Parmesan Pork Chops (Taste of Home)

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
* 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 4 boneless pork loin chops (3/4 inch thick and 6 ounces each)
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

* In a shallow microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the Parmesan cheese, flour, Italian seasoning, parsley and pepper. Dip each pork chop in butter; place in bag, one at a time, and shake to coat.
* In a large skillet, cook pork in oil over medium heat for 7-8 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Yield: 4 servings.

Balsalmic Chicken Sandwiches (Jessica Seinfeld)

My family LOVES this meal!

Ingredients

 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

 ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

 ¼ cup whole-wheat flour

 3 tablespoons olive oil

 3 cloves garlic, minced

 1 cup low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth

 ½ cup balsamic vinegar

 6 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar

 ½ cup broccoli puree

 6 large slices tomato

 6 ciabatta rolls, or 6 large slices crusty Italian bread 

½ cup grated part-skim mozzarella

Cooking Directions

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a sheet of waxed paper. Toss the chicken chunks in the flour and coat completely. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and garlic. Decrease the heat to medium and continue to cook until the chicken begins to brown and the garlic becomes fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center. Add the puree and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until the flavors are well blended.

4. Place the bread on a large baking sheet. Top each with a tomato slice. Divide the chicken between the 6 pieces of bread and top with mozzarella. Bake until the cheese is melted and edges of the bread are crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.

For the Broccoli Puree

Cut broccoli into florets and steam for 6 to 7 minutes. Florets should be tender but still bright green. (If they're an olive green, they're overcooked.) Puree using a food processor or blender for about 2 minutes. May need a few teaspoons of water, for a smooth, creamy texture.

Scrambled Egg Muffins (Jessica Seinfeld)

Serves 4

* Nonstick cooking spray
* 4 slices nitrate-free turkey bacon
* 3 large egg whites
* 1 large egg
* 1/2 cup chopped, low-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and drained
* 1/4 cup nonfat (skim) milk
* 4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; place bacon on prepared baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg whites, egg, chickpeas, and milk. Coat 4 cups in a 6-cup standard muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Divide egg mixture evenly among prepared cups. Remove bacon from oven and cut with kitchen shears or thinly slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Sprinkle bacon over eggs and top each with 1 teaspoon Parmesan.
3. Transfer to oven and bake until eggs puff and are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove egg muffins from muffin pan and let cool slightly before serving.

Shrimp Bisque (Tyler Florence)

Serves: 4-6

* 1.5 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
* Extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 1eeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and rinsed well
* 1 onion, halved
* 2 stalks celery, cut into big chunks
* 2 carrots, cut into big chunks
* 3 sprigs fresh thyme
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 strips orange zest
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1/4 cup brandy
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 4 cups heavy cream
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* Finely grated orange zest, for garnish
* Finely chopped fresh chives, for garnish


SHRIMP BISQUE
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and melt 3 tablespoons of the butter into it. Then add the shrimp shells, the leeks, onion, celery, carrots, 3 sprigs thyme, the bay leaf, orange zest, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring every now and then, until the shells are red and the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Take the pot off the heat and carefully pour in the brandy. Ignite the brandy with a long kitchen match and let the alcohol burn off. Return the pot to the heat, sprinkle in the flour, give it a stir, and cook for another 2 minutes. Now add water to cover and deglaze, scraping up all the browned bits on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low and gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened, 30 to 45 minutes. Strain into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper.

Chop the shrimp. Return the bisque to a simmer, add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes just to cook the shrimp through. Give the bisque a final taste for seasoning, pour it into warmed soup bowls and serve garnished with the orange zest and chives.

1/16/11 - 1/29/11 Menu

Breakfast:

Scrambled Egg Muffins x2
Cranberry Muffins/yogurt x2
French Toast Sticks/fruit x2
Cereal/fruit x2
Starbucks Scones/yogurt x2

Lunch:

Cheese Quesidillas/fruit/veg x2
PB & J/fruit/veg x2
Deli Sandwhiches/fruit/veg x2
Nuggets/fruit/veg x2
Mac-n-cheese/fruit/veg x2
*if we have leftovers from dinner, we will have it for lunch. :)

Dinner:

Sunday - Chicken Cannelloni/bread/salad

Monday - Parmesan Pork Chops/broccoli/rice

Tuesday - Beef and Broccoli Stir fry/rice

Wednesday - Lasagna/bread/corn

Thursday - Sausage Pepper Subs/fruit/veggies

Friday - night out!

Saturday - Pizza Rolls

Sunday - Lunch Crockpot Chicken/Potatoes/Carrots Dinner - Tacos

Monday - Shrimp Bisque/bruschetta

Tues - Balsalmic Chicken Sandwhiches/Mac and Cheese/Raw Veggies

Wed - Fish and Chips

Thurs - Spaghetti and Meatballs/Bread/Salad

Friday- Date night

Saturday - Cheeseteak Pizza