Cooking The Clutter Free Way

We're excited about the addition of this new feature! It's called "Dovetailing" and is a “prepare-ahead-of-time” process that is done prior to the coming week’s meals. This technique saves preparation and clean-up time, and is the method professional chefs and cooks use to function efficiently in their kitchens. All that’s needed are plenty of covered refrigerator storage bowls (Glad, Tupperware, Pyrex, etc.), and plastic zippered storage bags of various sizes. Plan ahead as to when items should be removed from freezer for thawing—generally 1-2 hours prior to meal preparations. Once you get into this habit, you’ll wonder how you ever managed any other way! So after you've looked over this weeks recipes make sure you go all the way to the bottom of this page and read about this weeks dovetailing tips.

Click on the download button to the right of each recipe title to download it into your Cook'n software. Then, you can save time and money by using your Cook'n software to generate a grocery list!

Day 1

Mexican Cold Soup Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 15 min.

8 large tomatoes

2 avocadoes (peeled, pitted, diced)

1 cup fresh corn kernels

4 tomatoes (diced)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Using a juicer, extract the juice of the 8 large tomatoes. In bowl, combine tomato juice, avocado, corn, 4 diced tomatoes, cilantro and lemon juice. Transfer to serving bowls.

Emergency Garlic Bread Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 5 min.

4 hot dog buns

2 tsp butter

2 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)

Preheat oven broiler (or toaster oven)
Separate bun halves; spread butter on cut sides. Sprinkle garlic powder over butter.
Broil or toast ‘til golden brown

Day 2

Slow Cooker Pork Chops Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 10 min.

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

4 thick-cut pork chops

Salt and pepper to taste

In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, chicken broth, garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and basil. Pour into slow cooker.
Cut small slits in pork chop with knife tip and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Place chops into cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hrs (or SLOW for 6-7). Baste periodically in cooker sauce.

Potatoes and Carrots Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 10 min.

3 large potatoes (peeled and quartered)

3 carrots (julienned)

1-1/2 sweet potatoes (peeled and quartered)

1 med onion (quartered)

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C)
Place ½ C water in a 9x13 baking dish; layer in potatoes, carrots, yams, and onions; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Pour oil over entire dish until all ingredients are well coated.
Cover and bake.

Day 3

Asian Carry-Out Noodles Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 10 min.

2 (8 oz) pkgs. angel hair pasta

2 tsp canola oil

2 tsp sesame oil

1 onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (halved and cut into bite-size pieces)

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

4 leaves bok choy (diced)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup orange or apple juice

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp salt

4 green onions (minced)

Hoisin Sauce (see note)

Cook angel hair in large pot of boiling, salted water until “al dente;” drain.
Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat canola and sesame oil over med. heat.
Saute onion and garlic until soft; stir in chicken pieces and cook until chicken browns and juices run clear.
Add ginger, bok choy, chicken stock, fruit juice, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce.
Reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 min.
Toss pasta with chicken mixture until well coated; season with salt.
Serve warm sprinkled with minced onions.

Note: Hoisin Sauce, also called Peking Sauce, is a thick, reddish-brown sauce that is sweet and spicy, and widely used in Chinese cooking. It’s a mixture of soybeans, garlic, chile peppers and various spices. It can be found in Asian markets and many large super markets (in the Asian or Ethnic section). It this item is not in stock at your local store, ask the manager to order it—most grocers are happy to order specialty items for their customers.

Popcorn Cake Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 4) Prep time: 15-20 min.

1 cup butter

32 large marshmallows

16 cups popcorn (popped)

1 cup gumdrops (no black ones)

1 cup chocolate-covered peanuts

1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces

Melt butter and marshmallows in heavy pan over low heat; stir often.
Put popped corn in large bowl and pour marshmallow mixture over top; stir well to coat.
Add candy and nuts; mix together.
Pack into well-buttered 12-C bundt pan.
Let cool; turn onto serving plate; cut into wedges.

Day 4

Greek Chicken and Pasta Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6) Prep. Time: 15 min.

1 lb uncooked pasta

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

1/2 cup red onion (chopped)

2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)

1 (14 oz) can marinated artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)

1 large tomato (chopped)

1/2 cup feta cheese (crumbled)

3 Tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

2 lemons (wedged, for garnish)

Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil; cook pasta for 8 to 10 min, until “al dente,” drain. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and sauté for 2 min.
Stir in chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5-6 min.
Reduce heat to med-low; add artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta; stir until heated through, about 2-3 min.
Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, add lemon wedge garnish.

Hearty Green Leaf Salad Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6) Prep. Time: 10 min.

3 cups green leaf lettuce (washed and chopped)

1 cup romaine lettuce (washed and chopped)

1/2 cup baby carrots (chopped)

2 tomatoes (diced)

1/2 cup canned white beans (rinsed and drained)

1/2 cup bacon bits

3 Tbsp sunflower seeds

1/2 cup herb vinaigrette dressing

Combine first five ingredients in bowl and mix well.
Top with bacon bits, sunflower seeds and vinaigrette and serve.

Day 5

Asian Tuna Patties Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6) Prep. Time: 15 min. Cook Time: 20 min.

2 (6 oz) cans tuna (drained and flaked)

1 egg (beaten)

3/4 cup dry bread crumbs

3 green onions (minced)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

In large bowl, mix tuna, egg, bread crumbs, green onions and garlic.
Blend soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, ketchup, sesame oil and pepper into the tuna mixture.
Form mixture into 6 patties approximately 1 inch thick.
Coat patties in cornmeal.
Heat oil in med. skillet over med. heat; fry each pattie about 5 min. on each side, until golden brown.

Fried Spinach Download this recipe.

Ingredients: (serves 6) Prep. Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 5 min.

1/2 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 (10 oz) bags fresh baby spinach leaves

8 cloves garlic (thinly sliced)

Melt butter and stir in canola oil in large skillet over med. heat until oils stop bubbling (this process allows the water in the butter to evaporate).
Add garlic; cook and stir for about 2 min., until it begins to brown.
Add spinach and cook for about 5 min.; stir until leaves are dark and approximately ¼ of their original size.

THIS WEEK’S “DOVETAILING TIPS”

Diced all tomatoes and place in bowl, cover and refrigerate. (During the week you will want to drain off a little of the accumulated juice, but the quality of the tomato is still fine.)
Juice a few lemons and refrigerate the juice.
Boil 2 ears of corn; cool, then cut kernels off; place in refrigerator storage bowl; refrigerate.
Slice and butter hot dug buns; sprinkle with garlic; Place halves together, put buns in plastic storage bag; refrigerate.
Slit and salt and pepper pork chops; place in plastic storage bag and refrigerate or freeze.
Mix pork chop sauce (olive oil, chicken broth, minced garlic, paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, dried oregano, dried basil) into a small refrigerator bowl and refrigerate.
Julienne 3 carrots, quarter 1 ½ sweet potatoes, quarter onion, add vegetable oil; place in plastic storage bag and refrigerate.
Cook halved chicken breasts for Asian Carry-Out Noodles in canola oil, sesame oil with onion, garlic, ginger, chicken stock, fruit juices, soy sauce and hoisin sauce; place in large plastic storage bag and freeze. Add bok choy during meal prep. time.
Cook chicken for Greek Chicken and Pasta in olive oil and garlic, with red onion. Place in plastic freezer bag and freeze. Add other ingredients at meal prep. time.
Fry 1 lb bacon; drain and cool; crumble. Place bits in freezer bag and freeze.
Prepare Asian Tuna Patties; place in plastic freezer bag and freeze.