Meal Swap: Wednesday’s Menu and Recipes for May 2013

Your Choice:

Nicole – Creamy Lemon Shrimp Pasta

1 box penne pasta, uncooked
1 lb. cooked medium shrimp
1 cup chicken broth
1 pkg. Cream Cheese, cubed
3 tsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp. juice from
1 lemon
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste (you add)
Lemon wedges (optional you add)

Prep Day Directions: Heat broth in large skillet on medium heat. Add cream cheese, zest and juice; cook and stir 3 to 4 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Cream cheese will take longer if making a large batch to dissolve. Add Parmesan; mix well. Once the cream mixture is cool pour into seal-able bag. Add mozzarella and parsley to another bag. Combine shrimp, cream bag and mozzarella bag into a larger freezer bag.

Serve Day Directions: Completely thaw entire packet in refrigerator. Cook noodles separately. Warm Sauce in large Skillet or Dutch oven. Add Shrimp and cook approximately 3-5 minutes until Shrimp is warm. Add noodles and toss entire mixture. Sprinkle each serving with mozzarella and Parsley. May want to add lemon wedges.

Ashley – Roast Sticky Chicken

1 whole chicken (4 pounds)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 onion, quartered

Prep Day Directions: Mix together all spices in small bowl. Rinse chicken cavity and pat dry with paper towel. Rub each chicken inside out with spice mixture. Place 1 onion into the cavity of each chicken. Place chickens in ziploc freezer bag and refrigerate at least 4-6 hours or freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw chicken. Place chicken in a roasting pan and bake uncovered at 250 degrees for 5 hours or until a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees. Let the chicken stand 10 minutes before carving.

North American/European:

Kristine – Saucy Chicken Thighs

10 boneless skinless chiken thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt (you provide)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (you provide)
1-1/2 cups bbq sauce
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons mustard
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Prep Day Directions: Put the chicken thighs in a bag and seal. In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, honey, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Once mixed, put in a separate bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw chicken thighs and sauce. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place on a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Transfer to a slow cooker. Pour sauce over chicken; stir to coat. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is tender. The chicken can also be baked in a 350 oven for 20 minutes.

Kellie – Ranch House Parmesan Pork Chops

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

Prep Day Directions: Place 6 chops, seasoning packet and soup in a ziplock bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw and place all ingredients in bag in crock pot and heat on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Enjoy!

Italian/Mediterranean:

Erin – Spaghetti with Cheese-stuffed Bacon Meatballs

8 to 10 slices smoked bacon
1 lb. ground beef
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp beef stock
string cheese, cut into bite size cubes
spaghetti noodles
marinara sauce

Prep Day Directions: Bake bacon for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then chop Cut cheese sticks into bite size pieces. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, worcestershire, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, black pepper, beef stock, and chopped bacon. Form portions around cheese pieces to make into meatballs. Place in labeled freezer bags. Label jars of marinara sauce and spaghetti packages.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw meatballs. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Arrange meatballs on a sheet pan with a rack and bake until thoroughly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Make spaghetti according to package directions. Heat marinara on stovetop.

Emily – Greek Meatballs with Mint

Recipe to Come….

Asian/Indian:

Heather – Korean BBQ Strip Steak

2 pounds top sirloin steak
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
1/2 c. chopped green onions
1 1/3 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. black pepper

Prep Day Directions: Slice beef against grain in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices, 2-3 inches long. Combine all marinade ingredients. Put beef and marinade together in bag. Freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw marinade and steak in bag. Grill, broil or fry strip steak to desired degree of doneness. Enjoy!

Southwestern/Latin American:

Bridget – Santa Fe Chicken

5 breast, cut into strips
1/4 cup Braag amino acid
1/2 cup lime juice
1T honey
1T olive oil
1T coriander
1T cumin
1 1/2T chile powder
1t cilantro
3T garlic
11/2cup rice
Bag of Veggies

Prep Day Directions: Add all ingredients to ziplock freezer bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Place on baking sheet at 350 until juices run clear.

BBQ/Grilling:

Kirsten – Southwestern Hamburgers

Patties:
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb chorizo
1 T cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic salt
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T chunky salsa

6 slices pepper jack cheese

Corn relish:
10 oz can Ro-Tel (cilantro lime)
5 oz (1/2 can) Southwestern corn
4 oz (1/2 can) diced green chilis
Splash lime juice

Prep Day Directions: Combine all relish ingredients, mix and bag. Freeze. Mix ground beef and chorizo well, add all other ingredients and combine thoroughly. Form meat into six patties. Bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: While frozen take cheese and relish out of the bag and thaw all 3 separately. Grill patties and top with pepper jack cheese. Add a spoonful of corn relish (serve cold).

Lisa – Jerk Pork Tenderloin

1 (2 1/2 lb) pork tenderloin

Jerk Spice Paste:
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup finely chopped scallion ( 4 to 6 scallions)
1 1/2 tablespoon dried Thyme
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 -3 scotch bonnet peppers or 1 -3 habanero pepper, seeded and minced, depending on taste (I omitted due to popular vote)
1 tablespoon finely chopped
fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 dash cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Prep Day Directions: Cover tenderloin with spice, coating well. Place Pork Tenderloin in labeled gallon bag with Jerk spice Paste. Combine the Jerk Spice ingredients in a small bowl and mix to form a coarse paste. Or blend in food processor. Coat pork tenderloin and Marinate at least 4 hours or freeze at this point.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw. Grill tenderloin, covered, over indirect medium heat for 10 minutes each side. Juices should run clear or temperature 160 degrees. Let roast sit about 10 minutes to let juices settle.