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Monday - Recipes

• Chicken Cheese Quesadillas
• Salad
• Peaches

Tuesday - Recipes

• Thai Noodles with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

Wednesday - Recipes

• Mandarin Topped Chops
• Rice
• Lima Beans
• Salad
  

Thursday - Recipes

• Subs
• Potato Salad
• Veggies and Dip

Friday - Recipes

• BBQ Chicken
• Sauteed Okra
• Applesauce
  

Monday Recipes

Notes for Monday:

1. Make a large salad and reserve half for Wednesday night, adding any crunchy ingredients and salad dressing just before serving each night.
   
   
   

 Chicken Cheese Quesadillas

• 1-1/2 cups cooked chicken (from freezer)
• 8 whole wheat tortillas
• 2 cups Mexican blend cheese
• 1 can chopped green chiles (optional)
• olive oil spray
• salsa
• sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray one side of 4 tortillas with olive oil spray. Lay the tortillas oiled side down on a cookie sheet (you may need to use two sheets or do two batches). Spread chicken and cheese evenly over tortillas. For extra flavor and heat, add a can of chopped green chiles for those who like spicy food. Top with the remaining 4 tortillas and spray the tops with olive oil spray.

Bake until tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted. Remove from oven and slice into triangles with a pizza cutter. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

 

Salad

Peaches

Tuesday Recipes

Notes for Tuesday:

1. Tonight's dish is a meal in itself. If you feel like you need to have more than one dish, add a salad with a ginger dressing.
   
   
2. You will find the rice noodles in the ethnic section of the grocery store. If you can't find rice noodles, I would serve this dish on brown rice.
   
   
3. Ginger is a root that is found in the produce department. Ask the produce employee for help if you can't find it.
   
   
4. Julienned vegetables are ones that have been slivered thinly.
   
   
5. The peanut sauce makes a lot and you may or may not use it all. The leftovers can be used as a dip for the veggies on Thursday or for veggie roll-ups for lunches.
   
   
   
   

  Thai Noodles with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

• 8 oz. dried rice noodles
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, julienned
• 1 1/2 cups red bell peppers, julienned
• 1 1/2 cups green onion, chopped
• olive oil
• 2 cups peanut sauce (see recipe below)
• toasted pine nuts or peanuts (for garnish, opt.)

Prepare the peanut sauce (below) and leave to warm on the stove. Start preparing rice noodles according to package directions. Saute vegetables in non-stick pan until tender. Drain noodles. Serve with vegetables on noodles and peanut sauce on top of all. I recommend serving plates individually instead of putting it all on one dish as it is harder to serve from one dish.

  Peanut Sauce

• 2 T. Thai chili paste (opt. if you don't have it)
• 2-3 T. honey
• 1 T. vinegar
• 3 tsp. soy sauce
• 2 T. finely minced ginger (peel first)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
• 1 cup water or more

Heat chili paste, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a saucepan on low. Heat, stirring constantly, until blended. Add peanut butter in thirds, mixing well after each third is added. Simmer until hot, adding water as needed to thin the sauce. Keep warm until use or store in refrigerator for later.

Thai Noodles with Vegetables and Peanut Sauce is adapted from The Healthy Gourmet by Cherie Calbom.

 

 

 

Wednesday Recipes

Notes for Wednesday: none

 

  Mandarin Topped Chops

• 6 pork chops (we like boneless thin pork loin chops but any cut works)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pepper to taste

In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in oil. Top with oranges, sprinkle with cinnamon. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until meat juices run clear.

Rice

Lima Beans

 

Salad (from Monday)

 

 

Thursday Recipes

Notes for Thursday:

1. You can make hot or cold sandwiches. At this time of year we serve them cold.
   
   
2. If possible, prepare the potato salad early in the day to allow adequate time to chill.
   
   
3. You could use leftover Peanut Sauce from Tuesday as a dipping sauce for your veggies if you would like.
   
   
   

  Subs/Hoagies

• 2 lbs. of your favorite deli meats (chicken, turkey, ham, roast beef, pastrami, pepperoni, or any combination of them)
• bacon or turkey bacon slices
• 1/2 lb. provolone* or cheddar cheese
• relish or salad peppers
• condiments of your choice (we like horsey sauce)
• lettuce leaves
• tomato slices
• red onion slices
• 4-6 hoagie rolls

Arrange all ingredients on a platter and let everyone make their own sub, or you can assemble hoagies and toast them in the broiler if you want to serve them warm (watch carefully!). When serving them warm, I toast both side of the sandwich with the cheese on top of one side and the bacon on top of the other side. Add lettuce, tomato, and onions when they come out of the oven.

 

 

  Potato Salad

• 3 lbs. new potatoes, cooked and cooled
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely chopped (chop and freeze any extra for another use)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (or bacon bits*)
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley

Cut cooked potatoes into bite-size cubes and put into a large bowl with onion. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over potatoes and onion, mixing well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Veggies and Dip

 

 

Friday Recipes

Notes for Friday:

1. We are going to grill extra bbq chicken tonight for use next week. Chop your leftover chicken into cubes or shred it and place in freezer bag. Label for BBQ Chicken Pizza for next Friday and place in freezer.
   
   
   

 Grilled BBQ Chicken

• 4lbs. chicken parts (we like boneless, skinless)
• 1 bottle of your favorite bbq sauce* or your favorite bbq sauce recipe

Place chicken in container and pour bbq sauce over your chicken, reserving some of the bbq sauce for basting. Turn chicken over to coat well. Let marinade at least 30 minutes.

Preheat outdoor grill for medium-low heat. Spray rack lightly with oil spray to prevent sticking. Place chicken on grill rack and grill about 5-10 minutes , basting with remaining bbq sauce as you desire. Turn chicken over and cook on other side about 5-10 minutes more or until juices run clear.

 

 Sauteed Okra

• 2 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen okra (not breaded)* or about 1 lb. fresh okra, sliced with tops removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans, if desired

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add okra, salt and pepper to taste, and pecans, if desired. Pan fry okra, stirring occasionally, until no longer "slimy", about 15 minutes. Allow okra to "brown" but not burn. Serve warm.

Applesauce

 

* Indicates that of the options listed, this item is the one on the grocery list.

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