First Menu of 2011

Here is our January menu. We had so much random pantry and freezer food accumulated that we spent the first week using it up, so no meals for last week.

Monday: Chicken, Red Grape & Pesto Pizza (recipe below) w/ salad;

Tuesday: Beef-Barley Soup (recipe below) w/ crusty bread;

Wednesday: Leftovers;

Thursday: Zucchini Meatloaf Casserole w/ grilled veggies;

Friday: Pork Lo Mein;

Monday: Thai Turkey Burgers w/ coleslaw and fries;

Tuesday: Smoked Salmon Frittata w/ fruit;

Wednesday: Spaghetti and meatsauce;

Thursday: Leftovers;

Friday: Open-faced Shrimp Sandwich w/ salad;

Monday: Crock Pot Clam Chowder w/ crusty buns;

Tuesday: Leftovers;

Wednesday: Crock Pot Swiss Chicken w/ mashed potatos and steamed carrots;

Thursday: Leftovers;

Friday: Creamy Garlic Casserole;

Monday: One Pan Sage Chicken and Sausage (recipe below) w/ roasted potatos.

Chicken, Red Grape and Pesto Pizza

1 (11 oz) can refrigerated pizza dough

Cooking Spray

1/3 cup refrigerated pesto

1 ? cup seedless red grapes, halved

8 ounces shredded skinless chicken rotisserie chicken breast

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

4 ounces fresh mozza cheese, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

? teaspoon black pepper

? cup sliced green onions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 F

2. On a lightly floured surface, pat dough into a 9? circle; gently place dough on a pizza pan coated in cooking spray, Spread pesto evenly over dough leaving a ? inch border around edges. Arrange grapes evenly over dough; top evenly with chicken. Top with garlic and mozza; sprinkle with Romano and pepper. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Sprinkle with onions. Cut into 12 wedges. Yield 6 servings.

Beef-Barley Soup

? pound boneless chuck roast, cut into ? inch pieces

1 ? cups thinly sliced carrot

1 ? cup thinly sliced celery

2/3 cup chopped onion

1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms

4 cups fat free, low sodium beef broth

1 bay leaf

2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley

? teaspoon salt

? teaspoon black pepper

Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook for 4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove beef from pan. Add carrots, celery, onions and mushrooms to pan; cook 6 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add beef, beef broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 ? hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pearl barley; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Yield 4 servings.

One Pan Sage Chicken and Sausage

Ingredients

1 large onion or 2 small onions

1/2 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)

2 teaspoons English mustard

1 tablespoon dried sage

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 lemon

1 (4-pound) chicken, jointed into 10 pieces

12 sausages

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped

Directions

Peel and cut the onion into eighths, and put into a freezer bag with the oil, mustard, dried sage, a good grinding of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Cut lemon in half, squeeze juice into bag, and then cut the halves into eighths and add them. Squidge everything around to mix (the mustard needs help to combine) and then add the chicken pieces. Leave to marinade in the refrigerator overnight, or for up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade.

Arrange the chicken pieces in a roasting tin skin side up with the marinade, including all the bits and pieces, and tuck the sausages around them. Sprinkle the fresh sage leaves over the chicken and sausages and then put the tin into the oven to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the sausages over half way through to color them evenly.

Arrange the chicken and sausages on a large platter.