It's Been Awhile!

Hello! It has been well over a year since the last time I posted. I've decided to go in a different direction and start putting up my weekly menus and their recipes. This will help me have them logged in one convenient location and maybe someone will get an idea of what to make for dinner too.

I only make dinner plans for dinner because lunches are simply left overs from dinner! Breakfast is decided minutes before eating :) FYI, Tuesday nights are when I am working, so I always plan something that Brian and Nora and cook together. I will list the weekly menu and then the recipes at the end.

For the week of January 31-Febuary 5

Monday
Roasted Sirloin Beef Roast
Broccoli Rice Gratin

Tuesday
Pad Thai with Shrimp

Wednesday
Chili with left over shredded beef
GF Corn Bread

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto

Saturday
Split Pea & Ham Soup



Broccoli Rice Gratin

• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• 2 cups Broccoli Florets, Finely Chopped
• 1 whole Small Onion Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 2 cups Cooked Rice (white Or Brown)
• 3 whole Large Eggs, Lightly Beaten
• 10 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, Divided (use Pamigiano Reggiano For The Best Flavor)
• ½ teaspoons Fine-grain Sea Salt (or 1/4 Teaspoon Table Salt)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a 1.5 quart baking dish and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli, onion, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables are softened. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, stir together the rice, eggs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, and the sea salt. Add the broccoli mixture, and stir to combine.

Pour the rice mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the gratin is bubbling and the top is light golden brown.

Pad Thai with Shrimp
(Adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman)

12 oz dried flat rice noodles, 1/4 in thick
5 T neutral oil, I use rice bran oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz shrimp, peeled
2 scallions, cut into 1 in lengths
1 cup bean sprouts
2 T fish sauce
2 t ketchup
2 t sugar
1/4 C chopped organic peanuts
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Prepare noodles according to package, place cooked noodles in a bowl of cold water and set aside.
2. Put 2 T of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the eggs and scramble quickly for the first minute or so with a fork. Set aside.
3. Raise heat to high and add remaining oil. When hot, add garlic and shrimp, stirring until the shrimp lose their raw gray color, about 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon. Add scallions and half of the bean sprouts to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to plate with shrimp.
4. Put the drained noodles, eggs, fish sauce, ketchup, and sugar in the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are heated through, then add the stir-fried shrimp mixture. Toss once or twice and transfer the contests of the pan to a serving platter. Top with the peanuts, cilantro and remaining bean sprouts. Serve with the lime wedges.

Chili

1 pound ground beef or turkey

2 28 oz cans of diced tomatoes

1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 large onion

2 T olive oil

4 T chili powder

1 T oregano

Salt & pepper

28 oz chicken stock

Cut the onion in a small dice. In a large stock pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until soft. Add meat and brown thoroughly. Stir in the chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Dump the diced tomatoes and all their juices, kidney beans, and chicken stock into the pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Seafood Risotto

Ingredients

1. 3 cups bottled clam juice
2. 2 1/2 cups water
3. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper
6. 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (10 ounces)
7. Pinch of saffron threads
8. 1/2 cup dry white wine
9. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
10. 1 shallot, minced
11. 1/2 pound cooked shrimp, cut into thirds
12. 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
13. 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the clam broth and water and bring to a simmer. Keep warm.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring to thoroughly coat. Crumble the saffron into the wine and add it to the rice. Cook, stirring until the wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the warm clam juice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the juice 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring constantly until it is nearly absorbed between additions. The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 20 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and crab and cook until just heated through. Scrape the seafood into the risotto and stir in the parsley and mascarpone. Serve immediately.

Split Pea & Ham Soup

• Olive Oil
• 1 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 2 whole Carrots, Chopped
• 2 stalks Celery, Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Ham Hock, Or Ham Bone
• 2 whole Bay Leaves
• 2 whole Small Potatoes, Diced
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 8 cups Water
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, To Taste
• 1 pound Bag Of Dried Split Peas
• ½ pounds Diced Ham

In a large pot, saute the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil until they begin to brown. Season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add in the ham hock, bay leaves, potatoes, stock and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove the ham hock, shred any of the meat that’s left and return it to the pot. Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.

Add the split peas and the chopped ham and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until the peas are dissolved and the soup is thickened. Remove the bay leaves, and serve with crusty warm bread!