Meal Swap: February 2015 Menu and Recipes

February 2015 Menu and Recipes

All recipes serve six unless otherwise specified

Your Choice
Leah: cranberry pork chops

4 to 6 pork chops
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil (not included)
1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock (I gave you 1.5 cups)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 can (14 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce

Prep Day: Season both sides of the pork chops with some salt and pepper and the thyme. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Place the pork chops in the skillet and cook for 5-8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature of the pork reaches 145°F. Remove the pork chops from the pan and keep warm on a plate covered with foil.

Add chicken stock to skillet you cooked the chops in. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Whisk in cranberry sauce and mustard and cook a few minutes. If sauce gets too thick add more chicken stock. Place any juices from the plate the pork chops were on back into the skillet. Serve the pork chops with the cranberry/mustard sauce on top.

Serve Day: Thaw cranberry/mustard sauce, pork chops and chicken stock.

2 Tablespoons of olive oil to heat pork chops (5-8 mins each side or to 145˚F)

Remove the pork chops from the pan and keep warm on a plate covered with foil.

Add chicken stock to skillet you cooked the chops in. Bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Whisk in cranberry/mustard sauce and cook a few minutes. If sauce gets too thick add more chicken stock. Place any juices from the plate the pork chops were on back into the skillet. Serve the pork chops with the cranberry/mustard sauce on top.

Kelsey: calzones

Recipe to come…

America/European
Nicole: slow cooker cola pot roast

2-­3 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast
cooking spray
2 (16 oz pkgs) frozen stew vegetables ( I cut up celery and carrots and gave whole potatoes)
1 12 oz can cola
1/2 of a 2 oz pkg onion soup mix (1 envelope)
2 tbsp quick­cooking tapioca or flour

Prep Day Directions: Put cola, onion soup and potatoes in a bag. Put carrots and celery in a quart bag and freeze. Have butcher put meat in freezer paper and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw frozen meat and veggies. Optional step-Trim fat from meat, lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Brown meat on all sides in skillet. Optional step to maximize brown notes in meat. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place meat in a 4 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker. Top with frozen vegetables. Cut potatoes into smaller pieces before putting in slow cooker. In a small bowl, stir together cola, soup mix, and tapioca. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover and cook on low setting for 7-­8 hours or on high setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Ashley: apple BBQ pork tenderloin

Recipe to come…

SW/Latin American
Kellie: Rio Rancho taco meat

1 onion, diced
1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup mild or medium salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 and 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 (4 oz) can of diced green chilies
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 fresh cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup water
2 cups shredded cheese
6 tortillas

Prep Day Directions: Brown onion, beef, and garlic until no longer pink. Drain. Add salsa, taco seasoning, brown sugar, green chilies, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to meat and combine well. Add water. cool and bag. Label (1/2) Bag tortillas and cheese (2/2).

Serve Day Directions: Thaw and reheat. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Sarah: Cuban sandwiches

6 ciabatta or flat rolls
6 slices deli ham
6 slices Swiss cheese
3 c. roasted, shredded pork
Dijon mustard
6 flat sliced pickles

Prep Day Directions: Spread mustard on bottom of buns. Layer ham, cheese and shredded pork on each sandwich. Wrap tightly in tin foil. Freeze. Bag pickles (DO NOT Freeze).

Serve Day Directions: Thaw sandwiches. Unwrap from foil. Put pickle on each sandwich. Heat in a panini grill (or George Foreman) or in med hot skillet. If using skillet, weigh down the sandwiches with something heavy (another skillet with soup cans?). Cook until warmed through and toasty. Alternatively, could put on sheet pan in a 375 oven with weighted cookie sheet on top until warmed through.

Asian/Indian
Katie K: Thai peanut chicken with pineapple

1/2 C. Peanut Butter
4 Tbs. Soy Sauce
4 Tbs. Lime Juice
2 tsp. Garlic Chili Hot Sauce
14.5 oz Chicen Broth
8oz Can Pineapple
4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
16 oz. Thin Spaghetti
12 oz Frozen Snap Peas

Prep Day Directions: Combine peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic chili sauce, and chicken broth. Add pineapple and chicken breasts. Freeze

Serve Day Directions: Thaw chicken/sauce in fridge over night. Cook in crockpot on low for 6 to 8 hours. Prepare snap peas and spaghetti according to package directions. Shred chicken and serve over snap peas and spaghetti.

Kirsten: chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe to come…

Italian/Mediterranean
Jenica: chicken piccata

3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1/2-inch medallions
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Prep Day Directions: Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour. Shake off excess flour. Freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Defrost meal. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet; pan-fry the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches and do not crowd skillet, adding oil as needed . Place the chicken pieces onto the warmed platter in the oven. When finished with all the chicken, drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving a thin coating Cook and stir the minced garlic in the skillet until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth. Scrape and dissolve any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the lemon slices and bring the mixture to a boil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more. Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add the parsley; remove from heat and set aside.on the surface of the pan Arange the chicken medallions on serving plates and spoon sauce over each portion to serve.

Bridget: macaroni with Ham

8oz elbow noodles
8oz shredded cheddar
16oz cottage cheese
1/3 lb ham
1/4 cup onion
Egg
8oz sour cream
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Prep Day Directions: Cook noodles add all ingredients to freezer bag and freeze

Serve Day Directions: Thaw put in pan and cook 40-50 mins @ 350 Can add peas and breadcrumbs to the top if you want.