Cook Sew Bitchy

Sunday Brunch!

2011-04-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Berry Yummy French toast
sausage links

5 eggs (mixed)
3 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
16 slices(1 lb) or a loaf of french bread (day old works great)
1 package 16oz mixed berries
2 T cold butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Spray baking dish. Layer bread into dish. Combine eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Pour over bread evenly making sure to cover all the bread. Cover and refigerate overnight. 30 minutes before baking take berries and pan out. Bake toast at 350 for 30 minutes. Top toast with berries. Make crumble mixture with butter and brown sugar. Sprinkle with mixture. Bake for 20 more minutes. Serve with syrup if necessary. And eat with sausage..yum!

Winter go away!

2011-03-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it snowed here again! Thanks god it means I can sneak in a few more casseroles and comfort food easily! Nothing too exciting here. Enjoy. Evie

Monday:
Lazy lasagna

1/2 pkg. egg noodles
1 c. cottage cheese
2/3 c. shredded Mozzarella
1/3 c. grated Parmesan
2 1/2 c. spaghetti sauce
1 lb. ground beef
1 red bell pepper diced
8oz chopped mushrooms
1/2 samll onion diced
8oz frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
1T minced garlic

Preheat oven to 375. Brown hamburger, along with mushrooms, onions, garlic, peppers, and spinach. Add sauce to browned mixture. Cook noodles for about 4 minutes. In a large bowl, toss noodles with cottage cheese, Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
In 2-quart baking dish, spoon enough sauce to cover bottom of dish. Layer half noodle mixture and half sauce; repeat until gone. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

Tuesday:
Golden Potatoes

2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup half-and-half cream
1 cup caned baby food sweet potatoes(or cooked sweet potato)
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2-1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 cups cubed diced ham
2 cup steamed soft broccoli
2 cups soft bread crumbs
8 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

In a large skillet, cook onions in butter over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until onions are golden brown, stirring frequently.
In a large bowl, combine the cream, sweet potatoes, horseradish, nutmeg, salt and pepper. In a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan, layer with potato slices, ham, broccoli, and onions. Spread with sweet potato mixture. Cover and bake at 350° for 1-1/4 hours.
Increase temperature to 400°. In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, cheese and sage. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Wednesday:
Rosemary Baked chicken
green beans
chicken flavored rice(boxed mix)

3 lbs assorted chicken parts (I am using thighs and legs)
2T fresh chopped rosemary
1T chopped garlic
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place chicken on non-stick baking sheet, or line with foil. Salt and pepper chicken. Spead garlic and rosemary onto chicken. Drizzle with olive oil, then with balsamic vinegar. Bake at 350for about 40-50 minutes or until juices run clear.

Thursday:
Heat up those awesome leftovers!

Friday:
Ginger-Orange glazed salmon
asparagus and cold sesame noodles

1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons white rice vinegar (or other white vinegar)
1 pound boneless, skinless salmon fillet, cut in four pieces
6 scallions, thinly sliced with green (optional)
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Combine marmalade, oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and vinegar. Heat Broiler. Brush glaze on each side of salmon; Broil about 5 minutes on each side. Top with scallions and sesame seeds.

Noodles:
Marinade
1/4 cup sesame oil
3 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
7 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Chinese black or balsamic vinegar
3 1/2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. chili oil
1 Tbsp. minced ginger
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Noodles and asparagus
~ Salt
2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on a diagonal
1 (14 oz.) package thin Chinese egg noodles
10 scallions, including the firm greens, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted until lightly browned

Mix the marinade ingredients together, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and the asparagus. Cook until bright green and tender but still firm, just a few minutes. Scoop the asparagus out, rinse it under cold water, and set on a towel to dry.
Pull the noodles apart with your fingers, add them to the boiling water, and give them a quick stir. Boil until tender but not overly soft, tasting them often as they cook. It should take only a few minutes. Pour the noodles into a colander and immediately rinse under cold water. Shake off the excess water.
Toss the noodles with all the marinade and most of the scallions, sesame seeds, and asparagus. Mound them in a bowl or on a platter, then garnish with the remaining asparagus, scallions, and sesame seeds.

One week off but back again..

2011-03-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

So sorry for those who read on a regular basis, but I had to take a break last week. I am back this week though! I hope evryone had a fun St Pat's I know we did and we sure enjoyed our corned beef and cabbage, and the sandwiches and has that followed. We are having a beautiful week..so the menu is easy so we can get planting!

Sunday:
Grilled Steak and hot dogs
baked sweet potatoes
steamed asparagus(yes its in season and sooo cheap)
No recipes to follow here these are no brainers!

Monday:
Pork tacos
beans
rice

1 pound ground pork
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 taco shells
2 tomatoes, chopped and drained
3 cups shredded lettuce
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups)
Bottled taco sauce

Cook pork, onion and garlic till meat is well browned; drain off excess fat. Add chili powder and salt. Spoon about 1/4 cup meat mixture into each taco shell; add tomato, lettuce and cheese. Serve with bottled taco sauce. Makes about 12 tacos.

Tuesday:
Veggie Lo Mein
purchased egg rolls

8 ounces linguine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 3/4 cups chopped celery
1 3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 3/4 cups sliced red bell peppers
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups snow peas

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Stir in the celery, mushrooms, peppers, and onion, and cook about 3 minutes. Add the broth mixture, bean sprouts, and snow peas. Continue to cook and stir about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender but crisp. In a large bowl, toss together the cooked pasta and the vegetable mixture.

Wednesday:
Chicken in sour cream
rice
broccoli

8 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 pinch paprika
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup(organic)
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix(organic)
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill weed

Brown chicken in oil over medium heat. Place in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill weed. Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for one hour, or until chicken is tender and sauce is brown.

Thursday:
Spaghetti
salad
bread

Another no brainer people!

Friday:
Grilled turkey tenderloins
potato salad
baked beans

enjoy!

Sweet kiss..

2011-03-09T06:08:00.000-08:00

I had a great night with friends, pretending I was single and childless for a few hours at least. One phone call makes the walls come crashing down..I won't go into detail however. I was woken up by the annoying sounds of someone making breakfast loudly and all the grumbles that are my husbands morning routine. He shouts at us..are you going to get up..or sleep all day?? Zach rolls over to me and kisses my nose..and them my cheeks. I was surprised at his lovey doveyness.. since he is not usually a morning person. It was surprising and sweet and I live for those moments. The rest of the morning is like many others. A flurry of hurry-ups and get dresseds..and eat fasters. I rewarded his sweetness with a piece of King Cake for breakfast..its the best I could do. A photo of which I will include later since my photo hosting site is down right now.

Onward and upward...

2011-03-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

Spring cleaning HO! God how I hate the thought of it..but somehow I have begun without really too much thought. I spent many hours cleaning my desk area..and still its a mess. I got rid of tons yet much remains..lol What a hoarder am I! I am a self proclaimed food hoarder..yes my cabinets are bursting with eaties. I watch that hoarding show on TV just to keep me in check. Cleaning is dull, but still I must. Eating..now that is exciting :) Enjoy Evie

Monday:
Fettuccine and veggies

8 oz. dried fettuccine
1/2 cup dried tomatoes (not oil-packed), chopped
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. fresh asparagus spears cut into 2 inch sections
4 oz. fresh Brussels sprouts cut in fourths
1-1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1-1/4 C milk
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel

Cook pasta according to package directions, adding dried tomatoes the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to saucepan. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove vegetables from skillet. In same skillet melt remaining butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Gently stir in pasta and vegetables. Stir in additional milk to reach desired consistency. Sprinkle with lemon peel and additional shredded Parmesan cheese.

Tuesday:
Happy Fat Tuesday!
Easy Jambalaya

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 ounces ham, cubed
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup long-grain rice
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Hot sauce (optional)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Saute until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, cayenne, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in the ham, chicken broth, tomatoes, and rice, then cover the pot and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Do not stir.
When the rice is tender, stir in the shrimp, and cook uncovered over low heat for about 5 minutes or until shrimp are just cooked through. Remove the bay leaf, salt and pepper, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately with hot sauce.

Wednesday:
Crock pot Beef Straoganoff

•3 lb. beef round steak, 1/2 inch thick
•1/2 c. flour
•2 tsp. salt
•1/8 tsp. pepper
•1/2 tsp. dry mustard
•2 med. onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings
•8 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
•1 can condensed beef broth
•2 to 4 tablespoons dry white wine, optional
•1 1/2 c. sour cream
•1/4 c. flour

Trim all excess fat from steak and cut into-3 inch strips about 1/2-inch wide. Combine 1/2 cup flour, the salt, pepper and dry mustard; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly. Place coated steak strips in Crock Pot; stir in onion rings and mushrooms.
Add beef broth and wine; stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Before serving, combine sour cream with 1/4 cup flour; stir into slow cooker. Serve stroganoff with hot cooked rice or noodles.

Thursday:
Bean and cheese quesadillas
No need for a recipe I am sure!

Friday:
Roasted turkey tenderloins
fresh green beans
rice

6 turkey tenderloins (about 2 1/4 pounds)
8 tablespoons pesto
4 ounces thinly sliced provolone cheese, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut each tenderloin lengthwise almost in half. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon pesto inside each. Then insert cheese strips, dividing equally. Using toothpicks, skewer tenderloins closed. Brush each all over with 1 tablespoon pesto. Arrange tenderloins on rimmed baking sheet. Bake tenderloins until thermometer inserted near center registers 160°F., about 20 minutes.

This day is alright..

2011-03-05T06:53:00.000-08:00

Wow another week gone by. I stayed up late playing my games: pogo, facebook games and such. I was hoping a bit of sleeping in was in the cards. Around five am my dear boy began stealing blankets, kicking and talking to me. I shouted at him to get out, but to no avail. I instructed him to go play his Wii, yet he still refused. Each time I started to fall asleep he woke me. Eventually he got the message and let me be.. I got to sleep until 7:15 wooooo. When I woke up he shouted at me get out! Go play Wii! I guess I derserved it..lol. I just don't understand it. Five days a week I beg him to get up, get ready for school. Then on non school days he is a beacon of sunshine pestering me to arise?? Whateveah.
I am preparing my list and headed out in the next few. This week's grocery list is short..but in order to save a little dough I am headed to three different store in the same vicinity in order to get everything I want and for the prices I want..Oh the insanity. Off to the bank, target, dollar tree and hyvee. So much for an easy sat. I'll be back later to post the menu. :) Evie

Another great weekend..

2011-02-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

I got my party on this weekend again..two wonderful weekends in a row. Now if only our financial issues were as great. Two week, streching the menu, cleaning out the freezer meals! Zach has had birthday parties every weekend for the last month and this coming weekend is the same..although this kid might be more interested in something cool and homemade...we shall see if my crafty bone is up for the challenge.
I will try and check in with a few foodie pics this week. Toodles

Monday:
Very veggie lasagna
garlic bread

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(I used homemade)
1 container ricotta cheese
1 egg beaten
4 T parmesan cheese
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. Mix up ricotta, egg and parmesan. 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. Layer with half of the vegetables, spaghetti sauce, ricotta mixture, and cheese. Repeat layers. Cover with foil and bake at 350F for about an hour, removing foil for last 10 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting, otherwise you will have a runny mess.

Tuesday:
Pan fried boneless pork chops
oven roasted cauliflower
rice -white (make a double batch to use extra on Friday)

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 boneless rib end pork loin roast, around 6 slices
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour measured

Heat the butter and oil in an 11 to 12-inch skillet over low heat. While the pan is heating, sprinkle the chops on both sides with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour. A couple of minutes before sauteing, increase the heat to medium-high. When the butter stops foaming and starts to smell nutty brown, arrange the chops in the skillet. Cook, turning only once, until they are a rich golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from skillet.

Cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely minced
Lemon juice from half a lemon
Olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut cauliflower into florets and put in a single layer in an oven-proof baking dish. Toss in the garlic. Sprinkle lemon juice over cauliflower and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the oven hasn't reached 400°F yet, set aside until it has. Place in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown. Test with a fork for desired doneness. Fork tines should be able to easily pierce the cauliflower. Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Wednesday:
leftovers or breakfast
(It's my massage night)

Thursday:
Easy shepards pie
using leftover potatoes

1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried rosemary
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, and corn), thawed
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Cheddar
leftover mashed potatoes

Heat oven to 400° F. Place the beef in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes.Spoon off and discard any fat. Stir in the ketchup, dried rosemary and Worcestershire. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Spoon into a baking dish. Mix the cheese (if desired) with the potatoes in a bowl. Spread over the beef and bake until heated through, 25 minutes.

Friday:
Oven baked chimis
spanish rice(made by using leftover rice)

1 – 2lbs round steak
1 cup salsa + extra for garnish
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar or monterey jack) + extra for garnish
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
about 1TBSP olive oil
optional sour cream, guacamole, cilantro

Place a roundsteak in a crockpot and cover with 1 cup salsa, cover, set on low for 4–6 hours. The steak should be fork tender when removed. Remove the steak (leave the juice behind) and shred with forks.
Preheat your oven to 375F. On a clean baking sheet, place 1/4th beef mixture and approximately 1/4th cup of shredded cheese on each of the four tortillas.
Fold and lightly brush with olive oil.Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the chimichangas are golden. Top with desired garnish: salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, guacamole, or cilantro and serve.

Rice: heat leftover rice with about 2 T salsa, 1/4 cup chicken broth, and 1/4 tsp cumin. Serve.

I will be back later in the week to post the rest of my two week menu.. Enjoy.

Good weekend...hopefully a good week!

2011-02-21T08:53:00.000-08:00

We had a great date night with another couple and a late night of fun was had by all. Thier teenage son is our babysitter so the arrangment works out perfectly. We enjoyde a Burger at our favorite joint The Burger Stand in downtown Lawrence. Seriously the pickled onion on a Kobe Cheeseburger, is a great way to start a Sat night! YUM! This week is not too exciting, but I was slightly hung over when I made the menu. Enjoy.

Monday:
Chili
cornbread

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.

Tuesday:
We have a boyscout supper to attend, so no meal for tonight!

Wednesday:
Slow cooker Chicken paprikash
over egg noodles
steamed broccoli

8-10 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
2 teaspoons Hungarian Paprika (Get the good stuff for this recipe! It comes in a large red can)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup, flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (I prefer concentrated stock paste)
½ cup sour cream (can use light sour cream)
1 teaspoon flour

Place thighs in a large skillet. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of paprika over the thighs. Turn thighs over and sprinkle the other 1 teaspoon of paprika over the other side. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken.Place the skillet on the burner on medium/high heat. Watch the thighs carefully as there is no extra oil or water in the pan at this point. This is done deliberately so that the thighs brown nicely. Cook the thighs on one side for 2-4 minutes without moving or turning them. You can carefully peek under them occasionally to make sure they don’t burn. It’s ok to let them stick a little as this improves the flavor. After one side is nicely browned. Use tongs and turn thighs over. Cook on this side 2-4 minutes as well until browned. If you need to, you can add a small amount of water to prevent overbrowning. Transfer thighs to a slow cooker. Keep the pan drippings intact and add the onion to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and sauté for several minutes. Turn the heat off and add the flour, mixing well. Add chicken broth and turn the heat back on the medium, stirring well until mixture starts to thicken. Add bouillon.
Pour thickened broth over the thighs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. 30 minutes before serving. Mix the sour cream with 1 teaspoon flour in a separate bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the liquid from the slow cooker to warm up the sour cream mixture (this will prevent it from curdling). Add the sour cream to the slow cooker and stir well. Continue to cook on low for 30 minutes. Serve over wide noodles. Serves: 6-8. Leftovers freeze well. Recipes compliments of:
Make dinner easy.com

Thursday:
Tatertot Casserole

2 lbs hamburger
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup plus one can of milk
1 bag shredded cheese
1 bag of tator tots
1 onion soup mix package
1 package frozen french style frozen greeen beans

Browm meat with soup mix in pan. Place in bottom of casserole dish. Top with frozen green beans. Mix soup and milk. Pour over beans. Top with tots. And then cheese. Bake uncoverd for about 1 hour at 350 or until tots are crispy and casserole is bubbly.

Friday:
leftovers!

Long weekend Illness...

2011-02-15T10:32:00.001-08:00

I went for a visit to my mom's house this weekend. I swear every time I go there I get sick...By Sunday morning I was puking my guts out...yay me! I am now well with the exception of a nervous feeling stomach. This round was doozy. Sorry I did not get the menu in on time. Just FYI I did make my family a nice meal yesterday: Steak, Scallops, fresh asparagus, and twice baked potatoes. It was devoured and enjoyed by all, sometime I will share the recipes, but for now I will just resume with the rest of this week's menu. Love and tater tots Evie

Tuesday:
Crock pot pork ribs
coleslaw
baked beans
french bread

Ribs: I had the luxury of finding pork ribs for .99lb so I bought a slab..

1 slab of pork ribs
1 whole onion cut into rings
garlic powder
1 bottle BBQ sauce

Cut ribs into sections of 2-3 ribs each. Heat broiler to LOW. Place ribs on baking sheet. Sprinkle liberally with garlic powder. Broil until browned on each side. I usually have to do this in a few batches. Place onions and a little BBQ sauce into bottom of crock pot. Place browned ribs on top of onions. Lightly covering with sauce on each layer. Cook on high for 1 hour and low 6-8 hours. Serve with beans and coleslaw and good french bread.

Wednesday:
Ham and Noodle Casserole

6 cups water
4 cups uncooked egg noodles
1/2 large onion chopped
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 cups diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Boil water and cook noodles, add broccoli to noodles and cook at the same time. Saute onion in a little oil until softened. Mix all ingredients, reserving about 1/3 of cheese for the top. Bake about 40 minutes or until bubbly.

Thursday:
Breakfast for dinner!
Eggs
Bacon
cantaloupe

Friday:
Homemade pizza
veggies

Have a great rest of the week folks..thanks for tuning in!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday..

2011-02-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

Not that I really care..HA. What I mean to say is that I am not a big football fan, but my boys are so I will participate in making the proper food stuffs for them. I am putting a little extra TLC into house cleaning today should we invite a guest or two last minute. I am looking for a new sewing project..or maybe I will perhaps pick up and old one to keep me busy. Have a super week, may your favorite team win.

Sunday:
Layered taco dip with tortilla chips
Little Smokies in BBQ Sauce
Mozzarella sticks and marinara sauce

Layered dip:
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (16 ounce) can re fried beans
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 large tomato, chopped
1 bunch chopped green onions
1 small head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1 (6 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, blend the taco seasoning mix and re fried beans. Spread the mixture onto a large serving platter. Mix the sour cream and cream cheese in a medium bowl. Spread over the re fried beans. Top the layers with salsa. Place a layer of tomato, green onions and lettuce over the salsa, and top with Cheddar cheese. Garnish with black olives.

Little Smokies in BBQ sauce:
1 pkg. Little Smokies
Prepared barbecue sauce of your choice

Put in saucepan. Cook until hot throughout. Serve warm.

Mozzarella sticks:
1 pkg. mozzarella cheese strings (8 sticks)
2 tbsp flour
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste
marinara sauce for dipping

Place the cheese strings in the freezer at least 1 hour before you plan to make these. These will lessen the oozing of the cheese. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place the flour, egg whites and crumbs in 3 separate dishes. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Cut the cheese strings in 1/2 width wise. Dip one cheese stick at a time into the flour to coat, then into the egg whites and then the crumbs. Dip it into the egg again and then the crumbs again. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Serve immediately with warmed marinara sauce.

Monday:
Meatless chili pasta

1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups uncooked pasta (I am using penne)
1 can mild chili beans, undrained
1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can Diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 can Tomato Sauce
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup sour cream

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the onion, green pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the water, pasta, beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, salt and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender. Top with sour cream.

Tuesday:
Dijon crusted tilapia
steamed broccoli
leftover chili mac

3-4 tilapia filets
1/2 cup of Dijon mustard
1 juiced lemon
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Mix together dijon mustard and lemon juice. Dip fillets in mixture on both sides, then bread with pank crumbs on both sides. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, until panko is slightly brown and fish flakes easily with fork.

Wednesday:
Hamburgers
potato wedges
raw veggies

You can do this one alone folks!

Thursday:
Baked chicken
mushrooms and spinach
rice

16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 ounces mushrooms, quartered
4 green onions, sliced on diagonal
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 lbs spinach, precleaned
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, fresh grated
salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken breast with whatever seasoning you like, I am using a grill seasoning. Spray nonstick pan and saute chicken until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm. Slice into strips if desired. Spray pan again if needed and saute mushrooms, lemon zest, green onion, garlic and tomatoes just until soft.
Add wine, lemon juice and enough water to equal one cup liquid. De glaze pan and reduce to make a thin sauce. Add fresh spinach and cook til wilted. Season with fresh pepper and salt. Plate veggie saute and place chicken on top.
Garnish with fresh Parmesan on top! Serve with steaming hot rice.

Friday:
Orzo and tomato soup
grilled cheese sandwiches

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup orzo, cooked AL dente
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is very tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil and chicken stock and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and, working in batches (about 1 cup at a time), transfer the soup to a blender (or just use an immersion blender in the pot) and puree until very smooth. Return the puree to the pot and stir in the orzo, cream, salt, and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat.

Winter Blues equals cooking and sewing

2011-02-03T08:09:00.000-08:00

Well I have been cooped up for three days. Finally we had school today and I am glad to get a break from Zach. Not that I don't love him..but he requires a lot of attention. He has the only kid syndrome. He needs constant attention and interaction. Luckily we still had cable, so I was able to get some things done. I made some amazing cookies, and most importantly I finished a blanket I have been working on for quite some time.

Its so cute and warm! I can't wait to give it to the little baby I made it for.
During the break I swear I have gained 10 lbs..probably 5 just yesterday. I switched up the menu this week and made things out of order, but I still made what was on the menu. I cooked three homemade meals yesterday: Biscuits and gravy for breakfast, hamburgers and potato wedges for lunch and for dinner lasagna with bread and salad. It certainly was an eating day! Hope you are staying warm.

A birthday weekend!

2011-01-30T08:13:00.000-08:00

We had two birthday parties yesterday...Back to back! But that's ok cause it got us out of the house. I scored big on presents, what I mean is I spent less than $5 on gifts..call me cheap but these are poor times for us. I got a new tags on very plush stuffed Russ brand teddy bear for my daycare babies first birthday party gift, and I also got her two new tags on books and then went to the dollar tree and got a balloon to match the bag I had on hand. The books and bear were $1 and the balloon $1. For Zach school friend party I found three new in the package toy motorcycles for $1 each, and wrapped them in gift wrap that I already had...these were really awesome and a big hit. So $5 total spent and two very happy kids. If everything was so easy! Here is a super yummy menu to keep you rolling this week! Enjoy.

Sunday:
Golden Chicken
chicken rice
steamed green beans

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder

Place chicken in baking pan. Salt and pepper chicken. Mix Butter, honey, mustard and curry powder. Pour over chicken, cover in foil at 350 degrees for the first 30 minutes. Then foil is removed and chicken is basted, basking for another 40 minutes or so until nicely browned. Pour drippings over rice.

Monday:
Scalloped potatoes with broccoli (no meat)

5 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups blanched broccoli
2 1/2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
1 tsp salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Place the potatoes, onion, garlic, 3/4 of Cheddar cheese, and broccoli in a baking dish. Add salt and pepper. Gently stir until well combined. Pour the cream over the potato mixture. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Tuesday:
Chicken lo mein
frozen egg rolls

16 oz linguine or spaghetti noodles
8 oz boneless chicken breasts, sliced thinly or leftover chicken
3 Tbs soy sauce, divided
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs sesame oil
4 Tbs olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 oz snow peas, trimmed
2 oz ham, finely sliced
1 1/2-2 Tbs oyster sauce
4 green onions, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the noodles according to directions. Rinse under cold water, and set aside.
Slice the chicken, and add it to a bowl with 2 tsp of soy sauce, the rice vinegar and sesame oil, toss to coat Heat half the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Let the oil get hot and add the chicken. Cook for 2 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm. Wipe the pan out and heat the remaining olive oil. Add garlic, snow peas, and ham to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the drained noodles to the pan, and continue to stir fry till the noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining soy and the oyster sauce, taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any juices back to the pan, then add the green onions.

Wednesday:
Pork Roast
Mashed potatoes and gravy
steamed baby carrots

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 tablespoons minced onion
salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place roast in baking dish. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with rosemary, garlic and onion. Pour in broth and wine. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and roast for another 1/2 hour to brown. Use drippings to make gravy.

Thursday:
Use up leftovers!

Friday:
Easy lasagna
green salad
bread

1 lb. ground beef
3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce(I am using homemade)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups Ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1T minced onion
1T minced garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 oz. lasagna, uncooked

Brown beef in 3-quart saucepan; drain off excess fat. Add sauce and water; simmer about 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients, except lasagna, for filling. Pour about 1 cup sauce on bottom of baking pan.
Layer 3 pieces of uncooked lasagna over sauce; cover with about 1 1/2 cups sauce. Spread half of cheese filling over sauce. Repeat layers of lasagna, sauce and cheese filling. Top with layer of lasagna and remaining sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil; bake about 10 minutes longer. Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting.
Have a super week!

Tuesday:

2011-01-25T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here it is Tues and I find myself once again contemplating the unreliability of the persons I work for. Is daycare suppose to be this crazy?? One showed up 2 hours late again, the other not at all..again. One was picked up 40 minutes late last night. I am to weak to enforce my rules.. I worry about everyone leaving and not having any work. So I digress..here I am. I am placing new ads in the hope of finding a few new kids. Here's hoping.

In the hole again..

2011-01-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we continue to be broke..It seems like we will never get ahead. I spent only $50 at the store today. Here is what I bought:
1 butternut squash
1 small bag of rice..about 2 cups from bulk bin
2 bricks of cheese 1 cheddar one mont jack
1lb butter
1 pack cream cheese
2 dz local eggs(my chickens are not laying)
1 pack bagels
lucnh meat turkey(about 2 sand.worth for Gene)
1 package about 8 chicken thighs (smart chicken)
2 cans clam chowder (zach's fav for lunches)
1/2 lb bulk bin cous cous
2 loaves whole wheat bread
1/2 gallon local milk
1 pint 1/2 and 1/2
3 lb yellow onions
broccoli
grape toms
bologna(gene's lunches)
1 roll local pork sausage
TOTAL: $50.94 thanks Checkers!
Notice there was no fruit and light veggies, cause I have bananas and oranges from last trip to the store and frozen veggies put up from the garden.

Here is this week's menu from the groceries, and I should also mention that I bought 10lbs of non-local pork loin roast for .98 a lb last week, so we are having an other white meat week. I cut up my pork into the portion that I needed. Enjoy!

Sunday:
Stuffed pork chops
roasted butternut squash
butter noodles

4 thick cut boneless pork chops
1 package instant stuffing
salt and pepper to taste
1T olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare stuffing as directed on box. Cut slits into chops. Salt and pepper both sides and brown in oil. Let cool slightly, then stuff. There may be extra stuffing left. Place chops into baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until done.

Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Place face side up into baking dish. Salt and pepper, and place 1T butter and 1T brown sugar into each opening. Bake along side pork.

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 tablespoon parsley, and 1/2 tsp salt and pepper each.
Add noodles and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, mix well.

Edit: Just wanted to note here that my squash needed about 20 more minutes cooking time so I will be starting it earlier next time. Here are some dinner pics:

Fresh from the oven

On the dinner plate

Monday:
Red Pepper Soup (I know I made this 2 or 3 weeks ago, but its soo yummy!)
homemade bread

6 medium red peppers chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 onions chopped
1 rib of celery chopped
4 minced garlic cloves
1T olive oil
55oz chicken broth or reconstituted broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 brick of cream cheese
1 brick goat cheese

Saute peppers, carrots, onions, celery and garlic in oil. Add broth, rice, and spices. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Break up goat, cream cheese and add to mixture. Blend with immersion blender or puree in small batches in blender. Serve with thick slices of homemade bread.

Tuesday:
Oven baked chicken pieces
steamed broccoli
cous cous

1-2lbs assorted chicken pieces (I am using legs and thighs for cost purposes)
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
salt and pepper
chopped garlic
rosemary

Preheat oven to 350. Place chicken in baking pan. Salt and pepper, coat with olive oil. Chop up about 1 T fresh rosemary and sprinkle over. Sprinkle with about 2 T balsamic vinegar. Bake for about an hour or until chicken is done.

Wednesday:
Sweet and sour pork
rice
(this seems like a lenghty recipe but it really does not take long)
1 pound pork butt or loin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice (from pineapple below)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup warm water or as needed
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into cubes
1/2 green bell pepper, cut into cubes
1, 15-ounce pineapple chunks, drained (juice used in sauce)
Oil for Frying
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

1In a bowl, stir the cubed pork into the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch and marinate 20 minutes. Make the sauce: In saucepan, stir together sugar, ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, salt, and pineapple juice. Set aside. Make the batter: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch. Stir in egg white and oil. Add as much warm water as needed to make a thick batter. Pour 2 inches oil into large skillet or saute pan and heat to 375. Dip pork cubes in batter and fry in batches, being careful not to crowd the skillet. Remove and drain on paper towels. Bring sauce to a boil over medium heat. Add carrot, bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Bring back to a boil and stir in the 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water, stirring until thickened. Taste sauce for salt and/or vinegar, adding more if needed for flavor. Place pork over steamed rice or fried noodles, topped with vegetables and sauce.

Thursday:
Chili night at Zach's school
here is my 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.

Friday:
Leftovers night! If no leftovers then breakfast for supper night!

Muffin tip..

2011-01-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to share this small tip with my peeps.. So every time I make muffins and my muffin tin is full, but there is enough for one or two more muffins, here is what I do: I keep a mini muffin tin in the freezer. I fill as many cups as I can with the leftover filling. I keep it covered tightly and when I need baked goods for something I can just defrost and pop in the oven and I have a variety of mini muffins to bring to a function. It saves time and money since you are using what you may have wasted before. Hope this is helpful to someone out there.

Maybe I am not the best...

2011-01-18T10:07:00.000-08:00

Maybe I am not the best person in the whole world..But I am honest. I am caring and I call people back, and I will cook for you and buy things for you cause I know you might like it/want it/need it. So how come I feel like I am the last to be choosen for a dinner date, party or other invites? I just never get invited, is it because my husband is an asshole? Cause no wants to spend time with him, me included most of the time. I am always the one to make plans, and in most cases entertain. People seem to keep me at arms length and I am trying to just understand why. I am not going to point people out, because that is just plain rude. But hey world what gives?? Just this tiny rant I promise..I needed a vent!

Back from the flu!

2011-01-16T14:18:00.001-08:00

OMG! We were so sick. We had what I think is the flu. YUK! I will spare you the specific details. I used a bottle of bleach today just cleaning. Here is a super bounce back menu, it all about the comfort this week!

Monday:
Ham and cheesy pasta
steamed broccoli

1 T butter
1 T flour
1 cup low fat milk
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/2 T dried minced onion
1/2 tsp dill powder
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 cups cubed cooked ham
8 oz Mexican cheese blend
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
16 oz cooked pasta (I am using Penne)

Cook and drain pasta. In pot, melt butter and add flour to make a rue. Add milk and spices. Brig to a boil and stir constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add sour cream. Add ham and pasta, blend. Add cheeses and stir. Serve.

Tuesday:
Greek style chicken burgers
oven baked fries
raw veggies and tzaziki dip

Burgers:
1 lb ground chicken
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon kalamata olives
1 teaspoon brine from olives
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
pinch of black pepper

In a bowl, put the ground chicken and add in lemon juice, oregano, basil, olives, green onions, garlic, olive brine, feta cheese and black pepper. Using your hands, mix everything into the meat, making sure everything is mixed throughout the meat. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 15 - 20 minutes. Make into 4 patties and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side.

Sauce:
1 cucumber, peeled
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Using a cheese grater, grate the cucumber. Once grated, squeeze the extra liquid out of the cucumber and place in a bowl with the garlic. Put the yogurt into the bowl with the cucumber and mix together, seasoning with the salt and pepper.

Wednesday:
Slow cooker Swiss steak
steamed rice

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 pound round steak, cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 carrots, grated
1 package (8 ounce size) button mushroom, sliced
2 cans (14.5 ounce size) diced tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar, or to taste

In a bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Coat the round steak pieces in the flour mixture. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and saute the celery, onion, carrots and mushrooms about 5 minutes, until tender. Place in slow cooker.
Mix in the round steak pieces, and cook until lightly browned. Place the vegetables and steak in a slow cooker. Mix in the tomatoes with juice, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Cover, and cook 8 to 10 hours on Low, until the round steak is very tender. Serve over rice or pasta.

Thursday:
Oven Baked BBQ chicken
coleslaw
baked beans
good loaf of french bread

2 lbs mixed pieces dark meat(thighs and legs)
1 bottle of your favorite hickory BBQ sauce
1 medium onion sliced into rings

Cover your baking dish/cooking pan with foil. Place cut up onions in bottom of pan. Place chicken on top of onions. Cover liberally with sauce. Bake at 350 for about
40 minutes. Serve with fabulous sides, get the napkins out!

Friday:
Ground Pork Shepard's pie

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 T butter
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
5 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground pork
1/2 bag mixed veggies (4oz)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/4 tsp minced rosemary
3/4 cup beef broth
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Boil carrots and potatoes together. Mash, add 1T butter,1/4 cup cheese and salt and pepper. Cook onions, rosemary and pork together until pork is browned. Make a roux with the butter and flour. Add ketchup then broth. Stir until smooth. Mix veggies, gravy, and meat. Place in greased casserole dish. Top with mashed potato mixture and the rest of the cheese. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Nothing much here...

2011-01-09T12:25:00.000-08:00

A fairly quiet weekend. Zach made it thru his first sleepover yay! I got to sleep by myself yay!

Here is a menu that taste great and doesn't break the bank..for me anyways! I am doing some pantry clearing.

Sunday:
Oven Baked "fried" Chicken
steamed veggies
mashed potatoes

1 frying chicken (3-4lb) or 6 breasts or 6 leg thigh quarters
1 cup flour
black pepper and garlic powder (for sprinkling)
Creole seasoning
paprika
cayenne pepper
1/2 cup butter

Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat chicken dry with a clean paper towel and sprinkle with garlic powder and Creole seasoning. Combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional - adjust heat as desired), 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Coat chicken. Line a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with foil. Add butter and place in oven until it sizzles. Place chicken in dish, skin side down. Bake 30 minutes; turn reduce heat to 325°F degrees and bake 35-45 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through.

Monday:
Chicken quesadillas
(use leftover chicken and veggies)

Tuesday:
Pizza Meatloaf
rice
green beans

2 eggs beaten
1 can 16oz pizza sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
1 T dried minced onion
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 lbs ground beef
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
4-6 slices large pepperoni slices
1 small can 3oz black olive slices

Combine: meat, bread crumbs, 1/3 of the cheese, onion, Italian seasoning,1/3 can of pizza sauce salt and pepper. Layer half of mixture into baking dish. Layer in pepperoni and black olives, top with 1/3 of cheese, 1/3 of sauce and top with the rest of the meat mixture. Use the rest of the sauce and then cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until done.

Wednesday:
Breakfast for dinner!
Scrambled eggs
pancakes
bacon
fruit salad

Thursday:
Homemade Tomato soup
grilled ham and cheese sandwiches

3 cans diced tomatoes 28oz each (I am using home canned)
3 1/2 cups veggie broth
1/4 cup diced onion(sauteed in butter before adding)
1 tsp baking soda
3 T sugar
4 T butter
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients into a large pot, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, and let simmer for about an hour. Blend with and immersion blender to make nice and smooth. Makes about 10 1 cup servings.

Being poor is an art form.

2011-01-06T08:08:00.000-08:00

Alas I find myself light in the pocket again..I can just make my payments that are due by the 12th. My puter payment is $17 for the minimum payment which I like to pay a bit more, but the minimum is what they are going to get this month. Also I have to send the DOE my student loan payment of $150 which I will probably be paying till I die. Gene is broke as well since we had a huge cable bill and house payment.
Since I am a notorious food hoarded there is plenty, what I need from the store is only fresh sundries. So I expect to spend only around $30 when I get groceries on Sunday.
It it always amazing to me how when I am under pressure how well I can get by with little. A bit of creativity goes a long way, and its always nice to know I still have garden produce and some canned goods from summer to keep us going.
That red pepper soup I made this week was exactly what I mean. The peppers I had frozen whole were from this summers bounty. I bought the cheeses, from Aldi's so the cream cheese was only 88 cents and the goat cheese 1.99, peppers were free and rice and chicken broth are staples. The whole thing cost me about $5 to make and I got dinner and two lunches from it!

Hey bitches! I'm back!

2011-01-03T07:04:00.000-08:00

Did you miss me? I hope so! I have been doing so much to get ready for daycare licensing, and with having Zach home on break I have not had much time for blogging. So here is a fabulous menu for you!

Monday:
Red pepper soup
homemade bread

6 medium red peppers chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 onions chopped
1 rib of celery chopped
4 minced garlic cloves
1T olive oil
55oz chicken broth or reconstituted broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice
2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 brick of cream cheese
1 brick goat cheese

Saute peppers, carrots, onions, celery and garlic in oil. Add broth, rice, and spices. Bring to boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Break up goat, cream cheese and add to mixture. Blend with immersion blender or puree in small batches in blender.

Tuesday:
Shrimp Alfredo and veggies

8 ounces rotini pasta or 8 ounces other pasta
1 lb shrimp (already pre-cleaned & cooked)
1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce
artichoke hearts 1 small jar not marinated
peas or your choice vegetables (cooked)
Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded

Cook pasta. Add shrimp to Alfredo sauce and heat on medium. Add veggies. Serve over hot pasta. Quick and easy!

Wednesday:
Tomatillo chicken (courtesy of Everyday food)

2 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), washed and halved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (wings reserved for another use)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 jalapenos, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) hominy (optional), drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a food processor, puree tomatillos; set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down. Cook until browned on one side, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add jalapenos and onion to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatillo puree and hominy, if using; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in sauce. Cover pot; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Thursday:
Pork Burgers
oven fries
coleslaw

1 lb ground pork
1/4 cup diced provolone
2 whole roasted red peppers diced
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 finely minced shallot

Mix all together and form 5 patties. Cook on medium heat in oiled skillet for about 5minutes on each side. Serve with oven baked fries and coleslaw.

Friday:
Chicken Spaghetti
salad

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 T veggie oil
1/2 sliced green pepper
1 small sliced onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 can Italian diced toms undrained
1 can 8oz tomato sauce
1/2 package sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 cups cooked spaghetti
Parmesan cheese

Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch strips. Heat 2 T oil in pan. Fry chicken until cooked thru about 6 minutes. Add rest of the oil to pan, saute onions, peppers and garlic. Add tomatoes, sauce and spices. Bring to a boil. Add chicken back to pan. Serve over spaghetti. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with green salad.

yerassmussbedragon

2010-12-01T07:06:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-11-30T09:16:00.000-08:00

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..

2010-11-28T17:40:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-08T10:46:00.000-08:00

A handsome Zach

Pumpkin carving

A tired after trick or treating Freeda

Enjoy!

Salutations and all that Jazz

2010-11-08T06:04:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-02T10:57:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-25T07:50:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-10-18T07:32:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-05-10T14:08:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-18T13:23:00.000-07:00

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..

2010-03-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-03-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-03-15T06:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

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..

2010-02-27T16:55:00.000-08:00

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...

2010-02-22T06:36:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-08T06:48:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-02-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-02-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-30T07:43:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-01-19T08:59:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-03T14:36:00.000-08:00

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!

Home from the Holidays!

2009-12-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Well I managed to survive a quick visit to my mother's house. We got a pretty good snowstorm over X-mas. So that curbed my visit by one day. Zach got everything he wanted. We managed to only buy 8 presents total(stocking included) and I was very specific with my mom and brother to get the last few itmes on the list. He said it was the best christmas ever!

Like I said we were pretty much snowed in on X-mas, but it was fun playing in..

We stayed pretty warm, enjoying hot cocoa and my super perfect yummy cinnamon rolls.
Recipe to follow later. :)

Yummy Cinnamon rolls:

1 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/3 cups bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Place milk, egg, butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in bread machine pan. Make sure you add yeast last. Set bread machine on Dough cycle and begin. In a medium sauce pan, melt 1/3 cup butter over medium-low heat. Stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons milk and 1 cup walnuts. Stir constantly until well blended (making sugar is melted and no longer granular). Pour this sauce in bottom of baking panpan; set aside. After the cycle is complete, put the dough on a lightly floured board, and roll the dough into a rectangle. Brush the dough with melted butter and sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Roll the dough up tightly like a jelly roll, starting with the long side. Press the edges to seal. With a knife, cut the roll into one inch pieces. Place the pieces in the prepared pan on top of the caramel sauce. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until double in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until brown. Remove from oven and immediately turn upside down onto a platter. (You can leave out the walnuts if your family does not like them.) I have also added chocolate chips to the dough when rolling them up, or raisins as well.

We have another short menu this week due to the holidays, as we are hosting a New Years party with a greek theme. Enjoy the recipes, and Happy New Year!

Monday:
EZ Crockpot Mexican pork

1 lb boneless country style pork ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups salsa
1 tsp cumin
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
1 can (15 oz)black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup shredded cheese
2 cups cooked rice
sour cream

Place pork, salsa, cumin, chilis and beans into crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve on rice with cheese and sour cream.

Tuesday:
Homemade pizza night

EZ dough recipe:
1 1/4 cups warm water,
1 pkg active dry yeast,
1 tblsp sugar,
1 tsp Italian seasonings,
3 tblsp olive oil
3+ cups of flour,
1 tsp salt
Mix water, yeast, sugar & oil in mixer bowl. Then add flour & salt. Mix-knead for 10-12 minutes, sprinkling with flour to keep from sticking to bowl. Dough should be elastic & smooth. Place dough in oiled bowl, cover dough with oil, cover & let stand 1 hr at room temp. Then divide dough 2 equal parts roll into balls, cover with damp towel & let stand another 10 mins. Use immediately. Don't forget to poke holes into dough with fork once rolled onto pan to let steam escape while baking.

Use you family's favorite toppings. I always keep things like pizza cheese, pepperoni, and Italian sausage in the freezer. And I always keep black olives, and canned mushrooms in the pantry. Then making a last minute pizza is a snap. If you don't have time to make dough, buy ready to make pizza dough packets and keep them in the pantry as well.

Wednesday:
Baked chicken and dumplings

1/4 cup butter
1 small chopped onion
3 stalks chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon, sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon or to taste
1 (9 ounce) bag frozen peas, thawed
4 cups cooked chicken (I simmer boneless skinless chicken breasts in chicken broth
then shred when cool)

Dumplings:
2 cups biscuit mix
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2/3 cups milk

In a large saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion, celery and garlic until soft. Add flour, sugar, salt, pepper and basil. Mix until flour is mixed in well. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring until mixture is blended and thickened. Add bouillon and stir. Stir in chicken and peas. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Make dumplings by combining dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Drop 2-3 Tablespoons of dumpling mixture on top of casserole in approximately 12 separate mounds. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes . Cover with foil if necessary (so dumplings don’t get too brown). Remove foil for last 10 minutes of cooking.

Thursday:
New Years Eve Menu

Spanikopita(Greek spinach pie)
Dolmades
Baklava

Spnach pie:
2 pkgs. frozen chopped spinach
2 sticks butter, melted
6 eggs, well beaten
2 med. onions, finely chopped and sauteed
1 bunch of fresh parsley chopped(stems removed and sauteed)
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 lb. cottage cheese
3 oz. cream cheese
3/4 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
1 box phyllo dough, defrosted

Cook spinach and drain VERY well; add 1/4 cup melted butter to it. Mix eggs, sauteed onion, parsley, dill and cheeses together and combine with spinach. Preheat oven to 350. Place pyllo sheets in a pan, one at a time, brushing each sheet with melted butter. Distribute spinach mix evenly over sheets. About halfway through layering. Top with remaining sheets. With sharp knife, cut through tops to make into squares. Bake 1 hour or until golden brown and puffy. Cool and cut into squares.

Dolmades:
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2/3 cup long grain white rice
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint
1 (8 ounce) jar grape leaves, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix the lamb, onions, rice, pine nuts, salt, pepper, and mint into a bowl until evenly combined. Gently open up a grape leaf, and place rib-side down onto your work surface. Place a rounded tablespoon of the meat mixture into the center of the grape leaf. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the meat, fold in the sides, and roll into a tight cylinder. Place the rolled grape leaf into a large skillet, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining grape leaves, packing them in a tight, single layer.
Pour the water and lemon juice into the skillet, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender, 50 to 55 minutes. Check occasionally and add more water if needed. Save water for sauce. Serve with lemon suace for dolmades.

Lemon sauce for dolmades:

Whisk together 2 egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan, over medium heat, then whisk in 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, stirring until smooth. Add 1 cup of hot cooking liquid from dolmades, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a simmer and begins to thicken. Reduce heat. Stir a couple tablespoonfuls of hot broth mixture into egg yolks, then slowly add egg-yolk mixture to broth, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice and continue stirring and cooking until sauce has thickened a bit more. Stir in 2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley.

Baklava:

1 pound chopped mixed nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350 . Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Toss together cinnamon, nutmeg and nuts. Unroll phyllo and cut whole stack in half to fit the dish. Cover phyllo with a damp cloth while assembling the baklava, to keep it from drying out. Place two sheets of phyllo in the bottom of the prepared dish. Brush generously with butter. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture on top. Repeat layers until all ingredients are used, ending with about 6 sheets of phyllo. Using a sharp knife, cut baklava (all the way through to the bottom of the dish) into four long rows, then (nine times) diagonally to make 36 diamond shapes. Bake in preheated oven 50 minutes, until golden and crisp. While baklava is baking, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir in honey, vanilla and lemon zest, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove the baklava from the oven and immediately spoon the syrup over it. Listen for the sizzle sound! Let cool completely before serving.

We are not Greek in case you were wondering, we just love Greek food!. This is our
3rd year of having our Greek New Years, and I think our group will be the biggest this time around. We had tons of leftovers last year and I hope we will have the same, since I love the leftovers. Have a great one..toodles...Evie

X-mas is upon us!

2009-12-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

But you still have to cook my lovelies! Just because its the holidays does not mean you can slack off. Everyone still has to eat and convinence food and takeout are expensive! Hope everyone has wonderful plans for thier holiday!

Sunday:
Roast Chicken and 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:
Leftover chicken quesadillas
refried beans and cheese

2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 small Onion, diced
1 (16 ounces) jar Mild Picante Sauce
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
8 (8 inch) Flour Tortillas
1/2 cup sliced Black Olives
1/2 cup Sour Cream

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until transparent. Mix chicken, cooled onion, cheese and black olives. Heat non-stick pan, add a little oil to pan, place one tortilla in pan, top with some of mixture and top with another tortilla. brown on both sides until cheese is melted on the inside. Cook remaining tortillas. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and picate sauce. Also serve with cooked canned refried beans topped with cheese.

Tuesday:
Pulled pork sandwiches (slow cooker)
coleslaw

4 lb pork roast
2 onions, sliced
5 or 6 whole cloves
water
16 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
salt and pepper

Place one sliced onion at the bottom of Crock Pot.
Stud pork roast with cloves and season with salt and pepper.
Place roast in slow cooker on top of the sliced onion. Cover with the second sliced onion and add enough water to fill Crock Pot two thirds of the way.
Cover and cook on low 8 to 12 hours.
Remove roast. Remove and discard cloves, bone and fat as well as any water, onions and grease remaining in pot.
When pork roast is cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to pull it apart until the entire roast is shredded. Mix with BBQ sauce, serve on buns, with prepared coleslaw.

Mini Meatloves
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.

Thursday:
X-mas eve!
Requested from my son
Lemon Chicken Piccata

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, butterflied and then cut in half
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
6 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup brined capers, rinsed
fresh parsley, chopped
hot cooked pasta like, linguine

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 3 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add 2 pieces of chicken and cook for 3 minutes. When chicken is browned, flip and cook other side for 3 minutes. Remove and transfer to plate. Melt 2 more tablespoons butter and add another 2 tablespoons olive oil. When butter and oil start to sizzle, add the other 2 pieces of chicken and brown both sides in same manner. Remove pan from heat and add chicken to the plate.
Into the pan add the lemon juice, stock and capers. Return to stove and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits from the pan for extra flavor. Check for seasoning. Return all the chicken to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove chicken to platter. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to sauce and whisk vigorously. Pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley. Serve it all over hot pasta.

Friday:
You guys are on you own, cause I am going to my mama's and she is making a ham...

Laid back week..........

2009-12-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday filled month. I know my family has been pretty busy! I had a great and busy weekend. We attended a hockey game in Topeka, Go Roadrunners...on Friday night, last night I catered a small company Christmas party, and today I am going to our PTO adopt a family X-mas wrapping party. This is not just the holiday season, its the pack as much as you can into a weekend season.
Luckily there is not a whole lot going on this week. Enjoy the menu. Hearts, Evie

Sunday:
Beef and barley stew

1 1/2lbs boneless beef cubed
3 T vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 1/2 cups beef broth
6 cups water
4 stalks celery chopped
6 carrots chopped
6 green onions chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup barley
1 tsp dried thyme

In a skillet over medium heat, saute the beef in the oil until browned. Stir in the salt, pepper and garlic powder and place seasoned meat in a slow cooker. Add a little water to the skillet and stir to pick up the browned bits. Add to the slow cooker. Add the broth, water, celery, carrots, green onions, parsley and barley. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables and barley are tender. Add the thyme just before serving.

Monday:
Tortilla pizzas
green salad

Take tortilla and cover with pizza sauce and favorite toppings. Bake at 375 for 5-10minutes until crisp and toppings are cooked. Serve with a nice green salad.

Tuesday:
Oven Basil Lemon Pasta

3 cups bow tie pasta
1 chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 cup margarine
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine(or apple juice)
2 C sour cream
1 T chopped fresh basil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup torn fresh spinach

Cook pasta.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with lemon pepper. Melt the margarine with the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook chicken, remove from pan, and place in casserole dish. To the same skillet, add the garlic, white wine, sour cream, basil, lemon zest, and 1/2 of the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in the pasta. Spoon the pasta and sauce mixture over the chicken. Cover with foil.
Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 15 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle evenly with Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, parsley, spinach, and drizzle with the remaining lemon juice. Bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Wednesday:
Blue cheese burgers
sweet potato fries

2 pounds lean ground beef
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Cook on stove or broil. Serve with oven baked sweet potatoes and burgers condiments.

Thursday:
Crock pot BBQ Chicken
canned baked beans
prepared coleslaw
rolls

1 onion, coarsely diced
4-6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1-2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Remove skin from chicken. Place the coarsely diced onion on the bottom of a slow cooker. Sprinkle paprika on both sides of the chicken. Place the chicken in a large non-stick pan. Turn heat on to medium and brown the chicken on both sides. If the chicken is sticking too much to the pan you can add 1-2 teaspoons of water.

Sauce: In the same pan that you browned the chicken, saute the finely diced onion. Mix the cornstarch and the tomato sauce together. Add this tomato sauce mixture along with the remaining ingredients to the pan with the sauteed onions and simmer, stirring fairly often, for 3-5 minutes. Pour this sauce over the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces so that they are thoroughly covered with BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 6-7 hours. Serve with yummy sides.

Friday:
Ultimate grilled cheese sandwiches
canned minestrone soup

1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese
1/2 brick cream cheese (room temp)
8 slices cooked bacon
4 slices Cheddar cheese
8 slices sourdough bread

Freeze bread overnight, on frozen bread, spread four slices with cream cheese. In a small bowl, mash together the butter and Parmesan cheese until evenly blended. Make sandwiches by placing two slices of bacon and one slice of Cheddar cheese on half of the bread slices. Top with the remaining slices of bread with cream cheese
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread some of the butter mixture on the top of each sandwich. Place sandwiches butter side down in the skillet. Spread the remaining butter mixture on the other sides. Cook until golden brown on each side, about 3 minutes per side. To serve, cut in half diagonally. Serve with steaming bowls of soup.

hello holidays

2009-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Even though Christmas is just a few weeks away I am not feeling the spirit. We went to a Christmas party last night but it was not very Christmasy. So this week I have decided to put myself in the mood. I am wrapping presents, sending cards, and listening to the holiday music channel. Hope you all are feeling the spirit!

Sunday:
Slow cooker Lamb shanks

2 lamb shanks
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
3 sliced carrots
1 small diced onion
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 can of diced tomatoes(undrained)
2 T fresh minced rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 mild flavored beer

Heat olive oil in pan, salt and pepper shanks. Brown on all sides in oil. Place all ingredients in crock pot. Add lamb shanks. Cook on high at least 2 hours, turn down to low and cook for 3-4 additional hours or cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over Orzo cooked with some of the juice from crock pot.

Monday:
1/2 pounds Tender boneless beef, such as sirloin, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 large Broccoli stalk
1/2 Yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup Canned beef broth
2 tablespoons Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Ginger, peeled, minced
1 large Garlic clove
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon Dried crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil

Combine beef strips with 1-1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds in small bowl. Toss to coat well. Cut florets off broccoli stalk. Peel stalk and thinly slice crosswise. Combine broccoli florets and stalk with yellow pepper in medium bowl. Stir broth, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cornstarch, and crushed red pepper in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves. Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until brown, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate. Heat remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil in wok. Add broccoli and peppers and cover wok. Add beef and accumulated juices from plate. Simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. Transfer beef mixture to platter. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if desired and serve with rice.

Tuesday:
Chicken burritos
rice cooked
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 can black beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup mild salsa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
8 tortillas (8-inch)
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Meanwhile, in medium microwavable bowl, mix chicken, black beans, 1 cup salsa and chili powder. Microwave on High 2 minutes or until hot, stirring after 1 minute.
Place cooked rice in large bowl; stir in cilantro and lime juice until well blended. Heat tortillas as directed on package. Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Top with about 1/4 cup rice mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese. Fold sides of tortilla toward center; fold ends over. Serve with additional salsa, if desired.

Wednesday:
Chickpea and tomato curry

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger root
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cans chick peas or garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Plain yogurt, if desired
Serve over hot cooked potatoes or rice if desired

Thursday:
Chili
2 lbs. ground chuck
1 cup chopped onion
1 green pepper, chopped
2 to 3 ribs celery, chopped
2 cups shredded carrots
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 cans kidney or pinto beans, drained
1 tsp. pepper
3 tsp. chili powder
hot pepper, to taste, cayenne
1 tsp. garlic salt

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Drain well. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker; cover and cook for 7 to 8 hours on LOW, or until done.
Serve with condiments.

Friday:
Spinach filled fish rolls
1 lb sole, orange roughy or flounder fillets
1 1/2 cups firmly packed spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup garlic-flavored croutons, crushed
Lemon wedges, if desired

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. If fish fillets are large, cut into 4 serving pieces. Place spinach on fish; sprinkle with garlic salt. Roll up each fillet, beginning at narrow end. Place rolls, with points underneath, in baking dish. In small bowl, mix mayonnaise and mustard; spoon onto each roll. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

Back after the long Holiday

2009-11-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

Well we had a nice Thanksgiving, and also it was Zach's Birthday. We had some friends over since my parents could not come. I made an awesome turkey, so we really did not have a lot of leftovers. So only one recipe with leftover turkey.
Zach's Castle cake:

My perfectly bronzed turkey:

Zach and our beautiful Black Austalorp chicken Opal:

Our sweet potato harvest(I dug them up last night):

Sunday:
Leftover turkey enchiladas

3 cups shredded cooked turkey
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1 jar medium-hot salsa

Mix turkey, sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheese, and salt. Heat oil in frying pan over low heat. Dip the tortillas, one at a time, in the hot oil just until limp, about 5 seconds. Fill tortillas equally with turkey mixture, roll up, and arrange side by side, seam down, in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Pour salsa evenly over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in a 350° oven until heated through, about 20 minutes. If desired, sprinkle more shredded cheese over hot enchiladas before serving. Serve with additional sour cream.

Monday:
German Hot Pot(an old favorite)

1 lb ground pork
1 lb smoked sausages cut into rounds
1 head of red and green cabbage each
1 onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
lotsa salt and pepper
1 can sauerkraut
1/2 stick butter minced up to diperse
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shredded carrots
Dump all ingredients into crockpot mix and cook on low 6-8 hours and stir once in awhile. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Tuesday:
Chicken Korma

1 lb diced boneless skinless chicken breast
1 lb steamed green beans
cooked basmati rice
1 package ready to serve Korma sauce

Cook chicken in 2T oil, until cooked thru. Add Korma sauce and heat thru. serve with steamed green beans and rice.

Wednesday:
Hamburgers and fries
raw veggies and dip

Thursday:
Pan fried Pork Steaks
sweet potatoes
butter noodles

Season pork steak to liking. I use salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and paprika. Cook in frying pan over medium high heat until done, turning over at least once. Cook sweet potatoes in microwave. Serve with butter noodles.

Friday:
leftover buffet using all the yummy leftovers!

Saturday:
We are attending a potluck. I am making two dishes.
Hot wings
Goat cheese and roasted red pepper tart

Classic hot wings:
12 chicken wings or so
3 c oil for deep frying
4 oz bottle Louisiana hot sauce
4 oz butter

Cut the wings at the joints, discard the wing tips. Fry the wings in the oil until crispy, I fry about 1/2 in a batch.In a pan large enough to hold the fried chicken wings, melt the butter and add the bottle of Tabasco, mix, then add the pre-fried wings. Stir to coat the wings and serve while still warm. Serve with good blue cheese dreesing and celery.

Goat cheese and roasted red pepper tart:
**Crust:**
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
**Filling:**
2 red bell peppers(or jarred roasted red peppers)
1 cup fresh goat cheese
1/2 cup half-and-half or milk
2 tablespoons dry white wine
3 eggs

Crust: Combine flour, sugar, butter and herbs in a food processor and process until the dough forms a large ball (or mix dough using your usual pie crust method).

Press dough to about 1/8-inch thickness on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch fluted tart, quiche or pie pan with sides 3/4 to 1 inch high. Set aside.

Filling: Roast the peppers over a flame (or under the broiler) until charred on all sides. Place in a closed paper bag for 15 minutes to steam, and then peel off the skin, cut in half and discard membranes and seeds.(can purchase ready made) Coarsely chop one pepper and cut the other into long, thin strips. Preheat oven to 375 F. Puree the goat cheese, half-and-half, wine and eggs in a food processor until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in chopped pepper, mixing well. Pour the filling into the crust and decorate the top with the strips of roasted pepper. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, just until mixture has set and the top had slightly browned.
Have a great week everybody! hearts Evie

two whole months...well whatevah

2009-11-15T13:45:00.000-08:00

Menu for the week as requested by Sharon...

Sunday:
Pot roast

4 pounds boneless chuck roast
2 cups water
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion and mushroom soup mix
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can cream of mushroom (I used a can of Amy's)
3 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Score roast on top and sides, and place in a medium sized oven bag. Combine water, soup mix, canned soup, and Worcestershire sauce; pour over roast. Arrange vegetables around meat. Place oven bag on a roasting pan.
Place roast in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 300 degrees. Bake for 1 1/2 hours for medium well done, or adjust time for desired doneness.

Monday:
Orange chicken (Chinese style)
rice

1 tbsp oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
2 cups trimmed green beans
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 4oz package of orange jello mix
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoon oil based salad dressing (like a garlic vinaigrette or Italian dressing)
2 cloves of minced garlic

Heat oil, medium high cook chicken for 3-5 minutes or until cooked. Add green beans and pepper strips cook about two more minutes. Mix jello and cornstarch, add broth dressing and garlic. Stir well. Add to pan and cook until sauce is thick, about 3-5 minutes. Serve with hot rice.

Tuesday:
Lazy beef stroganoff

1 lb. Roast Beef (left over)
5 oz uncooked egg noodles
4 tsp. vegetable oil`
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 3/4 oz. package brown-gravy mix
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tsp paprika
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook noodles according to package directions. Keep warm. Cut roast into 1 in. wide strips. In large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. oil over Med-Hi heat until hot. Add beef and garlic and stir-fry for abut 1 min. Remove from skillet and add salt and pepper. In the same skillet, cook mushrooms in remaining 2 tsp. oil for 2 minutes or until tender. Add gravy mix and water; parsley and paprika. Blend well. Stir until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return beef to skillet, heat for 1 minute in the gravy mixture. Add noodles and sour cream, stir and serve.

Wednesday:
Baked chicken thighs and legs
baked sweet potatoes
fresh steamed green beans

4 chicken thighs
4 chicken legs
1 lemon
2 cloves of minced garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place chicken in baking pan. Pour juice of lemon over chicken. Sprinkle with Olive oil. Salt and pepper chicken. Plop garlic over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40minutes or until juices run clear.

Thursday:
potluck meal

Vegetable lasagna roll ups

1 (16 ounce) box lasagna noodles
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach
10 ounces frozen chopped broccoli
8 ounces mushroom stems and pieces
3 egg yolks
32 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 jars of your choice pasta sauce
1 dash nutmeg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles. Drain and lay flat. Thaw spinach and broccoli. Squeeze completely dry.
Drain mushrooms. Empty Ricotta cheese into deep bowl, add three egg yolks, a handful of Parmesan cheese. Add mozzarella, spinach, broccoli and mushrooms. Mix well.
Spread some sauce onto bottom of lasagna pan. Use rubber spatula to spread Ricotta mixture onto length of lasagna noodles and roll tightly. Put roll ups into lasagna pan, seam down. Fit roll ups snuggly. Add sauce to top of roll ups. Add grated cheese. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for about 40 minutes. Serve with store bought garlic bread.

Friday:
Blue cheese burgers
oven baked fries
raw veggies and dip

1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 Gently form the burger mixture into about 6 patties. Broil patties 5 minutes per side, or until done. Serve with oven baked fries and raw veggies.

Enjoy! Evie

menu for this week:

2009-09-13T11:38:00.001-07:00

Wow what a quick weekend we had. We had a night out for grown ups, a yard sale, a birthday party, and a tractor show that we attended. Just this weekend.
I made just enough money at the yard sale for groceries. I had just $62 to spend and I only spent $57!

Sunday:
Grilled hot dogs
Grilled chicken leg quarters
Orzo veggie salad
baked beans

Monday:
Neighborhood potluck

Scalloped potatoes with ham and broccoli

1 cup fresh or frozen chopped onion (about 1 medium-large yellow onion)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups sliced, peeled all-purpose potatoes (4 to 5 medium-size) or 4 cups thawed frozen hash brown potatoes
3 cups broccoli slaw mix or coarsely chopped fresh broccoli
1 pound boiled or baked ham, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat shallow 2-quart casserole with non-stick vegetable spray and set aside. Cook onion in olive oil in heavy medium-size saucepan over moderate heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Combine milk, flour, salt, and pepper in 1-quart measure, add to onion, and cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes. Layer half the potatoes into prepared casserole then top with the broccoli and half the sauce and cheese. Arrange ham on top, dot with mustard, then cover with remaining potatoes and sauce and cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until potatoes are just tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes longer. Serve at once.

Tuesday:
Tacos and beans

Wednesday:
Lasagna with Italian sausage

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cups diced tomatoes (from 28-oz can), undrained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
12 uncooked lasagna noodles (12 ounces)
1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese or small curd creamed cottage cheese (2 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook sausage, onion and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, sugar, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 45 minutes or until slightly thickened. Heat oven to 350ºF. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package. Mix ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and the oregano. Spread 1 cup of the sauce mixture in ungreased rectangular baking dish, 13x9x2 inches. Top with 4 noodles. Spread 1 cup of the cheese mixture over noodles; spread with 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 2/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 4 noodles, the remaining cheese mixture, 1 cup of the sauce mixture and 2/3 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting otherwise it won't hold together well.

Thursday:
Citrus beef and veggie stir fry

1 1/2 pound beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons orange-juice concentrate
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons orange zest
3 tablespoons grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup julienned carrots
2 tablespoons canola oil
Hot cooked brown rice
8 broccoli florets, steamed or blanched

Mix sugar, rice vinegar, juice concentrate, salt and soy sauce. Toss beef in cornstarch. Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok. Stir-fry meat 1 minute in hot wok. Add remaining oil, carrots, zest, ginger and garlic, cook until fragrant. Add soy mixture, bring to boil. Cook until thick and syrupy, 3-4 minutes. Serve over rice and top with broccoli. Garnish with canned mandarin oranges.

Friday:
Balsamic braised chicken breasts
mashed potatoes
steamed asparagus

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Season chicken breasts with ground black pepper and garlic salt. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet, and brown the onion and seasoned chicken breasts.
Pour tomatoes and balsamic vinegar over chicken, and season with basil, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Have a great week! Evie

Make your own on Wednesday

2009-09-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

Healthified rice crispy treats

1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup cashew or almond butter
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
3 cups brown rice crispies
Bring the liquids to a boil. Add rice crispies and stir and coat well. Put in a greased pan and smooth the top with an oiled hand. let cool for 15 minutes before devouring pan. Evie

Happy Labor day weekend!

2009-09-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

Salutations! I hope everyone is enjoying thier weekend. I have a new project finally! I am altering some cool vintage curtains my neighbor gave me, Bless her!

I am totally in love with these and plan on decorating the living room around them, all vintage bird themed. I am looking for some old birdie print to join the curtain and maybe a few bird cages too!

Anyways here is a look at my little man on his first day of school!

Gene got laid off again...hello economy. Good thing I can make a cheap menu fit for a king! I am picking many things that are in the freezer, or that I have on hand to minimize my spending. I still managed to spend $55 at the store this week anyways! I will have to tighten it up a bit more next week. He was told this lay off is for just a month, but as I recall he was told that last time! Here's the menu, enjoy. Evie

Monday:
The skewers were so popular last week I picked them to grill again.
Sweet and Sour Pork kabobs
steamed rice

2 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 pound boneless pork, cut into 1-inch pieces
green pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces

In a small saucepan, bring 1 in. of water to a boil; add carrots. Cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until almost tender; drain well. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Set pineapple aside. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, soy sauce, hoisin, sugar, garlic and reserved pineapple juice. Pour over cubed pork; let stand for 30 minutes. On soaked wooden skewers, alternate the pork, carrots, peppers and reserved pineapple. Grill over medium-hot heat for 5-6 minutes or until meat is tender, basting with reserved marinade. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Tuesday:
Corn and salmon chowder
bread

Chowder:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 pound potatoes - peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
12 ounces smoked or cooked salmon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I cooked mine in the oven)
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup half and half

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine the butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, and celery. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are transparent. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir well to make a dry roux. Gradually add the chicken broth and stir until slightly thickened. Stir in the potatoes, tarragon, thyme, and paprika. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
Stir in the salmon, wine, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Simmer over low heat, uncovered for 10 minutes. Mix in the half-and-half and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not let the chowder boil after adding the half-and-half. Serve hot.

Wednesday:
Oven Fried Chicken
steamed zucchini and yellow squash

Chicken:
6 tablespoons butter, melted
5 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 broiler/fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut up

Place butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine dry ingredients. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in crumb mixture. Place in a greased baking pan. Spray pieces lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 40-45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Squash:
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim ends from squash. Cut each one in half, then cut each half lengthwise into quarters. Place squash and garlic into a steamer basket, then place the steamer basket into the pot. Steam for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the squash are tender. Transfer squash to a large bowl. Mash the garlic and put it in the bowl with the squash. Drizzle the olive oil into the bowl and toss until the vegetables are coated with oil and garlic.

Thursday:
Breakfast for dinner
(your choice)
We are having Biscuits and gravy, eggs and fruit.

Friday:
Pierogies and sauerkraut
heated smoked sausage

Purchase store bought pierogies. Boil and serve with warmed sauerkraut. Pan fry the smoked sausage.

Have a great week lovlies!

Utmost apologies.

2009-08-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

I was unable to post last weeks menu due to a family emergencies. My mom had part of her kidney removed(due to some cancer) and I had to place my grandma in a nursing home, then Zach had a trip to the ER with an almost cast of pneumonia. On top of everything my husband's ex moved to town and wants to meet Zach and I...hmm I think that is every bad thing that happened..anyways here is the menu:

Sunday: (grillout)

Cilantro Lime chicken skewers
baked beans
green salad

Chicken:
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into meduim bite size chunks
(this is easiest to do when chicken is just slightly frozen)
1/4 tsp any type grill seasoning
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon oil
to go on skewers:
1 cup of cherry or grape or large tomato chunks
1/2 cup large onion chunks
1 cup large green pepper chunks
skewer sticks
Combine chicken and seasoning in zip lock bag and mariante for 1-2 hours.
Soak skewers in water for about 15 minutes. Slide chicken and veggies on stick alternating, chicken, veggie,veggie, chicken, veggie, veggie, chicken and so on.

Serve with baked beans and a nice green salad.

Monday:
Crock pot Asian style pork
steamed rice and sugar snap peas

2 large pork steaks(deboned and cubed)
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
optional toppings:
green onions
peanuts
cilantro

Heat oil on non-stick skillet brown pork for 3-5 minutes. Spray inside of crock. Place pork inside. Combine ingredients in bowl, wisking in cornstarch last. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Remove pork. Place juice in non stick pan and reduce, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve with steamed sugar snap peas over rice.

Tuesday:
Beef Enchiladas
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. oil
Pinch of cumin
12 corn tortillas
1/4 c. ripe olives, chopped
1 1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 c. onion, chopped
3 c. enchilada sauce
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach (defrosted and drained)
2 tsp. salt
Oil for frying

Saute' meat and onions until meat is crumbly and onions are limp. Add 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, cumin, salt and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soft fry tortillas in oil and drain on paper towels. Dip each tortilla in remaining heated enchilada sauce, coating both sides. Add ripe olives and spinach to cooked meat and divide mixture among the tortillas. Roll and place overlapped side down in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Can substitute cooked chicken for ground beef.

Wednesday:
Eat up those awesome leftovers!

Thursday:
Scalloped Potatoes with ham and shredded carrots

2 cups ham, cubed small
5 large potatoes, peeled and sliced (about 1/4 thick)
6 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350. Cut ham into small cubes and set aside. Peel and slice potatoes, put them in a bowl with enough water to cover them. Heat the butter in a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft but not brown. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Add the milk and stir constantly. Once it comes to a gentle boil turn heat down and let the sauce cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Stir in the italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In a greased 2 quart baking dish put a layer of half the potatoes,the carrots and followed by half the ham. Pour half the white sauce followed by half a cup of cheese. Make another layer of potatoes and ham and pour the remaining sauce over the top.
Cover and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and top with remaining cheese and bake for another 20 minute or until the potatoes are tender.

Friday:
Chicken in Sour Cream

8 chicken thighs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch salt
1 pinch paprika
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix (my store carries an organic brand)
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried dill weed

Brown chicken in oil over medium heat. Place in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill weed. Pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour, or until chicken is tender and sauce is brown. This dish is seriously addictive!

Happy trails folks!

make your own on Wednesday

2009-08-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Herb Veggie Dip Mix

1 T. dried parsley
1 T. dried thyme
1 ½ tsp. dried tarragon
1 ½ tsp. minced onion
¾ tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine the above ingredients and stir until well blended. Place in a Ziploc bag and seal. Attach a tag with the directions (below) on how to prepare the dip.

HERB VEGGIE DIP
1 pkg. Herb Veggie Dip Mix
2 cups sour cream
2 tsp. lemon juice

Combine the Herb Veggie Dip Mix with the sour cream and lemon juice. Stir until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with assorted fresh vegetables.

menu!

2009-08-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

We had an exciting week. Zach started school and I celebrated my 33rd birthday. Zach did really well at school. I had more separation anxiety than he did. He kept telling me that it was only for "seven hours, mom." I can't believe he came home with tons of energy. I thought for sure he would be exhausted. Getting information about his day was like pulling teeth. I can't wait to send him again on Monday. Tuesday is his dental procedure so he will be home for a few days...bummer. Enjoy this week's menu!

Sunday:
Corn and chicken dinner(courtesy of Taste of Home)
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1/2 cup butter, divided
3 pounds chicken legs and thighs (about 8 pieces)
3 ears fresh corn, husked, cleaned and cut into thirds
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons dried tarragon, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut into chunks

In a Dutch oven or large skillet, cook chicken in butter over medium heat until browned on each side. Add two-thirds of the garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes or until garlic is tender. Reduce heat; stir in corn and water. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon tarragon, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180°.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine remaining garlic and tarragon; saute for 3 minutes or until garlic is tender. Layer zucchini and tomatoes over the chicken mixture. Drizzle seasoned butter over all; cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Monday:
Pan fried fish with tomato topping
Orzo

1-2 lbs white fish
1 can diced tomatoes or 2 medium fresh diced plus 1/8 cup water
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 cup diced kalamata olives
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon capers
2 cups fresh spinach
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil

Salt and pepper fish. Cook over medium heat in non-stick pan with olive oil. Remove from heat after fish flakes easily. Set aside. Add onions to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, wine, olives, capers, garlic and spinach. Saute for 2 more minutes or until spinach has wilted. Serve hot over fish. Serve with a side of orzo pasta.

Tuesday:
baked potato bar

Serve with baked potatoes:
Chili, salsa, sour cream, steamed broccoli, cheddar cheese, bacon bits, green onions, sauteed mushrooms, peas, anything else your family likes!

Wednesday:
Slow cooker short ribs
steamed sugar snap peas

¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
4-5 beef, boneless short ribs
3 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes or two diced fresh
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

Combine flour salt & pepper and paprika in a shallow baking dish or pie plate. Dredge short ribs in flour mixture, coating all sides. Place butter and olive oil in a large skillet and place pan on medium-low heat until butter melts. Lightly shake excess flour off each rib and place ribs in pan. Brown ribs on all sides. Place ribs in bottom of a slow cooker. Without cleaning the skillet, saute onions and garlic cloves. Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until liquid is reduced. Add tomatoes and sugar to the skillet and stir. Pour the tomato mixture over ribs. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or pasta.

Thursday:
Chicken tetrazzini

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
3 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. Makes 10 (1-cup) servings. Can freeze half later for a second meal too!

Friday:
Easy soft beef tacos
re fried beans
You guys can figure this one out!

Convience Food Wednesday

2009-08-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

I know I have posted this recipe before but these are so good and easy to make. Also these are great for the school lunch box!
Granola bars:
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
Bake this for about 30 minutes on spread out on a baking sheet at 300 degrees.
When almost done baking, cook wet ingredients in sauce pan:
4 T butter or margarine
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
Whisk together until bubbly, remove from heat and add 1/4 cup honey. Whisk together.
Put oat mixture into bowl, pour sauce over, and mix together until all is well coated, let cool slightly. Add 1/4 cup chocolate or carob chips.
Place onto greased pan, about 1 inch high. Bake for 25 minutes. Cut into bars as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let remain in pan until completely cool, about an hour or so. Remove bars and place into air tight container.

Back in the Saddle again.

2009-08-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

So much has been going on! Our Buff Orphington chicken also turned out to be a rooster, so we ate him. Since roosters have a history of being tough I put him in the crock pot. It tasted just like turkey! YUM.
The fair is in town, so we have been busy with that. I won a third place ribbon with my Balsamic vegetables over Baked eggplant. But than not placing I guess. I was beat by an Eggplant Parmesan...how typical, ughhh! Anyways, things are returning to normal around here. I had my final visit from the Dept of child welfare, and they closed the case, I guess I am not injuring or harming children by having chickens...Jesus Christ people are so stupid. So it is with great joy I post this week's menu. Chow Evie

Sunday: Grill out night:
Grilled Greek marinated pork chops
fresh corn on the cob
canned baked beans
tomato with cuke and onion salad also in Greek dressing, sprinkled with feta cheese.
Marinate 4-6 pork chops in Greek style dressing(I like Ken's)for a few hours. Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side.

Monday:
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

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.

Tuesday:
Oven fried drumsticks
Boxed white mac and cheese shells with broccoli(dump the brocc in while boiling shells)
8 Drumsticks
1 egg
1 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a cookie sheet. Mix dry ingredients. In separate bowl beat egg. Dip drumsticks into egg mixture then into dry mixture one at a time. Lightly spray each drumstick after placing on pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until done.

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:
Blue Cheese burgers
Oven baked sweet potato fries
raw veggies and dip

3 pounds lean ground beef
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Broil or grill for 5 minutes on each side.

Friday:
Happy Birthday Evie!
No cooking
Also Zach's first day of school

It's not that I am ignoring you.

2009-07-30T05:29:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of stuff going on this past week and this is why I am neglecting here.
One of my neighbors has a problem with our chickens and has called the authorities on us. We have been dealing with Animal control and the state had a surprise visit for us form the Dept of child welfare. Everything is fine we just have a few things to do to make sure the state is happy. I will resume menus and such on Sat morning. thanks Evie

Convience Food Wednesday

2009-07-22T07:32:00.000-07:00

I love the new Quaker oat instant oatmeal packets of Healthy Harvest Oatmeal, but I do not like paying the 3.99 per box price!
Here is my alternative:
1 box sandwich Ziploc baggies
6 cups oatmeal
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup whole flax seeds

Mix the ingredients. Place 1/2 cup into each baggie. Makes about 16 baggies full. Heat with 3/4 cup boiling water and serve. Tastes just as wonderful as the store brand at half the cost. Be sure to re-use the bags to save money too.

Eat good this week for under $100

2009-07-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

A Monday thru Friday meal plan for under $100. Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

Monday:
B- Frozen Waffle sandwiches:
Heat frozen whole grain waffles, cut in half, smear with peanut butter, drizzle with honey, and place half a banana(cut the long way)on one side. Top with other half and serve.

L- Egg salad sandwiches made with tomatoes:
6 hard boiled eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup chopped green onion
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 medium diced tomato

Dice egg and add remaining ingredients, mix well. Serve with grapes and potato chips.

D- Meatloaf with peas and mashed potatoes
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4oz)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oat
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lbs grass fed ground beef
2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
In a bowl, beat the egg and milk. Stir in cheese, oats, onion, and salt. Shape into 8 equal sized loaves. Place in non-stick baking pan. Sauce: Combine ketchup, brown sugar and mustard. Spoon over each loaf so they are all covered in the sauce.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Tuesday:
B- Fried egg sandwiches and blueberries

L- Frozen pizza with raw carrots and green pepper strips

D- Grilled pork chops
Steamed carrots(make extra for Thursday)
Butter noodles
Noodles:
1 package egg noodles
1/2 stick of butter
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 tsp garlic powder
2 table spoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt

Cook noodles. In hot pan place butter and spices. Add noddles mix well and add cheese.

Wednesday:

B- French toast and bananas (see previous post for how to make french toast)

L- Grilled cheese sandwiches with grapes and chips

D- Spaghetti with sauteed zucchini

Saute zucchini in butter until softened add to cooked spaghetti sauce and toss with cooked noodles.

Thursday:
B- Scrambled eggs with toast and blueberries

L- Boxed mach and cheese with peas

D- Asian chicken thighs and steamed rice with carrots and peas.
Chicken:
6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1-3/4 pounds)
5 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon white vinegar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder(can be omitted)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in oil for 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the warm water, brown sugar, orange juice, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, pepper flakes and five-spice powder; shake until sugar is dissolved.
Pour over the chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until chicken is tender, turning occasionally.
Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over basmati rice cooked with some chicken broth and peas and carrots.

Friday:

B- Quick oats with milk and blueberries

L- Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with grapes

D- Spinach and potato curry
Curry:
2 bunches spinach
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1 onion diced
1 can green chilies (small can)
1 15oz can coconut milk (use as needed to moisten)
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 med. to small red potatoes boiled and then diced
olive oil

Soften onions in olive oil, then add ginger and garlic. Add spinach and more olive if needed. Saute all together until spinach is wilted and softened. Remove mixture and place in blender or food processor. Add half of the coconut milk and all of the curry powder, and a bit of salt and pepper. Puree adding more coconut milk as needed. Remove, stir in potatoes and heat if needed. Serve warm.

Shopping list:
OG waffles 1.99
OG bananas 1.50
2 loaves whole wheat bread (or make at home) 3.50
2 dozen local eggs 5.00
2 pints blueberries 3.00
1 box instant oats 2.50
2 lbs of grapes 2.00
bag of good potato chips 2.50
1 gallon OG milk 5.69
1 frozen pizza 2.50
1 bag baby OG carrots 1.50
1 big bag OG shredded cheddar cheese 3.97
1 box OG mac and cheese 1.79
1 big bag organic frozen peas 2.19(with $1 off coupon)
1 bag egg noodles 1.79
1 bag OG potatoes 3.79
1 lb unsalted butter 1.99
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti 1.59
OG pasta sauce 2.79
local zucchini 1.00
1 pack smart chicken(or veg.fed hormone/antibiotic free) 6 thighs 4.79
1 1/2 lbs local grass fed beef 6.00
2 bags OG spinach 5.00
1 can green chilies .99
1 can OG coconut milk 1.69
1 jar OG peanut butter 3.29
1 jar real fruit spread 2.59 ( I make my own)
1 OG green pepper 1.99
1 local tomato .89
1 1/2 cups OG basmati rice from bulk bin 1.29
Snacks:
Bag OG cheese sticks 4.09
Og 6 pack of yogurt 3.29
Box of OG microwave popcorn 3.19
Bag of OG apples 4.99
Total cost: 99.94
Hope you have a great week!

OMG! Free Chocolate!

2009-07-16T14:03:00.000-07:00

I found this whilst surfing today:
https://secure.realchocolate.com/
It by Mars and they are giving away Free chocolate on Fridays, check it out.

Make your own on Wednesday.

2009-07-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

I was brainstorming things I could blog about and came up with this idea. Many of my girlfriends marvel at how I make my own convenience foods. So hopefully if I can keep it up I will post a new homemade convinence food each week. Here is this week's.

Frozen french Toast sticks:
The ones at the store are cheap and tasty but have you looked at what's in them?? Holy S&!T, there are a lotta unpronounceable in there.
Here is what I do:

6 eggs slightly beaten
1 tsp salt
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cups milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
12+ slices of day old bread, homemade is just fine too

Mix all ingredients except bread. Cut bread into 3-4 strips each. Dip each piece into bread, turning once. Not too long, it will get too mushy! Cook on medium heat, in a well oiled non stick pan. Brown on each side. Lay out all cooked strips onto a non-stick cookie sheet and freeze. Place into a Zip lock baggie after frozen. I serve 3-4 strips to each kid with their own vessel of syrup for dipping. A baggie of these lasts about a month in my house but freezes for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Anniversary weekend

2009-07-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Well it was our 6th anniversary this weekend. We had a really nice practically kid free weekend. On Friday night it was babysitting night at our preschool. We went to dinner and then out for drinks with friends. On Sat. night we attended a birthday party, and Zach had his first sleepover with his best buddy. We stayed out until 2am together..and had a really good time. On Sunday it was a trip to Freestate Brewery for lunch, followed by a dip in the pool at our Indoor Aquatic Center. Then we grilled out some juicy pork chops that I had marinated all day...yum-o. Recipe to follow.

Sunday night marinade for pork chops:
1/2 cup Olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary
1/2 tsp salt and pepper each
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Place chops in bag or bowl. Whisk together ingredients. Slather all over chops and refrigerate for 5 hours. Take out 1/2 hour before grilling to bring up temp.

Monday:
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. Olive Oil
1 pound ground beef
2 t. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. kosher salt
1 small can tomato paste
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 C. ketchup
1/2 C. water

Saute onions, peppers and garlic in olive oil until softened.
Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat.
Add all other ingredients to the ground beef mixture and cook, stirring, over low heat for a few minutes until thickened. Add more water if it gets too thick.
Serve in hamburger buns and try not to make a mess!

Tuesday:
Chicken Parmesan

4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 (4 oz.) pkg. sliced Mozzarella cheese
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
pasta

Cut chicken breasts in half longways. Pound until evenly flattened. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, some black and red pepper, 1/8 teaspoon sage, 1/8 teaspoon thyme. Dip chicken in egg, coat with crumb mixture and set aside to dry.
Heat oil in large skillet and brown chicken well on both sides. Place chicken in glass baking dish sprayed with Pam and pour sauce over all. Bake in 375 degree preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven; add a slice of Mozzarella cheese over each piece of chicken and return to oven until cheese melts.
Put sauce over pasta and serve with chicken.

Wednesday:
Veggie stir-fry
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.

Thursday:
Tacos
re fried beans

Friday:
Baked Hot Chicken legs
raw veggies with dip

Chicken:
Prepare chicken legs like you were making hot wings,(I use franks hot sauce with added garlic powder and 1/2 stick of melted butter) Bake for about 45 min at 350.

better late than never menu.

2009-07-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

We had a pretty busy weekend, I hope everyone had a good fourth. I know I did!
We set off many fireworks and had a blast..literally haha. My parents came for a quick visit which made for much frenzied cleaning last week. I made a spectacular dessert, Blueberry Spice whoopie pies,(I got the recipe from a Woman's Day magazine, I think). I have busy pickling as my neighbors cukes have come in and he wants me to pick them..oh darn.
Did I forget to tell you that Zach got married?
Oh yeah Zach got married. He has been telling us for years that his wife is going to be Asian, his dream came true!

the bride

the ring

the happy couple..so cute

Our garden is doing really well. This week its all about broccoli, cabbage, beets, turnps and potatoes. More than we can eat!
I made some fabulous Sour Kraut

It was really easy to make and tastes wonderful..yum
Like I told you our turnips our full grown, really full grown!

here are the pickles I made:

I made whole, chips and spears, all dills. I am going to try my hand at bread and butter pickles next week.
Here is the menu:
Tuesday:
German Hot pot (an old favorite and uses up some of those garden staples)
hot mashed potatoes

1 lb ground pork
1 lb smoked sausages cut into rounds
1 head of red and green cabbage each
1 onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
lotsa salt and pepper
1 can sauerkraut
1/2 stick butter minced up to diperse
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shredded carrots
Dump all ingredients into crockpot mix and cook on low 6-8 hours and stir once in awhile. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Wednesday:
Mashed potatoes and roasted veggie enchiladas

1 head broccoli, cut into florets
8 ounces whole button mushrooms
3 small zucchini, chopped or 2 cups sauteed cabbage
2 cups chopped carrots
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups mashed potatoes
1 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas
3 cups enchilada sauce
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large mixing bowl, combine broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, and carrots. Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Roast vegetables in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes; stir halfway through their cooking time. When finished cooking, remove from the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 350. In a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat, quickly heat each tortilla on both sides to make pliable. Dip the tortillas in enchilada sauce. Put a large spoonful (approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup) of potato-veggie mixture into the center of each tortilla. Top mixture with about 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese, and roll tortillas. Place seam-side down in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour extra sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Thursday:
Baked chicken
mashed turnips
steamed broccoli

Friday:
Its our 6 year anniversary..so we are eating out..yay!

.

Wednesday morning muffins

2009-07-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

Banana, granola Chocolate chip muffins:
4 smashed bananas(mine were from the freezer, so they were good and ripe)
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Butter
1 Egg
1 C. Flour
1 C. Whole Wheat flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/3 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup of granola
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup ground flax seed

Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tins. Cream butter and sugar. Blend in bananas and egg. Sift flour, baking powder and baking soda together. Add to mixture. Add vanilla and honey. Be sure not to over mix! Stir in granola, flax and chocolate chips. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes about 12 muffins. These are great with a cup of very creamy coffee,

Menu for next week

2009-06-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

Wow its hard to believe its almost the fourth of July! I have been keeping busy with my revolving door of daycare kids and taking Zach to the wading pool. I have a pretty good tan this year despite my efforts to stay out of the sun. The temperature has been almost a hundred everyday, and we are doing everything we can to stay cool. I have been making lots of juice Popsicles, and buying ice cream bars when they are on sale.
Here is the menu for week, enjoy. Evie

Sunday: (If you have not noticed, this our grill out night)
Grilled hot dogs
Grilled pork steaks
Grilled zucchini
Potato salad

Monday:
Crock pot lemon chicken
steamed broccoli

Chicken:
1 cup long grain converted white rice
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup water
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 dash Tabasco sauce
6 bone-in chicken breasts, with skin removed
salt and pepper to taste

Put first eight ingredients in slow cooker. Stir. Place chicken breasts on top. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours.

Tuesday:
Chicken and veggie quesadillas
re fried beans

Use leftover grilled zucchini and chicken

Slice and cook onions in frying pan until caramelized, mix with leftovers to make quesadilla filling.

Wednesday:
Breakfast for dinner

Cheesy scrambled eggs
sausage patties
toast
cantaloupe

Thursday:
Beef Stroganoff
snow peas

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

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 with hot cooked egg noodles.

Friday:
Cabbage and brats

1/2 of a 2-lb. napa cabbage, cut into 4 wedges, leaving the core
6 cooked, smoked bratwurst links, halved diagonally
2 small apples, cored and cut in wedges
2 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup dairy sour cream
1 Tbsp. fresh sage minced

In large skillet cook cabbage in 1 Tbsp. hot olive oil over medium heat 8 minutes or until tender. Cook bratwurst and apples in 1 Tbsp. hot olive oil 2 minutes. In a small bowl whisk 1/4 cup water and mustard; add to Dutch oven. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover. Simmer 4 to 6 minutes or until apples are tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, in small bowl combine sour cream and sage; whisk in cooking juices, Use slotted spoon to transfer cabbage, bratwurst, and apples to bowls. Serve sour cream mixture over bratwurst.

Hope everyone has a great week.

the menu for the week:

2009-06-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday:
Crock pot roasted chicken
Scalloped turnips and caramelized onions
steamed snow peas

Chicken:
(5 pound) roasting chicken
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
5 garlic cloves, mashed
1/4 pound butter cut into slices
1/2 cup canned chicken broth

Sprinkle the chicken, inside and out, with salt, pepper and paprika. Spread half of the garlic in the cavity and spread the remainder on the outside of the chicken. Place the chicken into a crock pot and distribute the butter on top. Pour the chicken broth around the chicken and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Turnips:
4 large fresh turnips peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
3 pieces of uncooked bacon
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion sliced very thinly into rings
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded white cheese(your choice)reserving 1/2 cup for topping
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Boil turnips for 3 minutes, and then drain well.
Dice up the bacon and fry until crisp, leaving the pan drippings. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to drippings and saute onions until caramelized and set aside. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in microwave safe container. Add cream, cheese,salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir well until melted heating in microwave if needed at 20-30 seconds. In a well greased 2 quart casserole pan, place 1/2 the turnips into pan. Then place 1/2 the onions and bacon mixture, followed by the cheese sauce. Repeat and top with 1/2 cup of cheese. cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15-20 minutes more.

Tuesday:
Chicken sandwiches
leftover chicken

4 tablespoons mayo
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese
Mix together these three ingredients
sliced tomato
lettuce
4 slices Muenster cheese

Using good bread, spread mayo mixture onto bread and brown mayo side up in oven. Layer on chicken, cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with chips and a good kosher pickle.

Tuesday:
Ground beef soft tacos
refried beans and cheese

Wednesday:
1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
2/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup chopped salted cashews
8 oz long noodle pasta

Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Cook noodles as well. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain and set aside. While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli and noodles, toss to serve.

Thursday:
Fried tilapia
coleslaw

Beer batter for fish:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup beer

Mix dry ingredients. The add the wet stuff, don't over mix the batter or your fish won't puff up. Make sure to coat the fish with flour before battering, that way it will stick better. Cook in hot oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with tartar sauce.

Coleslaw:
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1 dash black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large head cabbage, finely shredded

Blend mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and oil. Add onion powder, dry mustard, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, half-and-half and salt. Stir until smooth. Pour coleslaw dressing over shredded cabbage in a large bowl and toss until cabbage is well coated. Keep coleslaw refrigerated.

Friday:
Crock Pot Red beans and smoked sausage
1 lb. dried red beans
6 cups water
1 bell pepper chopped
2 onions chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1 Tablespoon garlic minced
1 lb smoked sausage sliced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons hot sauce or less

Place ingredients in Crock-Pot. Cook covered on high for 7 hours or until beans are tender. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Have a great Fathers Day!

the menu:

2009-06-14T12:55:00.001-07:00

Sunday:
Grilled Pork Brauts
green salad (with lots of homegrown veggies, yum)

Monday:
Crock pot Rosemary chicken
mashed turnips
mac and cheese

2 lbs chicken pieces (I am using legs and thights for cost purposes)
salt and pepper
olive oil
fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Spinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place in crock. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with fresh snipped rosemary and garlic. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours.

Cook diced turnips(fresh ones don't need to be peeled)in boiling water until softened. Mash, adding salt, pepper, butter and brown sugar to liking.

Serve all with boxed cooked mac and cheese.

Tuesday:
Shrimp and Feta with pasta
12 oz uncooked long pasta (you will use only half of them and save the rest for later)
1 lb uncooked shrimp cleaned
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cup diced tomatoes(canned is fine)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons minced parsley, fresh

Cook pasta. Saute onion, shrimp and garlic in the oil for about 3-5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, and oregano. Add tomato paste one tablespoon, adding more as needed to thicken slightly. Boil and then simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with feta and fresh parsley.

Wednesday:
Florentine Fish

Salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces white flesh fish (whiting, cod, tilapia)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
12 oz fresh baby spinach
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cup milk
parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper fish. Cook fish in a non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons olive oil until it flakes with a fork. Remove from heat and pour 1 tablespoon lemon juice over fish. Wilt spinach in pan with more olive oil, and remove from pan. Melt butter, stir in flour. Stir in milk until smmoth. Boil and cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add 1 tablespoon parmesan and the rest of the lemon juice. Add spinach to sauce. Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. This is great with rice.

Thursday:
Peanut Butter Stirfry

2 tbls. cornstarch
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup peanut butter
6 tbls. soy sauce
2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbls. oil
4-6 boneless chicken breasts, sliced or cubed
1 1/2 cups green pepper, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups red pepper, sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced

Combine sauce ingredients and stir till smooth.Stir fry chicken in oil until cooked through.Remove chicken and add onion and peppers. Stir fry until they are cooked to your satisfaction. Some people like them half cooked but we like them fully cooked.
Add mushrooms and garlic and stir fry for a few more minutes.Add sauce and cook until thick. Add chicken and cook till heated through. Serve over leftover noodles from Tuesday.

Friday:
Giant salad night
Lots of garden fresh veggies, roasted beets, goat cheese, pecans. Served with a good loaf of bread.

Forgot to post the menu last week!

2009-06-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

Well I had last weeks menu waiting, and I forgot to publish it. Sorry folks! Be back in an hour to post this week's menu.

Quick junk food dip

2009-06-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Okay so someone brought this dip to our New years party earlier this year and it is so yummy!
I made it twice recently. The deal is that you have to dip Cool Ranch Doritos in this dip, nothing else tastes as good. Okay here is the yummy recipe:

1 16oz container sour cream
1 brick of cream cheese softened
1 peeled and grated cucumber
1/2 large onion grated

Mix all ingredients together and let sit in fridge for about 2 hours before serving.
This stuff is so awesome, make sure you buy two bag of chips otherwise you will run out!

Ahhh the went by..

2009-05-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

The week went by so fast!
Last week we attended Zach's graduation..from preschool. The co-op preschool has been a wonderful place for him to grow and learn. I have been told that its the second oldest co-op preschool in the United States..the first one of course is in Boston.
http://www.lcnsweb.com/index.html

We love this place so much! So Zach is going to attend summer school there, and move on to kindergarten in the fall.

Waiting on stage to sing

Singing

His teachers

Walking across the stage to get his "diploma"

Waiting to toss his cap

The tossing of the caps

The catching of said caps...

Whew! That was fun, I think he had two giant cookies and 3 cupcakes. Good thing we kept him up til midnight at the teachers party.

Here are some garden pics:

Strawberries

peas

here is where we grow our zach..errr cabbages

cauliflower

potatoes..25 plants!

the cherry tomato plant that I grew all winter is still adjusting

Radish and turnips

Yeah life is great here on the farm..I mean in town..lol.

Here is the menu just in case you were wondering:

Sunday:
Spaghetti and meatballs
green salad
Make extra pasta as some will be needed for Wednesday meal.

Monday:
Baked chicken
steamed cauliflower

Tuesday:
Spinach and potato curry

2 bunches spinach
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1 onion diced
1 can green chilies (small can)
1/5 150z can coconut milk
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
10-12 med. to small red potatoes boiled and then diced
(make two batches of potatoes for potato salad later in the week)
olive oil

Soften onions in olive oil, then add ginger and garlic. Add spinach and more olive if needed. Saute all together until spinach is wilted and softened. Remove mixture and place in blender or food processor. Add half of the coconut milk and all of the curry powder, and a bit of salt and pepper. Puree adding more coconut milk as needed. Remove, stir in potatoes and heat if needed. Serve warm.

Wedsnesday:
Chicken Lo-Mein
Sauce:
1/2 cup chicken broth
5 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice --plus
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic minced

cooked linguine or spaghetti
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts --cut in strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
nonstick cooking spray
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion cut into rings
1 carrot shredded
1 yellow, red or green bell pepper sliced in strips
12 oz broccoli florets
ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch --mixed with
2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
(you can mix it up with the veggies use whatever is in season or what you have on hand)

To prepare sauce: Combine broth, soy sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar and garlic in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir well to dissolve brown sugar.
marinate strips of chicken in soy sauce and lemon juice. When you are ready to cook, drain the chicken thoroughly; discard the soy-lemon marinade. Lightly coat a wok or large skillet with cooking spray. Heat oil in wok until very hot, then add chicken and onion wedges. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add carrot, bell pepper and broccoli; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until broccoli is tender but still crisp. Pour in sauce; bring to a boil.
Stir in cooked pasta; stir to coat evenly with sauce. Add black pepper to taste. Stir cornstarch mixture into the noodles and vegetables; cook about 30 seconds, or until sauce thickens slightly.

Thursday:
Stove top cheeseburgers
potato salad

Friday:
Crockpot citrus chicken

1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup green beans
8 chicken thighs and legs
8 ounces orange juice
1/2 cup honey

Add lemon juice to the bottom of crock. Then cut green beans in bite sized pieces and add to crock pot. Add chicken thighs on top, pour over OJ and honey. Cook on low 6-8 hours.
Soo yummy.

Have a great week everybody. Evie

happy 3 day weekend, menu for next week

2009-05-23T07:59:00.000-07:00

ahh..the 3 day weekend. Not that I have anything special planned but I am looking forward to it anyways. The pool opens today and I am thinking about taking the boy for a quick dip.
here is next week's menu:

Monday:
Grilled pork steaks
Orzo pasta salad

1 pound orzo pasta
4 green onions, chopped
6 ounces cherry tomatoes (about 20)
1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
1 cup kalamata olives, chopped
½ cup feta cheese

Dressing:
2/3 cup light extra virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon sugar

Combine all of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Quartering the cherry tomatoes.Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a glass jar with a lid. Shake to mix.Initially add about 1/3 cup of the dressing to the salad mixture. Adjust seasoning and amount of dressing to suit your tastes.

Tuesday:
Sloppy joes
raw veggies and dip

Wednesday:
Crock-pot chicken curry
1 Tablespoon olive oil
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon each – salt, black pepper and paprika or to taste
1 large onion, thickly diced
8-10 small red potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
1 cup chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 ½ teaspoon curry powder, or more if desired
½ teaspoon salt

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Place chicken in the skillet and sprinkle each side with salt, black pepper and paprika. Brown chicken by cooking over medium heat 3-4 minutes per side.Place browned chicken in a slow cooker.
In the same skillet you used to brown the chicken (don’t wipe it out!), sauté onions and potatoes on medium heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring often. It’s alright if they get a little brown. Add the sautéed onions and potatoes to the slow cooker with the chicken.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir well. Make sure the cornstarch is completely stirred in, as it often settles to the bottom.
Add the liquid ingredients in the bowl to the same skillet you have been using and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture starts to thicken. Pour this mixture over chicken, onions and potatoes in the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.Serve over rice.

Thursday:
Green salad
Tuna and tomato melts:

2 slices of multigrain bread
can of tuna
1 tbsp of mayo
a dollop of spicy brown mustard
1/2 a small vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 a Roma or plum tomato, chopped
Muenster cheese slices

Toast bread,Meanwhile, chop about half a sweet Vidalia onion and half a Roma tomato into bite-sized chunks. In a small bowl, mix the drained can of tuna fish, a tablespoon of mayonnaise, and a squirt of spicy brown mustard. Stir in onion and tomato. Place the bread on a baking sheet. Spread half the mixture on each slice of lightly toasted bread. Cover each half with one slice of Muenster cheese. Place the baking sheet under the broiler on Lo until the cheese has melted and the bread crust is starting to turn dark brown.

Friday:
Tacos
refried beans

Enjoy.
Garden pics to be posted sometime this weekend.

Back after a long hiatus!

2009-05-18T06:10:00.000-07:00

I have been gone for so long..But now I am here. I was busy getting ready for my jam booth and then I have been sick. Time for review!
Well since I have not blogged for a while some pics are due.
Zach and Gene went to the kids fishing derby. While Zach did not get a big one, he did however win a new hat and had a great time with our friends from the Parker-Timms family.

We also attended a really fun May Day party, complete with May Pole. Here are some pics of the kids walking around it:

Amadeus and Daniel

Eli and Nonni

Zella and Ameera

Zach and River
The party was a really good time and where I picked up my wonderful illness. Too much meade sharing I guess.
The chicks are turning into fine ladies here are some new chick pics:

The ducks: Toot and Puddle and Big Bird

Zach's chicken Mariette

Tabitha our Barred Rock chicken (my favorite)

Breakfast time for the ladies

And now for the menu!

On Sunday we had a corned beef with new potatoes and baby carrots. And the leftovers will be recycled into a mid-week meal.

Monday:
Crock Pot BBQ Chicken
coleslaw
baked beans

I am using leg quarters because they were .30 a lb for 10 lbs, I broke the bag into 3portions so I can get three meals out of them.

Chicken:
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 large onion sliced into rings
3 leg quarters or assorted pieces of chicken
garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 bottle BBQ sauce

Cut chicken quarters into two pieces each. Put butter into bottom of crock, lay sliced onions on top. Salt and pepper, and sprinkle chicken with garlic powder. Brown on all sides. Place in crock, and cook on low for 6 hours. Cover with sauce the last hour of cooking. Serve with coleslaw and baked beans.

