DINNERS WITH JOY-A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COOKBOOK

This Menu-Cookbook is truly unique, which makes it a great, welcome gift for a wide range of people. Most cookbooks have a limited range of recipients, an avid cook, a fan of the celebrity chef, a devotee of the cuisine or diet featured. This book is intended as a tool, perfect for busy people who like good food but have limited time to shop and cook which nowadays is just about everyone.

The book provides a ready answer for that nagging question at the end of a long day; “What’s for dinner?” and teaches by example how to avoid that stressful dilemma permanently. Nutritional, restaurant quality recipes have been modified, including easily divisible and multiplied quantities, for easy, even advanced prep and quick cooking. Moreover, the introduction contains information on fats, carbohydrates, choosing and using poultry, meats and seafood as well as making gravies and sauces and their various uses from dips to desserts. This information facilitates future planning and shopping.

However, the basic difference with this cookbook is that it’s based on a professional chef’s approach to menu planning. Twelve weeks of healthy, balanced entrées, with side recipe suggestions, are arranged in three monthly groups. Each weekly menu listing is accompanied by cooking tips covering everything from specific directions to general information like freezing raw and cooked foods, a dessert recipe, and most importantly a detailed shopping list complete with pantry check. Learning how to compile a weekly shopping list is the key to relieving the stress of meal planning.

One can simply pull up a week’s list, optionally cross off ingredients of a recipe they don’t want or substitute those of one they do, and head to, or call it in to the store or virtual shopper. Having a ready list is a major time saver. It is important, though, to keep the food categories intact, especially if altering a list. Maintaining the list order is needed to make the menu planning process easy but it’s even more important to keep food shopping organized whether doing it directly, recording it for later, or particularly if using virtual shopping .

Used as learning tools the lists in the book illustrate how to effortless it can be to provision a week’s meals. It’s very relaxing to know that in one trip you have the whole week covered—completely—no quick trips to pick up something!

The weekly entrees themselves are varied; a poultry, a pork, a beef, a seafood, an ethnic dish, a casserole and a fun meal. They are presented in the same sequence only to simplify editing. They can be switched or replaced as desired. Again, the important fact is that all ingredients required for the week are on the list, entered in the proper category for shopping ease or easy to delete if a recipe is rejected.

For the busy person’s convenience, several recipes can be prepared ahead for the night there will be no time to cook, or made in excess for anticipated guests and frozen. Those recipes are noted and freezing, plus re-heating instructions are included. Also included are suitable suggestions for restricted diets where indicated, mainly for the pork, ham and shellfish recipes. As an example the recipe for Pork Tangier, with notation is included below.

Does the book work? Well a friend had a printed copy on her desk recently, when an associate known for his lack of cooking skills was intrigued by a recipe. He was amazed when he was able to successfully make it and bought the book. He’s not on Master Chef, but he is now interested in trying dishes at home and has even entertained. The recipe that started him off, Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce is below, as is a sample of that week’s menu with its shopping list. I’m using it as an example in this posting. Any special notations or references were covered in the week’s tips section, which is not included here.

Dinners With Joy is available on this site’s Books/Products section, on Amazon in paperback and Kindle in digital form as well as our Etsy shop, Dinner With Joy, at its current price of $14.99. It truly makes a great gift! No wrapping needed—no shipping costs-instant delivery!

Chicken in Lemon-Wine Sauce

A classic dish, with recipes found in various forms, but always a good choice.

Sauté-Skillet
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
2 Tbs. cooking oil – -canola
2 Tbs. butter
1 small onion diced
2 cloves garlic sliced
1 lemon  – zested and juiced
1/3 cup white wine – – recommend dry vermouth
¾ cup water
1/2 envelope chicken bouillon granules
½ cup chopped fresh parsley – – or 2 Tbs. dried
2 tsp. garlic powder

Pound chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap, to an even thickness, and dredge in flour. Place 1 Tbs. oil in a skillet over medium heat and begin to cook chicken, add 2 Tbs. butter, and brown chicken in both sides – @ 6 min. total. Remove chicken to a plate. Add 1Tbs. oil to pan and sauté onion until soft @ 2 min.; add sliced garlic and sauté 1 min, more. Add wine, and deglaze pan by scraping all the browned bits from the surface with a wooden spoon. Add water, bouillon powder, 1 Tbs. lemon juice, and return chicken to pan. Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, over medium- low about 8-10 min. until chicken is done and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, make what the Italians call “Gremolata” by mixing the parsley, garlic powder and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Plate the chicken pieces individually with sauce. Top each with a small portion of gremolata, and pass the rest.

Suggested sides: 1 lb. fresh sugar snap peas or (1) 10 oz. . box frozen. Blanch in boiling water @ 2 min. Drain and toss with 1Tbs. olive oil and 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper.

4 sweet potatoes, washed, dried and lightly rubbed with butter. Pierce Xs with a fork in the tops, and microwave, on a paper towel, as oven directs @ 6-9 min. Split tops and fill with butter or sour cream. For an added taste boost, add a drizzle of maple syrup.

