Dinner 1 Chimichurri Pork Chops with Rice & Tomatoes & Pickled Cukes Chimichurri Pork Chops (1a)

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1 Dinner 1 Chimichurri Pork Chops with Rice & Tomatoes & Pickled Cukes Chimichurri Pork Chops (1a) Rumor has it that the word chimichurri originated when the British were captured after the British invasions of the Río de la Plata. The prisoners asked for condiment for their food mixing English, aboriginal and Spanish words. According to this story, che-mi-curry stands for "che mi salsa" a rough translation is "give me curry". The word then corrupted to chimichurri. Active Time: 5 min. Total Time: 90 min. 2 boneless pork chops, 1 1/2-inch thick 1/4 cup water 3/4 cup Italian parsley leaves 3 garlic cloves, peeled 1 Pinch red pepper flakes salt & black pepper 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. olive oil With food processor running, drop garlic down feeding tube. Stop processor; add parsley and pulse to chop. Add pepper flakes, olive oil, vinegar and water and process to form a thick sauce; it will not be smooth. If preparing by hand, chop parsley and garlic together and mix in the remaining ingredients. Add a little oil to a nonstick skillet heat over high heat. Add the pork chops and brown 2 minutes, turn and brown 2 minutes. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook 5 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Remove from heat. Spoon sauce over the pork and serve. Quick Rice and Tomatoes (1b) Active Time: 5 min. Total Time: 15 min. 1/2 cup long grain white rice 3 Roma tomatoes salt & black pepper Mise en Place: Dice the tomatoes. Prepare the Dish: Bring a large saucepan with 1 to 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add rice and boil, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Test a grain, rice should be cooked through, but not soft. Drain into a colander in the sink. Return to the saucepan and add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, bring to a low simmer and cook 3-5 minutes. Serve immediately. Pickled Cukes (1c) Total Time: 10 min. 1 large seedless cucumber 1 dash salt 2 tbsp. white vinegar 2 tbsp. cider vinegar 2 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. chopped fresh chives (opt) Peel the cucumbers and cut in half lengthwise. Slice the cucumbers crosswise as thinly as possible, ideally about 1/8-inch thick, into a bowl, and toss to combine the cucumbers with the salt. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, up to 2 hours. Press cucumber slices between paper towels to release any excess liquid and transfer to a medium nonreactive bowl. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and stir to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 12 hours. Copyright, Page 1

2 Dinner 2 Pasta with Mushroom Ragú; Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Salad Pasta with Mushroom Ragú (2a) Active Time: 20 min. Total Time: 40 min. 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. olive oil, plus 1/2 lb. lg. white mushrooms 1 rosemary sprig 1/2 tsp. sugar salt & black pepper 2 Roma tomatoes 1/4 lb. rigatoni 2 oz. Parmesan Mise en Place Mince the garlic, slice mushrooms, dice tomatoes, and grate the Parmesan cheese. Preparation Cook the garlic in olive oil in a wide 4 to 6 quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, rosemary, sugar, salt & black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, 4-6 minutes (liquid will not have evaporated). Add the diced tomatoes with their juice to mushrooms in pot. Stir sauce and bring to a boil, then keep at a boil, stirring occasionally, until thickened, minutes. Discard rosemary. While sauce is boiling, cook pasta in a 6 to 8 quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente, and then drain in a colander, reserving a portion of the pasta water. Add pasta to sauce along with cheese and a little olive oil, then toss over medium heat until well coated, about 1 minute, add pasta water as needed. Serve immediately with additional cheese. Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Salad (2b) Total Time: 10 min. Vinaigrette 1/2 lemon, juiced 1 tsp. Dijon mustard 1/2 small shallot, minced 1 sprig thyme, chopped 1 tsp. olive oil salt & black pepper Salad 5 oz. mixed baby greens 2/3 large ripe pear 2 oz. blue cheese, crumpled 2 tbsp. walnuts (toasted &coarsely chopped) Halve, core and thinly slice the pear lengthwise. Whisk the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot and thyme in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the olive oil. Season the vinaigrette to taste with salt & black pepper. Toss the baby greens in large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Divide the greens among serving plates. Top with pear slices, dividing equally. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Drizzle lightly with remaining vinaigrette and serve. Never toasted walnuts? Check the blog for, Toasting nuts. Copyright, Page 2

