Easter Dinner Menu

I finally decided what to do for Easter Dinner.  We won't have company this year but that should not stop me from celebrating in the style in which I am accustomed.

Recipes that are mine are to follow in the days ahead.  We have a big weekend with church, egg hunts and cubs projects that have to be mastered before Monday's meeting.  Not to mention we are starting up our vegetable garden.  So far we have half tilled and de-weeded.

Remember, all my recipes are creatively made gluten free.  I use my own home made pie crusts with gluten free cookies (Mi-Del pecan).  I make my own cream soup for the hash browns.  The pasta is rice pasta.

Alton Brown's Coconut Cake
Strawberry Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie (maybe)

Ham
Hash Brown Casserole
Fresh Baked Rolls

Cole Slaw
Macaroni Salad
Deviled Eggs

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Menu Plan Monday: Week of March 29th, 2010

Monday:
Blue and Gold Banquet

Tuesday:
Chicken A La King

Wednesday:
Church

Thursday:
Pork

Friday:
Pizza

Saturday:
Church

Sunday:
Easter Dinner

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CSN Stores Review

Have you seen my friend Alison's review?  She is so excited as this is her very first opportunity to do a product review. CSNstores contacted her to review one of their products.  Why not head on over to her blog and take a look for yourself.  I am actually a long term customer of CSNstores and I've always had a very positive experience with them.  No give away or review here, just my honest to goodness experience.

So can you do me a favor and show her some support?  I'd really appreciate that that!

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Cube Steak with Mushroom-Sherry Sauce

4 4-ounce Cube Steaks
3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 large Shallot, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon Corn Starch
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1/2 cup Sherry (I use cooking sherry)
1/2 cup beef broth
2 Tablespoons Sour Cream

Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and salt.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add steaks and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through (about 1-2 minutes per side for medium).  Cook in several batches if necessary.  Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan.  Add mushrooms, shallot and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook stirring, until the mushrooms are golding brown and release their liquid (4-5 minutes).  Sprinkle with corn starch and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Add thyme, sherry and broth.  Bring to boil and cook until thickened.  Remove from heat and add sour cream.

Serve the steaks with sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Eating Well Magazine, April 2010 issue.

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Pork Chop Suey

1 pound Pork Loin (sliced thin)
1 cup Chicken Stock
3 Tablespoons La Choy Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Molasses
1/4 teaspoons Black Pepper
5 Tablespoons Corn Starch
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 medium Onion
1 medium Red Bell Pepper
3 cups Mung Bean Sprouts
1 tablespoon Fresh Ginger, minced

Combine broth, soy, molasses and pepper.  Transfer 3 tablespoons of the mixture into a separate dish.  Stir in cornstarch until combined.  Set Aside

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add port and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the pink is gone, 2 to 3 minutes.  Transfer to a place.

Increase heat to medium-high.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, pepper, sprouts and ginger.  Cook 3 minutes.  Pour in the broth mixture and bring to boil.  Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium; add the reserved cornstarch mixture and pork (and any accumulated juice) and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened (about 1 minute).

Serve with rice.

I found this recipe in the April 2010 Eating Well magazine.  This is my new favorite magazine.  I found so many useable/good recipes out of just one issue. The pages are full of excellent information as well as endorsing natural, healthy, organic products.  This magazine is just like me :-).

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Menu Plan

OK, I missed Menu Plan Monday and its almost Monday again.  I have just been carrying around these meal ideas in my head but its time to put them down somewhere.

Friday: Pizza Night
Saturday: Pork Chop Suey (new recipe)
Sunday: Spaghetti with Meatballs
Monday: Pork marinaded in Honey/Lime Sauce
Tuesday: Ham Steaks & Mac and Cheese
Wednesday: Church
Thursday: Taco Dinner
Friday: Pizza Night
Saturday: Rosemary Chicken
Sunday: Spaghetti with Meatballs
Monday: Sherry Chopped Steak (new recipe)

No make ahead items these two weeks.  I'm working on the perfect Gluten Free Bread Machine bread for me.  So far I do not like Tom Saywer.  Pamela's tastes good right out of the oven, but thats it.  Has NO shelf life.  I'm working on a recipe from Gluten Free Cooking School that uses mesa.  I LOVE mesa flour.  But so far every loaf has been a great big flop, no rise.  So I'm still working on it.  My daughter wants a PB&J so I hope to find one soon!

