Menu Plan Monday

Spring is here!  What does that mean...for me- cleaning out the pantry and freezer for various reasons.  Here is my plan for this week so I am not caught off guard.  Since we are moving in the next three weeks or so, I am picking meals that we can use up pantry items and freezer items - less to pack is my method.....

• Panko Chicken Fingers, Roasted Red Skin Potatoes, Green Beans with Garlic
• Chicken Tortilla Soup, Quesadillas, Corn (recipe following)
• Stir-Fried Pork with Green Beans, Brown Rice (recipe following)
• Roasted Turkey Breast, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
• Freezer Clean-Out (misc. bags of conveinence foods), Fresh Fruit Bowl
  

Chicken Tortilla Soup (adapted from Food Network Kitchen Easy Cookbook)

2 Tbls. vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 chipotle chile en adobo, minced

1 Tbls. chili powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
1 cup corn kernals, fresh or frozen
1 ripe tomato
1 cup shredded chicken
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup fresh squeezed limes juice (2 limes)
corn tortillas chips/lime wedges (optional)

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, chipolte, chili powder, and salt, cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, and bring to a boil, bring down and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add corn and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Pull the saucepan from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, chicken, cilantro, and lime juice.  Serve and top with chips/lime juice.  This is a fast and easy recipe!

Quesadillas - easy, quick, and served as a side with soup

1 flour tortilla per person
Cheddar/Jack or Mexican blend cheese
Queso Blanco (white latin cheese)-optional
Southwestern seasoning
Salsa/Sour Cream

Layer ingredients on one side of tortilla.  Fold over tortilla and press down.  Grill, oven bake or pan fry the quesadilla until desired done-ness or until cheese is melted.

Stir-Fried Pork- stir-fries can take a few extra steps, but worth the time with all the flavors.  If you have your ingredients prepped you can be sitting down to dinner in less than 30 minutes, start to finish.  Chicken and Shrimp could be substituted, however, the pork stays jucier.

1 lb. pork tenderloin, cubed
3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and greens separate)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-1 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 T soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. corn starch
1 tsp. sherry
1 tsp. dark sesame oil
5 T. peanut oil
1 lb. sugar snap peas or green beans
Kosher Salt
fresh ground pepper
1 T. Hoisin Sauce
hot cooked brown rice/Jasmine rice

Toss the pork with the scallion whites, half the garlic, half the ginger, the soy sauce, sugar, 1 tsp. of the corn starch, the sherry, and the sesame oil.  Marinate at  room temperature for 15 minutes.  Mix the remaining 1 tsp. of cornstarch with 2 T. water.

Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add 1 T. of the peanut oil and heat.  Add the beans and the remaining garlic and ginger; stir-fry until the beans are crisp, but stay bright green.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour into a large bowl.

Heat the skillet over high heat again and add 2 more tablespoons oil.  Add haf the pork mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste, and stir-fry until lightly brown, about 2 minutes.  Add the first atch of pork to the beans.  Repeat with the rest of the oil and pork.  Return the beans and pork to the pan.  Add the hoisin and the cornstarch mixture.  Cook until the juices thicken, about 1 minute.  Mound the stir-fry on a serving platter or divide onto 4-6 plates.  Scatter the green onions over top and serve with hot rice.  Yummy!