Menu Plan Monday

I have been absent from Menu plan Monday for several weeks and have missed it! This week is pretty simple as I continue to use up what is in the freezer and pantry.


Monday Lunch Chicken salad and fruit
Dinner bean tostadas and Spanish rice

Tuesday Sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Spaghetti, salad, and French bread

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner New Years Eve dinner at church

Thursday Lunch grilled cheese with ham
Dinner Bavarian pork chops, scalloped potatoes, and corn

Friday Lunch left overs
Dinner Pizza and salad

Saturday Lunch
Dinner Vegtable Soup and rolls

Sunday Lunch Chicken Pita Pockets from Menus For moms
Dinner homemade waffles, scrambked eggs, and toast


Chicken Pita Pockets

6 Pita bread pockets (preferably whole wheat for health)
1 lb. sliced chicken (from freezer) (approx. 1 lb. or 2-3 pieces)
1 sliced red or green* bell pepper
1/2 sliced red onions
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
shredded lettuce
1 chopped tomato
1/2 cup sandwich peppers or relish
6 tbsp mayonnaise or other condiments as preferred
If your pitas are not ready to stuff, prepare them by cutting a sliver off of the widest side. I find that they stuff without cracking if I steam them or heat them in the microwave briefly to soften them. Prepare each pita as preferred using any combination of the above fillings.

Want to see what others are having this week? Visit Organizing Junkie

Crock-Pot Chicken Stew

Keep in mind with any stew you can add what ever veggies you have on hand. I keep a gallon size freezer bag in the freezer and when ever we have just a few spoonfuls of a veggie left over I dump it in; once the bag gets full I make stew or soup with it. It is cheap, easy, and reduces waist.


Crock-Pot Chicken Stew

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, quartered and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 cup baby carrots, or 2 large carrots cut into 1-inch slices
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper or seasoned pepper mix
salt to taste
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients, except peas, in the slow cooker/Crock Pot; stir well. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours, until chicken is done and vegetables are tender; stir in peas the last 30 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.

Menu Plan Monday

This week I plan to get some extra stuff done around the house so many of my meals will be quick, easy and use the crock-pot. Thank goodness for Reynolds crock-pot liners!

Monday Lunch Eating out between shopping trips to CVS, Target, Walgreen's and Kroger
Dinner Roasted Lemon Chicken with scalloped potatoes, green beans and rolls

Tuesday Sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Black Bean Chili

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Turkey meatball subs (these will be made in the crock-pot also)

Thursday Lunch grilled cheese with ham
Dinner Crock-pot Chicken Stew and French bread

Friday Lunch left overs
Dinner Parmesan Drumsticks, corn, and salad

Saturday Lunch Greek Salad
Dinner Fajitas and Spanish rice (I have the chicken cooked and sliced already in the freezer along with a separate bag of sliced raw onions and peppers)

Sunday
Dinner Crock-pot Pull Apart Chicken on fresh kaiser rolls, salad and fruit


Lemon Roasted Chicken

1 whole chicken
1 dash Salt
1 dash Pepper
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 Cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons Lemon juice

Wash chicken, pat dry, season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle 1/2 oregano and garlic inside cavity. Melt butter in large frying pan. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer to crock-pot. Sprinkle with oregano and
garlic. Add water to fry pan, stir to loosen brown bits. Pour into crock-pot. Cover. Cook on LOW 8 hours. Add lemon juice in the last hour of
cooking. Transfer chicken to cutting board. Skim fat. Pour juice into
sauce bowl. Carve bird. Serve with some juice spooned over chicken




Pull Apart Chicken

3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C water
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp celery salt

1.Mix up all the ingredients except the chicken in the crock-pot. After mixed, add the chicken in. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours
During the last two hours of cooking, use a fork to break apart the chicken into strands The longer it cooks the easier this becomes.

2.Spoon this onto hamburger buns and serve.


Be sure to visit Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas

Menu Plan Monday

Last week went by so fast and meal wise was a flop, it seemed like every dinner was awful. They were edible but nothing came out like it normally does. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed.

Hopefully this week things will go better.

Monday salad and soup
Dinner Greek Chicken and rice. We had this planned a few weeks back but never made it

Tuesday Sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Stir Fry, egg rolls, and egg drop soup

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Shepard's pie

Thursday Lunch grilled cheese and mixed fruit
Dinner Linguine with fresh tomato sauce recipe below

Friday Lunch left overs
Dinner Pizza and salad

Saturday Lunch Hot Dogs and baked fries
Dinner Creamed chicken and rice

Sunday
Dinner Crock pot pulled pork sandwiches, salad, and baked beans



Linguine with fresh tomato sauce

12 ounces linguine
4 each large tomatoes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic , minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 can ripe olives, sliced
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain

2. Meanwhile, combine tomato and next 5 ingredients. Drain pasta, and place in a large serving bowl.

3. Top with tomato mixture, and sprinkle with olives and cheese

Be sure to visit Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas

Menu Plan Monday

We have some cooler weather this week so I am pulling out a few soup recipes, some for the crock pot and some for the stove.

Monday chicken salad and fruit
Dinner Chili Verde with warm tortillas Recipe Below Great recipe for freezing!

Tuesday Sandwiches and soup
Dinner Greek Chicken and Rice Recipe below

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Crockpot Beef and Barley Stew Recipe Below

Thursday Lunch pitas and fruit
Dinner Quick Lemon Pasta with Chicken using left over chicken from Tuesday

Friday Lunch
Dinner Pizza and salad

Saturday Lunch
Dinner Bavarian pork chops, scallop potatoes and, salad

Sunday Lunch Baked Potatoes
Dinner



Chili Verde

Ingredients
8 ounces Dry pinto beans ( 1 1/4 cups)
1 pound Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 4-ounce Can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon Dried oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
3 cups Chicken broth (homemade)
1 teaspoon Minced garlic (1 clove)
1 teaspoon Salt
2/3 cup Finely chopped onion
1 cup Grated low-fat Monterrey jack cheese
1 11 1/2-ounce Jar salsa
1 dozen Corn tortillas

Preparation
Rinse pinto beans, soak them in cold water overnight, then drain them, Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes; cook in a small amount of water until no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Combine chicken with chilies and seasonings; refrigerate until needed. At the same time, combine beans, chicken broth, garlic, salt, and onion in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if necessary.


Combine chicken mixture with beans; simmer 10 more minutes. Cool and freeze. Grate cheese, put in a 1-quart bag, and attach it to the freezer container with the chili.


To serve, thaw chili and cheese. Simmer chili 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top chili with salsa and grated cheese; serve on warmed corn tortillas.

