Menu Plan Monday

Here's this week's menu for Menu Plan Monday! It's the usual mix of Rachael Ray recipes and meals I have previously made and frozen for the nights I work.

Saturday: Mariachi Chicken Rolls (from Fix, Freeze, Feast), zucchini sauteed with garlic, and buttered whole wheat egg noodles

Sunday: I'm trying a roll-over meal from the Yum-o! The Family Cookbook - for the first night it is Turkey Stuffin' Meatloaf with Scallion Mashed Potatoes, then I'll use the lefover meatloaf the next night for....

Monday: Enchil-lasagna and green salad

Tuesday: Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese from Rachael's SXSW recipes, published in Everyday With Rachael Ray

Wednesday: Pork Chops with Honey Mustard Gravy and Apple Slaw from Everyday With Rachael Ray

Thursday: Curry Chicken (from Fix, Freeze, Feast) and brown rice

Friday: Takeout!

Rachael Ray Roundup

Rachael Ray celebrated her 41st birthday on the 25th, so Happy Birthday Rach from all the ERR readers! My birthday is in about a month and I seriously cannot decide what I want. Is a trip to Hawaii too much to ask? Miss Darcy absolutely loves the beach, so I'm thinking I can sell it to my husband that way.... I haven't shared a picture of Darcy in awhile, so check her out in her beach gear at the bottom of this post from our recent trip to San Diego.

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me (everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com) so I can be sure to include it.

• Jenny of Lucky in Love made Cajun Chili. In response to Jenny's initial comments, Rachael often emphasizes that her recipes are made to be tweaked, so you can always use less oil and swap ingredients to your taste!
• Heather Lalley of The TOC Blog gives some behinds the scenes info on the Block Party Rachael recently hosted at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
• Amy of Living Locurto adapted a Rachael Ray recipe for Turkey Burgers with Horseradish and Cheddar Cheese to make her own kid-friendly Krabby Patties.
• The Unclutterer points out some back-to-school organizing tips from Rachael Ray.
• Mak at Keeping my Wits About Me adapted a Rachael Ray recipe from 365: No Repeats to create Fresh Harvest Veggies and Creamy Polenta.
• Rebekah of Food Food Food! made Chicken Suizas Sandwiches.
• YumSugar put together a slideshow of the top 10 wackiest-named Rachael Ray recipes. I think I'll try that Broccoli Breadzagna.
• Bob Sassone at TV Squad shares some video of Rachael Ray from her recent appearance with David Letterman.
• Kristen of Dine and Dish made Zucchini and Bow Ties from 365: No Repeats.
• Debbie McDuffee of CliqueClack made Delmonico steaks with balsamic onions and steak sauce.
  
  

It's a Keeper: Green Chili

I hate using the stove for an extended period of time during the summer, but I'll usually make an exception for a good chili recipe. Such is the case with this recipe for Green Chili from Rachael Ray's magazine.

This chili was crazy good and so easy. The only chopping involved was the scallions (or green onion in my 'hood) and really, you could just use kitchen shears to slice them up. The downside of this recipe? It dirtied two pans and the food processor, so there was a significant amount of clean up.

This recipe is also great on the budget and healthy. You can't go wrong, I swear. Rach's magazine also says to "Double this recipe and freeze some for later," which is a great idea. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

1 quart chicken broth [I prefer to use stock, but broth is fine, especially if it is on sale!]
1-1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 large handfuls tortilla chips, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
One 15-ounce can small red beans, drained
1 cup jarred green salsa

In a deep skillet, bring the chicken broth and chicken breasts to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly and poach the chicken, turning occasionally, until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and let cool.

Crumble the 4 handfuls of tortilla chips into a food processor [I had to really crunch them up pretty small to get them to all fit in my food processor] and add 3 cups of the hot broth; let sit to soften. Reserve the remaining 1 cup broth.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the scallions, oregano and cumin; cook until the scallions are softened, about 2 minutes. Pour the remaining cup of broth into the scallion mixture, then stir in the beans and salsa and bring to a simmer.

Puree the chips and broth in the food processor until smooth, then whisk the chip mixture into the bean mixture. Shred the chicken, add to the chili and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until heated through [just took about 5 minutes for me]. Serve with extra tortilla chips [lots in our house!].

Meal Plan Monday

I've decided to try out participation in Menu Plan Monday, a weekly post on my menu plan for the week, so let me know if you like the idea!

I was always a meal planner, since going to the store without a list was too overwhelming. Well, and I can't cook without a recipe, so going to the store without knowing what I was going to make was a waste. There is also some crazy statistic about how much you save when you go with a list. Combine that with my new couponing obsession, and menu planning becomes a pretty big deal in the Miller household.

We have a pretty set routine around here: pre-made frozen meals (made by me about once a month) for the days I work, takeout on Fridays, and Rachael Ray recipes every other day of the week. Bet that last one is a real shocker. Every once in awhile I deviate from RR recipes if I have some leftovers that I want to use up or even 30 minutes is too much!

I run on a Saturday to Friday schedule because I shop on Saturdays, so here's this week's menu:

Saturday: Taco Melts (to use up some leftovers I got for a steal, only had to buy ground beef and salsa)

Sunday: Dinner at Grandma's House!

