August 28, 2011

Sunday
Baked chile rellenos
(http://sites.google.com/site/monicasallen/baked-chile-rellenos )
Ingredients
5-6 fresh poblano chiles
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1lb ground beef
1 packet Taco seasoning
12 slices of Pepper Jack cheese

To make the Chile Relleno:
Preheat oven to 425F and roast the chiles for about 30 minutes turning every 10 minutes until skin blackens. Remove chiles from the oven and place into a stainless steel mixing bowl. Peel the outer skin, being careful not to tear the flesh of the chile. With a sharp paring knife, make a long slit the length of each chile and then gently remove and discard all of the seeds (I don’t do this because these chiles don’t have much heat). Set the chiles aside while you make the filling.
Brown and drain the beef. Return to the pan and add Taco seasoning. Saute till heated through and well mixed. Stuff the chiles with the beef mixture. Top with 1-2 slices of cheese (I half or quarter the slices so that I can get into the corners of the chile and cover the meat mixture completely)
To serve:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Place the stuffed chiles into the oven and roast for 10 minutes or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Serve with Rice pilaf and refried beans (I use canned refried beans -15.5oz. Heat with about ½ bottle of Salsa like Pace Picante)

Mexican Bean Salad
(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-bean-salad/detail.aspx )
Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
3. Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.

Monday
German Bean and Sausage Soup
(http://sites.google.com/site/monicasallen/germanbeanandsausagesoup )
Ingredients
2 tsp. oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cup carrots, sliced
2 cups cup potato, peeled, cubed
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
1/4 tsp. dried marjoram leaves (optional)
2.5 cups beef stock
14 ounces smoked turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/2 inch slices
15 ounces canned Great Northern beans, undrained
15 ounces canned cut green beans, undrained

Method
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add carrots and next 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Add sausage and beans. Cook until thoroughly heated. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. (you can also dunk all this in the slow pot if you like and cook overnight). Serve with crusty bread.

Tuesday
Chutney Sandwich Recipe
(http://www.veggiebelly.com/2011/06/cucumber-cream-cheese-cilantro-mint-chutney-sandwich-recipe.html )
½ an English seedless cucumber (the one with the plastic wrap) or boiled eggs
8 slices of white or soft wheat bread
8 tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature, I used the low fat kind.
½ cup cilantro mint chutney. Recipe below.
Salt

Cut the cucumber into thin rounds. Take 2 slices of bread. Spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on one slice. Spread 1 teaspoon (or more if you like) chutney over the cream cheese. Arrange 4-5 slices of cucumber on top. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt over the cucumbers/eggs. Spread one tablespoon cream cheese and then one teaspoon cilantro mint chutney on the other slice of bread. Place this on top of the cucumbers, to make a sandwich. Repeat for all bread slices. Spreading the cream cheese first, and then the chutney will prevent the chutney from soaking through the bread. Serve immediately.

Cilantro Mint Chutney Recipe
1 cup cilantro leaves, tightly packed
1/2 cup mint leaves, tightly packed
1/2 fresh green chili or Thai hot pepper, chopped*
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt
2 tablespoons water

*This makes a spicy hot chutney. Use less chili or leave it out if you don’t want it spicy. Place all ingredients in a food processor and process into a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides of the food processor now and then. If you are using a blender, you may need to use a little more water. Store the chutney in an air tight container in the fridge.

Wednesday
Chicken Florentine Style
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chicken-florentine-style-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, drained
1 package of couscous, cooked according to direction.

Directions
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in another large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute until heated through. Season the spinach, to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve. Serve with a side of cooked couscous.

Thursday
Walter Kei's Shanghai-Style Pork and Bean Sprouts
(http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/saras-secrets/walter-keis-shanghai-style-pork-and-bean-sprouts-recipe/index.html )
Ingredients
8 ounces lean pork butt
2 teaspoons grated garlic
4 teaspoons Shao Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons golden olive oil
1 pound mung bean sprouts
Brown rice

Directions
Slice the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then stack the slices and cut into 2-inch-long matchsticks. Put the matchsticks in a shallow bowl and add the garlic, 2 teaspoons of the rice wine, the cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Stir to combine.
Heat 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the olive oil and add the pork, spread it around it in the wok. Cook undisturbed 20 seconds, letting the pork begin to brown. Then, using a metal spatula, stir-fry the pork until it is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Add the bean sprouts, then remaining 2 teaspoons rice wine, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until the pork and bean sprouts are just cooked through. Serve with brown rice.

Friday
Pesto Pasta with Chicken
(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pesto-pasta-with-chicken/detail.aspx )
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

Spring Salad
(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spring-salad/detail.aspx )
Ingredients
12 slices bacon
2 heads fresh broccoli, florets only
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 cup seedless green grapes
1 cup seedless red grapes
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/4 cup white sugar

Directions
1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss together the bacon, broccoli, celery, green onions, green grapes, red grapes, raisins and almonds.
3. Whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Saturday
Masala Rice (Masale Bhaat)
(http://www.mumbai-masala.com/maincourse/masalarice.html )
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup long grain raw rice,
3 cups water,
1/4 cup boiled peas,
1/4 cup gherkins chopped vertically,
1/4 cup brinjal pieces,
7-8 no. fried cashewnuts,
10 no. curry leaves,
2 teaspoon Maharashtrian goda masala or garam masala powder,
2 teaspoon turmeric powder,
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida,
salt,
sugar to taste,
2 teaspoon ghee,
chopped coriander leaves and,
fresh grated coconut for garnishing
Whole garam masala (can be skipped)
2 cinnamon sticks,
3-4 cloves,
3-4 bay leaves,

For the masala:
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut,
4 red chilies,
2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds,
Lightly roast all the items and grind.

Method
1. Wash rice and drain. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour.
2. Heat a thick bottommed pan. Heat 1/4 cup oil. Add the whole garam masala. When all the masala ingredients sizzle, add turmeric powder and asafoetida.
3. Add curry leaves, and chopped gherkins. Once soft, add peas and brinjal pieces and fry.
4. Next add the raw rice and keep stirring for some time on medium heat. Pour boiling water all over into the rice and vegetable mixture. Stir well.
5. Let the rice come to boil until it shows bubbles on top.
6. Now turn the heat to low and add the ground masala, goda masala or garam masala, ghee, salt and sugar. Cover and cook.
7. Rice is done when all the water evaporates. Garnish with cashewnuts, coconut and coriander leaves. Top with ghee. Serve hot.