WEEKLY MENU

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 5/21 Cereal Sandwiches Marry Me Champagne Chicken
Tuesday 5/22

 Toast C.O.R.N. Week Night Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday 5/23

 Yogurt Soup Chile Lime Chicken Patties with Lime Remoulade Sauce 
Thursday
5/24

Fruit Cheese & Fruit Fruity Chicken Salad
Friday
5/25

Oatmeal Sandwiches English Pea and Ricotta Tarts
Saturday 5/26

 Hash Brown Ham and Cheese Quiche Out Chicken and Sugar snap Pea Stir Fry
Sunday
5/27

Baked Eggs C.OR.N. Roasted Red Pepper and Ham Statas

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE

I’ve decided to join Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice who hosts Magazine Mondays in an effort to clean out my pile of ‘to do’ recipes from my magazines and cookbooklets.  This recipe was so good.  We’ll be making this again.

BEER AND CHEDDAR FONDUE 

from fine cooking Appetizers 2009

 

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/3 cup minced yellow onion

1 large clove garlic, minced

fresh ground pepper to taste

3 cups grated Swiss cheese

2 cups grated extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Gruyere

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon dry mustard (I omitted as I’m deathly allergic)

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, ground

1 12 ounce beer, preferably Budweiser (I used Dos Equis)

3 tablespoons Amontillado sherry 

Sea Salt

Dipping items – crusty bread, apples, sausages, etc…

  • Melt the butter in a fondue pot or heavy sauce pan.
  • Add onion and garlic, stirring until it carmelizes.
  • Add the caraway seeds and stir to brown them.  
  • Add the beer, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer to mellow the flavor, about 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl toss the cheeses with the cornstarch, mustard and pepper.
  • Sprinkle the cheese mixture, a handful at a time, stirring each batch until smooth and all cheese is incorporated.
  • Stir in sherry and adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Keep warm over a low flame. 
Magazine Mondays are hosted by Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice

SOUTHWEST GRILLED CHICKEN

SOUTHWEST GRILLED CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken wings
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup hot red pepper jelly

  • Heat gas grill to medium high or a charcoal grill to medium hot fire.
  • Wash and dry chicken wings.
  • Mix spices together until well blended.
  • Sprinkle 2 tablespoons on the spice mixture over chicken pieces.
  • When grill is hot rub the grate with oil and grill chicken 20 minutes or so.
  • Combine remaining spices with jelly.
  • Brush chicken pieces with jelly and cook another 5 minutes or so turning every few minutes until browned and crisp.
  • Let stand 5 minutes.

NEAPOLITAN CHICKEN

NEAPOLITAN CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Panko crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg, beaten
2 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces shredded Parmesan cheese
4 slices sliced provolone
3-4 cups marinara sauce
salt and pepper to taste

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • In a shallow bowl mix together the 2 beaten eggs and milk.
  • In a medium mixing bowl cream together the ricotta cheese, 1 beaten egg, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese. Generously salt and pepper. Set aside.
  • Flatten chicken breasts to uniform size.
  • Bring butter to a melt over medium heat.
  • Coat chicken in flour.
  • Dip chicken in egg wash.
  • Coat in panko crumbs.
  • Brown chicken breasts on both sides.
  • Drain chicken breasts on paper towels.
  • Place half the marinara sauce in a baking dish.
  • Add the chicken breasts.
  • Top with a thin layer of marinara.
  • Spread a generous portion of the ricotta mixture on each chicken breast.
  • Top each breast with a provolone slice.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
  • Serve with pasta.

CREAM CHEESE BOWNIES

CREAM CHEESE BROWNIES
BROWNIES
2 squares Baker’s semi sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 squares Baker’s unsweetened baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
4 Jumbo eggs, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray pan with PURE.
  • Melt chocolate and butter in 30 second spurts until melted and well blended. Set aside.
  • Beat eggs and salt in a large mixing bowl until foamy.
  • Continue beating while gradually adding sugar, beating until thick and well blended.
  • Fold in chocolate mixture with a spatula until just barely incorporated.
  • Add vanilla.
  • Add flour and continue blending until just barely mixed.
  • Pour into 13×9 pan or brownie pan.

CREAM CHEESE TOPPING
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 Jumbo egg yolk
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • In a medium bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
  • Add egg yolk and beat until well blended.
  • Add chocolate chips and blend well with a spatula.
  • Top brownies with cream cheese mixture.
  • Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
  • When cooled, store in refrigerator.
  • Reheat for 10 seconds to eat – YUMMY!

KREATIV BLOGGER AWARD

Shannon from Moments of Introspection gave me this great award.

The rules, those pesky rules, are pretty simple for this one…
1. Thank the person who gave the award to you and link back to their blog.
2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Nominate 7 bloggers and let them know they’ve been awarded.

Here are 7 more things about me:

  1. I love big dogs.
  2. I am blessed with being an Ovarian cancer survivor.
  3. I love to play Mexican train.
  4. I love getting a good pedicure.
  5. I love meeting people through blogs.
  6. I am thinking of going back to graduate school
  7. I am a patient person, but can’t sit and wait well.

Time to nominate 7 fabulous bloggers:
Here’s where I deviate a bit:  I nominate all my favorites, you know who you are!!!! to jump in and participate!

PARMESAN LEMON CHICKEN with PARMESAN SCALLION RICE

PARMESAN LEMON CHICKEN
CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter

  • Preheat oven to 375˚.
  • Flatten chicken.
  • In a shallow bowl combine the eggs, cheese and seasonings.
  • Place flour in another shallow bowl.
  • Melt butter in skillet.
  • Coat chicken with flour.
  • Coat chicken in egg mixture.
  • Brown chicken on both sides.
  • Transfer to a greased baking dish.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.

