yerassmussbedragon

Or your ass must be draggin..well I am attempting to get back in the groove. I went to the gym this morning and did a hard 20 minutes. I needed it too! I got pants sewed for my friend yesterday and two more pairs to go. Time to motivate! Must decorate for Christmas..must decorate for Christmas.
Back to the menu for Wednesday.

Quick change in the menu!

It got cold here in Kansas, so I was in the mood for a bowl of chili. I am now making chili in the crock pot and some cinnamon rolls to go with it. Super Yummy!
I am working with Zach to get his behavior improved. If he can behave at school this week then he can go and get frozen custard on Friday. He already slipped up a bit on Monday by yelling at his teacher..GRRR. We are also trying to get him out of our bed. Now that he is seven its time for him to sleep alone. We try it every year so hopefully this will be the year.
Now that I have my lovely van I am trying to figure out how I am going to pay to tag and insure it, I have a small jam sale on Sat. night so maybe I can drum up some money. I am making a batch of my new flavor to bump up my stock, its Blueberry Vanilla Lite and its divine. I have to go now and hem up some pants for a friend.

Here I am..

Ahh the excitement. Zach's birthday, Thanksgiving and a new mini-van. Well new to me anyways. My baby is seven but he thinks he is 12 or maybe older even. I found a lovely message written on the bathroom window. Mom is a asshole. That pretty much sums it up. My husband is not even upset. I am a little I guess. I will just place it with the memory of the note he wrote me shortly after becoming six years old.. it reads mom is fat. The boy does have a way with language. I suppose I have years of yearly messages to look forward to.
The boy is currently in bed for throwing I mean literally throwing his dishes in the sink after being asked repeatedly to remove his dishes from the table. He has been in there for almost an hour, he has only tried to leave his room six times, and been busted once for watching a movie. He has lost his privileges for tomorrow, that means no TV or computer time. His tenacity is exhausting.
I of all people who loves kids and have a daycare cannot control my own child!

In other news I got my mini-van. We got it for a song and a dance, it helps that I have been saving forever for it. Now it needs tags, and insurance. Also new tires, since it already got a flat! Oh I almost forgot we now are raising rabbits too. Also we have a chicken with a bad foot who was being picked on by the other chickens so she is resting in a box in the playroom while her foot heals. Hmm I think that just about sums it up..thanks for letting me rant. Menu please:

Sunday:
Roast chicken
seasoned orzo
baked butternut squash

1 3lb roaster/broiler chicken
salt and pepper
1 tsp of each:
dried parsley
dried rosemary
paprika
onion powder
garlic powder
1 whole lemon cut into slices
olive oil
1 cup chicken stock

Mix spices in a bowl. Rub entire chicken with olive oil, loosen skin under breast and place 2 lemon slices each, under skin, over breasts. Place the rest of the lemon slices inside. Place chicken in roasting pan lined with foil, sprinkle bird with equal amounts of salt and pepper, sprinkle with seasoning. Pour stock into pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Cook one cup of orzo with 2 cups water and 1 cup chicken stock. Cook for 20min or until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is tender. (I am using a veggie orzo.)I snuck a cup of shredded zucchini into my orzo undetected.

Cut off ends of squash, cut in half, scoop out seeds. Bake in another pan along side the chicken. Remove after 1 1/2 hours. Scoop out flesh, add 1/8 cup of brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste and 2T butter. Mix together and serve.

Monday:
Reuben sandwiches
oven baked fries
green salad

rye bread
mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing
corned beef
sauerkraut
Swiss cheese

Spread 2 slices of rye bread lightly with mayonnaise or Thousand Island dressing. Put a layer of sauerkraut over one slice, then top with a slice of corned beef then a slice of Swiss cheese. Top with the second slice, mayonnaise side down. Butter outside of Reuben sandwich lightly with soft butter or margarine and toast on a griddle or grill, turning to brown evenly.


Tuesday:
Chicken and veggie quesadillas

leftover chicken
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 large onion sliced into rings
refried beans
tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese

Saute zucchini and onion until softened. Add chicken and heat thru. Use to make quesadillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Wednesday:
Smoked sausage and penne casserole

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup milk
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 clove of minced garlic
1 tsp black pepper
1-1/2 cups french-fried onions, divided
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup frozen peas

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown sausage over medium heat for 5 minutes; drain. In a large bowl, combine milk and soup. Stir in 1/2 cup onions, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese,garlic, pepper, peas and sausage. Drain pasta; stir into sausage mixture.
Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining onions and cheese. Bake, uncovered, 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Thursday:
Dijon chicken
steamed green beans
butter noodles

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup water
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3-4 pounds), cut up
1 package (8 ounces) herb-seasoned stuffing, crushed

In a shallow bowl, combine mustard and water; dip the chicken pieces, then roll in stuffing. Place in a greased baking pan. Sprinkle with the remaining stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour or until juices run clear.

Friday:
Baked Tilapia
steamed rice
broccoli

4 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
dash pepper
dash salt
pinch dried dill weed or parsley
dash paprika
8 tilapia fillets

In saucepan, combine butter, garlic, pepper, salt, dill weed, and paprika. Heat over low heat until butter is melted and starts simmering. Remove from heat. Brush a little of the butter mixture in the bottom of a shallow baking dish then place tilapia fillets on the buttered area. Brush top of each tilapia fillet with the seasoned butter mixture. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until tilapia flakes easily with a fork.

A little pic update

A handsome Zach






Pumpkin carving


A tired after trick or treating Freeda

Enjoy!

Salutations and all that Jazz

Good morning world! Well I guess I have been taking my Prozac and I am feeling good this morning. A fairly quiet weekend here. However a good week to be interrupted by a short week at school because of parent teacher conferences. I have to make 3 dozen assorted muffins on Wed for teacher meals and I am hosting a dinner party on Sat. night..uggghhh. We are purchasing a mini-van on Friday. We were suppose to get it last Friday, but we have to wait until Gene's next pay period. Like I told you last week it's a chickeny week due to finances. Enjoy!


Monday:
Chicken Broccoli pasta

2 cups uncooked smaller size(like spirals) pasta
2 cups frozen broccoli
1 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
3/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves
4 1/2 ounces sliced mushrooms(optional)
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan, cook pasta, adding broccoli during last 5 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, in saucepan, combine sour cream and flour, blend well. Stir in milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot but not boiling. Stir in chicken, basil, mushrooms and 3 tablespoons of the cheese. Cook until heated. Drain pasta and broccoli; return to saucepan. Add chicken and toss to coat. Serve with rest of the cheese.

Tuesday:
Pork steak
steamed cauliflower
chicken flavored rice(make double to have for Thursday)

1 teaspoon Garlic powder
2 teaspoons Black pepper
½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Paprika
½ teaspoon Thyme
½ teaspoon Oregano
½ teaspoon Rosemary
½ teaspoon Salt

Rub pork steaks and let sit over night or at least a few hours before cooking. Broil for about five minutes on each side.


Wednesday:
Scalloped potatoes with veggies

5 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 turnip thinly sliced
2 carrots very thinly sliced
1/2 head broccoli chopped fine
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 small onion, finely chopped

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat until melted. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk, 1/2 cup at a time. Heat to boiling. Boil and stir 1 minute. Arrange potatoes and veggies in greased 2 quart casserole in 3 layers, topping each layer with part of the chopped onions and 1/3 of the sauce. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, broken into little pieces.
Cover and bake until tender, about 60-70 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minute before serving.


Thursday:
Roasted Rosemary Chicken
leftover rice
steamed green beans

1 whole cut up chicken
3T fresh snipped rosemary
course salt
pepper
balsamic vinegar
2T diced garlic
olive oil

Place chicken in roasting pan. Preheat oven to 350. Pour over olive oil and splash with balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper generously. Sprinkle with rosemary and garlic. Bake at 350 for about and hour or until juices run clear.

Friday:
BBQ chicken sandwiches
Baked beans
potato salad

Shred and warm 2 cups of leftover chicken. Add BBQ sauce, serve on buns with pickles.

Short Week in menu

I made spaghetti last night, who needs a recipe for that??
I hope everyone one had a great Halloween. We had a good one..on the scale of one to ten I would give it a 6.5 and a big ehhh. No one got hurt and there was little shouting. Gene and Zach and I went downtown to the annual store front trick or treating. We brought Gene and Freeda..yes the dog was in a witch costume, home and then Gene headed for more beery pastures at the Replay Lounge and Zach and I went to a more wealthy neighborhood to hit the door to doors. In Zach's words it was "trick or treaters paradise." He got a bucket full of chocolate so we are both pretty happy. All in all a huge load of candy 2 1/2 buckets full, so we will be able to fill his pinate for his birthday party. And he gets a piece a day until his party.

We have found our minivan at last and we can afford it, well with a little belt tightening we can.. So light on the wallent menus for a few weeks..I hope you like chicken cause we will be eating a lot of it. :)

Tuesday:
Asian chicken dumplings
veggie fried rice

1 package coleslaw mix with carrots•3 tsp salt, divided
1 pound lean ground chicken or pork
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, with tops
1 TB rice wine vinegar
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
Dash pepper
wonton wrappers

Mix cabbage mixture with 2 teaspoons salt and set aside for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess moisture. In a large bowl, mix the cabbage, pork, green onions, vinegar, cornstarch, the remaining 1 teaaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and the pepper.
Wrap a tsp of mixture into each wrapper, seal edges with water.
Heat a wok or nonstick skillet until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, tilting the wok to coat the sides. If using a nonstick skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place 12 dumplings in a single layer in the wok and fry 2 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil


Wednesday:
Tuna Noodle casserole


Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons Neufchâtel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese)
1 6-ounce can solid white tuna packed in water, undrained
1 6-ounce can chunk light tuna packed in water, undrained
1 cup frozen petite peas, unthawed
8 ounces farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1/2 cup crushed baked potato chips (about 1 ounce)



Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray glass baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Whisk wine and cornstarch in small bowl to blend. Whisk flour in heavy medium saucepan to remove any lumps. Gradually add milk to flour, whisking until smooth. Add broth and thyme and whisk over medium heat until liquid thickens and boils, about 4 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and whisk until liquid boils and is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add Neufch‰tel cheese and whisk until melted. Stir in both cans of tuna with their liquid and frozen peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Return to pot.
Add tuna to pasta, stir to blend well. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle with potato chips. Bake until top is golden and sauce bubbles around edges of dish, about 25 minutes.



Thursday:
Baked chicken and veggies


1 frying chicken, cut up
2 lg. potatoes, diced
3 lg. carrots, sliced
2 lg. ribs celery with tops, sliced
1/2 c. hot water
1 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. each thyme & salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Put chicken in center of large roasting pan. Mix vegetables and put around chicken. Stir together remaining ingredients and spoon over vegetables and chicken. Bake in 425 degree oven, basting once or twice with pan drippings for 1 hour.

Friday:
Chicken and cheese quesadillas
steamed broccoli

I know you can make these. :)

Halloween Week

It's hard to believe its already the end of October. The holidays are coming on fast. I have a few things coming up this week: Zach's school party, a little pumpkin carving party, and an art opening for a friend. I am looking for interesting things to bring to them, themed of course. A busy week hence an easy menu.

Monday:
Parmesan chicken strips
steamed broccoli
chicken flavored rice

1 clove garlic, minced
1 stick unsalted butter melted
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
A large pinch of Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 lbs of chicken cut into strips

Preheat oven to 450°F. In a bowl, combine the minced garlic with the melted butter. In another bowl mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, garlic salt, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Dip chicken pieces into garlic butter, then into crumb mixture to coat. Place coated chicken pieces on to a baking dish. Drizzle with remaining garlic butter and bake uncovered 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Tuesday:
Pulled pork sandwiches
coleslaw

1 Boston pork butt roast (4 pound)
1 bottle favorite barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water
1 large onion sliced into rings
salt and pepper
1 T oil

Salt and pepper roast all over. Brown on all sides in pan with oil. Put onions and water into the crock. Place roast into crock, pour sauce over it. Cook on high for 1 hour and then on low for 6-8 hours. Remove from crock, let cool, then shred, serve with additional BBQ sauce on buns. Reserve some meat for Thursday.

Wednesday:
Butternut Squash soup
good bread and butter

butternut squash, diced (about 2 cups)
1-1 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves only
1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
salt/pepper, to taste
1/4-1/3 cup half and half

Peel and dice butternut squash. Peel and dice carrot and onion. Mince garlic. To a soup pot, add 2 TBS olive oil. Heat oil and add chopped onion and garlic. Season with a bit of salt. Saute on med/low heat till onion is soft...about 5-7 minutes.
Add diced carrot and squash. Saute for a minute or so. Add 1 cup chicken stock, making sure the vegetables are pretty much covered in liquid. Add thyme and nutmeg. Season with a bit more salt, if needed. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is tender. This can be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Place cooked squash and liquid in a blender(I use my Immersion blender).
Blend till smooth. Place the pureed mixture back into the pot. It is at this point that you can leave it the way it is...it is a bit thicker... or you can thin it by using half and half. Garnish with thyme leaves,croutons, Parmesan cheese or just leave it plain.

Thursday:
Quick Pork burritos

leftover shredded pork
salsa
refried beans
Spanish style rice
tomatoes
lettuce
sour cream

Use leftover shredded pork to make burritos with the listed ingredients. YUM!

Friday:
Sorry folks but I am not cooking tonight! get some cheap take-out :)
Have a Happy Halloween weekend! I hope to publish some festive photos from this week, toodles Evie.

WOW!

Gone but not forgotten. I can't believe I have not posted since May. I have no excuses, really I don't. Things are the same around here. Unhappily married check. Kiddo a handful check. Still cooking and making weekly menus check. Sewing once in awhile check.
I just spent the last month planning our schools fall festival, it was last thursday nite. Now I am just tying up those loose ends from it. I am in full swing with daycare but this morning I find myself quietly alone and wondering how long it will last?
My son is doing well in 1st grade, he is an excellent reader and two teachers(not his) have commented how well he is doing in math...I guess they talk in the breakroom?? I glow with pride. His reading is wonderful and I love to hear him read to me, although he still prefers to be read to.
His 7th birthday is just around the corner..I can't believe how fast he has grown. We are having a lego party this year, it should be a blast. Although I told him 20kids was the limit since we have had so many more in the past. And this is one of the few years I am not making his cake. I have contracted with another mama to make a lego cake for me, it should be pretty cool. I am however going with a ususal theme
I always give soap and washcloths for party favors. This year I bought a lego mold to make the soap myself and we are stamping the cloths with legos for a polka dot effect. The other party favors will be lego creation made by Z. We bought 200 used lego pieces on ebay(much cheaper than new)and Z will use 10 of each to make one of a kind pieces. I am thinking of games to play still, but it will be a fun party I am sure.
The weather here has been unseasonably warm and the evenings have been extremely pleasant. I love driving over the bridge in the morning and watching the steam rise off of the water. It's a nice site and reminds me of one more reason to live on the other side of the river. I do love living in North Lawrence.
I have resumed work on a baby quilt for my good friends three month old a little smiley guy, I will try and post some pics once I load my camera software onto my new computer. Feels good to be here! Now how about a menu.

Monday:
Special burgers
oven fries
salad

Burgers:

2 lbs local grass fed beef
1 package Organic dry onion soup mix
2 diced shallots
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4tsp miced garlic
1/8 cup ice water

Mix until incorporated without over mixing.(mushy burgers fall apart)Broil in oven for 6-8 min each side. Serve on yummy soft buns with fries and salad.

Tuesday:
Slow cooker German style sausages and cabbage

2 pounds red-skinned potatoes sliced about 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 medium onion sliced
1/2 small cabbage, coarsely chopped or shredded
6 to 8 links of smoked sausage
1/2 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Arrange sliced potatoes in the bottom of a 4-to 7-quart slow cooker. Drizzle with the butter and sprinkle with about half of the salt, pepper, and thyme. Toss to coat then add the cabbage and onions. Sprinkle with remaining seasonings and top with the sausages. Pour the apple cider over all and then drizzle with vinegar.
Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH.

Wednesday:
Oven Baked Tilapia
Steamed Broccoli
boxed mac and cheese

1 small lemon
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions, with tops
4 tilapia fillets, about 6 ounces each, about 1 1/2 pounds total

Preheat oven to 400°. Zest lemon and squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice. In a small bowl, combine the peel and juice with the softened butter, parsley, salt, pepper, and green onions. Place fillets in baking dish. Top fillets with the butter mixture. Bake fillets for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Thursday:
Chicken taco soup
cheese quesadillas

1 onion, chopped
1 16-oz can black beans
1 16-oz can kidney beans
1 16-oz can corn (drained)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
1 1.25-oz packet taco seasoning
1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Cook chicken in boiling water on stove about 30 minutes or until cooked. Cool and shred. Place in stock pot and add remaining ingredients cook 30 minutes on meduim heat. Serve with fresh made quesadillas for dipping and sour cream.

Friday:
Slow Cooker Beef and mushrooms over egg noodles
steamed green beans

1 can Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup Beef Stock
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 package organic dry onion soup mix
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed
1/2 (16-oz.) package extra-wide egg noodles
3 tbs chopped fresh parsley, divided


Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a lightly greased slow cooker. Stir in mushrooms. Add roast to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 to 4 1/2 hours or until beef is tender and shreddable. Meanwhile, prepare noodles according to package directions. Toss hot cooked noodles with 2 tablespoons parsley. Place beef mixture over hot cooked noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve with steamed green beans on the side

Enjoy!

Oh the woes...

I won't go into detail, but it involves visiting in-laws and husband troubles...I bet you are hungry for some menus..here is a two week one to keep you busy. Toodles

Monday:
Baked Tilapia
rice
steamed asparagus

1 small lemon
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions, with tops
4 tilapia fillets, about 6 ounces each, about 1 1/2 pounds total

Preheat oven to 400°. Zest lemon and squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice. In a small bowl, combine the peel and juice with the softened butter, parsley, salt, pepper, and green onions.
Butter a baking dish. Place fillets in baking dish. Top fillets with the butter mixture. Bake fillets for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Tuesday:
Breaded pork tenderloin
mashed potatoes
steamed broccoli

1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 6 pieces
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp. milk
3/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. oil

Pound pork to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut small slits around edges to prevent curling. Coat meat with a mixture of the 1/3 cup flour, seasoned salt and pepper. Combine egg and milk. Dip cutlets into egg mixture, then into a mixture of crumbs and paprika. Cook in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side.


Wednesday:
Black beans with red peppers and coconut rice

2 tablespoons oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 large red bell pepper sliced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 cup coconut milk
1 box frozen spinach
1 can black beans

Cook rice replacing 1 cup of water with 1 cup of coconut milk. Meanwhile saute onions and garlic in oil, 2-3 minutes, then adding red peppers and eventually spinach. Add black beans with liquid and all spices cook for 5 more minutes. Serve over rice.

Thursday:
Homemade pizza
raw veggies

Friday:
Pork Steak
rosemary potatoes
garlic sauteed spinach

Salt and pepper 2lbs pork steaks broil on each side 5-7 minutes or until done.

Slice 2 lbs potatoes, place 2T oil or bacon drippings in non-stick skillet. Layer in potatoes, salt and pepper and 1T fresh minced rosemary. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes, turn and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes or until done.

Wash and prepare one large bunch spinach, saute in 1tsp oil with one minced garlic clove until soft and cooked.

Saturday:
Smoked Beef Brisket(this is a husband job meal)
roasted potato salad

1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons black pepper

Combine ingredients and marinate brisket overnight. Remove, and discard marinade. Place on smoker and cook for 7-9 hours at about 160-190.

salad:
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onion
1 pound bacon cooked
2 hard boiled eggs diced
5 pounds unpeeled red potatoes

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add cut up potatoes and cook for about 12 minutes or until cooked. Remove and let cool.
In a small bowl, stir together the ranch dressing mix, mayonnaise, eggs, sour cream and green onion. Cover, and refrigerate for about 2 hours to blend flavors.
Stir the mayonnaise mixture into the bowl of potatoes. Crumble bacon into the bowl, and stir to distribute.

Sunday:
Italian roasted chicken
garlic bread
salad

1 1/2 tsp. rosemary leaves
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1/2 c. sherry
1/2 c. water
1 small jar sun dried tomatoes(packed in oil)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg. whole chicken cut into parts (leg, thighs, breast and wings)

Wash chicken pieces thoroughly and remove skin.
In food processor combine all ingredients. Place chicken into a baking dish. Pour over chicken. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes then lower oven to 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn once and baste with juices often. Turn chicken pieces right side up to brown.

Monday:
sesame veggies and rice

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut up
1 large red bell pepper, cut up
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

In a saucepan combine broth, rice and butter. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed.
Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until very hot. Add asparagus, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender but crisp. Stir in soy-sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Serve over rice.


Tuesday:
Crock pot beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 pounds round steak, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoon dry white wine
4 to 8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms, lightly sauteed in butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup sour cream
hot cooked egg noodles

Sprinkle steak strips with salt and pepper; place in the bottom of crock pot with the sliced onion. Mix garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon and ketchup. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until tender. Turn to high and add sauteed mushrooms. Dissolve flour in a small amount of cold water. Add to meat mixture, stirring until blended. Cook on high for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in sour cream; turn slow cooker off. Serve over noodles.

Wednesday:
Shredded pork tacos
Spanish rice(mix)

pork tenderloin (2 lb), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large can tomato sauce(16 oz)
2 small cans chopped green chilies
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
tortillas, warmed
Shredded lettuce and chopped tomato, optional

In a skillet, brown pork in oil. Remove from pan and keep warm. In same skillet, saute onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, chilies, chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin and pepper. Add pork; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until pork is tender.
Cool slightly; shred with two forks. Return to sauce; heat through. Serve in tortillas with lettuce and tomato if desired.

Thursday:
Chicken with wine and mushrooms
steamed green beans
rice

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 ground pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup AP flour
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme or 1T fresh
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1T water

Salt and pepper chicken then dredge in flour. Heat oil to high, place chicken in pan and reduce to medium. Cook for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Cook mushrooms and onion for 5 minutes De glaze pan, by adding wine, cook for 3 minutes until liquid is reduced. Add broth, thyme and boil for about 5 minutes, add cornstarch until thickened about 1 minute.

Friday:
Spinach and cheese ravioli
salad

Use prepared raviolis, heat and top with sauce.


have a good one!

Break time over!

I took a long needed break from blogging and super meal planning...I have been flying by the seat of my pants for meals, and its been more costly than ever. So back to normal for us.

Sunday:
Oven Baked Country-Style Ribs
pasta salad
canned baked beans

3 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs
1 medium onion, chopped fine
3 large garlic cloves, minced
olive oil
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
1 teaspoon grated horseradish
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the ribs in a lined baking dish.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, stirring constantly for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients. Turn the heat to medium and let the sauce bubble for an additional 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the ribs, evenly coating them. Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake for one hour, then remove the foil and turn the meat over with tongs and cook, uncovered, about 30 minutes longer.

Monday:
Spinach and turkey sausage calzones
salad

2 loaves frozen bread dough or make homemade dough
1 lb. Ricotta
1 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 lb. frozen thawed chopped spinach, drained well or use fresh, blanched and drained
3 links Italian turkey sausage
Salt and pepper and garlic powder to taste

Let dough rise twice. Remove skin from sausage and brown, into tiny pieces, then cool. Mix cheese, eggs, spices, spinach, and sausage together. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Flour working area - flatten each piece (one at a time) into about 5 inch circles. Fill center of dough with about 1/2 cup of filling, then fold dough over into turnover shape.
Moisten edges with water then press together tightly to seal. Brush with watered egg on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until browned.

Tuesday:
Salmon burgers
oven baked onion rings
burger fixings: lettuce, tomato, pickles

1 (6 1/2 oz.) can Alaska pink salmon
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1/4 c. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/8 tsp. garlic salt
Oil

In medium bowl, combine salmon, mayonnaise, egg and lemon juice, bread crumbs, onion, parsley and garlic salt. Mix well. Shape into burgers (mixture will be moist). Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Place burgers in skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Turn. Brown other side. Serve on whole wheat buns.

Wednesday:
Turkey chili (or chicken may be used)
cornbread

1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 med. onion, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomato paste
1 c. water
3 tbsp. chili powder or to taste
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cans red beans, rinsed
1 c. tomato catsup, low sodium
Vegetable cooking spray

Brown ground turkey and onion in a skillet coated with cooking spray. Mix remaining ingredients except beans together. In a 3 quart saucepan, combine turkey, onion and sauce. Simmer, covered 20 minutes. Add beans and continue cooking for 45 minutes.

Thursday:
Easy fish tacos
mac and cheese (boxed is fine)

2 lbs Tilapia
2 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
whole wheat tortillas
tartar sauce
shredded cabbage

Heat butter and olive oil in pan, cook fish for 3 minutes on each side. Serve in tortillas with tartar sauce and shredded cabbage.

Friday: (A repeat but heavily requested)
Chicken and mushrooms
with sauteed spinach
baked sweet potatoes

Chicken:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper
fresh chopped parsley
2 cups spinach

Heat butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in non stick pan and saute mushrooms for 4 minutes. Remove from pan, replace with remaining olive oil and diced(salt and peppered) chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked thru about 7-10 minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and incorporated, about 2 minutes. Serve with baked sweet potatoes.

Ahh Zach..

I just have to get a little personal here. Zach is always a handful, but last week was Spring Break. I secretly did a little dance of joy last night after he finally fell asleep. YAY SCHOOL! I was so happy to drop him off this morning. It's not that I don't love him, or spending time with him, but god he is a pushy kid. He wheedles and whines and pushes my buttons. And Christ does he have some balls!
Over the weekend, he told me his tooth was a little bit wiggly. I said that was great, and maybe it would fall out in a week or so. He went to his room and ripped it out of his mouth!!! He brought to me and said see..now I don't have to wait. That's my kiddo...deeply intense is he. His tenacity for life is great..but if he was just a little easier to handle. That is my tiny rant. I am headed to the fabric store this morning..details later. :) Evie

Happy Spring...

Well kinda! It snowed quite a bit here, but spring will be springing soon I hope.
I hemmed up Gene's pants on my new sewing machine, and a trip to Sarah's(fabric store) is in order soon. I have got to start working on a baby blanket. However my friend put in a request with her colors and its going to be a tall order, but I know I can do it....with time.
I want to get some good nutrition into our diets as I am trying to drop some pounds and well, gosh darn it we need to eat better!
Here's some healthy meals.

Sunday:
Chicken and mushrooms
with sauteed spinach
baked sweet potatoes

Chicken:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts diced
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup feta cheese
salt and pepper
fresh chopped parsley
2 cups spinach

Heat butter and 1 tbsp olive oil in non stick pan and saute mushrooms for 4 minutes. Remove from pan, replace with remaining olive oil and diced(salt and peppered) chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked thru about 7-10 minutes. Add mushrooms and spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and incorporated, about 2 minutes. Serve with baked sweet potatoes.

Monday:
Easy black bean soup
with fixings: avocado, tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, sour cream

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2-3 cloves garlic
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans black beans
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
salt and pepper
1 small red onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Saute onion in olive oil. When onion becomes translucent, add cumin. Cook 30 seconds, then add garlic and cook for another 30 to 60 seconds. Add 1 can black beans and 2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat. Using a hand blender, blend the ingredients in the pot, or transfer to a blender. Add the second can of beans to the pot along with blended ingredients and bring to a simmer. Serve soup with bowls of red onion and cilantro for garnish.
I add a bit of cilantro to the pot, too. Can be doubled or frozen.

Tuesday:
Chicken burgers
onion rings
coleslaw

1 lb ground chicken
2 tbsp. chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 egg or egg whites
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 tbsp. bread crumbs
3 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter

Combine all ingredients except oil and butter in a large bowl; mix well. Shape mixture into 3-4 burger size patties. In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Fry the burgers on each side until cooked to desired doneness.

Wednesday:
Brown rice and turkey chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 lb ground turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can chili beans, in sauce undrained
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1/2 cup water
1 package your favorite chili seasoning
4 cups cooked brown rice (save 2 cups for Thursday)
leftover fixings from Monday

Heat oil in 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Cook turkey and onion in oil, stirring frequently, until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Mix turkey & onion with seasoning, in a slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours (or high heat setting 4-5 hours). Stir in rice. Cover and cook on high heat setting about 15 minutes.

Thursday:
Roast chicken with veggies
brown rice

olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lemon
cut up veggies: carrots, celery and potatoes
1 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper chicken, rub all over with olive oil. Slice lemon and place in the cavity and under the skin of the bird. Place bird in roasting pan, pour in broth and place veggies around bird, roast for about an hour at 400 degrees, or until juices are clear when chicken is pierced. Serve with brown rice.

Friday:
Tilapia in caper wine sauce
egg noodles
steamed broccoli

1 1/2 lbs tilapia
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp capers
3/4 cup white wine
fresh parsley

Heat the butter and olive oil to pan, add fish and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove fish and place on cooked butter noodles on platter. Add capers and wine. Mix well and cook for 1 minute. Pour over fish and noodles, top with fresh minced parsley.

So I bombed out yesterday...

Alright so I forgot to post my weekly menu yesterday. So what! You can still make these recipes, or save them for next week.
And now the good news! I got a new sewing machine, and after seeing my friend this weekend, who by the way is a fabulous seamstress, I am motivated to do some sewing of my own. Two close friends are with child and so some baby blankets are due.
Spring is almost here and I am starting my seeds. I can't wait to enjoy some yummy garden produce. Here is your menu for the week:

Sunday:
Hawaiian Chicken
rice
steamed broccoli

Chicken:
One large chicken 3-4lbs cut in half or 4-5 pieces leg quarters
2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger(i use the jarred variety)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 T soy sauce
3 T chicken broth
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 T frozen pineapple juice concentrate

Generously season the chicken with salt and let rest for 30 minutes. Pulse the remaining ingredients together in a food processor. Strain the mixture, pressing out all the juice, throwing away(or composting)the pulp. Using a paper towel, wipe away any moisture from chicken. Baste with marinade. Cook on hot grill for about 30-40 minutes, basting every 5-10 minutes. Serve in cut pieces on top of rice to absorb any good juice. YUMMMM

Monday:
Quesdaillas for Gene
(Zach and I are going out)

Tuesday:
Chicken Tetrazini

1 purchased roasted chicken
8 oz. dried spaghetti or linguine, broken in half
12 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small whole fresh mushrooms
2 medium red and/or yellow sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 14-oz. can chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 oz.)
1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel
2 slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove meat from chicken; discard bones. Cut chicken pieces in chunks to equal 3 cups. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Add asparagus the last 1 minute of cooking. Drain. Return to pan.
Meanwhile, in large skillet cook mushrooms and sweet peppers in hot butter over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and black pepper until well combined. Add broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add mushroom mixture, chicken pieces, Swiss cheese, and half the lemon peel to pasta mixture. Toss gently to coat. Spoon pasta mixture into a baking dish.In a medium bowl toss together bread cubes, olive oil, and remaining lemon peel. Spread bread cube mixture on pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.


Wednesday:
Happy St Pats!
Corned Beef and cabbage
we are having a party..so find your own gosh darned recipe...

Thursday:
leftover corned beef hash

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked corned beef
2 cups frozen hash browns(the cubed style)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1 finely minced small onion
Vegetable oil (for frying)

Saute the onion in a small amount of veggie oil until just softened, add the potatoes and a more oil and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the corned beef and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the beef broth and cook on high until the liquid is absorbed.
Cook until a soft crust forms. Serve hot with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.

Friday:
Cheese and Spinach roll ups

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-1/2-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Dash salt
Dash black pepper
8 dried lasagna noodles
1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning, crushed
1 slightly beaten egg white

Heat oil in a medium saucepan. Cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Carefully stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until sauce is desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
For filling: Drain thawed spinach well, pressing out excess liquid. In a medium bowl stir together ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and basil. Add spinach and egg white, stirring to combine.
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. To assemble, evenly spread about 1/4 cup filling on each noodle. Roll up from one end. Place two rolls, seam side down. Top each serving with sauce. Bake casseroles, covered, for 25 minutes

Making up for last weekend.

Wow, were we ever busy. Sat: A pancake feed, a trip to the thrift store, a Jump-A-Thon at Zach's school, a lunch out, a support our local schools rally, a babysitter for Zach, and a very late night out for mom and dad. Sunday: waking up really early, big home made breakfast, setting up for a friend's birthday party, going to said party, staying for the after party, dragging a screaming child out of a party, and finally going home to make dinner..whew. I am so glad I have the week to relax before spring break! here is the fabu menu:

Sunday:
Baked BBQ chicken parts
coleslaw
baked beans

2 lbs chicken parts(we are using legs and thighs)
1 diced onion
salt and pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1 bottle of your fav BBQ sauce

Place chicken in pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with galic and onion and bottle of sauce. Bake at 375 for one hour or largest piece is cooked. Serve with stor bought coleslaw and canned baked beans heated.

Monday:
Teriaki beef and broccoli
ramen noodles

1 1/4 pound boneless beef top round or top sirloin steak, 1 inch thick
2 packages (3 oz size) Oriental-flavored instant ramen noodles, broken
1 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound broccoli florets
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Combine seasoning from ramen noodles with cornstarch mixture in large bowl. Add beef; toss. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Stir-fry broccoli and carrots 1 minute. Add noodles and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender and most of liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove; keep warm. Heat remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Drain beef, discarding marinade. Stir-fry beef 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Serve over noodles.

Tuesday:
Breaded pork loin
mashed potatoes with gravy
steamed corn

pork:
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 6 pieces
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp. milk
3/4 c. fine dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. oil
Pound pork to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut small slits around edges to prevent curling. Coat meat with a mixture of the 1/3 cup flour, seasoned salt and pepper. Combine egg and milk. Dip cutlets into egg mixture, then into a mixture of crumbs and paprika. In a hot shortening for 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with hot cooked mashed potatoes and cream gravy with corn.

Wednesday:
Breakfast for dinner

Canned low fat corned beef hash
scrambled eggs
toast
fruit salad

Thursday:
Ricotta and spinach stuffed chicken breasts

1 (10 oz pkg) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tbsp. shredded fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
8 very thin slices prosciutto
cooking spray

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.
Stuff about 1/4 cup spinach mix into each pocket. Carefully wrap each breast, in a single layer, with 2 slices prosciutto. Arrange chicken on a platter. Freeze for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat, Coat with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.
Bake in baking pan for 9 minutes or until chicken is done.

Friday:
Baked salmon and asparagus
brown rice

1 lb salmon cut into portions
2T balsamic vinegar
4T olive oil
1T minced garlic
1T fresh minced rosemary
1T fresh minced parsley
salt and pepper
4 oz crunbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400. Prepare asparagus, by snapping off ends. Place salmon and aspargus in pan. Putting aparagus in piles in between salmon. Salt and pepper both. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, garlic, rosemary and parsley. Pour over salmon and asparagus. Sprinkle with feta. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve all with the drippings over rice.

Have a super great week. Evie

A ho hum weeekend..

Nothing exciting to report on, a fairly quiet weekend thus far. I am going to watch the new release Julie/Julia later this evening if I can take control of the TV.
Here is this week's fabu menu. Cheers, Ev

Sunday:
Sauteed Middle Eastern Chicken
rice

3T vegetable oil
salt and pepper(to taste)
1 cup AP flour for dredging
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1T minced garlic
1 onion chopped
4 large carrots shredded
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup white wine(or extra broth)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup golden raisins(optional)
cilantro or parsley for garnish

Mix salt, pepper and flour. Place in container and dredge chicken in flour. Heat oil in skillet to medium high. Cook chicken for about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until browned. Remove chicken and set aside. Add vegetable to the pan and cook until softened about 5 minutes. Add chicken, broth, raisins, cumin and wine, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot rice.

Monday:
Taco Salad
You can make this on your own I bet.

Tuesday:
Cheddar Broccoli soup (A labor of love, well worth the effort)
Bread

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups fat free half-and-half
3 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1 large carrot, diced
2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp white and yellow cheddar

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Reserving some of the broccoli for texture. Return to the pot. Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick.

Wednesday:
Leftover night

Thursday:
Scalloped potatoes
with ham and spinach

2 cups milk
4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup diced ham
1 small box chopped spinach defrosted and drained

Measure milk into a 2-quart saucepan. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add cheese, and stir carefully until just melted. Sprinkle flour over the surface, stir gently then pour into a greased 2-quart casserole. Add in spinach and ham. Top with extra cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, until browned.

Friday:
Tuna Melts
leftover soup

1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained and flaked
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 slices whole wheat bread
2 teaspoons chopped dill pickle
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 375. Place bread slices in the oven to toast while it preheats.
In a small bowl, mix together the tuna, mayonnaise, salt, mustard and dill pickle until well blended. Remove bread from the oven, and pile the tuna mixture onto one slice. Sprinkle cheese over the other slice of bread.
Bake for 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheese is melted and tuna is heated through. Place the cheese side of the sandwich on top of the tuna side.

and you thought I forgot...

no...just no internets yesterday. It was down. Here is your menu for the week starting with tonight.

Monday:
Baked Tilapia
steamed edamame

4 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
dash pepper
dash salt
pinch dried dillweed or parsley
dash paprika
8 tilapia fillets
1 lemon sliced

In saucepan, combine butter, garlic, pepper, salt, dillweed, and paprika. Heat over low heat until butter is melted and starts simmering. Remove from heat. Brush a little of the butter mixture in the bottom of a shallow baking dish (line baking dish with foil, if desired) then place tilapia fillets on the buttered area. Brush top of each tilapia fillet with the seasoned butter mixture. top each one with a lemon slice. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until tilapia flakes easily with a fork. Serve with steamed edamame.

Tuesday:
Greek Style chicken
spinach rice

4 lemons, thinly sliced
4 bone-in chicken breast halves with skin
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon mint leaves
1 tablespoon oregano
10 pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Arrange rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 350F. Layer lemon slices on the bottom of a baking dish. Loosen skin on breasts. Mince garlic. Lift the skin from breast and place garlic between skin and breast. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remaining herbs. Sprinkle olives over chicken. Bake 45 minutes, until juices run clear. Remove from oven and sprinkle with feta. Bake 5 minutes more.

Rice:
olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup long-grain white rice
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 10-ounce package fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper

Heat 1/4 cup oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir until rice is translucent, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 20 minutes. Uncover and remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in large sauté pan. Add spinach and cook over medium heat until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Add spinach to rice. Using same pan, sauté peppers in remaining 1 Tablespoon oil until crisp tender. Add peppers, as well as feta cheese, to rice and spinach. Season with salt and pepper and serve.


Wednesday:
Easy Crockpot chili

2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
2 med. onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 T chili powder
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. cumin

Place in crock pot and cook 6-8 hours on low. Serve with some corn muffins if desired.

Thursday:
Falafel
yogurt sauce

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash pepper
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup dry bread crumbs
oil for frying

In a large bowl mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir into mashed chickpeas.
In a small bowl combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky but will hold together; add more or less bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.
Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides.
Sauce:
1 (6 ounce) container plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mayonnaise

In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Friday:
(It is Lent for those of you who aren't religious, and we are not but we usally observe it anyways, my husband grew up catholic, plus we just love fish.)
Cheesy Tuna noodle casserole with peas

1 bag of Egg Wide noodles
2 cans mushroom soup (I found a good organic brand)
1 bag OG frozen peas
2 cans drained tuna
1/2 cup mayonaise
1/2 cup of milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 TBS lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375
Put Egg noodles on to boil as directed on back of package. While noodles cook mix together, Mushroom soup, peas, tuna, mayo and milk. Once noodle have cooked drain and put them into a casserole dish.Add your sauce to noodles and mix well. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and put into the oven for about 8-10 mins until cheese has melted.
Have a super week. Hearts Evie

Happy Valentines Day!

This is a pretty low key holiday for us around here, and since we are poor we tried not to place too much on the holiday. I presented each of my men with a big bag of pistachios(super sale price of $2 each) and a giant candy bar $1 each on sale, but not from valentines sales. (I feel like it is stupid to pay more for candy on the holiday just because it's wrapped in pink and white.) Anyways, we went to our favorite breakfast dive in Topeka, only to find the staff and menu have changed. Bummer, but the food was still decent even if slightly more expensive..boo. We rounded out the rest of our day with a trip Big Lots, Lowe's and Orschelin's...like I said we don't celebrate a whole lot, but a trip to Topeka was worth getting to go to some stores we don't have in Lawrence. We got a new lampshade and a birthday present for a friend at Big Lots, nothing at Lowe's and chicken feed ($3.00 cheaper)at Orchelin's. We dragged a screaming child out of Orschelin's, (he wanted a John Deere movie) and headed back to Lawrence. I will cruise the candy sales tomorrow looking for pink discounts to pass off as Easter treats. All in all nothing special or romantic about this day.

Sunday:
My Valentine's Menu:

Grilled Chuck Steak
herbed potatoes
baked beans
steamed cauliflower

Steak:
Sprinkle both sides of steak with a steak seasoning blend, use meat tenderizer tool and pound both sides. Place in marinade for at least 4 hours. Cook 8-10 minutes on each side on grill or until cooked.
Marinade for steak:
1/2 cup cider apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup soy sauce
Whisk together before placing meat in marinade. Flip meat a few times during marinating.

Potatoes:
1 pound fingerling potatoes
1 bundle fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme or sage
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F. Pluck the little leaves off of the stems of your fresh herbs until you have about a tablespoon of them. Wash and pat dry the potatoes and place them in a mixing bowl. Drizzle them with the olive oil, then toss them so they're fully coated with the oil. Sprinkle generously with Kosher salt and toss again to distribute the salt evenly. Add the fresh herbs and toss once again. The fingerling's should now be fully coated with the oil-salt-herb mixture. Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and roast until a knife slides easily into one of the largest potatoes —20 to 25 minutes — turn them every 10 minutes so to the tops don't burn.


Monday:
Red lentil Dahl
rice

1 T. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 T. finely chopped fresh ginger
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 cup dried red lentils,
1 t. cumin
1 t. coriander
1 t. turmeric
¼ t. cardamom
¼ t. cinnamon
¼ t. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt, or to taste
2 T. tomato paste

In a stockpot or other medium-sized soup pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.
Stirring constantly, add the water or broth, lentils, spices and salt. Bring to a low boil, then turn down the heat to low, cover and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are very tender. Stir in the tomato paste until well combined. Remove from heat, let cool. Place in blender or using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Serve heated over rice, very yummy.


Tuesday:
Chicken and barley bake

1 tbsp. butter, divided
1 tbsp. oil, divided
1 lg. onion, minced
2 lg. cloves, garlic, minced
1/2 c. minced celery
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 c. dry white wine
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, drained & chopped
1 c. barley, rinsed
3 c. chicken broth
Black pepper to taste
6 chicken legs & thighs, skinned & separated
1/4 c. milk


Heat 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tsp. oil in large saucepan (3 quarts). Add onion, garlic, celery and carrots and cook over moderate heat about 5 minutes. Add wine; bring to a boil and stir until almost evaporated. Add tomatoes, barley and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; cover and cook for 25 minutes. There should still be plenty of liquid in the pot. Stir in pepper and transfer to 3-4 quart casserole with a cover. While barley is cooking, brown the chicken on both sides in remaining 2 teaspoons of butter and 2 teaspoons of oil. Transfer chicken pieces to the casserole embedding them into the barley mixture. Cover and bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the milk over the casserole and bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes.

Wednesday:
Breakfast for dinner
Fried potatoes
bacon
scrambled eggs

Thursday:
Adapted from TOH recipe
Meatball torte
Crust:
1 package active dry yeast (1/4 ounce)
1/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
3/4 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 bag of store bought meatballs
Filling:
1 can crushed tomatoes (15 ounces)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded, (6 ounces)

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, sugar, shortening, egg, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, place tomatoes and onion in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, herbs and salt.
Punch dough down. Divide into three portions. Roll two portions into 11-inch circles; line the bottoms and press partially up the sides of two greased 9-in. spring form pans. Roll third portion into a 12 inch x 10 inch rectangle; cut into 12 10 inch x 1 inch strips.
Place meatballs in prepared crusts; top with tomato mixture and mozzarella cheese. Make a lattice crust with strips of dough; trim and seal edges. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges. This makes two tortes, make one for now and freeze the second one.

Friday:
leftovers!

Homemade fig bars

I have a bag of dried figs I bought from our co-op that no one has really wanted to eat, and I did not want them to go bad, so I made them into yummy homemade fig bars.(Like fig newtons).

1/2 cup butter
2 small eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup dried figs stems removed
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup water
1 tablespoon flour

Make first:
Grind figs in food processor with 1 cup water, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons honey. Bring to a boil, turn down to low and stir until it has cooked down into a paste, about 7-10 minutes. Cream butter and white sugar, add vanilla, flour, salt and soda. Roll out half of dough and place in 9X13 greased pan. Spread filling on top of dough, and roll remaining dough and place onto filling. Bake at 375for about 15 minutes or until slightly browned. Cut into bars when cooled.


And a bonus picture of Zach..he is my cutie!

A Cleaning out the freezer menu.

Its quiet around here, not a whole lot of babysitting going on. This is seriously limiting my funds, so I am trying to use what's in the house for groceries. This is not too hard since I have a pretty stocked freezer.

Sunday:
Super Bowl menu:
hot wings
raw veggies and dip
crackers
chips
We were not invited anywhere so we will have a cozy evening at home, complete with good junk food.

Hot wings:
3 lbs chicken wings
garlic powder
one stick butter
1 bottle hot sauce(franks is our favorite)

Heat over to 375, place wings on baking pan. Liberally spinkle wings with garlic powder. Cook for 45 minutes. Melt butter and mix with bottle of sauce. Pour over wings and return to oven for 15 morre minutes. serve with lots of napkins and blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Monday:
Baked chicken in rice casserole
steamed carrots

4 boneless chicken breast halves, skin removed
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can half-and-half or milk
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom pieces, with liquid
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 envelope dry onion soup mix, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Combine soup with half and half. Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture for later. Mix remaining soup mixture with rice, garlic powder and half of the dry onion soup mix (about 1/4 cup). Mix well and pour into a baking dish. Place chicken breasts on rice mixture. Combine reserved soup mixture with undrained mushrooms. Pour over chicken breasts. Sprinkle with remaining dry onion soup mix, thyme, and Parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 350° oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Tuesday:
Chili feed at Zach's school, but here is an easy chili recipe:

2 cans kidney beans, drained
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 lbs. ground beef, browned and drained
2 med. onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 T chili powder
1 or 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp. cumin

Place in crock pot and cook 6-8 hours on low.

Wednesday:
Stir fried veggies in peanut butter noodles

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil divided
1 bag asian style veggies
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 tablespoon salt

In a large bowl, blend cornstarch, garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until cornstarch is dissolved. Mix in veggies tossing to lightly coat.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Cook vegetables in oil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Stir in soy sauce and water. Mix in onion, salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon ginger. Cook until vegetables are tender but still crisp. Serve over peanut butter noodles.

Noodles:
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon hot chile paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces noodles

cook and drain noodles. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Top with stirfried veggies.

Thursday:
Lamb Burgers
oven baked fries
Burger fixings: red onions, tomato slices, cuke slices, and yogurt sauce

1 1/2 lbs ground lamb
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp miced garlic
2 tsp minced rosemary leaves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese

Mix all togather and make 4-6 patties depending on how large you want them.
Cook over meduim high heat until desired doness. Serve with fixings in buns or pita bread with yogurt sauce.
Sauce:

2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
5-6 leaves of fresh mint
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

Put all ingredients except the mayonnaise in the blender and blend at low speed until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, whisk in the mayonnaise, and serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Friday:
Crockpot beef stew

2 pounds stew beef
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
3 cups water

Spray the crock pot with a vegetable cooking spray . Place the vegetables in the crock pot. Top with the beef. Mix the water, brown gravy mix and onion soup mix. Pour mixture over the beef. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the vegetables are tender.

