eatin' good in the neighborhood

I am having so much fun coming up with these menu's and I hope you are enjoying or at least finding your evenings a little more enjoyable.

If you have any suggestions or recipes you would like for me to try (as I know a lot of you pin stuff but never make it), send it my way!  I will see if I can incorporate it into my weekly menu.


MENU:
Monday- Turkey meatball subs served with onion soup.
Tuesday - Beef and bean chimichangaas served with corn and red pepper salad.
Wednesday - Taco salad
Thursday- Flat bread pizza with turkey meat (left over turkey meatballs diced up), sauteed onions and Gouda cheese.


RECIPES:
MONDAY - Pretty easy.  Pre-heat your oven on low broil.  Slice the baguette into 4"-5" subs.
Heat the meatballs in your sauce of choice, approx. 4-5 meatballs per person, over medium heat and cover; takes approx. 20 minutes. After the meatballs are cooked, place into the individual subs, top with extra sauce and provolone. Place the subs on a cookie sheet and broil until the cheese is melted.

For the soup, I purchase Pacific Natural Foods Organic French Onion soup and add some extra sliced onions while it is heating up, gives it a little extra crunch.  A little tip, start the soup before you start the subs.









TUESDAY-  1st, make the salad before making these easy chimichangas.

Here is the link to the recipe for the chimichangas; this take about 30 minutes and serves approx. 2 adults and 2 children.  Use the left over meat for the next night and have taco salad.

Corn & Red Pepper Salad - I extracted this idea from the attached link, however made it my own and cut the cooking time in half.  The night before I boiled two ears of corn and then husked same. Come Tuesday evening I combined 1 chopped red bell pepper, the corn from off the cob, 2 Tbs. of green onions, 1 Tbs of olive oil, a little salt and pepper and placed in an oven safe container.  Cooked in the oven for approx. 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  After you remove it from the oven, add the Dijon mustard and vinegar dressing to the corn mixture.   ENJOY!


WEDNESDAY- Taco Salad.  As noted above, use left over chimichangas mixture to top on your salad.  This is a night to be creative, load the salad with veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, red pepper).  Top with some salsa and a greek yogurt mixture ( Whisk together 1 cup of greek yogurt, juice from 1 lime, chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste -recipe from Father's Day Special menu)

THURSDAY- For the pizza; rub some olive oil on top flat bread.  Go crazy with your toppings, but here is my concoction:

• 1 small can of diced tomatoes, caramelized onions, chopped up turkey meatballs, topped with sliced Gouda cheese and fresh basil.

I wanted to experiment with Gouda cheese this week.  It can be a little on the pricey side, however you only need a little to sprinkle on top. Serve with a nice glass of red wine and you have a mini date night with the hubby!

GROCERY LIST (sales are based on Publix ad for 7/12-7/17)

• Armour Meatballs - 14 oz. BOGO, approx. $2.50/pkg.
• Lean ground beef - on sale for @ $4.50/lbs.
• Red Bell peppers - on sale $2.99/lbs.
• 2 ears of corn
• 2 yellow onions
• 1 lime
• 1 scallion
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1 pint of grape tomatoes - on sale for $1.50 each
• 1 cucumber
• Italian Five Grain baguette from the bakery - on sale for $1.89
• Stonefire flat bread  - in the deli normally @ $2.50 for 2
• Publix sliced provolone cheese - on sale for @ $2.00 
• Small block of Gouda cheese
• 1 Voskos plain greek yogurt - on sale for $1
• 1 small pkg. of whole wheat tortillas
• Sauce for the meatballs (I make my own, however Prego is on sale for $1.50 per jar)
• 1 can of chili beans
• Pacific Natural Foods Organic French Onion soup (typically in the organic section).  Note: 1 box usually makes enough soup for two people. 
• Red wine vinegar
• dijion mustard
• olive oil 
• Fresh basil and cilantro 
• Seasoning; paprika, chili powder, ground cummin, oregano, dash of sea salt and pepper

I am going to freeze my herbs this week so I will let you know how it goes.  And seriously, send me those recipes you have been dying to try, just not sure how to work into your week.  I will let you know how long it really takes and if it is worth trying.  

A healthy break

I don't know about you, but after all of those back yard bbq's, pool side fun and firework celebrations, my body needs a healthy break.

This week, my local grocer has some great items on sale to make some healthy meals.  Pork and chicken are reasonably priced this week.  I normally do not make many meals with pork, but since I can make a healthy, delicious meal for the family under $7, it deserves to be on the menu. Also, I still have some ingredients left over from weeks prior, including a bottle of dijon mustard that needs to be used up and some turkey bacon. So here we go, enjoy :)

Menu

Monday - Seared chicken with apricot sauce served with a fruity-nut arugula salad
Tuesday - Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce served with steamed green beans
Wednesday - Sauteed shrimp with fresh avocado cream pasta sauce
Thursday - Hummus backed chicken served with a bacon, onion, arugula salad


Recipes

Monday - I found this recipe on pinterest and I have finally been motivated to try it.  It is everything I love; healthy, quick and yummy. http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/seared_chicken_with_apricot_sauce.html

For the salad, top the arugula with one chopped apple, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, & sugar-free craisins.  Finally, drizzle with blue cheese vinaigrette.

Tuesday- another Martha Stewart classic.  I exclude the frisee. http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pork-chops-with-mustard-sauce-recipe-00000000021032/index.html

Wednesday - This recipe is from our Meatless Monday inspiration folder, however my husband has asked for more substance as he has been working very hard outside.  I have decided to add turkey sausage as it is on sale this week, but it would be good with sauteed shrimp, scallops, chicken or turkey sausage  http://www.thatssomichelle.com/2012/03/fresh-avocado-cream-pasta-sauce.htmll

Thursday - Everyone knows shake and bake, right?  Well this is a healthier version.  
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Baste the chicken with the hummus of your choice and coat with panko crumbs.  Spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook each side of the chicken on medium heat (until brown). Then place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes until cooked.  The trick to making sure the chicken doesn't take a long time to cook is to flatten the chicken so it is not to fat. 


While the chicken is cooking, blend together 1/3 cup of hummus and the juice of one lemon.  This will be a dipping sauce for your chicken.


For the salad, I crisp up some turkey bacon, chop up some onion and toss with the arugula. Drizzle with blue cheese vinaigrette (or any vinaigrette of your choice as arugula is not a leaf you want to use a creamy dressing with, in my opinion.) 


Grocery List 
(For me, I have a good amount left over from weeks prior, which saves my family some money. I hope so for you as well!) 

• 4 chicken breasts, sliced in half to use for both menu ideas (on sale for $2.99/lbs) - pick up an extra package to freeze and use in the future.  
• 1 pkg of pork chops (on sale for $3.99/lbs, you get about 3 chops per pound)
• 1 pkg. of turkey sausage (Butterball Turkey Smoked Sausage on sale for 2 for $5)
• 1 pkg. of Butterball turkey bacon (part of the above sale)
• 1 avocado (on sale for $1)
• 2 fresh apricots or 1 pkg of dried apricots
• 1 apple 
• 1 small white onion
• 3 shallots
• 1 pkg. of arugula
• 1/2 lbs. of fresh green beans
• 2-3 lemons
• 1/2 cup of nuts of your choice (I am using sunflower seeds and almonds)
• blue cheese vinaigrette (in the produce department)
• 1 pkg. of hummus (in the deli department)
• small carton of heavy cream (I buy fat-free)
• 1 pkg of whole wheat pasta (Barilla Plus pasta is BOGO this week, comes to about $0.76/pkg.)
• 1 small jar of apricot preserves
• 1 bottle of white cooking wine
• 1 can of olive oil cooking spray
• 1 bottle of olive oil
• 1 bottle of dijion mustard
• 1 pkg./can of panko bread crumbs
• small pkg. of flour
• salt and pepper
• Fresh tarragon, parsley (or basil for the avocado pasta, your choice) 

Grill it Up!

It's officially time to clean up that grill and enjoy the best time of year, 4th of July! This holiday, besides the true history behind it, has provided a reason to eat good, grilled foods and spend some quality time with family and friends.  It has also supplied some great grocery sales!

If you do not have a grill, or not in the mood to use it, all of these dinners can be cooked on the stove top, in the oven or on a panini maker.

MENU

Monday - Warm bacon shrimp salad served with warm, fresh bread (if desired)

Tuesday - Grilled salmon with lemon and fennel served with wild rice.

Wednesday - 4th of July!

