Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Cranberry pork roast, mashed potatoes and green beans

Tuesday:  Spag bol and salad

Wednesday: Minestrone soup and grilled cheese

Thursday:  Cabbage rolls (didn't make last week)

Friday: Eating out
 
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Red Curry Spaghetti Bolognese

I couldn't wait to try this recipe from Wholesome Cook, even though I didn't have all the ingredients on hand this curried bolognese was great. The original recipe was made with pork and veal mince and has peas and broad beans, I only had beef mince so I went with that and left out the peas and beans. I wasn't disappointed at all, and it was so easy to make and much quicker than a traditional bolognese. 

1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp chinese five spice
3 tbsp red curry paste
8 oz spaghetti

Cook the spaghetti to package directions.

Brown the beef in a large pan along with the chopped onion, drain. Add the five spice, curry paste and tomatoes and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in the cooked spaghetti and serve.

Frikkadels - South African Meatballs

As soon as I saw this recipe over at Manilla Spoon I knew I had to try it.  I love anything curry and baked curried meatballs sounded great and looking at the ingredients I knew that Randal and I would love it. Mine didn't thicken up as much as I would have liked, but we both loved this and will definitely be making this again.

2 lbs ground beef
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp mango chutney
2 eggs
1/8 cup rice vinegar
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 onions, chopped
6 garlic cloves
1 can coconut milk
3 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 325.

To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of oilve oil in an oven proof pan, add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk, canned tomatoes, curry powder, brown sugar and a tsp of salt.  Leave to simmer.

To make the meatballs, combine the beef, oatmeal, chutney, eggs and spices into large 2 inch meatballs. Add to the sauce, cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Bolognese ravioli, salad and garlic bread

Tuesday:  Herb roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and fresh green beans

Wednesday: Cherry pepsi ribs, mac and cheese and corn

Thursday:  Cabbage rolls

Friday: Eating out
 
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Benihana Fried Rice

I have made this copy of Benihanas fried rice from Running in Stilettos many times, I don't know why I never posted it until now. The original recipe is made with chicken and we have made it that way and also with shrimp.  This time though I needed to use up some leftover char siu pork, which made for a delicious fried rice.

2 oz cooked chicken (I used pork this time)
8 oz cooked rice
2 eggs
2 tbsp onion, chopped
2 tbsp carrot, chopped
2 tbsp green onion, chopped
2 tbsp peas
1 tsp sesame seed
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

Scramble eggs in a small pan, set aside.

Stir fry the vegetables, ginger and garlic for a few minutes.  Add the meat and scrambled eggs and stir together.  Add the rice, sesame seeds, soy sauce, butter, sesame oil and salt and pepper, stir fry for another few minutes.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Pork fried rice, egg rolls

Tuesday:  Tacos

Wednesday: Spag bol, garlic bread and salad

Thursday:  Cream cheese chicken enchiladas, spanish rice

Friday: Eating out
 
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Asian Barbeque Pork (Char Siu Pork)

Time for another Secret Recipe Club reveal.  This month I was asigned Angela's kitchen.  Angela's blog features recipes that are all wheat, gluten and dairy free.  I spent a lot of time searching through all the great recipes that Angela has, as I have never had to really think about preparing gluten free meals before. My youngest brother actually is gluten free, but I left England when he was 4 years old (he is 15 now) so I wasn't around when he was diagnosed and to see how being gluten free affects him and the rest of the family.

While I was searching through the recipes on Angela's blog, I found this recipe for Asian Pork Roast, which was fantastic because I already had char siu pork on the menu plan for the following week, which is a hoisin marinated pork that is roasted in the oven until it is sticky and sweet and so good.  I did change some of the quantities of ingredients from Angela's original recipe, just based on other recipes for char siu that I had seen and for our preferences, but it turned out fantastic and we would definitely make this again.

Boneless pork roast
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 drops of red gel paste

Preheat oven to 375. Line a roasting pan with foil.

In a blender combine all the marinade ingredients and blend until smooth.  Place pork in a plastic bag and pour over the marinade. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove pork from the marinade and place in the roasting pan.  Brush with marinade and bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and baste with remaining marinade and roast for another 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Red chicken curry with butternut squash, jasmine rice and naan bread

Tuesday:  South African braised meatballs, egg noodles

Wednesday: Beef enchiladas, spanish rice

Thursday:  Sweet and sour chicken, jasmine rice, egg rolls

Friday: Eating out
 
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie

Apple Pie Bars

It's time for another Crazy Cooking Challenge.  I didn't take part in last months, because the theme was Ranch dressing and neither Randal or I like ranch, so I am happy to get back to the challenge this month. 


The theme for October is apple pie, which was a little scary for me at first, because I don't really make apple pies (or any kind of pie really!) so after looking around at many other food blogs, I decided on the apple pie bars from Cooking Classy.  These bars were really easy to make, the pastry came together in just a few minutes and I made the apple filling while the pastry rested in the fridge.  Randal and I both really liked these apple pie bars, especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pastry:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
12 tbsp salted butter, cubed
1/4 cup +2 tbsp buttermilk
1 egg yolk

Filling:
6 granny smith apples
2 1/2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 egg white
1 1/2 tbsp  sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla Glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Cut butter into flour, add the buttermilk and egg and mix together until it forms a ball.  Cover and refrigerate while you make the apple filling.

Peel, core and dice the apples, add to a large mixing bowl along with the orange juice and vanilla.  In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix flour mixture with the apples and set aside.

Divide the pastry dough in half and roll out both pieces to a 13x9 rectangle.  Place one piece of dough in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish, top with the apple mixture and cover with the second piece of dough.  Brush the top with the egg white and sprinkle over the cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 50-60 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.  Remove from oven and leave to cool.

To make the vanilla glaze, combine the icing sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

Once the bars have cooled, slice into squares and drizzle with the vanilla glaze.

Vegetable Lo Mein

I made these noodles to go with chinese bbq pork (I'll be posting that recipe soon).  We both really loved this lo mein recipe and would definitely make this again.

Lo mein noodles

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

5 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1 cup sugar snap pea pods

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

Cook noodles according to package directions.

In a small bowl, mix the hoisin sauce, chicken broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the ginger for 30 seconds. Then add the onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, peas and carrots and stir-fry 2 minutes.  Add the cooked noodles and the sauce, turn the heat down and stir fry for anotherminute or two.

Menu Plan Monday

This is bake sale week, so all our meals this week are very quick and easy, as I'll be in the kitchen baking chocolate biscoff cupcakes, key lime cupcakes, lemon cream cupcakes, chocolate peppermint cupcakes, coconut cupcakes, peanut butter truffle mousse cheesecake, pineapple carrot cake and pumpkin spice truffles. 

Monday: Chicken tikka, jasmine rice, naan bread

Tuesday:  Beef stroganoff

Wednesday: Chicken enchiladas, rice

Thursday:  Spanish hamburgers

Friday: Sausage casserole
 
See other menu plans over at Organizing Junkie