Editor's Note: The Busy Kitchen is a Monday column written by two area chefs - Tiffany Poe and Valarie Carter - who also happen to be mothers of young children. They explore nutrition, cooking for kids and more.
With most schools and activities in full swing, you're probably already feeling the pressure of providing satisfying and healthy meals for your family. I know I am.
But with just a little pre-planning, you can easily make four delicious meals with a minimum amount of active cooking time. Using ground pork and a variety of cabbages makes these meals nutritious, delicious and affordable.
If it gets hectic this week and you can't eat everything you've prepared, no worries. The chili verde and cabbage casserole freeze well and the slaw will be great for your weekend cookout.
I like to meal plan and shop on Monday but you might like to do this on Saturday or Sunday so that you are ready to roll when Monday hits. At the beginning of your cooking week, sauté and brown well four pounds of ground pork. You'll use two pounds for Chili Verde, and one pound each for Lettuce Wraps and Savoy Cabbage and Pork Casserole.
If you can't find ground pork in your market, ask the butcher to grind some for you. Or you could easily substitute ground chicken for pork in all these recipes. Be sure to get ground breast meat, though, as the dark meat has a much higher fat content.
4-DAY MENU
DAY 1 MENU
Pork Chili Verde Tacos
Chili Lime Slaw
Cuban Black Beans (See
previous Busy Kitchen articles at
tulsaworld.com/thebusykitchen.)
What you’ll need:
24 ounces Chili Verde Sauce
— store-bought or make your
own with my recipe below
2 pounds sautéed ground pork
Tortillas of your choice —
corn, flour, gluten-free or whole
wheat
Garnishes of guacamole or
avocado, diced red onion, sour
cream, lime wedges, queso
fresco and cilantro
½ recipe of Chili Lime Slaw
(save the other half for a meal
later in the week)
CHILI VERDE
2 pounds ground pork — previously
sautéed and browned
8 large tomatillos, husks removed
and halved
3 poblanos, split lengthwise,
seeds and stems removed
2 jalapeno chilis, split lengthwise,
seeds and stems removed
1 yellow onion, cut into 8 chunks
each
3 garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dry oregano
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Line 2 large sheet pans with
foil. Preheat oven to broil. You
may need to leave the oven
door ajar so that the broil element
will stay on.
2. Place tomatillos, poblanos,
jalapenos, onions and garlic
on sheet pans.
3. Place under broiler until vegetables
are dark brown with a
few specks of black.
4. Place roasted vegetables in a
blender or food processor and
puree. You may need to do
this in batches depending on
the size of your blender. Add
oregano, sage, cumin, salt and
pepper.
5. Reheat previously sautéed
ground pork in a large skillet.
Pour chili verde sauce over the
pork and cook about 30 minutes,
partially covered. Taste
for seasonings and serve with
tortillas and garnishes.
Tip: Most of the time when
I make something that I can
freeze — like the Pork Chili Verde
— I make double so I can retrieve
it for an easy meal later. I love
being able to grab something out
of my freezer that I’ve prepared
in advance. That way, I know the
quality of the product and all I
have to do is prepare something
fresh to go with it.
CHILI LIME SLAW
½ head shredded green cabbage
½ head shredded red/purple
cabbage
2 cups shredded carrots
1 small thinly sliced red onion
¾ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chili powder —
Start with one tablespoon
and add more to taste. (All
chili powders are not created
equal.)
Juice of one lime
Zest of one lime
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1. In a large bowl, whisk together
mayonnaise, sour cream, 1
tablespoon chili powder, juice
and zest of lime, sugar, cumin,
salt and pepper. Taste and
add more chili powder to your
taste. The chili powder will
intensify with time, so keep
that in mind.
2. Fold in cabbages, carrots and
onions.
3. Chill in refrigerator about 20
minutes to allow flavors to
meld.
4. Serve half and save half for a
meal later in the week.
Notes: I did a little research on
the price of pre-shredded and
packaged vegetables such as
cabbage and carrots. I’ve often
been tempted to buy the slaw
mix or shredded vegetables but
I always opt for doing it myself.
Here’s why: a head of green cabbage
costs $.65 per pound while
the bagged version costs $1.99.
Head purple cabbage is about
$.99 per pound and the bagged
version is $2.40. I have a food
processor or I can shred cabbage
quickly with a French knife so I
just can’t justify the cost for myself.
If the convenience benefit
outweighs the cost for you: go
for it!
I also might recommend an
OXO mandolin. A mandolin is a
fancy, French slicer used in many a professional kitchen. It can cut
you in strange and horrific ways,
so be careful! The great thing
about the OXO is that it comes
with a hand guard so it cuts
your prep time without cutting
you. (Usually.) And it only costs
about $50 compared to well
more than $100 for the real deal.