Tuesday:
Slow cooker beef and broccoli
steamed rice
2 lbs round steak, cut into small cubes
½ cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup beef broth, divided
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger root(i use the jarred stuff)
1 bunch fresh broccoli cut into florets

Coat the meat with flour, paprika, salt and pepper.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. When hot, add ½ of the flour coated beef.
Brown the meat on all sides.
Place browned meat in a slow cooker.
In the same skillet, heat 1 Tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and garlic. Add ½ cup of beef broth, the soy sauce and ginger root. When this liquid is hot, pour over the beef in the slow cooker.
Cook on low 5-6 hours for ½” beef pieces. If beef is in 1”pieces or larger, cook on low at least 7-8 hours or until beef is tender.
Stir in steamed broccoli when meat is done. Mix well. Serve over hot rice.

Wednesday:
leftover meal
Corned beef hash
scrambled eggs
fruit

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.

Thursday:
Homemade clam chowder
garlic bread

Chowder:
3 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams
1 cup minced onion
1 cup diced celery
2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste

Drain juice from clams into a large skillet over the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots. Add water to cover, and cook over medium heat until tender.
Meanwhile, in a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in cream and stir constantly until thick and smooth. Stir in vegetables and clam juice. Heat through, but do not boil.
Stir in clams just before serving. If they cook too much they get tough. When clams are heated through, stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.

Friday:
Spaghetti and meatballs
green salad

I had an uneventful jam booth at the preschool 5K. I made far less than I expected, but I have some people who want jam, so I won't worry too much.
The garden looks wonderful and prospect of yummy veggies makes me very happy. I will try and post some pics of the garden soon.

Menu for next week:

2009-04-25T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sunday:
Roast chicken with potatoes and aparagus

Roast Chicken with potatoes, lemon and aspargus

1 1/2 lbs new potatoes, halved
3 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
salt and pepper
1 ( 2.5-3 lb) package chicken (any pieces with skin will be fine)
1 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes and half the butter in a shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing once, until potatoes are golden, 20-25 minutes. Place chicken, skin side up, on top of the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
Scatter asparagus, lemon, remaining butter, and thyme around chicken.
Roast until asparagus is tender and chicken is cooked throughout, 5-15 min.
Serve with pan juices.

Monday:
Leftover Chicken Quesadillas with jarred roasted red peppers and spinach
I am making these with shredded mexican cheese on whole wheat tortillas.
Serve with refried beans.

Tuseday:
Slow cooker lamb masala

Take 1.5-2lbs lamb (any cut is fine), cook in slow cooker with 2 15 oz cans Masala sauce and one can chick peas. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove meat and take out any bones. Return meat to sauce and serve over hot cooked basmati rice.

Wednesday:
Potluck night for us
Lemon Spinach rice
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups cooked long-grain rice
1 bunch fresh spinach
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/8 teaspoon pepper

In a skillet, saute the onion, mushrooms and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the rice, spinach, lemon juice, salt, dill and pepper.
Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through.

Thursday:
Whole Wheat Penne with Pork Ragout

1 lb whole wheat Penne
2 tbsp Butter
1/3 cup Chopped celery
1/3 cup Chopped carrot
1/4 cup Chopped onion
2 cloves Garlic minced
1 lb Ground Pork
28 oz Undrained whole tomatoes chopped
15 oz Tomato sauce
1 1/2 tsp Oregano
1 cube Beef bouillon
1 tbsp Parsley
1 tsp Basil
1 tbsp Olive oil
Parmesan cheese

In large saucepan over medium heat melt butter and add olive oil. Sautee garlic, onion, celery and carrot for 8 min stirring occasionally.Increase heat to medium-high and add meat, cooking for 3-5 min. Stir to separate. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the pasta, bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 40 min. Cook and drain the pasta according to the package directions. Drain, and toss with tomato sauce. Serve with sprinkled Parmesan cheese.
Serve with a green salad and skip the bread!

Friday:
Baked Whitefish and leftover Lemon spinach rice

1 lb whitefish(whiting, tilapia whatever)
olive oil
salt and pepper
lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Arrange fish in a buttered baking pan and salt and salt and pepper fish. Drop the garlic on and then drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over fish. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until it flakes easily with a fork.
Sorry the menu has not been posted for a few weeks, but time has a way of getting away from me :) . Evie

Thurs..

2009-04-23T05:40:00.001-07:00

Not a whole lot to report here. I am sad because I am losing my full time daycare kiddo. But the summer will bring lots more kids, and crazy income. So I am not going to worry too much. Gene is now refusing to purchase a mini-van..he says he needs a new vehicle more than I do. He is such a jerk sometimes.
Our garden is growing and the prospect of garden veggies looks pretty good! I hope to do more canning this year since we will have so many good things to eat. The spinch continues to thrive, even though it was planted as a fall crop. I guess it was the mild winter.
I am still gearing up for my booth at the 5K run for the preschool. I am excited to sell some of my yummy jam wares. I have a quite a few flavors this time around..and I could you use the money since I guess I will be buying a van on my own now.

Serious update

2009-04-20T06:12:00.000-07:00

Well I have been gone for more than a week..but now I am back! I had to go to my parents house to take care of my mom after a minor surgery. She is fine..in fact she did not really need my help much at all. I ran a few errands for her and did some housework..and she managed to drive me crazy and I mananged to leave ealier than I planned on staying! That usually happens...I did stay for 5 days..a record for me since I ususally only last about 3.
In other news..I have been growing a cherry tomato plant over the winter. I rescued it from the compost pile last fall. Now its over 4 ft tall!

In a few weeks I will be moving it outside and staking it up.. I am guessing we will have cherry tomatoes before anyone else..yay!
Since I had to take Zach to my mom's for Easter, Gene and Zach and I dyed eggs befreo we left..it was very fun!
We used recycled yogurt containers for dying cups..and followed the directions on the food coloring box for making dyed eggs. Gene used an old wire hanger for making egg lifters. All of this saved us from buying a new egg dying kit, and saved us from getting yet another item made in another country.

The boys and I had a great time together.
Here is one of my mom and Zach:

And the most exciting news of all..our new family additions.
CHICKS AND DUCKS!
When we went to stay with my parents in Salina I took Zach to an easter egg hunt at a farm and garden store. They failed to tell folks that the prizes were chicks and ducks. Since many folks were unable to keep them we gladly told people we would take them. We now have 5 chicks and two ducks. My parents have chickens and we were able to keep them at thier house until we returned home.
Here are the little sweeties:

They are so cute and fun to have. Of course we named them all.
Ducks: Toot and Puddle
New Hampshire reds: Mariette and Juliet
Black Autralorp: Opal
Barred Plymouth rock: Tabitha
Gene is in the process of building a chciken coop for them, but they have to be under the light for a few more weeks.

I know I am behind in my meal planning, but I will get one posted by this afternoon.
Thanks for bearing with me. evie

Menu for next week, 5 meals each one under $10

2009-04-04T08:15:00.001-07:00

Monday:

Spaghetti Carbonara:
1 pound spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
3 eggs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pinch salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (can use dried)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb fresh asparagus cut and steamed

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti pasta until al dente. Drain well. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and set aside.
Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook chopped bacon until slightly crisp; remove and drain onto paper towels. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon fat; add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, and heat in reused large skillet. Add chopped onion, and cook over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add wine if desired; cook one more minute.
Return cooked bacon to pan; add cooked and drained spaghetti. Toss to coat and heat through, adding more olive oil if it seems dry or is sticking together. Add beaten eggs and cook, tossing constantly with tongs or large fork until eggs are barely set. Quickly add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and toss again. Add salt and pepper to
taste (remember that bacon and Parmesan are very salty). Add cooked asparagus.
Serve immediately with chopped parsley sprinkled on top, and extra Parmesan cheese at table.

Spag: 1.29
OG Eggs 2.49 per DZ so .20 each use 3 eggs for .60
bacon sale price $1.99 use 5 pieces save rest for another meal so 1/2 pack 1.00
Aspargus 2.19 per lb
shredded parmesan cheese 2.49 about 6 uses from container so .42
Total meal cost: $5.50 or $1.37 per person for 4 ppl.

Tuesday:
Beans and Sausage stoup:
1lb smoked sausage cut into slices
1 15oz can black beans
1 15oz can red kidney beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced dried onion(used because I had no fresh)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 bunch of fresh greens diced
1/2 bag dried macaroni
2 cups chicken broth.

Add a tablespoon of water to frying pan, add dried onions and sausage. Cook until sausage is slightly browned. Add to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients except pasta. Cook on high one hour, low until ready to add pasta. Add pasta cook on low for another ½ hour. Serve with warm bread.

Sauasge: 2.50
1 can organic red beans 1.29
1 can organic black beans 1.29
1 bag macaroni 1.29 use 1/2 so .65
1 can organic diced tomatoes 1.59
1 bag organic frozen spinach 2.19 use 1/2 bag so 1.09
TTL cost of meal: $8.41 for 6 servings or 1.40 per serving
This yields enough for dinner and a few bowls lunch too.

Wednesday:

Breakfast for dinner, always a big hit here!

Scrambled eggs
Remaining bacon
pancakes from a mix
cantaloupe

6 eggs at .20 each or 1.20
remaining bacon from package approx 1.00
pancakes from mix: mix cost 2.29 and we get about 8 uses per box so about .28
Light syrup: 1.50 we get about 8 uses from one bottle so .18
1 cantaloupe 1.68 we get 3 meal uses from one so .56
TTL cost for meal: 3.22 or .81 for 4 servings

Thursday:

Cheesy baked chicken and tomatoes:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs about 1 1/2-2 lbs
¼ cup flour
2 Tablespoon dried oregano or basil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoons, olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 ounces, softened cream cheese
1/3 cup skim milk
1 Tablespoon, softened butter
½ cup, parmesan cheese

Combine flour, 1 Tablespoon of dried oregano, salt and paprika in a shallow dish. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Dredge each piece of chicken in flour mixture and place in heated skillet. Brown both sides of chicken and transfer chicken to a 9x13x2glass baking dish.
In the same skillet, sauté the onions, add the un-drained tomatoes and 1 Tablespoon of dried oregano. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cream cheese, milk and butter. Spread the cream cheese mixture over each piece of chicken. Pour the tomato mixture over the cream cheese coated chicken and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Bake uncovered at 350° for at least 30 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with cooked basmati rice and peas.

1/2 bag boneless skinless frozen chicken breast 4.99 so 2.50 (I buy a few bags when they go on sale at this price)
1 can organic diced tomatoes 1.59
1 brick of cream cheese 1.59
bagged organic peas 1.99
rice bulk (pantry)
milk (pantry)
TTL cost of meal $7.67 for 4 servings so 1.91 per serving

Friday:
BBQ Pork steaks
Butter noodles with spinach

Season pork steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Broil on high on each side until cooked, cover with BBQ sauce and cook for an additional minute.

Butter Noodles:
one package egg noodles
parmesan cheese
garlic powder
salt and pepper
butter
parsley (dried or fresh)
6-8 0z fresh or frozen spinach

Boil noodles ans spinach 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 tablspoons parmesan cheese, mix well with spoon.

Pork steaks 2 large steaks are enough for 4 or 5 ppl about $5.00
1 bttl BBQ sauce 2.29, we get about 3 meals from one so .76
16 oz bag of egg noodles 2.29
1/2 bag of leftover frozen spinach 1.09
butter 1/2 stick, one whole stick costs about .53 each so, .26
TTL cost for meal: 9.40 or 2.35 per serving.

The cost for week night meals: About $35.00, if you are on a budget of $75.00 this leaves $40 for other food and household needs! WOW..that's incredible. Some ppl spend that much on one take out meal alone. Goes to show a little planning can go a long way. Have a fantastic week folks. Evie

Great night

2009-04-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

Well I had a great night last night. I was able to sell some jam at the co-op potluck last night. I made enough money to pay for my co-op purchases and still brought home $40 extra! I ended up making my chicken wraps to share and they were a huge hit with everyone, I brought home an empty pan. I am cleaning my house today because it has been so neglected..despite my effots to do some spring cleaning.

My Zither

2009-03-30T07:28:00.000-07:00

When I went to my mom's house last time I was asked to go through some of my stuff..I have about 2 boxes there! Zach dug out this thing I have owned for many years..I always called it a lap harp. I can't let the kids play with it here because they are too wild with it, and someone broke one of the strings on it.
I thought maybe its time to find out what it is... Apparently according to google what I own is called a Zither..its an auto harp of sorts.
If you are interested in it here is the e-bay link...
http://cgi.ebay.com.my/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270334084795
So at its highest price I could probably get about $20 for it at most...maybe I will just keep it.
This is what happens when spring cleaning occurs..I have to part with some things, but have a hard time doing it.

2009-03-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday:
Corned Beef and cabbage
(the corned beef is was on sale for obvious reasons)

Monday:
Creamy chicken and pasta

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 2 inch pieces)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 green onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 oz uncooked pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat free half and half
1/2 cup tablespoons chicken broth
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons shredded Asiago cheese, divided
3 tablespoons low fat cream cheese, softened
1 can plum tomatoes drained
olive oil for cooking

Saute chicken until cooked. Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic. Remove from the heat; set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add cream and broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat. Add 1/2 cup Asiago cheese and cream cheese; stir until cheese is melted. Drain pasta. Toss chicken, pasta and mushroom mixture with cream sauce. Top with tomatoes and remaining Asiago cheese.

Tuesday:
Breakfast for dinner!

Corned Beef hash
scrambled eggs
cantaloupe

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.

Wednesday:
Asian chicken wraps
1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
4 green onions, sliced
1/4 lb snow peas, trimmed
1 cup finely shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons grated ginger root
6 tortillas (10- to 12-inch diameter)
6 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 cup shredded cooked chicken breast

Cook rice according to package directions; set aside. Meanwhile, in medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add green onions; cook and stir 1 minute or until wilted. Stir green onions into cooked rice. Fill 2-quart saucepan half full of water; heat to boiling. Add snow peas and cook 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Pat dry and cut lengthwise into thin strips. In medium bowl, stir together snow peas, cabbage, carrot, rice vinegar and ginger root.
To assemble wraps, lay tortillas on work surface. Spread each with 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce. Place one-sixth of the chicken in a strip along the bottom of each tortilla, 1 inch from edge. Divide rice and vegetable mixtures evenly over chicken. Fold over bottom edge of each tortilla to cover filling. Fold sides in and continue to roll up tightly, burrito style. Cut each in half crosswise with a serrated knife to serve.

Thursday:
Greek Style grilled cheese
tomato soup (canned)

grilled cheese:
1 1/2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 slices whole wheat bread, or your favorite bread
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 slices Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1/4 tomato, thinly sliced

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. On the non buttered side of one slice, layer the feta cheese, Cheddar cheese, red onion and tomato. Top with the other slice of bread with the butter side out.
Fry the sandwich until golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side. The second side always cooks faster.

Friday:
Baked Tilapia supreme
steamed asparagus

Tilapia:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
8 tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Preheat an oven to 350.Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and red pepper in the oil until onion is tender and golden, and peppers are slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Stir balsamic vinegar into the vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
Rub tilapia fillets with each 2teaspoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place fillets in a small baking dish, and top with the balsamic onion mixture. Sprinkle fish evenly with blue cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until fish flakes easily.

Saturday:
Eat out!

I know that there are a few pricey cheeses in this weeks menu, but someone gifted us those cheeses so they did not cost us. When you are unable to purchase those items make subsitions when needed. Have a great week and enjoy!

Argghhh bad Day

2009-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

I am having a sucky day...I was on the phone with the IRS for an hour trying to find out why our tax return had been delayed...they told me we won't get it for 2 more months. Then I spent another hour on the phone trying to start paying back my student loans..they had no idea who was handling my case..haha thanks US gov!
While I was on the phone Zach was a royal butt..with tantrums and all. Also while I was on the phone I dropped a can on my left big toe..then about 20 minutes later I stubbed my right big toe on the door. I am so glad dinner is ready to go, because at this point I was thinking take out. I treated myself to a Dr.Pepper, and am making cookies despite the fact that my house is a mess...I need the relaxation that baking brings me. Yay for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies! I am now having a quiet afternoon with the sweet smell of cookies, one taking a nap and two others playing oh so nicely with the legos..why can't Zach be more like these guys?
I hope everyone is having a better day than I am. Adios friends...

Pic low

2009-03-24T06:50:00.000-07:00

Since my camera was missing for a few days my blog has been a little pic low..so here are a few pics of what we did last week.
I made two rounds of jam..in preparation for the preschool 5K run in May.

And Gene was feeling brave so he let Zach cut his hair.

We stayed home this weekend for a change, and did a whole lotta nothing.

This weeks menu

2009-03-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Monday:
Orange chicken
steamed broccoli
rice

Chicken:
6 chicken skinless chicken thighs or breasts (can be boneless or with bone)
Salt and pepper to season chicken
1/4 teaspoon paprika or enough to sprinkle on each chicken piece
1 1/2 cups apple juice
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup low sugar orange marmalade
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Remove skin from chicken if necessary and place chicken in a 9”x13”x2” glass baking dish. Season the chicken with a small amount of salt, pepper and paprika. Pour apple juice into a cold sauce pan and stir in cornstarch. When mixed, add the marmalade, salt and black pepper. Place pan on the stove and cook over medium-low heat, while stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and spoon the glaze over each piece of chicken. I use the back of the spoon to spread the glaze around the chicken.Bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes or until done (small boneless pieces may be done in less time)
Serve over rice.

