Whats your dinner menu this week?

↑ racheleezzy ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:07 am

momaholic... thanx for the suggestion! how do u make the spahgetti squash ive never cooked wth it before

↑ momaholic ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:25 am

racheleezzy wrote:

momaholic... thanx for the suggestion! how do u make the spahgetti squash ive never cooked wth it before

I got this from recipezaar.com, I always cut it in half and bake it in the oven but you can do what works best for you.

(BAKE IT).
Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish.
Cook squash in preheated 375°F oven approximately 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until flesh is tender

(BOIL IT).
Heat a pot of water large enough to hold the whole squash.
When the water is boiling, drop in the squash and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on its size.
When a fork goes easily into the flesh, the squash is done.

(MICROWAVE IT).
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds.
Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water.
Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash.
Add more cooking time if necessary.
Let stand covered, for 5 minutes.
With fork "comb" out the strands.

(SLOW COOKER or CROCK-POT).
Choose a smaller spaghetti squash (unless you have an extra large slow cooker) so that it will fit.
Add 2 cups of water to slow cooker.
Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer, add to Crock Pot, cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.

Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn't already) and removing the seeds. Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands, You can do these steps ahead of time, then prepare any of the spaghetti squash recipes whenever the mood strikes.

↑ racheleezzy ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:29 am

are the strands mushy or they hold up nicelt to whatever you put on them...

↑ ra_mom ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:30 am

Those are some great ideas.
You can also make spicy baked butternut squash fries.

↑ momaholic ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:32 am

racheleezzy wrote:

are the strands mushy or they hold up nicelt to whatever you put on them...

depending on how long u cook it the softer it gets but, I dont think it gets mushy. I have only made it with meatballs but, my mother cooks it with tomatoes and makes a great veg dish out of it.

↑ racheleezzy ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:36 am

wow sounds awesome im gonna try it thank you

↑ Seraph ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 2:07 pm

Tuesday: Rice and peas and souo
Wed: Scottish Haggis (stew made with animal parts and oats) with neeps and tatties (mashed potatoes and mashed turnips)
Thurs: Wheatmeat chickpea cutlets and russian salad
Sunday: Veggie lasagna with white sauce
Monday: Chili with ric

↑ sarahd ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 2:20 pm

Seraph, haggis is supposed to be stuffed into a sheep's stomach. Were you authentic??

↑ sarahd ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 2:26 pm

Sunday: adults had wieners, french fries and veggie sticks, kids had pizza sandwiches and veggies
Monday: bagels with lox spread, mushroom barley soup
Tuesday: tuna-vegetable-potato casserole, carrot and cucumber sticks
From here on it will get more impressive because we're having a house guest...
Wednesday: carrot soup, stuffed peppers, rice and green beans
Thursday: split pea soup, teriyaki salmon, bulgur and broccoli

Last edited by sarahd on Wed, Feb 03 2010, 3:18 am; edited 1 time in total

4ofus ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 3:27 pm

ra_mom wrote:

Sunday: tacos with toppings
Monday: roasted chicken, oven baked orzo, roasted zucchini
Tuesday: one bowl chicken meatball soup with vegetables and tri-colored pasta
Wednesday: honey garlic beef stew in crockpot
Thursday: hot dogs, buns, toppings

Sounds yum! Do you mind posting the recipes for oven baked orzo, one bowl chicken meatball soup with vegetables and the honey garlic beef stew in crockpot. Thanks!

↑ ra_mom ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 4:41 pm

tweiss86 wrote:

ra_mom wrote:

Sounds yum! Do you mind posting the recipes for oven baked orzo, one bowl chicken meatball soup with vegetables and the honey garlic beef stew in crockpot. Thanks!

Thanks!
I used Paddington Bear's recipe for orzo. It was delicious. I am still playing around with it though.

orzo
1 cup orzo
2 - 2-1/2 cups water
1 red pepper, diced OR 1 large carrot, grated
1 tomato, diced OR 1/2 container grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 can mushrooms OR 2 tsp parsley flakes
2-3 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 garlic powder
1/8 onion powder

Bake tightly covered at 350-375 for about 1 hour.