SAUCE
2 green onions, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white zinfandel
Juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons COLD butter, cubed

  • Using drippings from browning chicken, add scallions and garlic, sauteing until tender.
  • Add wine and lemon juice.  Saute until slightly reduced.
  • Add whipping cream and blend well.
  • Add butter cubes and stir until melted and well blended.
  • Serve immediately over chicken and rice.

PARMESAN SCALLION RICE
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 green onion, sliced thin 

  • Cook rice as directed.
  • Add scallion and cheese.
  • Blend well.
  • Serve with chicken and top with sauce. 
Submitted to Cooking Thursday.
cookingthursday

HIATAL HERNIA RESTRICTED DIET

The worst thing that can happen to someone who likes to cook is to have a surgery that will put them on a clear liquid diet for an extended time. But, that’s what is about to happen to me.  I am going to try and post a new recipe everyday for the next 2 weeks until that time.
BTW I have the best hubby in the world.  He was a real treasure through the cancer surgery and he’s doing it again as we approach the hiatal hernia surgery.  They found a small hiatal hernia prior to my cancer surgery, talked about fixing it during the cancer surgery, but were unable to get it done.  Now that they have determined the hiatal hernia to be moderately large, surgery is inevitable.  I want off medications!  I hate medication, especially when I’m having side effects.

The diet will be the hardest on him, but he says he’ll make mine and then go to McDonalds!  Don’t laugh he might.  

My diet for 6 weeks will be VERY restricted and I’ve now given up all carbonated drinks AND straws.  Yep. you read that right, straws.  The doctor says that using a straw is really bad for you.
Love the new surgeon. As of now surgery is scheduled for 6/7.  Recovery will be like before except worse on the food level.  He says to plan on losing weight – okay by me. 

THIS IS WHAT HE WILL BE DOING It is actually quite interesting what they can do.  This link has very clear detailed pictures.

I will be in the hospital only a couple days.  Had I not previously had open abdominal surgery he said it might have only been outpatient.

Initial Diet
For the first two weeks following hernia surgery, you are on a clear liquid diet. You should avoid solid food, thick liquids, all alcohol and hard candy. A clear liquid diet means that you can have most anything that you can see through and is liquid at room temperature. Options include apple juice, gelatin, water and broth. Usually, you can drink coffee and tea. Keep your intake to no more than 1 cup at a time.

Progression
After two weeks, you can introduce thicker liquids into your meal plan including include milk, yogurt and thinned oatmeal. The rule of thumb is that anything that you can pour is allowed. You can also consume creamed soups, milkshakes and pudding. You can eat ice cream and everything you ate during the first two weeks after your surgery. You must still avoid solid foods as well as gum, hard candy and carbonated beverages. For the first month, you must avoid taking any medication whole, instead crushing pills before you take them.

Solids
From weeks 3 through 6, you remain on a restricted diet, although you can start introducing solid foods to your diet. The UCLA Health System recommends sticking with soft, mushy foods such as applesauce, pasta and rice. You can eat soft fruit like bananas and canned fruit as well as well-cooked soft vegetables. You should avoid sandwiches, hot dogs, baked potatoes, steak and chips.

Lifestyle
After the six-week post-surgical period has passed, you’ll need to avoid foods that can cause heartburn or other symptoms that could aggravate your weakened digestive system. You’ll be most comfortable breaking up your meals into 5 or 6 small portions throughout the day. Stay away from acidic foods such as chocolate, spicy food and citrus fruit. Limit your intake of fatty foods that are fried or baked with fat. Maintain a healthy weight because the additional pressure on your stomach can lead to a recurrence of the condition.

SAUCY SPICY GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN

 
SPICY GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken wings
salt & pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 green onions, minced

  • Heat gas grill to medium high or a charcoal grill to medium hot fire. 
  • Wash and dry chicken wings. 
  •  Generously salt and pepper the wings. 
  • When grill is hot rub the grate with oil and grill chicken 20 minutes or so, turning every few minutes until browned and crisp. 
  •  In a small bowl whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and half of the onions. 
  • When wings are done either brush them with the sauce or transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with sauce. 
  • Sprinkle with remaining onions.

SAUCY SPICY GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN

SAUCY SPICY GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken wings
salt & pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 green onions, minced

  • Heat gas grill to medium high or a charcoal grill to medium hot fire.
  • Wash and dry chicken wings.
  • Generously salt and pepper the wings.
  • When grill is hot rub the grate with oil and grill chicken 20 minutes or so, turning every few minutes until browned and crisp.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, pepper flakes and half of the onions.
  • When wings are done either brush them with the sauce or transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with sauce.
  • Sprinkle with remaining onions.

WEEKLY MENU

NEVER GOT TO THIS MENU A FEW WEEKS AGO, SO WE’RE TRYING IT AGAIN.

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 5/14 CEREAL SANDWICHES KRAB AND PEA FRITTERS with SCALLION SOUR CREAM
Tuesday 5/15 TOAST LEFTOVERS SAUCY SPICY BBQ CHICKEN WINGS
Wednesday 5/16 YOGURT SOUP APPLE PIZZA
Thursday 5/17 FRUIT CHEESE & FRUIT BEER & CHEDDAR FONDUE with CHICKEN CHUNKS & CRUSTY SOURDOUGH
Friday 5/18 OATMEAL SANDWICHES GREEK SALAD SKEWERS
Saturday 5/19 BACON & EGGS LEFTOVERS CABBAGE, LEEK & BACON TART
Sunday 5/20 PANCAKES C.OR.N. PARMESAN LEMON CHICKEN