Thursday - BLT sandwiches served with fruit salad

Friday - Turkey burgers topped with grilled peaches (or avocados and red onion), served with grilled asparagus 


RECIPES


Monday - This is my family's signature salad.  My mom makes this to perfection, I just try to imitate.  But the secret is the dressing.
Recipe as follows (This will feed approx 6 ppl):
Salad:
15-20 grilled shrimp (I do about 8 per person)
1 lg. bag spinach: wash and tear into bit size pieces
4 hard cooked eggs: chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, fried crisp: break into small pieces (you can use turkey bacon instead)
1/2 pkg. of pine nuts: cooked in the oven, on high broil, for 1-2 minutes.
Dressing:
1 cup of olive oil              1/4 cup vinegar
1/3 cup ketchup                1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp salt                           1 TB Worcestershire sauce
1 TB onion flakes

Tuesday - Found this recipe in Martha Stewart's Real Simple Magazine, a summer time classic.  http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/plank-grilled-salmon-lemon-00000000058361/index.html
For the wild rice, I buy it in the box, however only use half of the seasoning provided and add sauteed onions and roasted pine nuts.

Thursday - BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwiches (or TBLT's if you are using turkey bacon)
Making this sandwich is self explanatory.  However, if you  need a how-to make site, here is one I found through pinterest: http://www.closetcooking.com/2008/09/blt-bacon-lettuce-and-tomato-sandwich.html
If you are using avocado with your turkey burger, add some slices to your BLT.  Also, use left over spinach instead of lettuce.
Fruit salad:
Slice up 2 peaches, a few strawberries, and 1 orange.  Place in a large bowl and toss in some raspberries.  


Friday -  This recipe calls for grilled peaches.  I have never tried this so we are going to experiment.  I will provide slices of fresh avocado and red onion for the non-experiment type. 
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/healthier-burger?page=1
For the asparagus, sprinkle with olive oil and little salt and pepper.

GROCERY LIST

• 1 lb. of fresh salmon fillet (on sale for $6.99/lbs)
• 3 large shrimp skewers (@ $1 per skewer), I buy one per person.
• 12 oz. ground turkey (on sale for $2.99/lbs)
• 1 pkg. low sodium bacon (Oscar Mayer on sale, 3 pkg for $10)
• 3 lemons
• 1 red onion (or 1 vidalia onion, on sale for $0.99/lbs)
• 1 pkg of asparagus (on sale $3.49/lbs)
• 1 avocado (2 for $3.00)
• 1 pkg of spinach
• 1 bulb of fennel
• 2-3 peaches (in season and very juicy, on sale for $1.99/lbs)
• Couple tomatoes on the vine ( on sale for 1.69/lbs)
• 1 orange
• 1 pkg of strawberries (on sale for 2 for $5.00)
• 1 pt of raspberries (on sale for $1.99 a pt)
• Bakery bread for the BLT's and to serve with the salad, if desired. 
• 1 pkg. of whole wheat burger buns
• 1 box of wild rice
• Olive oil
• Vinegar
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce
• Mayo (for the BLT)
• Dijon mustard
• Salt/Pepper
• Sugar
• Onion flakes (by the spices)
• 1 pkg of pine nuts
• 1/2 carton of eggs
• Fresh parsley

1 meal served 3 ways

This week has been, and continues to be, a busy week due to work, so I was unable to provide a list or have time to be in the kitchen.

For weeks like this, I make a crock pot meal that can last a few days.

With the help of my hubby, we made a big crock pot of taco soup.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=188808

We ended up serving it 3 different ways:

Hot dogs topped with the taco soup ingredients and served with sweet potato tater tots.
Taco soup served with corn bread
Taco salad.  (By the 3rd day this soup is thicker so it is nice a hearty)

Grocery List:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 white onion
• salad mix of your choice
• tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers (whatever you like to top your taco salad with)
• 1 package of hot dogs
• 1 package of hot dog buns
• 1 package of frozen sweet potato tater tots
• 1 package of corn bread mix
• 1 16-oz of black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 16-oz of corn
• 1 8-oz of can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5-oz cans of diced tomatoes w/ chilies
• 1 1.25-oz packet of taco seasoning
• shredded cheese (if you like to top your soup, salad or hot dogs with it)

This grocery list will cost you around $35 dollars, depending on your store and specials.

Next week will be another short dinner menu week due to 4th of July and all of the fun activities it brings!

