Meals

My daughter commented on FB that she doesn't mind cooking, but she has trouble deciding what to cook.  So I have decided that I will post a few menus to help out those who are indecisive about their menus. Some of these don't require a recipe, but if one is needed let me know and I'll post it. At our house, we don't have bread every night, but I will give suggestions. I have always been concerned with the color and appearance of the plate, therefore, I usually have something green and white (rice, potatoes, pasta) and fruit.  We are big on fresh fruit.

Day 1
Smothered Pork Chop
Steamed Rice
English Peas (I only use petite frozen)
Fresh fruit

Smothered Pork Chops (Compliments of Kay Sandifer)
4-6 center cut pork chops
1/2 -1 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
Seasoning salt to taste
Black pepper
Garlic powder
2 T butter
1/4 cup oil
Season both sides of chops with the seasonings and lightly flour.  Heat a heavy skillet on medium high heat and add butter and oil.  When oil and butter are heated, add the pork chops (do not move until they have browned) and brown other side. Cover and simmer one hour over low heat.  Sometimes it is necessary to add more broth.  They need to cook an hour to be fall apart good.

Day2

Cajun Chicken Pasta (see blog for recipe)
Invisible Chef House Salad (see blog for recipe)
Garlic Bread (can't beat frozen garlic toast)

Day 3
Blackened Chicken Breast
Roasted Vegetables
Sour Cream Biscuits

Roasted Vegetables
2 zuchinni, 2 yellow squash sliced into 3/4 -1 inch pieces
4-6 small potatoes, quartered
1/2 red onion sliced in thick slices
Coarse salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 T olive oil
Preheat oven 425 degrees
Spread vegetables on small roasting pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil.  Stir around to coat veggies.  Roast for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. 
Try to have squash, zuchinni and potatoes about the same size so they will bake evenly.

Blackened Chicken
Preheat iron skillet over medium high heat for 10 minutes prior to cooking and have very good ventilation!!!!
4 boneless skinless chicken breast (try to purchase the thin sliced or slice breats very thin)
4 T butter
Blackening seasoning
Melt butter in a plate and dip chicken breast.  Sprinkle with blackening on both sides.  Place in hot skillet and pour any remaining butter from plate.  The heat should be high enough that it only takes about 2 minutes per side to cook
Blackening Seasoning
This makes enough for several uses.  I make it and keep it in pantry to use for chicken and fish.
2 T black pepper
5 T salt
2 T cumin
1 T white pepper
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 1/2 t cayenne pepper
3 T paprika
1 1/2 t. oregano
1 1/2 t. thyme
Mix and keep in sealed container.

Sour Cream Muffins
2 cups self rising flour
2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 pint sour cream
Mix flour, butter and sour cream.  Spoon into small ungreased muffin tins and bake 350 for 10-15 minutes.  If using regular muffin tins, bake 20 minutes.
Makes 24 small or 12 regular muffins

Day 4
Jack's Chicken (see blog)
Roasted Asparagus
Green Salad or Fruit

Roasted Asparagus
1 bunch fresh asparagus (smaller the better in my opinion)
Olive oil or grapeseed oil for drizzling
2 cloves finely chopped garlic or garlic powder
Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Trim the ends from asparagus.  Place on roasting pan and drizzle with oil  and garlic.  Roast 10 minutes in oven and remove from heat and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Day 5
Shrimp Scampi (see blog)
Broccoli, Cauliflower and Avocado Salad (see blog)
Cheese Garlic Bread
    French bread spread with a mixture of butter and mayonnaise (3 to 1) and sprinkle with garlic powder and mozarella cheese. Wrap in foil and bake 10 minutes at 400.


Day 6
Hot Chicken Salad (see blog)
Fresh Fruit with Poppy Seed Dressing
Aloha Muffins (see blog)

Day 7
Spaghetti with meat sauce (I use McCormick's Thick and Zesty with following changes: Saute one small diced onion with 1 pound ground chuck, add packet, 1 (15oz )can tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water)
Green Salad
Garlic Bread

Aloha Muffins

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 to 1 cup raisins

Mix all dry ingredients, then oil and eggs, then moist ingredients.  Add the nuts and raisins last.  This makes 3 dozen muffins.  I use an ice cream scoop to fill tins, the they are all equal.  Be sure to grease tins well with Pam so the fruit doesn't stick or use muffin papers.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. 

Broccoli, Cauliflower and Avocado Salad

1 1/2 pounds tender broccoli
1 1/2 pounds cauliflower
1 avocado
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 T Dijon mustard
1/4 cup light olive oil
Salt to taste
Remove broccoli  and cauliflower florets from large stems.  Peel avocado and cut into cubes.  Combine avocado and 1T lemon juice in small bowl to prevent darkening.  Add broccoli and cauliflower and pecans to bowl.  Stir together 1 T lemon juice, mustard and salt until combined.  Add oil and blend.  Pour over salad and toss and serve.  I will usually mix all and add avocados as I serve it. That way it can be refrigerated over night and add avocados when ready to serve. 

Hot Chicken Salad

This is a great dish to take to a salad supper.  I have made this for our bridge Christmas Party for the last 30 years and it's still a favorite.

• 2 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• 2/3 cup crushed potato chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with Pam.

In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, celery, almonds, salt, pepper, lemon juice, mayonnaise, and cheese. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spread crushed chips on top. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly.

Rice Pudding

This is a great way to use leftover rice.  It cooks in a water bath and bakes for 1 hour but, is well worth the wait.

1 cup cooked rice
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 t vanilla
3/4 cup raisins (I leave these out as no one in my house will eat raisins)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
 Mix all in bowl and pour into a greased 9' glass dish.  Bake 325 in water bath (glass dish inside a larger pan filled half way with hot water) Bake 1 to 1/2 hours until lightly browned and set. 
I use a convection oven and it takes a little less than an hour.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

Marinated Vegetable Salad

• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (16 oz) can French-style green beans, drained
• 1 (16 oz) can Sweet English Peas, drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked frozen peas
• 2 (14 oz) can Shoepeg Corn, drained
• 1 (2 oz) jar diced pimento, drained
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 green bell pepper diced
• 1 bunch green onion, chopped

Preparation:

Mix 1 cup sugar, vegetable oil, pepper, and salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cool. Toss dressing with remaining ingredients. Mix and chill for at least 8 hours.
Serves 8 to 10.
If you need to double this, there is no need to double the liquid for marinade.

Jack's Chicken

This is one of those super easy, but really good chicken and rice.  You don't need cooking skills to prepare it.

3 slices bacon
1 (6oz) package long grain and wild rice, reserve seasoning packet
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can golden mushroom soup
3/4 cup water

Place 3 slices of bacon into a greased 9x13 baking dish.  Pour rice over bacon.  Place chicken on top of rice.  Mix soup and water.  Pour over chicken and sprinkle rice seasoning packet over top.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour at 350.