Greek Chicken and Rice

4 boneless (6 ounces each) skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
2 teaspoons Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Nonstick cooking spray
1 can petite diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil (14-ounce) drained
1 can artichoke quarters (13.75-ounce) drained, rinsed
1 box frozen chopped spinach (10-ounce) cooked, well-drained
1 cup converted rice
1 cup frozen onions
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1 package crumbled feta with garlic and herbs (4-ounce)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Season chicken breasts with Greek seasoning and garlic salt. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add chicken. Cook chicken for 4 to 6 minutes or until browned, turning once. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, artichokes, spinach, uncooked rice, onions and lemon juice. Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish. Push chicken breasts down into rice mixture.
3. Pour broth over top of chicken and top with olives and sprinkle with feta. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.



CrockPot Beef and Barley Soup

Cubed beef, leftover
2 cups carrots, sliced thin
1 cup celery, thin sliced
3/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup barley
1/4 chopped parsley
beef bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons catsup

Layer in crock pot:

1.Vegetables and meat
2.Barley and spices
3.Cover with 5 cups water.

DO NOT STIR. Cook on low 10 hours; high 6 hours, or combination of
above.


Be sure to stop by Organizing Junkie for more meal ideas

Menu Plan Monday

I can hardly believe it's that time again, another new week and more meals to plan.

Monday If everyone is feeling well we are going to the State Fair!!!!
Dinner turkey legs, funnel cake, corn dogs and who knows what else!

Tuesday Sandwiches and soup
Dinner Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff served with french bread recipe below

Wednesday Lunch Quesadillas
Dinner Vegetable soup in the crock pot, tossed salad and rolls if I get time to make them before church.

Thursday Lunch chicken salad and fruit
Dinner Chicken Fajitas, Spanish rice, guacamole and chips with salsa recipe below

Friday Lunch homemade nuggets and oven fries
Dinner Pizza and salad

Saturday Lunch Baked potatoes with all the fixins
Dinner grilled fish, salad, corn on the cob

Sunday Lunch
Dinner Sticky chicken, mashed taters, green beans and rolls (we skipped this last week)

Chicken Fajitas

Leftover chicken can be substituted for the uncooked chicken. Stir it in after all the other ingredients are cooked and then heat through before serving.

Ingredients:

8 to 12 corn or flour tortillas
2 Tbs. canola or safflower oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 jalapeño or Anaheim chili, seeded, if desired, and finely chopped
2 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. plus 3/4 cup tomato salsa
1/2 cup water
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the chicken and sauté until opaque and firm, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion and red and green bell peppers to the oil remaining in the pan and sauté over medium-high heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the chili, oregano, cumin and garlic and sauté until the garlic is softened, about 20 seconds. Stir in the 2 Tbs. salsa and the water and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, mix well and heat to serving temperature. Transfer to a warmed serving platter.

To serve, remove the tortillas from the oven and place the remaining 3/4 cup salsa in a small bowl. Set the chicken, tortillas, guacamole and salsa on the table and let diners assemble their own filled tortillas.


Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff

Ingredients:
6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster and cremini, thinly
sliced
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 lb. wide egg noodles or pappardelle


Directions:
Make the sauce
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the shallot and sauté until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they have softened and released most of their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to incorporate. Stir in the wine and broth and cook until most of the alcohol has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, and stir in the sour cream and the 2 Tbs. parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 Tbs. salt and the pasta to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Warm briefly over low heat to blend the flavors. Add as much of the cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

Be sure to check out what others are having this week at Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday

Right now I have a sick daughter, a son who getting better and we are in the middle of some pretty major home renevating so my menu is pretty simple and most of it will be made in the crockpot.

Fine Print: subject to change without notice

Monday Lunch Chicken noodle soup, grapes and wheat thins
Dinner Three pepper pork chops, mixed vegetables, roasted taters and rolls Recipe Below These pork chops are deliciouse and easy

Tuesday Lunch grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit
Dinner French toast, strawberries and scrambled eggs

Wednesday Lunch Chicken salad and mixed fruit
Dinner Black Bean Soup served with warm tortillas Recipe Below

Thursday Lunch quesadillas and left over black bean soup
Dinner Spaghetti, french bread and tossed salad

Friday Lunch Fend for yourself, AKA clean out the fridge
Dinner Sticky Chicken, Scalloped potatoes and peas

Saturday Lunch we have more work to do on the house so I am not sure what we will do for lunch. Maybe chicken strips or something of the sort that is quick and easy
Dinner Pizza and salad

Sunday Lunch Subs and salad
Dinner Bean burritos and Spanish rice

Three Pepper Pork Cutlets

1 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons paprika, sweet Hungarian
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves

1.Trim fat from pork. Cut pork crosswise into 8 slices. Place between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten each slice to 1/4" thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine paprika and next 9 ingredients; stir well. Rub pork with paprika mixture. Place on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a shallow roasting pan. Broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Turn pork over, and broil and additional 4 minutes or until done.

2.Yield 4 servings.


Black Bean Soup

2 tablespoons extra- virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 fresh bay leaf or 1 large dried bay leaf
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cans black beans (15-ounce) I make my own
2 tablespoons ground cumin, a couple of palm fulls
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/3 palm full
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons hot sauce, divided (2 to 3)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 can diced tomatoes (15-ounce) diced tomatoes with peppers and onions, or stewed tomatoes

Heat a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the hot pot, then onion, garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, then add red peppers and continue to cook. Drain 2 cans of beans and add them. Use a fork to mash up the beans in the remaining can. Stir the mashed beans into the pot and season with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper and 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce. Add stock and tomatoes to the stoup and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes over low heat. Add the lime juice. Remove and discard the bay leaf


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Menu Plan Monday

Last week was pretty busy for me and having a menu made things easier!

We did change it on Thursday because Scott and I took Vincent to dinner and the Omni. I started to stay home, with everyone gone I thought I could really get a lot done but Scott insisted I take a break and I am glad he did! We had so much fun!



Monday Lunch Chicken Salad and wheat thins
Dinner Hawaiian chicken, mashed potatoes, salad and rolls recipe below

Tuesday Lunch grilled cheese sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Stir fry, fried rice and egg rolls

Wednesday Lunch beef qusadillas
Dinner Left overs

Thursday Lunch Salad and vegetable tray with ranch dip
Dinner Pasta Milano, salad and Rosemary bread recipe below

Friday Lunch Soup and sandwich
Dinner Alfredo pizza and regular pizza recipe below

Saturday
Dinner Turkey hot dogs and baked french fries


Hawaiian Chicken This can also be made in the oven using the broiler rack

INGREDIENTS
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups teriyaki sauce, divided
6 pineapple rings
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken breast halves in a dish with the 1 1/2 cups of teriyaki sauce. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat a grill for high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken breasts on grill, and discard marinade. Cook for 8 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Brush with the remaining teriyaki sauce during the last 5 minutes. When almost done, place one pineapple ring on top of each breast, and brush with melted butter.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix the brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Serve with chicken for dipping!


Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread

makes 2 loaves

Ingredients
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
1 Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2 Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3 Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.
4 Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5 Add more flour if necessary.
6 Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7 Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8 Punch down dough and divide in half.
9 Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10 Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11 Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12 Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13 Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14 Preheat oven to 375°F.
15 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16 Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired.).

Pizza Crust Directions are for a food processor, I use my Bosch with dough hook and it comes out great

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup warm water (about 105°F)
1 cup bread flour
1 cup plus 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil


Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, sugar and warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, combine the cake flour, all-purpose flour and salt and pulse 3 or 4 times.

Whisk 1 Tbs. of the olive oil into the yeast mixture. With the motor running, slowly add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding more. Pulse the machine 10 to 15 times to knead the dough. The dough should clean the insides of the bowl but will be slightly sticky.

Coat the inside of a large bowl with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil. Dust your hands with flour and remove the dough from the food processor. Form the dough into a ball and place in the bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Divide the dough in half and roll out as directed in the pizza recipe. Makes two 10-inch thin-crust pizzas.


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Menu Plan Monday

We did pretty good at staying on our menu last week. We changed it once because everyone was feeling icky Saturday. In fact we had to cancel Vincent's Birthday party.

I will be posting my homemade roll and bread recipes later this week so be sure to stop back by.


Monday Lunch Grilled Cheese and salad
Dinner Bavarian pork chops, scalloped potatoes and green beans recipe bellow

Tuesday Lunch chicken pitas
Dinner Spaghetti, salad, french bread

Wednesday Lunch tossed Salad
Dinner Black bean tostadas and Spanish rice

Thursday Lunch vegetable platter and fruit cocktail
Dinner Parmesan Chicken, steamed broccoli, corn, rolls recipe bellow

Friday Lunch Chicken salad, fruit
Dinner Pizza and Greek salad

Saturday
Dinner Subs on home made Kaiser rolls


Bavarian Chops
4 boneless pork loin chops, about 1/2-inch thick
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon thyme
8 ounces beer, room temperature or apple cider vinegar
Salt Freshly ground black pepper
Butter noodles (optional)
Minced fresh parsley (optional)

Lightly flour chops. Melt butter in nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat until foaming. Brown chops quickly on both sides. Remove, reserve.
Add green onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme; saute for 2-3 minutes, until
onion is soft. Return chops to skillet, add beer; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and simmer 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with buttered noodles, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Baked Chicken Parmesan

6 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste
1 clove garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup melted butter
Combine bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside. Lightly saute garlic in 2 T. butter then stir in remaining butter. Dip chicken in garlic butter then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour on remaining butter. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.

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Menu Plan Monday

I have not posted my menu in a few weeks because I have been working on freezer meals and we have had several nights where only Scott, Vincent and myself were home. Often times Scott and Vincent are happy with a salad, fruit and a sandwich. Anyways here is what we are doing this week.


Monday Lunch Soup and fruit
Dinner Quick Lemon Pasta and fresh bread

Tuesday Lunch grilled cheese and fruit
Dinner Waffles, hash browns and eggs

Wednesday Lunch tossed Salad
Dinner Lasagna, french bread and salad

Thursday Lunch chicken salad sandwiches
Dinner Tortellini Soup and rolls Recipe below

Friday Lunch Taking Vincent out for lunch
Dinner Enchiladas, rice and beans This is Vincent's 13th Birthday and his requested meal. Recipe below

Saturday
Dinner Pizza and tossed salad and Vincent's party with family


Tortellini Soup

Ingredients
1 package fresh, frozen tortellini or fresh, frozen tortellini
1 can diced tomato (or peeled, diced fresh)
2 cans chicken broth (or equivalent bouillon cube)
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or slightly less frozen)
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 teaspoon fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
2 teaspoons crushed, chopped garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons good quality olive oil
1 cup water


1. Saute celery, onion, carrots and garlic in oil.
2. Add spinach and tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Add spices and chicken broth.
4. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender-crisp.
5. Add water and tortellini and simmer 10- 15 minutes.
6. Remove bay leaf and serve.



Chicken Enchiladas with tomatillo salsa and queso fresco
(you can substitute the fresh sauce with canned green enchilada sauce)

INGREDIENTS
2 bone-in chicken breast halves
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 white onion
1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed
5 serrano peppers
1/4 white onion
1 clove garlic
1 pinch salt
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, and then boil for 20 minutes. Reserve broth, set chicken aside to cool, and discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.
Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, and a pinch of salt. Pour in reserved chicken broth, so that liquid just covers the veggies in the blender by about an inch. Blend all ingredients until they are completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.
Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.
Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.


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Menu Plan Monday with Freezer Cooking

This week I am planning to do some bulk cooking using recipes from Once-A-Month Cooking. It has been several months since I did any bulk cooking and with our home school, violin lessons and choir all starting up again soon I wanted to try and get the freezer refilled for those busy nights when I know I will not have time to put together a great meal.

I do not usually get a full 30 days worth of food made but I do get at least several weeks worth of "meals" and lots of prep done. I dice up a bag of onions, 3-4 peppers from the garden, carrots, celery and chicken breast cooked that is cut and portioned out into usable meal size portions. If you have never tried this you will be amazed at how much faster you can put dinner together with veggies chopped and meat cooked. Before my husbands gallbladder problems I also bagged up cooked ground beef.

This week what I will do is shop Monday and then prep and cook on Tuesday and Wednesday. Also over the next two weeks when ever I can I will make two of what ever I am cooking, such as lasagna.


Monday Lunch Ray and I are going out to eat before shopping
Dinner Chicken and Rice This is so easy so I will probably make 2-3 pans to be used over the next several months.

Tuesday Lunch grilled cheese and fresh fruit
Dinner We are going to a campaign rally; dinner is provided

Wednesday Lunch soup and salad
Dinner Chile Verde in the crock pot

Thursday Lunch Quesadilla's and left over Chile Verde recipe below
Dinner Pasta Milano and Greek salad

Friday Lunch
Dinner Pizza and tossed salad

Saturday Lunch Scott's grilling
Dinner Black Bean tacos. I make these fresh using 3-4 bags of dried beans and then can the left over in our pressure cooker.

Sunday: Lunch subs
Dinner: Lasagna, tossed salad and French bread two will be made, one for now and one for the freezer


Chicken and Rice
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or 25% Less Sodium)
1 cup water *
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions:
Mix soup, water, rice, paprika and black pepper in 2-qt. shallow baking dish. Top with chicken. Season with additional paprika and pepper. Cover.
Bake at 375°F. 45 min. or until done.

*For creamier rice, increase water to 1 1/3 cups. After cooking cover with foil and place in a 2 gallon freezer bag


Chile Verde
Ingredients:
8 oz dry pinto beans (1 1/4 cups)
1 lb chicken breasts (2 cups cooked)
1 can (4 oz) chopped Green chilies
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp cayene pepper
3 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp minced garlic (1 clove)
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese*
1 dozen corn tortillas*
1 (11 oz) jar salsa*
Rinse pinto beans, soak them in a cold water overnight, then drain. Cut chicken into 1” cubes; cook until no longer pink in small amount of water. Combine the chicken with the chilies and seasonings; refrigerate until needed. At the same time, combine beans, water, bouillon cubes, garlic, salt and onion in a large pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft, about 1 hour. Add more water if necessary. Combine chicken and spices with beans; simmer 10 min more.

Cool and freeze, in a 5 cup container, (or bag). Grate cheese, put in a 1 quart bag and attach it to the freezer container with the chili.

To serve: Thaw chili and cheese. Simmer chili 30 min, stirring occasionally. Top chili with salsa and grated cheese; serve on warmed corn tortillas.

Summary of processes: soak 1/2 lb pinto beans overnight: chop 2 cups cooked chicken; 2/3 cup chopped onion; grate 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Freeze in: 5 cup container (or Ziploc bag) and 1 quart bag

Serve with: Tossed salad
Makes 5 servings

Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out Organizing Junkie

TNT Crock Pot Recipes

Normally I save my crock pot for Sunday cooking because I can put something together before church and it is almost ready by the time we get home.

However since temperatures are now normally above 97 daily I am relying on my crock pot more and more. I truly enjoy using my crock pot however it has been a challenge, at least for me, to find tasty recipes. So... I thought I would share a few of my favorites with you all. If you have a favorite feel free to share it or leave a link to it.

Our Family favorite is Sticky Chicken


Chuck Roast Barbecue

Ingredients
1 2 1/2 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed
2 medium onions, chopped
3/4 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
6 hamburger buns

1.Combine roast and chopped onion in a 4 quart slow cooker.

2.Combine cola and next 7 ingredients; reserve 1/2 cup in refrigerator. Pour remaining mixture over roast and onion.

3.Cook, covered, on HIGH 6 hours or until roast is very tender; drain and shred roast. Keep warm.

4.Combine reserved 1/2 cup cola mixture, ketchup, and butter in a small saucepan; cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until thoroughly heated. Pour over shredded roast, stirring gently.

5.Spoon onto buns and serve with potato chips and pickle spears, if desired.



Vegetable Soup Crock Pot

Ingredients
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups tomato juice
1/2 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 medium carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, un-drained
1 cup pasta shells, your choice (optional)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1 Place veggies and broth into the crock pot. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until veggies are tender.
2 Add pasta to the mix during the last hour of cooking.
3 Serve with grated parm cheese.

Menu Plan Monday

We have a pretty slow week coming up and I am looking forward to it! I have some things I am sewing and need to finish up and I hope to get out in the garden at least twice this week in the early morning.

If you have not already done so be sure to check out the coupon giveaway I am holding


Monday Lunch Veggie Wraps
Dinner Basil-Lemon Pesto (Recipe below)

Tuesday Lunch salad
Dinner Chicken enchiladas and Spanish rice

Wednesday Lunch Quesadilla
Dinner Sydney is making soup in the crock pot for us

Thursday Lunch
Dinner Stir Fry, egg drop soup and fried rice (recipe below)

Friday Lunch chicken nuggets, fries and fruit
Dinner Pizza and tossed salad

Saturday Lunch grilled fish and veggies
Dinner

Sunday: Raviolis and French bread - For this I cheat, I pull a loaf of homemade French bread from the freezer the night before to thaw. I use the frozen cheese raviolis from Kroger, after boiling them I ladle hot pasta sauce on top. Total time is about 25 minutes for a tasty but easy meal.




Basil-Lemon Pesto
Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves
3 Tbs. toasted pine nuts To toast the pine nuts, place them on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 to 1 1/2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a food processor, combine the garlic, pine nuts, basil, parsley, cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice. Pulse until ground to a fine paste, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the desired consistency is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Makes 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 cups.



Egg Drop Soup
4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

DIRECTIONS
Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger and cilantro into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.


Looking for more tasty ideas, be sure to check out Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday

Our garden is doing great so over the next few weeks I will slowly start using lots more veggies in my meals and as it heats up Scott will do more grilling, YEAH!!! I love cooking but I also enjoy when I get a break and can sit on the porch with him while he cooks. Not to mention he loves grilling, it doesn't even seem to matter what it is, he just loves grilling.

Monday Lunch sandwiches and fruit
Dinner Quick Lemon Pasta, tossed salad and French bread

Tuesday Lunch salad
Dinner Chicken enchiladas and Spanish rice

Wednesday Lunch Beef quesadilla and left over rice
Dinner Spring garden vegetable soup (we have lots of yellow squash and zucchini right now)

Thursday Lunch Grill cheese and fruit
Dinner Stir Fry and fried rice

Friday Lunch fend for yourself
Dinner Pizza and Greek salad

Saturday Lunch grilled fish and veggies

Sunday lazy lasagna in the crock pot, french bread and salad

Looking for more ideas to serve your family? Head on over to Organizing Junkie

Meal Plan Monday

I have to say that the best meal this past week was a toss up between the Pizza Margherita and the pasta milano. My husband really devoured the pizza and everyone loved the pasta! What more could you want? This week we again are avoiding red meat and limiting other meats because of my husbands gall bladder, this is week three and it is getting hard to come up with new things! Any help would be appreciated!We are having some meat at lunch since he is at work otherwise my oldest son says he will die! Dramatic maybe but he is a meat and potato guy. One plus is that we are saving some money by not buying meat. If you are looking for ways to cut your grocery cost check out this post I wrote.

