Meal Plan Jan 2- Jan 7

Sunday
Steak
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Baked Potatoes

Monday
Italian Wedding Soup
Brown and Serve Rolls

Tuesday
Pork Burgers
German Potato Salad
Fresh Pineapple Cubes

Wednesday
Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday
Capellini w/ Kalamata Olives and Mushrooms
Garlic Bread

Friday
Eggs Rolls
Fried Rice
Steamed Edamame

Happy New Year!!!

Well, 2010 is coming to an end. It's been a year full of ups, downs, good times, some bad times, smiles, tears, good food and some recipes that didn't pan out so well. But one of the most exciting things 2010 brought with it was this blog. I can't believe it's been 7 months since I finally listened to family and friends that kept saying I should start one. It's been such a surprising blessing in my life allowing me a hobby that combines 2 things I love--food and "cyber" communication. No matter how long I do it, I will always be astounded that I can take 5 minutes to type something on here that has the potential to be read by an enormous amount of people. I am so thankful to all of my readers--I still get excited when a comment is left, or someone mentions "they read it on my blog". Thank you for allowing me into your kitchen to share a little piece of me w/ your family.  I hope 2011 brings you many blessings from above and is filled w/ good times, much love and a lot of great food!


A loud wild party, many hours spent at a local bar, welcoming the new year in w/ a lot of drinks--that is our way. NOT!!!!!! With Alex at home, New Year's Eve has taken on a whole new meaning for Adam and I. We used to go out to dinner w/ my parents, and a few times we've had friends over and even mom and dad stopped by last year, but really since Alex was born, we've stayed home and just enjoyed the time together, or w/ a few people we love. Now what I do is put out what Alex calls my "party buffet" instead of a traditional supper and fill it w/ yummy tidbits that we make a meal out of. Tonight our buffet includes: 2 shrimp rings, pot stickers, jalapeno poppers, veggies/dip, deviled eggs, popcorn, crackers/cheese/summer sausage and dried beef roll ups. The last is a SUPER easy snack or party food that I have been making for years and I'm happy to share it w/ you for the first recipe of 2011!!

Dried Beef Roll Ups
1 jar dried beef
1 container whipped cream cheese (the whipped is much easier to spread)

Spread cream cheese on each piece of dried beef. Roll up and cut in half.

Knock Off Hopes

One of our favorite restaurants here in Fort Wayne, and our absolute favorite Italian one is Casa De Angelo and all of those in the Casa family. They have the best food for the price and I think the 3 of us could eat there once a week if we tried:) One of Adam's favorite dishes is Capellini Pomodoro which is a thin pasta in a red sauce w/ mushrooms and kalamata olives. And now Alex likes it as much as he does. Since we can't eat there as much as we would like, I'm going to try to recreate this dish for supper next week. The only difference w/ mine is I'm using whole grain spaghetti instead of the capellini. I try to use whole grain whenever possible since it is healthier; and that was we don't have as much guilt for eating it.

Capellini Pomodoro


1 lb cappellini or thin spaghetti
1 26 oz jar marinara sauce
1 jar pitted kalamata olives
8 oz mushrooms- sliced
2 TBS garlic
Salt and pepper, to taste
Olive Oil

In a saute pan,  cook mushrooms in oil until brown, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and season w/ salt and pepper. Add olives and let cook 5-8 minutes until flavors develop. Add marinara and simmer on low. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Add 1/2 of sauce to pasta and mix well. Serve each portion w/ 1/3 of the remaining sauce on top.

Merry Christmas!!!

For the holiday, my gift to all my readers is a 2 for 1 special holiday treats. Both are great for a party and I will be making both for our Christmas Eve celebration w/ Adam's family. The first is one I've been making for a few years now and could not be easier; and that is funny b/c when I used to eat them at parties I thought they would be kind of complicated to make only to find this recipe that has 2 main ingredients. The second is a great dip recipe I got from my friend Erin and was so surprised to find it combines all of my favorite kinds of dips into one! So, enjoy your holiday--fill it w/ good food, great times, people you love and memories to last a life time. Merry Christmas, God bless us everyone!


Cocktail Bites
2 lbs. Hillshire Farms Lil' Franks Smoked Sausages
1 1/4 cups ketchup
1 1/4 cups jellied cranberry sauce

Mix ketchup and cranberry in a sauce pan over medium/low heat. Stir or whisk until smooth. Place sausages in crock pot and pour sauce over. Heat on low until warmed through.

