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Starting this week, we are offering you our new weekly Chef-Inspired Meal Plan, recipes written by Food Pyramid chef, James Clary. These delicious and cost effective meal ideas will serve to help you with your weekly meal planning for your family or get-together. Make sure to look for more meal plans in the coming weeks!

This week’s featured meal plan:

• Warm Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Cherry Tomatoes in Lighthouse Vinaigrette
• Top Sirloin with Red Wine Sauce, Whipped Potatoes, and Asparagus
• Coconut Almond Layer Cake with Blue Bell Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS

• Two, 5 oz. bags Earthbound spinach
• 2 slices thick cut lean bacon cut into strips
• ½ cup sliced mushrooms
• ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
• 6 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
• ¼ cup Litehouse Vinaigrette Dressing
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Put spinach into a serving bowl.
2. Heat a nonstick skillet then add bacon and cook until crisp and brown.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels then drain all fat from skillet except about 1 tablespoon.
4. Sauté mushrooms and red onion in bacon fat for about 2 minutes.
5. Add tomatoes.
6. Remove mushrooms, onions and tomatoes and add to spinach with bacon.
7. Add blue cheese to salad.
8. Pour Litehouse Vinaigrette Dressing into skillet and heat on high until the dressing is very warm, but not boiling.
9. Pour dressing over salad with salt and pepper.
10. Toss and serve immediately.

Whipped potatoes available at the Food Pyramid deli.

INGREDIENTS

• Four, 10 to 12 oz. Top Sirloin

Ingredients for the Marinade

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

PREPARATION

Combine ingredients for marinade in a small mixing bowl and blend well with a wire whip or spoon. Place steaks in a non-reactive container (like a glass Pyrex) and pour marinade over steaks, turning to coat evenly. Marinade for at least 2 hours, up to overnight.

Remove steak from pan, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill or broil steak to desired temperature.

Ingredients for the Red Wine Sauce

• 1.750 liter bottle BV Coastal Cabernet or Merlot
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot or white onion
• ½ cup beef broth
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon coarse, black pepper
• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water

PREPARATION

In small saucepan combine first five ingredients, bring to a boil and reduce by ½. Mix cornstarch with water. Add to sauce and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and serve over steaks.

Ingredients for Asparagus

• 2 quarts of water
• 1 bundle of asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 mixing bowl filled with ice water

PREPARATION

Cut the bottom 2 inches off asparagus. Bring water to boil in medium sauce pan. Place asparagus in boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus and plunge immediately into ice water. Allow asparagus to cool, drain well and set aside. When steaks are almost ready, cook asparagus in a medium saute pan or skillet with butter, olive oil, salt and pepper.

PREPARATION

Cut 4 servings Coconut Almond Layer Cake, microwave for 20 seconds and top with your favorite Blue Bell Ice Cream.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 4:48 pm and is filed under Chef-Inspired Recipes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.