What's for dinner? Installment #3

It's almost fall and getting a little bit cooler during the day, and I can't help but start to get excited about soups and stews. I know it's not technically fall yet, but I have started craving warm soups. So I have included a gfree soup recipe for this week. I have also been craving pizza lately and have decided to have a little gluten free pizza taste test this week. So without further blubbering on my part, here's what's for dinner at the MacLean-Rogers' house this week...

Monday: Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 30 minutes or less

Ingredients:

• 3 large celery stalks, chopped (approx 1 cup)
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped (approx 2/3 cup)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp crushed, chopped garlic
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 2 large skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (fat trimmed) and chopped into cubes
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 5 cups chicken broth (or more depending on how 'brothy' you like your soup)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tsp of parsley
• 1 box of ancient harvest quinoa pasta (shown below)

Preparation

• Chop celery, garlic, carrots, and onion
• Put olive oil into stock pot and heat oil
• When oil is hot, put in garlic and then add celery, onion, and carrot

Saute vegetable mixture for approximately 7 minutes on medium heat

While veggies are being sauted chop up chicken

Spray skillet with Pam Spray and toss in chicken

Put a poultry seasoning on chicken and cook chicken until thoroughly cooked and browned

Cook pasta according to directions (4 quarts of water, salted with a bit of oil, cook for approximately 8 minutes until tender), and drain when cooked

Mix together chicken, veggies, noodles, and broth

• Let everything simmer for approximately 10 minutes

Enjoy!


Tuesday: Pizza Taste Test
*Meatless Meal for the week*

Take your pick of any veggies and cheese blend to top your personal pizza. I'm sure a homemade pizza crust would be delicious but for a quick, easy, week night meal but by the time we get home from work, walk the dogs, we are hungry hungry...and need something quick and easy. So in an effort to find the tastiest option we'll do a taste test and put these crusts head to head to determine the MacLean family pizza champ.

versus..

Wednesday: I'll be working late and just have to grab what I can...likely a salad on the go or one of Amy's kitchen gluten free meals..

If you haven't tried Amy's kitchen products, you are missing out. Here is a listing of all their gluten free goodies.

http://www.amys.com/products/product-result

Some of my personal favorites are...

Thursday: Working Late Again..I know, not super exciting but real life isn't sometimes. I've got a little part time job so I'll be working Thursday night as well. So that night will likely be leftover chicken noodle soup or salad.

Friday: Jamie’s Stuffed Acorn Squash

This will make your kitchen smell like fall...

Ingredients:

·         1 Package (approx 11 oz) of ground turkey sausage (can use Italian or breakfast variety)

o   OR 1 package Morningstar veggie sausage patties -if you can tolerate gluten (cut up finely)

·         1 large apple, finely chopped

·         3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

·         1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

·         1 cup dry slow cooking brown rice

·         2 cups chicken broth OR water with chicken bouillon cube(s)-# use depends on your salt preference

·         4 acorn squash cut in half

·         1-2 Tbsp butter

·         2-3 Tbsp brown sugar

·         2-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the acorn squash in half and place face down in a baking dish that has been lightly greased with olive

oil or cooking spray. Cook squash for approximately 40 minutes. While cooking squash start on the

stuffing.

Place 1 cup brown rice in pot of 2 c. boiling chicken broth, reduce heat and simmer approx.

40 minutes or until rice is soft. 

 While rice is cooking, put approximately 2 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet, heat olive oil.

Chop finely apple, onion, and celery, and place in skillet.

Sautee veggie/fruit mixture, then add sausage and cook it all together.

When rice and veggie/fruit/meat mixture is finished mix it all together.

 Remove squash from oven, place hollow side up and

place a small amount of butter and brown sugar in each squash, then put them back in the oven for 5 min.

Then remove squash and fill each with the stuffing mixture, and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.

The squash makes a nice little bowl to each the stuffing and squash out of.

Serve and enjoy.