Vegetable Dip
16 oz. French Onion Dip
16 oz. sour cream
1 packet Ranch dip mix
1 packet Knorr Vegetable Soup/Dip mix

Mix all together well. Chill over night.

Easiest Ever

So Alex looked at me yesterday and said "Mommy, can we make Pa Pa (my dad) some fudge for Christmas? How sweet is that?? He must remember us doing it a couple years back, and knows how much Pa Pa enjoyed it. I of course, agreed and thought I would share the recipe for what I think is the easiest chocolate fudge ever. I actually found it on the back of Toll House chocolate chips bag years ago and it's been my go to recipe ever since. The recipe calls for walnuts, but Pa Pa doesn't really like nuts in his fudge, so we just omit them; but you can make the recipe w/ or w/o and it turns out perfect every time.

Chocolate Fudge
2 cups (12 oz package) Toll House semi sweet chocolate morsels
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Line 8 or 9 inch square baking pan w/ foil. Combine morsels and milk in medium heavy duty saucepan. Warm over lowest heat stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into baking pan. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into squares.

Chocolate Chips

Christmas Memories

I have a lot of memories of holidays gone by--and some of the happiest are when I was little. The Christmases spent w/ all of our family in Pennsylvania--still to this day, when I think of Christmas I think of those times first. And a lot of those memories revolve around food. Each of my grandmas had their "special" things they made at the holidays and I have a few favorites from each. This is one of those. It comes from my Grammy and will always be one of my favorite treats during Christmas; and I'm so happy to have passed that love onto Alex!!

Cinnamon Apples
As many apples as you want to make, peeled, cored and quartered
1/4- 1/3 cup cinnamon candies (use more or less depending on how "hot" you want them)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water

Mix together candies, sugar and water. Bring to a boil and add apples a few at at time boiling for 1-1 1/2 minutes. When all done cooking apples, pour liquid over apples and add a dash of red food coloring. Store in a air tight container in the fridge.

Apples at Very Good Recipes
  Pin It

Thinking Of You

Sometimes while looking through my many cook books, I will see a recipe and it will immediately remind of someone in my life and scream out "share me". That was the case when I read this one. It comes from The Pillsbury Family Christmas Cookbook, one in a stack of Christmas cookbooks I have. I love looking through them for ideas and inspiration and when I came upon this I knew it had to be dedicated to my sister in law, Amanda. This girl has more blueberries each year than anyone else I know. She cooks w/ them all summer and then freezes a TON to supply her through the winter months. So, hopefully when she  reads this she will know I was thinking of her, and missing her; and of course give it a try!!

Warm Blueberry Sipper
3 cups water
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 lemon slices, 1/4 inch thick
1 cinnamon stick
1 TBS cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
Whipped cream if desired

In medium saucepan, combine 3 cups water, berries, sugar, lemon and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until berries are soft. Remove lemon and cinnamon. Pour berry mixture into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. (If container too small, do in 2 batches) Return to sauce pan. In small bowl, combine cornstarch and 1/4 cup water; stir into berry mixture. Cook over medium heat until boils and slightly thickens, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour into 8 heatproof glasses. Gently place dollop of whipped cream on top and serve immediately.

Blueberry

Let The Christmas Baking Begin

I love holiday baking. And I don't bake a lot, so that should tell you how much I love Christmas! Usually though it's nothing really complicated or involved, b/c I like to include Alex in it. And every year I try to find something, or the past few years since he's been older, that he can do mostly on his own w/ just a little help from Mommy. I found this for him in Taste of Home Christmas Cookies and Candies. And while I was going to wait until closer to the holiday to do it, he is home sick today and needed a little cheering up. So we now have a whole bowl of these in the fridge for snacking on! (And of course half the fun is "sampling" the ingredients while making them....lol)

Chocolate Pretzel Treats

1 bag mini pretzel twists (rings work too)
1 8 oz package Hershey kisses, each piece unwrapped
1 bag M&Ms

 Count out the number of kisses you have. This way you know the number of pretzels you need. There will be more pretzels and M&Ms than kisses. Place the pretzels on greased baking sheets; place a chocolate kiss in center of each. Bake @ 275º for 5 minutes until chocolate softened. Remove from oven. Place an M&M on each, pressing down slightly so warm chocolate fills the pretzel. Chill for 5-10 minutes until firm. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

*We actually put ours in the freezer to speed up cooling and setting.
*I am storing ours in the fridge b/c our kitchen gets a lot of sun light and is warm most of the time.
*Steps the kids can help with: Unwrapping all the kisses, placing pretzels on sheets, putting kisses in center and taking off sheets when cool.

