Spinach Ricotta Pizza

Trader Joe's Pizza Dough $.99

1 Ball Pizza Dough

1/2 bag frozen spinach

6 oz Whole Milk Ricotta

1/4 cup Milk

1/4 cup Parmesean

Olive Oil, S&P

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees

2. Follow directions on pizza dough to spread and flatten dough (I'm no expert)

3. Place flattened dough on lightly oiled cookie sheet (using the olive oil)

4. Cook Pizza dough for 5 minutes and remove from oven

5. Combine Ricotta, Milk and Parmesean in a saucepan on low heat, stirring until smooth.
6. Thaw and strain spinach well.

7. Top pizza dough with Ricotta mixture, Spinach and finally the Mozzarella like a Rockefella

8. Bake Pizza for another 7 minutes or until cheese is bubbling

Roasted Ribeye, Potatoes, Broccoli & Hollandaise

Ribeye

Hint of Curry Powder
Salt & Pepper

1. Season steak with Curry, S&P
2. Broil for 2-3 minutes a side

Potatoes, prepared this way:
http://circularmeals.blogspot.com/2010/02/acme-hatfield-center-cut-pork-chops-buy.html

Broccoli, steamed

Hollandaise
Most Hollandaise recipes make enough for a dinner party. This is a quick, smaller version for weeknights.

1 egg yolk
1/3 stick butter
1 tbsp lemon juice

1. Combine 1/2 tbsp butter with egg yoke on low.
2. Meanwhile microwave remaining butter
3. Beat in hot butter and lemon juice

Quick Bolognese for 4

1/2 Onion, diced
1 small Carrot, shredded
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 lb Sweet Italian Sausage, skinned
Large Garlic Clove, minced
14 oz can diced Tomatoes
Salt & Pepper (dry Basil optional)
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/2 cup half & half

1. Saute Onions and Carrots in Olive Oil until tender
2. Add Garlic and Sausage. Break sausage into small morsels. Cook on medium until lightly browned, approx 5-10 minutes.
3. Add Tomatoes, Broth and Salt & Pepper.
4. Bring to a Boil, then simmer 10 -15 minutes.
5. Add Half & Half. Heat another minute or so and serve with parmesean over choice of pasta.

Ginger Pork & Cinnamon Prunes, with Pea Shoots, Rice

Sweet Ginger Pork & Cinnamon Prunes

Pork Tenderloin
1 tsp Sugar
½ tsp Ginger
Salt & Pepper
½ tsp Cinnamon
½ cup Prunes


1. Soak Prunes in ½ cup hot water.
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Combine Sugar, Ginger, Salt & Pepper. In a baking pan, rub mixture onto pork loin.
4. Srain prunes and pour reserved water over pork.
5. Cover Prunes with Cinnamon. Tuck prunes underneath the pork loin.
6. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 and bake for an additional 15 minutes


Pea Shoots

Peanut Oil
½ clove garlic, crushed and minced
¼ cup soy sauce

1. Steam Pea Shoots for 2-3 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat peanut oil over medium and add garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Do not brown.
3. Stir in Pea Shoots until fully coated with the oil. Finish with Soy sauce and remove from heat.

Mango Taco Night

I made my taco mix from scratch for a change because Miss Lucy doesn't appreciate much heat.

1/2 lb Ground Beef
1/2 clove garlic crushed, minced
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
Shredded Cheese
Diced Mango
Diced Avocado
Diced Tomato
Taco Shells

After the beef is almost through cooking, stir in garlic and spices and allow to cook for another minute. Then add a half cup water and cook until most of the liquid is gone. Serve with fixings and warm taco shells.

Acme Circular: Shopping Preview

TACO NIGHT for under $8!!

Old El Paso Seasoning $1
Old El Paso Taco Shells $1.29
Avocados 10 for $10
Lancaster Brand 80% Lean Ground Beef 1.99/lb
Acme Shredded or Chunk Cheese $1.99

Spaghetti Bolognese for $4

Acme Long or Short Cut Pasta 5 for $5
Acme Stewed or Diced Tomatoes $.69
Maglio Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage 2 for $5

Fresh Stuff for the Week

W.H. Organic Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs 1.49/lb
Fresh Celery 2 for $3
Fresh Broccoli Crowns .99/lb
Yams 5lbs for $5

OTHER PANTRY ALERTS!

Acme Butter Quarters 1lb 2 for $50
Acme Half & Half $1.99/1 Qt
Pasta Roni 10 for $10
Bisquick 2 for $3

Peanut Butter $1.99
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 1.25
Acme Frozen Chopped Spinach 1.19/box

Coq Biere, Asparagus and Tiny Potatoes

What a discovery this was. I've been experimenting more and more with beer in my cooking and we were thrilled to discover that simply substituting beer for wine with the Coq au Vin basics WORKS! Coq a la biere is little too wordy though...

Acme Perdue Chicken Thighs $1.39/lb

6 Drumsticks (or any parts, we prefer dark meat)
2 Slices Bacon, chopped
1/2 Onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, halved
1 clove Garlic, crushed, minced
1- 2 cups beer (we prefer dark beer too)
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper

1. Place chicken in a large baking dish with a some bacon on top of drumstick.
2. Broil chicken on high for 7-10 minutes or until skin is golden and bacon is crispy.
3. Remove chicken from oven and add remaining ingredients and toss in bacon.
4. Cover pan with tin foil and bake chicken for 45 more minutes at 350.


Steamed Asparagus

Steam these on top of the potatoes



Trader Joe's Teeny Tiny Potatoes

Boil and serve with butter

Mushroom Gnocchi, Green Beans, Hamburger

Hamburger Patty

Hamburger
Curry Powder
Worcestershire
Peanut Oil

1. Season burger with tiny pinch of curry with two drops of Worcestershire.
2. Cook in peanut oil over medium.

Green Beans & Olive Oil

Trader Joe's Plain Gnocchi (Dry) $1.99

Gnocchi, prepared according to package
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup Milk
1 tbsp Butter
Flour
Parmesean
Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper

1. Cover mushrooms with milk, butter, salt & pepper, in a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute, stir and for 1 more minute.
2. Thicken with flour. ( I transferred to a small sauce pan)
3. Serve Gnocchi with Mushroom sauce, Parmesean and some Lemon Juice

Butternut Squash, Black Bean and Spinach Chili

Acme: Bush's Black Beans 10 for $10
Delmonte Tomatoes 10 for $10


1/2 an onion sliced
2 tbsp Olive Oil
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed minced
3 cups cubed Butternut Squash
14 oz can Black Beans
14 oz can diced or crush tomatoes
14 oz can Chicken Broth
half bag of frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
1 tbsp chili powder (or more to taste)
1 tsp cumin

1. Saute onions in olive oil until tender on medium.
2. Then add garlic and Butternut Squash. Cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add chili powder, cumin, and beans. Cook for another minute or so.
4. Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to boil then simmer for 15 minutes uncovered or until squash is tender.
5. Add spinach and cook 1 more minute.
6. Serve with rice, sour cream and grated cheese.

Lamb, Nutty Couscous and Steamed Artichoke

So I cheated last night. With the exception of the Couscous, I just assembled a simple Trader Joe's dinner. But I'm still going to share because my four year old daughter exclaimed in the middle of dinner, "Mommy, thank you so much. This is the most delicious dinner!" Upon which she leaped from her chair and curtseyed. Sometimes the simplest meals are the best...


Trader Joe's Butterflied Lamb
or Acme Lamb Shoulders $1.99/lb (halve cooking time)

Lamb
Fresh Ground Pepper
Mint Jelly

1. The key here is NOT to follow the directions on the package. Broil lamb under high heat for 7-10 minutes per side. Turn of the broiler and leave in the oven until the rest of the meal is finished.
2. Serve with mint jelly


Trader Joe's Globe Artichoke

3-4 Artichokes
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tbsp butter

1. Steam Artichokes in 1 inch of water for 20-25 minutes or until leaves peel off easily.
2. Meanwhile melt butter and whish together with lemon juice and tbsp cooking water from the artichokes.
3. Serve Lemon-Butter as a dip with the Artichokes


Nutty CousCous

1 1/3 cups Israeli Couscous
1/2 cup Pine Nuts
2 tbsp onion, minced
1 tbsp butter
cinnamon (half a stick or 1 pinch of ground)
bay leaf
Zest of half a lemon
1 14 oz can of Chicken Stock

1. Saute onions in butter for 3-5 minutes.
2. Add Couscous, cinnamon stick, 1 bay leaf. Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer covered. 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
4. Stir in lemon zest.

