Lenten Soups Week 1

This week we have started our Lenten soup adventure again!  I must say I look forward to it even though it is supposed to be a time of simplicity and fasting and penitence.  It is sacrificial while also being very renewing!  Plus it make life in my kitchen a lot easier!

So the plan for this year is

Monday through Thursday soups, Crock soups for busy days

Fridays saved for fish (or pizza if I don't get to the fish store) ;)

Feast on Sundays and Feast Days

We are trying to do meatless soups on Mondays and Wednesdays to be even more budget conscious and to compensate for the fact that Rose prefers beans and lentils to meat most days (unless it is filet or salmon and then she eats like a trooper!)

Week 1 Menu

Ash Wednesday

Barley and Hearty Vegetable

(no recipe because I bought it from Costco)

very good, but too much spice for the kiddos

Crusty Garlic Bread

Thursday - crockpot

Chicken Corn Chowder

(adapted from Kimberly's recipe)

my adaptations did not go great.  It was tasty, but not as good as last year!

Friday

Pizza from Jets

Saturday - crockpot

Vegetarian Gourmet Bean Blend Chili

Corn Bread

Sunday - feast

We will be eating or carrying out as Daisy has a meet late on Sunday.

Monday - crockpot

Slow Cooker Tomato Tortellini Soup

Herbed Pita Chips

Tuesday

Hearty Chicken Soup and Vegetables

Whole Grain Biscuits

Wednesday

Black Bean and Avocado Soup

Cornbread

My recipes come from a variety of sources.  My favorites are from other blogs which I credit by linking to their blog.  Other favorites are from Rachel Ray's magazine (a feast for your eyes) and the menu planning website www.relishrelish.com and of course my own personal recipes!

Vegetarian Gourmet Bean Blend Chili
Rinse and soak 3 cups of dried beans (I used a mixed bean blend with peas, beans and lentils) in 9 cups of cold water while prepping rest of recipe.  Drain.
Add 2 cups chopped onions, 2 diced red bell peppers and 6 cloves of diced garlic to crock pot. 
Add 2 T chili powder, 2tsp dried oregano, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste).
Add soaked beans and 6 cups of water (or broth).
Add 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes. (I used frozen ones from summer harvest)


Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours until beans are tender.
Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with sour cream, green onions, cilantro and/or grated cheese.

Tomato Tortellini Soup serves 4+

4 cups of vegetable broth
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 cup marinara sauce or any jarred pasta sauce
1 yellow onion , chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 T Italian seasonings
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 9-ounce package fresh, cheese-filled tortellini
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

[1] In a slow cooker, combine broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, garlic and salt and pepper.

[2] Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. 20 minutes before serving, add tortellini and cook on low. If soup seems too thick, add water to thin. Garnish with cheese.

Do not leave tortellini too long or it will fall apart. :)

Hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes  1/4 cup butter 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces   coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 white onion , chopped 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/2 cup all purpose flour 4 cups chicken broth 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes , scrubbed and cubed 4 carrots , peeled and cut into coins 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and snapped in half 4 stalks celery, sliced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon white pepper per serving: 503 calories; 61 grams protein; 16 grams total fat; 6 grams fiber; 8 grams saturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 167 mgs cholesterol; 1024 mgs sodium; 12 WW points plus // nutrition is based on a 6 oz boneless chicken breast		[1] Melt butter in a large heavy soup pot over medium high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. While chicken is cooking, chop vegetables. [2] Add onion and garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add flour and stir until chicken is coated. Add chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, beans and celery and stir to combine. [3] Add oregano, basil, thyme, poultry seasoning, cumin and white pepper, and more salt and black pepper if desired. Bring to a boil, then cook at a strong simmer, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until vegetables are fork tender.

Black Bean Soup with Avocado

• 3 15 ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 ups canned low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

[1] Combine 3 cups of the beans and 1 cup of the broth in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

[2] In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a dash of salt and pepper, stirring frequently until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and boil until reduced, about 3 minutes.

[3] Add the bean puree and the remaining broth and the rest of the beans. Simmer until hot, about 5 minutes. 

[4] Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, lime juice and another dash of salt and pepper. Mix gently and set aside. 

