Up, Up & Away!

Well not really...but we are going away this coming weekend and I am SUPER EXCITED to get out of town!!! We will be heading to the city to take in a Home and Garden show and maybe get some ideas on how to renovate our place when the time comes. We got a GREAT deal on a hotel (check out priceline.com if you're adventurous!)

Looking forward to some downtime, but in the mean time...HAPPY EATING!

xoxo
Mealplanningmama


Monday - Tacos

Tuesday - BBQ chicken, red onion, green pepper & roasted garlic pizza

Wednesday -BBQ Steak with Pesto Butter, Grilled Veggies and Foccacia 

2 teaspoons grill seasoning for steak
lean sirloin steaks 2" thick (1 2/3 lbs or 700 g)
1 zucchini
1 head broccoli
1 red onion
1/2 green pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Garlic and Herb Seasoning, Salt Free
1 loaf Foccacia bread (Overwaitea sells small loaves)


Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Sprinkle spice on both sides of steak. Let stand at room temp.
Meanwhile: Wash and slice veggies into large chunks tossing into fry pan as you cut. Pour olive oil into the palm of your hand and massage veggies to coat. Sprinkle with spice. Set aside.
Turn oven off and toss bread in.
Combine room temperature butter, basil pesto and maple syrup in a small bowl or cup. Stir and set aside.
Preheat BBQ at med heat (350º F). Place veggie pan on medium high heat. Toss often.
Spray grill with cooking spray. Place steak on pre-heated grill. Rotate steaks after a few minutes when they lift easily off grill (Change the angle but don’t flip). Wait a few more minutes then flip. Cook steaks to desired doneness. When steaks are almost done remove from grill and place on a piece of foil. Dabble tops with pesto butter and wrap them up. Serve steak and veggies with warm foccacia bread.
Tip: Toss on extra veggies and make extra pesto sauce. This way the next day you can bring grilled veggies and foccacia sandwiches to work or school!


Thursday -Crock-Pot Apple-Bacon Pork Chops w/ rice, zucchini and mushrooms
Ingredients 

Cooking spray (Pam)
6 large pork chops (trimmed)
1/2 cup cup broth on hand (chicken, vegetable or beef)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
2 apples
1 1/2 cups cups basmati or white rice
3 cups water
8 slices ready fried bacon from the grocery store
2 cups croutons
1 can unsweetened apple sauce (10 oz or 284 mL)
1 tsp olive oil
2 small zucchini
5 mushrooms
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning


Directions

In the morning…(****OR the night before and put in fridge)
Heat a large fry pan sprayed with cooking spray at med-high.
Brown trimmed pork chops on both sides until nicely brown. Place browned pork chops in crock-pot but do not clean fry pan.
Combine broth, maple syrup and cinnamon in the unclean fry pan.
Stir at high heat until there are no more brown bits on the bottom of the pan (deglazing fry pan).
Pour broth mixture over pork chops.
Peel and slice apples and layer over chops.
Set crock-pot at low heat and cover.

When you are just about ready to eat…
Pre-heat oven to 375º F.
Combine rice and water in a large microwave safe pot with lid.
Cover and microwave at high 10 minutes, then medium 10 minutes.

Meanwhile…
Remove center crock from the crock-pot and layer the following over chops: bacon, croutons, and then apple sauce. Place in hot oven until everything else is ready to serve.
Heat oil in the unclean fry pan at med-high.
Wash and cut zucchini into chunks and mushrooms into quarters, adding to pan as you cut. Sprinkle with spice.
Toss occasionally until zucchini is tender.

Friday & Saturday - AWAY!!!!

Sunday - Perogies & Kielbasa