Monday: Curry Crunch Salad with Naan from the 30 Minute Meals section of Everyday With Rachael Ray

Tuesday: Pork Chops with Spinach Fritters from the $10 Spot in Everyday With Rachael Ray

Wednesday: Morrocan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nut Couscous from the 30 Minute Meals section of Everyday With Rachael Ray

Thursday: Chicken Curry from Fix, Freeze, Feast, Brown Rice, Frozen Veggies

Friday: Takeout!

Rachael Ray Roundup

Wow. Just one of those weeks where I am so wiped out, as you can tell from the lack of posts! This will be entirely a recharging weekend. No road trips like last weekend (a trip to the Presidio in San Francisco and lunch in North Beach), no trips to visit friends in far flung locations, no cleaning, no organzing, nothing!

Phew. I feel better now just writing that down. On to the world of Rachael Ray!

Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me (everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com) so I can be sure to include it.

• Shirley at Plum Bush Cottage made Breakfast Crostini with some beautiful heirloom tomatoes.
• April at The Fragrant Hand wrote about that Newsweek article from last week. She is definitely right about Rachael's message verus Sandy's.
• Cate at Sweetnicks made Linguine with Bacon and Onions.
• Nita Scot of Passion Foodie made Spicy Chicken with Peppers & Basil.
• Melanie of Chi-town Cooking made Mediterranean Grilled Tuna Steaks & Sicilian Potato Salad from Every Day with Rachael Ray.
• Your Money talked to Rachael Ray and Next Food Network Star winner Melissa d'Arabian about lunches for little ones.

Clips from Rachael Ray's Talk Show

Eric Mabius:

Rachael Ray Roundup

We have a very set meal schedule in our house based on my work schedule: take out on Fridays, Rachael Ray meals on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, and entrees I have pre-made and frozen on Tuesday and Thursday (I get the recipes for those from Fix, Freeze, Feast). On the days I work, the prepared meals are great, but I don't premake side dishes. I make a bunch of differnent entrees, so we have lots of variety there, but I have been in a major rut for side dishes - it's always veggies and rice.

After searching through my pantry for some inspiration, I found orzo, searched the Food Network website, and came across this Cheesy Orzo recipe. It can be made with stuff you probably have lying around and it will create a little variety for you, too!

• Melanie of My Kitchen Cafe adapted a Rachael Ray recipe to make Moo Shu Noodles.
• Cheap Healthy Good compares Rachael Ray to J-Lo and gives her Chickpea Salad a great review.
• Elizabeth Passarella of The Kitchn thought of a bunch of uses for the flat brownies used in the Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich recipe from Everyday With Rachael Ray.
• Enrico of Hotel Tuesday made Rachael's recipe for Chicken Catch-a-tory Ravioli Stew.
• Laura Flowers of The Cooking Photographer made Rachael's Super Sloppy Joes.
• Lauren of Food for Living might not be a fan of Rachael Ray, but she is a fan of her recipe for Chicken Parm Meatball Subs.
• Jennie of Adam's Brag Book made Spring Chicken Roll-Ups with Lemon Dijon Pan Sauce.
• April of The Fragrant Hand made a recipe I tried recently and loved - Pesto Chicken Grill Packets.
• Rachael gives a hint to Newsweek that she doesn't appreciate being lumped in with Sandra Lee. Gotta say I agree with Rach on this one - her recipes don't rely on prepared foods like Lee's do.
• Diana Bauman of the Des Moines Cooking Examiner tweaked Rachael's recipe to create Pissaladière with crème fraîche.
• No Meat Athlete made Racahel's Portobello Mushroom Burgers.
• Krystal of Recipes of a Cheapskate made New England Pasta Bake.
• Laura of Real Mom Kitchen made Pork Kebabs from Every Day with Rachael Ray.

Dish and Dine Interviews with Rachael Ray

Dish and Dine has a couple great videos of Rachael Ray being interviewed. As you can see from the screen shot at left, Rach was in a happy mood that day!

In the first video, she discusses her vacation in Sicily. In the second, she chats about how she keeps track of all the recipes she tries. Give them a look!

It's a Keeper: Thai Beef Salad with Crispy Noodles

Here's a great recipe for a weeknight Summer meal: Thai Beef Salad with Crispy Noodles. The flavors are bright and there are tons of great veggies in here to make it nice and healthy. I actually made this recipe (minus the beef) for a party and the bowl was completely empty by the end of the day, so I'm thinking its a winner.

My biggest suggestion is to use broccoli slaw instead of the regular cabbage stuff. I think that really takes this recipe from good to great. Rachael's website also recommends switching the beef for sliced, sauteed portobello mushrooms, which is a great idea if you are trying to please a vegetarian crowd or just want to offer a vegetarian option at a party. I think the 10 minutes for prep and 10 for cooking is a fair estimate, so this one is nice and quick.

Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

4 Servings
Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min

Ingredients:

1 sirloin steak
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons soy sauce, plus more for drizzling
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Juice of one lime (2 tablespoons)
4 cups coleslaw mix [go for the broccoli coleslaw if your store has it!]
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
One 3-ounce package ramen noodles (flavor packet saved for another use) [or thrown in the trash if you are watching your sodium] broken into pieces

Directions:

Season the steak with salt and pepper. In a grill pan, sear the steak over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes per side for medium rare [I did mine for about 7 minutes to make it more medium]; transfer to a plate to rest.

In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons water, the soy sauce, honey, peanut butter and lime juice. In a large bowl, combine the slaw mix, cilantro and basil with the peanut dressing and toss. Add the dry ramen noodles and toss again. Divide evenly among 4 shallow bowls.

Cut the steak into thin slices and distribute among the salads.

Clips from Rachael Ray's Talk Show

Jonas Brothers' Mom:

Rachael Ray Roundup

I've got some big news to report! If you have the DIY network, you can see me on TV! My husband, Darcy, and I were ambushed in a hardware store and spent three days of madness getting our family room renovated. The show is called House Crashers and there's a show description for our episode and air times here. The host and the whole crew were professional and hilarious all at the same time. We are so glad we went through the experience and ended up with a great (and very lime green) room.

I have to give a special shout out to the designer, Johnny Kessler of Johnny K Designs, who did an absolutely outstanding job. He inspired us with his talent and creativity (and his ability and excitement about working on a tight budget). If you like his design and live in Northern California, let me know so I can refer you!

Back to Rachael Ray! Here are some Rachael Ray posts from around the blogosphere this week. If you see a post that you think would be good for the Roundup, or you write one yourself, e-mail me (everythingrachaelray at gmail dot com) so I can be sure to include it.

• Lacey of Perks of Being a JAP made Subtly Spicy Chocolate-Chili Brownies.
• Dale of Phoenix Phatty's Food Blog made Rachael Ray's Lemon Chicken. One of my favorite things about the Roundup is finding recipes like this that I missed!
• Deborah of Taste and Tell made Chinese Roast Pork Panini.
• Richard Auffrey of The Passionate Foodie lets us know that Rachael stopped by a restaurant in Portland, Maine.
• Jacob at Food Network Addict has some pictures of Food Network Stars, including Rachael Ray, at the premiere of Julie and Julia.
• OK! Magazine's talk with Rachael Ray and her husband on the red carpet once again proves those divorce rumors are just plain wrong.
• Kendra Browning reviewed Everyday With Rachael Ray.

Rachael Ray's New Bakeware Line: Oven Lovin'

Okay, I was going to call bullsh*t when I saw that Rachael Ray now has a set of bakeware called Oven Lovin', because she is a self-professed non-baker. However, after further thought and a quick review of the products, I think Rach has a good idea with these!

How can you have Stuffin' Muffins with no muffin tins? How can you have Oven Steak Fries with no cookie sheet? How can you have meatloaf with no loaf pan ? I couldn't exactly think of a justification for the cake pans, except Rach's magazine has tons of great dessert recipes from contributors.... And imagine what Rach can do with a mini muffin pan. I'm looking forward to seeing her utilize that one in the near future (can't you just hear her telling the audience that they can conveniently pick up her mini muffin pan?).

The kicker is that according to the product description on Amazon: "A portion of the proceeds from this purchase will be donated to Yum-o! to empower kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. http://www.yumo.org/." Nice work, Rachael!

It's a Keeper: Breaded Pork Chops with Sage Cream Gravy

Sometimes when I blog about a recipe I made a long time ago, it inspires me to make it again. Now, that might not mean much to some people, but I hardly ever make recipes twice, much to my husband's dismay. However, I'm thinking I might be making Breaded Pork Chops with Sage Cream Gravy and Honey Mustard-Dressed Green Bean Salad sometime soon. This recipe was in the Good For You feature of Rachael Ray's magazine.

When I made this recipe, I found that there was waaaaay to much dressing for the salad. Not usually a big deal, but EVOO is expensive. Next time, I'd make half the dressing. I'm thinking of adding this salad to my go-to sides list.

The pork chops, on the other hand, were prefect. This cooking method resulted in chops that were nice and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside while avoiding pan frying. I like my gravy nice and thick, so if you like yours thinner, you might need to add more milk.

Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:


Breaded Pork Chops with Sage Cream Gravy
By: Liz Pearson
From: Good for You

4 Servings

Prep 20 min
Cook 15 min

1-1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
1-1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs) [You might not have noticed them in your store, but they are most likely there somewhere!]
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage [Seriously, you have to use the fresh stuff. It's worth the time and the money.]
Four 1-inch-thick center-cut pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 400°. In a wide bowl, whisk 1/2 cup milk with the egg. In a dish, combine the panko and 1 tablespoon each parsley and sage.

Season the chops with salt and pepper. Coat each chop with the egg mixture, then with the panko mixture, shaking off any excess.

In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chops and cook, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet [it's important to use a rack so that both sides of your chop stay crispy]; reserve the skillet. Bake the chops until golden and just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until golden. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup milk and the cream. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon each parsley and sage and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the chops.

Clips from Rachael Ray's Talk Show

James Denton:



Jodie Foster plays guitar hero: