Menu Planning Monday & Updates on Prayer Requests

Welcome to Menu Planning Monday! This week, I'd like to share some of the recipes from the menu that I posted on August 30th (HERE) .

SHANGHAI PASTA
Ingredients:

12 oz. dry linguine

3 T. soy sauce

1 T. plum sauce (I used strawberry preserves)

1 t. toasted sesame oil

1 medium green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 cup fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces (I used frozen and broke them into same)

12 oz. frozen, peeled and de-veined large shrimp without tails, thawed*

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t. grated fresh ginger

1/4 t. ground pepper

2 green onions, bias-sliced into 1" pieces

2 t. toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Keep warm. For sauce, stir together soy sauce, plum sauce, sesame oil, and chilipaste. Set aside.

Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. Cook and stir sweet pepper and beans in hot oil 5 minutes. Push from center of wok. Add shrimp, garlic, ginger, and black pepper to center of wok. Cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Stir in sauce and green beans. Stir in pasta, heat through. To serve, top with onions and sesame seeds.

BALSAMIC PORK CHOPS Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops (5-6 oz each), about 1" thick
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes (9oz), halved
1 box (5.6 oz) couscous mix with toasted pine nuts*

* I used whole wheat couscous and added my own toasted pine nuts

Directions:

Marinate chops in 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette for 30 minutes. Remove and pat dry. Season with 1/4 t. salt and 1/8 t. pepper. Heat 1 T of oil in large skillet. Saute pork chops 2 minutes each side to brown. Set aside.

Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth, grapes and remaining vinaigrette to skillet. Simmer on medium for 5 minutes. Add pork chops back into skillet and cook for an additional 5 minutes until internal temp register 160 degrees.

Prepare couscous according to package directions, substituting 1/1/4 cups chicken broth for water.

To serve spoon chops and grapes mixture on top of couscous.

Serve with steamed asparagus...

In large pot of salted, boiling water, place asparagus spears. Let boil 5 minutes and then remove from pot. Season with salt and melted butter.

Enjoy!

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I would also like to thank those of you who have kept my friends and family in your prayers. our friend, Jordan, is home and doing better.

My son, Robert, is to see a specialist on Wednesday. Hopefully, they will figure out what his troubles are and can set a course of action which will lead to his recovery.

Have a wonderful Monday!

Elizabeth