2nd week November

 Menu:

Mongolian Beef

Tortellini & garlic bread

Shrimp a la penne

Ham sandwiches & chips

Zappa Tuscana

Country fried steak & mashed potatoes

Split Pea Soup - whole 30

 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 16 ounces chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Oomph Cooking Blends - Mirepoix(optional)
• 1 16 ounce bag split peas
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 5-6 strips bacon
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Turn Instant Pot on high sauté mode. Add olive oil.
• Dice onion, celery and carrot and add to Instant Pot. Sauté until onions are translucent. Mince garlic and add to Instant Pot.
• Turn sauté mode off and add chicken broth, water, Oomph Cooking Blends split peas, bay leaves, thyme and uncooked bacon strips to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Close and lock Instant Pot lid and cook on manual high heat for 15 minutes. Allow Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for another 15 minutes before removing lid. Stir immediately.
• Preheat pan on stovetop to medium-high heat. Remove strips of bacon from Instant Pot and sear bacon until crispy. Once crispy, remove from pan and pat with paper towel to remove any excess fat. Chop into pieces.
• Garnish with chopped bacon, parsley and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. 

Cold Pea Salad

 

• 16 oz. of pasta of your choice.  (I personally prefer Large Pasta Shells like THESE – they seem to really trap the yummy flavors inside so each bite is delish!)
• 2 oz. (about half a bottle) Imitation or Real Bacon Pieces or Bits
• 3 Tablespoons of dry powdered Buttermilk Ranch Mix
• 1/4 Cup Dried Chopped Onion (or if you wanna be all fancy – 1/2 a large onion or one small onion diced into teeny tiny itty bits)  You could also use 1-2 Tablespoons of Onion Powder if you have a texture aversion.  You can adjust the amount depending on how oniony you like things.  I am an onion lover from way back, but you do you.
• 1 1/2 Cups of Real Mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 Cups (13 oz. bag)  Frozen Peas
• 1 tsp Salt (optional)

Directions:

Get your choice of pasta started boiling and set your timer according to the directions on the package.  I tend to like to lean toward the middle “firm” timing when I’m making a pasta salad.  That way when you stir it all together they hold their shape and stay all pretty.   Pretty is important.  But either way it will be yummy.

While your pasta is boiling, in a large bowl, mix together your mayo with all of the other ingredients really good – adding the frozen peas last.  Let that all meld together and the flavors marry up while your pasta finishes its biz on the stove.

15-minute chicken, broccoli and cashew stir-fry

 

• 450g pkt hokkien noodles
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 500g Coles RSPCA Approved Australian Chicken Thigh Fillets, thinly sliced
• 1 large red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp crushed ginger
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets, stem halved lengthways and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup (80ml) oyster sauce
• 1/2 cup (75g) unsalted cashews, toasted
  
  
  Instructions 

  Cook the noodles

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   following packet directions. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Stir-fry the chicken, in 2 batches, for 2 mins or until golden brown and cooked through, transferring to a plate between batches.
• Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, ginger and broccoli florets and stems in the wok or pan. Stir-fry for 4 mins or until broccoli is tender.
• Add the oyster sauce with 1/4 cup (60ml) water and cashews. Stir-fry for 2 mins or until heated through.
• Divide noodles and stir-fry among serving bowls. Serve immediately.

Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich

 

Ingredients

• 1 ripe tomato
• 1 avocado
• 4 slices bread (like Homemade Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, Sourdough Breador Dutch Oven Artisan Bread)
• Butter or mayonnaise
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. If you’d like, pre-toast the bread slices in the toaster (this makes sure to get them perfectly crunchy before grilling the sandwich).
2. Slice the tomatoes, place the slices on a plate, and sprinkle with kosher salt. Slice the avocado (see the video instructions) and sprinkle it with salt.
3. Spread butter or mayo on one side of each of the 4 bread pieces. Heat a griddle pan to medium high heat. Place 2 pieces of bread on the griddle, buttered side down. On each piece, spread ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, a sprinkle of shredded Parmesan, tomato slices, avocado slices, the other ¼ cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and the other piece of bread (spread with mayo if you’d like).
4. When the bottom bread is browned, flip the sandwich and cook until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

Cheese Tortellini In Creamy Marinara

 

Ingredients

• 12 to 16 ounces frozen or refrigerated cheese tortellini
• 28 ounce can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (or best quality crushed tomatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves, tightly packed (or chopped spinach)
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• 4 ounce goat cheese log

Instructions

1. Boil the tortellini according to the package instructions (fresh usually takes 2 to 3 minutes and frozen takes 2 to 5 minutes to boil). Then drain it. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, place the crushed tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic powder, oregano, kosher salt, spinach, and whole basil leaves. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer while the pasta cooks or at least 10 minutes.
3. When the pasta is done and drained, add it to the skillet. Crumble in the goat cheese into the sauce and stir until a creamy sauce forms (if you’d like, save out a few crumbles for topping). Serve immediately.