One Stop Shopping

I’ve been playing around with something. I’m actually thinking of dropping the spontaneity. (Insert *gasp!* emoji here.) I want to create a week's worth of diner menus that are easy and quick to prepare and I only need to go to the store once for the week. They should be well rounded and (sort of) nutritious. And of course, the meals must taste good.  For the next few weeks, I'll try to give this my best go and see how things turn out.  Critique and suggestions are welcome.  (My ego will be crushed with criticism, but my menus will improve.)

Week 1:

Day 1:

Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and spicy glazed kale

Ingredients:

1lbs chicken tenders and/thighs
2 medium-large russet potatoes

4oz plain low fat yogurt (it comes in 8oz containers, but we will use the rest later)
I clove garlic
8oz fresh kale
2 dashes cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
3 tbsp Maple syrup
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn meal
1 egg

Prep time: 10 minutes
Put a large pot of water on to boil.
Wash and dry the fresh produce.
Medium dice the potato (a larger than playing dice)
Using the side of your knife, crush the garlic and remove the peel
Remove the thick stem and rough chop the kale
But flour on 1 plate, cornmeal on another, and thoroughly beat the egg in a medium bowl

Cooking time: 25 minutes
Add the potatoes and garlic to the boiling water. Cook for 16 min or until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. When cooked, drain the water, add the yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a fork. Set aside in a warm place.

While the potatoes cook, pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken through the flour, then the egg, then the cornmeal. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil a medium skillet (non stick if you have one) on medium high. Add the chicken to the pan of hot oil. Cook 3-4 min per side. Set aside, covered, in a warm place. Empty the hot oil and wipe out the pan.

In the same pan heat 1 tbps oil to the pan on medium high heat. Add the chopped kale and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water, maple syrup and cayenne, salt and pepper. Stir gently and cook until the liquid has mostly cooked off.

Serve!

Day 2:
Pork chops with peach chutney
Vegetable Rice stir fry

Ingredients:
12-16oz pork loin
1 peach (fresh if ripe; frozen is fine; canned if that’s easier)
Any or all of cinnamon, coriander, cloves, bay leaf
2 oz fresh ginger
1 tbps white vinegar
2 carrots
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
1 small head of broccoli
1/2 cup basmati rice

Prep time: 15 min

Peel the carrots, cut in half lengthwise, and cut into 1/8th inch slices.
Peel and small dice the onion.
Peel and finely mince the garlic.
Peel and finely mince the ginger.
Remove the bottom of the broccoli stem and chop the florets into small bite-size pieces.

Cooking time: 30

In a small pot, add rice, one cup of water and a generous pinch of salt. Cover, bring to a boil, then cook for 14-16 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside, covered.

While the rice cooks, pat the pork chops dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. To a large frying pan over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil. When hot, add the pork chops. Cook 6-7 minutes, flip them and cook for 6 more minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for at least 5 minutes. Leave the fond and any remaining oil in the pan.

While the pork chops cook, in a small pan heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the peaches, 1/2 of the onion, ginger and ground spices. Stirring slowly and constantly, cook until the peaches break down and the onions are soft and the whole pan is aromatic. (If the peaches aren’t breaking down, mash them gently with a fork.) Add 1/2 cup water and the vinegar, season with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium low. If you were going to add a bay leaf, now is a good time to do it. Stir gently and occasionally until most of the water has cooked off.

To the pan from the pork chops, (still over medium high heat) drizzle a little more olive oil. Add the other 1/2 of the onion, and all of the carrots and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until the carrots have softened slightly. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the cooked rice. Stir until the vegetables are mixed into the rice, then cook for 3 minutes without stirring. With a spatula, scrape the rice off the bottom of the pan and stir to mix. Repeat.

Slice the pork chops against the grain, place on a plate and top with the chutney. Serve with the rice. Enjoy!

Day 3:

Poached Salmon
Pasta shells with garlic butter and caper sauce
Spinach salad

Ingredients: 

 8 oz salmon filets, skinless (in two 4 oz pieces)

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1 tsp whole allspice

6 or 7 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp lemon juice

6 oz small pasta shells

2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp capers

6 oz raw (baby) spinach

3 radishes 

2 tbsp red wine or cider or rice wine vinegar

1 tsp sugar

Prep: 8 minutes

Set a large pot of water on to boil.  Add a healthy pinch of salt

Rinse and dry the spinach

Peal and crush one clove of garlic; peel and finely mince the other clove. Using the side of your knife, press the garlic into a paste

Wash and dry the radishes.  Slice into thin rounds

Coarsely chop the capers

Cooking time: 30 minutes

When the water is boiling in the pot, add the pasta.  Let boil for 10-12 minutes, or per the directions on the package. (I usually give it a good stir once or twice early on to make sure the pasta isn't sticking to the pot or to each other.)  When it's cooked, rinse and return to the pot.  Stir in a light drizzle of olive oil and keep the pot in a warm (but NOT hot) place.

While the water comes to a boil, in a small dish, mix the sugar and vinegar until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the radishes to the marinade and season with salt and pepper.  Stir occasionally for at least 10 minutes.

