dinner

Foodie: Another Week, Another Menu

Posted on by michelleglogovac

whats-for-dinner

I’m not sure if the days are getting shorter or if due to the fact that I have an 8 week old baby that the days all blend together. Either way, it’s a new week and therefore time for a new menu! We’re still working on incorporating healthy meals for dinner, so I’m performing my search of usual websites for ideas and recipes. This weekend, I’ll be cooking for our family of four (Baby D doesn’t get to eat at the table yet!), so those meals will be kid-friendly! 

Tuesday – Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (I love buffalo chicken sandwiches, so this twist of not using a carb-loaded bun is perfect!)

Wednesday – Original Joe’s Special (OJ’s is a famous restaurant in downtown San Jose and this is their classic dish.)

Thursday – Steak Stir Fry with Peppers

Friday – Shrimp Tacos with Corn and Black Beans (No recipe for this one, just making it on the fly. I’ll add cilantro, avocado and taco seasoned sour cream.)

Saturday – Pineapple Pork Chops and Miso Sweet Potatoes (This is a BBQ meal!)

Sunday – Meatball Sub Sandwiches and Broccoli Slaw (I make an Asian peanut sauce for the slaw that the family loves.)

Monday – Creamy Artichoke Chicken

 

Foodie: Grandma’s Grape Leaves

Posted on by michelleglogovac

Almost 8 years ago I met my future mother-in-law and she left a mark on me that I’ll carry forever. She was a mother of 6, including a set of twins who didn’t stop her from having her next 4 kids, worked full-time and had a set dinner menu every week. She was a force to be reckoned with and fiercely loved her family. lamb-and-rice-stuffed-grape-leaves_400X400

Working from home has given me many benefits, including being able to attend functions for my stepchildren and spending quality time with my mother-in-law. We used to go grocery shopping together which is when I got to enjoy what I referred to as “Virginiaisms”. She would refer to Nob Hill grocery store as “Hob Nob” and those “New York Potatoes”…yeah the Yukon Golds. Those memories and the quality time we spent together are etched on my heart and in my mind forever. 

When we found out that Virginia had cancer, we came together as a family and spent every weekend together. My husband wanted us to spend a day with Virginia learning how to make her Lebanese grape leaves, so the four of us were lucky enough to perfect this dish and learn from the master. 

We started making this an Easter tradition but have since make it throughout the year. It’s time intensive but very worth it. One more trick from Grandma Virginia is to put a toothpick in your mouth when you cut the onion to prevent tears…it works!

Grandma Virginia's Grape Leaves
Serves 10
Lebanese grape leaves filled with rice and ground lamb
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 45 min
Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 45 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 jar of grape leaves (rinsed and de-stemmed)
  2. 3lbs ground lamb
  3. 3 cups white rice (1 cup per lb of lamb)
  4. ½ onion (large, chopped)
  5. 2 large garlic cloves (chopped)
  6. 1 8 oz can tomato sauce
  7. 8 oz water (rinse tomato can and use water from rinse)
  8. 2 tsp all spice (ground)
  9. salt and pepper for taste
  10. Lemon (do not include in mixture)
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Lay out grape leaves flat and place a small handful of the lamb mixture in the center. Roll the leave by folding in the sides, tightly. In a large stock pot, place the rolled grape leaves starting at the edge of the pot in a ring and layer. Cover the rolled leaves with water, one inch above the last layer of grape leaves. Squeeze lemon juice into water. Place a plate on top of the leaves to keep them down and place the lemon half on top of the plate. Cover with the lid pot, bring to a boil, then simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until done.
  2. Serve with plain Greek Yogurt.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/

Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Alfredo

Posted on by michelleglogovac
Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Alfredo
Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Alfredo

I’m a huge fan of one pot meals. What’s easier than throwing all of your ingredients into one pot and letting it meld into perfection? Not only that, but then you only have one pot to wash after dinner…that makes for a perfect weeknight meal! I tried this recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Alfredo last week and we thoroughly enjoyed it. 
DSC_0927For the pasta, I had orecchiette on hand and would suggest adding more broth and milk at the end since this is a thick pasta. This dish was tasty and the spinach not only added color, but also
some iron. It was easy enough for a weekday meal and came together quite quickly.

