[paigeturner]

My husband and I have been in a rut since our girls moved out last fall. We eat out far more than we eat in. With gas prices cutting into the budget and the ever growing tire around our waists, we've vowed to start eating at home at least five nights per week. My problem isn't cooking...its thinking of something to cook!

I thought it would be fun to have a menu thread. We have a unique diet that other's might think is fun and I would love to try new things as well...some "easy meals" tips would be great too!

I'll start with my menu for tonight:

Lightly breaded (panko), pan-fried halibut cheeks

Asparagus

Pasta salad

[Jackiejdajda]

Recently I joined the web site for Americas Test Kitchen.. I best not give the link as its a money making place..
But these folks are teaching me how to cook.. Also I do a google search for new recipes..
Last nite I had pork tenderloin.. I have never cooked it like their (America test kitchen) recipe.. Roll in flour then sear then bake for an hour.. We have to watch cholesterol so a roast and gravy etc is a very occasional meal..

So I use this pre mix gravy.. and it works on the pork tenderloin..
Also I steam vegetables in this electric steamer.. Its a habit now.. and I even put frozen vegetables.. in it..

To-nite is spaghetti.. My daughter is coming out (maybe) and we have a mushroom place near by so hubby will get me some fresh mushrooms and I will put in red and yellow peppers.. fresh tomatoes..


Jackie

[paigeturner]

Jackie,

All of that sounds wonderful! I forgot about pork tenderloin. I think I'll pick one up for later this week.

Tonight my DH is cooking because I have a meeting down in Portland and won't be home until late. He's making Oyster stew which is sauted oysters in garlic, celery and onions and then finished with milk. I've never made it, because it's his dish. Anyway, here's his menu:

Oyster stew
spicy thai cole slaw
Sour dough bread

The thai cole slaw is great...regular slaw with a touch of red curry and a tiny bit of sesame oil.

[Jackiejdajda]

My daughter is here visiting and my son is coming today.. I am going to make a curry to nite..

Its easy and the recipe can stretch to four..
I make curry a lot.. because I can reuse a leftover roast etc..

I am going to make macaroni and cheese for lunch.. From scratch as my son loves it..
I use Monterey Jack cheese.. as well as cheddar..

I have never had Oyster stew.. my dad used to make an amazing bouillabaisse when we lived in Florida.. I have wonderful memories of buying the fresh fish etc..

Jackie

[paigeturner]

Jackie - I love curry! I think I'll plan that for tomorrow night!

Today I marinated beef tenderloin and we'll bbq tonight. This marinate is super easy and tasty:

1 part soy sauce
2 parts olive oil
2 parts balsamic vinegar
1-2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary (pulled apart)

Cover beef and marinate 4-8 hours.

Along with the beef we'll have scalloped potatoes and a spinach salad - served with a warm honey mustard dressing.

OK - Where's everyone else? Are Jackie and I the only people cooking?

I need ideas!

[Nicole28]

Oooo I love love love to cook!

Tonight I am making dijon & parmesan chicken tenderloins...it's so so easy: I brush the tenderloins with dijon mustard and then roll them in grated parmesan cheese...then put them in a pan with a little bit of olive oil and let them brown up. I bought pre-made quinoa and avocado salad at the grocery store today [do you guys have a Wegmans nearby? It's the BEST] and it has sweet corn, quinoa, avocado, and this zesty lemon-y flavor. I am also going to saute some veggies in olive oil with salt & pepper. YUMMMMMMY.

I have so many recipes & would love to share!

[paigeturner]

Nicole,

That sounds so good! I'm going to make it for one of my dinners next week!

Thanks for participating. I really have a hard time coming up with ideas!

[paigeturner]

Tonight we're having:

Seared wild coho salmon with a tomato, basil glaze

Wild rice

Grilled Vegetables

Cold beer

[RavenSong]

Okay, girls, you're making me salivate ~ what wonderful things you're having for dinner!! I think one of my favorite foods in life is salmon...but the price of salmon is going thru the roof here in California due to some recent regulation changes for salmon fishermen.

Two new dishes I've been making this year are wonderful. One is called Three-Bean Moroccan Stew and the other is Butter Chicken (tastes similar to Tika-Masala Chicken).

Recipes to follow...

[RavenSong]

Butter Chicken
Serves four

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 onion, grated (if you like more sauce, use 2 onions)
1 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon garlic paste
3/4 cup tomato puree (tomato ketchup works great, too)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
3/4 to 1 cup sour cream
1 cup chopped cilantro (yum!)
Salt to taste

Prepare the Sauce:
Melt butter in frying pan. Add grated onion, and fry until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, and continue frying for one minute. Add the tomato puree or ketchup; mix, and stir for a minute. Add the cilantro, salt, and chili powder. Fry for additional two to three minutes. Turn down heat, and add sour cream, stirring constantly. (Don't let it boil.) Cook for a few minutes, and then remove from heat.

Bake the Chicken:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Arrange chicken pieces in ovenproof dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Place in preheated oven, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how "done" you like your chicken. (If you prefer your food a bit overdone, cook for 30 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.)

[RavenSong]

Three-Bean Moroccan Stew (Yummie!!)

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup golden raisins
1 package (10 oz.) baby spinach, fresh or frozen

Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute for 3 minutes. Add cumin and cinnamon; stir and reduce heat. Add all other ingredients except spinach. Stir, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Add the spinach, and simmer for 3 minutes until spinach is wilted. Enjoy!

[Nicole28]

WARNING: if you do not like hot and spicy food, don't make this recipe ha. My boyfriend will do anything I ask him to if I make this for him. Usually I just ask him to take out the garbage...I'm a simple girl

Red Hot Chicken & Rice

Take skinless/boneless chicken breasts and dredge them in a little flour - drop them into a pan with a little bit of canola oil [or olive oil] and let them brown up. Once they're almost fully cooked, remove them and put about a tablespoon of butter right into the pan, along with a splash of milk...so that the "leftovers" in the pan from cooking the chicken will mix in with the butter & milk and create a really yummy roux of sorts. Then I add PLENTY of Frank's Red Hot sauce and keep stirring. Once my "sauce" is made I put the chicken breasts back into the pan so they can marinate a little and soak up all of the flavor. I cook them for an additional 3-ish minutes and then throw them on top of white or jasmine rice. I dump the extra sauce on top and it's this delicious, albeit super-duper spicy meal.

I also have an amazing Rachael Ray recipe - - I take turkey tenderloins [so amazing] and dip them in flour, egg, and seasoned Italian breadcrumbs. I cook them in a pan with a little olive oil & then set them aside. While the turkey cooks, in another skillet, I cook up a sliced yellow onion and whole grape tomatoes, with a little garlic and olive oil - it takes about five minutes, or until the tomatoes start to wilt and pop and the onion is translucent. I dump that into a bowl and cover it with foil. Then I line a baking sheet with foil and put my turkey tenderloins on - next, I slice up some fresh mozzarella cheese...two or three little slices on each tenderloin. On top of THAT I put a dollop of pesto sauce, followed by the onion and tomato mixture, and I bake for about 10 minutes until the cheese gets melty. This is an AMAZING recipe and you can sub in the turkey for chicken, pork, beef, OR even a white fish and it's amazing. It looks really impressive when entertaining, too. And it takes less than 30 mins.

[RavenSong]

Nicole, those recipes both sounds soooo wonderful! I definitely like my food spicy and hot. I went to college in New Mexico and got incredibly spoiled by all the green chile. I am a total chile-head ~ I put it in almost everything! I literally went thru withdrawal from Hatch green chile when I moved back to California. Fortunately, I got ahold of some great chile seeds last year, and my garden seems to love them. I'm also growing cayenne peppers and jalapenos. Yum...

[want2adopt_IN]

When my nephew was younger (and living with me) his favorite meal was Shephard's Pie. It was quick and easy. Tons of frozen mixed veggie and browned ground meat (lamb or beef) covered with mashed potatoes (frozen or from the box) served with gravy.

Another favorite was any kind of stew from the crock pot which came in handy on football nights!

[paigeturner]

Oh this is so wonderful!

I'm making a shopping list now!

Today we are having a few guests over for a bbq. Here's what I'm serving:

Steamer clams (manilas)
Steamed in white wine and pesto
served with garlic, lemon butter

Oysters in black bean and bacon sauce

Pan fried geoduck, lightly breaded with panko

Pasta salad with Hood Canal shrimp

Grilled vegetables

Grilled jalepeno peppers stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon

Crusty sour dough bread

I probably should serve a beef option for those that may not love seafood...