[5] Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the avocado salsa. Place a dollop of sour cream next to the avocado.

Food for the Gods

That is Greek food for the ancient Greek gods. During this year, we have really enjoyed ending our history units in certain areas with a dinner that included food from that time or area. As we finished up our Ancient Greece unit today we had a feast to expose everyone to some new Greek flavors and foods. Today’s menu was actually many things we would have eaten regularly at home, but the goal was to get them to connect the time period with the foods and flavors, the culture and the geographic area. So as the ancient Greeks might have been more likely to eat camel than chicken, chicken is what I had and what the kids will eat, so chicken is what we served. I see this as a very practical application of our history study.
There were some great sources online for ancient Greek food and lots of yummy looking recipes to try in the future! Metric measurements can get tricky, but there are online measurement conversion tools to use.
http://www.greek-recipe.com/static/ancient/index.html

Plus I have to mention this fabulous Greek food blog from SAM SOTIROPOULOS.

Loukoumades - Official doughnut of the ancient Greek Olympics

He has so many great recipes, tips and insights that I really enjoyed. Plus he has a whole set of ancient Greek recipes. Most of them I did not have the time or correct ingredients to make, but I will try them later. My favorites were the history of the Greek pancake: Tiganites and I really want to try the official ancient Olympic doughnut: Loukoumades. The great thing about his blog is that he serves up a healthy dose of history with his recipes!

So for our feast, we had the following:
Meze (appetizer) Honey Marinated Feta
From My Greek Recipes
This recipe for honey marinated feta cheese is 4000 years old and found engraved on old stone slabs at Crete. It comes from Aud Thorstad, who runs cooking classes in her home, a restored mill in the village of Hamalevri at Crete - check out Kretamat.
You need:
• 200 gram/7oz feta cheese
• 50 ml/2oz honey (Aud uses liquid Cretan honey, while I tried with honey from Thassos - and it worked well)
• Two table spoons olive oil
• One tea spoon thyme
• 100 ml/4oz walnuts
• Black olives
Mix the ingredients for the marinade. Add cubed feta cheese. Mix carefully and leave for at least half an hour.
Serve as meze.

Entrée: Marinated Grilled Chicken With White Wine, Garlic and Lemon (from Food.com and the June 2006 issue of Coup de Pouce)
with Orzo Pasta
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon black olives, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 )

Yogurt and Garlic Sauce
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

• 1 In a glass dish not too deep, mix all ingredients, except the chicken breasts and yogurt and garlic sauce. Add chicken breasts and flip to coat well. Cover the dish with a plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.
• 2 Set the barbecue to medium-high heat. Put chicken breasts on a greased grill (keep the marinade), close the cover of barbecue and cook for about 7 minutes (baste the chicken breasts with the marinade a few times). Flip the chicken breasts and keep cooking for about 5 minutes or until the chicken is golden and not pink inside. Serve with yogurt and garlic sauce.
• 3 Yogurt and Garlic Sauce : In a bowl, mix yogurt with sour cream, parsley, garlic. Add salt and pepper. Cover and put in fridge for at least 4 hours.

Cook up some orzo pasta as a side!

Veggie: Briami (Roasted Greek Vegetables)
from Ultimate Guide to Greek Food
You could use any vegetable/herb combos, but this is what we did!
Ingredients
6 large tomatoes
3 medium potatoes, peeled
3 medium red onions, peeled
3 medium zucchini
2 sticks celery
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
120 - 150ml olive oil
salt, pepper
Preparation

Oil a large baking tray.
Thinly slice all the tomatoes and place half of them in a single layer on the bottom of the tray.
Cut the potatoes and onion into wedges.
Slice the celery into 2 or 3cm lengths.
Slice the zucchini lengthwise in half and then slice into 2 or 3cm lengths.
Add these vegetables on top of the tomatoes.
Place the other half of the sliced tomatoes on top.
Over the tomatoes, sprinkle the crushed garlic and chopped herbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle the olive oil all over the top.
Place the baking tray, uncovered, in a hot oven and bake for about 40 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven, stir the vegetables so they are all mixed well with the tomatoes and herbs.
Return to the oven and cook until the roasted vegetable are cooked.
This will depend on your oven, but allow approx 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Serve.



Ancient Honey and Sesame Fritters
NOTES
It is amazing how little this recipe has changed 1800 after. The Roman Physician Galinos (129 – 99 ac) describes in his book this sweet with many details.
Source:The Classical Cookbook, Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger.
Excelent source regarding Ancient Greek cuisine
Greek : Αρχαίες τηγανήτες με μέλι και σουσάμι
Serves / Yields : 4 persons
Season:All season
INGREDIENTS
• 120 gr flour
• 225 ml water
• 2 spoons honey
• Oil for frying
• 1 spoon (15 gr) baked sesame seeds
METHOD
Mix the flour, the water and one spoon of honey and make a dough. Heat 2 spoons oil in a frying pan and pour ¼ of the mixture. When it thickens turn it upside down 2 -3 times to fry it in both sides. Prepare 3 more fritters following the given instructions. Serve them hot, pour over the rest of the honey and dredge sesame seeds over them.

Dessert: Portokalia me Meli: Orange Honey Dessert
From Nancy Gaifyllia
In Greek: πορτοκάλια με μέλι, say: por-toh-KAHL-yah meh MEH-lee
Fresh fruit is a favorite Greek dessert, sweet snack, and a great addition to the breakfast table. It's delicious served alone, but you can dress it up with a drizzle of fabulous Greek honey. Whether you slice the oranges or separate them into pieces, this 1-2-3 recipe (one step, two ingredients, three minutes) adds a lovely touch.
Ingredients:
• oranges (or clementines)
• Greek thyme honey (or other honey of your choice)

 .
• OPTIONAL
• ground cinnamon
Preparation:
Peel the oranges, break into pieces (or slice), arrange on a serving dish, and drizzle with honey.
Optionally, add a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Done!

Kali Orexi! Bon Appetite!

Week 4 and 5 Lenten Menus

So here is the rest of our Lenten soup plan up to Holy Week.

Thursday
Chicken Corn Chowder
Thanks again to Kimberly from Catholic Family Vignetttes for the recipe.

Friday - FISH DAY
Some kind of salmon baked

Saturday
Great Northern Ham and Bean Soup


1 pound new potatoes, quartered
4 carrots , peeled and sliced
1 white onion , chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 15-ounce cans great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked ham, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

[1] In a slow cooker, mix together the potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, beans, broth, ham, seasoning and salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
[2] Just before serving, mix in the parsley and olive oil.

Sunday - FEAST DAY
Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Monday
Cheesy Vegetable Chili
(one of our absolute favorites)

olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 t garlic, minced
1 zucchini, chopped
2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice
2 cans of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 qt of sliced mushrooms
1 bag of frozen corn
1 T of chili powder, to taste
shredded cheddar cheese for garnish

Saute onion, pepper and garlic in olive oil til onion is translucent.  Add chopped zucchini, tomatoes, beans, mushrooms, corn, and chili powder.  Simmer til all is hot.  (about 20 minutes or so).  Serve with shredded cheddar as a garnish. :)

Tuesday
Leftovers

Wednesday
Gourmet Chicken Chili


1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 white onion , chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 dash hot sauce
2 15-ounce cans great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 bag of frozen shoepeg corn
3 tablespoons lime juice

[1] In a slow cooker, mix together the onion, garlic, broth, cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt and hot sauce. Add the chicken.
[2] Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
[3] Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and, using two forks, shred into pieces. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir in beans, corn and lime juice. Cover and cook on high for 15-20 minutes or until the beans and corn are hot. Serve immediately.

Thursdays

Leftovers

Friday
FISH DAY

Saturday
Robust Vegetable Soup


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
1 white onion , chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, UNDRAINED
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
1 bunch Swiss chard, cleaned and torn
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

[1] In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic and celery and sauté until limp, about 5 minutes.
[2] Place ½ cup of the beans in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the bean mixture to a large soup pot.  Add the vegetable broth, the rest of the beans, tomatoes, chiles and the mushroom mixture from the skillet.
[3] Add the chard and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chard is tender. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh Parmesan.


Sunday
FEAST DAY
Lemon Roasted Chicken

Monday
Leftovers

Tuesday
2 Bean Butternut Chili


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 white onion , coarsley chopped
3 garlic clove(s), minced
1 butternut squash , peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch
chunks
1 red bell pepper , ribs and seeds removed, cut into 1-inch
chunks
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup water
1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

[1] In a Dutch oven or large saucepan with a lid, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add squash, bell pepper, and chile powder; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add water. Cover and simmer until vegetables are crisp-tender,
about 7 minutes.
[2] Stir in tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon; add pinto beans, black beans, cilantro, and 1/2 cup water, adding more water if needed. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and cook until lightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
[3] Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into serving bowls and sprinkle with more cilantro.
Note: add more chipotle chile powder, to taste.


Wednesday
Slow Cooker Taco Soup


1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 red onion , chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
1 1-ounce envelope ranch dressing mix
2 11-ounce cans corn, undrained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, undrained
1 15-ounce can black beans, undrained
2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained
1 12-ounce can light beer
1 1/2 cups water
TOPPINGS
1/4 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 2.25-ounce can sliced black olives
4 green onions , chopped

[1] Cook the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain.
[2] Combine the meat mixture and taco seasoning with the ranch dressing mix, corn, pinto beans, black beans, tomatoes, beer and water in a slow cooker.
[3] Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Serve warm with the toppings.


Thursday
Hearty Lentil Soup


2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion , chopped
2 carrots , peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cups dried lentils
4 cups water
4 cups vegetable broth
1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups fresh spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

[1] In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, cumin and basil; cook for 2 minutes.
[2] Stir in lentils, and add water, broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts.
[3] Stir in vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper, and more vinegar if desired.


Friday
FISH DAY

Saturday
Leftovers

WHEW!  Holy Week, here we come!

Week 3: Lenten Menus

So week 3 is already over.  I can't believe we are this far in.  So far, pretty good.  We do not eat as much as I originally thought, so we have had quite a few leftover nights.  But that's ok because we are using up our food, throwing less away, eating healthier and NOT EATING OUT!

Last week, our menu consisted of the following:

Black Bean Soup with Avocado (pretty yummy)
Curried Pumpkin Soup (also quite good)

(Recipes here.)

Then the week consisted of the following:

Thursday

Sirloin Chili  

(delicious!, but too spicy for picky littles)

2 pounds sirloin, cut into ½-inch strips

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 large sweet onion, chopped

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1½ teaspoons paprika

2 tablespoons brown sugar

3 cups beef broth

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

2 15 ounce cans of Ranch beans

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Flour tortillas

GARNISH:

1 red onion, chopped

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup cilantro, chopped

[1] Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add sirloin strips and season with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides, remove the meat from the pan, and drain any accumulated fat.

[2] Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the pot and add the onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, paprika, and brown sugar, stirring until the onions begin to soften and the spices become aromatic, about 7 minutes.

[3] Stir in the beef broth, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stir in the meat

and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for at least 1⁄2 hour, longer if you have time. Fold in the beans and add salt and pepper to taste.

[4] Wrap the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven or wrap in a damp paper towel in the microwave to heat.

[5] To serve, top chili with red onion, cheese, and cilantro.

KID-FRIENDLY ADAPTATION:

If your kids won’t eat chili, make them cheese quesadillas.

For extra protein, add a little sirloin from the chili.

Friday- FEAST of the ANNUNCIATION

Rotisserie Barbecue Ribs from Costco

Fridays are always a busy night. :)

Saturday

Father Daughter Cherry Blossom Ball

so the big girls had dinner out with Daddy

Sunday - FEAST DAY

Birthday Celebration for Jack with the Blue Oven Bakery Crew.

Monday

Southwestern Chicken Soup 

(also very yummy, but not spicy enough AND we REALLY like avocado!)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

⅔ cup green pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 jalapeño, seed and minced

1 15-ounce can chicken broth

1 15-ounce can hominy, drained

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 teaspoons chili powder (SURPRISE I was out of chili powder, so I tried to improvise)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1 avocado, diced

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

cooking spray

[1] Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper garlic and jalapeño, cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes.

[2] Add broth, hominy, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

[3] Serve in warm bowls garnished with avocado and cilantro.