 

Roasted Red Pepper & Sausage Alfredo
Serves 4
One Pot Meal
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
25 min
Total Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb Italian sausage
  2. 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  3. 1 tablespoon olive oil
  4. 1½ cups milk, plus ¼ cup for the sauce
  5. 1½ cups chicken broth, plus ¼ cup for the sauce
  6. 1 (16 oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and pureed (you can do this in a food processor or blender)
  7. 8 oz goat cheese
  8. ½ cup grated parmesan
  9. Salt and pepper, to taste
  10. 3 handfuls fresh spinach
  11. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  12. 12 oz pasta of your choice, I used 17 oz orecchietta
Instructions
  1. Remove the casing from the sausage and discard the casing. To do this, simply cut along the side of the sausage with a sharp knife and peel off the pierced casing with your fingers.
  2. In a large pot or high-walled pan, saute the sausage meat with the garlic and olive oil over medium heat, until browned.
  3. Stir in chicken broth, pureed roasted red pepper, milk and pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 12 minutes. If the liquid has all been absorbed, add the additional milk and chicken broth.
  4. Stir in spinach, 1 handful at a time, and cook until wilted and hot.
  5. Stir in the goat cheese and parmesan. Continue to stir until melted. Remove from heat and serve.
Adapted from Michelle Glogovac
Adapted from Michelle Glogovac
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/

 

8 Dinners and 2 Desserts

Posted on by michelleglogovac

As the weekend wrapped up, I sat down on Sunday night and started my weekly menu planning. My step kids have spring break right after Easter, so my goal was to plan ahead into next week. As I’ve said before, my weekly menu consists of dinners for just my husband and I and meals for the entire family. Below are the 8 meals I’ll be cooking in the coming week and 2 desserts which I’ll be bringing to our family Easter celebration. I’ll post pictures of how they turn out, what we liked best, and my adaptations to the recipes. For now, here are the meals and links to the original recipes! 

Weekly Menu
Weekly Menu

Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Herb Butter Sauce over Pasta

Salmon with Balsamic Parmesan Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes

Short Rib Ragu over Polenta

Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Alfredo

Swedish Meatballs, Mashed Potatoes and Grape Salad

Grandma’s Grape Leaves (this is a family recipe)

Chicken Tetrazzini

Shrimp and Grits

Blueberry Pie

Mini Cheesecakes

 

Recipe: Semi-Homemade Marinara Sauce

Posted on by michelleglogovac
Spaghetti
Spaghetti

Last summer, we grew tomatoes and ended up with an overabundance, so I was busy creating recipes for salsa, marinara sauce and much more. I made a delicious spaghetti sauce that can be found on TeeWii from scratch. The tomatoes are long gone now but that doesn’t mean we aren’t craving some good spaghetti in my house. I’m a fan of taking a bit of pre made ingredients and recreating them to make your own delicious concoction.

Sauce Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients

Using tomato sauce from the grocery store is absolutely allowed. Simply add your own ingredients to make the sauce your own. I usually have some sort of fresh herbs in the fridge or growing in the garden, so whatever you have on hand works. Today I happened to have oregano (leftover from the pasta salad) and used that, in addition to the staple herbs I keep on hand. Get creative and use whatever you have in your pantry and fridge!

Michelle's Semi-Homemade Marinara Sauce
Serves 4
An easy spaghetti sauce that is semi-homemade.
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 15 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb spaghetti
  2. 2 25 oz cans tomato sauce
  3. 6 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1 T dried basil
  5. 2 T Italian seasoning
  6. 3 T fresh oregano, chopped
  7. 2 T tomato paste
  8. 2 t garlic powder
  9. T extra virgin olive oil
  10. 1/4 cup red wine (use a good wine that you would drink)
Instructions
  1. In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil and garlic until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours.
  2. Prepare pasta as directed. Drain and add sauce to pasta. Keep warm and let sit for up to two hours.
Notes
  1. I like a lot of sauce with my pasta but I find that if you add it right away and serve it, then it tends to be too saucy. By letting it sit before serving, the pasta soaks up the sauce and makes it thick.
My Simplified Life http://www.mysimplifiedlife.net/