Tuesday:
Baked potato bar
Make baked potatoes and let everyone choose thier own fillings. Chili, cheese, sour cream, leftover steamed broccoli, bacon bits, sauteed mushrooms..are a few of our favorites.

Wednesday:
Roasted asparagus and goat cheese pasta

1 pound linguine
1 pound fresh asparagus
4 green onions, chopped with green portion reserved
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half
1 (4 ounce) package of goat cheese crumbles
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Place water on to boil for the pasta. Preheat oven to 400°F.
Meanwhile, trim the asparagus by cutting off of the ends and then cutting into 2 inch lengths. Place the asparagus in baking dish along with the white portion of the green onions and the minced garlic cloves. Pour olive oil over veggies and sprinkle with salt. Toss the asparagus so the olive oil coats all pieces.
Cook linguine as directed. Bake the asparagus mixture for 9 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes, which have been cut in half, to the asparagus and continue to roast for 1 more minute. 10 minutes is usually about right for max amount of roasting time.
Drain linguine. Add roasted asparagus to the pasta. Make sure you add all of the olive oil from the pan that the fettuccine was roasted in. Add the green onion tops, goat cheese and Parmesan cheese. Toss and serve.

Thursday:
Crockpot beef stew

1 1/2 pounds stew beef
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 to 2 medium carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary, or a dash of crumbled dried rosemary
1 diced onion
Preparation:
Trim stew beef and cut in small bite-size pieces. Put in a food storage bag with the flour, onion powder, and seasoned salt; toss to coat well.
Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven; add beef to hot oil and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Add the onion and celery; continue cooking, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Drop everything into the crockpot and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Friday:
Fish sticks
coleslaw

Fish sticks: (recipe from Parents magazine)
Oil in a spray bottle
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten
1 lb. thick whitefish fillet (cod, scrod, or halibut), cut into 3/4" x 2" pieces

Heat oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with foil; spray with oil. In shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, wheat germ, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Place flour in a second bowl and egg in a third.Coat fish pieces 1 at a time. Dip first into flour, then into egg, then into crumb mixture. Gently press crumbs onto fish. Arrange on prepared baking sheets.Lightly spray fish with oil. Bake 5 minutes; carefully turn pieces with a spatula. Bake 5 minutes longer, until cooked through. Care-fully remove from baking sheet; cool slightly on wire rack (pieces will firm up as they cool).

Saturday:
Stuffed cabbage

1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic salt
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
27 ounces sauerkraut, drained
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium head cabbage
5 slices bacon
2 tablespoons white sugar
3 cups water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Mix beef and pork together. Stir in onion, cooked rice, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic salt and 1/2 can of tomato soup. Mix well.
Core head of cabbage, place in boiling water and boil until partly cooked. Separate leaves and trim stems. Reserve about 24 to 32 whole leaves. Cut remaining leaves and line the bottom of large roasting pan.
Lightly pack a small handful of the meat mixture and place in the center of a cabbage leaf. Fold top part of leaf over mixture, then fold in the sides and roll until mixture is completely encased. Lay rolls on top of torn cabbage leaves in pan. Place sauerkraut evenly over rolls. Lay bacon on top of sauerkraut. Sprinkle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix chopped tomatoes and soup with water and pour over rolls. Add additional water to reach top of cabbage rolls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through.

Tues survived

2009-03-18T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well I got through tues, with a few surprises. One extra daycare kid and my 8 o'clock kids brought to me at 6 instead.. busy super fun day. I love Lawrence, and I missed it so much when I was gone. This town puts on a hell of a parade..it was at least 2 hours long. I had to skip the end because the boys and I were getting fried in the 80 degree weather we had yesterday. I managed to have one beer..and that was it for livation for me. We had some good pizza, and lots of corned beef and cabbage. The kids enjoyed some green sugar cookies, and green hummus and bread. I made it home by 9pm with three in tow..bathed them all and put them to bed. The last two of the day were picked up by 10:30 and I put myself to bed.! More jam making this afternoon.

Happy St Pats!

2009-03-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Well hello you beautiful people! Happy St Pats! Are your crockpots cooking some corned beef? I hope so! Busy day for Miss Evie.
I am taking the boys(3) to story time at the library, then to lunch for a slice at Rudy's and then do the parade at 1pm, after that to a friends house for beer and potluck. I have to be back at 5 to return 2 boys to thier mama, then go back to the party and return home by 8 for a few hours of babysitting so my friend can go see Joan Baez at Liberty Hall..WHEW! I do like to stay busy. Some where in between all of this I whould like to make some mango jam. Hope you all have productive and fun days!

Great start to the weekend

2009-03-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

What a busy day yesterday! I had 6 babysitting kids, hosted playgroup, had participation at Zach's preschool, got home at 5 in time to clean up, took Zach back to school at 6:30, and then hosted a get together. WHEW!
So we had ppl over from 6-9 last night for drinks and apps. I broke out the homemade cordial and we basically drank the whole bottle. There were not a lot of folks, but we did have a very good time. Someone was generous enough to bring Zach home so we did not have to go get him...yay..more drinks for us!

Now time for the menu. It is the Irish time of year, so a few cabbesque meals are included this week. Hope everyone has a great St.Pats!

Sunday:
Baked Lamb or beef
steamed asparagus

Baked lamb:
1 lb. lamb or beef chunks
2 lg. potatoes
2 lg. onions
3 lg. tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. water

Cut meat in 1 inch pieces. Peel and slice potatoes to 1/8 inch thickness. Slice onions and tomatoes. Arrange meat, potatoes, onions and tomatoes in layers in a greased 9 inch casserole. Season each layer with salt, pepper, nutmeg and oregano. Top with butter and add water. Bake covered in 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 minutes more or until done.

Monday:
Red Beans and rice

1 pound Red Beans
1 -2 pounds Smoked Neck Bones
2 packages Hillshire Hot or Regular (pork or beef) Sausage
2 medium Yellow Onions, chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 ribs Celery, chopped
Salt to taste (you may use regular or seasoned salt)
Black Pepper to taste
3 large Bay Leaves
2 tablespoons Chili Powder
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Paprika

Soak red beans overnight, or about 6 hours, in enough water to cover all beans. After this soak, drain water, then cover with fresh water. Let beans remain in this water until ready to cook.
Place ALL ingredients and seasonings in the crock pot, add water to cover, adjust heat level to HIGH, cover with the lid, and go about your business. This will take approximately 7 - 8 hours. Serve over hot cooked rice(make twice what you will need, and save the rest for Thursday.)

Tuesday:
Happy St Pats!
Corned beef and cabbage

3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
10 small red potatoes
5 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges

Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.
Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

Wednesday:
Sit back and eat some great leftovers!

Thursday:
Baked Cod
rice (heat up leftover rice with any juice left from cooked fish)
steamed broccoli

Baked Cod:
1 lb cod fish fillet
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 tsp paprika

If fish fillets are large, cut into serving pieces. Mix butter and lemon juice.
In another bowl, mix flour, salt and white pepper. Dip fish into butter mixture; coat fish with flour mixture. Place fish in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Pour remaining butter mixture over fish; sprinkle with paprika.
Cook uncovered in 350 degree oven until fish flakes easily with fork, 25-30 minutes. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon slices if desired.

Friday:
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.

Saturday:
Grill out night!
Grill pork chops
And that's all I got folks...have a great weekend

French Toast

2009-03-11T06:20:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with a mission. Make french toast.(mainly beacuse I bought a loaf of texas toast bread for .30) I love it, and rarely make it. The outcome was delish and freezeable too!

French toast:
Loaf of texas toast bread(it's really thick)using 6 pieces of bread
3 eggs well beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in bowl. Grease and heat non-stick skillet. Cook on medium high heat for a few minutes on each side or until golden brown...being careful not to burn. Serve hot with syrup or powdered sugar.

I made a double batch of these. We ate 6 and the remaining 6 I used the pizza cutter to cut into strips. Placed on a cookie sheet and froze, then placed in a bag after frozen. These are great for a quick breakfast..and cheaper and healthier than the preservative filled store bought french toast sticks.
I hope your Wednesday starts as sweet as mine has.

Tuesday blues

2009-03-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Well nothing much to report here. We have had a few days of cold rainy weather, a sharp contrast to the days we had last week reaching almost 80 on a few days. Those warm days are tricking me into wanting to plant stuff. We should only have one more cold snap before is officially warms up and spring arrives for real. Right now all of the spring flowers have started to peek out but sadly they will probably die once we get the predicted snow storm, a sad thing indeed.
I am looking forward to a monthly movie night on Wednesday. The Unitarain fellowship is hosting. The movie selection is "The Future of Food". I have not heard of it but I am sure it will be very informative and eye opening. There is free daycare provided and dinner is available for $5 a good deal indeed! How could I pass it up?
My productivity in the house cleaning dept has been pretty low. I am starting a spring purge, we own too much junk. Maybe when I don't feel so bogged down by my earthly possessions I can keep a tidier house.
I vowed to only go to the grocery store once this week...can you do it too?

Did you miss me?

2009-03-08T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well here I am! Wow I had a busy week. Two days in a row I had 8 kids in my care. That was pretty exhausting.
I can't believe its Sunday already. I am posting the menu late..again. Oh well what's a gal to do?

well here goes:

Sunday:
German Hot pot
hot mashed potatoes

1 lb ground pork
1 lb smoked sausages cut into rounds
1 head of red and green cabbage each
1 onion diced
2 cloves minced garlic
lotsa salt and pepper
1 can sauerkraut
1/2 stick butter minced up to diperse
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shredded carrots
Dump all ingredients into crockpot mix and cook on low 6-8 hours and stir once in awhile. Serve over hot mashed potatoes.

Monday:
Smoked Tofu and veggie stirfry

2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
a (roughly!) thumb sized piece of ginger, very finely chopped
1 block of smoked tofu
about half a head of brocoli, chopped into little florets
1 small bag of cashew nuts about 3-4 oz (salted is fine)
about 4 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of toasted sesame oil

Fry the onion, garlic, and ginger in the oil for a few minutes then add the tofu, brocolli, nuts and soy sauce and cook for a further few minutes. The tofu should be firming but you don't want the brocoli to be over cooked - at the end of cooking you stir in the sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Tuesday:
Hamburgers
onion rings(oven baked)
salad fixings (lettuce, tomatoes, onions)

Wednesday:
Bean and cheese burritos
use leftover salad fixings
serve with salsa and sour cream

Thursday:
Pasta with tomatoes and cheese

8 ounces rotini, cooked as directed, drained
2 cups cooked diced chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil
Dash ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese, divided
Preparation:
Grease a 2-quart baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oven to 350°.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan; add onion and sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and basil; cook for 2 minutes, until heated through. Taste and add the pepper and salt, making adjustments to suit your taste. Stir in the hot cooked rotini and chicken. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese; spoon into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

Friday:
Lamb chops
steamed cauliflower
leftover mashed potatoes

8 lamb chops, about 2 1/2 pounds
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
flour
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
6 green onions, sliced
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine, such as pinot noir

Sprinkle lamb chops with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Lightly coat chops with flour; place in hot skillet. Sear until well browned, turning once. Remove to a plate and set aside. Reduce heat to medium.
To the skillet add the mushrooms, green onions, garlic, and butter. Cook the vegetables, stirring, for 4 minutes. Add beef broth and red wine and simmer until reduced by about 1/3. Add lamb chops, cover skillet, and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until lamb chops are done as desired.

Saturday:
Dinner out!

Have a great week everyone!

Quiet weekend

2009-03-02T12:51:00.000-08:00

This weekend passed fairly quietly. We had no pressing engagements or otherwise to attend. We spent a good deal of time cleaning the house and generally bugging each other. A surprise blast of 3 inches of snow prompted a sledding adventure for Gene and Zach on Sat.

We had an excellent breakfast Sunday morning. The spinach in our garden has flourished due to those warm days and the help of a grow blanket. Before the snow storm we collected enough for a few meals. I made scrambled eggs with sauteed spinach and some homemade cheese,alnog with hunks of toasted homemade bread it was wonderful!
A quick pic of my spinach cooking down.

And just cause I forgot to post them from last week, pics from the farm show.

And the big news:
I already got my certificate of registration for my daycare already.
Now I have tons of paperwork to do, and lots of chores to get everything in order.
have a great one...E

Recovery from yesterday

2009-02-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

Whew! Yesterday was sure a trying day, I am so glad its over and done with. Today is a fresh day! Just a quick moment here to thank everyone for thier encouragement and support too! Thanks for reading. :)
I wanted to get a jump on my menu planning while my guys are coloring and busy.
Also I was a little late getting the menu out last week. So I guess I am making up for last week.

So here goes:

Sunday:
Pulled pork
coleslaw
baked beans

Slow cooker pulled pork:
4 lb pork roast
2 onions sliced
1 onion chopped
5 or 6 whole cloves
2 cups water
16 oz bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
salt and pepper

Place one sliced onion at the bottom of Crock Pot.
Stud pork roast with cloves and season with salt and pepper.
Place roast in slow cooker on top of the sliced onion. Cover with the second sliced onion and add enough water to fill Crock Pot two thirds of the way.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
Remove roast. Remove and discard cloves, bone and fat as well as any water, onions and grease remaining in pot.
When pork roast is cool enough to handle, use a fork or your fingers to pull it apart until the entire roast is shredded.
Return the pulled pork to the crockpot. Mix in the chopped onion and BBQ sauce and cover. Heat on high for 1-3 hours or until the onions are soft.
(This is soo good on fresh homemade buns)

Monday:
Smoked sausage dinner
about 10 ounces uncooked pasta(bow tie, or penne are great)
1 lb fully cooked smoked sausage or kielbasa
1 can sliced mushrooms
2 tsp minced garlic
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP cornstarch
2 cups milk
1 tsp chicken bouliion seasoning
1 tsp salt
2 cups frozen snow peas or green beans
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Cook pasta. Heat large skillet, and saute the sausage, garlic,green beans, and mushrooms in butter. Combine cornstarch, boullion and milk. Add to skillet, bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes or until thickened. Drain pasta, add to skillet, then add cheddar cheese and salt. Stir until all mixed and serve.
Use Parmesan cheese for sprinkling over the top.

Tuesday:
Baked Chicken
Rice
steamed broccoli

Chicken:
1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Wad three pieces of aluminum foil into 3 to 4 inch balls, and place them in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with the spices, and place in the slow cooker on top of the crumbled aluminum foil.
Set the slow cooker to High for 1 hour, then turn down to Low for about 8 to 10 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
Serve with hot cooked rice and steamed broccoli.

Wednesday:
Soft chicken tacos (use leftover chicken)
refried beans

Thursday:
Spinach and Feta Linguine(an old favorite)
6 oz uncooked linguine
1 lb uncooked peeled and deveined meduim shrimp
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups diced tomatoes(canned is fine)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 or less tsp crushed red pepper flakes(depending on your spice tolerance)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp minced dried parsley

Cook pasta. In large non-stick pan. Saute onion, garlic and shrimp 3-5 minutes. Add toms,broth, tomato paste, oregano, salt, pepper,parsley and red pepper flakes. Simmer 10 minutes, add drained pasta. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Friday:
Steaks
Baked potatoes
steamed cauliflower

Season and/or marinate steaks to your liking. Pan fry. Serve with microwaved baked potatoes and steamed cauliflower..yum

Saturday:
Slow Cooker Chicken Paprikash

8-10 Chicken Thighs
2 teaspoons Hungarian Paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup, flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (I prefer concentrated stock paste)
½ cup sour cream (can use light sour cream)
1 teaspoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil

Place thighs in a large skillet with one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of paprika over the thighs. Turn thighs over and sprinkle the other 1 teaspoon of paprika over the other side. Sprinkle the salt and pepper over the chicken.
Transfer thighs to a slow cooker. Keep the pan drippings intact and add the onion to the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and sauté for several minutes. Turn the heat off and add the flour, mixing well. Add chicken broth and turn the heat back on the medium, stirring well until mixture starts to thicken. Add bouillon.
Pour thickened broth over the thighs in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.30 minutes before serving. Mix the sour cream with 1 teaspoon flour in a separate bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the liquid from the slow cooker to warm up the sour cream mixture (this will prevent it from curdling). Add the sour cream to the slow cooker and stir well. Continue to cook on low for 30 minutes. Serve over wide egg noodles.
Enjoy!

Zach

2009-02-26T11:54:00.000-08:00

My son embraces the mud and the rain naturally, he takes no mind that his clothes will be wet and soiled and that I am the one that will have to clean them. He gathers his ingredients to build a thing he has already planned out in his mind's eye. His often comical and and says funny and witty things I had not thought of.
He has an expansive knowledge of many things mechanical, he has a grasp of things at five I will never learn in a lifetime. He is intense, and has a dark side to which he goes to when he is angry or sad. He is independent and verbal. He is unlike anyone I know.
I do not want to dampen his spirit, but he is a poor listner, and a disobedient child. He is whiny and demanding. He is trying me as much as he can and I love him with all my heart. Someday I want to look back and smile remembering what a handful he was, but today he makes me cry.