Monday, October 12, 2009

Diane's Menu October 12 - October 20

Monday 10-12 - Pizza
Tuesday 10-13 - Moroccan Lamb Stew with Butternut Squash **
Wednesday 10-14 - California Tamale Pie **
Thursday 10-15 - Cider Pork Stew **
Friday 10-16 - Harvest Pot Roast **
Saturday 10-17 - Dinner out
Sunday 10-18 - Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread
Monday 10-19 - Mediterranean Chicken with Spaghetti Squash Recipe **
Tuesday 10-20 - Grilled Chicken over Asian style green salad

** Recipes Below

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Moroccan Lamb Stew

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

* 450g lamb neck fillet, diced
* 3 gloves garlic, finely sliced
* 1 shallot, finely sliced
* 1 red onion, finely chopped
* can chopped plum tomatoes
* can chickpeas
* 1 butternut squash, peeled & diced
* 8 peppercorns
* about 10 fresh thyme sprigs
* 1 tbsp harissa paste
* 1 tsp ground coriander
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tbsp olive oil plus more for frying
* 1/3 bottle red wine
* 2 handfuls fresh spinach




This is an easy but extremely tasty dish - mildly spiced and great for winter. Serve with some flatbread or pitta.

1. Mix the olive oil, oregano, cumin, coriander & garlic in a bowl. Add the lamb and cover it well. Marinate for 2 hours.
2. Fry the onion & shallot with the peppercorns in a large heavy pan, on a medium heat until tender and translucent (about 5 mins).
3. Add the lamb and brown all over, stirring to ensure the garlic doesn't burn (add a little more oil if necessary).
4. Raise the heat, add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Leave for about 2 minutes to reduce and for the alcohol to evaporate.
5. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes.
6. Simmer for 30 minutes.
7. Add butternut squash and simmer for a further 20 minutes.
8. Just before serving, add the spinach and stir until wilted.
9. Serve immediately in bowls, discarding any thyme stalks, and enjoy.


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California Tamale Pie

1 lb. lean ground beef, browned
3/4 c. yellow corn meal
11/2 c. milk
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg. chili seasoning mix
1 tbsp. seasoned salt
1 lb. can tomatoes, cut up
1 lb. whole kernel corn, drained
21/4 oz. sliced ripe olives, drained
1 c. Cheddar cheese, grated

Stir together cornmeal, milk and egg. Add rest of ingredients, except cheese. Pour into Crockery Pot, cover, cook on high 3 to 4 hours. Sprinkle cheese over top, cover and cook another 5 minutes.


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Cider Pork Stew

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
3 medium cubed potatoes (about 2-1/2 cups))
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup coarsely chopped apple (1 medium)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery (1 stalk)
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 cups apple juice or apple cider
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Celery leaves (optional)

1. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes. In a 3-1/2- to 5-1/2quart slow cooker, combine meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, apple, celery, and tapioca. Stir in apple juice, salt, caraway seeds, and pepper.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours. If desired, garnish individual servings with celery leaves.

Makes: 8 servings

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Harvest Pot Roast with Tomato-Wine Gravy



2 1/2 lb. chuck roast
1 tbsp. cooking oil
2 med. turnips, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
3 med. carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 11/2 cups)
1 can condensed tomato soup (103/4 oz.)
1/4 c. dry red wine or water
3 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 lb. winter squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 11/2 to 2 inch pieces

Trim fat from roast. In a large skillet brown roast on all sides in hot oil.

Meanwhile, place turnips, carrots, tomato soup, red wine or water, tapioca, allspice, and pepper in Crockery Pot. Stir together. Place roast on top of vegetables. Put squash on top of roast. Cover; cook on low for 10 to 12 hours (high 5 to 6 hours).

Put roast and vegetables on a serving platter. Skim the fat from the gravy so you can serve the gravy with the pot roast.

Serves 6

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Mediterranean Chicken with Spaghetti Squash Recipe

6 Servings
Prep: 35 min.
Cook: 35 min.

Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 center-cut bacon strips, chopped
1 medium leek (white portion only), coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine or additional reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup half-and-half cream
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down
on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 15-18
minutes or until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook
chicken over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Remove from the
skillet.
In the same skillet, cook bacon and leek over medium heat until bacon is
crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon mixture to paper towels. Add
garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add
the broth, wine and cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2
minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining ingredients. Add chicken
and bacon mixture; heat through.
When squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to separate strands.
Serve with chicken mixture. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup chicken mixture with 1 cup squash equals 340
calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 656 mg
sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 30 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges:
4 very lean meat, 2 fat, 1-1/2 starch.

Mediterranean Chicken with Spaghetti Squash published in Healthy Cooking
October/November 2009

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Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Diane's Dinner Today - Chicken, Quinoa and Spinach Pilaf

Today I made up a lunch/dinner in my rice cooker that is awesome. It is actually our big meal of the day since I tutor tonight from 4 to 8.

I put 2 teaspoons of olive oil in the rice cooker on brown. Added 2 large leeks sliced and 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast cubed. I sauteed for a short time and then added 1 1/2 rice cooker cups (about 6 ounces each) of quinoa. I stirred to coat the grains with the little oil that was left and then poured 2 1/2 cups of water that had been whisked with red curry paste into the rice cooker. Closed the cooker and set on "mixed rice" and start! When it was at the 2 minute warning and smelling great I added 3 cups of baby spinach and stirred it in to wilt. Closed the rice cooker again and when it beeped that it was done we ate it. It was luscious!

It fed my husband and I well and there is enough for a lunch for me later this week.

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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Menu 10-5-2009 to 10-11-2009

Monday 10-5 - Pizza
Tuesday 10-6 - Roasted Chicken, Quinoa and Spinach Pilaf
Wednesday 10-7 - Strip Steak, Grilled Potato Salad, Broccoli
Thursday 10-8 - Chicken Sorrentino over Spinach and Rice Pilaf
Friday 10-9 - dinner sized Shrimp Cocktail, Salad
Saturday 10-10 - Indian Almond Curry Lamb **
Sunday 10-11 - Pulled Pork, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread

** from Glorious One-Pot Meals Cookbook recipes and review to follow.

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