Archives for posts with tag: onion

One year and 30 meal plans later (including this one) Everyday Banquet is celebrating its first anniversary! I had no idea when I started this blog whether there would be any readers, let alone whether the idea of presenting recipes in the form of a weekly meal plan would strike a chord. It has been fun to read your comments and follow your interest on Facebook. By far the most gratifying comments have come from those of you who don’t cook a lot or didn’t think you liked to cook but have been trying new meals and liking them. That was always the goal – to get more people into the kitchen, cooking relatively simple and quick meals seasonally. So, on what I hope is the first of many anniversaries, I thank you, my readers for sticking with me and supporting me through the year!

Bon Appetit!
Elizas 1st bday cake_web

Meal #1:Beer-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Red Cabbage
Meal #2: Penne in a Cream Sauce with Pancetta, Roasted Red Peppers and Peas
Meal #3: Sausages with Lentils and Green Salad
Meal #4: Roasted Wild Striped Bass with Lemon, Olives, and Rosemary + Roasted Fennel with Artichoke Hearts

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

fennel – 1
rosemary bunch – 1
bay leaves – 2
lemon – 2
red cabbage – 1 medium
red peppers – 2
apple – 1
onion – 1
carrot – 1
greens for a salad
artichoke hearts – 1 can in water
frozen peas
heavy cream – 1 small container
Kalamata olives – 1/2 cup
penne – 1 box
red lentils – 1 bag
dried thyme (if you don’t already have it)
Parmesan (if you don’t already have it)
ground chili pepper (if you don’t already have it)
reduced-sodium soy sauce (if you don’t already have it)
brown sugar (if you don’t already have it)
apple cider vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
pancetta – 4-6 ounces
sausage – 1 lb.
pork tenderloin – 2 (1 1/2-1 3/4 pounds total)
wild stripped bass – 1 6-8 ounce filet per person
lager – 1/4 cup

 

Sausages with Red Lentils and Green Salad

This is a great, after-work meal when you need to get dinner on the table fast. It is inspired by one of Mark Bittman’s recipes from Kitchen Express – a go-to cookbook for weeknight dinners. I used chicken sausage because we’re trying to lighten up this month, but pork sausage works too.

1 lb. sausages, sliced
1 TB. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 ts. dried thyme
1 cup red lentils
3 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TB. red wine vinegar
1 ts. dijon mustard
salt and pepper

Heat 1 TB. olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat and add sausage slices. Cook until they are just beginning to brown. Add a chopped onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and salt and pepper and saute.

Add lentils and water to a pot, bring to a low boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on the lentils, they cook quickly.
red lentils_web

Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard and salt and pepper.

Drain the lentils and add them to the sausage and vegetable mixture, toss with some of the vinaigrette adding more as needed and serve.

 

A couple of weeks ago The New York Times’ Magazine was devoted to food, specifically kids and food. For many of us this is a touchy subject. There are a thousand opinions out there on what kids should eat and how to get them to eat more. One of the magazine’s articles that caught my attention was Virginia Heffernan’s public confession “What if You Just Hate Making Dinner?” In it, she admits that not only does she hate to cook, but she hates cooking for her kids. Frankly, I thought it was pretty brave, but some others thought otherwise.

Since my primary goal in starting this meal planning blog was to help readers cook more frequently for their families her article struck a nerve. I get it. Not everyone likes to cook. I don’t like to knit or really make any crafts at all. If crafting was required for survival my family wouldn’t make it. But, cooking is different. We all need to eat and the more healthy it is the better.

I hope that rather than making you feel guilty about not cooking for yourself or your family that this blog has at the most inspired you and at the very least helped you. Even for me, cooking and especially meal planning, can be a chore. With this in mind, this week’s meal plan is super quick and easy. The maple dijon chicken take about 5 minutes of active time and uses ingredients you probably already have, while the butternut squash polenta is a bit more challenging, but still easy enough to make on a weeknight. Hang in there and remember it is 100% okay to order pizza sometimes!

Something spooky to get you into the Halloween spirit!

Something spooky to get you into the Halloween spirit!

Meal #1: Maple Dijon Chicken Thighs + Roasted Green Beans and Potatoes
Meal #2: Skirt Steak with Arugula + Roasted Cauliflower
Meal #3: Butternut Squash Polenta with Sausage and Onion
Meal #4: Fennel and Garlic Shrimp + French Bread

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

red or yukon gold potatoes – 6 medium
green beans – 1 lb.
arugula – 1 bunch
cauliflower – 1 head
onions – 2
garlic – 1 head
fennel bulbs – 2
butternut squash – 1 small
rosemary – 1 bunch
fennel seeds (optional)
French bread
fine polenta (not quick cooking) – 1 cup
Parmesan cheese (if you don’t already have it)
maple syrup (if you don’t already have it)
dijon mustard (if you don’t already have it)
rice wine vinegar (if you don’t already have it)
boneless, skinless chicken thighs – 2 lb. (approx. 2 per person)
skirt steak – 1 1/2 lb.
sweet Italian sausage – 1 1/2 lb.
shrimp – 2 lb.
Pernod (optional)

Butternut Squash Polenta with Sausage and Onion

Didn’t I once say that I had never made polenta before? Well that has all changed. I had no idea how easy it is to make! And if polenta is easy that means grits are easy, which is great because I LOVE cheesy grits with bacon. But, I digress…. This recipe from The New York Times‘ Melissa Clark is very delicious and perfect for fall. Especially if you are looking for another way to prepare butternut squash beside roasting it.

