Menu Plan Monday

Last week's efforts to empty the freezer paid off. I am down to one freezer container of spaghetti and a few bags of frozen veggies. It wasn't a parituclarly inspired culinary week, but no one starved. And I can see the back of my tiny freezer again!!

This week I am going to try a few new recipes (posted below). I am going to try to keep the quantities down so that I do not totally fill the freezer again.

Sunday - ham, gratin dauphinois, peas
Monday - Lemon and Parmesan crusted chicken, pasta, beans
Tuesday - Pork Medallions with fennel and pancetta, corn, salad, maybe bread
Wednesday - Poppyseed chicken, rice ro pasta, beans
Thursday - leftovers
Firday - Mac'n cheese with ham, steamed broccoli
Saturday - Chicken San Marino (one of Husband's favorites), salad, bread
Sunday - Lasagna, salad, bread


Take a look at OrgJunkie.com for more menu ideas.


Pork Medallions with Fennel and Pancetta


12 oz (340 g) pork tenderloin
dash of salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
2 oz (57 g) of bacon or pancetta, finely chopped
2 fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut across into ¼ in. (½ cm) slices
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup (4 oz / 120 cl) whipping cream
¼ cup (30 g) flour
dash of pepper

Trim fat from meat then cut crosswise into 1-in. slices. Place 1 slice between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with meat mallet to ¼-in. thickness. Remove plastic wrap and repeat with remaining slices. You may also cut thinner slices to avoid pounding. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Coat meat with flour mixture. In a large, heavy skillet, heat olive oil over high heat. Add meat, half at a time, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in the center, turning once. Add oil if necessary. Remove meat from skillet. In the same skillet, cook pancetta or bacon over medium to high heat until crisp. Add fennel, onion and garlic. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add lemon juice. Stir in cream. Bring to boiling and return meat to pan. Cook until meat is heated through and sauce is slightly thickened. Transfer meat to a serving platter and spoon sauce over meat.


Poppyseed Chicken


2-3 cups Boneless chicken breast
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
8 oz Sour Cream
1 stick of Butter, melted
1.5 - 2 cups Ritz crackers, crushed
Poppyseeds


Mix chicken, soups and sour cream.
Spread in a 9x13 pan.
Mix crackers and melted butter and spread on top of soup mixture.
Sprinkle with poppyseds.
Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Lemon and Parmesan-Crusted Chicken

3/4 cup bread crumbs, plain or Italian Style
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp dry Thyme leaves
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted


1. Heat oven to 375 F. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a shallow dish mix bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon peel, thyme leaves and salt. Dip chicken into egg then coat in bread crumb mixture. Place in pan. Drizzle with butter.
3. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes until meat thermometer registers 170 F.


Chicken San Marino


1 lb chicken breast halves or boneless thigh pieces
2 oz Swiss or Fontina cheese
1/4 lb Wesphalian or Prosciutto ham, thinly sliced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
Fine dry bread crumbs
3 Tbsp butter


Pound each chicken piece to flatten slightly. Cut cheese into strips, one per chicken piece. Wrap cheese in ham. Place on chicken and enclose tightly. Secure with toothpicks. Combine flour and salt. Dip each roll in flour, then egg, then dry bread crumbs. Saute in butter until browned on all sides. Transfer to baking dish. baked uncovered at 350 F for 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serves 4.