Tuesday

Leftovers

Wednesday

MORE Leftovers (we really needed to eat up) :)

Menu Planning Week 2

Since this week it is warm and sunny, we will be adding salad to our soups instead of sandwhiches and trying to lighten up a little!

Last week went GREAT!  Having the soup plan made life so much easier!  Winners: The Tomato Tortellini was a big hit.  The Pork Tenderloin with Blackberries was so tender and juicy.  The Beef Stew was yummy and will be seen again as our St. Patricks' Day soup tonight :),  but the biggest winner was the Mexican Pork with Sweet Potato Stew.  YUMMY..Everyone enjoyed and it only took about 45 minutes to make!  We skipped the Tortilla Soup on Saturday due to youth group and a time crunch, but one week down and NO RESTAURANT MEALS sounds like success to me!

For this week, we initally planned on Winter Vegetable Soup, but the 70 degree temps outside have not enticed me to make it, so Beef Stew Leftovers with Guinness tonight!

Friday - FISH DAY

Broiled Tilapia with Avocado Salsa

Steamed Broccoli

• 1 1/4 lbs of tilapia
• 1 yellow bell pepper diced
• 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 red onion, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 2 avocados, diced
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T ground coriander
• 1 whole lemon, wedged for garnish

1] In a medium bowl, stir together the bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lemon juice (save the rest of the lemon for the garnish), jalapeño and a little salt. Add the avocados and toss gently to combine, refrigerate until ready to use.

[2] Preheat the broiler. Rub the fish with olive oil, sprinkle with coriander and salt and pepper. Broil for 5-6 minutes until just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve fish topped with salsa and garnished with lemon wedges.

Saturday 

Leftovers

Sunday

FEAST DAY ????

Waiting to see what is on sale.

Monday

Black Bean Soup with Avocado

• 3 15 ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 ups canned low-sodium vegetable (or chicken) broth
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• ½ cup dry sherry
• 2 ripe avocados, cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1 mango, peeled and cut into cubes
• ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
• Juice of 2 limes
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

[1] Combine 3 cups of the beans and 1 cup of the broth in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

[2] In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a dash of salt and pepper, stirring frequently until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry and boil until reduced, about 3 minutes.

[3] Add the bean puree and the remaining broth and the rest of the beans. Simmer until hot, about 5 minutes.

[4] Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, lime juice and another dash of salt and pepper. Mix gently and set aside.

[5] Spoon the soup into bowls and top with the avocado salsa. Place a dollop of sour cream next to the avocado.

Tuesday

Curried Pumpkin Soup

• 1 15-ounce can of pumpkin (not pie filling)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup very white onion, minced
• ½ teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 15-ounce can vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup toasted coconut

[1] Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook until softened but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add pumpkin, broth, 2 CUPS WATER, bay leaf, curry powder, sugar, nutmeg and salt. Stir until well combined.

[2] Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cream and heat gently.

[3] Serve garnished with toasted coconut.

1st Week of Lenten Recipes

Our soup adventure has begun. Here are the recipes for our first week of Lent.

Peruvian Quinoa Stew serves 6

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, cubed
1 cup vegetable broth
2 t ground cumin
2 t chili powder, or to taste
1 t ground coriander
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 t dried oregano
1 t coarse salt, to taste
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped

[1] Rinse quinoa.

[2] Place quinoa in pot with the water, and cook on medium low heat about 15 minutes until soft, and water is absorbed.

[3] While quinoa cooks, in a covered pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

[4] Add the celery and carrots and continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

[5] Add the bell pepper, zucchini, tomatoes, and broth.

[6] Stir in the cumin, chili powder, coriander, cayenne, and oregano and simmer, covered for 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

[7] Stir the cooked quinoa into the stew and add salt to taste. Top with cilantro and serve immediately.


Tomato Tortellini Soup serves 4+

4 cups of vegetable broth
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 cup marinara sauce or any jarred pasta sauce
1 yellow onion , chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 T Italian seasonings
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 9-ounce package fresh, cheese-filled tortellini
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated


[1] In a slow cooker, combine broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, garlic and salt and pepper.

[2] Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours. 20 minutes before serving, add tortellini and cook on low. If soup seems too thick, add water to thin. Garnish with cheese.

