Week 43, Vol II, November 5, 2010

This week’s recipes and shopping list includes…

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti

Ann's Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

The Emperor's Fried Rice

Chili Mac

Banana Nut Muffins

Easy Apple Crisp

Dinner One: Sweet and Sour Chicken

Excerpted from "Mom and Me Cookbook," by Annabel Karmel. (c) 2010,

used by permission from DK Publishing.

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 30 min. Serves 4.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Substitute pork for the chicken if desired. Broccoli can also be used in place of the green beans.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (250 grams) diced chicken breast

1 cup white rice

2/3 cup carrot matchsticks

1 cup sliced baby corn

1 cup trimmed green beans

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Batter:

black pepper

1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoon corn starch

1 tablespoon milk

Sauce:

4 tablespoons chicken stock

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Directions:

Start cooking the rice according to the directions on the package.

Make the sauce by mixing together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Beat together the batter ingredients in another bowl.

Dip the chicken in batter, then fry it in 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Remove from the pan.

Next, stir-fry the carrots, baby corn, and beans in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil for 4 minutes. Add the sauce and boil for 1 minute. Then add the chicken and green onions and heat through. Dish it up. Spoon a helping of sweet-and-sour chicken on top of a bed of rice.

Dinner Two: Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti

Recipe used with permission from http://www.kraftrecipes.com/

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 45 min. Serves 4.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: You can substitute mostaccioli pasta for the ziti and one sliced yellow squash for the red peppers or mushrooms, if desired.

Ingredients:

1 package (7 ounces) KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian Three Cheese Blend, divided

3 cups ziti pasta, cooked, drained

2 large red peppers, cut into thin strips

2 zucchini, halved, thinly sliced

1/2 pound (115 grams) mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 jar (24 ounce) chunky spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Directions:

Heat oven to 375ºF.

Reserve 3/4 cup cheese; combine remaining ingredients.

Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with reserved cheese.

Bake 20 to 25 min. or until heated through.

Dinner Three: Ann’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Recipe used with permission from Andrea of Andrea’s Recipes.

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 8 hours. Serves 8-10.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Leftovers for this meal freeze beautifully for up to two months so save them for one of those busy nights when you don’t have time to cook.

Ingredients:

3 pounds (1.362 kilograms) pork shoulder or picnic roast, trimmed and cubed

2 medium onions, chopped

3 green peppers, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

6 ounces tomato paste

1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons Worcesterchire sauce

Directions:

In the large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the pork cubes until browned on all sides. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, reserving the pan drippings. Add the chopped onion and green peppers, and sauté until the onions glisten. Transfer the onions, peppers, and the drippings to the slow cooker.

Add the brown sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, chili powder, mustard, salt, and Worcestershire sauce to the slow cooker and stir. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or set it on Auto for 6 to 7 hours.

Dinner Four: The Emperor’s Fried Rice

Excerpted from “Everyone Can Cook for Celebrations” by Eric Akis. (c) 2010,

used by permission from Whitecap Books.

Prep Time: 25 min/Total Time: 35 min. Serves 6-8.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: If you don’t have a crowd to feed, cut this recipe in half or freeze leftovers for dinner another night. If you prefer the taste of chicken, replace the pork tenderloin with 3/4 pound (375 grams) boneless, skinless chicken breast. Slice and stir-fry it as described for the pork.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 pound (375 grams) pork tenderloin, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

½ medium onion, finely chopped

½ medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

16 snow peas, thickly sliced

4 cups cooked long grain white rice, cooled

1/3 pound (170 grams) small cooked salad shrimp, fresh or frozen (and thawed), patted dry

1 14 ounces (398 mL) can cut young (baby) corn

2 tablespoons soy sauce

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Heat the oil in a wok or very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Mix in the onion and bell pepper and cook 1 minute more. Add the snow peas and cook 30 seconds more. Mix in the remaining ingredients and stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes, or until all the ingredients are well heated through. Serve immediately.

Dinner Five: Chili Mac

Recipe used with permission from Kate of Framed.

