My Menu

I thought I would start posting my weekly menu for anyone interested and needing some ideas! Hopefully “others” (read: my sisters) will also be inspired to post.

This week I decided to try to use as many things from my fridge and pantry as possible, which is why I am making:

Monday - breakfast for dinner: sausage patties, hash browns, eggs

Tuesday - chicken curry & rice

Wednesday - Brussels sprouts w/bacon, roasted tenderloin, sweet potatoes

Thursday - black bean burgers, veggies

Friday - tamales & flautas, salad

Saturday - pizza

Ashley’s Oven Ribs

Rinse ribs and pat dry.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Rub with fresh minced garlic.
Wrap the ribs in 3 layers of foil... One layer at a time so that all the seams are on top and the ribs are well sealed.
Place foil wrapped ribs (seam side up)on cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 3 hours.

Meanwhile either make BBQ sauce or use store bought.
After 3 hours, open foil packet and brush with BBQ sauce. 
Then either close the foil back up and let it sit in the oven for 20-30 more minutes or place the open foil packets under the broiler for a few minutes until bubbly.  

Shrimp Tacos

I made shrimp tacos for my birthday dinner today and they turned out deliciously. I thought I would resurrect ye olde blog and post what I did and what I would do next time to make them even better.

My inspiration for these tacos began with the marvelous shrimp tacos at Blanco Tacos + Tequila. Here's basically what they do:

Street taco sized tortillas, flour or corn
Pan fried shrimp
Guacamole
Pickled red onion
Sliced fresno chiles
Cotija cheese

I loosely followed the recipe from here for the seasoning for the shrimp and ended up mixing together:
1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

I used 2 tsp of the above mixture, mixed with 1 Tbsp cornstarch and tossed with the shrimp.

I also used this recipe and did a quick pickling of the red onion. Then it's just a matter of making the guacamole (fairly smooth, not so chunky, to be true to Blanco), slicing the chiles, crumbling the cheese, warming the tortillas, and frying the shrimp. I fried the shrimp in vegetable oil and a screaming hot pan for a couple of minutes per side and they were fantastically plump and not rubbery at all. I would, however, like to try the following seasoning amounts next time (for 1 lb of shrimp):

1 1/2 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Use 2 tsp of the above mixture and mix with 1 Tbsp cornstarch. (I left out the thyme on purpose; I don't think the flavors went together.)

All in all, success! I hope you make them and enjoy them as much as we did.

Central Texas Slaw

4-6 cups shredded cabbage (red and/or white)
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (optional)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing:
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Whisk together and toss with the cabbage mixture.

This slaw is so, so good any time, any place. We love to eat it on these pulled pork sandwiches.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2-1 1/2 lbs. pork (I used boneless pork loin)
oil
kosher salt
black pepper
paprika
garlic powder
onion powder

Preheat slow cooker on low for about 15 minutes. Drizzle a bit of oil over the bottom. Sprinkle one side of the pork generously with all the seasonings, and place seasoned side down on the oil. Generously season the other side of the pork.

Mix together:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/3 cup brown sugar, to taste
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard

Pour sauce over the pork and cook on low for 8-9 hours. About 1/2 hour before serving, shred the pork (a kitchen shears works great) and make sure the sauce is mixed throughout the shredded meat. Serve on toasted buns with this version of Central Texas Slaw piled on top.

Shirley's Shortbread

1 lb butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup rice or potato flour
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
4 cups flour

Mix together just until combined. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters.

(From a volunteer at TAN, December 2013)

Asian Coleslaw Dressing

I got this recipe off of a bag of shredded cabbage mix...it's delicious, but doesn't keep really well for more than a day or so in the fridge.

1/4 cup oil (I used part sesame oil)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar (I only had unseasoned)
3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (I used the jarred stuff)
1 Tbsp minced garlic

Whisk together and toss with shredded cabbage, carrots, etc.

Sausage Rice Bake

1 lb sausage (not links)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced (optional)
1-2 cups mushrooms, chopped (optional)
4 cups water (3 1/2 if you're using white rice)
2-3 bouillon cubes, any kind OR 1 envelope chicken noodle soup mix
2 cups brown (or white) rice
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp parsley
salt and pepper

Brown the sausage with the vegetables. Boil the water with the bouillon cubes. If you use the soup mix add it to the rice, not to the water. Put the rice in a 9x13 with the poultry seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the meat and broth, cover with foil and bake for about an hour at 450 F.  

Comfort food and easy peasy too. Brown rice makes it especially satisfying. I hear this is from the More With Less cookbook, but these are my adaptations. Eat it with green beans and some applesauce for the full Mennonite effect. :)

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 cups milk
2 Tbsp canned pumpkin
1-2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 Tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup hot brewed coffee or 2-4 shots of espresso

In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk, pumpkin and sugar over medium heat until hot (do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.  Froth it with your little Ikea frother-thing. :)  Divide coffee or espresso into 2 mugs and then divide milk mixture into the mugs. You can garnish it with whipped cream and more spice if you want, but it doesn't really need it.

This is originally from here. It's good...if you're a fan of the good ol' PSL! (And I kind of am.) AND...one serving of this is only 180-90 calories (with 2% milk) compared to 300 for a tall, which costs $3.75...think about it. Now go make it.

Butternut Squash Bisque

3-4 Tbsp butter
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup carrots, chopped
2 medium butternut squashes (about 8 cups)
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
dash of nutmeg
3/4 cup half and half

Bake the squash and removed the seeds, pulp, and skin. Saute onion in butter until soft. Add carrots, broth, squash, and seasonings. Simmer until the carrots are soft then blend smooth with an immersion blender (or in batches in a blender). Add half and half and serve.

Of course you can prepare the squash raw and cook until soft with the carrots, but that's way too much work for me. This is slightly adapted from an allrecipes.com recipe and makes a nice, big pot of soup. I would have to use the word "rich" to describe the taste...so good with some french bread! Serves 8.