Grocery List

Hope everyone had a wonderful turkey day!! I know that I did..but that is mainly b/c I got to see my cute nephews and got to sit around with my family all day. The food wasn't so bad either:) Anyway...here is the grocery list. I threw a few recipes that have already been in the mix that are simple and easy that I have liked before. Hopefully you like them too! Have a great week!

PRODUCE

Garlic - Check to see if you have enough alraedy
1 lb. small red potatoes
3 medium carrots

POULTRY/MEAT/SEAFOOD
4 chicken breasts
17 oz. refrigerated beef roast au jus

PANTRY
Box of Spaghetti noddles
8 oz. of french fried onions
2 - 14oz cans of chicken broth
1 - 11oz can of tomato soup
Balsamic Vinegar - check to see if you already have

FROZEN
1 - 10oz package of frozen spinach

DAIRY
1 - 8oz. block of cream cheese
Parmesan cheese - check to see if you already have
1/4 lb. Gorgonzola cheese
1 9oz package of refrigerated cheese tortellini
8 oz. container of sour cream
Bag of shredded monteray jack cheese
eggs - check to make sure you have 1

Monterey Spaghetti

This recipe was given to me by a friend and I have not tried it out yet, but it looks yummy. If you try this recipe you will have to let me know if you liked it or not. I am trying to take every ones input and then get rid of the recipes that were not so popular and keep the favs. b/c I do recycle some of my recipes on any given week. So try it out and let me know.

4 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces
1 egg
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon crushed garlic
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 (6 ounce) can French fried onions

In a large pot with boiling salted water cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain.

In a large bowl mix together the sour cream, grated Parmesan cheese, and minced garlic. After beating the egg in a small bowl, transfer to the large bowl and blend together. Transfer to a greased slow cooker.

Mix cooked and drained spaghetti, 2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese, thawed spinach, and half of the French fried onions to the slow cooker. Stir contents of slow cooker until just blended.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high heat for 3 to 4 hours.

In last 30 minutes of cooking, turn to high if cooking on low and add remainder of grated Monterey Jack cheese and French fried onions to top of casserole. Serve when cheese is melted.

Tomato-Tortellini Soup

This one has become a favorite between Logan and I. It is my go too easy recipe and is very filling. Great with a salad or just alone.

2 - 14oz cans of chicken or vegtable broth
1 - 9oz package of refrigerated tortellini
1/2 an 8oz package of cream cheese (you can also use the cream cheese with chive/onion)
1 - 11oz can of tomato soup
Snipped fresh chives to garnish

In medium bowl, bring broth to boiling. Add Tortellini, reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered for 5 mins. In a bowl whisk 1/2 cup of hot broth into cream cheese spread until smooth. Return all to saucepan along with tomato soup; heat through. Sprinkle with chives before serving.

Herb-Garlic Beef Roast

Sometimes I try to find recipes that are super quick and are very easy to prepare. This is one of them. Now it isn't the best tasting recipe I have ever had...but it is a time saver b/c you use already package cooked beef. You can find it in the refrigerated section. This recipe just jazz's up what is already in the container a little to make it taste a little more homemade. Let me know if you add anything to it or what you think about it.

1 17-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked beef roast with the au jus
1 lb. small red potatoes
3 medium carrots
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
Frsshley grounded pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
3 to 6 cloves garlic, minced depending on how much you like garlic

In large skillet cook beef roast, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more, until juices are slightly reduced. Meanwhile, quarter potatoes. Peel and diagonally slice carrots in 3/4-inch pieces. Place vegetables in microwave-safe dish. Drizzle with cooking oil and sprinkle with pepper; toss to coat. Tightly cover with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high (100% power) for 10 minutes or until tender.

For herb-garlic mixture, in a small bowl combine parsley and garlic. To serve, stir vegetables into skillet with beef and juices. Divide among serving dishes. Sprinkle with herb-garlic mixture. I serve this with mashed potatoes or rice. Makes 4 servings.

Gorgonzola Chicken Breasts

I am really not one for Gorgonzola cheese or blue cheese...I think they may be the same....I just don't like the bitterness of it all. However, this recipe swears that the cheese gets eat up by the chicken and just gives it a hint of flavor and it is not over-powering at all. So, I thought why the heck not. It got great review on http://www.epicurious.com/. Enjoy!

4 chicken breast halves with skin and bones (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
1/4 pound chilled Gorgonzola dolce, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.

Pat chicken dry, then cut a deep 3-inch-long pocket horizontally in long curved side of each chicken breast half. Fill each pocket with one quarter of cheese. Season chicken all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Place chicken, skin side down, in skillet and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn breasts over, then place skillet in oven and bake until just cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.

Return skillet to burner (handle will be very hot) and add water and vinegar. Boil, stirring and scraping up any brown bits and melted cheese, until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof measuring cup, then skim off excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with sauce.