  

Father's Day Special

Father's Day is around the corner.   My hubby has asked for a meal fit for a King!  So this week my home cooked meals will begin on Sunday.

Also,  I am changing my blog a bit in hopes to make it little more user friendly.  Let me know what you think!

MENU
Sunday - Grilled sirloin fillets, baked potato and a mixed nutty salad. For desert it will be an Crispy Apple Crumble.

Monday- Meatless Monday is back! Mediterranean Quesadilla's from Budget Bytes.

Tuesday- Spicy Basil Chicken (an oriental dish) served with brown rice.

Wednesday- Fish Tacos served with a cold corn/cucumber salad.

Thursday- Grilled Pork Rib Chops with fresh broccoli.


GROCERY LIST: (if you don't already have left over from the week(s) before)

• 1 - 2 chicken breasts
• Sirloin fillet (on sale for $6.99/lbs.) Again, I buy about 1/2 lbs. per person
• Center-Cut Pork Rib Chops (on sale for $3.69/lbs.) 1 per person will be more than enough
• 2 small fillets of talapia or a white fish. 
• 1 Mango (on sale for $1)
• 2 bags of Fresh Express Salad blends, one spinach and one mix spring salad. (These are BOGO, comes to about $2.04 per bag)
• 1 bag of broccoli, you should only need 1/2 a bag so save the rest for the next week (Eat Smart products are on sale 3 for $5, @ $1.67 per bag)
• 1 lime
•  lemon
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1 red onion
• 1 cucumber
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 shallot (or small white onion)
• 2 potato's
• 1 apple (I am going to buy the Crunch Pak Apple Slices as they are one sale for $2.50 and my son will eat the rest during the week)
• roasted red peppers (optional for the quesadillas, you can use fresh peppers too)
• 1/2 cup of kalamata olives (again, optional for the quesadillas) 
• 1/2 cup of sunflower seads
• 1/2 cup of almonds ( measure your own amount in the organic area)
• 1 container of fat-free crumbled feta
• 1 container of voskos greek yogurt, plain (on sale for $1)
• 1 package of whole wheat soft tacos
• Panko breadcrumbs.
• 1 package of brown rice (Near East Rice or Couscous is BOGO, comes to about $1.01 per box)
• cornstarch
• Olive oil
• Balsamic glaze
• Salsa
• Fresh basil, fresh cilantro, red pepper flakes

RECIPES:
Sunday:
Grilled sirloin steaks

• Season the steak with salt, pepper and fresh garlic.
• Bake your potato's in the oven for 1 hour at 400 degree.  Found a great website if you have not "mastered" the baked potato:  http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/how-to-make-a-baked-potato.htm
• Mixed  nutty salad:  Salad mix, chopped cucumbers, chopped apple, sunflower seeds, chopped almonds and feta.  Then drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze. 

For the desert...http://purplefoodie.com/crispy-apple-crumble-anyone/  AMAZING!! That is all I have to say.

Monday:
mediterranean quesadilla's, served with salsa.
http://www.blogher.com/mediterranean-quesadilla-budget-bytes?wrap=blogher-topics/food/vegetarian-and-vegan&crumb=106893

Tuesday:
Spicy basil chicken
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-basil-chicken-50400000120262/
I make a few substitutes to this recipe:

• I use olive oil instead of canola oil. 
• Instead of chili paste, I use some red pepper flakes (we are not a spicy family).
• I take the advice of the recipe and do not use fish oil and add some extra low-sodium soy sauce.
• Also, if you don't want to buy the shallots, substitute chopped up white onion.

For the brown rice (or couscous), I saute 1/4 of the purple cabbage (chopped), red onion and any leftover peppers I had from last week.  Stir the veggies into the rice about 5 minutes before it is ready.

Wednesday:
Fish Tacos

• Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Meanwhile, take the fish of your choice, and lightly cover with planko crumbs.
• Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  
• After the oil is hot, place the the fish into the pan.  Cook on each side for about 4-5 minutes or until lightly brown. 
• Transfer to a cookie sheet and place in the over for an additional 5-10 minutes.  
• While the fish is in the oven, cut up the mango, cabbage and red onion (these are toppings for the tacos). 
• Instead of tarter sauce, I make my own cream dressing with greek yogurt.  Whisk together 1 cup of greek yogurt, juice from 1 lime, chopped cilantro and salt and pepper to taste.  
• Salad consists of the corn from one ear of corn, 1/2 cucumber peeled and cut into small bites, 1/4 cup of feta, 2 Tbps. of chopped cilantro, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic glaze.

