Monday 9/28/09

 Easy Breezy Grillin’

 Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

  •  ¼ cup Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette
  • 4 Boneless and skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 tomato finely chopped
  • ½ cup shredded mozz cheese
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 
  1. Place chicken and ½ the marinade in a resalable plastic bag and let it marinade for at least 20 mins.
  2. Cover half of the grill with heavy duty foil
  3.  Cook the chicken on the uncovered side of the grill.
  4. In the meantime, combine remaining dressing, tomatoes, cheese, and basil
  5. Turn chicken over and place cooked side up on the foil side of the grill.
  6. Top with the tomato mixture.  Close the lid and continue grilling about 8 mins or chicken reaches 165 degrees.
  7. Serve with grilled veggies and a starch your family picks.  My daughter would pick Man and Cheese every night if I let her.

Tuesday 9/29/09

Tracey’s Beef Stroganoff

  • 2lb of cubed beef
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1 cup of red wine you can sub apple juice
  • 1 pkg of onion soup mix
  • 1 small can of sliced mushrooms (optional)
  1. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs
  2. 1/2 hour before serving stir in 1 cup of sour cream and 1 tsp of dried dill
  3. Serve over hot egg noodles and a veggie

Wednesday 9/30/09

Chicken Cacciatore

  • 3 lbs of chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, legs, whatever your family likes)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 Tsp fresh ground pepper
  • 1 large onion- sliced
  • 1 large pepper- any color-sliced
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 2 Tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 28oz can of diced tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy duty saute pan over medium heat.  Add chicken pieces and look until browned, about 5 mins each side.
  2. Remove chicken from the pan and then add garlic, onions and peppers.  Saute until tender about 5 min.  Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add the wine, let reduce by about half then add diced tomato with the juices and the Italian seasoning.
  4. Return the chicken to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce.  Simmer on medium-low for about 30 mins.
  5. We serve this over rice.  Sprinkle with basil when serving.

Thursday 10/1/09

Vodka Shrimp and Spinach from Wegmans Menu Magazine

  • 1lb Thin pasta or angel hair- your preference
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 16 oz bag shrimp- peeled and deveined ( you choose the size)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 jar Vodka sauce
  • 8oz mixed veggies
  • 2 cups baby zucchini sliced round
  • 6 oz baby spinach
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts for garnish
  1. Cook pasta sprinkle with a little olive oil and set aside
  2. In medium pan on High, add 2 tbsp olive oil, then add shrimp cook until it reaches 120 degrees, then set aside
  3. Reduce heat until medium, add 1 tbsp olive oil and mixed veggies.  Cook about 4 mins-soft but not brown.  Stir in wine and simmer about 5 mins.  Liquid should reduce by about 1/3.
  4. Add vodka sauce.  Rinse jar with 1/4 cup water and add to the pan.  Simmer for 3-4 min.  Add zucchini and simmer for 2 min.  Return shrimp to the pan, simmer 1-2 mins.  add baby spinach, cook until wilted.
  5. Serve over pasta and garnish with the pine nuts

Friday 10/2/09

Pan-Fried Pork Chops

  • 6-8 bone in pork chops about 1 inch thick
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 2 cups of Italian bread crumbs
  • 1 cup of olive oil
  1. You need two bowls.  One for the bread crumbs and the other for the egg and milk mixture.  Pour bread crumbs into first bowl and in the second bowl crack the eggs and add milk- like making scrambled eggs. 
  2. Pour olive oil in  a large pan and heat over medium heat.
  3. Coat both sides of the pork chop in the bread crumbs then place in egg mixture, then return it to the bread crumbs.  Coat both sides and place in the heated pan.  Repeat until all the pork chops are done.  It may take a few batches depending on how big your pan is. 
  4. Continue cooking until the pork chops are done.  You don’t want them to burn so you may need to add more oil and turn down the heat.  Cook the pork to about 155 degrees.  It will continue cooking even after the burner is turned off but it will be tender and juicy this way.
  5. My kids love this with mash potatoes, corn, and of course apple sauce.

Have a great week.  Enjoy the weather as fall is starting.