WEEK 9 MENU

*UPDATE* tweaked the Chicken Coconut Curry Soup recipe quite a bit. It was much too salty and spicy and didn't have enough sweetness. Make sure you copy the REVISED version!


This week features a couple recipes that some friends of mine swear by, a really easy chicken melt recipe that is super fast and even though it may sound weird - taste approved by my whole family (grandma, picky grandpa and kids included), a biscuit recipe that is a tried and true favorite of reader Rachel, and a peanut butter pie that is so decadent and Heavenly... I love all things peanut butter! Goood eating this week!

The "Weekley" Menu

Monday - Honey Lime Enchiladas w/ Peanut Butter Pie for a family night treat
Tuesday - Chicken Coconut Curry Soup and Sky-High Biscuits
Wednesday - Bowtie Pasta w/ Cream Cheese and Shrimp
Thursday - Mulligatawny
Friday - Chicken Melts & Fruit

*BONUS - Apple Streusel Muffins


Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

3 T. butter
3 carrots, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
4 T. flour
5 potatoes; peeled, cooked and chopped
2 cups cooked rice
1 cup cooked chicken, small cubes
3 T. red or yellow curry powder, or mixture of both, or more to taste
2 t. salt, or more to taste
1T. garlic powder, or more to taste
2 t. pepper, or more to taste
6 T. sugar, or more to taste
2 cans coconut milk, found in the Asian aisle
2 cans chicken broth, or water and chicken base (about 4 cups)

In a saucepan heat butter, onions, and carrots and sauté until tender. Once cooked add in the flour. Stir around until the flour covers the cooked vegetables, this will cook out the flour flavor. Slowly stir in the chicken broth. Make sure to do this slowly so the flour doesn’t clump. Once the chicken broth is added bring it to a slight boil so the flour will thicken the mixture. Turn down the heat and add the rice, potatoes, chicken, coconut milk and seasonings. If the soup isn’t thick enough for your taste you can add a little more water/flour paste into the soup and return to a boil to thicken. Once thickened and seasoned to your liking, garnish with cilantro and enjoy!


Mulligatawny (from Yvette)

4 T. butter (or 2 T. olive oil)
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 apple, cored, peeled and chopped
1 ½ lb boneless skinless chicken breast, chopped
½ c. flour
2-3 t. curry powder
5 c. chicken broth
1 (14/5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper
2 c. hot cooked rice

Melt butter, or heat oil in lrg pot over med heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, green pepper, apple and chicken and sauté for about 15 minutes. Turn heat to low.
In sm bowl, mix flour and curry powder. Add mixture to pot then stir and cook for 3-5 min. Add chicken broth and tomatoes. Partially cover pot and simmer soup for an hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice. Makes about 8 cups.


Bow Tie Pasta with cream cheese

3 C tomatoes, chopped
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed
3/4 C good olive oil
1/3 C fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 T red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 lb box bow tie pasta
1/2 C pine nuts, toasted

Mix 1st 8 ingredients. Refrigerate for 2 hrs. (I usually just mix this up in the morning-then
it's ready to go later). Boil pasta, toast pine nuts. Mix altogether (the heat from the pasta
will melt cream cheese). Yum!
*Can add grilled or sautéed shrimp.


Honey Lime Enchiladas (from Adrianne)

6 T Honey
5 T lime juice
1 T chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 can diced green chilis (drained)

1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded
8-10 flour tortillas
1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded (I use M. Jack cheese with jalapenos)
2-10 oz cans green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let marinate in fridge for 1/2 hour or so. Pour one can enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13 baking pan. Fill flour tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese for later. Mix the other can of enchilada sauce with heavy cream. Pour over top of rolled enchiladas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.


Chicken Melts

Cinnamon-raisin bread
2 T. jalapeno pepper jelly (or green pepper jelly if you can’t find Jalapeno-but use regular bread if you make this substitution)
Deli sliced smoked chicken breast or turkey breast
Havarti cheese (this is key!)
Butter

Spread two slices of bread with jelly. Layer with chicken and cheese; top with remaining bread. Butter outsides of sandwich and grill like a grill cheese sandwich (2-3 min on each side until cheese is melted).


Sky-High Biscuits by Vicki Layton Submitted by Rachel Bruner

3+ c. flour
4 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 c. margarine or butter
1 egg
1 c. milk

Combine first 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add egg and milk, stirring quickly and briefly. If dough is sticky continue to add flour. Lightly kneed dough on floured surface. Roll or pat gently to 1 inch thickness. Cut into biscuits (a floured glass works well). Bake at 450° for 12 to 15 minutes.

Sometimes I substitute 1/2 of the flour with wheat flour, although I usually need to add a more flour so the dough isn't sticky.


Apple Streusel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups chopped peeled tart apples

TOPPING:
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold butter
Directions

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sour cream and butter. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.
For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle a rounded teaspoonful over each muffin.
Bake at 400° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Serve warm. Yield: 16 muffins.


Peanut Butter Pie

1 chocolate cookie pie crust
1 c. creamy peanut butter
8 oz room temp cream cheese
12 oz container of non-dairy whipped topping (cool whip)
1 (11 oz) jar smuckers hot fudge
½ c. sugar

Beat together peanut butter, cream cheese and sugar. Fold in approx. 3 cups cool whip and put mixture into pie crust. Warm (not hot) fudge and pour over top (approx ¾ of jar). Refrigerate a couple of hours to set . If desired, garnish before serving by spreading remainder of whipped topping on top and create a criss cross rippled peanut butter and hot fudge pattern over the top. Or garnish with peanuts.