Monday Lunch Chicken and Rice soup and fruit
Dinner Chicken Marsala served with pasta and french bread my husband will have the noodles, sauce and maybe a few slices of chicken

Tuesday Lunch Chicken Salad and pickle spears
Dinner Vegetable pitas with fresh sprouts we are growing. Need to know how? Check out this post

Wednesday Lunch Grill Cheese sandwiches and baked chips
Dinner Black bean soup served with baked nacho chips
I will probably make this in the crock pot and we'll eat after church and choir practice.

Thursday Lunch
Dinner Egg drop soup, stir fry veggies and fried rice

Friday Lunch
Dinner Cheese enchiladas served with Spanish rice and re fried beans made without fat. Recipe below

Saturday Lunch
Dinner Vegetarian Pot Stickers I have never tried this recipe but it got 5 stars

Sunday Mother's Day- We are having my mom over but I am still undecided on what to serve. My mom is diabetic and my husband is currently not tolerating meat.

Enchiladas Recipe

A note about the tortillas. The corn tortillas must be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Frying them gently in a little oil greatly enhances the flavor of the tortillas, or you can wrap them in a moist towel and microwave them for 2 minutes.

Ingredients
Grapeseed oil (or another high smoke-point oil such as peanut or canola oil)
12 corn tortillas
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup of salsa (Mild prepared salsa or make your own using cooked or canned tomatoes, roasted green chiles, onions, cilantro, oil and vinegar. Do not use salsa made with fresh, uncooked tomatoes for this dish.)
3 Tbsp of tomato paste
1 cup water
1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes (preferably fire roasted)
Olive oil
1 lb of jack cheese, mild cheddar or longhorn or any mild yellow cheese, grated
A handful of cilantro
1 cup of sour cream
Half a head of iceberg lettuce
Method
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2 In a large fry pan at high heat add 3 Tbsp of grapeseed oil. Add a tortilla to the pan. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift up the tortilla with a spatula, add another tortilla underneath. Cook for 2-3 seconds, lift again, both tortillas, and add another tortilla underneath. Repeat the process with all the tortillas, adding a little more oil if needed. This way you can brown and soften the tortillas without using a lot of fat. You do this process to develop the flavor of the tortillas. As the tortillas brown a little, remove from the pan one by one to rest on a paper towel, which absorbs any excess fat.

2 Sauté up the chopped onion and garlic, then turn off the heat. Add 1 cup of salsa. Dissolve 3 Tbsp of tomato paste into 1 cup of water, add to pan. Add 1 cup of crushed fire roasted canned tomatoes. Taste. If the sauce tastes too vinegary, add a teaspoon of sugar.

3 Put some olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole pan. Take a tortilla, cover 2/3 of it lightly with the shredded cheese, then roll up the tortilla and place it in the casserole pan. Continue until all tortillas are filled and rolled. Add sauce to the top of the tortillas in the the casserole pan. Make sure all are covered with the sauce. If not, add a little water. Cover the whole thing with the rest of the grated cheese. Put the casserole in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

4 Garnish with cilantro and sour cream. Serve with sliced iceberg lettuce that has been dressed only with vinegar and salt. See Perfect Guacamole for a great guacamole avocado side dish.

Be sure to check out more meal plans at organizing Junkie

Saving Money At The Grocery Store

Do you remember when you were little and played store? You could fill your cart with everything you wanted without a care in the world. After all you had a kagillion dollars and nothing made you gain weight or raised your cholesterol. Boy those were the days!

Now you're all grown up, You have to plan your meals, make a grocery list, the store is no longer in your play room, what you eat does matter, and did I mention you have to pay using REAL money. So how can you ensure you are getting your moneys worth at the grocery store? Two words, price book!

The first time I heard the idea I thought there is no way I am going to write down everything I buy, calculate the cost and then keep up with it just to save a few cents. Then came the wake up call. I was so excited, my local grocery store had ketchup on sale. Yeah, at the time this was our kids all time favorite condiment for EVERYTHING! I should have bought stock in it. Anyways, I pulled out my coupon and proceeded to buy 4 bottles. After all it was on sale, the sign said so! In case you didn't know stores have what is called phantom sales. They raise the price of an item leave it there a few weeks and then put it on "sale" which is actually the normal price. Later when I was cleaning out my receipts I looked at an old one just to see just how much I had saved by stocking up. Imagine my shock when I found out I had actually lost money. It happens everyday to people on hundreds of items. Stores know most people do not track prices or keep up with how often items go on sale, and trust me you can not do it in your head and you can not trust the stores to tell you when something is on sale. You need a price book.

I wish I had created one sooner, it is easy and will save you hundreds of dollars a year. Now when I look at ads or run into an item with a sale sign I can look in my book and see if it is real and if it usually runs even lower later. Example: Kroger sometimes has Old Elpaso shells on sale for $1.29, sounds great right, not really, they also run a 10 for $10 almost weekly however they only include Old Elpaso taco shells about every 6-8 weeks. Knowing that I save my taco shell coupons for then and stock up buying enough until they go on sale again. My goal is to keep my pantry stocked well enough that I only buy items when they are at their best price. I am sure my shopping cart looks funny with 8 boxes of taco shells or 5 canisters of coffee but I am saving money and that's what counts to me. The other great thing about a price book is that they are useful for everyone not just couponers. I keep track of all the items I buy even produce and toiletries.

Making your own price book is cheap and easy. I started off with a small spiral notebook that fit in my purse and a pencil. You will also need a calculator to convert prices but do not let that scare you. It takes very basic math to do. Next you will need to set up your book. I currently use a small three ring binder with A-Z divider tabs. I have mine set up alphabetically by item name such as m-milk but others use categories such as m-meat or d-dairy. Each page in your price book should contain the date, name of the store, item name and the brand of the item, the size of the item, the price of the item, and then the unit price of the item. This is where the math comes in; the unit price can be discovered by dividing size/price. Some stores include this information on the shelf label but the often times will use different measurements so you have to convert to compare like items. An example is cheese, one brand may be listed by the ounce while the one next to it is listed by the pound.

Now that you have your format picked and pages made you can start filling in your book. If you have any receipts start with those. Fill in a page for each item you bought and then calculate your unit cost. Then the next time you head out to the store grab your book and start comparing prices and list some of the ones that you routinely buy even if you are not buying them right now. You can also use the grocery store ads. Be sure to check out all the stores in your area. It pays not to be store loyal. I shop at Sav A Lot, Alberstons, Kroger and Sam's. I live in the city and all these stores are located around my home of near where we have regular activities.

At first this may seem very tedious, however you will soon begin to discover the best deals emerging before your eyes and you will also see each stores pattern in the timing of sales, such as in my taco shell example.

Do not try to fill in every item you use your next trip to the store, you will overwhelm yourself and give up. Overtime you will find that your entries will slow down and your price book will now be a great reference to you. Armed with your price book you can now know when you are getting a great deal and stock your pantry and freezer accordingly. If you keep up with your book you should always get a great deal on toilet paper and you will never hear "we're out of toilet paper" crying from under the bathroom door.

Meal Plan Monday

Well let me tell you last week was a real challenge! We went without meat, additives, convince food and refined sugar. My husband is feeling better and I found some creative ways to cook. Since we all felt better and saved money we are going to continue to limit our meat and try to cut out most additives and preservatives. So without further ado my menu.

Monday Lunch grilled cheese and fruit
Dinner Spaghetti, salad and whole wheat garlic bread

Tuesday Lunch tomato and cheese Quesadias
Dinner Sticky Chicken, scalloped potatoes and green beans

Wednesday Lunch Clean out the fridge surprise
Dinner Minestrone soup, rolls and fruit salad

Thursday Lunch Chicken salad
Dinner Black bean tacos, Spanish rice and chips and salsa

Friday Lunch Nachos with left over black beans
Dinner Pizza Margherita

Saturday Lunch Vegetable Pitas and soup
Dinner Pasta Milano and french bread

Sunday Lunch Calico Chili
Dinner Waffles

Looking for more recipes? Be Sure to check out the host of Menu Plan Monday

Meal Plan Monday

This week are leaning towards some grilled favorites to keep the heat down in the kitchen.


Monday Lunch Ham Sandwiches and tossed salad
Dinner Waffles, eggs and fruit

Tuesday Lunch Quesadias with chips and pico de Galla
Dinner Philly Cheese steaks and oven baked chips with rosemary salt

Wednesday Lunch pasta bake
Dinner Black Bean tostadas, Spanish rice and sliced avocados

Thursday Lunch Chicken N Rice made on stove top
Dinner Pizza and Greek salad with low fat feta cheese

Friday Lunch Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and vegetables with ranch dressing
Dinner Kids are spending the night with grandma, not sure what Scott and I are doing yet.

Saturday Lunch Scott and I will probably have a salad and leftovers
Dinner Nachos with all the fixings

Sunday Lunch Pork Tenderloin with Mojo sauce, grilled corn on the cob and jello

Be sure to visit the host of menu-plan-monday




Recipes:

Philly Cheese steaks
4 fresh Italian sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns, split in half crosswise
1 white onion, thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound rib-eye steak, very very thinly shaved or sliced

Ketchup, optional topping
Italian pickled peppers, accompaniment

1.Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

2.Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. When hot add the oil, onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Push off to 1 side of the griddle.

3.Add the meat to the hot pan and cook, stirring and breaking up with the back of 2 metal spatulas, until almost no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Mix in the Sauteed vegetables. Top with cheese slices and melt. Spoon the cheesy meat mixture into the warm buns and serve immediately with condiments of choice or Put the meat in the bun and dip the spatula in the cheese whiz and then wipe the spatula down the inside of the bread.


Pork Tenderloin with Mojo sauce

2 juice oranges
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 pork tenderloins (3/4-lb)

1.Prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill and on lid.

2.Squeeze enough juice from oranges to measure 5 tablespoons. Mash garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt using a mortar and pestle (or mince and mash with a large heavy knife), then whisk together with orange juice, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon oregano.

3.Pat pork dry and rub each tenderloin with 1/2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon oregano.

4.When fire is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 1 to 2 seconds), grill pork on lightly oiled grill rack, covered with lid, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted diagonally into center of each tenderloin registers 155°F, 12 to 14 minutes total. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.

5.Serve pork drizzled with mojo sauce.

Spring Break Menu

I can hardly believe how fast this past week seemed to go. I believe it was Thursday, my son looked at the menu on the refrigerator and said, "mom, do you realize we have hardly had anything on the menu?" UGH... he was right I think we followed it on Wednesday, switched out two other days and other than that we ate other stuff.

Life just seemed to happen and the menu did not follow well with it. One thing that I did not expect were a few very warm days that lasted well into the evening, who wants to heat the house up when it's hot. So instead of Hawaiian chicken we had Church's chicken. I know, I know, a greasy mess, but we only eat it about twice a year. Probably because it takes us at least 6 months to get the greasy plate out of our mind.

Anyways since we are in Texas I will start planning a little better and use my crock pot more.

Monday Lunch Grilled Cheese, soup
Dinner Sheppard's pie, rolls, jello

Tuesday Lunch It's spring break so I will let the kids pick
Dinner Creamy Light pasta, french bread and maybe salad

Wednesday Lunch chicken nuggets, corn and cantaloupe ( found a great deal on the at Kroger)
Dinner Sub sandwiches after church

April 10... Sydney's 17th Birthday. Tradition in our house in birthday person picks the meals
Thursday Breakfast French toast and fruit
Lunch Chicken salad with extra pickles and with pickle spears on the side
Dinner Chicken Enchiladas, chips and queso, and lots and lots of Spanish rice

Scott has the week-end planned including meals so I have to wait and see....

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Menu Plan Monday

Last week I did pretty good at sticking to menu I think we only switched things around so I did not have to make any extra trips to the store, that is always a plus!

Monday Grilled Cheese, soup
Dinner Chinese night

Tuesday salad with grilled chicken
Dinner Salisbury Steak, green beans, mashed taters and fresh rolls

Wednesday chicken nuggets, Cheese chuncks and grapes
Dinner Baked potato bar and Israeli salad

Thursday Lunch Rice and vegetable stir fry
Dinner Hawaiian chicken and scalloped potatoes (recipe from Susan) dessert- pineapple upside down cake

Friday salad and ham sandwiches
Dinner Pizza and cucumber salad

Saturday Lunch Scott is grilling sausage and I am opening a can of Bushes beans


Be sure to visit menu-plan-Monday-host

Recipes:
Salisbury Steak This recipe freezes well

Ingredients
1(10 1/2ounce)can campbells French onion soup
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 cup ketchup
1-3 teaspoon worcestershire sauce, to taste
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 cup water

Directions:
1 In a large bowl, mix together 1/3 cup condensed French onion soup with ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, salt and black pepper.
2 Shape into 6 oval patties.
3 In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown both sides of patties.
4 Pour off excess fat.
5 In a small bowl, blend flour and remaining soup until smooth.
6 Mix in ketchup, water, Worcestershire sauce and mustard powder.
7 Pour over meat in skillet.
8 Cover, and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Hawaiian Chicken

Ingridents:
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 cups teriyaki sauce, divided
6 pineapple rings
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions:
1.Place the chicken breast halves in a dish with the 1 1/2 cups of teriyaki sauce. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
2.Preheat a grill for high heat.
3.Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken breasts on grill, and discard marinade. Cook for 8 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Brush with the remaining teriyaki sauce during the last 5 minutes. When almost done, place one pineapple ring on top of each breast, and brush with melted butter.
4.In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix the brown sugar, soy sauce, pineapple juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Serve with chicken for dipping!

Menu Plan Monday

We have several things planned this week so I tried to make our meals quick and simple. If you are looking for some freezer recipes be sure to check this post out.


Monday Lunch Quesadillas, chips and fresh salsa
Dinner Cobb Salad

Tuesday Lunch Tomato soup and left over salad
Dinner Chicken Marsala and French bread

Wednesday Lunch Grilled Cheese and fruit
Dinner meatballs subs (meatballs from the freezer)

Thursday Lunch Rice and vegetable stir fry
Dinner pancakes

Friday Lunch chicken salad or peanut butter sandwiches
Dinner family game night at church includes munchies

Saturday Lunch Scott is grilling pork chops and vegetables
Dinner Pizza and salad

Be sure to visit menu-plan-monday-host

Short Cuts In The Kitchen: Chicken

As promised in this post, here are some kitchen short cuts to start feeding your freezer.

One of the easier and cheapest foods to feed your freezer with is the ever versatile chicken.I start by getting two chickens at a time going in my roaster using the Sticky chicken recipe listed below. While they are cooking I am free to do several meals worth of chicken nuggets. The only modification I make to this recipe is that I always add ground oatmeal, once I have the nuggets done I use the left over coating to make Parmesan chicken with chicken breasts, all I have to do is add the Parmesan cheese and a little more Italian herbs. I almost always have a bag of shredded Parmesan cheese in our freezer since I buy it in bulk at Sam's. It adds such a nice flavor to so many things and it sure does beat the powdered kind!


To freeze the nuggets or Parmesan chicken spread them out on a large baking pan and flash freeze them for several hours, then bag them up in portions appropriate for your family. ***Flash freezing is important if you do not want them to lump into one big frozen hunk of coated chicken***. Be sure to label your freezer bags with the date and contents. I learned this the hard way. It is amazing how many things look alike when frozen.



Roasted Sticky Chicken Preparation (the night before)

* 1 large roasting chicken
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon white pepper
* 1 teaspoon thyme
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 2 teaspoons paprika
* 4 teaspoons salt

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices. Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a re-sealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

Roast Sticky Chicken (the next day)

* Chicken prepared last night
* 1 cup onion, chopped

When ready to roast chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in crockpot or roaster. Cook on low for 5 hours in crockpot or 250 F in the oven. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. Use a meat thermometer to ensure that the meat is thoroughly cooked (180° is well done for a whole chicken). Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.


Here is another recipe I use for Parmesan chicken when not making nuggets:

Baked Chicken Parmesan

* 6 boneless chicken breasts
* 1 cup bread crumbs
* 1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
* 1/4 tsp. oregano
* 1/4 tsp. pepper
* Salt to taste
* 1 clove garlic or 1 Tbsp. garlic powder
* 3/4 cup melted butter

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper, and salt; set aside. Lightly saute garlic in 2 T. butter then stir in remaining butter. Dip chicken in garlic butter then roll each piece in bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in 9x13 pan and sprinkle with remaining bread crumb mixture. Pour on remaining butter. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes.


All of these recipes freeze and reheat wonderfully! The nuggets are especially great when you are in a hurry and just do not have time to put together a meal from scratch. Simply heat up the nuggets, toss a salad together and maybe heat up some leftover vegetables, wallah, lunch/dinner is ready!You can also find many more recipes by doing a search online for freezer meals. Two sites I like are Menus for mom and Recipezaar. Also most libraries are full of books on the subject.

Next week I will share some beef recipes.

Monday Meal Plan

This week I am going to use meals mainly from my freezer and things we have on hand. This will allow me to clean out the pantry, make room in the freezer and save some money so we can splurge a little on Easter dinner and not mess up the budget. If you are interested in freezer cooking you can read more about how I do it here and be sure to check back later in the week for more post

Planning lunch last week worked great so I will continue that again this week.

Monday Lunch Grilled cheese and fruit
Dinner Simplified Beef Burgundy and French bread (Trust me you can substitute the burgundy with no problem)

Tuesday Lunch Chicken and rice soup (from the freezer) and salad
Dinner Chinese night- sweet and sour pork, fried rice and white rice

Wednesday Lunch Quesadias with chips and salsa
Dinner lasagna (from the freezer), salad and french bread

Thursday Lunch left overs
Dinner Pasta Milano and rosemary bread (the pasta will have grilled chicken that again, is from the freezer) This is one of my FAVORITE meals!

Friday Lunch Stir Fry
Dinner Pizza

Saturday Lunch We have a meeting to go to for business and will eat there
Dinner My husband is going to grill Shish Kabobs

Sunday Easter Lunch Ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, homemade rolls and dessert but I am unsure yet what
Dinner Salad and maybe leftover ham depending on how hungry we are


Recipes:

Copy Cat Macaroni Grills Pasta Milano

6 ounces butter
18 ounces grilled chicken, sliced
12 ounces sun-dried tomatoes
12 ounces mushrooms, sliced
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
36 ounces roasted garlic cream sauce (I cheat and use a jar of Alfredo sauce)
36 ounces bow tie pasta
Italian parsley sprigs, if desired

Directions
1. Cook the pasta as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, sauté butter and mushrooms about 30 seconds. Add the roasted garlic cream sauce and Parmesan; heat thoroughly.
3. Remove pasta from water and drain. Add pasta to the sauté pan and mix well. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and Italian parsley sprig.


Copy Cat of Macaroni Grills Rosemary Bread
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons rosemary
2 tablespoons butter

1.Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl or food processor and allow mixture to become bubbly.
2.Mix in 1 T butter, salt, and 2 cups of flour.
3.Add one tablespoon of the fresh chopped rosemary.
4.Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in food processor about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5.Add more flour if necessary.
6.Oil a bowl, put dough in it and cover with a towel.
7.Let dough rise in a warm place for one hour until doubled.
8.Punch down dough and divide in half.
9.Let dough rest about 5 minutes.
10.Spray baking pan or cookie sheet with cooking spray.
11.Shape the dough into 2 small rounded oval loaves.
12.Sprinkle remaining 1 Tablespoon of rosemary over the loaves and press lightly into the surface.
13.Let loaves rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes.
14.Preheat oven to 375° F.
15.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
16.Carefully remove from oven, brush with remaining butter (and salt if desired.)

