WEEK 7 MENU

This week seems to be about some comfort food. Not sure what that says, but it will be good eats! I am going to make homemade perogies - a labor of love. I have Ukrainian roots and these were a big part of my life growing up. I serve them with a link of Kielbasa that I cut up and saute. I wish I were home (in Canada), then I could buy some REAL Kielbasa from a polish butcher. So divine! We are also going to enjoy another favorite: Lemon bars. I searched high and low for a recipe that I liked. I am VERY picky about my lemon bars. Bakerella's recipe does it for me. I adore these. Send me some of your very favorites!

This Weeks Menu:

Monday - Creamy Pork Pot Pie & Lemon bars
Tuesday - Kansas City Sue's Chicken, vegetables and rolls
Wednesday - Fettucini Alfredo, peas & salad
Thursday - Perogies & Kielbasa
Friday - Creamy Taco Mac

BONUS - Congo bars

Creamy Taco Mac

1¼ lbs. ground turkey
8 oz. dry pasta shapes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
3 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet or sauté pan, cook the ground turkey over medium-high heat until no longer pink. A few minutes before the turkey is cooked through, add the chopped onion to the skillet. Once the turkey is cooked through, mix in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the diced tomatoes and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 3-5 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Remove from the heat and top with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.

Fettuccini Alfredo

12 oz pck Fettuccini noodles
1 c. heavy whipping cream
½ stick butter
¼ t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/3 Grated parmesan cheese + more for topping

Prepare pasta, drain and return to pot. Over med-low heat, heat noodles, cream, butter, salt and pepper & parm. Toss well and serve with extra cheese.



Kansas City Sue’s Chicken {Slow Cooker}

(this note is from the author of the recipe - I wish I had noted where I got it from!) *Note: The chicken cooks up with quite a lot of juicy sauce. I prefer lightly draining the sauce and serving it on the side so that it isn’t so “soupy” as we are dishing it up over our rice. Serve it as you please! *Serves 6-ish

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup low-sodium beef broth

In a large skillet, heat the butter/olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them for 1-2 minutes on each side, until nicely browned but not cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to the slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve with rice or noodles.


Creamy Pork Potpie

¼ c. butter, cubed
½ c. flour
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
¾ c. milk
2 ½ c. cooked, cubed pork
2 ½ c. frozen broccoli-cauliflower blend
1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese
½ t. seasoned salt
Dash Pepper
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

In lrg saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add the pork, vegetables, cheese, seasoned salt and pepper. Heat through.
Transfer to greased 11x7 inch baking dish. On lightly flour surface, roll pastry into an 11x7 inch rectangle Place over pork mixture. Brush with egg.
Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 18-22 min or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 min before cutting.

Perogies – Makes 40

4 c. flour
1 c. warm water
2 T. vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 t. salt

Filling – mashed potatoes with cheddar cheese (make them as cheesy as you want), butter, salt and pepper to taste. Beat eggs and add to water & oil. Add flour & salt, knead until smooth and soft. Cover & let sit for 30 minutes, then roll out and cut into circles (I use a large glass). Put filling on one half and fold over and pinch sides of half-circle closed. Freeze on cookie sheet covered with wax paper individually. When frozen, put into bag and keep in freezer until ready to use!

To cook: boil in water with a little oil, wait until they float and then take out and serve! You may also want to melt some butter and sauté some chopped onion until caramelized, then add boiled perogies and brown a bit. Serve with the onions and sour cream.

Lemon Bars – Bakerella – One of my favorites!

Crust – 1 c. butter
1 ¾ c. flour
2/3 c. confectioners sugar

Topping: 1 ½ c. sugar
¼ c. flour
1 t. baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
½ c. lemon juice

Preheat oven 350. Grease and flour 9x13 pan. To make crust: in med bowl whisk flour and powdered sugar. Cut in butter until combine and crumbly. Press mixture into bottom of pan and bake for 20 min. Meanwhile, in a larger bowl, combine sugar, flour and baking powder. Add eggs and lemon juice. Mix well and pour over warm crust. Bake 20-25 min. When cool, dust with powdered sugar and refrigerate. Cut into bars when cold.



Congo Bars1 3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp salt
1 cube of margarine
almost 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
2 1/2 tsp of baking powder
3 eggs
1 box (2 and 1/3 cups) of brown sugar
1 package of chocolate chips
Melt margarine and add sugar and oil. Cool a little before adding eggs, one at a time. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Bake in a 10x15" pan for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.