Menu for the Week

As promised, here is our menu and corresponding recipes for the week.

Monday

Chicken over mesclun salad mix (grown in my patio garden)

The chicken was marinated in Kraft Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette with roasted red pepper

and grilled on my GF grill

Homemade vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard with a little lemon juice)

Sam is having leftover Mexican squash from this recipe

Tuesday

Quesadillas (w/already cooked chicken from above recipe)

Homemade salsa (see below) and chips

Wednesday

Friend's house for dinner

Homemade brownies

Thursday

Turkey burgers (see below)

Homemade salsa and chips

Friday

Hibachi chicken (see below) and fried rice (a la Benihana)

with sauces

Saturday

Leftover turkey burgers

Sunday

Leftover hibachi chicken

Many of you know I am a big fan of the Top Secret cookbooks by Todd Wilbur. I used lots of them in China whenever I had a hankering for some comfort food. I actually bought my brother the cookbook one year for his birthday (he lives in LA) and he said, "You know, I can actually go down to these restaurants and order a meal any time I want for less work?" It shocked me that he wouldn't want to save money by cooking them at home, but now I can totally understand. However, I still have a love of cooking and we use one of Todd Wilbur's recipes every week. My favorite cookbooks by Mr. Wilbur are Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, and Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2.

I've also included some Deceptively Delicious recipes. Jessica Seinfeld put out this book last year and it immediately was a favorite in our family. I usually spend one day every month pureeing lots of veggies and freezing them in ice cube trays (then transfer to clearly labeled zip lock bag). We love most of her recipes too.

And, as you can see, I've included a Rachel Ray recipe. That was the very first time that I ever cooked one of her recipes, but I liked it. I was just looking for something to do with my squash (I googled it) and that one came up. It was very spicy and good.

Recipes

Salsa

1 finely chopped tomato

1/2 finely chopped onion (sweet)

1/2 finely chopped green pepper

2 chopped jalapenos

1/4 cup organic vegetable juice

1/4 t salt

1 T finely chopped cilantro

1 T finely chopped parsley

Dash cumin

1 t chili powder

(Adjust seasonings to taste)

Cook tomatoes with onions, green peppers, jalapenos and veggie juice plus salt, cumin and chili powder in a medium saucepan. Once the onions are tender, add the cilantro and parsley - but only cook for a short time afterwards. You want the herbs to remain bright green and retain their vitamins! Put in fridge to keep cool.

Turkey Burgers (Deceptively Delicious - altered by me)

1 lb lean ground turkey

1/2 pound white button mushrooms (stemmed), finely chopped

1 cup Italian (seasoned) breadcrumbs

1/4 cup (or more) grated zucchini

1 T Worcestershire sauce

2 T ketchup

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

16 whole-grain hamburger buns, for serving

In a large bowl, mix the meat, mushrooms, breadcrumbs, zucchini, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, salt and pepper until well combined. Form into patties. Grilled on GF grill until done. If you would like directions without the GF, let me know and I'll post them.

Hibachi Chicken (from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes, altered by me)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 large onion

3 medium zucchini

2 cups quartered mushrooms

2 T vegetable oil

6 T soy sauce (low sodium)

4 T butter

Salt

Pepper

2 t lemon juice

3 t toasted sesame seeds (toast seeds in a dry skillet for a couple minutes on medium heat)

1 package bean sprouts

Make sure everything is cut into bite-sized pieces, including the chicken. For the onion, slice it as if you were making onion rings, then quarter those slices. For the zucchini, first slice them into long, thin strips, then cut across those strips four or five times to make bite-sized pieces that are 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.

Spread 1 T oil in large frying pan over medium/high heat. Spread another tablespoon of oil in another pan over medium/high heat.

Begin by sauteing the sliced chicken in one pan. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of butter and a dash of salt and pepper to chicken.

Add the onion and zucchini to the other pan. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon butter and a dash of salt and pepper. Saute the veggies as long as the chicken is cooking, being sure to stir both pans often.

When chicken has sauteed for about 2 minutes, or when it appears white on all sides, slide the meat to one side of the pan, pour lemon juice on it, then add mushrooms to the other side of the pan. Pour 1 tablespoon of butter plus a dash of salt and pepper. Continue to stir both pans.

After 6 to 8 minutes, or when the chicken is done, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds over chicken, then mix chicken with mushrooms. Remove chicken and veggies from their pans.

Pour bean sprouts into the same pan as you cooked the veggies in and cook over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon butter and a dash of salt and pepper.

Cook sprouts for only a minute or two, until they are tender. Just before serving, sprinkle 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds on them. Serve sprouts next to chicken and veggies. Serve with mustard and ginger sauces.

Mustard Sauce (also from Top Secret)

1/4 cup soy sauce (low sodium)

1/4 cup water

2 t Dijon mustard

2 t heavy cream

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well until combined. Chill before serving.

Ginger Sauce (also from Top Secret)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 ounce gingerroot (a nickel-sized slice), peeled and chopped

2 T lemon juice

1/2 t sugar

1/4 t white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed for 30 seconds or until gingerroot have been pureed. Chill before serving.