Monday Meal Planning - Birthday Week Edition

I will start off by saying, I'm about 90% sure we wont be eating all of these recipes this week. A certain Little One's birthday is Saturday (sob sob) and I'm going to be spending much of the week planning for some surprise visitors and a little birthday fun this weekend. But I still wanted to meal plan for all y'all. Besides, a girls gotta eat something, right? And I'm pretty sure the girls and the husband will be hungry for food, soo....

Monday:

Chicken Souvlaki Pitas with Tahini Sauce - Cooking Light Magazine, March 2011

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons  plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2  tablespoons  shredded cucumber
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
• 5  teaspoons  fresh lemon juice, divided
• 5  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  dried oregano
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Cooking spray
• 4  (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
• 1  cup  shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced red onion
• 16  (1/4-inch-thick) slices cucumber
• 16  (1/4-inch-thick) slices plum tomato

Preparation

1. Combine yogurt, shredded cucumber, tahini, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, olive oil, and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a small bowl. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread chicken pieces evenly onto 4 (8-inch) skewers. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 10 minutes or until done, turning every 2 minutes. Remove chicken from skewers.

3. Divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 2 tablespoons lettuce, 1 tablespoon onion, 2 cucumber slices, 2 tomato slices, and 1 tablespoon sauce.

Tuesday:

French Dip Sandwiches - Food Network Magazine, April 2011

Ingredients

For the Onion Spread:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• 6 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 bunches scallions, chopped (white and greens parts separated)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

For the Sandwiches:

• 6 cloves garlic
• Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 3-to-4-pound beef eye round roast
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 3 sprigs parsley
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dry sherry
• 6 6-inch Italian rolls, split and lightly toasted

Directions

Make the onion spread: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt; cover and cook, stirring, until golden, about 35 minutes. Add the shallots and scallion whites; cover and cook, stirring, until browned, about 25 more minutes. Stir in the scallion greens, then remove from the heat and let cool.

Chop the onion mixture and transfer to a bowl. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Make the beef for the sandwiches: Mince the garlic, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and mash into a paste with the flat side of a large knife. Transfer to a bowl; add the olive oil, celery salt, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cut small slits all over the beef with a knife, then use your fingers to push the garlic paste into the slits. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bring the beef to room temperature. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place on a rack in a roasting pan; add 1 cup broth, 3/4 cup water, the celery, onion and parsley to the pan. Roast 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of the beef registers 115 degrees F, about 45 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest 20 minutes. Strain the pan juices; reserve.

Meanwhile, make the jus: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in the reserved pan juices and the remaining 3 cups broth and bring to a boil, whisking. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sherry.

Brush the rolls with some of the onion spread. Thinly slice the beef against the grain. Dunk the slices in the jus, then layer on the rolls. Serve the remaining jus in small bowls for dipping.

Wednesday: Malaysian Chicken Noodle Soup with Asian Greens and Chili-Soy Sauce  (no shrimp for us..waah)

Thursday: Easy Sheperds Pie

Friday: Take out for us! But you should have: Barbecued Shrimp (no BBQ required)

Saturday: Birthday Girl Day!!! (menu coming later today)

Sunday: Leftovers, baby. But you should have: 

Braised Chicken with White Wine, Tomatoes and Peas

Happy Monday! I'm off to go buy a 10 lb brisket. Wish me luck.