Salmon Glazed with Honey and Mustard

You know I love Salmon. What's not to love? It is good for you, tasty, and isn't all the expensive. Here is another recipe that I found. This time I found it on http://www.epicurious.com/. It got some good reviews so I thought I would try. Enjoy!

1 1/2 pound salmon fillet with skin (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick)
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mild honey
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed

Preheat broiler. Line rack of a broiler pan with foil and lightly coat with oil.

Pat salmon dry and put, skin side down, on pan. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt, then stir together with mustard, honey, vinegar, caraway seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Spread mustard mixture evenly on top of salmon, then broil 5 to 6 inches from heat until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer salmon to a platter with 2 large spatulas

Shrimp Stir-Fry with Ramen

Alright...I know what you are thinking. Ramen noddles? Isn't that the stuff I ate in college? Well yes it is. However, I found this recipe on Better Homes and Gardens and I couldn't pass it up. I have to try it out. I remember trying to dress up ramen noddles all the time and this one seems like it could be a keeper. I read the recipe and I have made some changes to make it a little easier on us to try out. :) I hope you enjoy.

12 oz. of peeled and deveined shrimp
2 packages of oriental or shrimp flavored ramen noddles
1 pacakge of frozen vegrables for stir-fry (they have them in the frozen aisle ready to make stir-fry with the terayaki sauce in the vegtables, super easy, you just add the chicken/shrimp/beef)

Thaw shrimp, if frozen, removing tails. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. In a 3-quart saucepan cook noodles with seasoning packet according to package directions. Drain noodles. Set aside.

Meanwhile in a large skillet add a little cooking oil and cook shrimp until they are a light colored pink. After cooking set-aside and begin cooking the stir-fry vegtables according to package directions. After vegtables are done stir in shrimp. Serve mixture on top of ramen noddles and enjoy!

Garlic Chicken with Orzo

Quick and easy recipes. If you want to go vegetarian with this dish it is really easy to do so would add more vegtables if you do. Like chopped zucchani, tomatoes, and squash.

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
2 cans chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into bite-size pieces
salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups fresh spinach leaves

Pinch of fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Bring a large pot of chicken broth to a boil, lightly salted. Add orzo pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the garlic and red pepper 1 minute, until garlic is golden brown. Stir in chicken, season with salt, and cook 2 to 5 minutes, until lightly browned and juices run clear. Reduce heat to medium, and mix in the parsley and cooked orzo. Place spinach in the skillet. Continue cooking 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Meatballs and Greens on Ciabatta

I have yet to try this recipe but this seemed like a fresh approach to eating meatballs instead of just with pasta and sauce...so let's give it a try. I found this recipe on Better Homes & Gardens website. And they always have such wonderful pictures for me to post with the recipe. I find that pictures always help:) Anyway, let me know if this is a keeper or if I should toss it out of the recipe box!

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, large stems removed
2 cloves garlic
Salt and ground black pepper
1 16- to 18-oz. pkg. frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs, thawed*
1/2 of a small head romaine, cut-up or torn
4 ciabatta rolls, split and toasted

In a food processor or blender combine oil, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic; cover and process until finely chopped. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer parsley mixture to a large skillet; add meatballs and heat through, covered, over medium heat, stirring and spooning sauce over meatballs occasionally.

Place one ciabatta roll, toasted side up, on each plate. Top with romaine. Remove meatballs from skillet with a slotted spoon; place atop romaine. Drizzle warm parsley mixture atop.

White Chili Recipe

This recipe comes from my friend Jessica Jasa. She said the chili was great. Her office had a chili cook-off and this was the winner! I have never tried white chili before but I am really excited to give it a try.

1 Tbsp veg (or olive) oil
1 ¼ cup chopped onions
3 cans Great Northern White bean- drained
2 tsp ground cumin
1 ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 large chicken breast- boiled - then shredded
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 can chicken broth
1 can green chilies
½ tsp oregano
½ cup sour cream
Approx ½ of block of Velveeta cheese

Place all ingredients into crock pot and cook on high until nice and warm and mixed well together. Then add the boiiled shredded chicken and serve!

Grilled Salmon w. Teriyaki Citrus Sauce

Very yummy looking salmon that I found in a Kikkoman ad. I made a few changes to the receipe but other then taking out the ginger and yuzu juice it is basically the orginal recipe as I found it. Serve with white or brown rice and endame! Enjoy!

1/3 cup Terayaki Marinade & Sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tblp. lemon juice
1 tblp. lime juice
1 crushed garlic clove
4 scallions, cut into pieces (use the white parts for marinade and the green for garnish)
4 salmon filets - I just get two for Logan and I and I don't change the amount of sauce
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

First make the marindae. Combine all ingredients (except salmon and rice wine vinegar), reserving 1/2 cup for the citrus sauce. Add salmon, cover and chill for one hour.