(Next time I think I will toast the orzo with the spices and oil in the oven first for 10-15 minutes. Then add the veggies and water and bake. I will let you know how it comes out like that.)

chicken meatball soup with pasta
1.5 lbs. ground chicken
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 small onion, grated
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
1/8 tsp black pepper

1 onion, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
4 mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, whole but cut into
1 bay leaf (optional)
water
salt to taste

1 (12 oz.) pkg. tri-colored spiral pasta, cooked

Combine chicken ball ingredients and form into little meatballs. Set aside.
Saute onion and carrot until soft. Add mushrooms.
Place meatballs in pot. Add water.
Bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 hour.
Season with salt to taste. Add pasta.

honey garlic beef stew
2 lbs. meat, cut into cubes
5 carrots (3/4 lb.), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into chunks
6 small red potatoes (2-1/2 lb.), quartered
1 cup honey garlic sauce OR barbecue sauce OR thick teriyaki sauce, divided
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen peas (or use 2/3 of a 1 lb. bag)

Layer carrots, onions and potatoes in bottom of 5-qt. slow cooker; top with meat.
Pour 3/4 cup sauce over meat. Cover with lid.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours (or on HIGH 5 hours).

Stir in peas and remaining sauce; cook, covered, 15 minutes or until heated through.

honey garlic sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp honey
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1-1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Combine soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey and garlic. Heat mixture in a small pot. Dissolve cornstarch in orange juice; stir into simmering sauce. Add sesame oil. Cook until bubbling and thickened.

(Note: all of these recipes are approximate because I tried them for the first time this week.)

↑ sbs ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 5:08 pm

monday: sloppy joes and macaroni
tuesday: chicken and rice on the stovetop
wednesday: teriyaki salmon and mashed potatoes

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 6:36 pm

We realized we have way too much pasta stocked up, so unfortunately I'm going to be using a lot of it...
Sunday -- chicken stir fry (chicken, garlic, walnuts, chickpeas, and broccoli seasoned with seasoned salt and orange juice) and turmeric rice
Monday -- tuna casserole (tuna, whole wheat rotini, mushroom soup, mixed veggies)
Tuesday -- ground meat, macaroni, tomatoes cooked with tomato sauce in pot
Wednesday -- baked ziti
Thursday -- unstuffed cabbage

↑ Seraph ↓

Tue, Feb 02 2010, 10:24 pm

sarahd wrote:

Seraph, haggis is supposed to be stuffed into a sheep's stomach. Were you authentic??

I was authentic enough to stuff it in my crock pot. I used gizzards and chicken kidneys and animal fat (shmaltz, not suet). Is that close enough to authentic?

↑ sarahd ↓

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 2:44 am

I think it's supposed to be sheep innards. The Scots aren't all that big on chicken - or they weren't when haggis was invented.

↑ Tries2BGoodMom

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 2:56 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Hi, we also have tons of pasta in the house. Can you tell me how you make ground meat, macaroni, and tomatoes in pot? That sounds delicious and so kid-friendly!

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 6:27 am

TriesToBePerfectMom wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Hi, we also have tons of pasta in the house. Can you tell me how you make ground meat, macaroni, and tomatoes in pot? That sounds delicious and so kid-friendly!

Easy shmeasy as anything. It's my lazy supper Wink

Brown meat in bottom of pot that you grease (I used olive oil).
When it's browned, add can of tomato sauce, can of water, diced tomatoes (you can use canned if that's what you have -- that's what we did when I was growing up, or you can take real tomatoes and chop them up), I've added in a can of beans before (baked beans also work if that's what you have though they are not nearly as healthy -- but still more protein Tongue Out

), I put other veggies sometimes like corn or cauliflower or whatever I'm in the mood of, spices (my family likes using onion soup mix which I'm not such a big fan of -- there are MSG free ones; I will dice an onion and use that with onion powder and garlic powder instead...I also put in a generous helping of oregano), and then enough macaroni or shells to fit in the liquid. Cover. Cook on low until the pasta is done, stirring frequently or else it will stick to the bottom.

↑ racheleezzy ↓

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 7:12 am

momaholic... just wanted to thank you, the spahgetti squash came out fabulous, and dh even ate it also!

↑ momaholic ↓

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 7:29 am

racheleezzy wrote:

momaholic... just wanted to thank you, the spahgetti squash came out fabulous, and dh even ate it also!

so glad you enjoyed it! I got the idea from my s-I-l.

↑ Seraph ↓

Wed, Feb 03 2010, 11:28 pm

sarahd wrote:

I think it's supposed to be sheep innards. The Scots aren't all that big on chicken - or they weren't when haggis was invented.

I do the best I can. It tasted pretty darn good, even if it wasn't 100% authentic.
Sheep's stomach, chicken stomach, sheep innards, chicken innards- the taste can't be that different, can it?