My little holiday elf 

Alex loves to be in the kitchen.

Shared on Gooseberry Patch Oct. 20, 2011
Shared on Everyday Sisters Oct. 30, 2011

Pin It

My Favorite--What's Yours?

Of all the yummy holiday treats, or traditional foods we have every year, one stands out as my favorite. And that's a hard task b/c I'm surrounded by GREAT food for days on end during Christmas. But the one thing I always look forward to (no matter how many times we have it throughout the rest of the year) is Green Bean Casserole!!!! And this year, I'm the one making it to take to my parents' house for Christmas Day dinner. My mom usually makes it, but this year I volunteered and while I will be using the same recipe she does, I doubt if it will taste as good--nothing ever does as well as when Mom makes it. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to eating it once again, and am making enough for lots of leftovers!

Traditional Green Bean Casserole (from Campbell's.com)

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
2 16 oz cans cut green beans
1 1/3 cups french fried onions

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake @ 350º for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Stir and top w/ rest of onions. Bake for 5 minutes more until onions are golden brown.

Shared on Comfy Cuisine Aug. 11, 2011
Shared on Gooseberry Patch Aug. 31, 2011
Shared on Everyday Sisters Nov. 13, 2011

Pin It

FREE FREE FREE

I love a good deal. Rather it be saving money, or better yet free! This came to me from my fellow blogger Real Mom's Kitchen and I found it to be a great read! A cook book filled w/ holiday recipes to make your season even brighter! Enjoy an early Christmas present from two Mommy Food Bloggers!

http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gm/holiday08/

Holiday Ham

Tonight our supper has a definite holiday feel to it. It's cold and wet here in Fort Wayne and that means it's the perfect night for comfort food. I had ham steaks but wasn't sure what I wanted to do w/ them other than something special to go along w/ the winter squash, cranberry stuffing and applesauce I had planned. I love ham at the holidays, but make it year round and sometimes very simply. But tonight I wanted to do something different; and I thought the oven would be great to warm up the house! I searched online for "baked ham steaks" and found this recipe at Cooks.com and am really excited about trying it. Very simple and the smells from just assembling it are amazing--can't wait to taste it!

Baked Ham Steaks w/ Glaze
4 ham steaks about 1/2 inch thick
4 tsp prepared mustard
8 TBS brown sugar
1/2 cup apple juice or cider (I used juice)

Dry off steaks if moist. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Spread 1 tsp mustard over each and sprinkle w/ 2 TBS brown sugar each. Add apple juice around steaks and bake @ 350º for 20 minutes.

Not So Snappy

My father in law loves ginger snaps; and he has passed this onto my son. But sometimes for Alex, certain kinds can be a little too hard for his little teeth, especially now that they are starting to fall out :-) So when I got this recipe this morning from my fellow blogger Real Mom's Kitchen I immediately thought of both of them. Alex b/c this would give him the taste he loves w/o all the crunch and b/c anything he can dip is totally fun; and my father in law b/c anything like resembles a ginger snap reminds me of him! I can't wait to try them and see if they are as yummy as they look/sound.

Chewy Ginger Cookies
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) I Can't Believe It's ® All Purpose Sticks
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1/3 cup Demerara, turbinado or granulated sugar (I will use granulated)

Preheat oven to 350º. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Beat margarine w/ 1 cup granulated sugar in large bowl w/ electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until blended. Stir in molasses. Gradually stir in flour mixture just until blended. Gently roll dough into 1 inch balls w/ lightly floured hands, then roll in granulated sugar. Arrange on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 8 minutes or until cookie edges are firm. Cool sheets 2 minutes on wire rack; remove cookies from sheets and cool completely. 


Gingersnap Dip
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 8 oz tub Cool Whip, thawed

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and pumpkin spice. Beat in Cool Whip until blended. Refrigerate until serving.