Do not leave tortellini too long or it will fall apart. :)


Chicken Tortilla Soup, serves 4

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 white onion , chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic clove(s), chopped
1 3/4 cups beef broth
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 jalapeño pepper , chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 10-ounce can Rotel tomatoes with chilies, undrained
2 firm avocadoes , cored and chopped
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, shredded

[1] Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Drop in the chicken breasts and boil for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Drain chicken in colander and let cool. Remove skin and shred or cube the meat.

[2] Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic in oil. Pour into the medium pot you used for chicken. Add beef and chicken broth, tomato sauce, cumin, chili

powder, jalapeno(to taste), salt, Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes and chicken. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

[3]  Garnish with more tortilla strips, avocado slices

and cheese.

NOTE: garnish with green onion and sour cream if you have it on

hand.

Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce serves 4

1-2 lbs pork tenderloin
2 Tablespoons olive oil
cooking spray
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup seedless blackberry jam
1 Tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 orange
1 Tablespoon of flour
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

[1] Rinse pork and pat dry. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spray large OVEN PROOF skillet with cooking spray and place on the burner over medium high heat. When pan is hot, add pork and brown well on all sides, approximately 5 minutes.

[2] Set pan in the oven and bake until meat is no longer pink in center, about 15-20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 145 degrees. Using an oven mitt, remove from the oven. Transfer meat to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

[3] Place skillet with drippings over medium high heat. Add beef broth, blackberry jam, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon zest from the orange and simmer for a few minutes. If sauce is too thin, add a littleflour to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[4] Slice tenderloin into medallions and drizzle with sauce. Garnish with orange slices.


Beef Stew, serves 4+

1½ pounds sirloin, cut into 2 inch cubes
½ pound new potatoes
12 pearl onions, peeled
½ pounds baby carrots
1 15 ounce can beef broth
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
½ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

[1] Place potatoes, onions and carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker and place the beef on top of vegetables. In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, oregano, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Pour over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours.

[2] 15 minutes before serving, combine cornstarch and cold water. Gently stir cornstarch mixture into stew. Add parsley just before serving.

Lenten Menu 2011

After reading Kimberly's post over at Catholic Family Vignettes, I am totally inspired to revamp our eating habits this Lenten season.  Kimberly has lots of great recipes and ideas posted, so be sure to check out her blog including her fasting bread which sounds delicious and I plan to make as soon as we finish up this banana bread made yesterday.

We seem to be running a lot around dinner time and despite efforts to plan, I either can't get dinner made or get the food bought to make the dinner, so by 6 o'clock we are discussing where we are going to eat way too often.  This is not only costly, but also unhealthy to our bodies and our spirits!  Therefore the idea of soup for supper during Lent inspired me as a way I can manage dinner, we can eat whenever we need to, and it should be a simpler, more cost effective way to meal plan!

So the plan goes like this:  soup for supper Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  Since my Sweetheart likes a hearty meal, we will alternate meat based soups and vegetable/bean based soups.  Also since he and my girls are big fish fans, we will still do fish on Fridays, maybe visiting the parish Fish Fry a couple times, but this too gets very pricey.  Since my family is not too large and my girls are still small, we will plan a leftover night every 5 nights or so in order to use up the inevitable leftover food from the previous nights before spoiling.  And finally Sundays will be our family FEAST night to celebrate as a family with a hearty meat meal.  As soon as I figure out how, I will post our Lenten meal calendar but here is the first week's plan for now:  (Recipes to follow this afternoon).

Ash Wednesday

Peruvian Quinoa Stew

Toasted Herb Bread

Thursday

Leftovers

Friday

Slow Cooker Tomato Tortellini Soup

Herbed Pita Chips

Sliced Pears

Saturday

Tortilla Soup

Green Salad with Mexican Dressing

Sunday:  FEAST!!!

Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce

Glazed Carrots

Homemade Applesauce

Monday

Beef Stew

Fresh Whole Wheat Rolls and Green Salad

Tuesday

Leftovers

Wednesday

Mexican Pork and Sweet Potato Stew 

(thanks to Kimberly at Catholic Family Vignettes for the recipe)

Tortilla strips and salsa

The Recipes: