LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Monday:

Su Boregi, Turkish Noodle Pie (Recipe follows menu) 

green salad with avocado and sprouts

Tuesday:

Sultan Salad of wheat berries, pomegranate, feta, flat-leaf parsley tossed in a garlic/honey vinaigrette served over baby lettuce greens

Wednesday:

Butternut squash ravioli with browned sage butter

steamed asparagus

Thursday:

Bbqed Tempeh, corn, red onion and Irish Cheddar calzones

Arugula tossed in olive oil, lemon and sea salt

Friday:

Rustic wild mushroom crostata (whole wheat crust) with marscapone cheese and thyme

tomato, onion, orange salad with fresh basil

Su Boregi (Turkish Noodle Pie)

serves 4-6

 

1 lb phyllo dough, thawed 

1/2 cup olive oil 

2 cups part-skim ricotta cheese 

2 cups feta cheese 

1 bunch parsley, minced 

1 small onion, minced 

3 eggs

1 1/2 liters of bubbly water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and oil a casserole pan (about 9 x 13").  Combine cheeses, onions, parsley, and one egg. Mix until this is smooth.  Spread out a sheet of phyllo dough.  Brush with olive oil. Top with another.  On top the this spread some of the cheese mixture. Roll this up from the long side.  In the baking pan coil the phyllo roll.  Repeat the steps with the phyllo dough and cheese. Coil each roll around the central roll. You will be making one large spiral.   Beat the remaining two eggs and pour this over the phyllo rolls. Pour the bottle of mineral water over this and put in the oven immediately.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top is dry, crisp, and golden brown.

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Monday:

White Pizza with Broccoli and fried Shallots
Big raddichio and cabbage salad

Tuesday:

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Roasted Apple Sauce

Baked Tofu Triangles

Wednesday:

Sauteed Zucchini with Chili flakes, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic oil

Served on a bed of Parmesan Polenta

Thursday: 

White bean Cassoulet with Tomatoes and Fresh herb Pistou

Garlic bread with chives and dill

Friday:

Vegetarian Pho soup with mushrooms, glass noodles, basil and cilantro

Steamed Carrot and Beet Spring Rolls with Coconut, Peanut Dipping sauce

Sauteed Zucchini with Chili flakes, Sun Dried Tomatoes and Garlic oil

Served on a bed of Parmesan Polenta

serves 4

4 zucchinis, cut into 1/4 inch circles

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

for polenta:

1 cup polenta

1/2 cup Parmesan

2 cups water

1 nub butter

salt to taste

First, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.  Sautee garlic in oil until fragrant and garlic turns golden, remove from oil with a slotted spoon.  Sautee zucchini and sun dried tomatoes about 5-8 minutes, until softened.  Add chili flakes and salt and pepper, set aside.

In a large pot, heat the polenta and water.  When water/polenta come to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thickened (about 7 minutes).  Lastly, add butter and stir in Parmesan.  

Top polenta with zucchini mixture, sprinkling more chili flakes if desired.

thanks to Hi Friend Design for my beautiful banner!

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Lee's Week of Eats is a Menu Plan I bring you every Friday.  Just a little slice of inspiration to get your weekend going.

Monday:
Mediterranean Lentil Salad 

Fresh lemon hummus

Roasted curried cauliflower with peas and mint

Tuesday:
Barley and Garlic Soup 

Crusty brown bread

Prosecco and lemon sorbet

Wednesday:

Matzoh brei with salt and pepper

Cabbage, apple and endive slaw with flat leaf parsley
Chunky pear sauce

Thursday:
Multigrain Pasta with Sweet potatoes and Leeks

Steamed kale with pinenuts and rasins

Friday:
Vegetable Tian with thyme and Gruyere

Spinach salad with strawberry vinaigrette and candied walnuts

Matzoh Brei

Serves 2

4 matzo crackers
4 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until uniformly yellow. Crush matzo crackers with your hands, leaving a variety of shapes and sizes. Pour the crushed matzo into the egg and let sit for about 3 minutes, so the cracker absorbs some of the egg. In a large skillet, melt butter at a medium–high heat. Put matzo/egg mixture into the skillet, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the eggs are set. Garnish with salt and pepper or powdered sugar and jam.

thanks to Hi Friend Design for my beautiful banner!

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Lee's Week of Eats is a Menu Plan I bring you every Friday.  Just a little slice of inspiration to get your weekend going.

Monday:
Tortilla soup with avocado slices and cilantro crema

Tuesday:

White bean, Shallot and Kalamata olive Cassoulet
Baby greens with dill and mushrooms
Sesame Pita Bread
 

Wednesday: 
Frisee salad with grapefruit, lime vinaigrette and pepitas
Baguette
Slivers of apple and Piave Vecchio cheese
Crisp glass of white wine
 

Thursday:
Golden Indian lentils
Garlic naan
Channa masala
Steamed green beans
Chutneys of all sorts
Cucumber raita

Friday, Breakfast for dinner:
Whole wheat pancakes with Grapefruit and Orange slivers 

Toasted Almonds and Chantilly Whipped Cream

Baked eggs with thyme and cream

Whole Wheat Pancakes 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 eggs

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, buttermilk, canola oil and eggs.  Stir the wet into the dry, careful not to over mix.  Grease a skillet with a little butter,  on medium high heat and cook pancakes until bubbles appear.  Flip, and cook about two minutes more.  Serve with almonds and citrus fruits -- and plenty of Maple Syrup and Cream, if you dare. 

thanks to Hi Friend Design for my beautiful banner!

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Lee's Week of Eats is a Menu Plan I bring you every Friday.  Just a little slice of inspiration to get your weekend going.

Monday:

Salad Nicoise with butter lettuce, raddichio, blanched green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, green olives, Boiled fingerling tomatoes and tarragon vinaigrette

Tuesday:

Winter vegetable risotto with white wine and lemon zest

Baby greens with pecans

Wednesday:

Mediterranean chickpea burgers with whole wheat buns

Apple, cabbage slaw

Thursday:

Smashed hazelnut and basil pesto pasta

Grilled zucchini

Spinach salad with strawberries and goat cheese

Friday:

Individual frittatas with cheddar cheese, green peas, onion

Sweet potato fries

Strawberry cake

Winter Vegetable Risotto

as pictured in my new red Le Crueset pot

(serves 4-6)

generous glug of good olive oil

6 cups vegetable stock

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

juice of one lemon

zest of half a lemon

4 leaves of curly kale, roughly chopped

1 crown broccoli, chopped

nub of grated parmesan cheese

fresh parsley, for garnish

In a large pot, sautee onion and celery in olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add aborio rice, cook for 2 minutes more. Add stock, cup by cup, stirring about 5 minutes (until liquid is absorbed) between cup fulls. Add white wine towards the end. At the last round of stock adding, throw in the rest of the veggies, lemon juice, zest and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and serve with a fresh salad. And the rest of the white wine!

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

Lee's Week of Eats is a Menu Plan I bring to you every Friday.  Just a little slice of inspiration to get your weekend going.

Monday:
Stewed white beans with tomatoes and rosemary
Fresh poppy seed rolls
Apple walnut and endive salad
Pear crisp with creme anglaise

Tuesday:
Chinese-style tofu en papillote with chives, cashews and green chilies
White Rice
Steamed spinach with garlic
Almond brittle with sea salt and lavender (for dipping your piece of brittle into -- just try it!)

Wednesday:
Garlic Rosemary Roasted tempeh
Basil mashed potatoes
Steamed green beans
Arugula salad

Thursday:
Whole wheat penne with no-cook tomato sauce (sauce on the side)
Grain sausage
Steamed broccoli

Friday:
Polenta Mini Pizzas
Butter lettuce salad with garlic croutons, red onion slivers, tomatoes and lemon vinaigrette

Poppy Seed Rolls (for Monday's supper)

adapted from How to Cook the Perfect Day by Nikki McClure
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups millet flour, divided
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Sprinkle yeast into water.  Add sugar and let stand for 5 minutes.  Mix in 1 cup each of the flours.  Cover with a dish towel and let rise for 1 hour. 

Beat together the melted butter, 1/4 cup molasses, salt and poppy seeds.  Add to yeast mixture.

Knead in the remaining 2 cups each of the flours, adding 1/2 cup at a  time.  Knead for about 15 minutes, until the dough feels soft.  Roll dough in an oiled bowl and cover.  Let it rise in a warm spot for a few hours or more, until the dough has doubled in size.  Tear off pieces and form into little rolls.  Let dough rise one more time. 

Bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 

LEE'S WEEK OF EATS

photo by Cyclonebill, licensed for use under creative commons

I am starting, in earnest this time, a weekly column "Lee's Week of Eats" with a menu plan.  It will be posted on Fridays, to send you off into the weekend with a few meals swirling in your head.   I'll include a loose recipe every now and again, but the focus will really be on just a quick, seasonal idea for the next time you're at the grocery store or market.  Join me for some inspired eating!

Monday:

Zucchini, onion and kale tacos with corn-basil relish

Cesar salad with crusty, whole wheat croutons

Individual Mexican pots du creme, with cinnamon cream

Tuesday:

Breaded tofu cutlets with apples and onion

Potato latkes with sour cream and chives

Green salad with toasted walnuts and arugula

Wednesday:

Boiled Potato Toasts with horseradish cream, smoked salt, dill and fresh chives (lots of freshly-cracked pepper, as pictured in photo above)

Fire-Roasted Tomato soup

Apple-Cabbage slaw

Thursday:

Black bean and quinoa salad with Israeli Feta and toasted pine nuts

Fresh avocado, orange, grapefruit and onion salad, garnished with fresh cilantro and pomegranate seeds

Horchata Granita

Friday:

Mushroom Barley Soup

Fresh baguette

Romaine Salad with shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil

(note: that beautiful banner at the top of the page -- designed by my pal at hi friend)

UPCOMING MENU

This week should bring healthy foods, still carrying on with the Autumnal flavors and mood.  I over-indulged quite a bit over the holiday weekend, as I'm sure many of us Americans did -- It's just what we do! 

In other news, I'll be teaching an Indian cooking class on Wednesday evening at Sur La Table and I'm so looking forward to it!  The class is full at 16 students.  I'll post some favorite recipes here, later in the week.  I hope you all had a great holiday.

Monday:

Tempeh Tacos
Corn tortillas
Salsa with fresh corn
Shredded cabbage and carrot slaw

Cesar salad with avocado, tomato and croutons
 

Tuesday:
Stuffed shells (tofu and ricotta mixture) with sun-dried tomato sauce 

Trimmed broccoli
Romaine salad with radish, sprouts and toasted pumpkin seeds

Wednesday:
Mini sweet potato quiches (as seen in photo above)
Baby green salad with lemon, capers and red onion

Thursday:
Vegetable fried rice with toasted cashews and fresh cilantro
Steamed spinach with garlic

Friday:

Black bean soup with lime and chive crema

homemade corn chips

fresh pineapple and mango dessert ceviche

FRIDAY MENU

In an effort to share a bit more of my cheffing for others, I'll be posting my upcoming menus I develop for the families I cook for.  I think it will serve as good inspiration for those of you home cooks, just thinking about what to make for dinner -- the ultimate question in my mind.  The dinners I make are always fresh and usually pretty seasonal, so even if you don't have a personal chef around -- a meal I may mention may serve as a spark for that yummy dish you've been meaning to try.  I'd love to know what you think!  

This is a funny week to start, as it's Thanksgiving on Thursday, but I thought I'd rather jump right in with this idea, instead of waiting for the "perfect" time.  

Monday:

Whole wheat penne with fresh tomatoes, red chili flakes, broccoli, lemon zest and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Romaine Salad with shredded carrot, apple and cucumber.

Tuesday:

Cream of Broccoli Soup (made without cream -- blended silken tofu is the secret ingredient!)

garlic croutons

Winter salad of mixed greens, candied walnuts, red onion, dried cranberries, slivered pears and Stilton blue cheese

Wednesday: 

Big Cesar Salad with homemade vinaigrette, sliced avocado and grilled tofu.  Served with sliced tomatoes and a baguette.

Thursday:

Thanksgiving!

fresh cranberry ginger relish

roasted brussel sprouts with lemon

sweet potato souffle

sauteed kale with raisins and onions

cornbread dressing

mushroom and onion wellingtons

Dad's famous Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Individual Rustic Apple Tarts (as seen in photo above)

Friday:

Seasonal fruit platter

leftovers

Big green salad