Meal Plan Monday...Nov. 26, 2012

I have a feeling this is going to be a fluid week as far as meal planning goes.  Mark's been terribly sick since Thursday night/early Friday (SO thankful he was able to really enjoy Thanksgiving, it would have been terrible if he'd been sick for his favorite holiday).  Jacob and Julianna are sometimes not feeling well, though I'm having a hard time telling if they're just worn out or if they're sick.  Plus, in Jacob's case, his allergies are acting up again, we'd tried to wean him from some of his allergy meds, obviously not a good idea, so it could be that.  Anyway, I've got the game plan, we'll just have to be flexible and see what ends up happening.

Monday (piano):  Orange Chicken w/rice, edamame (piano), sugar snap peas, grilled bok choy salad
Tuesday (dance):  Shells stuffed w/sausage, spinach and cheese, Olive Garden copycat salad, Olive Garden Copycat Bread Sticks
Wednesday (concert):  Turkey “Stone Soup”/Cranberry Walnut Bread or cheddar scones
Thursday (play):  Turkey Pot Pie (loosely based on this one), wedge salads
Friday:  Soy sauce and brown sugar glazed salmon, browned butter apricot and pine nut rice* (recipe follows) veggie
Saturday (play, Nutcracker) lunch:  out
Saturday dinner:  Bobby Flay’s Philly Cheesesteaks, Oven fries

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, whether you celebrated last week or last month, and that the week ahead is filled with blessings and yumminess! 



**Brown Butter, Apricot, and Pine Nut Pilaf (Rice Cooker)
Recipe By :Nutty and sweet.
Serving Size : 4
Categories : Bread Easy Entertaining
Family Meals Fruit
Make Ahead/SOME last-min prep Rice Cooker
Side Dish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup diced shallots

1 cup long-grain white rice

1 3/4 cups chicken stock, no fat, low-sodium
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots

Rinse the rice per rice-cooker instructions. Turn on the rice cooker.
Place the oil and butter in the rice bowl. When the butter has melted, add
the shallots. Cook, stirring a few times until softened, about 2 minutes.

Add the rice and cook, stirring a few times, until it turns opaque, about
5 minutes.

Add the stock and salt; stir just to combine.

Close the cover; turn cooker off. Start cooker again on the regular cycle.

While the rice is cooking, melt the remaining butter in a small saute pan.
Add the pine nuts and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a
pancake spatula, until evenly browned. The butter should be richly browned
but not burnt. Set aside.

When the machine switches to the Keep Warm cycle, add the pine nuts in
their butter and the apricots. Close the cover and let the rice steam for
10 minutes. Fluff the rice and serve immediately.

If need be, the pilaf will hold on Keep Warm for 1 to 2 hours, but do not
add the pine nuts and apricots until 10 minutes before serving. (However,
leftovers are just fine.)

Description:
"Excellent sweet flavor."
Source:
"The Ultimate Rice-Cooker Cookbook, page 107"
Start to Finish Time:
"1:10"