Weekly Meal Plan 12/28/11

I hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend – now for one more!

Here is what I am making this week:
1) Ketchup (see this post):
I finally made the ketchup and it turned out great – just waiting for it to ferment and then the true tasters will have to tell me if they approve – I personally don’t care for ketchup – making this for my ketchup lovers in the house!

2) Big double batch of sauerkraut (2 quarts):
I made this in 15 min tonight with my daughter doing the pounding!  Doesn’t take long at all with a food processor. I made with the whey this time instead of doubling the salt – it was way too salty for me the other way.

3) Finally get to make the buche de noel! Here is the recipe – I will let you know in my lessons learned how it goes.

4) Broccoli Rice Casserole
This is also for NYE – taking as my side dish.  I hadn’t been in my backyard in a few weeks and boy did I get a surprise today.  I have beautiful broccoli and purple cauliflower in my garden!  So I decided this would be a great recipe to make and I think the kids will enjoy it too.  I am going to make one that is broccoli and one that is purple cauliflower (because my daughter likes cauliflower and not broccoli – go figure).

This is my adapted version of a few different recipes so finally one to call my own:
Serves 12-16 in two 9 X 13 casserole dishes (this recipe if for a crowd – cut in half to make for a small family)
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken liver – grated or minced
3 cups brown rice – washed to remove starch
6-7 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
4 T olive oil
2-3 small – med heads broccoli, chopped (or cauliflower – you can mix it up)
1 small onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 T butter (or schmaltz)
4 T olive oil (again)
3 cups whole milk
3 cups gruyere or gouda cheese – shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grate or mince liver. Heat oil and butter (or schmaltz) in a large saucepan. Saute onion, shallot, liver and garlic, stirring constantly, about 8 – 10 minutes. Add rice and stir until coated with oil. Saute until rice looks milky. At this point I put all of the mixture into my rice cooker but proceed as follows if you don’t have one.  Add stock, salt, pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook on lowest heat for 1.5 – 2 hours, until rice has absorbed liquid.
Steam the broccoli (my rice cooker – this one on amazon – has a steamer on top – how handy – otherwise just quickly steam in the microwave or any steamer you have). I take the broccoli out when it is still green but mostly cooked through – and then shock it in cold water so it stays green.
Mix broccoli and rice mixture together when the rice is done cooking.
In a separate pot, heat 2 T olive oil and 2 T butter (or schmaltz).  Add 6 T unbleached all purpose flour (couldn’t find a grain free way to make a roux so it is what it is) and stir to combine and make a roux.  Add 3 cups whole milk to the roux and cook until thickened.  Stir constantly.  Add the cheese and cook until melted.  Pour cheese sauce into the rice/broccoli mixture and stir until all is combined.  Pour mixture into 2 9 X 13 casserole dishes.  At this point you can freeze the casseroles and cook later (what I am going to do).  When ready to cook just cook covered with foil for 15 min and then uncovered for 30 min or until cooked through.

5) Mayo
Since the other one was a flop, going to try this one from Kelly the Kitchen Kop.  And the reason why is that I want to make a homemade ranch dressing for dipping our purple cauliflower in…yum!

Have a great week everyone and a very Happy New Year!