Hope you have a super week, stay warm! Evie

Layer Bars healthified

When my grandma was moved from her apartment to the nursing home, I inherited many assorted baking ingredients. My cabinet is still packed with things like graham cracker crusts, cans of sweetened condensed milk, boxes of brownie and cake mixes and sprinkles galore. These will be expiring soon so I thought I would make my guys some treats. I thought of my favorite treat as a kiddo: those 7 layer or Magic bars, here is my take on them.

Better Magic bars:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup wheat germ
1 cup roasted salted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 can sweetened condensed milk
graham cracker crust

In the crust layer in order of ingredient list. Pouring the can of milk in an even layer last. Bake in preheated 350 oven for about 25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. YUMMY

Easy peasy menu

Nothing much happening around here. We went to a good indoor school yard sale today. I scored a new nightgown(much needed), a little tykes storage shelf, and Zach spent two dollars on some toys and art supplies. I am not feeling super motivated so some of these recipes will be repeats, but always good homemade food.

Sunday:
Roast chicken
veggies
rice

1 3lb roaster/broiler chicken
salt and pepper
1 tsp of each:
dried parsley
dried rosemary
paprika
onion powder
garlic powder
1 whole lemon cut into slices
olive oil
1 cup chicken stock

Vegetables:
4 stalks cut up celery
4 carrots cut up
4 potatoes diced medium


Mix spices in a bowl. Rub entire chicken with olive oil, loosen skin under breast and place 2 lemon slices each, under skin, over breasts. Place the rest of the lemon slices with cut up vegetables. Place chicken in roasting pan lined with foil, sprinkle bird with equal amounts of salt and pepper, sprinkle with 3/4 of seasoning. Place vegetables around chicken in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and remaining seasoning. Pour stock into pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve over rice.

Monday:
Golden cooked pork chops
baked sweet potatoes

6 pork chops
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 onion chopped
TBSP chopped garlic
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed golden mushroom soup

Season chops. Brown the pork chops in a TBSP of butter, onions and TBSP of garlic. Let them bake in the 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, then turn up oven to 400 and bake for 15 more minutes.

Tuesday:
Chicken Taco soup

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

Wednesday:
tofu and veggies
rice

1/4 cup stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 14 oz. package firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 small red or white onion, cut into thin wedges
1 10 oz. bag frozen blend of carrots and snow peas
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup water

In a medium bowl, mix the stir-fry sauce, orange juice, honey and five-spice powder. Press the tofu between paper towels to remove excess liquid then add to the sauce mixture. Marinate for 10 minutes.
Spray a 12-inch skillet (or wok) with low-fat cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Remove tofu from sauce and cook tofu in skillet for 3-4 minutes or until light golden brown then remove from skillet. Reserve sauce mixture.
Add onion to skillet and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add carrots, snow peas, water chestnuts and water and bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium then cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
Add remaining sauce mixture and tofu and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.


Thursday:Mini Meatloaves
mashed potatoes
steamed broccoli

1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 pound ground beef
1/2 packet of onion soup mix
topping:
2/3 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

Preheat oven to 350.In a large bowl, combine the egg, milk, cheese, oats and onion soup mix. Add the ground beef, mixing well, and form this mixture into eight miniature meatloaves. Place these in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a separate small bowl, combine the chili sauce, brown sugar and mustard. Stir thoroughly and spread over each meatloaf. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Serve with hot mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

Friday: Leftovers!

Red cake balls

I just found this recipe whilst cruising for treat ideas for Zach's valentines day party, though it sounds divine I may try and make chocolate cake balls(due to Zach's red dye issues). The cook puts them on sticks for serving..sounds fun and fairly easy. I was thinking of making a bouquet of them for his class party..maybe two for each kid.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
wax paper

1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.)

short menu for a short week.. but two for the price of one!

Well for me anyways...haha. I was out of town visiting my mom. My grandma turns 92 today, while her mind is going, her body is in pretty damn good shape. Yes, I spent a wonderful weekend having my opinions and lifestyle choices put down..awww thanks mom love you too. Anyways..here's to a great menu for two weeks. Going to continue cleaning out the freezer and fridge, although I did make a trip to the store to buy $10 of 10lbs of hamburger, a five dollar chicken, a gallon of milk, bananas, 3 loaves of 59cent whole wheat bread, and some lunch meat. We did need those items and the prices were excellent.

Tuesday:
Easy Chili
corn muffins

2 pounds ground round or ground chuck
1 cup chopped onions
2 cans pinto beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

Brown ground beef with onions; drain off excess fat. Combine beef and onions with remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Stir to blend. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 11 hours or high for 4-6. Serve with cornbread or crackers, or a great crusty bread and top with some shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, if desired.


Wednesday:
Chicken Tetrazini

(you will be making two of these one for tonight and one to freeze for an emergency meal for a night when you need it)

1 purchased roasted chicken
8 oz. dried spaghetti or linguine, broken in half
12 oz. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 oz. small whole fresh mushrooms
2 medium red and/or yellow sweet peppers, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 14-oz. can chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (2 oz.)
1 Tbsp. finely shredded lemon peel
2 slices sourdough bread, cut into cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. snipped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove meat from chicken; discard bones. Cut chicken pieces in chunks to equal 3 cups. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Add asparagus the last 1 minute of cooking. Drain. Return to pan.
Meanwhile, in large skillet cook mushrooms and sweet peppers in hot butter over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and black pepper until well combined. Add broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add mushroom mixture, chicken pieces, Swiss cheese, and half the lemon peel to pasta mixture. Toss gently to coat. Spoon pasta mixture into a baking dish.In a medium bowl toss together bread cubes, olive oil, and remaining lemon peel. Spread bread cube mixture on pasta mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

Thursday:
Cheese and bean quesadillas

1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. canola oil
4 large (10 inch) flour tortillas
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend

Dump rinsed black beans into a small bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher.
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.Divide the mashed black beans evenly between the two tortillas. Top with cheese.Lay one of the open-faced tortillas in the skillet (with the cheese-side up). Cook one minute. Fold tortilla in half. Cook another minute. Serve them with salsa and sour cream for dipping, if desired.

Friday:
Oven BBQ Chicken
potato salad
steamed broccoli

Cut up chicken
3/4 c. BBQ sauce
1/4 c. water

Cut up chicken. Salt and flour. Cut pan or flat dish well. Lay chicken flat in pan. Put BBQ sauce in cup and mix a little water it and pour over chicken. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Turn and let cook for another 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with homemade potato salad and steamed broccoli.


Saturday:
Homemade pizza
celery and carrot sticks

Sunday:
Breaded pork Chops
mashed potatoes and gravy
honey carrots

2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup Milk
2-1/4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Flour
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Garlic powder
2 tablespoons Dried parsley
4 tablespoons Olive oil
6 Pork chops

Preheat oven to 325. Beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, flour, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and parsley. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned. Remove garlic, reserving for other uses. Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown abut 5 minutes on each side. Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 minutes. (a cast iron skillet works great)

2 lb. carrots, scraped and thinly sliced
1/2 c. water
3 tbsp. honey
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter

Combine carrots and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and return to pan. Add honey and remaining ingredients; cook over low heat, stirring gently until butter and sugar melt.

Monday:
Veggie Stir fry
rice

2 med. carrots
2 c. green beans, bias-sliced into 1-inch lengths
2 c. cut up cauliflower
2 tbsp. cold water
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sugar
Dash of pepper
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1 med. onion, cut in thin wedges
1 c. sliced zucchini

Cut carrots into thin sticks. In covered saucepan, cook carrots and green beans in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Add cauliflower. Cover and cook 2 minutes more; drain well. In small bowl, blend water into cornstarch; stir in soy sauce, sugar, and pepper. Set aside.Preheat wok or skillet over high heat; add oil. Stir-fry onion for 1 minute. Add rest of vegetables, stir-fry 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir soy sauce mixture; stir into vegetables. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.