Fa La La La La La La La

Yep, my favorite time of year is once again here! I love Christmas. And when I say love, I mean LOVE. I adore everything about it. The spirit of goodwill in the air, the lights, the food, the festivities, picking out the perfect gift, the sparkle and joy in my son's eyes, celebrating Christ's birth....EVERYTHING. So there is a good chance between now and Dec. 25th, a majority of my posts will be Christmas related :-)
The first is actually a decorating project that involves food. When I was little our church had an Advent Workshop each year before Christmas. There were crafts, food, and a ton of holiday activities for kids. I always looked forward to it and it was one of the highlights of the season for me. These were something I made each year and can't wait to share them w/ Alex this year!

Applesauce Ornaments
1 lb. jar sweetened applesauce, drained
8 oz. ground cinnamon

In a mixing bowl, gradually combine applesauce w/ ground cinnamon, alternating until consistency of cookie dough.

Measure out 1 cup of mixture & pat into dough until 1/4 inch thick on wax paper.

Cut w/ cookie cutters. Make a hole in each w/ a toothpick at the top.

Dry in a warm place for a week, turning every day.

Meal Plan November 28-Dec 3

Sunday
Shell Pasta w/ Homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce

Monday
Smoked Sausage
Sauerkraut
Peas

Tuesday
Ham Steaks
Cranberry Stuffing
Applesauce
Winter Squash

Wednesday
Beef Stir Fry
Fried Rice

Thursday
Baked Mostacolli
Garlic Bread

Friday
Alex is spending the night at Mimi's, so I didn't plan anything.

Tradition With a New Twist

The other day while helping me to find a recipe for traditional Ambrosia salad, my mom stumbled upon this salad and suggested it to me. Although I won't be making it for Thanksgiving, I am definitely going to be trying it for one of our Christmas meals. But w/ the cranberry addition I think it would be the perfect Thanksgiving side dish. I love a traditional Waldorf Salad, and the cranberries would give this one a really nice "kick".  I love salads that also give you a little something sweet on your plate; and can't wait to try this one.

Cranberry Waldorf Salad
1 pack cranberries ground ( I am going to put mine in the food processor and pulse a couple times)
3 cups mini marshmallows
2 cups diced apples
1 cup grapes, cut in half
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 chopped walnuts
1 tub Cool Whip

Mix the 4 first ingredients and chill overnight. The next day, add the other 4 and serve chilled.

Thanksgiving 365

Since Thanksgiving comes but merely once a year, I love cooking meals that remind us of the "eating" holiday. I make turkey burgers seasoned w/ poultry seasoning and cranberry sauce, ham steaks w/ stuffing, etc. This recipe came to me once again from my mom finding it in a magazine, Family Circle. These sound so good and I think would be great for a meal or a party food. I plan on making them for a  meal come about February when the holiday fest is over and we're once again hungry for turkey.

Holiday Cranberry Meatballs

2 packages turkey meatballs (about 1 1/2 lbs)

Sauce:
12 oz whole cranberry sauce
9 oz chili sauce
2 1/4 tsp brown sugar

 In a saucepan, combine cranberry sauce, chili sauce and brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until brown sugar is melted, about 5 minutes. Add meatballs. Cook until meatballs are hot, approx. 15 minutes. Serve w/ assorted cheese cubes, crackers and grapes.

My Contribution

Starting today through next Wed. all posts will be Thanksgiving related, or at least related to it, for me. Today is what I'll be taking to my mother in law's on Thursday for lunch. We will be eating our "big" meal w/ Adam's family and then going to my mom's later in the afternoon/evening. I wasn't sure what I would take until I listened to my inner craving and realized I wanted old fashioned Ambrosia salad. We used to have it every year on Thanksgiving at my grandma's, well, in fact we used to have multiple fruit and/or jello salads and this was always on the "hit" list. My mom reminded me that her family calls it "5 Cup Salad", but it is the same exact thing (in case any others out there use that term too). I told my mother in law this morning that I'm happy to bring something that is one of my family's traditions and I've been SO hungry for it. Something easy and yummy---that's my idea of a Turkey Day delight!

Ambrosia Salad
1 small can mandarin oranges
lg can fruit cocktail
1/2 bag mini marshamallows
1/2 bag shredded coconut
16 oz can pineapple chunks
1 cup crushed nuts (I use walnuts)
1 tub of Cool Whip

Mix all together in large bowl and refrigerate.

Real Men Cook

Even though I do 99% of the cooking in our house, it's nice to know that if I ever couldn't, we wouldn't starve, b/c my husband is a pretty amazing cook. He started cooking years ago when he lived w/ roommates, and then by himself. He has a few recipes that are his "signature" and this is one of them. The first time he made it, most of his family, including me, turned our noses up at it b/c we never imagine it could be good. But oh how good it is! I've been making it since we got married and when Alex came along, he too refused to eat it, until he tried it a few times. Actually, it's our supper tonight b/c Alex asked me to make it! So if you're looking for an easy crock pot soup that is comfort through and through, try it before you dismiss it!