3 Mofongo; Sofrito Shrimp (3a) Dinner 3 Mofongo; Sofrito Shrimp; Carrot Cumin Slaw Mofongo, a dish of garlicky mashed plantains, is one of the most popular dishes in Puerto Rico. It has clear roots in the fufu (pounded yam) of West Africa. The classic way to serve mofongo is in the mortar (pilón) in which it was mashed. Active Time: 30 min. 1 green plantain 1 sweet potato 2 tsp. Canola oil, for frying 1 1/2 cups chicken broth 2 garlic cloves, lightly fried 2 oz. thick bacon, low salt Mise en Place: Peel the plantain and sweet potato, and cut into 1-inch chunks. Peel the garlic. Cut the bacon into lardons (1/2 inch thick strips, across the grain). Soak the plantain pieces in a bowl of salted water for about 15 minutes, and drain well. Prepare the Dish: Heat the Canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the plantain and sweet potato chunks and fry them for 4 minutes on each side. Add the garlic and bacon lardons for the last 2 minutes (watch the garlic closely, you just want them lightly browned.) Remove all from the oil (leave the lardons in a bit longer if they haven't gotten crispy) and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb oil for a few minutes. Place the sweet potato and plantain in a bowl or pilon (wood mortar), add the chicken broth and mash until smooth consistency. Mix well, top with bacon lardons, cover and set aside. Soffrito Shrimp (3b) Active Time: 30 min. 16 large shrimp, peeled & deveined 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped 1/2 med. red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced salt & black pepper 1 lime, juiced 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. cumin 1 small handful cilantro 2 tsp. olive oil Peel and devein the shrimp (video). Mince the onion and garlic. Dice the tomatoes and bell pepper. Chop the cilantro. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for about 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, tomatoes, apple cider vinegar and cumin. Cook for about 7 minutes more. Season the shrimp with salt & black pepper and add to the tomato mixture. Cook for about 7 minutes more. Add the cilantro and mix well. To serve, divide the mashed mofongo equally between bowls. Top each bowl with shrimp and sauce, drizzle with lime juice and serve immediately. Carrot Cumin Slaw (3c) Active Time: 5 min. Total Time: 5 min. 1/2 lb. carrots 1 small handful cilantro, chopped 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 lime, zested & juiced 1/2 tsp. cumin salt & black pepper Peel the carrots and then cut into matchsticks. In a large bowl, toss the carrots with the cilantro, olive oil, lime juice & zest, and cumin and then season with salt & black pepper. Copyright, Page 3

4 Ham Stuffed Pork Chops (4a) Active Time: 20 min. Dinner 4 Ham Stuffed Pork Chops; Garlic-Mashed Potatoes Total Time: 35 min. 2 tsp. olive oil 2 garlic cloves 3 oz. baby spinach salt & black pepper 1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning 2 oz. low salt deli ham 1 oz. provolone cheese 1/2 egg 2 pork chops, 1 1/2-inch thick Mise en Place: Skin and chop the garlic. Cut the ham and provolone into small dice (1/4 ). Beat the egg. Preparation: Heat half of the olive oil in large non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add the spinach, salt & black pepper taste, and the Italian seasoning; cook, stirring, just until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the spinach mixture to a mediumsize bowl; let cool completely. When cool, add the ham, provolone cheese and egg; gently stir to combine completely. Place the pork chops on a flat work surface; cut a slit horizontally to the bone so chop can be opened like a book. Stuff each chop with equal amount of the ham stuffing. Secure chops with toothpicks. Preheat oven to 375F. Heat the remaining olive oil in large skillet. Add the chops; cook 2 minutes per side. Place the chops in single layer in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Season chops with salt & black pepper, to taste. Bake the chops in the oven for 15 minutes or until the internal temp registers 155F on an instant-read thermometer when inserted in the pork. Remove the chops to a platter; cover with foil. Let stand 5-10 minutes in a warm place before serving. Note: Stuffed chops can be frozen, without toothpicks up to 1 month. Thaw frozen, stuffed chops in the refrigerator overnight, secure with toothpicks just before cooking. Garlic-Mashed Potatoes (4b) 2 medium baking potatoes 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. butter 2 tsp. light sour cream 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. lowfat milk (plus) salt & black pepper Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes. Bring butter, sour cream and milk to room temperature. Skin and mince the garlic. In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes and salt in water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Add the butter, sour cream and garlic. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the ingredients are blended. Add the milk, a little at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt & black pepper, if needed. Copyright, Page 4

