Greek Style Brown Rice Salad

2 cups Brown rice, cooked and cooled
To taste add:
Green onion, sliced thinly
Grape tomatoes, quartered
Red, green, and yellow bell peppers, small dice
Garbanzo beans, drained
Mint, oregano, flat leaf parsley

Dressing

1/4 cup Red wine vinegar garlic
1/3 cup Olive oil
2 tablespoons Red onion, minced
1 tablespoon Feta cheese, crumbled
1 teaspoon Honey
Pinch Herb mix from above
Squeeze Fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and toss with dressing.  Serve at room temperature and Enjoy!

The menu: June 7th - June 12th

Saturday-
Dinner out - China Cafe, Novi

Sunday-
Thai-style Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps
Chopped Salad with a Lime-Chili Dressing

Monday-
Mahi-mahi Lettuce "tacos" with Salsa Fresco and Jalapeño Crema


Tuesday-
Vegetable Stir-fry with Brown Rice and green onions

Wednesday-
Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Herbs
Baby Greens Salad with Shredded Beets and Carrots, Citrus Vinaigrette

Thursday-
Grilled Salmon with Lemon and Dill Butter
Roasted Onions, Zucchini and Summer Squash
Brown Rice

Friday-
Grilled NY Strip Steaks with Cabernet Sauce
Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Olive oil
Oven Roasted Carrots with Indian spice

Apple and Onion Jam

4 oz good smoked bacon, chopped
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small green apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoon Raisins, chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped fine
1/4 cup veal or chicken stock

In a sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it starts to brown 4-5 minutes.  Add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the onion and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, sherry vinegar, water and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are very soft, about 45 minutes. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple and raisins. Sauté until slightly soft and caramelized, about 3-5 minutes. Add the thyme and onion-Apple mixture to the pan. Continue to sauté until the flavors have blended, about 2-3 minutes longer.

Adjust consistency of jam using the stock and cook for another minute or so.  Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.  This can be served warm or cold.  Enjoy!

Weekly Menu: May 16th - 22nd

Saturday-
Grilled Pork Loin with an Apple and Onion Jam
Zucchini and Summer Squash with Parmesan
Roasted Cauliflower with Moroccan Spice
Chopped Salad with a Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

Sunday-
Grilled Salmon with Dill and Lemon
Broccoli and Red Onions
Sautéed Swiss Chard

Monday-
Mexican Shredded Chicken with Lettuce Tacos
Salsa Fresco

Tuesday-
Greek-style Bison with Grilled Eggplant and Humus

Wednesday-
Chicken Parmigiana
Baby Greens Salad, Shallot Vinaigrette

Thursday-
Olive oil and Lemon Grilled Corvina
Charred Onions with Vegetables
Brown Rice

Friday-
Grilled Fat Iron Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Roasted Asparagus with Garlic
Oven Roasted Carrots with Honey and Thai Spice
Chopped Red Romaine and Shredded Beets, Creamy Garlic Dressing

Menu 3/29 - 4/3

Sunday-
Seared Salmon with Caper Butter
Steamed Broccoli
Baby Kale Salad, Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette

Monday-
Tandoori Style Chicken
Sautéed Zucchini Squash

Tuesday-
Stir-fried Vegetables with Pork

Wednesday-
Oven Roasted Chicken with Carrots and Onions

Thursday-
Bison Meatballs and Spaghetti Squash

Friday-
Passover Seder
Chicken Soup with Dill and Spring Vegetables
Smoked Salmon served on Baby Bibb Lettuce cups, Caper and Onion cream
Brisket in Red wine and wild Mushrooms
Zucchini Spears with Pear and Parmesan
Apple, Almond, and Prune Matzo Brei

Smoked Fish Cakes with Beet Vinaigrette

Serves 8

Beet vinaigrette:
2 medium red beets (about 8 ounces total)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

Fish fritters:
1 12-ounce skinless cod or pike fillet
5 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil, divided
8 ounces smoked whitefish, skin and bones removed, flaked
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 piece matzo, finely crushed (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill plus more for serving
Freshly ground black pepper


For beet vinaigrette:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap beets individually in foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and roast until tender, 50-60 minutes. Let cool. Peel and cut into 1/4" cubes.

Whisk lemon juice, horseradish, and vinegar in a medium bowl; gradually add oil, whisking to blend well. Season with salt. DO AHEAD: Beets and vinaigrette can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

For fish fritters:
Heat oven to 400°F. Place cod on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Roast until just opaque in center, 10-15 minutes. Let fish cool, then flake with a fork.

Mix cod, whitefish, eggs, shallot, matzo, chives, 2 tablespoons dill, and 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Season with pepper and mix vigorously to combine (mixture will be stiff). DO AHEAD: Fritter mixture can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.

Reduce oven temperature to 200°F; set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop scant 1/4-cupfuls of fritter mixture into skillet; press gently with a spatula to flatten. Cook, turning once and adding more oil if needed, until golden brown and crispy around edges, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to prepared rack. Keep warm in oven while cooking remaining fritters.

Mix beets into vinaigrette. Serve fritters with vinaigrette; top with dill.

Slow Cooker Pork Shoulder

Here's another very good preparation for slow and low pork.  Great for throwing it it before you leave for the day and dinner is ready when you're home.  Enjoy.

3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt (if desired, you can cut back on the salt by only using 1 tablespoon)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired, you can cut back on the pepper by only using ½ teaspoon of cayenne)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup honey
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
3 to 3 ½ pounds pork shoulder, cut in half

Special equipment - Crock Pot

In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the first six ingredients (all of the spices) with a fork.
Pour in the honey, vinegar, and olive oil and stir to form a paste.
Place the onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top it with the 2 pieces of pork and then pour the honey paste over all sides of the pork pieces. It’s okay if some of it (or a lot of it) just drips down to the bottom.
Turn the slow cooker on to low and cook for 7 to 8 hours or until the meat is tender enough to be easily shredded with a fork.