I. Cannot. Believe...............it's the end of November already! Caaaarazy!

So here's my December menu for those interested. I didn't plan anything for Dec 24-27, I figured we'd play it by ear. If I haven't provided a link to a recipe, I will post it below.

Wed: Pork Chops and Mustard Sauced Potatoes;

Thurs: Leftovers;

Fri: Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup;

Mon: Pot Roast with Prunes and grilled asparagus;

Tues: Leftovers;

Wed: Baked Grilled Cheese Pesto Sandwiches w/ pasta salad and steamed carrots;

Thurs: Baked Ziti w/ spinach salad;

Fri: Leftovers;

Mon: Sheppard?s Stove Top Pie;

Tues: Cheater Coq au Vin;

Wed: Leftovers;

Thurs: Crock Pot Zucchini Soup (one of our favs) w/ Corn Bread;

Fri: Leftovers;

Mon: Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs w/ mixed veg and roasted potatos;

Tues: Leftovers;

Wed: Grilled tilapia w/ sweet potato fries and rice;

Thurs: Beef dips w/ grilled veggies;

Fri: ????

Mon: ????

Tues: Grilled chicken burgers w/ baked beans and coleslaw;

Wed: Slow Cooker Jambalaya w/ cheese buns;

Thurs: Leftovers;

Fri: ????

Pork Chops and Mustard Sauced Potatoes

1 tablespoon cooking oil
6 pork loin chops, cut 3/4 inch thick
1 10 3/4 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium onion, sliced

Heat oil in a large skillet. Cook pork chops, half at a time, in hot oil until brown on both sides. Drain off fat.

Combine soup, wine, mustard, thyme, garlic and pepper in a large bowl.

Add potatoes and onion, stirring to coat. Transfer to crockpot.

Place browned chops on top of potatoes.

Cover; cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. or high for 3 1/2 hours. Makes 6 servings.

Cheater coq au vin

Nutrients per serving

Preparation time 15 min
Cooking time 44 min
Makes 6 servings

4 bacon slices

12- oz (375- g) pkg whole button or shiitake mushrooms or a mix of mushrooms

12 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 6 chicken breasts

1 red onion or 4 shallots or 8 pearl onions (see ?Coq au vin tips,? below)

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour

2 cups (500 mL) white or red wine

10- oz (284- mL) can undiluted chicken broth

1/4 cup (50 mL) cognac or brandy

2 tsp (10 mL) Dijon mustard

2 tsp (10 mL) dried thyme leaves

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped parsley

1. Stack bacon and slice crosswise into thin strips. Set a large, wide saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5 to 7 min. As pieces are done, remove to a large bowl.

2. Meanwhile, wipe mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. If rinsed, they absorb water and won't brown in pan. Slice large ones in half; leave small ones whole. Add to bacon fat in pan. Stir often until brown around edges, 3 min. Add mushrooms to bowl with bacon.

3. Lightly coat pan with a little oil. Add half of chicken. Cook until lightly golden, about 3 min per side. Remove to bowl with mushrooms and bacon. Repeat with remaining chicken. Meanwhile, cut onion in half, then slice each half into quarters. If using shallots, slice into quarters; leave pearl onions whole.

4. Melt butter in pan. Add onion. Saut? 2 min. Add flour and stir constantly for 2 min. Pour in a little wine. Scrape up bits from pan bottom. Stir in remaining wine, broth, cognac, Dijon and thyme. Return bacon, mushrooms and chicken to pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, stirring often, until chicken is cooked through and liquid thickens a little, 20 to 25 min.

5. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Stir in parsley. Serve alongside roasted potatoes and cooked green beans. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up all the flavourful sauce. Will keep well, covered, in the refrigerator at least 2 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.

? COQ AU VIN TIPS ? Red wine is traditionally used in this recipe, but we prefer white because it makes for a more attractive sauce ? use whichever you like to drink. ? While coq au vin is often made with pearl onions, they're a pain to peel, so we've provided options. If using pearl, boil in water for 3 min. Plunge in cold water for 2 min. Slice off root ends and peel off skins. ? French chefs begin this dish by cutting up a whole chicken. While the skin adds flavour, it also adds a ton of fat and softens during cooking. Save time and calories by using skinless, boneless chicken.

Crockpot Zucchini Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. spicy Italian sausage

1 small onion

2 large or 3-4 small zucchini

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can cream of muchroom soup

3 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Crumble and brown sausage and onion in a skillet. Slice zucchini into hearty chunks. Drain the grease from the skillet, then brown the zucchini for a few minutes (gives it great flavor). Add all ingredients to slow cooker -- add more or less broth for a thinner/thicker soup. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4. Wonderful served with cornbread or whole wheat rolls.

Number of Servings: 6

Great-Grandmother Steinbeck's Johnnycake (Cornbread)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white cornmeal
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1 egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch glass baking dish.
2. Sift the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, corn oil and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix just until blended. Pour into the prepared pan, and shake gently to level it out.
3. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Serve hot. Just with butter will do, it is plenty sweet enough!