5 Sticky Chicken Thighs (5a) Dinner 5 Sticky Chicken Thighs; Mushroom Carpaccio Salad Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min. 1/2 lb. chicken thighs 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup low salt soy sauce 2 tsp. ketchup 2 tbsp. honey salt & black pepper Preheat oven to 350F. Place the chicken in an oven safe baking dish. Mix together the soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt & black pepper. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake the chicken in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until sauce is caramelized. Mushroom Carpaccio Salad (5b) Total Time: 10 min. 1/4 lb. lg. white mushrooms 2 oz. baby arugula 1/2 lemon, halved 1 tsp. olive oil 1 oz. Parmesan wedge salt & black pepper Using a mandolin slicer or very sharp knife, slice the mushrooms as thinly as possible and arrange them in a single layer on a large serving platter. Scatter the arugula evenly over the top. Just before serving, squeeze the lemon juice over the arugula and very lightly drizzle with some olive oil. Season the salad with salt & black pepper, to taste, and using a vegetable peeler, shave thin strips of Parmesan evenly over the top. Serve immediately. Copyright, Page 5

6 Pork Chop Soft Tacos (6a) Active Time: 20 min. Dinner 6 Pork Chop Soft Tacos with Sweet Pepper Pico de Gallo 8 oz. pork chops 2 tsp. olive oil 1 small handful cilantro 1/2 large white onion 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. chili powder salt & pepper to taste 1 lime, juiced 4 corn/flour tortillas Mise en Place Cut the pork chops into 1/2-inch cubes. Skin and dice the onion. Chop the cilantro. Prepare the pico de gallo (below). Prepare the dish In a large bowl, combine the pork, onion, cumin, chili powder, lime juice, salt & black pepper, and cilantro. Mix well and let rest 10 minutes. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet, and sauté the pork mixture 5-8 minutes, stirring, until just cooked through. Divide the pork mixture among tortillas, top with Sweet Pepper Pico de Gallo (below), and serve. Sweet Pepper Pico de Gallo (6b) Total Time: 1 hr. 10 min. 5 Roma tomatoes, diced 1/2 large white onion, diced 2 small handfuls cilantro, chopped 1 large orange bell pepper, diced 2 limes, juiced 3 garlic cloves, minced salt & black pepper Combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Copyright, Page 6

7 Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps (7a) Dinner 7 Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps; Kale Slaw 1 tsp. canola oil 1/2 lb. ground beef 1-inch piece fresh ginger 1 green onion 1 garlic clove 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 2 tbsp. hoisin sauce 2 tbsp. chopped peanuts salt & black pepper 1/2 head Boston lettuce Mise en Place Peel and finely grate the ginger. Remove the roots and chop the green onion. Skin and mince the garlic. Separate the lettuce leaves, clean and then dry them. Prepare the dish Add the canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the ground beef until brown. Stir in ginger, green onion, garlic, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, and hoisin sauce and then cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Season with salt & pepper and serve warm wrapped in lettuce leaves. Kale Slaw (7b) Active Time: 15 min. Total Time: 15min. 1/2 head curly kale 1/2 large carrot 1/4 orange 1/4 lemon salt & black pepper 1/2 tbsp. olive oil 1/4 med. red onion 1 slice bacon 1/2 tbsp. (rounded) mayonnaise Mise en Place Cook the bacon till crisp, drain & cool on paper towel and then chop. Remove the stem from the kale and slice into thin ribbons. Grate the carrot. Juice the orange and lemon. Skin and slice the onion thinly. Prepare the dish Place the kale into a salad bowl. Toss with the carrot, orange juice, lemon juice and salt, and using your hands, rub the mixture into the kale. Add the onion, bacon, olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well. Add the mayonnaise and mix the slaw well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The slaw can be made several hours in advance. Copyright, Page 7

