March 23-28, 2009

Monday: Chicken Caesar Salads

Tuesday: Chicken Enchiladas

Wednesday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, & Rolls

Thursday: Left Overs

Friday: Lasagna, Corn, & Bread

Saturday: Smothered Pork Chops served with Egg Noodles
Cooks Country Cookbook pg. 349

Dessert: Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce

Snack: Banana Bread w/ chocolate chips

Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef
1 dry onion soup mix packet
½ cup Ketchup
1 egg
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard
½ cup dry breadcrumbs (I use the Progresso Italian Style Breadcrumbs)

Mix all ingredients together, form in pan, and bake.

Oven temp: 350 Degrees Time: 1 hour

Smothered Pork Chops
Cook's country cookbook p. 349
Serves 4

("Make sure the chops are quite dry before browning them to prevent sticking and to promote the best crust. The pork chops pair well with a variety of starches, which you will want to soak up the rich gravy. We liked them best with simple egg noodles, but rice or mashed potatoes also taste great.")

4 slices bacon, diced
3 T. all-purpose flour
1 3/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 T. vegetable oil
4 bone in rib loin pork chops 1/2 - 3/4 in thick
Salt and pepper
2 onions, halved and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. minced fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

1. Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until lightly browned and the fat is rendered, 6-7 min. Remove the browned bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a small plate. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gradually stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, making sure to work out any lumps that may form. Continue stirring constantly, reaching into the edges of the pan, until the mixture is light brown, 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken broth in a slow, steady stream while vigorously stirring. Reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat until shimmering, 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, pat the chops dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the chops in the pan in a single layer and cook until a deep brown crust forms, about 2 minutes. Turn the chops over and cook for another 2 min. Remove the chops from the pan and set aside on a plate.

3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and 1/2 t. salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, and scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, until the onions soften and begin to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Return the chops to the pan in a single layer and cover each chop with onions. Pour in the warm sauce, add the bay leaves, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the meat is tender, about 30 minutes.

4. Transfer the chops to a warmed plate and cover with aluminum foil. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens to a gravy-like consistency, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and adjust the seasonings as desired. Cover each chop with a portion of the sauce, sprinkle with the reserved bacon, and serve immediately.

Banana Bread
Martha Stewart

1 Stick of Butter, softened
1 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2 C Flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 C. Mashed Bananas
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C Nuts (optional or substitute for chocolate chips)

Cream together butter, sugar, and eggs. Add dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt. Add vanilla, bananas, and nuts or chips. Mix completely and pour into greased loaf pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.