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(PORK TANGIER
This looks complicated, and sounds exotic, but it’s really very simple to make with few steps, the taste is fun, and a refreshing change from the everyday ho-hum, usually a favorite with kids. Turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.*
Skillet and Large Saucepan

1 ½ lbs. lean pork in 1 ½ inch cubes (suggest sliced loin or boneless chops)*

3 Tbs. flour

1 large onion in 1” dice

1 rib celery in 1” pieces cut on an angle

1 small or ½ cup baby carrot(s) cut on an angle (see. optional sides for the Salmon recipe-#4 this week- and adjust shopping list)

4 cloves garlic diced

1 ½ tsp. paprika

1tsp. coriander

2 tsp. curry powder

1tsp. grated fresh ginger root or ½ tsp. powdered

2 envelopes chicken bouillon granules – -divided

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11/3 cup water

Juice of 1 orange and zest

¼ cup raisons

3 Tbs. cooking oil

1 apple – peeled cored in 1” dice

1 box couscous – – preferably with pine nuts

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 cup chopped nuts- – cashews, pecans, walnuts, almonds, even peanuts for optional garnish
In a large skillet, over medium heat, warm 1 Tbs. oil and sauté onion, carrot and celery until onion softens, add garlic for 1 min Add 2 Tbs. oil, then pork and paprika, coriander, curry and ginger. .Brown pork 4 -5 min, adding up to 1/3 cup of water if mixture begins to stick. Add orange juice, remainder of water, 1 bouillon packet, raisons and apple. Cook, covered, about 10 min., stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked and sauce thickens. .

Meanwhile, cook couscous according to directions, adding garlic powder and 1 envelope chicken bouillon as removed from heat.

Serve couscous topped with pork and garnished with orange zest and optional chopped nuts.

Optional Side: (1) 12 oz. bag of baby spinach, half an onion sliced thin, and a drained can of mandarin oranges tossed with a citrus, or raspberry vinaigrette.)
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Weekly Menu Sample

Month 1, Week 1
1.Chicken in Lemon Wine Sauce
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sugar Snap Peas

2. Pork Tangier
Spinach Orange Salad

3. Steak in Red Wine
Broccoli Crowns
Broiled Irish Potatoes

4. Salmon in Lemon-Caper Sauce
Zucchini Medley
Roasted Baby Carrots

5. Glamorous Ham Casserole
Caesar Salad

6. Double-Punch Lasagna Roll-Ups
Italian Green Beans
Bread Sticks

7. Classic Fajitas

8. Apple Rustica

SAMPLE SHOPPING LIST
1) This is a complete list of all the ingredients needed to make 4 servings of every entree and side on this week’s menu. The quantities are in even amounts for easy multiplication or division to fit your household requirements.
2) If you want to delete a recipe and/or substitute another, simply remove the ingredients for that recipe and add the new ones-in proper quantity. The list is still your tool.
3) The Pantry Check items are considered basic kitchen supplies, kept in amounts intended for multiple uses. The quantities needed each week are given in the recipes. Make note of them when checking the pantry to learn if an item needs to be restocked.
4) This list is a valuable time and money saving tool. Learn to use it and it will reward you well.

MONTH 01 / WEEK 01
Cooking Tips
A word before I begin this, our first list. As I stated in the introduction, I’ll try not to request too many pantry items at once or be exotic in the things I use, but I do want to help you build a basic pantry, so that very soon you’ll automatically know you have most of the things on each week’s list and shorten your shopping time. For example, every week, I will mention flour, salt and pepper. They are basic, as are sugar and some herbs and spices. I will also be listing other items that you may want to consider in the “staples” category to make your life easier, fresh onions, rice, eggs, butter, cooking and salad oils, bread crumbs and wines are in this group. So buy with an eye to the future. I like to use bouillon powder. It can add a lot of taste, with minimum effort, but brands vary greatly in sodium content. Boxed packets seem to contain less than the bottled granules, offer a low-sodium option, stay fresh longer, and the pre-measured amounts are easier to control . So I prefer them, but if you want to adjust the recipe amount higher according to taste, you can, just restrict the salt. Never use cubes. They don’t dissolve well, nor do they impart the flavor.

PANTRY CHECK
White wine – – suggestion dry vermouth
Dry red wine
Cream sherry
Flour – all-purpose*
Beef and chicken bouillon granule packets, NOT cubes
Salt and pepper
Lemon pepper
Garlic powder-not garlic salt
Paprika
Dried parsley
Curry powder
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Ginger powder
Nutmeg- grated
Dried Oregano
Dried basil
Dried thyme
Cooking oil
Salad oil
Bread crumbs- flavored or regular
Worcestershire sauce
Dijon or Spicy brown mustard
Cinnamon

MARKET
GROCERIES
(1) 2oz jar of capers
1 box lasagna noodles
(1)4 oz. can mushrooms-stems& pieces
½ cup raisins
1 box couscous—garlic or pine nuts
(8) 8 inch flour tortillas
(2) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
(1) 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups packaged pre-cooked white rice
(1) pkg. Crisco quarters
Parchment paper

MEATS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
11/2 lb. boneless lean pork for cubing
(4) 5oz beef tenderloin steaks
(4) 5oz salmon fillets
(3) ¼ lb. slices cooked ham
1 lb. ground turkey
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
OR 12 oz. beef steak

PRODUCE
3 lb. bag of onions
1 lb. bag peeled baby carrots
1 bunch celery
1 bulb garlic or 1 jar chopped
2 lemons
8 oz. sliced button mushrooms
2 plum tomatoes
2 green bell peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 orange
Fresh ginger root – small piece
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 ½ lbs. apples + 1 apple

DAIRY
24 oz. sour cream
4 oz. wedge parmesan cheese
8 oz. shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 quart milk
1 cup light cream or ½ & ½
½ lb. butter
Dozen eggs- 2 this week rest next
8 oz. guacamole
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

OPTIONAL SIDES
(2) 14oz cans small whole white potatoes
4 sweet potatoes
(1) 12 oz. bag baby spinach leaves
1 lb. fresh or (1) 10 oz. box frozen sweet pea pods
2 large crowns of fresh broccoli
(1) 12 oz. bag baby greens
(1) 12 oz. bag romaine lettuce – or 1lb head
1 lbs. fresh zucchini
1 10 oz. package frozen Italian green beans
1 box bread sticks- – look for the thin ones called grissini
Choices of salad dressings- – if needed