Meal Swap: Wednesday’s June Menu and Recipes

June 2013 Menu

All recipes serve six unless otherwise specified.

Your Choice:

Kirsten – Pecan Crusted Pork with Orange Maple Glaze

2 lb pork tenderloin cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c pecan pieces
2 Tbsp vegetable oil (you provide)
Maple syrup to coat tenderloin pieces (you provide)

Glaze (I doubled this):
1/3 c fresh squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Prep Day Directions: Measure 1 c pecan pieces and bag.

Glaze: mix OJ, syrup, cayenne pepper and cumin and whisk together, bag and freeze. I doubled this part.

Cut tenderloins into 1/2 inch slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper, bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw bags completely. Put syrup in a dish and pecans in another dish. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Coat tenderloin slices in syrup then press into pecans. Place pork in skillet in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes each side. (Pour any remaining syrup into skillet while cooking)

In a separate skillet, cook glaze over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Drizzle over pork and serve.

North American/European:

Nicole – Crock Pot Beef

2.5 pounds beef roast
Italian dressing packet
1 cup water (you provide)
pepper, salt or other spices to taste if desired

Prep Day Directions: Put all meat and dressing packet in a gallon freezer bag.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw. Put in crock pot. Six hours on high heat or overnight at low heat. Meat should shred easy.

Serve on sandwiches or over rice.

Ashley – Italian Beef Kabobs

1 pound boneless beef stew meat
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon prepared Italian dressing
2 large cloves garlic, minced

Prep Day Directions: Place peppers into freezer bag. Place meat, basil, Italian dressing, and garlic into another freezer bag. Freeze both.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw both bags. Soak skewers in water. Thread meat and peppers onto skewers. Grill until desired doneness.

Italian/Mediterranean:

Kristine – Spicy Chicken Rigatoni

1/4 cup oil
1/2 Tbs crushed red pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbs chopped garlic
6 oz chicken, sliced
3/4 cup. Marinara sauce
1/2 cup Alfredo sauce
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup peas
1 lb Rigatoni pasta, cooked according to package directions
additional 1/2 t crushed red pepper (for garnish)

Prep Day Directions: In a sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, salt, black pepper and garlic and sauté just long enough for garlic to caramelize and red pepper to release flavor into the oil. Add sliced chicken and sauté briefly to coat in spices and garlic.

Add Marinara Sauce first and then Alfredo Sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°. Turn off flame, add butter and peas and incorporate into sauce.

Cook pasta per box directions. Toss with the sauce and chicken.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw and reheat. Garnish with crushed red pepper and serve.

Kellie – Chicken Pesto Grill Packets

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
6 skinless, bonless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
1 and 1/2 cups pesto (4 tbsp per packet)
3 zuccini, thinly sliced
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
12 scallions, trimmed

Prep Day Directions: In a foil packet, drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into center of each sheet.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Lay 1 chicken in the center of each sheet and spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on top of chicken.
Mound one half zuccini, 1 chopped tomato, 2 scallions over each breast.
Dollop 3 tablespoons of pesto over the mound and foil packet to seal and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw completely. Grill packets over indirect heat for 25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Southwestern/Latin American:

Heather – Steak & Potato Kabobs

¾ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced
3 tablespoon red-wine vinegar or cider vinegar
3 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
1 ½ small clove garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoon chile powder
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
12 new or baby red potatoes (you provide oil to toss them in prior to grilling)
2 pounds pork, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oi
1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
12 skewers

Prep Day Directions: Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Put cilantro sauce in Ziploc bag. Place raw potatoes in a Ziploc bag. The potatoes should not be frozen, but stored in the fridge or wherever you prefer to store potatoes until use. Cut onion and place it in a Ziploc. Cut pork into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Toss pork and green peppers with oil and remaining salt and place into Ziploc. Freeze everything except potatoes.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw contents of bag. Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on High until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. May want to toss the potatoes in some oil prior to threading onto skewers. Thread the potatoes, pork, peppers and onion chunks onto 12 skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until the pork reaches desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the reserved sauce. Enjoy!

BBQ/Grilling:

Bridget – Pineapple Ginger Flank Steak

3/4 cups pineapple juice
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 cups soy sauce
1/4 cups canola oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1.5 pounds flank steak

Prep Day: Mix all ingredients and place in ziplock bag. Freeze.

Serve Day: Thaw and grill.