Veal Scallopini with Mushrooms & Ratatouille

Friday Night Icebox Review: Exact Recipe TBA

Veal Scalloppini

Veal Cutlets
Mushrooms, quartered
Big splash of White Wine

Some Flour

Butter

Salt & Pepper

1. Pound Veal (should almost double in size). Dredge with flour.

2. Heat butter over medium high. Saute Veal for 1-2 minutes a side. Remove from pan.

3. Deglaze pan with wine, scraping bottom.

4. Microwave mushrooms for 60 seconds. Add to pan. Cook on medium for 1-2 minutes.

5. Mix in 1 tsp flour. Cook 1 more minute.

Ratatouille

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 Onion, sliced
2-3 small Eggplants, chopped and salted for 20 minutes
14 oz can Stewed Tomatoes
1 bunch of Swiss Chard, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic, crushed and minced
1/2 tsp dried basil (or 1 tsp fresh)
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
Ground Pepper


1. First chop and salt eggplant before preparing the other ingredients
2. In a large saucepan heat olive oil on medium. Add onions and cook until soft 7-10 minutes
3. Add eggplant and garlic and toss until full covered with oil. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until eggplant is tender.

FREEZER ALERT!!

Acme: Turkey Hill Ice Cream 3 for $10

Chicken with Artichokes & Baked Yam

Acme: Perdue Split Chicken Breasts $1.99/lb
Cento Artichoke Hearts: 2 for $5

1 14oz can of Artichoke Hearts, drained and halved
1 14 oz can of Chicken Broth
1/2 a medium onion, sliced
2 chicken breasts (with bones and skin)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 a lemon

1. Place chicken in a large baking dish with a pat of butter on top of each breast.
2. Broil chicken on high for 5 minutes or until skin is golden and crispy
3. Remove chicken from oven and add broth, artichokes, and onions to the pan. Salt & Pepper to taste (n.b. I always use fresh ground pepper). Cover pan with tin foil (or cookie sheet for eco people) to keep everything moist.
4. Bake chicken for 45 more minutes at 350.


Acme: Southern Yams 5lbs for $5

1-2 Yams
Sour Cream or Butter to taste

1. Poke a few holes in the top of your yam. (If you forget it might burst at the botton like our did last week and carmelize on the bottom of your oven)
2. Place in the lower rack and cook while making the recipe above. Should be roughly an hour.
3. Slice horizonally and serve with dairy condiment of choice (ricotta works too)

PANTRY ALERT!!

Acme: College Inn Chicken and Beef Stock .79/can thru 2/18

Lemony Asparagus

Acme: Fresh Asparagus 1.99/lb

Lemon Juice and Zest of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp Peanut Oil
1 lb Asparagus

1. Boil salted water in a shallow pan
2. Add asparagus and cook 1 minute
3. Drain and add peanut oil to the pan, keeping the heat at medium
4. Saute the cooked Asapargus until tender
5. Finish with Lemon juice and zest

Roasted Pork & Potatoes with Sage & Garlic

Acme: Hatfield Center Cut Pork, Buy 1 Get 1 Free

3 Pork Chops
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large clove Garlic, crushed and minced
1 tsp fresh Sage, minced
1 lb potatoes, 1/2 inch cubes with skins
Salt & Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. In a large baking dish, toss potatoes with 2 tbsp Olive Oil, the Garlic, Salt and Pepper to taste, and spread out flat in the pan.
3. Roast potatoes for 20 minutes
4. Meanwhile, slash each chop 3 times and stuff with the fresh sage and remaining Olive Oil. Salt & Pepper to taste.
5. After the potatoes have been in for 20 minutes, remove them from the oven, toss them to prevent any sticking and re-coat with hot olive oil. Place pork chops on top of the potatoes and put the pan back in the oven for another 25 minutes, lowering the temperature to 350 for the remaining time.