Weekly Menu

Monday:
my son got sick- no cooking this night

Tuesday:
I can't remember!!
Isn't that awful?? I didn't take any pictures of whatever it was anyway...

Wednesday:
broiled salmon with Teriyaki glaze
roasted carrots
new potatoes*Even if you are not a huge carrots fan, give these a try. Slice carrots, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. They get sweet and yummy.

Thursday:
Game Night Food
(posted about it here)

Friday:
taco salad
This is a new favorite. I have always seen those taco salad shells at the grocery store, but never tried them until recently. YUM! This is easy and fun, something different for us, which is always good.
Follow the directions on the taco salad shell box. (No, it's not just a regular four tortilla. It feels different.) They give you little paper shells to cover the tortilla with to give it its shape.
Brown taco meat. I sauteed onions for a few minutes first and then added taco meat to it. I also added a can of kidney beans (drained and rinsed). I usually use pinto beans, but I had kidney beans already in my pantry, so I used those. I will be back to using pinto beans next time. Drain meat and beans. This time, I added a can of tomato sauce and a little chicken broth. I read this would get thick and be like a sauce for the meat. I did not care for the flavor of this- I will go back to what I did the last time- add a can of chili. When taco shells are done, I layer lettuce, meat and beans, cheese and top with sour cream.

Saturday:
chicken cordon bleu pasta
*From the Cooking with Paula Deen magazine- November/December issue

Chicken:
I used chicken tenders, but you can use breasts- just pound them down to make them thinner. Brush both sides of chicken with Dijon mustard and dredge in a mixture of breadcrumbs (1 cup), fresh thyme (1/4 tsp.), salt and pepper. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet and cook chicken. Brown both sides, then place chicken on a plate.
For creamy cheesy pasta (to go with chicken):
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic (minced) and 3/4 cup ham, chopped. Cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 Tbsp. flour, season with salt and pepper, stir constantly for 2 minutes.
Gradually stir in 1 cup half and half. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add 1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, stirring until melted. Add cooked pasta to pan, toss gently to coat with sauce.

Sunday:
Stuffed pork tenderloin
roasted acorn squash
new potatoes with roasted garlic

Acorn Squash:
Microwave squash one at a time to soften. Cut in half. Spoon out seeds and pulp in the middle. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil. Cream one stick of butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar- spread on squash. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, basting with extra butter mixture every 15 minutes. (Mine needed to cooked for 10 minutes longer)
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin:
The great thing about this is, use what you've got. This is what I had, so this is what I stuffed the pork with. First, saute one small onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 ribs celery, and 1/2 package of mushrooms in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the pork down the middle, but not all the way through. Stuff with stuffing mixture. I added fontina cheese, bread crumbs and thyme (again, just what I happened to have on hand) to the onion and mushroom mixture. I used toothpicks to hold the tenderloins together.Heat your pan on medium heat and brown the tenderloins on all sides, for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish, and cook at 450 for 10-15 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 135. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.