Meals for the Week of October 24, 2011

In my most recent cooking class, I had the students in groups making different after school snacks.  I wanted to share the resources I gave them for inspiration.  One was a list of 50 After School Snacks from Food Network Magazine.  In class we did #3, a fruit dip but I had them use Greek Yogurt instead of sour cream.  I also used this article from Parenting- 22 Healthy After School Snacks.  I really liked #16, the graham crackers with cream cheese and strawberry jam.

So this week I have recipes that are a little less Mexican and a bit more Asian inspired.  I also have some good vegetarian meals and a few seafood, which I think I had been lacking lately.  Next week I will start sprinkling in a few holiday side dish and dessert ideas so if you are looking for new recipes for the holidays you can have some time to look them over or try them.

Recipes for the week of October 24, 2011

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps- The thing about recipes from Cook’s Illustrated is that they have fairly detailed instructions and there is a reason for that.  They have tested the recipe many times and come up with what they believe to be the best results.  Don’t be afraid of their recipes, you will most likely learn a cooking technique that you can then apply to other meals.  So give this healthy recipe a try.

Asian Noodle Bowls with Steak and Snow Peas- Very simple recipe with just a few ingredients.  Most supermarkets have expanded Asian food section so you can find soba noodles there.
 
Tortilla Pie- I like that you can just take this concept and change the ingredients to suit your tastes.  You can easily make this vegetarian with beans and veggies.

Pork Chop Suey- With just 280 calories in a one cup serving, this is a healthy and easy meal for the weeknight.

Easy Shepherds Pie- It’s a very fall kind of comfort meal.  It is very easy and it’s also budget friendly.
 
Mushroom Pie- As the recipe mentions, it’s sort of like a quiche, but it can be a great vegetarian main dish served with a salad or some other kind of green veggies. 

Eggplant Parmesan- A really easy method for making eggplant parmesan without frying the eggplant.  I recommend taking the slices and laying them out on paper towel and then sprinkling them with salt to draw out some of the moisture.  Then blot them with paper towel to remove that moisture.

Cioppino- This seafood stew is a favorite in our house; I’ve been making this recipe for years.  I don’t always follow it exactly, I often omit the wine and just use more chicken broth and I usually don’t include the mussels.  There’s a frozen seafood mix at Trader Joe’s that I like to use and then I add extra shrimp and clams. 

Roasted Vegetables with Polenta- The latest recipe I’ve posted to my other blog.  Very easy and fuss-free.  It can be a side dish, or if you have it over polenta or pasta it's a good vegetarian main dish.

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan- Mild tasting tilapia is very thin and quick cooking.  This recipe has a cheesy and flavorful sauce.  It’s really good for a weeknight.