Thursday Food Day! Week 2

Week two hurray! Last weeks recipes came out great! I don't always follow recipes exactly but these were so simple they turned out great!

Since I've started posting daily I have found that I am enjoying my day more, I feel like I am sharing my life's little secrets. Please remember to become a follower on my blog by clicking the button on the Right that says "FOLLOW" I hope you enjoy these recipes I know I will!

This week's recipe list is again from my new favorite blog Living Locurto you can also find a shopping list on her blog HERE 

Chicken with Olives, Raisins, and Spinach Rice

Recipe & Photo By: Martha Stewart

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (1 pound) chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 chicken culets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, slivered
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water to a boil. Add rice, season with salt, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook just until tender, 16 to 18 minutes. Remove pan from heat; add spinach, cover, and let stand, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Using a fork, fluff rice and mix in spinach.
While rice is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in two batches, until browned outside and opaque throughout, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate (reserve skillet); cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Add wine, olives, and raisins to skillet. Cook over medium-high until wine is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cup 1/2 water; cook until sauce is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve chicken over spinach rice, and top with sauce.

Modified for my picky kids:

Make a side of rice, with chicken and raisins

Margherita Pizza

Toppings for Margherita: Olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh chopped basil. Add some parmesan cheese around the edge of the crust.

Sides: Salad

Modified for my picky kids:

They will have their own pizza with store bought sauce and mozzarella.

Recipe By: This Week For Dinner

Slow Cooker: Beef Stroganoff

Recipe By: Martha Stewart

• 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Cooked thin egg noodles
• Chopped fresh dill (optional)

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss beef, onion, and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper. Cover, and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours).
In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture, then sour cream and mustard. Serve beef over noodles; sprinkle with dill, if desired.

Modified for my picky kids:

Noodles with a small amount of butter and a vegetable such as peas, corn or carrots. (or whatever they won’t toss on the floor!)

Grilled Ham and Cheese with Pears

Recipe By: Martha Stewart

• slices of sandwich bread
• 8 ounces Gruyere cheese (I’m using White American & Cheddar Cheese)
• 1 pear, thinly sliced
• 8 ounces deli ham, thinly sliced
• Butter

Layer slices of sandwich bread with melting cheese, 1 thinly sliced pear, and thinly sliced deli ham; top each with bread.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread outside of both bread slices with butter. Cook sandwiches in batches, if necessary, until golden and cheese is melted, flipping once, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cut sandwiches in half and serve hot.

Sides: Carrots, pickles and Baked Lays

Real Simple Lasagna

Recipe & Photo By: Real Simple

• 1 26-ounce jar pasta sauce
• 1 18-ounce bag frozen large cheese ravioli, unthawed
• 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 8-ounce bag shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) grated Parmesan

Modification: I will add part-skim ricotta with the spinach & ground beef

Heat oven to 350° F. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place 12 ravioli on top. Cover with the spinach and half the mozzarella. Add another layer of ravioli and the remaining sauce, mozzarella, and the Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Sides: Salad and garlic bread