March 18, 2012

Sunday
Cuban sandwich
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cuban-midnight-sandwich/
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
5 tablespoons Italian dressing
4 hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
4 tablespoons prepared mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli turkey meat
1/2 pound thinly sliced cooked ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1 cup dill pickle slices
1/2 cup olive oil
Cantaloupe

Directions
1. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and Italian dressing. Spread mixture on hoagie rolls. Spread each roll with mustard. On each roll, arrange layers of turkey, ham, and cheese. Top each with dill pickle slices. Close sandwiches, and brush tops and bottoms with olive oil.
2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Place sandwiches in skillet. Cook sandwiches for 2 minutes, pressing down with a plate covered with aluminum foil. Flip, and cook for 2 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove from heat, place on plates, and cut in half diagonally. Serve with chopped cantaloupe.

Monday
Veggie pizza
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pesto-pizza-2
Ingredients
1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
1/2 cup pesto
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 (2 ounce) can chopped black olives, drained
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1 (4 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Spread pesto on pizza crust. Top with tomatoes, bell peppers, olives, red onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and browned. English Cucumbers

Dilly Cucumber Salad
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/dilly-cucumber-salad/
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
2 teaspoons salt
4 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sour cream

Directions
1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar, vinegar, water, dill and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat. Place cucumbers in a large bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Drain and discard vinegar mixture. Stir sour cream into cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Tuesday
Steak stir fry
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/steak-stir-fry/
Ingredients
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 pound boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 large green pepper, julienned
1 cup sliced carrots or celery
5 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions
1. Dissolve bouillon in water. Combine the cornstarch and soy sauce until smooth; add to bouillon. Set aside. Toss beef with garlic, ginger and pepper. In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 tablespoon oil until cooked as desired; remove and keep warm.
2. Heat remaining oil; stir-fry vegetables until crisp-tender. Stir soy sauce mixture and add to the skillet; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Return meat to pan and heat through. Serve over rice.

Egg fried rice
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/egg-fried-rice/
Ingredients
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup green beans
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions
1. In a saucepan bring water, salt and soy sauce to a boil. Add rice and stir. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet or wok over medium heat. Sauté onions and green beans for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in egg and fry for 2 minutes, scrambling egg while it cooks.
3. Stir in the cooked rice, mix well and sprinkle with pepper.

Wednesday
Greek chicken
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/greek-style-garlic-chicken-breast/
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/3 teaspoon paprika

Directions
1. Cut 3 slits in each chicken breast to allow marinade to penetrate. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika for about 30 seconds. Place chicken in a large bowl, and pour marinade over. Using your hands, work marinade into chicken. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
3. Cook chicken on grill until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Mediterranean Quinoa
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mediterranean-Quinoa/Detail.aspx
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth or stock
1 tablespoon tomato puree
3 tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped
Italian seasoning to taste

Directions
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and red, green and yellow peppers; cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 more minutes. Stir in the quinoa, vegetable stock, and tomato puree.
2. Return to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, or until quinoa grains are soft. Stir in the diced tomatoes and season with Italian seasoning. Cook until heated through, then serve.

Thursday
Meatloaf
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/brown-sugar-meatloaf/
Ingredients
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker crumbs

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan.
2. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

Dill carrots
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/maple-dill-carrots
Ingredients
3 cups peeled and sliced carrots
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
Place carrots in a skillet and pour in just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium heat; simmer until water has evaporated and the carrots are tender. Stir in butter, brown sugar, dill, salt, and pepper.

Tomato salad
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cherry-tomato-salad/
Ingredients
40 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup pitted and sliced green olives
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced
2 green onions, minced
3 ounces pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a big bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, green olives, back olives, and spring onion.
2. In a dry skillet, toast pine nuts over medium heat until golden brown, turning frequently. Stir into tomato mixture.
3. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over salad, and gently stir to coat. Chill for 1 hour.

Friday
Chicken salad
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fruity-curry-chicken-salad/
Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cooked and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
4 green onions, chopped
1 Golden Delicious apple - peeled, cored and diced
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
Chips
Croissants

Directions
In a large bowl combine the chicken, celery, onion, apple, raisins, grapes, pecans, pepper, curry powder and mayonnaise. Mix all together. Serve over croissants with chips.

Saturday
Pav Bhaaji (Spicy Medley Of Vegetables Served With Buns)
http://www.mumbai-masala.com/snacks/pav_bhaaji.html
Ingredients
300gm cauliflower,
1 1/2 cups green peas,
3 medium sized potatoes,
6 red riped tomatoes,
4 big (or 10 small) garlic cloves,
1/2 inch gingerroot,
1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaaji masala
Green peppers 3 big (or 5 medium sized),
Chili powder as per your taste,
Salt to taste,
Red onion
Dinner rolls
Butter,
Cilantro,

Method
1. Finely chop all the vegetables except tomatoes. Combine cauliflower, peas, potatoes and some water.
2. Pressure cook vegetables until soft and mushy.
3. Purée tomatoes with half of the chili powder.
4. Now crush ginger-garlic and boil them with 1 cup water. Strain the stock and dissolve chili powder and pav bhaaji masala into it. Set the stock aside. (instead of discarding the ginger-garlic, you may reuse them in other recipes like curries or dals)
Alternatively crushed ginger-garlic can be directly used in the recipe. However above mentioned method gives nice mild flavor of ginger-garlic to the curry.
5. In a pan, melt 2 tbsp butter. Add finely chopped green peppers and sauté until peppers change color and turn soft. Then add boiled vegetables. Mash the vegetables with a masher until vegetables are completely blended yet the mixture remains coarse.
6. Add tomato pureé, ginger-garlic stock and salt. Add water for desired consitency. Make sure that the curry is neither too watery nor too thick.
7. Bring the curry to a boil, turn the heat to low and continue simmering for 15 minutes. (At this stage you may add more chili powder or pav bhaaji masala if needed).
8. Add some butter again. (this step is optional)
9. Meanwhile, give slits to the buns keeping the base intact. On a heated griddle, melt some butter. Arrange the buns on the griddle. Toast both the sides as well as the inner surfaces of buns with generous amount of butter.
10. Serve curry and pavs (buns) with finely chopped red onion and chopped cilantro/coriander leaves on the side. Besides, don't forget a lemon wedge.
11. Masala onion(optional): Heat some butter, Sprinkle a pinch of pav bhaaji masala and salt. Put the chopped onions, lemon juice and mix. Serve this masala onion with pav bhaaji.
12. Masala pav (optional): Add some pav bhaaji masala, chili powder and salt to the softened butter and mix well. Heat the griddle and apply the butter all over. Toast buns from outer and inner sides in such a way that they get coated completely with the spiced butter. Serve them with hot bhaaji.

Tips and Variations:
1) Use butter generously in this recipe.
2) If you prefer the buns to be buttery and soft (restaurant style) but not crunchy, melt generous amount of butter on the heated griddle, just lightly rub the buns over hot griddle.
3) Add 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) to the curry for another interesting flavor.
4) Try finely chopped green beans in this recipe.
5) Lighter Version: Use 1 tbsp oil instead of butter while making the curry. Roast buns without addition of butter or simply heat them in a preheated oven until crisp. You may use any whole grain bread instead of the regular buns. Carb watchers may skip potatoes and green peas.