Crock Pot Split Pea Soup

2 bags dry split peas

1 lb. bag baby cut carrots- finely diced

1 medium white onion- finely diced

1 lb. package diced ham

Salt and pepper

In crock pot place all ingredients and cover w/ water. Cook on high for 6-8 hours until peas break down and soup becomes very thick. Add water to loosen, if necessary. (If have left overs to reheat, definitely add water). Half way through cooking, use potato masher to break peas down.

Shared on Everyday Sisters Oct. 9, 2011
Shared on The Country Cook Oct. 21, 2011

Meal Plan November 14-19

Sunday
We have a free pizza from Papa Johns!! Woo hoo!

Monday
"McTeacher" night at a local McDonalds. Teachers serve food and we are going to help raise money for the school.

Tuesday
Pork Burgers
Pasta Salad
Sliced Cucumbers
Tator Tots

Wednesday
Roasted Chicken w/ Lemon and Thyme
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Noodles
Broccoli

Thursday
Split Pea Soup

Friday
Ravioli
Breadsticks

Thanks Mom

My mom is great about always looking for recipes in magazines or the newspaper she things I would enjoy. Mom is a great cook, but w/ my dad being on the road 5 days a week, so only cooks for herself most of the time, and if it was me, I wouldn't go all out either! So she lives vicariously through me and always passes great ones on. This one she tore out of a Family Circle magazine at the doctor's office. (shhh....don't tell) and I can't wait to try it. I've already passed it onto my fellow super cook, my sister in law Amanda, and she too can't wait to make it.

Quick Apple Crumble
3/4 cup  All- Bran Original cereal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 cans (20 oz each) apple pie filling
1 TBS lemon juice

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cereal, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using pastry blender, cut in margarine until crumbly. Set aside. Combine pie filling and lemon juice. Place in 9x9x2 inch baking pan or dish. Sprinkle w/ topping. Bake @ 375º for 30 minutes until bubbly around edges. Cool slightly before serving.
Apples

Meal Plan November 7- 12

Sunday
Coney Dogs
French Fries
Baked Beans
Sliced Cucumbers (This is left over from last week b/c of painting kitchen cupboards and having to get pizza...lol)

Monday
Chili
French Bread

Tuesday
Steak
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sauteed Corn

Wednesday
Fish Sticks
Mac n Cheese
Cauliflower (this is an Alex chosen meal)

Thursday
Pork Chops
Apple Stuffing
Scalloped Potatoes
Applesauce

Friday
Linguine w/ Green Olives and Capers (the other "Alex meal")

Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Wrap Lunchable
Yogurt Pretzels
Mandarin Oranges
M &M cookie
Capri Sun

Tuesday
Turkey/Cheese Sand.
PBJ Crackers
Grapes
Strawberry Dananino
Apple Juice

Wednesday
Mini Lunchable
Pretzels
Carrots
Zebra Cake
White Grape Juice

Thursday
No School

Friday
Turkey Sand.
Cheese Rice Crisps
Mandarin Oranges
S'more Gold fish
Strawberry Milk

Be a Jerk

Ok, so don't really be a jerk, but if we're talking about "jerk" in cooking term, that's acceptable:) I was just talking to a friend last night about how parents cater to picky eaters way too much. My mom always said "this is what we are eating, and if you don't like it, it's a long time until breakfast.". She never made me something else if what the meal was didn't suit me. Too bad, so sad. And for the most part, I have taken the same attitude w/ Alex. If there is something that I know he has tried and definitely does not like (which w/ him, isn't very often) I will substitute it out. Or when he was younger he had trouble chewing steak, I would give him a different meat. But for the most part, he eats what we eat; and we have a rule--he has to try one bit before he makes a decision--which w/ Alex usually turns into many many more bites. He loves food. I think parents sometimes create their own picky eaters by not allowing them to try new and different things and not developing their palates. By the age of 5 Alex was eating Brussels sprouts, parsnips, calamari, oysters....all things most kids his age would turn their nose up at. If kids want to try it--LET THEM! Another person that shares this belief is Rachael Ray and today's episode of 30 Minute Meals was designed around introducing more "adult" flavors to kids using a kid friendly staple-- sloppy joes. I can't wait to try it myself and hope it is another "Mommy, this is really good" moment in our house.