8 Meal 1 Meal 2 Meal 3 Meal 4 Meal 5 Meal 6 Meal 7 Chimichurri Pork Chops (1a) Rice & Tomatoes (1b) Pickled Cukes (1c) Pasta with Mushroom Ragú; (2a) Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Salad (2b) Mofongo (3a) Sofrito Shrimp (3b) Carrot Cumin Slaw (3c) Ham Stuffed Pork Chops (4a) Garlic-Mashed Potatoes (4b) Sticky Chicken Thighs (5a) Mushroom Carpaccio Salad (5b) Pork Chop Soft Tacos (6a) Sweet Pepper Pico de Gallo (6b) Asian Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps (7a) Kale Slaw (7b) Produce Lemons, sm., 1 1/4 1/2 sm. lemon... 2b 1/2 sm. lemon... 5b 1/4 lemon... 7b Limes, 5 1 lime... 3b 1 lime... 3c 1 lime...6a 2 limes... 6b Oranges, 1/4... 7b Pears, ripe, lg., 2/3... 2b Chives (opt.), c Cilantro bunches, lg., 1 2/3 1 small handful cilantro... 3b 1 small handful cilantro... 3c 1 small handful cilantro...6a 2 small handfuls cilantro... 6b Flat Leaf parsley bunches, lg. 1/2..1a Rosemary sprigs, 1...2a Thyme sprigs, b Ginger root, 1-inch...7a Carrots, lg., 1/2 lb. + 1/2 1/2 lb. carrots... 3c 1/2 lg. carrot... 7b Cucumbers, lg., c Garlic cloves, 15 Baby arugula, 2 oz.... 5b Boston lettuce heads, 1/2...7a Mixed baby greens, 5 oz.... 2b Curly kale heads, 1/2... 7b Baby spinach, 3 oz....4a Mushrooms, 3/4 lb. 1/2 lb. lg. white mushrooms...2a 1/4 lb. lg. white mushrooms... 5b Green onions, 1...7a Red onions, med., 3/4 1/2 med. red onion... 3b 1/4 med. red onion... 7b White onions, lg., 1 1/2 lg. white onion...6a 1/2 lg. white onion... 6b Shallots, sm., 1/2... 2b Orange Bell peppers, lg., b Green plantains, 1...3a Baking potatoes, med., b Sweet potatoes, 1...3a Roma tomatoes, 11 2 Roma tomatoes... 1b 2 Roma tomatoes...2a 2 Roma tomatoes... 3b 5 Roma tomatoes... 6b Canned Goods Chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups...3a Ketchup, 2 tsp....5a Honey, 2 tbsp....5a Mayonnaise, 1/2 tbsp.... 7b Dijon mustard, 1 tsp.... 2b Canola oil, 1/2 cup Olive 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp....7a Soy sauce, 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. (low-sodium) 1/4 cup low salt soy sauce...5a 1 tbsp. soy sauce...7a Apple cider vinegar, 3 tbsp tbsp. apple cider vinegar... 1c 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar... 3b Balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp....1a White vinegar, 2 tbsp.... 1c Dry Goods Sugar, 2 tbsp. + 1/2 tsp. 2 tbsp. sugar...1a 1/2 tsp. sugar...2a Chopped peanuts, 2 tbsp....7a Walnuts, 2 tbsp.... 2b Rigatoni pasta, 1/4 lb....2a White rice, long grain, 1/2 cup... 1b Tortillas, corn or flour, 4...6a Meat & Seafood Bacon slices, 3 1 bacon slice... 7b 2 oz. thick bacon, low-sodium...3a Ground beef, 1/2 lb....7a Chicken thighs, 1/2 lb....5a Pork chops (boneless), 6 2 pork chops, 1 1/2" thick...1a 2 pork chops, 1 1/2 thick...4a 8 oz. pork chops...6a Deli ham, low-sodium, 2 oz...4a Shrimp, large, b Refrigerator Butter, 2 tsp.... 4b Blue cheese, 2 oz.... 2b Parmesan cheese, 3 oz. 2 oz. Parmesan...2a 1 oz. Parmesan wedge... 5b Provolone cheese, 1 oz....4a Eggs, 1/2...4a Lowfat milk, 1 tbsp. (plus)... 4b Sour cream, light, 2 tsp.... 4b Spices Black pepper Chili powder, 1 tsp....6a Cumin, 2 tsp. 1/2 tsp. cumin... 3b 1/2 tsp. cumin... 3c 1 tsp. cumin...6a Dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp....4a Red pepper 3/4 tsp. 1 pinch red pepper flakes...1a 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes...7a Salt Miscellaneous Copyright, Page 8