Monday
Rustic Cabbage Soup
by Melanie~The Sisters Cafe
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
a big pinch of salt
1/2 pound potatoes, skin on, cut 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups white beans, precooked or canned (drained & rinsed well)
1/2 medium cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch ribbons
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Warm the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the salt and potatoes. Cover and cook until they are a bit tender and starting to brown a bit, about 5 minutes - uncover to stir a couple times. Stir in the garlic and onion and cook for another minute or two. Add the stock and the beans and bring the pot to a simmer. Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple more minutes, until the cabbage softens up . Now adjust the seasoning – getting the seasoning right is important or your soup will taste flat and uninteresting. Taste and add more salt if needed, the amount of salt you will need to add will depend on how salty your stock is (varying widely between brands, homemade, etc)…Serve drizzled with a bit of olive oil and a generous dusting of cheese.
Tuesday
Chili Cornbread Casserole
Adapted from Melskitchen
Filling:1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups salsa (jarred or homemade)
1 can (15 ounce) black, pinto or white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Topping: 1 package Cornbread mix made according to package
Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan and set aside.
in a large 12-inch skillet Heat the corn, salsa, and beans. Season to taste and Pour the mixture into the prepared 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside. Mix Cornbread and Sprinkle the cheese over the mixture and pour the cornbread batter over the cheese and veggie mixture. Gently spread the cornbread to the edges of the pan, evening it out over the top of the casserole.Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges are bubbly and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Wednesday
Praline Baked French Toast
by Brittany ~ The Sister’s CafePrepare the night before:one loaf of French bread
6 eggs
1 cup milk (not skim)
1 cup half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg Slice the French bread and arrange in a 9×13 inch dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over bread. Cover and let sit in refrigerator overnight.
Prepare the morning of:1/2 cup butter
2 Tb corn syrup ( I used Agave)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
Melt the butter, corn syrup and brown sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to boil. Sprinkle the pecans over the bread. Pour sauce over everything. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes uncovered.
Thursday
Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Oven fries
Ingredients
8 slices rye bread
4 quarter-inch slices of fresh mozzarella
3 plum tomatoes, cut into thick slices
1 cup fresh basil pesto (or use the store-bought stuff)
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
If you have a panini press, turn it on to warm up; otherwise, set a skillet over medium heat.
Assemble sandwich by smearing insides of bread slices with pesto. Arrange a layer of sliced tomato and season with a few turns of fresh pepper. Layer the mozzarella slices over the top and then place another piece of bread on top to make the sandwich.
Drizzle olive oil over skillet's surface and place sandwiches on the hot skillet or panini press. If using a skillet, place another heavy skillet over the top to form a "press". Turn after 2 to 3 minutes and replace weight. The sandwich is ready when golden brown and mozzarella has melted around the edges.