DAY 2 MENU
Pork Lettuce Wraps
Fresh fruit
What you’ll need: 1 pound
previously cooked ground pork
PORK LETTUCE WRAPS
3 tablespoons fresh grated or
minced ginger
2 teaspoons sriracha or ½ teaspoon
dried chili flakes
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed and
minced
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
½ cup tamari
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound ground pork, sautéed
and lightly browned
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts,
diced
1 small zucchini, small dice
1 cup steamed brown rice or 1
bundle cellophane noodles,
fried per package directions
Lettuce leaves for wrapping,
cleaned, dried and well chilled.
Try Boston, Bibb, butter lettuce,
romaine or iceberg
3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped peanuts
1. In a small bowl, combine first
10 ingredients and whisk well.
Set aside.
2. Saute ground pork or if using
previously cooked, warm
through over medium-high
heat.
3. Add diced zucchini and water
chestnuts and give a quick stir.
4. Pour liquid mixture over pork
mixture and stir well. Mixture
should bubble and simmer until
thick. Cook several minutes
stirring constantly. Remove
from heat.
5. Arrange chilled lettuce leaves
on a platter.
6. Place rice or noodles on a
separate platter and pour
pork mixture on top. Top with
scallions and peanuts. Serve
immediately with chilled lettuce
leaves.
DAY 3 MENU
Baked Savoy Cabbage & Pork
Sliced tomatoes with balsamic
vinegar or sauce for Tomatoes
Lutece (see previous Busy
Kitchen columns,
tulsaworld.com/thebusykitchen)
French bread
BAKED SAVOY CABBAGE & PORK
Note: This recipe is adapted from
Marcella Hazan.
2-2½ pounds Savoy cabbage
3 tablespoons butter
Salt
1 pound ground pork, cooked
Black pepper
Béchamel sauce
1 cup milk
2 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon flour
? teaspoon salt
? teaspoon grated nutmeg
? cup best quality grated Parmesan
1. Butter a 10x10 baking dish.
2. To prepare the cabbage: Core
the cabbage, detach the
leaves and soak them in cold
water.
3. Bring a big pot of salted water
to a boil and boil the leaves,
largest leaves first (5 minutes),
remove, boil smaller
ones (3 minutes). Drain boiled
leaves in colander.
4. To make the béchamel: Melt
butter until foamy.
5. Add flour and cook about 1
minute. Do not brown.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Heat milk in microwave for
one minute.
8. Return butter/flour mixture
(roux) to low heat.
9. Add milk slowly. Cook slowly,
stirring, until like thick cream.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring
constantly.
10. Stir in salt and nutmeg.
11. Remove from heat.
12. Stir in previously cooked
ground pork and 2 tablespoons
Parmesan cheese.
13. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
F.
14. To assemble: Spread with a
thin layer of pork mixture,
then alternate layers of cabbage
leaves and pork. Top with
the remaining cheese and dots
of butter. Bake in a preheated
400 degree oven on middle
rack for 20 minutes or until
golden and bubbly. Allow to
rest 5 minutes before serving.
Tips: Freezes beautifully. If
you don’t have time to eat it this
week, just pop it in the freezer
for the future.
DAY 4 MENU
Sautéed Tilapia Fillets
Previously made Chile Lime
Slaw
Roasted carrots
Bakery bread
SAUTEED TILAPIA FILLETS
1. Thoroughly dry tilapia fillets.
Season with salt and pepper.
2. Lightly coat fillets with flour to
soak up any excess moisture.
3. Over medium-high, heat 2-3
tablespoons of olive oil until
shimmering. Add fillets, dragging
them once through the oil
to prevent sticking. Cook until
lightly golden brown on one
side. Flip and cook until lightly
golden brown on the second
side. Remove from heat and
serve immediately with Chile
Lime Slaw and roasted carrots.
ROASTED CARROTS
1 pound carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil or more
Salt and pepper
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
on the convection setting or
425 conventional.
2. Wash and peel the carrots,
removing any blemishes.
Remove the tops and trim the
tips if necessary. Dry carrots
well to prevent steaming.
3. You may leave the carrots
whole, slice them into rounds
or cut them into sticks. The
smaller the cut, the faster they
cook. Just make sure that the
cuts are uniform for consistent
cooking time.
4. Lightly rub a sheet pan with
vegetable oil.
5. Add the dry carrots and toss
in the vegetable oil using more
as needed.
6. Add the curry powder and
toss well, coating the carrots
in the oil and spice.
7. Allow plenty of space between
the carrots to prevent steaming.
8. Sprinkle liberally with salt and
pepper.
9. Place in oven and roast until
carrots are tender and golden
brown. About 30 minutes.
10. Serve warm.
A native Oklahoman, Valarie Carter
earned a bachelor’s degree in English
from Oklahoma State University and
an associate’s degree in culinary arts
from the Art Institute of Atlanta. She,
her husband and their children live
in Bixby.
Original Print Headline: Plan meals ahead of time for easy dinner
Food
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