Menus
Mo's Menus
Mo’s Famous Granola Bars…
Slowly heat on stovetop: 16 oz. of smooth peanut butter, 8 oz. honey & 1/2 cup coconut oil until smooth. Set aside to cool. In a separate (large) bowl toss 32 oz. gluten-free oats, 2 tablespoons cinnamon & 1 cup diced walnuts. Blend the peanut butter mixture into the oats and stir until it looks like “cookie batter.” Blend in 1 12 oz bag of chocolate chips. Press into a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for two hours. Take them out and carve out the bars~yum!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Spring Cleansing Roasted Vegetables with Cranberry compote:
Line 3 cookie sheets and chopped kale, chopped onion & butternut squash, and brussel sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil, freshly ground pepper and kosher salt. Bake in oven at 400 for 12/15 minutes (kale cooks fast so take this out first…) Allow everything to cool and put into individual containers with sprinkled (frozen) edamame and corn. Pack in your lunch and it will defrost in your lunchbox or microwave it with grilled chicken for dinner!
Cranberry compote:
Put 1 bag or fresh cranberries in bowl with a splash of water and squeezed lemon (about 1 lemon). Microwave for 4 minutes. Stir and/or mashed it a bit so that some cranberries stay whole or just a little cut up. Then stir in 1 chopped green apple, and 1 orange slices. The hot cranberry "sauce" will slightly cook the orange and apple to give it a tangy sweetness. No sugar at all is necessary….
I put 1/2 cup cranberry compote with the salty roasted vegetables and then even a little parmesan cheese. It was delicious!!!
Pulled Pork
Put 2/3 pork tenderloins into crockpot. Sprinkle 1 chopped yellow onion, and 1 bottle of BBQ sauce. Cook slow and low overnight. Serve it up with some mixed greens and/or cole slaw:)
The Easiest Fish Chowda "EVA"
Sauté a large chopped onion in 3T butter....add 6/7 cups of chicken broth. Once boilibg add 2.5 lbs cod, sliced into huge chunks. Bring back to summer for 5 minutes. Turn off stove and pour in 1/2 pint fat-free half n'half. Serve it up with (optional) oyster crackers. You can also add in chopped potatoes or 1 small bag frozen corn.
PS: my kids love this!!;)
The Best Cornbread:
2 boxes Trader Joes cornbread, made according to the box directions,
Add in 1 16 oz. can sweetened "cream corn" ...cook @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Just delicious!
Orzo Salad: a crowd pleaser
Cook 1 pound orzo
mix with roasted vegetables: eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, onions and peppers
when it cools, add in toasted pine nuts or walnuts and feta cheese.
Butternut Squash Soup:
Roast 1 large container of cubed butternut squash with drizzled olive oil, kosher salt & pepper
let it cool and add to food processor
put in medium-sized pot with 1 large (box) of chicken broth
add cinnamon, dash of nutmeg
Chicken Marbella: This is a winner for a Fall gathering with friends...
mix these ingredients and marinate overnight
8-10 chicken breasts
1 head of garlic, minced
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes (YES!)
1/2 cup (or more) pitted green olives
1/2 cup capers and their juices
6 bay leaves
~ the next day, put in a big roasting pan, sprinkle with 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white wine
.....and cook for 20 minutes @ 350 degrees, until golden brown
~ serve with brown rice, and mixed greens
Memorial Day Weekend BBQ
Jewel Rice Salad: gluten free.....always a big hit at a party!
2 cups brown rice; cook and cool on a cookie sheet
mix 1/3 cup canola oil, 6-8 tablespoons lemon or lime, 1/2 t kosher salt, 1t garlic powder, 1T honey
Stir and pour over rice in a big bowl and ten toss in:
4/6 chopped scallions
1/2 cup fresh parsley (its worth it)
1 cup toaste pine nuts, or walnuts
2 cups red and green grapes, sliced in half (lotsa chopping here)
1 cup cooked chick peas
Swordfish rub: I served this at a dinner party once and it was out-of-this-world!
2T minced parsley
2T oregano (or 2t dried)
1 1/2 t minced rosemary (or 1/2 t dried)
1 1/2 t minced thyme (or 1/2 t dried)
1T minced garlic
1T chick boullion
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 1/2 freshly ground pepper
1 t cayenna pepper
Mix all ingredients and rub on swordfish at room temperature. Grill 10 minutes on each side on low, in tinfoil.
Spring MENU for the week: easy with busy schedules.....and healthy too!
Monday grill (extra) salmon and chicken, serve with couscous or wild rice and salad
Tuesday use leftover salmon and serve with pesto tortellinis and corn
Wednesday use leftover chicken and make chicken quesadillas with lowfat chips and salsa
Thursday new day~cook low carb pasta and add frozen grilled veggies (trtader Joe's has great variety) to let it cool...add fresh parmesan cheese and keep at room temperature so that you can eat it whenever you get a chance ~ I cook this every year for the teachers appreciation luncheon and they love it! I also use edamame and any grilled chicken leftover.
Friday takeout chicken kabob salads from North Beverly Roast Beef -- 978-927-7353
(NO feta, and ask for oil and vinegar dressing) home-made pita (be careful)
Saturday treat yourself to some steak tips (from the MeatHouse!) and salad n' croutons
Sunday chicken pot pie ~ easy to do if you use 4/5 Perdue frozen chicken breasts out of the freezer, brown on high on stovetop then add salt and pepper, 1 cup only of chicken bouillon and then put in oven at 350 for 45 minutes. Turn oven off and let it sit for about 1/2 hours. Remove and serve with potatoes and peas, salad. This is a home run for everyone!!
Corned Beef like your mother never made: Erin Go Bragh!
buy a flat cut of corned beef, put it into slow cooker
make a paste of: 1/2cup grey poupon, 3/4cup brown sugar, and 1teaspoon ground cloves
spread paste on top of meat
cook for 6 hours
serve with cole slaw or mixed greens salad, oatmeal bread and your choice of drink:)
Salmon Marinade ~ I have served this at dinner parties before: it's awesome!!
melt in small pot: 1/2 stick butter, 4 shakes steak sauce, 3 shakes worcestershire, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, a little soy sauce and 1/2 cup ketchup
cool and spread over 2 lbs. of salmon
grill in tin foil on high 7 minutes each side, and let cool (and still cook) for 10 minutes
Overnight Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe:
For years, my sister (the one who posted her menu!) cooked this recipe 2 nights in a row, for her annual Thanksgiving gathering of 40 people. That way, when her guests arrived she could enjoy their company and not have to work in the kitchen the entire time. When you wake up in the morning, your whole house smells of delicious turkey....
(From "Cooking Brilliantly")
Preheat your over to 525 degrees
Butter, salt and pepper your bird, and add a few handshakes of thyme, marjoram or spices you like.
Add a few shakes of A1 steak sauce and red wine, plus a can of chicken broth around the pan.
Cook uncovered for 45 minutes ~ it may get a little smoky, do not be afraid!
Remove from oven and cover with cheesecloth or dishtowel. Pour 1/2 bottle of red wine over turkey.
Cover tightly with reynolds wrap 2x. Cook in oven for 90 minutes at 450 degrees.
***Turn off oven and do not open the over door until the next morning.***
When you wake in the morning, remove from oven and unwrap everything, and the turkey will literally fall off the bone. Use the juices for a delicious gravy...:)
Enjoy!
Mo's famous turkey chili:
2 lbs. Shadybrook Farms Italian style ground turkey (or regular turkey if you cannot find that)
1 large bag of grilled onions and peppers from Trader Joe's
2T chili powder
1T garlic powder
salt and pepper
2T ground cumin
1/2 bag roasted corn from Trader Joe's
2 small jars Marinara sauce from Trader Joe's
1 can baked beans
Optional: chopped butternut squash, or other beans
Brown turkey meat, then add in other ingredients. Simmer on low for 1/2 hour. *The baked beans was a mistake from years ago and it it delicious!! Enjoy!
Trader Joe's Grocery List:
Wish someone else could do the grocery shopping for you? Me too, but I have to say, whenever I shop at Trader Joe's, it's a "little pick-me-up!" It is inexpensive and has some real shortcuts for all of us, whatever our lifestyle is. Here are a few really healthy things to buy:
(in order of the aisles of the store, just like I give to my husband:))
* Flowers ~ treat yourself!
* Bread: Whole Wheat Tuscan Pane ~ toast in oven and serve at your next dinner party...
* Poached salmon ~ keep in your fridge so you can make a healthy choice after work
* Salad stuff ~ chopped veggies, bags of lettuce all very inexpensive and easy to have on hand for dinner
* Nuts ~ get the individually packaged almonds -- even 2 bags is better than eating half a bigger bag:)
~ also toasted sweet and salty pecans are totally awesome to add with some cheese in a salad
* Frozen veggies ~ this is where you can stock up for the winter...try the roasted corn, roasted zucchini and eggplant, roasted onions and peppers
* Frozen apps ~ pizzas are so so, but for your next gathering, cook the "ham, caramelized onion tarte"
* Frozen fish ~ I love the frozen mahi mahi, salmon and especially the mahi mahi burgers....cooked 2 up last night at 7:45pm and chopped it up over greens and mango salsa! (110 calories each!)
* Frozen chili lime chicken burgers
* Small marinara jarred tomato sauce is really good!! especially with ground turkey for a meat sauce!
* Fat free balsamic vinegarette salad dressing
* Grilled chicken strips in the green package
* Turkey jerky ~ all protein!!
Print off this list and try a few items...and take a cup of coffee. Trader Joe's is located on Route 114 in Peabody, and is easy and quick and relaxing to shop.