Ingredients

It is a funny recipe though. Once you start cooking it doesn’t take too long to make and it is pretty easy, but the prep feels like a lot. Mostly it is the butternut squash that you have to peel, halve, de-seed and then grate. It really isn’t that much work, but on a weeknight it feels burdensome. That said, once the squash is ready the recipe is pretty straight forward.

Butternut Squash Polenta w Sausage

1 ½ ts. kosher salt, more as needed
1 bay leaf
1 cup fine polenta (not quick cooking)
5 ounces seeded and peeled butternut squash, coarsely grated (1 cup)
3 TB. unsalted butter
Black pepper, as needed
1 TB. extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
1 ½ lb. sweet or hot Italian pork sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds (or loose)
2 ts. minced rosemary
1 ts. fennel seeds (optional)
2 small onions, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine 4 1/2 cups water, the salt and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Stir in squash. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until polenta and squash are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. If the mixture gets too thick while cooking, add a little more water to the pot. Stir in butter and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

While polenta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, rosemary and fennel seeds if using. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is golden and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (Do this in batches if necessary, adding oil if the pan looks dry.) Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Add more oil to the skillet if it looks dry, then add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Return sausage to pan and stir to heat through. Spoon polenta into bowls and top with sausage and onion.

Sorry for the delayed post. I was all set and ready to go last week, but due to a business trip to Omaha, Nebraska I had no time to actually post the meal plan. Anyway, the trip to Omaha went well. Did you know that Omaha is the home of the reuben sandwich and the hometown of Henry Fonda, Marlon Brando, Fred Astaire and of course, the “Wizard of Wall Street” Warren Buffet? To cap off several days of business meetings I got a chance to check out the Omaha Farmers Market last Saturday morning, which was gorgeous. But, here’s a warning – the weather was chilly! If the Midwest is a bellwether than meals full of tomatoes and corn are quickly coming to an end so enjoy them while you can. I certainly am!

Nebraska - home of the Cornhuskers!

Nebraska – home of the Cornhuskers!

Meal #1: Pressed Chicken Thighs with Corn, Scallion and Pepper Saute
Meal #2: Zucchini, Tomato and Feta Bake + Any Protein + Corn on the Cob
Meal #3: Italian “Stir Fry”
Meal #4: Fennel Compote with Tomatoes, Olives and Fish + Corn on the Cob

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items: 

fennel – 1 large or 2 smaller ones
plum tomatoes – 13
red bell pepper – 2 large
red onion – 1
scallions – 1 bunch
zucchini – 2 medium
summer squash – 1
corn – 2 + 1 per person for 2 meals
green or black olives – 1/2 cup
feta – 4 ounces
capers – 1 jar (if you don’t already have them)
pesto – 1 jar (optional)
ricotta cheese – 1 small container (optional)
pasta – 1 box
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 1-2 per person, depending on size
white fish (bass, halibut or tilapia) – 6 ounces per person
whatever protein you decide to make along with meal #2

Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs
IMG_1152 web

This is so delicious. From the name you would think that it is a recipe for a popular Chinese takeout dish, but it actually is more North African in flavor. Using ingredients that you probably already have –  cinnamon, paprika, lemon and honey – elevates this dish from your typical weeknight, chicken dinner.

Couscous

Perfect for sopping up the delicious sauce. Follow directions on the box.

I’m really happy that I finally started this meal-planning blog, but as the weeks have gotten busier it has been more difficult to find time to research recipes, prepare meals and put together each post. I’m not complaining, just saying that you never really know what you’ve gotten into until you’re in it! That said, one unexpected benefit of this site has been that I have an excuse, or really the impetus, to finally try a bunch of recipes that I have clipped or dog-eared or saved on Pinterest. Like anyone, I make roughly the same 20 meals per season rotated over the course of 3-4 weeks. Many of those meals have already been featured on this blog. However, when I started this blog I knew that if I provided readers with just 20 recipes my endeavor would be short lived. So, I started digging through my recipe collection, which lives in a large accordion folder, a collection of food magazines, many cookbooks, a “recipe box” on epicurious.com and of course my trusty Pinterest recipe board.

My trusty recipe board on Pinterest

My trusty recipe board on Pinterest

This week I bring you three recipes that I tried for the first time this week, but that I have wanted to make for awhile. Along with those three I added a re-post of my pasta marinara (a mainstay). Enjoy!