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Feeding the Freezer

Most of us have heard about bulk cooking. No matter what you have heard it called; once-a-month cooking, frozen assets, OAMC or freezer cooking, I think we have all been intrigued by its promises. Come on, cook once and eat for a month. There are even stores that cater to this idea. You go in, they have everything ready and all you do is put the meal together and take it home and freeze it.

I have three children and like most of you a full schedule. I love cooking but hate that mad 5:00 rush or how about when things happen out of your control and you just can’t get dinner put together. You know what we do; head to pick up pizza, go thru the drive thru, or throw together something haphazardly. We feed our family an expensive / nutritionally deprived meal. That sure does wonders for the guilt of not getting dinner made. Who wouldn’t love the freedom OAMC seems to offer?

Then you find out what is involved: meal planning, grocery list making, chopping, cooking, and then oh yeah…. The big clean up. It doesn’t take long before you feel overwhelmed and give up without ever starting.

I went through the above step so many times! Then finally one day a several years ago I decided to start doubling a few recipes. The first was chicken pot pie. I had extra filing and did not want to waste it. I made an extra crust real quick, filled the pan, wrapped it and into the freezer it went. I then did the same thing the next time I made lasagna. I thought to myself, wow I can do this! I can easily double some of our favorite meals in the about the same amount of time while stocking my freezer with some great meals for days when I do not have time to cook.

Next I started applying my new found trick to other things. When making tacos I cooked and seasoned 8 pounds of beef. However I quickly learned to hurry and separate what was meant for the freezer from that night’s dinner, otherwise my family thought we were having all you could eat tacos and my extra was soon gone. Then came vegetables, I now never chop just ¼ cup onion. I chop up the whole bag of onions, peppers, celery, carrots or many other vegetables, then flash freeze it on a cookie sheet, when frozen bag it up. You can easily reach in and pull out just what you need.

Roasting a chicken soon, if you use a roasting pan set the chicken sideways and you can fit two in. Sticky chicken is a great recipe to do this with! The extra chicken can be frozen whole in a gallon size bag or pulled apart for later use in quesadillas, chicken pot pie or any other recipe you may have that calls for chopped or shredded chicken. You now have an extra chicken cooked and did not have to use extra energy or an extra pan.

Since taking the small steps listed above I have on a few occasions spent one day shopping and chopping and then the next day making two weeks worth of meals. My kids helped out and it was not near as bad as I had convinced myself it would be. But without having taken the baby steps first I do not think I would have ever gotten the nerve to try it. Later in the week I will try to get a post written with some specific recipes and tips to stream line some basic freezer meals you can pull out when needed. These are also great to take to new moms, the elderly, missionaries in town, or visiting pastors.

What We're Eating This Week

Well this week went pretty good as far as sticking to our menu; we only changed it twice. My husband came home Friday and after a long hard week I could tell he needed a night out. We went to our favorite place, Red Hot N' Blue for ribs. Since no one like to miss pizza night we moved it to Saturday.

One thing I have noticed lately, especially this week is that I need to plan out our lunches better. It seems like 12:00 comes around before I know it and I am staring at three "starving" kids and I am unsure what we are eating. Therefore I am going to start adding lunch to my menu this week.

Monday: Lunch- Soup and sandwiches
Dinner- Beef and Broccoli (from last week)
Tuesday: Lunch- Qusadillas
Dinner- Potato soup and homemade rolls
Wednesday: Lunch- Salad with chopped chicken
Dinner- Black Bean tostadas and Spanish rice
Thursday: Lunch- Nachos with meat and lots of chopped veggies
Dinner- Three-peppered pork cutlets, green beans, roasted taters and rolls
Friday: Lunch- Chicken salad and fruit
Dinner- pizza and salad
Saturday: Lunch- pitas with fresh sprouts
Dinner- Monterrey beans served over brown rice
Sunday: Lunch- Chuck roast barbecue and oven fries
Dinner- farfalle with quick tomato sauce

Three Pepper Pork Cutlets

1 pound pork tenderloin (I have also used pork chops)
2 teaspoons paprika -- sweet Hungarian
1 teaspoon dried whole thyme
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary -- crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large garlic cloves
vegetable cooking spray

Trim fat from pork. Cut pork crosswise into 8 slices. Place between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten each slice to 1/4" thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Combine paprika and next 9 ingredients; stir well. Rub pork with paprika mixture. Place on a rack coated with cooking spray; place rack on a shallow roasting pan. Broil 5 inches from heat for 5 minutes. Turn pork over, and broil and additional 4 minutes or until done.



Chuck Roast Barbecue

1 2 1/2 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed
2 medium onions, chopped
3/4 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons butter or margarine
6 hamburger buns

Combine roast and chopped onion in a 4 quart slow cooker.
Combine cola and next 7 ingredients; reserve 1/2 cup in refrigerator. Pour remaining mixture over roast and onion.
Cook, covered, on HIGH 6 hours or until roast is very tender; drain and shred roast. Keep warm.
Combine reserved 1/2 cup cola mixture, ketchup, and butter in a small saucepan; cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until thoroughly heated. Pour over shredded roast, stirring gently.
Spoon onto buns and serve with potato chips and pickle spears, if desired.

Be sure to head over to organizing junkie

Sprouts: Day 2

It's day 2, cover the mouth of the jar with cheesecloth, and fasten with the rubber band. Turn the jar over in the sink. The cheesecloth acts as a strainer, holding in the seeds and letting out the water. If you're using the bowl method, use a strainer to strain out the soaking water and rinse the seeds. I have a sprouting tray kit that allows me to rinse without moving the seeds. I usually move my seed into it on day 2. You can also find cool jars or lids made to fit mason jars online that have strainers built into them. Shake the jar / strainer a few times to remove all of the water from last night's soak. Repeat this 2-3 times making sure you give the jar/strainer a few good shakes after each rinse.

Look at your seeds, they should be mostly dry. If you leave too much water in the jar, the seeds can rot in as little as 2-3 days. Please do not let this scare you off, if you're even slightly careful to drain the seeds that probably won't happen.

To make sure they fully drain you can, store the jar upside-down in a baking dish or plastic tub. Rest the jar on the side of the dish, or up against the wall--any excess water drains out, without any more attention from you.
Tonight you will repeat the rinsing process. You'll continue this twice daily rinsing for the next 4 or 5 days. Prior to day 4-5 your sprouts do not need light. In fact I keep mine covered.


You will notice growth in a few days. O