AN APPLE A DAY- HOMECOOKING MENUS AND RECIPES

365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE – MAKING COOKING AT HOME EASIER

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

WEEKNIGHT MENUS – NO. ONE

Don't let the Christmas rush keep you from preparing healthy meals at home for your family. You want everyone healthy and feeling fine when the big day arrives!  This article might help eliminate some of the stress of meal planning during such a busy season.

If you can manage to do so, cooking at home is always healthier, tastier and more enjoyable.   I would like to encourage you to make that a healthy goal for 2017!  Even if you are not cooking especially for health, just having the natural ingredients that you produce yourself instead of buying pre-packaged and boxed items to cook from or making the even worse choice of fast food will drastically improve your chances for better nutrition.

I like to create weekday meals from simple yet delicious recipes that I've gathered over the years from here and there and everywhere.   One of the hardest parts of cooking at home is planning out the menus, knowing what ingredients you must have on hand to cook them, and then chasing down your favorite recipes which might be scattered around a million places over your home and office.  These upcoming columns are about putting those recipes together in one place, having workable menu selections for each day and having a quick reference to the ingredients needed.  I’ve tried to simplify that process for you in these easy to cook, already planned and coordinated menus and recipes I am just beginning to post in this blog section under the sub-title of  MAKING COOKING AT HOME EASIER.  These articles will be like sub-sections to the 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE blog posts.  

All of these menus may not be perfectly healthy menus, depending on what you are trying to accomplish in your daily diet.  You will need to monitor and add and subtract according to your own needs and goals.  The healthy part of these choices is that they will be HOMEMADE BY YOU from pure natural ingredients that you have hand picked yourself.  That change alone is an improvement in health for most people.  

The other healthy part of this column is that it will cut down on the stress of meal planning for you.  Eliminating stress is always healthy!  

So when you see a menu you like; print it out, three-hole punch it and stick it into a binder that will eventually turn into a new cookbook!  Your binder will eventually be filled with delicious new meal plans and recipes if you keep it up every week.  Just select the menu that suits you for the day and purchase the ingredients and cook.  What could be easier?  I’ve done the planning for you.  I’ll probably be posting these now every MONDAY, so look for them on Mondays in the IN SEASON blog at dancinginseason.blogspot.com.  This is my free gift to you for 2017 – Merry Christmas and enjoy!

HELPFUL INFORMATION:

Sometimes I make my desserts ahead of time on the weekends and serve from them all during the week, and sometimes we are only eating desserts on the weekends and watching our calories during the weekdays.   On those days I just leave off the dessert from the menu and buy for the other recipes.  Add or subtract with whatever fits your situation.  You will not want to make EVERY dessert, but I've included on in most every menu, just in case you do.  

NOTES ABOUT TODAY’S MENU:

I think you will like today’s choice of an entrée for your meal if you are trying to eat healthy. 

The recipe is actually a copy-cat recipe from one of our favorite restaurants.  If you haven't been to Taziki's yet; you are missing a treat!  Go!  They also have a great take-out meal plan if you do not have time to cook.  Just call ahead and order and pick up a whole family meal at the end of the day.   They have great healthy choices, unlike most take-out restaurants. 

The bread recipe I’ve included in today's menu is an old family favorite I often use on special occasions.  It disappears quickly!  It is NOT low-cal!   I just leave this recipe off if I’m avoiding eating bread (which is most of the time) and I serve the bread recipe with this meal on special occasions.  It is a great combination if you need something fast and easy to cook for an unexpected guest at dinner time.  

If you want a little something extra to go with this when you decide to eliminate the bread and dessert, just serve up some very cold green lettuce on the side with a homemade salad dressing, and you will be right on track and you will also be completely satisfied at the end of your meal.  If you are eating for nutritional value I suggest you make the salad out of watercress.  See the nutritional value of water cress here:  http://dancinginseason.blogspot.com/2016/07/an-apple-day-knowing-value-of-foods.html.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe is one of those recipes that you will CRAVE in the winter.  I start wanting to taste it around Thanksgiving and my craving for it lasts right through Christmas time. If you have a day on your diet when you can eat whatever you want, try it; you will love it!

So today’s menu is:  Savory Party Bread, Mr. Traziki’s  Pasta Special and Pumpkin Cheesecake

SAVORY PARTY BREAD

Ingredients:

1 Unsliced round loaf of sourdough bread (1 pound)

1 pound Monterrey Jack Cheese

½ cup Butter, melted

½ cup chopped green onions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut bread width wise into 1-in. slices to within 1/2 in. of bottom of loaf. Repeat cuts in opposite direction. Cut cheese into 1/4-in. slices; cut slices into small pieces. Place cheese in cut sections.  In a small bowl, mix butter, green onions and poppy seeds; drizzle over bread. Wrap in foil; place on a baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Unwrap; bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

MR. TAZIKI’S SIGNATURE PASTA SPECIAL

(This is the copy cat recipe for Taziki's Friday night special that we all love so much)

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

 3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon shallot, minced

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Juice from one lemon

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ cups blended olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

6 cups mixed lettuce

1 ½ pounds penne pasta, cooked

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, grilled and cubed

2 cups feta cheese crumbled

3 tomatoes seeded and diced

1 handful fresh basil chopped

To make vinaigrette: Mix thyme, shallots, balsamic vinegar, lemon, sugar, Dijon mustard. Slowly whisk in oil. Add salt and pepper.

For Pasta/Salad:  Place about 1 cup mixed lettuce on each plate. Toss cooked pasta with 12 ounces (or to taste) vinaigrette.  Toss grilled chicken with 6 ounces vinaigrette.  Spoon approximately 3 cups pasta onto lettuce, then add chicken.  Top with diced tomato, feta cheese and fresh basil to taste.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

(I collected this recipe from  Kent Rathbun of Abascus Restaurant and it is delicious!)  Makes12 servings

12 ounces granulated sugar

2 ½ pounds cream cheese

5 each whole eggs

11 ounces pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon corn starch

4 ounces sour cream

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon ginger, ground

½ teaspoon cloves, ground

1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Directions

1.  Place the sugar in a large mixer with paddle attachment.  Add cream cheese and mix until smooth, scrape the bowl.

2.  Add the eggs slowly with the mixer on the first speed. Very important not to over beat the eggs into the mixture because will cause cheesecake to souffle and break.

3.  As the eggs are being incorporated scrape the sides of the bowl to keep mixture very smooth.

4.  Add pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cornstarch, sour cream, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg , scraping the bowl between each addition. Never allow mixture to be beaten.

5.  Pour into prepared pans or molds and bake in a 275 degree oven. Use water bath when possible, allow to bake until middle is set and slightly souffléd.

6. Turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to fall in the oven slowly, then allow to cool to room temperature before placing in the cooler. (Cheesecake will crack if placed in the cooler when too warm.)

7.  Once chilled thoroughly then can be un-molded. (Warm sides of the mold with a torch and cake should slide out)

Gail's Tip:  I always turn the oven off and allow the cheesecake to sit for an hour, then I crack the oven door about one inch and allow it to sit another hour.   I take it right from there and wrap in plastic and store in the refrigerator until time to place on serving dish.   This keeps the cheesecake from cracking and deflating before you serve it.   They always turn out pretty this way.   I don't use a torch myself to unmold, though it would probably be a good idea.   I've found that spring-formed pans work great!