Meal #1: Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs with Couscous
Meal #2: Pasta with Marinara + Green Salad
Meal #3: Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs and Garlic Bread
Meal #4: Shrimp with Orange and Ginger

Your grocery list, excluding the usual pantry items:

onion – 1
carrots – 2 lb.
lemons – 2
lettuce – 1 bunch or bag
leek – 1
baby spinach – 1 cup
red bell pepper – 1
oranges – 2
scallions – 1 bunch
basil – 1 small bunch
chives – 1 small bunch
ginger – 1 small piece
parsley – 1 bunch (optional)
cilantro – 1 bunch (optional)
low-salt chicken broth – 5 cups
egg – 1
pasta – 1 box
rice
small pasta (such as orzo or ditalini) – 1 box 
crushed tomatoes – 28 ounce can
baguette or whatever bread you like
breadcrumbs – 1/2 cup (if you don’t already have it)
sesame oil – (if you don’t already have it)
honey – (if you don’t already have it)
paprika – (if you don’t already have it)
cinnamon – (if you don’t already have it)
crushed red pepper – (if you don’t already have it)
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 lb total
ground chicken – 6 ounces
shrimp – 1 lb. 

Chicken Breast Sautéed in Sweet Red Onion and Lemon
I grabbed this recipe from thekithcn, which is a great site for cooking tips and kitchen inspiration. Its sister site, apartment therapy, is where I go while daydreaming about owning my own home and painting the walls anything other than renter’s white. Anyhoo, this is a great weeknight dinner. Quick, flavorful, and you probably have most, if not all, of the ingredients already. My only suggestion is to not add the lemons until you are ready to add the chicken. I followed the recipe exactly the first time I made it and thought that the lemon was too overpowering, which for me is saying a lot. Note – this recipe is for one, but it is super easy to double, triple, quadruple – you get the point.

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
I can’t believe this is the first time I’m posting a Barefoot Contessa recipe –  Liz Lemon and I agree, that she is the best! Trust me, you will see more of her recipes in the future, in my opinion, she can do no wrong. So with that, I present this recipe which I won’t change at all. Oh, okay I can’t help myself, I have never used the basil and it is still delicious. Note, the recipe is for 6 servings, but it is easy to cut that back.

 

Italian “Stir Fry”

When I was single and living alone, I prepared full meals for myself as a way to unwind. I would either cut a recipe down to one portion or make a larger portion and have leftovers for lunch or other nights. However, a lot of nights I prepared dinner using whatever was kicking around in my fridge and pantry – this recipe is an example. You can make this dish with literally whatever you think looks good at the market or what you already have in the fridge. You can add meat or not. It can go over pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa or farro. It is the perfect “what should I make for dinner tonight?” meal. The ingredient list below is merely a suggestion.

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1 TB. olive oil
1 red, yellow or orange pepper, chopped *
½ red onion, chopped *
1 zucchini, chopped *
1 summer squash, chopped *
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup pesto (optional)
½ cup ricotta cheese (optional)
pasta – 3 oz dry for per person

* ingredients that can be prepped several days ahead.

Note – Boil salted water for the pasta as you prep the rest of the ingredients. When you add the pasta to the boiling water start your stir-fry; they should take the same amount of time to cook.

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the next four ingredients. Saute for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add your tomatoes, and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until they start to break down and get saucy. When your pasta is done, drain it, and throw it in the pan with the veggies; add the pesto, ricotta, salt and pepper to taste and mix it up.

 

This recipe comes from Mario Batali’s cookbook Molto Italiano. Does anybody remember Mario’s old show on the Food Network (back when the network was actually about cooking)? I have many cooking “mentors” from television and Mario is one of them. I learned so much about the regional nature of Italian cooking from him; and I grew up on the south shore of  Long Island where it seemed like everyone, but me, was Italian. Over the years, he has opened a lot of restaurants, which usually makes me leery, but man, are his good. To speed this recipe up I tweaked the ingredients a bit and skipped the brining process, which I’m sure makes the chops amazing, but it isn’t necessary.

4 bone-in pork chops
salt and pepper
3 TB. olive oil
3 peppers (1 each red, green and yellow), cored, seeded and cut into thin strips*
1 large red onion, sliced*
¼ cup black olives, pitted and chopped*
1 TB. red pepper flakes
1 TB. capers
1 cup dry white wine

* ingredients that can be prepped several days ahead.

Season pork chop with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking. Add chops to the pan (don’t crowd the pan – you can do 2 chops at a time if you need to) and cook until dark golden brown on the first side, about 7 minutes. Turn over and cook until browned on the second side, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

Add the peppers, onion, olives, red pepper flakes, and capers and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, place the chops in the pepper mixture, and simmer for 10 minutes (the pork should be cooked to 135 degrees F).

Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Green Saladlettuce

A basic salad of your favorite greens will nicely complement the pork chops.