Thursday:
For the pork chops, I marinate mine in a homemade remedy, then dip in whatever bbq sauce we have in the house.
For the marinade, mix together:

• Juice from 1 lemon. 
• 1 table spoon of olive oil.
• 2 garlic gloves, pressed.
• Salt & pepper

Broccoli, I steam mine.

This grocery list may be a little more than my normal bill (under $80), but hey, we are celebrating Dad's day!

What are we making for dinner Mommy?

The classic quote I get every day.  "What are we making for dinner Mommy?" This question use to make my head spin, but now with my meals planned, I have an answer.

So after looking at what I have in the kitchen, here is next weeks menu....



Monday - Baked Ziti with ground beef and fresh steamed broccoli.

Remember that penne from last week for the lemon chicken, well now use it for this dish.
You can find  numerous recipes for this dish online and in books.

Below how I make my quick baked ziti:

1. Brown ground beef  (I am using my half pound left over from last week)
2. At the same time, boil your penne.
3. After the meat is cooked, add chopped up garlic and onions, cook until onions are translucent. (you can also add some fresh veggies here, like zucchini or squash)
4. At the same time, combine 1/4 cup of part-skim ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of mozzarella and 1 egg in a separate bowl.  
5. Pour a jar of sauce into the meat mixture,
6. Then add the cooked penne and cheese mixture into the same pan.
7. I add some spices and fresh herbs; salt, pepper basil and rosemary.
8. Transfer into a square baking dish, top with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella, and cover with tin foil.

Bake this dish at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Tuesday - Pepper Chicken with quinoa (you can use an rice)

I usually make this with steak, but the chicken is on sale again this week, so why not!

1. Marinate chicken in McCormick's Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade, as directed on package. (I slice up my chicken before putting it into the marinade)
2. Cut up 1 to 2 peppers into thin slices (I use red and green pepper) & 1/2 of an onion.
3. In a pan, add a little bit of olive oil, fresh pressed garlic, the chopped up onion and peppers.  Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes (until the peppers are bright in color).
4. At the same time, start cooking your rice per directions on the box. 
5. After the peppers and onion are cooked, add the chicken and the marinade into the pan, cook until the chicken is fully cooked (approx. 15 minutes).  
6. Add some parmesan cheese in the pan and you are DONE!
7. Place rice on plate, top with the chicken mixture and marinade sauce.

Wednesday - Grilled bbq drum sticks, corn on the cob and broccoli

This one is easy.  Marinate your drum sticks the night before in your favorite sauce. 

Fire up the grill and place the drum sticks over the burners.  If you are intimidated by grilling, here is a great post I found: http://www.101cookingfortwo.com/2011/06/art-of-drummies-grilling-chicken.html

While the drumsticks are grilling, I would boil your water for the corn and get your broccoli ready to be steamed. ( I place my corn in the water while it is heating up)

When there is about 10 minutes left for the chicken, I would start steaming the broccoli.   After everything is cooked, place some extra bbq on the table for dipping and let's eat! 

Thursday- make your own omelet served with fresh berries and toast

I am going to use some left over peppers, onions, lunch meat, fresh herbs and feta! 

Friday 

This night I am going to keep open.  Either for left overs or grabbing something.  Freschetta Pizza is Buy 1 Get 1 Free! 

My grocery list (if you don't already have these items)

 

• 1/2 lbs. of lean ground beef (as the meat department to cut a package in half) 
• 2 chicken breast (Publix chicken is on sale for $2.99/lbs.)
• 8 drum sticks
• 1 bunch of broccoli
• 1 package of tri-color peppers (on sale for $4)
• 1 onions of your choice
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 3 fresh corn on the cob (1 per person) (on sale 6 for $2)
• 1 pt. package of blueberries ($1.99 a package)
• 1 package of fresh strawberries (2 for $5)
• 1 block of mozzarella cheese (Publix brand is on sale 2 for $5)
• 1 small container of part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 container of feta (if you want it in your omelets)
• Parmesan 
• 1/2 carton of eggs
• 1 jar of pasta sauce
• 1 small bottle of bbq sauce
• 1 package of whole wheat penne pasta (if you don't have any left over)
• 1 small package of quinoa or rice of your choice
• Bread (for lunches and breakfast night)
• Olive oil
• Red wine vinegar 
• Fresh basil or rosemary 

I hope you enjoy, and please let me know your thoughts or suggestions.  Would love to hear from you all!

