Weekly Menu Feb 8- Feb 14, 2010

Menu:

Yea! I am officially done my Eating From The Freezer/Pantry Challenge! Whoopie!!!!!  I do have some chichen tenders left and a couple of turkey thighs, and 2 phesants but that's about it in the freezer! I'm keeping the phesant for my Son's next visit home. The turkey thighs will be featured on next weeks menu and the chicken will be made into chicken salad.  My pantry has a box of lasagna noodles, 2 boxex of matzo ball mix and some jellies and mustards. This does not include staples such as cooking oil, sugar, flour etc. I am dying to peruse cookbooks and dream of adaptations for the recipes! I am doing the happy dance of joy just thinking about it! Thanks to all for doing the challenge with me. I'll be doing a series of posts on freezer organization in the near future. But for right now I am going to enjoy an empty freezer- waiting to be refilled!

Monday:
Chicken Picatta
Spaghetti
Arugula, Pine Nuts and Shaved Parmesan With Lemon Viniagrette

Recipe: Chicken Picatta from SG Menu Plan Tuesday's Menu .

Tuesday: * Do over from Saturday- no company because of 20 inches of snow!
Spicy Sausage, Spinach and Cheese Ravioli Lasagna (Recipe and photos on Foodie Friday)
Ceaser Salad
Crusty Bread
Tiramisu

Recipies will be posted on Friday for Foodie Friday.

Wednesday:
Stuffed Flank Steak
Baked Potato
Roasted Carrots
Caprese Salad

Thurday: Crock Pot Day
Tamale Pie
Wedge Salad with Southwest Ranch Dressing on Corn Tortilla

Recipe: Tamale Pie
1TBS vegetable oil
1 lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 can black bean, drained and rinsed
1 can enchillada sauce
2 TBS chile powder
1/4 tsp cumin
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 cups milk
2 large eggs, beaten
salt and pepper- dash
16 oz. can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 medium bag, frozen corn, thawed
1 1/2 cups sharp shredded  cheese ( use the good stuff- it tastes so much better)

Heat oil in large skillet. Add hamburger and onions. Cook until meat is no longer pink inside. Drain off fat, and put in slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle meat with chile powder and toss.
Add beans and enchillada sauce and stir to mix.
In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, milk, egg, salt , pepper and cumin until well incorporated and smooth. Stir in  tomato and corn and pour mixture over the meat in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Evenly distribute cheese over the cornbread and drizzle with oil. Cover and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes until melted.
Spoon out into large bowls.

Friday:
Broccoli and Panchetta Quiche
Baby Greens and Mandrin Orange in Poppyseed Dressing

Saturday: Soup Day
Cabbage Soup
Crusty Bread

Recipe: Cabbage Soup
6 meaty bone in pork chops
1 TBS vegetable oil
10 cups water ( more or less- cover the cabbage by 2 inches)
2 medium heads cabbage, chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 28 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 can tomato soup
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small pieces

In a large stock pot heat oil. Brown pork chops in batches and set aside. Add onion and cook until transparent. Add pork chops and water.  Simmer for 1 hour. Do not boil. Skim of scum if needed.
Add cabbage and cook for 30 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes and tomato soup.Simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove pork chops, cool and shred.When pork chops are removed, add potatoes and cook until fork tender, 15 minutes. Add shredded pork. Take off heat. Serve with crusty bread.

Sunday: Valentine's Dinner
Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Mayonaise Sauce
Individual Beef Wellington
Whipped Leek and Potatoes
Aspargus with Shaved Cheddar Cheese
Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Strawberries

Recipe: Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Strawberries
These delicious and over-the-top strawberries came to me by way of Kristen  at From My Kitchen. They sound so romatic- just perfect for a Valentine's Dinner with my husband. Super yummy!

Recipe: Individual Beef Wellington
Duxelle: Mushroom Topping
1 lb mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cloves shallots, finely minced
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 sprig thyme
2 TBS madeira wine
2 TBS butter

In a large skillet, heat butter over meduim heat until melted. Add mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme. Sautee until mushrooms are cooked, add wine and continue to cook until almost all liquid is gone.
Set aside.

Wellingtons:
4- 6 to 8 oz. fillet mignon
salt and pepper
1 box puffed pastry
salt and pepper
1 TBS olive oil
1 egg

Preheat oven 425 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat oil over meduim heat.Salt and pepper beef. Brown beef fillet on both sides. Remove and set aside. Brown beef in batches. Do not crowd pan. Let cool.

On a floured surface, roll out puffed pastry to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 4 rectangles.

Using a piece of puffed pastry, put 2-3 TBS duxelles in the center of pastry. Top with beef. Salt and pepper.  Wrap pastry around beef like wrapping a package. Stretch to fit, or cut off excess. Seal ends together by pinching them together. Wrap all fillet.
If desired  use leftover pastry to make a leaf design on the top of each fillet package.
Scramble egg in a small bowl with a touch of water and bursh over each package.

Put all packages on a parchment lined sheet pan. Cook for 25 minutes. Pastry should be puffy and golden brown. Remove and rest for 5 minutes.

Madeira Wine Sauce:
1 can double strength beef broth
1 shallot, finely minced
2 TBS butter, divided
1/4 cup Madeira wine
3 TBS flour

In a sauce pan, heat 1 TBS butter. Add shallots and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. While shallots are cooking, combne broth and flour in a jar and make a slurry. Add beef broth mixture and cook until thickened. Take off heat and add Madeira wine. Return to heat and cook for another 3 minutes. Add butter and turn off heat.

Serve Wellingtons with Wine sauce.

Have a great week and Happy Valentine's Day!

I am participating in Menu Plan Monday at Organize Junkie.