February 28-March 6

I had a great grocery store visit this week. I made myself even more prepared than usual so I was in and out in no time while my son watched Elmo on his portable DVD player. I spent $47 and saved $62. Not a bad days work.
*Beef Fajitas
Skirt steak marinated in pineapple juice, onions, garlic and cumin piled high in soft, whole grain tortillas with guacamole, black beans, brown rice, sour cream and shredded lettuce. It will be a damn shame if these aren’t washed down with a limed-beer.
*Orange-Rosemary Glazed Whole Chicken with Smashed Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Zucchini Disks
I got the cutest little free range chicken on special today. I’ll roast it as I always do (well-seasoned flesh and skin, aromatics inside, 15mins on 500* breast-side up, then 45mins at 350*), but towards the end of the cooking process I’ll baste it with a glaze of melted orange marmalade infused with rosemary. I serve roasted chicken with mashed potatoes often but I thought the orange glaze would go well with some sweet potatoes. The zucchini will be sliced into disks, seasoned wth s&p, then high roasted until crispy, almost like potato chips.
*Croissant Paninis with Strawberries, Brie and Caramelized Onions and Provencal Tomato Soup
I made this once last summer for the first time and just remembered it today. It was so incredibly yummy and very exciting because it was a completely original idea. The flavors meld so well together, but last time I made it I used regular brie cheese and this time I happen to have goat brie in the fridge. We’ll see if it’s as good…
*Chicken Sausage Gyros and Lemon-Garlic Oven Fries
I still have some whole grain Naan bread from last week that I thought I could use to make gyros wtih. I have some chicken-spinach-feta sausages in the freezer that will go inside, along with chunks of feta cheese, a ‘not-ziki’ sauce of lemon zest, garlic and sour cream, and garlicky sauteed spinach. We’ll have roasted lemon-garlic fries on the side. Vampires beware.
*Honey-Basted Turkey Legs, Red Wine Risotto and Wilted Spinach with Orange Zest
I saw several packs of turkey legs today at the store that needed a home, so I took it upon myself to provide them with one. Have you ever been to a county fair or theme park and eaten one of those giant turkey legs? They’re delicious and make you feel like Fred Flinstone. So I think I’m going to prepare these in a similar manner…boil them first to cook through, then glaze and roast them to get some good color on the skin. And this risotto is such a fun twist on the classic…you do everything the same except use red wine instead of the white and beef stock instead of the chicken. It’s completely different but equally as satisfying.
*Southwest Turkey Patties with a Corn-Avocado Salsa
Ground turkey spiced with the 5 C’s: cumin, chili powder, cinnamon, cayenne, and cilantro, formed into burger patties and grilled, topped with a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. They’ll be served along side a simple salsa of avocado and corn with a bit of cilantro and salt.
Happy Eating, Everyone!