Must have menu of the week

Before I make any menu list, I like to see what I have in my pantry.  For this week’s menu I do have a good number of the items, but I provided a list of everything you would need.  Looking at this list though, it doesn't appear that you would need a lot of ingredients. Also, I chose the meals based on what meat was on sale.

Monday -This week I am incorporating meatless Monday. 

Amy’s Organic Vegetarian Black Bean Soup (@ $2.50 a can) and Chipotle twice backed potato.

For meatless meals I usually like to make a vegetarian chili, but I make that on the weekends when I have more time.  

With the Black bean soup, I add chopped up onions and a dab of Greek plain yogurt or sour cream.  Since I have another item on the menu that calls for sour cream, I am going to put the cream on my list!

There are so many variations of twice baked potatoes.  They are like pizzas in my family.  We love to experiment and be creative with these.  In searching for ideas for the potatoes, I came across this web site.  http://www.americanprofile.com/recipes/twice-baked-potatoes

Tuesday

Stuff Chicken (Purdue Chicken on sale for $2.99/lbs.) with pepper jack cheese, spinach and caramelized onions served with spinach salad. 

Stuffed chicken is the easiest meal. Mine is not stuffed though, it is rolled.  The trick is to pound the chicken very thin, place your ingredients, roll up and place a tooth pick to keep in place. 

For this meal, I am adding about 1/8 cup of shredded pepper jack cheese spinach and onions, then season with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

For this salad I am going to make my own dressing with the left over Dijon mustard and rice vinegar from last week.  Also, adding chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds to the salad.

Dressing: Combine 1/8 cup of Dijon, juice from 1 lemon, 1 table spoon of rice vinegar and dice up a small shallot or onion.  .

Wednesday

Taco Salad

I only use ½ lbs. of lean ground beef.  After cooking the meat, I add a can of low sodium black beans, a package of chili mix, 1 small can of tomato sauce and a little water.  Mix together over medium heat.

Build the taco salad as follows:

Salad of your choice (baby spinach, mix greens, romaine)

Tomato

Cucumbers

Onions

Beef mix

Low fat shredded cheese

Sour cream

Salsa

**Also, make sure you marinate your chicken for tomorrow night’s meal.

Thursday

Grilled chicken with lemon basil

This recipe is amazing and a great summer dish. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/grilled-chicken-with-lemon-basil-pasta/

It calls for you to marinate the chicken for about 24 hours before grilling.

Marinate in the following concoction:

Olive oil
Juice of four lemons
Dijon mustard
A tiny bit of honey (use syrup instead if you do not want to purchase)
A dash of salt

For the sauce, you will need:

Four Lemons

a bunch of basil

1 cup of a hard cheese (either Parmesan or Romano cheese)

1 cup of fat free half-and-half.  It does call for cream and half-and-half, but to cut down on some calories it taste just as good with only the half-and-half.

It also calls for a ½ stick of butter, but I would use a light margarine spread as a healthy alternative.

I purchased whole wheat penne pasta for this dish. 

Friday

Going out to dinner this night J

Below is my grocery list of the items you need, if you don’t already have in the pantry or refrigerator:

4 chicken breast (Purdue chicken on sale for $2.99/lbs.)

1/2 lbs. of lean ground beef (as the meat department to cut a package in half) (on sale for $4.50/lbs.)

9 lemons

A couple tomatoes (tomatoes on a vine are on sale for $1.99/lbs.)

2 onions of your choice (Vidalia sweet onion is on sale for $0.99/lbs.)

Bag of spinach (Fresh Express spinach is on sale for B1G1)

1 fresh corn on the cob

Publix fat free sour cream (small)

1 small tube of light margarine spread

Shredded Mexican cheese (or cheese of your choice for the taco salad and stuffed chicken)

Shredded Parmesan

Small carton of half-and-half, fat free

1 can of Amy’s organic vegetarian black bean soup

2 cans of low sodium black beans

1 jar of salsa

1 package of whole wheat penne pasta.

1 small can of tomato sauce

Syrup or honey

Dijon mustard

Olive oil

Rice wine vinegar

Fresh basil