Menu Plan Monday

Well, this whole week looks like it's going to be 3H (Hazy, Hot and Humid) I know that today and tomorrow it's supposed to be in the 100's too. Mom brought down her old grill yesterday, but we haven't set it up yet so I've planned on skillet meals. I'm hoping that the temperature will go down a bit so I can grill towards the end of the week. Our grill is on the back porch which gets the sun all day, so when it's been hot all day, the last thing I want to do is stand out there and grill. I figure I can always broil those recipes and we'll be fine (I'll use the toaster oven so as not to heat up the house).

I had outpatient surgery on Thursday, and I forgot (or don't remember since I was on pretty heavy drugs after my liver surgery) that since I'm a difficult intubation that the way they have to intubate me, it leaves me with a majorly sore throat. I didn't eat real food until Sunday evening. So even though I had made bread and soup for Thursday night, I didn't feel like eating it, and hubby had to go out and buy me gelatin and pudding to eat. I couldn't even handle canned chicken noodle soup if that tells you how bad it was. I am still a little sore and coughing. Right now it's like I've got a cold, with my nose still running a bit (They had to use a naso-gastric tube too) and I'm still coughing and my throat is slightly sore. I'm still not up to wanting to eat or drinking, but with the heat, I'm making myself. Good thing we at least have A/C.

For more menu ideas, visit I'm an Organizing Junkie: http://orgjunkie.com/2008/06/menu-plan-monday-june-9th.html

Monday: Picadillo (Cuban ground beef with raisins and olives - I'm using ground turkey)
Tuesday: Aloo Gobi (Indian curried cauliflower with potatoes-I didn't make it last week)
Wednesday: Ranch-Style Eggs over Polenta (From WW From Pantry to Plate cookbook)
Thurs: Tuna Steaks with Wasabi Ginger Glaze (from Cooking Light June 2008)
Friday: Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze (From Cooking Light June 2008)

Ranch-Style Eggs over Polenta
Serves 4

16 oz tube prepared polenta cut into 12 (1/2 inch) slices
15 1/2 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup jarred chunky salsa
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 large eggs
1/2 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange the polenta slices in a single layer on the baking sheet. Spray the polenta lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until hot, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the beans, salsa, and cumin in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered about 10 minutes.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Crack the eggs into the skillet and fry until the yolks just being to set, 2-3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle the eggs with the cheese and cilantro. Cover the skillet and let stand until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

To serve, place 3 polenta slices on each of 4 plates. Spoon the beans over the polenta, and top with an egg. Serve at once.

Per serving: (3 slices polenta, 1/2 cup beans, and 1 eggs): 301 cal, 9 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 215 mg chol, 945 mg sod, 37 g carb, 6 g fib, 19 g prot, 177 mg calc. POINTS 6

Instead of frying the eggs, they can be poached or scrambled if you prefer.
From: WW From Pantry to Plate

Tuna Steaks with Wasabi-Ginger Glaze
Add jasmine rice and steamed fresh asparagus to complete the meal. Chinese-style hot mustard has a sharp, spicy bite and can be used in place of wasabi paste. The glaze would also pair well with salmon, chicken thighs, or pork.

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks (1 inch thick)
2 tablespoons ginger marmalade (such as Dundee)
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Spoon 1 tablespoon soy sauce over fish; let stand 5 minutes.

2. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, ginger marmalade, and 2 teaspoons wasabi paste in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Spoon marmalade mixture over tuna; cook 1 minute or until medium-rare or until desired degree of doneness. Remove tuna from pan; sprinkle with cilantro.
Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 steak and 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 281(7% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.6g); IRON 1.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 98mg; CALCIUM 37mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.7g; SODIUM 397mg; PROTEIN 51.4g; FIBER 0.1g


Grilled Chicken with Sriracha Glaze
Dense, bone-in chicken leg quarters benefit from long, slow cooking over indirect heat. The less intense heat also prevents the sweet glaze from burning. Customize the glaze according to what you have on hand; try pineapple preserves or apple jelly in place of mango jam, for example, or hot pepper sauce instead of Sriracha. Serve with a simple slaw of cabbage, carrots, lime juice, and sugar.

2/3 cup mango jam
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (12-ounce) bone-in chicken leg-thigh quarters, skinned
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. If using a gas grill, heat one side to medium-high and leave one side with no heat. If using a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals on either side of charcoal grate, leaving an empty space in the middle.

2. Combine mango jam, chives, vinegar, and Sriracha, stirring until smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup mango mixture; set aside.

3. Brush oil evenly over chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

4. Carefully remove grill rack. Place a disposable aluminum foil pan on unheated part of grill. Carefully return grill rack to grill. Place chicken on grill rack over unheated part. Brush chicken with about 2 tablespoons remaining mango mixture. Close lid; grill 90 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 165°, turning chicken and brushing with about 2 tablespoons mango mixture every 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Drizzle chicken with reserved 1/4 cup mango mixture.

Wine note: This dish's tropical fruit flavors and spicy heat are ideal for gewürztraminer, a popular grape of Germany and France. The mango and apricot flavors of the highly aromatic Hugel gewürztraminer 2006 ($20) echo those of the glaze, while a slightly sweet lychee nut character helps to balance the heat. —Jeffery Lindenmuth


Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 leg-thigh quarter and 1 tablespoon mango mixture)
Nutritional Information

CALORIES 326(29% from fat); FAT 10.4g (sat 2.3g,mono 4.7g,poly 2.1g); IRON 4.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 154mg; CALCIUM 102mg; CARBOHYDRATE 18.2g; SODIUM 515mg; PROTEIN 38.7g; FIBER 2.7g

Elizabeth Karmel , Cooking Light, JUNE 2008

(hlloyd01261972@aol.com)
Very easy. We used boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of the thigh-leg quarters, so we did not have to grill as long as the recipe states. Really liked the spicy-sweet taste of the glaze. Would be great for an informal gathering. 05/26/08