Week 37 Summary |
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Notes for this week |
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Day 1 |
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Chinese Chicken with Cashews over Rice | Green Salad with Asian Dressing | |
Day 2 |
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Crockpot Roast Beef & Gravy | Rice | Easy 15 Minute Microwave Acorn Squash |
Day 3 |
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Chicken Enchilada Soup | Green Salad with Your Choice Mexican-style Dressing | |
Day 4 |
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Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks | Stir-Fried Squash & Bell Peppers | |
Day 5 |
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Open-Faced Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches | Mashed Potatoes | Oven Roasted Broccoli in Dijon Pesto Vinaigrette |
🗓️ Day 1
- Chinese Chicken with Cashews
- Green Salad with Asian Dressing
Chinese Chicken with Cashews
Preparing the chicken in a fresh garlic and ginger marinade and cooking in sesame oil is the secret to the wonderful flavor in Chinese Chicken with Cashews.
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ medium red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup cashews
- ¼ cup green onions, sliced
- 2 cups Calrose rice, prepared
Marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup cooking sherry
- 4 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Mix all marinade ingredients together thoroughly in a small bowl. Pour half of marinade over raw chicken in a container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve other half of marinade for basting later in the cooking process.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Carefully add chicken to heated oil. Use a slotted spoon to avoid adding the marinade to the hot oil. Add the garlic and ginger from the marinade, then dispose of the leftover marinade from the chicken.
- Stir fry until chicken is cooked through; remove chicken from skillet and keep warm. Add the red bell pepper slices to the skillet and stir fry for 2 minutes. Next, add cornstarch to the reserved marinade. Add cornstarch/marinade mixture and the chicken to the peppers in the skillet; stir fry for 2 more minutes.
- Remove skillet from heat. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with scallions and cashews. Serve over rice.
Notes
You'll need to plan ahead for this recipe to ensure you allow time for the chicken to marinate.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 378 calCarbohydrates: 55 gProtein: 19 gFat: 5 gSodium: 1540 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 g
Chinese Chicken with Cashews Permalink
🗓️ Day 2
- Crockpot Roast Beef & Gravy
- Easy 15 Minute Microwave Acorn Squash
- Rice
Easy Crockpot Roast Beef & Gravy
The easiest roast beef also happens to be the tastiest! Just season, place in the crockpot, and cook on low all day. This simple roast yields the most heavenly gravy, so be sure to serve it with rice or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
For the roast:
- 3 lb. beef rump roast
- Salt, as needed
- Coarsely ground black pepper, as needed
For the gravy:
- 1 cup beef broth, or more as needed
- 1-½ Tbsp. flour
Instructions
- Cut excess fat from roast if necessary.
- Sprinkle salt and pepper all over roast and press into sides.
- Place roast in crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or until done to your preference.
- Remove roast from crockpot, reserving drippings, and let rest while preparing gravy.
For gravy:
- Strain the drippings from the roast into a pan and add ½ cup of the beef broth. Heat over medium heat.
- In a jar with a lid, mix flour with about ½ cup beef broth, shaking well to combine.
- Slowly add about half of the flour mixture to the drippings over medium heat, whisking constantly.
- Continue to heat and whisk as the gravy thickens. If necessary, add more of the flour mixture to thicken or more beef broth to thin.
- The roast beef gravy is ready when it is heated through and you are happy with the consistency.
To serve:
- Slice the roast against the grain and serve with gravy.
Notes
If you are going to be home, you can also prepare this roast beef in a slow oven (about 300°F) for several hours in a covered cast iron dutch oven. With this method, the gravy can be made in the same pan as the roast.
The gravy will thicken more as it cools, and when refrigerated it will gel due to the beef drippings. This is perfectly normal.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 163 calCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 26 gFat: 6 gSodium: 429 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 1 g
Easy Crockpot Roast Beef & Gravy Permalink
Microwave Acorn Squash
Microwave acorn squash with butter and cinnamon-sugar is a super easy side dish or dessert that your family will love! Even picky eaters love the sweet, buttery topping and tender squash.
Ingredients
- 1 acorn squash
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
- dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons butter
- dash of salt
- 2 tablespoons water, for steaming
Instructions
- Wash acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds.1 acorn squash
- Place squash cut side down into a glass baking dish containing 2 tablespoons water.2 tablespoons water
- Cook in microwave until squash is tender, about 6 minutes. (Cooking time depends on your microwave strength and the number of squash you are cooking; this recipe was tested using one squash—two halves—in a 1600 watt microwave.)
- Remove from microwave, turn squash right side up in same dish.
- Into each hollow, place butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cook in microwave until butter mixture is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes. Serve hot.2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey, dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg, 2 teaspoons butter, dash of salt
- Cook in microwave until butter mixture is bubbly. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
One squash makes enough for two people, so just adjust the number of squash to be half the number of servings you want.
Oven acorn squash instructions:
You can make roasted or baked squash in the oven if you prefer—skip the steaming step and put it face down on a baking sheet with shallow sides, and cook it in a preheated 375ºF oven for about 30-40 minutes (or until the insides are tender when pricked with a fork) Remove and turn skin side down and fill the hollow with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook until butter is melted and bubbling, about 15 more minutes.