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Menu Plan Monday: Week of March 8th, 2010

Monday:

Chicken Croquettes/Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday:

Curry Chicken/Rice

Wednesday:

Church Dinner

Thursday:

New Recipe Meat Loaf/Mashed Potatoes

Friday:

Rice and Beans over Rice

Saturday:

Sausage, Pepper & Onion Stir Fry

Sunday:

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, home made Rolls


My make ahead plan for the week is:

Home Made Bagels
Home Made Rolls
Banana Nut Crumb Muffins

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Stuffed Baked Potato with "The WORKS"

Please enjoy this recipe as a part of my make ahead series.

8 large Potatoes

1 cup Bacon Bits

3 cloves Garlic, chopped

2 sticks of Butter

1 cup Sour Cream

2 cups Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

1 teaspoon Pepper

2 teaspoons Salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  

Bake Potatoes for 1 hour or until soft in center.

Meanwhile saute garlic for one minute and set aside.

Cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside.

Slice baked potatoes in half with serrated knife.  

Scoop pulp into large bowl and set shells aside.

Add bacon, garlic, butter, sour cream and seasonings.  

Mash with a hand held potato masher.

Stir in 1 cup cheese.

Scoop potatoes back into 15 shells (one will be sacrificed for the additional pulp)

Top with remaining cheese and some fresh green onions.

Freeze at this point, flat on a cookie sheet until solid.  Place in plastic bag for longer term storage.

Bake fresh or thawed potatoes for 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

This recipe was originally from Cooking Light Cookbook 1999 addition. A friend of mine forwarded to me the Pioneer Woman's version.  It was very similar but on its own tasted fabulous.  This recipe is a compilation of both recipes.

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Rosemary Chicken

This is an out of this world tasty, quick and easy dinner.  It literally takes me 15 minutes from start to finish.  The flavors are powerful and the resulting dish is so fragrant.  The aroma will fill your kitchen with like an upscale restaurant.  The balsamic vinegar will produce a deep brown sweet finish on the chicken.  You won't be sorry you tried it.

4 pieces of Boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 stems Rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped (about 2 tablespoons of crushed Rosemary)
4 cloves Garlic, whacked with your knife to crack open (or 1 tablespoon of Garlic Powder)
Salt and Pepper

Coat chicken in Balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Add rosemary, salt and pepper and marinade for 15 minutes.  I have even tossed it all in a bag in the morning and cook at night.

• Heat a medium non stick skillet over medium heat.  
• Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally.
• Add chicken, EVOO, Balsamic and Rosemary to marinade in a bag or bowl.
• Start your other side dishes.
• Add chicken breasts and cracked garlic to  the pan. 
• Cook chicken 12 to 15 minutes on medium low or until juices run clear turning occasionally.  

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Menu Plan Monday: Week of March 1st, 2010

Monday:
Leftover White Chicken Chili over Rice

Tuesday;
Rosemary Chicken, Twice Baked Potatoes

Wednesday
Church Night, Dinner at Church

Thursday:
Ham and Cabbage, Escalloped Apples

Friday:
Beans and Rice

Saturday:
Spaghetti with Meatballs

Sunday:
Chicken Croquettes, Mashed Potatoes


My make ahead plan for this week is as follows:

• Beef and Bean Burritos (as soon as I get some gluten free wraps, mine are terrible and don't bend)
• Twice Baked Potatoes (will be posting this recipe soon)
• Pre-cooked White and Pinto Beans
• Pre-cooked Rice
• Creating a new Meatloaf recipe this week that focuses on ketchup and brown sugar
• Making ahead a few Quiches (special thanks to my BIL who gave me several dozen eggs)

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