Matzo Ball Soup

Sunday afternoons are usually filled with fun and exciting things like laundry, cleaning, and getting ready for the week. Since we had the afternoon at home, I decided to make some matzo ball soup and chicken salad to have for dinner and leftovers. I used a combination of soup recipes and the standard matzo ball recipe. For the chicken salad (sorry, no pictures), I used grapes and celery to add some crunch.

Something new - Bison Burgers!

Enough with the chicken and beef - this week was time for something new! We picked up some ground bison at Whole Foods this week and decided to make some burgers. These were easy, healthy, and very good! One of my favorite ingredients was in stock this week, tomatillos, so I used those for a delicious accompaniment. For the side dish, I just used a basmati rice mix from Trader Joe's - just cook and serve. Not too much effort - perfect when you get home at 7:30 and still have dinner to make. I used 1 lb. of meat and made 4 burgers - enough for leftovers the next night. Here's the recipe, enjoy!

For more photos - click on the album on the right.

Homemade Bison Burgers with Tomatillo Guacamole
1 lb. ground buffalo (bison)
1 tbsp. grill seasoning
1 egg
Handful of diced onions (adds moisture)
Splash of milk
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat grill pan on stove with olive oil (or grill outside)
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl
Score into four even sections and form patties
Grill a few minutes on each side, until medium


Tomatillo Guacamole
2 medium sized tomatillos, rinsed and quartered
1/4 cup onion, cut into large pieces
Lime juice (1/2 of a lime)
1 avocado
1 tsp. cilantro
Salt, pepper

Place all ingredients, except salt and pepper, into a food processor
Pulse until smooth
Pour into serving bowl, mix with salt and pepper to taste

Serve burgers on warm buns with guacamole. Serve with rice on the side. Enjoy!

Summary:
Prep Time - 5-10 minutes
Cook Time - 10-15 minutes
1 grill pan, cutting board and knives, spoons, 2 bowls, and serving dishes.

Chicken and Asparagus Casserole

My friend's mom always used to make chicken and broccoli casserole, but I didn't love cooked broccoli. This is a variation on it with a different vegetable - and still delicious. It's a quick weeknight classic and can be customized however you like it. Serve with biscuits, rolls, or whatever starch you like! The protein and veggies are all in the casserole. The casserole smelled so good, we started eating before thinking about taking the photo!

Chicken Casserole with Asparagus

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• 1/2 cup milk (I used soy milk)
• 1 package frozen asparagus pieces (not thawed)
  
• Appx. 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  
• Appx. 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a casserole dish, mix the soup, milk, and seasoning.
Stir in chicken, covering with the soup mixture.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, covering the whole dish.
Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes.

Summary:
Prep time - about 5 minutes
Cook time - 30 minutes
1 casserole dish and a serving spoon