Microwave sliced acorn squash instructions:
To make sliced acorn squash in the microwave, clean the acorn squash as directed, then slice each squash half crosswise into 1" thick slices. Steam the slices in a microwave steamer until tender, then brush with the butter and sprinkle the other toppings on top before heating briefly again as directed.
Nutrition per serving
Serving: 0.5 squashCalories: 140 calCarbohydrates: 27 gProtein: 2 gFat: 4 gSodium: 43 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 5 g
Microwave Acorn Squash Permalink
🗓️ Day 3
- Chicken Enchilada Soup (15 Minute Meal)
- Green Salad with Mexican-Style Dressing
Chicken Enchilada Soup (15 Minute Meal)
Perfectly seasoned and full of flavor, Quick Stovetop Enchilada Soup is a deliciously quick & easy dinner for a busy day. Serve with a salad and you have a healthy dinner on the table in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 15 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
- 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces or shredded
- 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 10.75 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup, chicken, or celery soup
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cumin
- ½ tsp. garlic salt
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine corn, beans, tomatoes, chicken, enchilada sauce, cream soup, milk, and spices in a large saucepan and mix well.
- Cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soup reaches a simmer.
- Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Serve over tortillas chips and top with shredded cheese.
Notes
Enchilada Soup can easily be adapted to the crockpot; just place all of the ingredients except garnishes in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
Use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup and substitute drained and either omit the chicken altogether or substitute a can of rinsed cannellini (or beans of your preference) for a vegetarian version.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 466 calCarbohydrates: 47 gProtein: 35 gFat: 17 gSodium: 2157 mgFiber: 10 gSugar: 13 g
Chicken Enchilada Soup (15 Minute Meal) Permalink
🗓️ Day 4
- Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks
- Stir-Fried Squash & Bell Pepper with Garlic
Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks
With prep time of under 5 minutes, this tender and delicious sweet garlic chicken is a cinch to put on the table on a busy night. Add a salad and potatoes for a low stress meal, or dress it up with fresh vegetables and garlic bread.
Ingredients
- 3 ½ lbs. chicken drumsticks, skin removed
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz can tomato sauce
Instructions
- Place drumsticks in a crockpot.
- In a medium bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and tomato sauce. Pour sauce over chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 6- 8 hours or until done.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 358 calCarbohydrates: 10 gProtein: 37 gFat: 19 gSodium: 1167 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 8 g
Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks Permalink
Stir Fried Squash & Bell Pepper with Garlic
Squash and bell peppers sautéed with onions, bell pepper, and garlic make a delicious fresh side that is quick and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
- 3 cups yellow or zucchini squash, sliced
- ½ onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ tsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. basil or Italian seasonings
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet, sauté the squash, onion, peppers in oil for 4-5 minutes or until tender-crisp.
- Add other ingredients. Reduce heat and cook uncovered for 3-4 more minutes until veggies are tender.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 64 calCarbohydrates: 7 gProtein: 2 gFat: 4 gSodium: 5 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 4 g
Stir Fried Squash & Bell Pepper with Garlic Permalink
🗓️ Day 5
- Open-Faced Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
- Mashed Potatoes
- Oven Roasted Broccoli in Dijon Pesto Vinaigrette
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches
Open-faced hot roast beef sandwiches with gravy are a wonderful way to use leftovers in a familiar comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 lb leftover roast beef
- 4 slices bread
- 1 cup brown gravy
Instructions
- Slice leftover roast beef thinly and heat. Place roast beef slices on top of bread and cover with hot gravy before serving.
Notes
If you have leftover gravy from making your roast beef, use that. If not, a jar of gravy can be substituted.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 304 calCarbohydrates: 17 gProtein: 24 gFat: 14 gSodium: 566 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 3 g
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches Permalink
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Whether you prefer creamy potatoes or potatoes with some body to them, homemade mashed potatoes are worth the effort.
Ingredients
- 5 lbs. potatoes, cleaned and peeled (see note below)
- 6 tablespoon butter, divided
- ¼ cup skim milk, or more as needed
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- paprika, for garnish
Instructions
- Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Boil until potatoes are fork tender; drain and return to pot.
- Add 4 Tbsp. butter, salt, and pepper to pot and mix; adding enough milk while mixing to reach desired consistency.
- Transfer mashed potatoes to a serving bowl, top with 2 Tbsp. butter, and garnish with paprika.
Notes
Russet potatoes are a good choice for mashed potatoes, but if you prefer to not peel your potatoes, Yukon Gold is perfect for mashing with the skin on.
If you need to speed up the cooking process, try chopping your potatoes before boiling.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 193 calCarbohydrates: 28.52 gProtein: 6.11 gFat: 7.04 gSodium: 434.05 mgFiber: 5.67 gSugar: 0.32 g
Oven Roasted Broccoli in Dijon Pesto Vinaigrette
Oven Roasted Broccoli in Dijon Pesto Vinaigrette is SO flavorful and easy to prepare it is literally guaranteed that anyone you serve this recipe to will love it.
Ingredients
- 1 10 oz pkg fresh broccoli florets
- 3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbs Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbs prepared pesto sauce
- 2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- good pinch kosher salt
- pinch fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup pine nuts
Notes
For full recipe and instructions, visit Erica's Recipes.
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