe is best if the fish is cooked medium-rare.

Makes 4 Honey Lime Glazed Grilled Ahi Tuna Fillets
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
2 limes, juiced
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 six-ounce Ahi tuna fillets
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup honey
vegetable oil, as needed for grill
Preparation:

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Lay the tuna fillets on a plate, season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, and spoon over 1/2 of the glaze, turn to coat evenly. Let marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Add the honey to the remaining half of the glaze and mix well.

Heat an outdoor grill on high. When the grates are hot, lightly oil, and place tuna fillets on grill. Cook for about 2 minutes, and turn over, brushing the glaze over the cooked side. Grill 2 minutes more for medium-rare to medium. When fish is cooked transfer to a plate and brush the honey lime glaze over the other side of fillet.

Serve immediately with any remaining glaze with white steamed rice.

We're going to have this with a salad Benihana style.
The salad will be rather simple, romaine lettuce, carrots sliced thin or shredded, green onion, sliced. Maybe a tomato or two chopped.

Benihana Salad dressing recipe
Ingredient
¾ cup Chopped onion
¾ cup Peanut oil
6 tablespoons Rice wine vinegar
6 tablespoons Water
3 tablespoons Fresh chopped ginger root
3 tablespoons Chopped celery
3 tablespoons Soy sauce
4½ teaspoon Tomato paste
4½ teaspoon Sugar
4 teaspoons Lemon juice salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until very smooth. Makes enough to fill a tupperware squeeze bottle. Refridgerate. *Note...I found the 3 Tablespoons of fresh ginger root to be a little hot, so you might try using the chopped ginger in a jar because it is a little milder than the fresh. Also, you can add a little more soy sauce if you would like! It has the best flavor after it has been refrigerated a day or two! Michael Kapps (almcepud@...) said that the chef at Benihana's San Fransisco gave him a xerox copy of his secret recipe book for his birthday so, this is the real one-and-only Benihana's ginger dressing straight from the guys in charge. NOTES : (This is supposed to be the true one!)

Crispy Eggplant with Spicy Tomato Sauce

SUNDAY

Crispy Eggplant with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 4
"Peeled eggplant slices are breaded with wheat germ and Parmesan cheese, then baked in this fiber-filled vegetarian main dish."
INGREDIENTS:
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
salt to taste
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.Sprinkle the eggplant slices with a little salt on each side. Place onto a baking sheet, and set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, blot with paper towels to remove the moisture that has accumulated. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and milk together in a mixing bowl; set aside. Mix the Parmesan cheese and wheat germ until evenly combined; set aside.
3.Dip the dried eggplant slices into the egg, allow excess egg to drip off, then press into the Parmesan cheese mixture until coated on both sides. Gently shake off any excess Parmesan cheese, and place the eggplant slices onto a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining eggplant slices.
4.Bake in the preheated oven until tender and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. While the eggplant slices are baking, cook and stir the tomato sauce and cayenne pepper in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. When the eggplant is done, pour the sauce over top, and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese to serve.

Serve with pasta

Homemade Kombucha Tea Batch 091710

We started our next batch today.

1 quart water

5 bags of green tea

4 Organic Bigelow Green Tea

1 Southern Tsunami green tea

1 cup sugar

We then added 4 more quarts of cool filtered water.

I transfered the SCOBY and her baby back to the original container after cleaning my hands vigorously with vinegar. Once the tea was pretty cool I then poured the tea back in and the new batch has gone upstairs to the heating pad once again.

This next time we should be able to seperate the Mother and the Baby so we can produce faster, that's if I did everything right and didn't introduce any harmful bacteria.

We realized after the fact that we really reduced the sugar so first I am a tad bit worried that the SCOBY won't like it. If it does well though we should have a much drier Kombucha this time. Still that's okay by me as once I start getting enough SCOBYS and Kombucha I plan to experiment like crazy. Next experiment will most definitely be ginger.

Grilled Brats & Squash and Orzo Salad

FRIDAY
Grilled Brats. No brainer here. Throw the brats either on gas grill or George Foreman grill, toast buns.


Squash and Orzo Salad
Directions
Saute zucchini, yellow squash and scallions in olive oil until tender. Toss with cooked orzo, parsley, dill, goat cheese, salt and pepper.

Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee & Chive Dumplings

THURSDAY
Crock Pot Chicken Fricassee
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 C. of water
1/2 C. onions chopped
1 t. paprika
1 t. lemon juice
1 t. rosemary
1 t. thyme
1 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
non stick cooking spray

Spray the crock pot with the non stick spray. Place chicken in the crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.

1 hour before serving prepare chive dumplings.
3 T. shortening
1 1/2 C. flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
3 T. chives fresh chopped or 2 1/2 T. dried
3/4 C. milk

Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening. Add chives and milk and mix to combine well. Drop by teaspoons onto hot chicken and gravy. Cover and cook on high for 45 - 60 minutes.

Serve with corn on the cob

Salad with Shrimp and Avocado

TUESDAY
Salad with Shrimp and Avocado

This one is all our own creation. Just a simple salad with bell peppers, tomatoes, sliced avocado, green onions and a can of salad shrimp.
Since our sons soccer practice is on Tuesday we go as easy as possible.

I'll make one extra loaf of bread and we'll have that with all of this.

Edamame Salad

MONDAY
Edamame Salad
Ingredients:
2 bags frozen shelled Edamame
1 can Sweet Corn
2 cans Black Beans
4 Tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions:

Thaw Edamame
Rinse and drain black beans and sweet corn.
Finely chop tomatoes and parsley.
In a bowl mix edamame, black beans, corn, tomato and parsley.
Salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Nutritional Facts:
Servings: 8, Serving Size: 1 cup

Going to have this with a loaf of fresh bread.

Slow Cooker Pork chops

SUNDAY
Slow Cooker Pork Chops II
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 4 Hours Ready In: 4 Hours 10 Minutes
Servings: 4


"A wonderful way to cook pork it's extremely tasty and tender. With a mixture of spices and garlic it's terrific. And it is extremely EASY."
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 thick cut boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into the slow cooker. Cut small slits in each pork chop with the tip of a knife, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork chops into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on High for 4 hours. Baste periodically with the sauce.

Serve with corn on the cob and rice.

Making Homemade Kefir

Okay so as you can tell we have gotten board with eating more raw & fermented foods.


Both hubby and I tried a store brought brand of Kefir called Lifeworks


Here's the website for the brand.


http://www.lifeway.net/

Let me just say now that if this is how this tastes when it's store bought I cannot wait to make my own!

My husband and I are slowly becoming addicted to this stuff! While it does have a slightly sour taste to it it has a sugary taste that remains later on your palate. It reminds me of a really delicious piece of chocolate that hours later has you craving for more.

We plan on purchasing some grains here soon. I have found a company on Ebay that sells kefir grains. We actually bought our scoby Mother from them. So soon here I should be able to post pictures and all.

In the meanwhile I'll post the directions for making Kefir as well as several ways you can use this in everyday cooking.

These directions come from Seeds of Health.

http://www.seedsofhealth.co.uk/fermenting/kefir_howto.shtml
500ml glass jar like a kilner jar
About 1 tablespoon of kefir culture
Fresh milk
Put the kefir culture in the glass jar, then fill it with fresh milk about 2/3 or so full. Cover the jar with a cloth or put the lid on the jar. (If you use a lid don't fill the jar above two thirds or use a jar with a rubber gasket that will let any pressure escape.)

Let the contents stand at room temperature for approx. 24 hours depending on your taste. 48 hours will make a thicker, sourer kefir, 12 hours a thinner, sweeter kefir. The temperature will effect how quickly the culture works. So during the warm summer months the kefir will ferment faster.

When it's ready strain the kefir into a clean jar. While it's fermenting the kefir grains will float to the top of the milk along with any cream. It's a good idea to stir it gently with a wooden spoon to mix up the solids and liquids to make it easier to strain. Or use a wooden spoon or clean hands to scoop out the culture from the kefir (the culture is easy to feel and separate from the liquids). The kefir culture produces a jelly like polysaccharide substance that develops around the grains as they grow, making it look 'gloopy'. It has unique properties and it's own name 'kefiran'. As you scoop out the grains you may find them coated with a gel like substance. This is the kefiran. Giving the kefir a good stir will distribute the kefiran in the kefir and it contributes to the thickness of the finished kefir. (This seems to be pretty variable, some strains producing a lot and others not much.)

After straining, the grains are placed straight back into a clean jar without washing them first. Fresh milk is added to the grains to make the next batch.

A Note on Cleanliness
Make sure everything is very clean when handling kefir. It's a living culture, a complex system of bacteria and yeasts and you don't want risk contaminating it. Use freshly cleaned hands, clean jars and clean non metallic implements.

Here are some ways that I have found online to use Kefir. I will also be using the milk from this in bread and pancakes for my son. I've read that it makes extremely fluffy pancakes.
This is the website I got this from.
http://gnowfglins.com/2009/08/07/seven-yummy-ways-to-eat-kefir/


Kefir Cheese – This is much like yogurt cheese, where the whey has dripped out, leaving a thicker consistency that is spreadable like cream cheese. You can season it with herbed seasoning salt, herbs, or anything else you fancy, and then spread it on bread, biscuits, etc.
Probiotic Potato Salad – The secret to this probiotic potato salad is the kefir cheese used in the dressing. It is a tangy, delicious potato salad.
Salad Dressings – Use in place of yogurt in yogurt-based salad dressings. Experiment with adding it to other salad dressings.
Veggie Dip – Season up the kefir cheese (from the probiotic potato salad) and make a dip out of it. Just some homemade herbed seasoning salt is all it takes.
Ice Cream – I’ll be sharing a recipe for this soon! Kefir ice cream tastes much like frozen yogurt, with a little bit of a tang. It is so yummy! Edit: Here’s a recipe for Probiotic Chocolate Ice Cream, featuring – you guessed it – kefir!
Smoothies – Try my chocolate kefir smoothie or summer fruit smoothie.
Popsicles – Use the kefir smoothie (#6) mix to make popsicles (tip from Annette of Sustainable Eats). My friend Amy suggests using an ice cube tray and toothpicks if you don’t have an official popsicle tray.
NEW! Parfait – Make a kefir parfait, using kefir as you would yogurt and top it with soaked/dehydrated nuts and seeds, soaked/dehydrated oats, dried fruit, cinnamon, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of raw honey or maple syrup. Yumm for a snack, as a salad, or as breakfast!