Need to Stretch Dinner for a Crowd?: December 2018

Transcription

1 Need to Stretch Dinner for a Crowd?: December 0 Shopping List Please buy organic when and if you can. ¾ lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined chicken cutlets (horizontally halved smaller breasts) Dairy cups Oaxaca, Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese for shredding Herbs: Always check the fridge first bunch mint, for a ¼ cup chopped bunch basil, for a ¼ cup chopped bunch cilantro, for ½ cup chopped bunch Italian flat-leafed parsley, for tablespoon chopped bunch of dill, for - tablespoons Bakery ( ) fresh, quality flour tortillas Produce jalapenos scallions juicy limes head garlic, for cloves juicy lemon, look for Meyer lemons if they are available cups snap peas oz mushrooms mix of cremini, oyster, shitake or wild onions tomato ripe but firm avocados medium leek celery stalk Dry - oz- can unsweetened coconut milk - oz- bottle clam juice its near the tuna tablespoon Asian fish sauce tablespoon green curry ¾ cup long grain Jasmine rice tablespoons capers cup Isreali couscous tablespoon smallest can- tomato paste -0 cups ( oz boxes) reduced sodium chicken broth oz pinto beans ½ cup orzo

2 Spices Cumin, teaspoon Dried basil, teaspoon Dried oregano, ½ teaspoon From Your Pantry ***ALWAYS CHECK THIS LIST IT CHANGES*** Olive oil, ½ cup Vegetable oil, tablespoon Worcestershire, tablespoons Red wine vinegar, ½ tablespoons ¾ cup white wine Butter, unsalted, tablespoons Salt, Kosher Pepper Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp over Rice: December 0 Monday: Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp over Rice I have yet to find a person that doesn t love this simple soup. Don t worry about buying the unique ingredients, you will repeat this one and use them up! BONUS: I served this as a first course at a ladies luncheon, minus the rice, and it met with raves. Boom. Serves: Prep: 0 Cooking: 0 For the Soup oz can unsweetened coconut milk oz bottle clam juice jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced tablespoon Asian fish sauce tablespoon green Thai curry paste ¾ pound shelled and deveined medium shrimp scallions ¼ cup finely chopped mint ¼ cup finely chopped basil ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro lime For the Rice cup jasmine or long grain white rice

3 cooking spray or oil Bring ½ cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice and salt and return to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, about minutes. To check for doneness, lift lid and if there are (like little craters), it s done. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 0 minutes. Meanwhile, once the rice is off heat, in a large pot, combine the coconut milk with the clam juice, sliced jalapeno, fish sauce, curry paste, sugar and ¼ cup of water; bring to boil. Reduce to medium low heat and simmer for minutes. Add the shrimp and scallions and cook until the shrimp are just white throughout, about - minutes. Stir the mint, basil and cilantro into the soup. To serve, ladle soup over the rice and serve with lime wedges. 0 Want to look a little fancy? Spray a ½ cup measuring cup with just a little cooking spray. Fill with a scoop of rice and invert it onto the middle of your soup bowl. Ladle soup over the top. Chicken Piccata & Snap Peas : December 0 Tuesday: Chicken Piccata & Snap Peas A good pal came back from a recent trip raving about a lemon and caper dish she had it was a piccata. Traditionally made with veal, I opted for the chicken. The result is a speedy, bright pan sauce that just coats the chicken. NOTE: We are pan-frying extra chicken for use later in the week. Serves: Prep: Cooking: For the Chicken chicken cutlets (horizontally halved smaller breasts)

4 tablespoons olive oil ¾ cup dry white wine teaspoons garlic, minced ½ cups chicken broth tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons capers, drained tablespoons unsalted butter - lemon slices tablespoons fresh parsley For the Snap Peas cups snap peas ½ teaspoon kosher salt teaspoon olive oil For the Couscous cup Isreali couscous teaspoon kosher salt teaspoons lemon juice teaspoons good extra-virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 0º. Place a baking sheet on the middle rack. Start the couscous. Bring ½ cups of water to boil in a small saucepan. Add couscous and salt. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for -0 minutes. Season chicken with teaspoon kosher salt and / teaspoon pepper. Lightly dredge chicken in flour, shaking off all excess. Set aside. In a skillet, over medium high heat, heat olive oil. Sauté cutlets minutes on one side. Flip the cutlets and sauté on the other side for minutes. Transfer cutlets to the baking sheet in the oven. Set skillet off heat. Make the snap peas. Bring cup of water and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil. Add snap peas, cover and turn off heat. 0 Return skillet to stovetop and, over medium high heat, add wine and garlic to the pan. Scrape up any bits.

5 Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly gone, about minutes. Add chicken broth, lemon juice, and capers. Cook, stirring, for minutes. Add butter, lemon slices and parsley. Return chicken to the skillet and turn to coat with the pan sauce. Stir lemon juice and olive oil into couscous. To serve, divide couscous and snap peas among plates. Slice chicken and top with lemon and caper pan sauce. Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Rice and Beans: December 0 Wednesday: Wild Mushroom Quesadillas with Rice and Beans The mushrooms really kick the qusadilla up a notch-yum. Serves: Prep: Cooking: For the Quesadillas ounces fresh shitake, cremini, and/or oyster mushrooms, sliced medium onion (½ cup), chopped jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, and minced clove garlic, minced tablespoons olive oil tomato, preferably vine ripened, chopped (optional) teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or dried regular oregano, crushed ¼ teaspoon salt -inch flour tortillas cups Oaxaca or fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded Snipped fresh cilantro - avocados, ripe but firm juicy lime For the Beans tablespoon vegetable oil ½ cup chopped onion (one medium) tablespoon tomato paste

6 ½ teaspoon cumin ¾ cup uncooked long grain white rice cups (. oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth teaspoon kosher salt oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained ¼ cup cilantro, snipped Preheat oven to 00º. In a medium saucepan heat tablespoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, and cumin seeds; cook for minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in rice; cook for minute. Stir in chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 0 minutes or until rice is tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook mushrooms, onion, jalapeno, and garlic in oil over medium heat for minutes or until tender and liquid has evaporated. Stir in tomato (if using), oregano, and salt; heat through. Place filling on one-half of each tortilla. 0 Top filling with shredded cheese. Fold each tortilla in half over filling. In a clean dry large skillet cook quesadillas, one at a time, over medium-high heat for minutes or until tortilla is a golden brown and cheese melts, turning once halfway through cooking time. Transfer cooked quesadillas to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Remove rice from heat and add beans. Cover and let stand for minutes. Slice or mash the avocado and toss with fresh squeezed lime. Gently stir in ¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro in to the rice and beans. Cut quesadillas into wedges and serve with avocado and rice and beans. Lemon Chicken Soup: December 0

7 Thursday: Lemon Chicken Soup This a new take on a chicken noodle soup with a bit odf a Greek twist. It's light and bright and is very good if your a little under the weather. Consider doubling the recipe and freezing half - minus the orzo which you can add when you reheat. Serves: Prep: 0 Cooking: tablespoon olive oil medium leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise ½ " thick celery stalk, sliced crosswise ½ " thick cups chicken breast, shredded or chopped cups low-sodium chicken broth cup water Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper ½ cup orzo - tablespoons cup fresh dill, chopped lemons, juiced, quartered Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped leek and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, minutes. Add and water broth; season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer minutes. Return broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, -0 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add shredded chicken and warm through - minutes. Remove pot from heat. Stir in dill and lemon juice. Serve with lemon quarters for squeezing over.