X-mas is upon us!

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...