Weekly Meal Plan - Week #6

Monday - Beef and Snowpeas Stir-fry
Tuesday - Lasagna
Wednesday - Southwestern Steak Salad
Thursday - Homemade Pizzas
Friday - Taco Pasta Toss
Saturday - Eating up whatever is left in the fridge
Sunday - Airport Food (YEAH!!!!!)

RECIPES

Beef and Snowpeas Stir-fry (The Pioneer Woman)

• 1-1/2 pound Flank Steak, Trimmed Of Fat And Sliced Very Thin Against The Grain
• 1/2 cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 3 Tablespoons Sherry Or Cooking Sherry
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Ginger
• 8 ounces, weight Fresh Snow Peas, Ends Trimmed
• 5 whole Green Onions, Cut Into Half-inch Pieces On The Diagonal
• Salt As Needed (use Sparingly)
• 3 Tablespoons Peanut Or Olive Oil
• Crushed Red Pepper, For Sprinkling
• Jasmine Or Long Grain Rice, Cooked According To Package

1. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, and ginger. Pour half the liquid over the sliced meat in a bowl and toss with hands. Reserve the other half of the liquid. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a heavy skillet (iron is best) or wok over high heat. Add snow peas and stir for 45 seconds. Remove to a separate plate. Set aside.
3. Allow pan to get very hot again. With tongs, add half the meat mixture, leaving most of the marinade still in the bowl. Add half the scallions. Spread out meat as you add it to pan, but do not stir for a good minute. (You want the meat to get as brown as possible in as short amount a time as possible.) Turn meat to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove to a clean plate.
4. Repeat with other half of meat, allowing pan to get very hot again first. After turning it, add the first plateful of meat, the rest of the marinade, and the snow peas. Stir over high heat for 30 seconds, then turn off heat. Check seasonings and add salt only if it needs it. Mixture will thicken as it sits.
5. Serve immediately over rice. Sprinkle crushed red pepper over the top to give it some spice.

Check out www.thepioneerwoman.com for photos.


Southwestern Steak Salad (Chef Michael Smith)

The Steak

• 3 Tbsp coriander seed
• 3 Tbsp cumin seed
• 5 clove garlic, peeled and minced into a paste
• 1 ½ cup olive oil
• Dash hot sauce
• 2 Tbsp mustard
• Salt
• 1 lb(s) flank steak

The Dressing

• ¼ cup salsa
• Half a lime, juiced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

The Salad

• 4 large handfuls of baby greens, washed and dried
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup grated cheddar

The Steak

1. Grind coriander and cumin seed in a spice grinder, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle and place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add garlic, oil, hot sauce and mustard and stir.
3. Place the steak into a resealable freezer bag and pour in the marinade.
4. Seal and rub the marinade into the meat, making sure it’s well coated. Put in fridge for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight.
5. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Turn and sear on other side for 5 minutes more, or until steak is medium rare.
7. OPTIONAL - place skillet in 400 degree oven for 5-15 minutes to cook the inside if you prefer your meat less pink.                        
8. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, and then slice thinly across the grain of the meat.

The Dressing

1.  Place salad dressing ingredients into the bottom of a salad bowl and whisk together.

The Salad

1. Add greens, cilantro, red pepper, grated cheese, and flank steak to the salad bowl. Toss well and serve.         

  

Taco Pasta Toss (Rachael Ray)

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped, divided
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, halved, seeded if desired and thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• One bottle beer (12 ounces) or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or any Mexican semi-soft cheese
• 2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 head iceberg lettuce or 1/2 small heart of romaine lettuce, chopped

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
2. While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, one turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, cumin and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the beer.
3. Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, tomatoes and lettuce – just like tacos!