Root Vegetable Gratin

Welcome Back from the Holidays!  Here's to a new year filled with lot of delicious and healthy recipes!

Photo Courtesy of Life's Ambrosia

Ingredients

3 pounds assorted root vegetables (turnip, rutabaga, celery root, potato, sweet potato, parsnip, carrot)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup diced onion

1 1/3 cups low-fat milk, divided

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup finely shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese

1 cup cooked ham, diced (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Peel root vegetables and cut into 1/8-inch slices using a mandolin slicer (if you don’t have a mandolin slicer, a knife works just as well).  If using parsnips, quarter lengthwise and remove the woody core before cutting into 1/8-inch thick slices. Cook vegetables in a large pot of boiling water until barely tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer. Combine flour and the remaining 1/3 cup milk in a small bowl to make a smooth paste; stir into the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, salt and pepper.  Layer the vegetable slices and ham in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and top with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese.  Bake the gratin until it is bubbling and the top is golden, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (1/6/13-1/12/13)
Potatoes	Tasteful Selections 2-Bite Potatoes (28 oz.) on sale for $2.99
Carrots	Baby peeled carrots (1 lb. bag) on sale for $1.29

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (1/6/13-1/12/13)
Cheese	Essential Everyday Cheese (8 oz.) on sale 2 for $5.00
Potatoes	Farm Stand Russet Potatoes (5 lb. bag) on sale 2 for $4.00
Ham	Cub Spiral Natural Juice Half Ham on sale for $2.29/lb. Frick’s Natural Juice Boneless Quarter Sliced Ham on sale for $4.49/lb Signature Ham Steaks or Slices (12 oz. package) on sale for $2.99

Thai Peanut Noodles

Photo Courtesy of Pillsbury.com

Ingredients:

8 ounces spaghetti

1 bunch green onions, sliced (white parts only)

2 cups shredded carrot

1 cup broccoli florets, cut into tiny pieces

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1/3 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup hot water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain.  Meanwhile, combine oil and onions, carrot, and broccoli in a small skillet. Saute over low heat until tender. Add ginger; cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.  Toss noodles with sauce, and serve warm or cold.  

  

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (12/9/12-12/16/12)
Broccoli	Birds Eye Frozen Veggies (10-16 oz.) on sale 4 for $5.00 Eat Smart Fresh Broccoli Florets (10-12 oz.) on sale 2 for $4.00
Pasta	Creamette or Ronzoni Pasta (12-16 oz.) on sale 10 for $10.00

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (12/9/12-12/15/12)
Peanuts	Planters Peanuts (16-20 oz.) on sale for $2.99
Pasta	Free Barilla Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) when you buy 4 Barilla Pastas – with coupon in Cub Foods Weekly Ad Creamette Pasta (32 oz.) on sale 2 for $4.00

Baked Italian Sausage Rotelle

Photo Courtesy of Favorite Family Recipes

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 pkg. uncooked ground Italian Sausage (I used 16 oz. ground turkey and added 1 Tablespoon of Italian Seasoning)

1 pkg. curly, bowtie, or wagonwheel noodles, cooked

1 jar (24 oz.) four cheese spaghetti sauce

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

2 cups mozzarella cheese (divided)

Directions:

Roll the ground Italian sausage into small balls. In a large fry pan, brown the garlic in olive oil. Then add sausage balls and cook until browned on the outside and completely cooked through (this will take about 10 minutes – cut a meatball in half to determine if they are fully cooked).  In a large bowl toss together the sausage with all the other ingredients reserving 1 cup of cheese.  Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 inch pan lined with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 25 min. Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 more minutes.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (12/2/12-12/8/12)
Ground Turkey	Jennie-O 93% Lean Ground Turkey (16-20 oz.) on sale 2 for $7.00
Pasta Sauce	Newman’s Own Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) on sale 2 for $4.00 Prego Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) on sale for $2.00 Francesco Rinaldi Pasta Sauce (24 oz.) $1.29 with coupon (limit 6)
Pasta	Creamette Pasta or Healthy Harvest Pasta (12-16 oz.) on sale 10 for $10.00
Cheese	Essential Everyday Shredded Cheese (6-8 oz.) $1.99 with coupon (limit 4)

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (12/2/12-12/8/12)
Ground Turkey	Honeysuckle White 93% Ground Turkey (1.2 lb) on sale for $3.49
Cheese	Our Family Shredded Cheese (6-8 oz.) on sale 4 for $5.00
Pasta	Barilla Pasta (12-16 oz) on sale 4 for $5.00

Orange Chicken Stir Fry

Photo Courtesy of Live Better America

Ingredients:

1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chopped veggies (carrots, bell pepper, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, pea pods, etc)

Directions

In a small bowl combine the orange juice, orange zest, soy sauce, salt, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic and brown sugar. Mix well.  Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When oil begins to bubble, add chicken. Saute until cooked through (no longer pink inside), about 7 to 10 minutes.  Add vegetables to pan and saute until tender crisp.  Add orange sauce mixture to chicken and cook until sauce begins to bubble. Add flour, a little bit at a time, until sauce has thickened to your liking.  Serve over rice.

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Cub Foods (12/2/12-12/8/12)
Chicken	Gold’n Plump Split Chicken Breasts (32 oz., bone-in) for $3.99 with coupon Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts on sale for $2.99/lb
Orange Juice	Use fresh squeezed orange juice if you want! Oranges on sale for $3.48/4 lb. bag Dole Orange Juice or Orange Juice Blends (59 oz.) on sale 2 for $6.00
Veggies	Baby Carrots (1 lb. bag) on sale 2 for $3.00 Baby Portabella Mushrooms (8 oz. package) on sale 2 for $4.00

Grocery Item	Weekly Sale at Econo Foods (12/2/12-12/8/12)
Orange Juice	Florida’s Natural Orange Juice (59 oz.) on sale for $3.99 Our Family Orange Juice (128 oz.) on sale for $4.99
Veggies	New Grimmway Micro Carrots (13 oz.) on sale for $1.99 Baby Bella Whole Mushrooms (8 oz.) on sale for $1.99