Meal Planning: 16 Feb 2014

Photo (c) 2014 by Stephanie Miller

My Bountiful Basket contribution this week was quite the bounty!  In the picture above, you see what $60 gets you: This week it was a conventional fruit & veggie basket, the Asian add on pack, and two flats of blackberries (24 - 6 ounce clam shells).  I vinegar rinsed, quick froze, and bagged the blackberries up to keep in the freezer.  

Beautiful black berries drying on the counter. Many of these were over an inch long.
Photo (c) 2014 by Stephanie Miller

Many of the items in the Asian pack are things I don't normally cook with, so I love the challenge of finding new recipes to try.  I am very excited to say that I spent quite a bit of time sorting, cleaning, trimming, and chopping produce, especially that which I would use in the recipes this week.  This will save me so much time later!

My first entree of the week!  Pork chops were delicious! Bok choy needs help.
Photo (c) 2014 by Stephanie Miller

Here is what I'm making this week (links take you to my Pinterest pins):

Sunday: Soy Ginger Pork Chops with Stir Fry Bok Choy (pictured above)
Monday: Roasted Pork Loin, Roasted Potato Leek Soup
Tuesday: Asian Peanut Spaghetti Squash Stir Fry, Thai Coconut Chicken Soup
Wednesday: Orange Chicken with Asparagus, Crab Rangoon Wontons (Recipe and pin coming later)
Thursday: Shrimp Fajita Quesadillas (I will be making this recipe and a Pinterest pin later), Guacamole
Friday: Sausage & Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Alton Brown's Guacamole

I contributed for the Super Bowl Hostess pack add on last weekend from Bountiful Baskets, just to add some more variety and quantity of produce into our family's menu.  Included were about 7 gorgeous avocados, jalapeños, garlic, onion, tomatoes.  It was pretty obvious what needed to happen: Guacamole!

I have yet to find a guacamole recipe without a dehydrated starter kit that I like.  So, like any good cook (?) I turned to Alton Brown.  His recipe for Guacamole is available here.  I double the recipe and followed it faithfully.

Pros: It is good and it's not difficult to make.  I love the fresh lime juice in it!  It hasn't turned brown yet.

Cons: It has a longer ingredient list than some other guacamole.  The cumin and cayenne tend to overpower the avocado, and I do like to be able to taste the avocado in it.