Strain reserved 1/2 cup marindae and combine with rice wine vinegar to make dipping sauce and set aside. Lighly oil and heat grill over moderate heat. Drain excess marinade from salmon. Bring marinade to a boil in a small saucepan and set aside for basting. Season salmon with salt and pepper and grill to desired doneness, basting with marinade from saucepan.

Garnish with scallions and pour citrus sauce over filets. Serve with white or brown rice.

Butternut Squash Bake

Found another recipe at Better Homes and Gardens. This looks like a really yummy vegetarian dish and looks so simple. I love butternut squash so I can't wait to try something different and new! Let me know how you like this one if you give it a try.

1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 oz. of dried extra-wide noddles (I am using the wide no-yolk egg noodles)
4 tbsps. butter
6 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 - 8oz. bar of cream cheese (you can use lite cream cheese)
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 cup of panko or soft bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl toss squash in oil, place in oiled baking pan. Roast uncovered for 30 mins. until lightly browned and tender stirring twice.

Meanwhile, in dutch oven or a pasta pot cook noodles according to package. Drain and set aside. In same pot melt 2 tblps. butter. Add shallots and cook over med-high heat for 3-5 mins. and until butter begins to brown. Add lemon juice.

Add noodles and squash to shallot mixture. Stir in cream cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup parsley, 1/4 tesp. of salt and pepper. Transfer to greased 2 quart baking dish.

In a small saucepan melt remaining 2 tblps. butter, stir in bread crumbs, remaining Parmesan, and remaining parsley. Sprinkle over noodle mixture. Bake, uncovered for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Quick Pork and Apples Dinner

I found this recipe on Better Homes and Gardens and it looked quick and easy..which I am always happy about. I love the combination of pork and apples. I think I will add cinnamon at the end to my apples...but other then that I will first try it as it is. Let me know what you think about this recipe and if you added any personal touches that tasted yummy with it.

1 lb. pork tenderloin

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tblp. butter or olive oil

1 - 20oz can of sliced apples, drained

2 tesps.. sniped fresh thyme or 1/2 tesp. dried thyme

Cut tenderloin, crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. In a large skillet cook garlic in oil/butter over med-high heat for 15 seconds. Carefully place the pork slices in the oil. Cook for 2 mins. on each side or until browned and no longer pink.

*Update - I tried this out and it was really good and so quick and simple. I loved how the apples complimented the pork and I did go ahead and added a dash of cinnamon at the end right before the apples were done being cooked. Great easy dinner. I think this one may be a keeper for the recipe box:)

Add drained apples and thyme into skillet. Cover and cook for 1 min. or until apples are heated through.

Serve with your choice of side item. I think I am going to make my cunnuflings with this recipe....I know it isn't healthy but it is really yummy!

Steak and Drunken Mushrooms

Now I really don't like mushrooms, but I know many people love them and since the orginal recipe calls for the mushrooms I left them in. However, if you do not like mushrooms either pick them out or just omit them from the recipe all together. Also, the orginal recipe is for 4 servings but I just buy two steaks and still use the same amount of sauce. Also, to add a bit more flavor and to make this a little more creamy I highly suggest making a gravy with this. You can use a beef packet gravy mix or use campbells gravy from the can and just pour over the egg noddles.

3 Tblps. butter - or use lite butter land o' lakes makes a good one
Four 8 oz sirloin steaks, pounded to 1/2 inch thick
Salt and Pepper
8 ozs. of mushrooms
2 cloves of shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 cup beer, a beer like bass ale works well
1 dash worcestershire sauce

In a large skillet, melt 1 tblp. butter over med-high heat. Season 2 steaks with salt and pepper and add to the pan, weighing them down with a dutch oven or another skillet (you want to press down on them hard). Cook until browned, about 1 1/2 mins per side. Transfer steaks to a large platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet, add the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Cook stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are sofened and the shallots are translucent, about 5 mins. Reduce heat to med., add beer and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 3 mins. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining butter and the worcestershire sauce.

Top steaks with mixture and serve. This recipe is really good on top of the frozen egg noddles or even rice..

Crunchy Herb Chicken

This is a version of what my mom used to make for us all the time. It was by far my favorite chicken dish my mom made....close to Chicken and Rice and I still have not perfected her version of that. I hope you enjoy!!

4 slices white bread, toasted

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley

1 clove garlic, chopped (I use two cloves b/c I LOVE garlic)
Kosher salt and black pepper

1 Tblp. Olive Oil

1/4 cup Dijon Mustard

2 fresh leaves of basil, chopped finely

4 skinless chicken breasts

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a food processor, pulse bread, parsley, garlic, basil, and 1/4 tsp. of salt and pepper until coarse crumbs form. Add the oil and pulse to combine. Transfer to plate.

Spread the mustard over the chicken and dip the pieces in the bread-crumbs mixture, pressing gently to help the mixture stick.

Place on baking sheet and bake until golden and cooked through, about 18-20 mins.