Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Weekday Recipe Roundup

Are you hungry?  Looking for some meal ideas?  Well, you're come to the right place!

Behold...
The Menu
 I love Sunday Dinner...especially when I get to share it with special people and this Sunday was extra special because it was my brother Harley's birthday!  I made him his favourite.  Chicken. 

Sunday - Roast Chicken Dinner with Roasted Veggies and Mash
What you'll need:
1 Whole Chicken
2 Lemons and 2 Limes
Olive oil
Salt/Pepper
Head of Garlic or more
Carrots
Celery
Onion
Parsnips
Red Potatoes (for mashing)

Directions:
-Preheat your oven to 425.
-Roughly chop a bunch of carrots, celery and onion and place in a roasting pan or casserole dish.
-Toss with olive oil and whatever herbs you have on hand.
-Rub your chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper. (be sure to cut any strings off the bird if there are any)
-Stuff it with pieces of lemon, lime and whole cloves of peeled garlic.
-Place the chicken on top of the vegetables.
-Throw in a bunch of unpeeled garlic cloves. (they'll turn into yummy roasted garlic)
-Cook for about 1- 1hr15 or until the veggies are soft.

Gravy:
-Once the chicken is done cooking let it sit covered in tinfoil for about 10 minutes to let the juices drain out.
-Remove the chicken and veg to a serving plate.
-Pour the juices into a small sauce pan, spoon off the grease.
-Add a splash of milk and a dash of flour and begin to stir over medium heat until it begins to bubble.
Hmmm...you've got gravy! (this doesn't make a ton, but it was plenty for four of us.)

Since it is a special occasion I mashed my potatoes with butter, milk, sour cream, AND cream cheese.  Sinful!
Waiting patiently...

 Dessert: Croissant Surprise Cake!
 I also made this ridiculously delicious dessert that I've been thinking about ever since.

What you'll need:
600mL (2.5 cups) whipping cream (35% milk fat)
3 eggs
100g (3.5oz) sugar
3 large croissants
small handful dark chocolate, broken into chunks

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350. Line the base and sides of a loaf pan with baking paper.
-Combine cream, eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
-Slice croissants into rounds about 1cm thick. Add to the cream mixture and stand for a few minutes allowing the croissants to soak up the custard.
-Layer half the soaked croissants in the prepared loaf pan. Scatter over the chocolate.
-Layer remaining croissants over the top and pour any leftover custard on top.
-Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the cake is well browned and you can’t see any liquid custard when you press on the top. Cool in the tin.
(Follow this link for the original recipe which includes a video)
I'm pretty sure I gained a couple pounds after that meal!

Monday - Sweet Potato Burritos
The sweet and salty combo in these tasty little wraps keep me coming back for more week after week! 
What you'll need:
Soft tortillas
3 Mashed sweet potatoes
Cheddar cheese
1 Can of re-fried beans
1 Cup of thawed frozen corn
Cilantro (optional)
Red or green onions
Salsa and sour cream

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350.
-Chop and boil your sweet potatoes until tender.
-Mash with 1 tbsp of brown sugar.
-Assemble as many burritos as you can manage with the above ingredients and place them on a baking sheet.
-Cook for 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden.
-Serve with salsa and sour cream.

 Tuesday - Linguini Margarita
Did I mention that I'm obsessed with pasta! James found this recipe in the local commuter paper...
What you'll need:
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely diced onion
1 lb (500 g) fresh asparagus, cut into 2 inch lengths
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup (250 ml) drained, patted dry, and coarsely chopped, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
3/4 cup (175 ml) dry white wine
1/4 cup (60 ml) low-fat whipping cream
3/4 lb. (375 g) dry linguine pasta
1/2 cup (125 ml) grated Parmesan
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh basil

Directions:
 -In a large skillet, warm oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and asparagus and cook until asparagus is slightly soft and bright green, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant, being careful not to burn garlic. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate and keep warm.
-To the same skillet, add tomatoes and white wine. Cover and simmer over low heat until the tomatoes are softened, about 8 – 10 minutes. Return asparagus to skillet and add cream. Cook 2 – 3 minutes to meld flavours. Season to taste with pepper.
-In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Strain and place in a serving bowl. Cover with sauce and stir to combine. Top with Parmesan cheese, garnish with fresh basil, and serve.
Wednesday - Perogies and Salad
It's yoga night and I need a quick meal!  
 
What you'll need:
A bag of pierogies obviously!
Cook according to package directions.
For my salad:
1 box of organic mixed greens, prewashed
1 shallot thinly sliced
1 tomato chopped
1/2 cucumber chopped
1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
Drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic
A sprinkle of my Dad's toasted garlic powder is the key! (follow the link to see how he makes it.)
It's sooo good and may even still be available! Last I heard there were a few bottles at Churchill Natural Meats in Fonthill.
 Thursday - Winter Burgers
I love, love, love a pan fried homemade burger!
What you'll need:
Extra lean ground beef (I just get the small package at the grocery store.)
1 egg
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 grated onion
2 sprigs of finely chopped fresh rosemary (1-2 tbsp)
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp of chilli sauce or ketchup
3 squirts of Worcestershire
Salt and pepper
8 Sliced mushrooms
Red onion, sliced
Cheddar cheese (optional)
 
Directions:
-Mix everything but the mushrooms, onion, and cheese until it looks like one big meatball.
-Break it into two balls, and then into 4 and mold them into the shape of a patty.
-Set aside
- Fry up the onions and garlic and set aside.
- Add patties to the pan and fry on medium high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until there's no pink inside.
- Top with cheese until melted and then top with mushrooms and onion.
- Dress your burger with the condiments of your choice....

I served these with the same salad from the night before but omitted the feta cheese. 

 Friday - Taco Party!
We had an impromptu taco party on Friday night....
 I don't think I really need to explain how to make a taco right?  Try using a soft taco on the outside and a hard one on the inside....  It's the only way to go. : )

That's it for this week! Happy cooking...
xo
Desiree
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