Meal Plan Monday #3

Well, I had a wonderful spring break that is now over :-(. Oh well, summer vacation starts in 67 days! I did not cook one meaningful meal the entire time over break. That has to be a first for me. I always cook at least some! Anyway, this week it's back to discipline, back to routine, back to cooking. LOL. It helps! My DD's 16th birthday is this week, so we will have a birthday dinner, and it's Mom's Night Out, so we'll have a Dad deals with dinner (that Mom left already cooked) night. When my DS was in preschool a group of 5 moms became friends. We make it a point to get the kids together as regularly as we can, and the moms always go out to dinner once a month. It's fun. I think it saves my sanity! Anyway, it's a busy week--I'm sure it will fly past.

Monday: Sloppy Joes, Tater Tots, Applesauce
Tuesday: Rigatoni w/ Italian Sausage, broccoli, french bread
Wednesday--Birthday Day! DD chooses the menu:
Chicken Fajitas, Lime-Cilantro Rice, Black Beans, Angel Food Cake, strawberries, whipped cream
Thursday: Pork and Sauerkraut (recipe follows), Potato Pancakes (recipe follows), Brussels Sprouts
Friday: Asian Pork Chops (recipe follows), Mark Bittman's Fried Rice, Egg Rolls
Saturday Lunch: Steak Sandwiches, chips, fruit, veggies
Dinner: Date Night--Woohoo!
Sunday Dinner: Cheese Manicotti, Italian Bread
Supper: Homemade Pizza --Joy of Cooking breadmachine crust (Recipe follows)

Pork and Sauerkraut (Adapted from Cooking From Quilt Country)
4-5 lbs. country-style pork ribs
salt and pepper
3 1-lb. cans Bavarian style sauerkraut
1 lg. onion, coarsley chopped
1-2 cooking apples (granny smith or golden delicious), coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. whole cloves
2-4T brown sugar
1 1/2c. chicken broth
Preheat broiler. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Broil to brown on all sides, apx. 30 minutes. Don't rush this step...it greatly contributes to the flavor.
Set oven to heat to 325. Drain sauerkraut. Combine kraut, onion, apples, cloves, brown sugar and chicken broth in heavy dutch oven. Arrange ribs on top. Cover and bake 2 hours, basting occasionally.

Potato Pancakes
4 lg. potatoes (3 lbs.) peeled and rinsed
1 small onion, diced very small
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt, pepper
oil
Shred potatoes into cold water. Drain and squeeze dry. Combine eggs, flour, salt and pepper with potatoes and onion. Mix well.
In 12" skillet in hot oil, cook potato mixture, 1/4c. at a time. Flatten. Cook until golden, turn, brown other side.

Asian Pork Chops Adapted from Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. pineapple juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground giner
6 thin pork chops
In large plastic bag, combine soy, juice, garlic and ginger. Add pork chops, seal, and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight. In 12-skillet over med.-high heat, heat 1T oil. Cook chops a few at a time until well browned, about 10 minutes total, turning once. Serve.

Bread Machine Pizza Dough Joy of Cooking c. 1997
3 3/4c. bread flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
Process on the dough cycle. Preheat oven to 475. Grease and dust 2 baking sheets with cornmeal. Punch dough down, loosely divide in half. Roll each piece into a ball, and let rest, lossely covered, 10-15 minutes. Flatten each ball, one at a time, into 12-inch round. Place on baking sheet. Top. Bake about 12 minutes.
**Full Disclosure--I have not tried this. I'll let you know what I think of it. I'm on the hunt for a not complicated, but better than Boboli pizza crust. If you have one, please share.

Thanks to Organizing Junkie for sponsoring this.