In a large saucepan (nonstick or well seasoned is best), bring 3/4 cup of water, white wine, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, bay leaf and whole crushed garlic clove to a light boil.  In the meantime, pat dry the salmon and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Reduce the spiced liquid to a simmer and gently add the salmon.  Cover and let simmer for 8-12 minutes depending on how thick the fillets are.  The meat should be lightly cooked through and flakey. Place on a warm plate, cover and keep in a warm place.

Strain the liquid but reserve as much as you can. Discard the spices. Add 1 tbsp of butter to the pan and heat on medium heat until melted and still foaming and yellow. (Browned butter is too dark for this recipe.) Add the garlic paste, stir for 20-30 seconds. Start adding the lemon juice and the poaching liquid.  Probably 1/2 cup is enough, or a little more if you want a thinner sauce.  Stir consistently and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the sauce until it is slightly thickened.  Remove the pan from the heat. Add the capers and the remaining butter, stirring until it's melted.  Add the cooked pasta and stir until it's evenly coated.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In two bowls, divide the spinach, top with the radishes, reserving the liquid.  Drizzle the salad with olive oil and add salt and pepper.  Drizzle the remaining radish marinade to the salad. 

Plate the pasta and top with the warm salmon.  

Day 4:

Siracha hamburgers
Sweet potato fries

10-12 oz lean (92-95% lean) hamburger
1 tbsp. Siracha
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 hamburger buns
Optional: lettuce, tomato, onion, Havarti cheese

1 lb sweet potato

Prep and cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Wash or peel the sweet potato. (I like the peel on.)  Slice in half lengthwise, then into wedges.  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss to evenly coat. Bake on a cookie sheet for 12 minutes, then flip. Bake for 10-12 minutes more.

Slice and prepare any toppings you want to add.

While the sweet potatoes bake, divide the hamburger in half and work each half in your hands until uniform in consistency; form into patties. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet on medium high
and add olive oil.  When the oil is hot, carefully add the patties, seasoned side down.  Season the other side with salt and pepper.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how done you like it.  Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes.  If you are adding cheese, now is the time to do it. Lay the slices on top of the burgers.

While the burgers cook, mix the mayo and Siracha in a small bowl.

When burgers are done, plate and keep in a warm place.  Keep the pan on the heat and keep the drippings in the pan. Open the buns in half and lay them into the pan. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Spread the mayo mix into the open faces of the buns, add the burger, top with any toppings you wish, serve with the sweet potato fries on the side.

Day 5:

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms 
with toasted Brussel sprouts 

Ingredients:
2-4 large portabella mushrooms
1 tbsp butter cut into as many pieces as you have mushrooms
1 small onion or 1 large shallot
2 small sweet peppers 
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a little more for topping
10 oz Brussels sprouts
1/2 cup walnuts

Prep time: 10 minutes
Heat your oven to 400 degrees
Wash and dry all of the fresh ingredients
Remove the stems of the mushrooms, and set the tops to the side.  Mince the stems and place in a large bowl. Peel and mince the onion or shallot. Deseed the peppers and mince.
Cut the ends off the sprouts and slice in half lengthwise.  Coarsely chop the walnuts.

Cook time: 25 minutes
In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the stems, onion, peppers, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until the onions are translucent and the peppers are soft. Drain any liquid and wipe out the skillet.  In a large bowl, combine the cooked vegetables (still warm but not hot), bread crumbs and the 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Invert the mushroom caps and lay them flat on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.  Add a piece of butter into each of the tops. Spoon the filling evenly into each of the caps. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has toasted.

While the mushrooms are baking, heat a drizzle of olive oil in the same skillet.  Add the Brussels sprouts cut side down and cook for 3 minutes without stirring.  Toss and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.  Add the walnuts and cook for 1 more minute.

Plate and serve.  

Day 6:

Shrimp Fajitas

Ingredients:

24 oz  shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 yellow, red and orange bell peppers

1 red onion

olive oil

salt & pepper

2 tsp chili powder (I like medium Chimayo chili powder.)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp smoked paprika (I like hot; my wife likes sweet)

lime

fresh cilantro (optional)

warmed tortillas 

Prep Time: <10 min

Heat oven to 425º

Rinse the shrimp and wash the bell peppers

Slice the peppers and onion into thin slices

Dry the shrimp on paper towels, season with salt and pepper

In a small bowl, mix the spices together

Cook time: 12 min

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, onions and peppers, drizzle with olive oil (about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons). Toss to evenly coat. While continuing to toss, sprinkle in the spice mix. 

Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and drizzle a little olive oil and spread it evenly over the foil. Spread the vegetable and shrimp over the foil and stick it in the oven.  Bake for 8 minutes then broil for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, squeeze some limes over the top and put it all into a hot bowl. Sprinkle some chopped cilantro and serve with warm tortillas.

Day 7: 

Rest. God thought it was a good idea so it’s probably good for us too. Dine out. Order in.  Eat leftovers. Just take it easy tonight.