Prep Time: 15 min/Total Time: 30 min. Serves 8.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Cut this recipe in half if you only have four to feed or cook the whole lot and freeze the rest for a busy night.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

1 diced onion

1 17 ounce can creamed corn

1 16 ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni, freshly cooked

8 ounces shredded cheddar

Directions:

Cook beef in heavy large saucepan over medium high heat until brown. Remove meat and drain.

Cook onion in same pan about 5 minutes. Return beef to pan and stir in everything except macaroni and cheese. Stir until heated through.

Add macaroni and cheese and stir until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately.

Snack of the Week: Banana Nut Muffins

Recipe used with permission from Cari of Cari Cooks.

Prep Time: 10 minutes/Total Time: 40 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: The nuts are optional. You can replace them with chocolate chips or nothing at all. Heating your oven to 500 degrees then reducing it to 400 once your muffins are in helps make them extra tall and fluffy.

Ingredients:

1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Lightly grease the top of a muffin tin then line with muffin papers. (If you grease the insides, the muffins can't "climb" up the sides and your muffins won't be as tall and puffy.)

In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in walnuts.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups so that the cups are full.

Place in oven and instantly reduce to 400 degrees F. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Dessert of the Week: Easy Apple Crisp

Excerpted from "$5 A Meal College Cookbook," by R Parkinson and B Horton. (c) 2010, used by permission from Adams Media.

Prep Time: 10 min/Total Time: 40 min. Serves 6-8.

Can I Get the Recipe Tip: Try this crisp with a variety of other pie fillings such as peach, blueberry or cherry.

Ingredients:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup quick-cooking oats

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

2 (20-ounce) cans apple pie filling

Vanilla ice cream to serve

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9" × 9" baking pan.

Combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Cut the softened butter or margarine into the dry ingredients with a knife. The mixture should be crumb-like and slightly moist.

Spread 1 can of the apple pie filling on the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle a portion of the crumb mixture over the top until the pie filling is completely covered. Spread the second can of apple pie filling on top. Top with as much of the remaining crumb mixture as necessary to cover (a bit of crumb mixture may be left over).

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned. Let stand on a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Spoon into bowls and serve warm with ice cream.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page for this week's shopping list!

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Week 43, Vol II, November 5, 2010

Shopping List By Recipe:

Dinner 1 – Sweet and Sour Chicken:

8 ounces (250 grams) diced chicken breast

1 cup white rice

2/3 cup carrot matchsticks

1 cup sliced baby corn

1 cup trimmed green beans

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoon corn starch

1 tablespoon milk

4 tablespoons chicken stock

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

Dinner 2 – Tuscan Vegetable Baked Ziti:

1 package (7 ounces) KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Italian Three Cheese Blend

3 cups ziti pasta, cooked

2 large red peppers

2 zucchini

1/2 pound (115 grams) mushrooms

1 jar (24 ounce) chunky spaghetti sauce

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

Dinner 3 – Anne’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork:

3 pounds (1.362 kilograms) pork shoulder or picnic roast

2 medium onions

3 green peppers

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

6 ounces tomato paste

1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Dinner 4 – Emperor’s Fried Rice:

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 pound (375 grams) pork tenderloin

½ medium onion, finely chopped

½ medium green bell pepper

16 snow peas

4 cups cooked long grain white rice

1/3 pound (170 grams) small cooked salad shrimp, fresh or frozen

1 14 ounces (398 mL) can cut young (baby) corn

2 tablespoons soy sauce

freshly ground black pepper

3 green onions

Dinner 5 – Chili Mac:

1 pound ground beef

1 diced onion

1 17 ounce can creamed corn

1 16 ounce can stewed tomatoes

2 8 ounce cans tomato sauce

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

Salt and pepper

1 pound elbow macaroni, freshly cooked

8 ounces shredded cheddar

Dessert – Easy Apple Crisp:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup quick-cooking oats

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ cup butter or margarine

2 (20-ounce) cans apple pie filling

Vanilla ice cream to serve

Snack – Banana Nut Muffins:

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 very ripe bananas

3/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)