Tuesday:
Meatball subs
sweet potato fries

1 lb. ground chuck
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Garlic powder, salt, pepper
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1 lg. can tomato paste
Sub rolls
Parmesan cheese

Mix ground beef, cheese, bread crumbs, adding salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste. Roll into balls. Meanwhile heat tomato paste in pot with 2 cans of water. Mix well adding garlic, pepper and salt to taste. (Can add some onions). Bring to a boil. Add meatballs to pot of sauce, simmer about 30 minutes. Serve in hot sub rolls, sprinkling extra Parmesan cheese or provolone on top of sub.

Wednesday:
Chicken noodle soup
cheesy garlic bread

4 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken
1 bag egg noodles
2 c. diced carrots
2 c. diced celery
3 chicken bouillon cubes for flavor

Boil chicken and remove skin and bones. Pour noodles, carrots, celery and cubes into boiling chicken broth. Add meat, season as desired. Cook on high 1 hour on low 2 1/2 hours.

Bread:
1 loaf French bread, sliced
3/4 c. butter, melted
3 cloves pressed garlic
8 oz. Cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 tbsp. minced parsley

Combine butter, garlic and parsley. Spoon over bread. Top with grated cheese. Put under broiler until cheese is melted.

Thursday:
Breakfast for dinner
pancakes
bacon
scrambled eggs

Friday:
very veggie lasagna

2 medium carrots, julienned
1 zucchini, cut into slices
1 yellow summer squash, cut into slices
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced sweet red pepper
1/2 cup sliced green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 jar (28 ounce size) spaghetti sauce
14 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
16 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large skillet, stir-fry the vegetables, garlic and salt in oil until crisp-tender. Spread 3/4 cup spaghetti sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Arrange noodles over sauce, overlapping as needed. Lay?er with half of the vegetables, spaghetti sauce and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for about an hour or until bubbly. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting, otherwise you will have a runny mess.

Saturday:
Snacking and leftovers

Yummy Pear cake

Ho hum snowed in. What to do but bake and make jam. I had these three sad pears just wasting away on my counter. Zach is out of school and demands extra food and attention. This cake fits at least one need.
Cake:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup Agave Nectar
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups All purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped dates
3 cups chopped pears
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream sugar, oil, and agave. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, vanilla, dates, pears and walnuts. Put into a greased and floured pan and bake at 325 for about 1 to 1 hour 15 minutes or until done. This will get very brown, but will remain moist and yummy. Enjoy!

We gobbled it up warm with cocoa for Zach and coffee for me.

Poor again

Well I had a daycare kiddo mama, not call or show up on Thursday. Which means he is probably not coming back...boooo. Hence I will be broke until I can find someone to fill his spot. So I am streching my budget and cleaning out the cabinets to feed my family. This menu will be for two weeks, with only a $20 allowance for getting supplies from the store next week.
I fell on my ass, literally...well my tailbone I suppose, in the Goodwill parking lot. When I told the cashier lady she said gee I am sorry. They are lucky I am not the suing type, cause thier parking lot was awful and not sanded or plowed at all!

Here is the wonderful 2 week menu!'

Sunday:
Roasted Chicken
baked veggies
rice(make enough to save some for Tues.)

Chicken:
1 3lb roaster/broiler chicken
salt and pepper
1 tsp of each:
dried parsley
dried rosemary
paprika
onion powder
garlic powder
1 whole lemon cut into slices
olive oil
1 cup chicken stock

Vegetables:
4 stalks cut up celery
4 carrots cut up
4 potatoes diced medium


Mix spices in a bowl. Rub entire chicken with olive oil, loosen skin under breast and place 2 lemon slices each, under skin, over breasts. Place the rest of the lemon slices with cut up vegetables. Place chicken in roasting pan lined with foil, sprinkle bird with equal amounts of salt and pepper, sprinkle with 3/4 of seasoning. Place vegetables around chicken in pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and remaining seasoning. Pour stock into pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Serve over rice.

Monday:
Ham and cheese stromboli
steamed broccoli

1 loaf Bread Dough, thawed (or make your own)
1/2 pound sliced Swiss cheese
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into an 18x12-inch rectangle. Layer with Swiss cheese, ham, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese to within 1-inch of edges. Sprinkle with garlic powder. basil and pepper. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Seal seams and ends. Place seam side down on a large, sprayed baking sheet. Dust top with flour. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and let rise 30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 375 F. 20 minutes. Cover loosely with foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Tuesday:
Taco night
Seriously I am not going to tell you how to make tacos! Make em how you like em. :)
Serve with canned refried beans and reheat leftover rice with some salsa added.

Wednesday:
Asian style chicken noodle soup
Egg rolls

1 1/2inch piece fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 cups shredded chicken
4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro or two tablespoons dried
2 thinly sliced scallion (green tops only)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup frozen baby spinach

Peel the ginger and slice it into fourcoins. Using a meat pounder, smash the coins.
In a medium saucepan, com­bine the ginger, garlic, chicken, broth, soy sauce, lemon juice and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the chicken is heated through, about 10 minutes. Finely chop the cilantro and scallion. Add to the mixture. Add 1/2lb of asain style thin egg noodles. Boil until noodles are cooked. Serve with heated store bought egg rolls.

Thursday:

Greek style chicken
Orzo with peas

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 pound feta cheese crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 cube chicken bouillon crumbled
2 cups loosely packed torn fresh spinach leaves
1 ripe tomato, chopped

On large plate, combine 1 tablespoon flour, salt, and pepper. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine cheese, lemon juice, and oregano. Pound each chicken breast to 1/2 inch thickness. Spread cheese mixture on each chicken breast, leaving 1/2 inch border. Fold chicken breasts in half; secure each with toothpick. Coat chicken breasts with flour mixture.
In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups water, chicken bouillon cube, and remaining flour; pour over chicken breasts in pan. Add spinach and tomato to skillet, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Discard toothpicks before serving. Serve with orzo cooked with an additional boullion cube and frozen peas.

Friday:
Eat some leftovers why don't yah!
Breakfast for dinner if there are no leftovers

Sat:
the kitchen is closed for a nightout to Chili's courtesy of my parents

Sunday:
Crockpot Lamb

3 1/2 lbs leg of lamb
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons dried mint



Using the crock pot's ceramic dish, mix together oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, mint tmeg. Immerse leg of lamb into the mixture and cook on high for 6- 8 hours until falling apart. Remove meat to serving platter and pull apart with forks until you have chunky shreds of meat.

Monday:
Pasta with Shrimp and asparagus

Angel Hair pasta
1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1 cup half & half
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigian cheese

Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Add asparagus; boil for 30 seconds. Drain; rinse under cold water and set aside. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, shrimp, and ed pepper cook 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp is cooked and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in half and half and salt. Heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally.Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot. Add shrimp mixture to hot pasta; toss. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; toss.

Tuesday:
Chicken Taco soup

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired

Wednesday:
Baked Pork chops
baked sweet potatoes
butter noodles

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 pork chops, trimmed

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, blend soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and ketchup. Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce. Bake pork chops 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, and spread with remaining sauce. Continue baking 30 minutes, or until chops are cooked through.

Noodles:
one package egg noodles
parmesan cheese
garlic powder
salt and pepper
butter
parsley (dried or fresh)

Boil noodles for 7-8 minutes or until done. Drain. Place 3 tablespoons butter into pan. It will melt but do not place on heated burner. Add to the butter, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablspoon parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper each.
Add noodles and 2 tablepoons parmesan cheese, mix well.

Thursday:
Spaghetti
salad
bread

Friday:
Veggie stir fry
rice

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/3 cup broccoli florets
1 1/3 cup cauliflower florets
1 1/3 cup carrot slices, cut at the diagonal
1/3 cup low sodium vegetable broth (more if needed)
1 teaspoon minced or chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (or 1/8 teaspoon powdered)
2 teaspoons lite soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water

Heat large, nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil, turning the pan to coat well. Add the vegetables and saute for a minute. Add in the vegetable broth, garlic, and ginger, and toss to blend. Cook about four minutes, stirring constantly. Add more vegetable broth if more moisture is needed. Reduce heat to medium-low, push the vegetables to one side of the frying pan, and stir in the soy sauce and cornstarch mixture. Heat and stir until thickened (about a minute). Stir in the vegetables to coat with the sauce.

Enjoy!