Sloppy Jerky Turkey Joes
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 lbs. lean ground turkey
1 onion chopped
2 Fresno chile peppers or 1 Anaheim pepper seeded and finely chopped ( I will omit this not b/c of Alex, but me!)
1 sweet bell pepper seeded and chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper
1 TBS paprika
1 inch piece fresh ginger grated or minced
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
freshly grated nutmeg
2 TBS fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
small handful cilantro leaves finely chopped (I will omit this also b/c I don't care for cilantro)

Sauce:
2 TBS cider vinegar
2 TBS dark brown sugar
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 lime juiced
1 cup tomato sauce

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. When the oil ripples and is hot, add the meat and brown. Add the onions, chile, bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in paprika, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme and cilantro. Stir occasionally for 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, and tomato sauce. Stir the sauce into the turkey mixture. Simmer for a few minutes and serve on rolls.

*I will half this recipe for the 3 of us*

*I always serve sloppy joes on toasted buns from the broiler. It keeps the buns from getting soggy and much easier for little hands*

Meal Plan October 21-November 5

Sunday
Halloween--no specific dinner plans

Monday
Chuck Roast
Butter and Herb Rice
Pan Roasted Brussels sprouts

Tuesday
Baked Mac and Cheese
Green Beans
Sliced Peaches

Wednesday
Hot Dogs
French Fries
Baked Beans

Thursday
Alex is going to Maa Ma's b/c we have parent/teacher conferences:)

Friday
Clam Chowder
Biscuits

Perfect Everytime

Like most good things in life, I learned how to make meatloaf from my mom. She does after all, makes the best there is. I love meatloaf, and will eat it other places as well, but if I want my favorite, I always have to go home. It's what I request for special meals, birthday suppers and have even passed my love of it onto Alex. When Maa Ma asks what he wants for his birthday meal every year, he picks meatloaf-every time. So you can understand my disgust when I tried to make it the first time and it was awful. And I mean horrid! In fact, it wasn't until just about a year ago, that I mastered mom's meatloaf; and there really isn't a specific reason why it started working. I think I just did it enough that practice made perfect. The only difference between mom's and mine is that I beat my eggs before I add them to the meat mixture. That's it. Why? B/c I saw Ina Garten do it and thought it made sense. So was it the eggs that made the difference? Who knows. But what I do know is that it turns out perfect every time!

Mom's Meatloaf


2 lbs. hamburger
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion finely chopped
Salt and pepper
Bread crumbs (add a little at a time until meat binds together and some moisture is gone)

Mix all ingredients together well using hands. Work it kind of like "dough" mixing and binding. Form into loaf and bake in roasting pan @ 350º for about 2- 2.5 hours.  If desired put a little ketchup on top.

*Always use 1 egg for each pound of meat*

Shared on Comfy Cuisine Aug. 11, 2011
Shared on Gooseberry Patch Aug. 31, 2011
Shared on Recipes for my Boys Aug. 31, 2011

Pin It

This Is A Joke, Right??!!

A couple weeks ago I came to the conclusion that Mother Nature was mocking me, laughing at me in fact. Why? Because it was soup night at our house, as it is a lot in the fall, and 80º outside. Well, now I'm convinced she is just out to get me. Once again, I've planned soup for tonight's meal and it is supposed to be unseasonably warm. Oh well. I found this in the back of my recipe box, haven't made it for years and darn it, I'm doing it. At least there is a chance of showers, so maybe that will be my reprieve!

Butter Bean Soup
1 1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped onion (small)
3 TBS vegetable oil
3 TBS flour
2 cups water
2 16 oz. cans butter beans-drained
1 small zucchini diced
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups chicken broth

In large stock pot, cook celery, carrots, onion and zucchini in oil until soft. Add flour and cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add water and broth stirring until smooth. Add rest of ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes or until slightly thick.

Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Lunchable (the new wheat wrap one)
Ants on Logs
Fruit Roll Up
White Grape Juice

Tuesday
PB Dinosaurs
Mini Club Crackers
Grapes
Zebra Cake
Apple Juice

Wednesday
Turkey Sand
PBJ crackers
Carrots
Cinnamon Goldfish
Capri Sun

Thursday
PBJ
Goldfish
Yogurt Pretzels
Fruit Snacks
White Grape Juice

Friday
Turkey Sand
Applesauce
Handisnack
Yogurt Raisins
Vanilla Milk

Meal Plan October 24-29

Sunday
Tuna Noodle Casserole

Monday
Butter Bean Soup
French Bread

Tuesday
Pork Roast
Applesauce
Stuffing
Winter Squash

Wednesday
Baked Mostaccoli

Thursday
Beef Roast
Butter/Herb Rice
Parsnips

Friday
Pot Pies
Fruit Cocktail

The Perfect Spud

Readers of this blog will know we Marshalls are potato people. We loves us some 'taters. Not many meals go by without us having them one way or another. So not only do I search for new ways to prepare them, but also updated versions of what I'm already doing. This was the case last night. We were having baked potatoes, but I wanted to do them differently than just throwing them in the microwave. In the warm months, I will par-cook them in the microwave and then wrap them in foil and finish them on the grill; and this gives them a great crispy outside w/ a fluffy inside. This new technique I found gives me the same result, but is done in the oven; and these turned out to be one of the best baked potatoes I have ever had!

Oven Baked Potatoes
4 Large baking potatoes
olive oil
Kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350º. Scrub potatoes well and dry off. Rub each potato w/ olive oil and sprinkle w/ Kosher salt. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 1- 1.5 hours depending on how large potatoes are. When fork goes through w/ no resistance, potatoes are done.

Potato

KFC Has Nothing On Me

I find myself buying things at the grocery store b/c they are on sale and then deciding later what I'll do w/ them. This past week I bought chicken drumsticks. I knew I wanted a chicken meal w/ mashed potatoes and asparagus, but didn't know what kind of chicken. This morning I woke up w/ an uncontrollable urge for fried chicken. Now yes, I know how to fry chicken, but I still "Googled" it for ideas. I found a method I liked, added some stuff to it and came up w/ a pretty good recipe. It was delicious! So, try it and let me know what you think!

Old Fashioned Fried Chicken
Chicken pieces
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3 cups flour
Seasoning to taste (I salt and peppered the chicken itself. Then I added a good amount of Lawry's seasoning salt to the flour)
Vegetable or Canola oil

Mix eggs w/ milk. Add seasonings to flour. Dip chicken in egg and then flour. Repeat. This will give you a double dipped extra crispy batter. Heat 3/4 inch oil in electric skillet to 350º. If using a stove top skillet, use medium heat. Fry chicken on all sides for 6-8 minutes each, or until internal temp reaches 165º. It should be golden-brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Another Fall Treat

Since I enjoy blogging about recipes and cooking, I also enjoy following other blogs about the same. One of them that I read daily is Real Mom Kitchen and this week she is posting all fall snacks. The first one she shared was a dip that I think Alex will really enjoy, not to mention Mommy! I think it would be a great treat in his lunch or an after school snack. She originally got it from The Other Side of Fifty and I think it's just wonderful how one post, turns into another post, and then another and so on and so on. This internet thing isn't such a bad idea!!! LOL



Caramel Peanut Butter Apple Dip
3/4 cup caramel sauce (She used the caramel dip from the produce section, which is probably what I will use too)
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
1 TBS chopped peanuts as garnish (optional)

Combine the caramel sauce and peanut butter until smooth. Fold in the marshmallow fluff. Spoon into a serving bowl and top w/ chopped peanuts, if desired. Serve w/ sliced apple.

Meal Plan October 10-15

Sunday
Ham and Beans
Corn Bread

Monday
Sloppy Joes
French Fries
Candied Carrots

Tuesday
Spaghetti

Wednesday
Pancakes
Bacon

Thursday
Meatloaf
Baked Potatoes
Broccoli/Cauliflower

Friday
We are going to my mom's for homemade Beef N Noodles and Mashed Potatoes---Thanks Mom!


Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Lunchable
Applesauce
Yogurt Pretzels
Apple Juice Box

Tuesday
Bologna/Cheese Sand.
Cheese Rice Crisps
Raspberries
M&M Cookie
Capri Sun

Wednesday
PB/Honey Sand.
Handisnack
Carrots
Animal Crackers
Apple Juice Box

Thursday
Cheese Sand.
Mini Club Crackers
Pears
Granola Bar
Capri Sun

Friday
PB&J
Goldfish Crackers
Yogurt Raisins
Zebra Cake
Apple Juice Box

10-10-10

So, it's the second week of October and somewhere, Mother Nature is laughing at me. She's mocking me. Why? Because once again I'm planning fall meals, and the temperature is supposed to climb to almost 90º  today!! Seriously, this warm weather is welcome, b/c let's face it, we all know what is coming and what we are in store for, but for the past week it seems to happen just as I pull out the crock pot or soup pot! Oh well, I guess I can look at it like this, at least the crock pot isn't heating up the house! This recipe is one I found online, but I can't remember the site. I was looking for a ham and beans recipe in the crock pot b/c Adam loves ham and beans; but he wants them thick and creamy. I've tried other recipes before and they haven't been what he wanted; but they were all cooked stove top. So, I'm keeping my fingers crossed this one will yield what he enjoys so much!

Crock Pot Ham and Beans

1 lb. dried great northern beans

1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped

2 ribs celery finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb. ham cut into bite sized chunks

5 cups water

3 TBS flour

Sort beans and soak in enough water to cover overnight. Rinse, drain, and place in crock pot. In a food processor, add onion, celery and carrots. Pulse until finely chopped. Add onion mixture to beans. Mix in ham. Pour water on top, season w/ salt and pepper. Stir well.  Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Lower heat to low and cook for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Using a ladle, spoon some of the liquid out and mix w/ flour. Pour back into soup and return to high heat. Cook for 1 hour more (8 hours total) until thickened.

*NOTE* If you forget to soak the beans overnight, put them in a large stock pot. Cover with water until it's 2 inches above beans. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Leave covered and soak for 1 hour. Place in crock pot and proceed with recipe.

Soup at Very Good Recipes

Just My Luck

Oh sure, just when I start to bust out all the fall soup recipes, Mother Nature laughs in my face and sends warm temps back our way. Well, sorry, the ingredients have been bought and I'm not changing my plans! So it's supposed to be 80º tomorrow--too bad. My family is having soup for supper; and just any soup--one of our favorites. I got it out of a Taste of Home magazine years ago, and to this day we still enjoy it just as much as that very first time!

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup
1 small onion chopped
4 TBS olive oil (extra if needed)
2 TBS butter (extra if needed)
2 garlic cloves minced
6 cans chicken broth (plus some water) I use 2 boxes and add some water and bouillon if necessary
3 medium carrots diced
2 ribs celery diced
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 tsp. dried basil
1 lb. package medium
1 lemon juiced
1 package chicken tenders cut into bite sized pieces
salt/pepper to taste

In stock pot saute onion, carrot and celery in 2 TBS oil and 1 TBS butter. Add remaining butter and oil, extra if needed, and add chicken and garlic. Cook and stir until chicken lightly browned. Stir in broth, peas, basil and s/p. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add noodles, cover and simmer 8-10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Stir in lemon juice just before serving.


*NOTE* If made ahead, or leftovers, make sure to have extra broth b/c the noodles will absorb lots!

One Skillet Meal

I love recipes that only involve me washing one pan when I'm done! I know there is a lot to be said for one of those "down home, old fashioned" meals that uses every pot and pan in the kitchen, but let's face it, that isn't very convenient for most of us these days. So the less work for me, the better. This recipe came to me from another blog I follow Real Mom's Kitchen. I receive her recipes daily through Facebook right in my inbox--it's great! I fixed this for supper tonight and the "boys" loved it and I was very pleased w/ the way it turned out also. The only thing I will do differently next time is instead of using a skillet stove top, I'm going to use my large electric skillet so the ingredients have a little more room.

Skillet Ground Beef Stew
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 TBS flour (I actually used 1 TBS cornstarch)
8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tsp Dijon mustard
3 medium Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (I used red)
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 TBS fresh parsley chopped (I omitted this)

Cook beef over medium high heat 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally, until cooked; drain. Stir in salt, pepper and flour. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In small bowl, mix broth, whipping cream & mustard w/ wire whisk. Add to beef mixture. Stir in potatoes and carrots. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover; cook 15 minutes until vegetables are tender and sauce is slightly thickened. If the sauce is too thin, increase high to medium high, uncover and cook another few minutes. Sprinkle w/ parsley.

More Leaves Falling

Yep, it's definitely autumn. I don't think there is any escaping it now. Oh well, time to embrace to the cooler temperatures and everything that comes w/ them. Apple picking, hay rides, pumpkin carving, warm meals and desserts that use "fall" ingredients. This one comes from my cousin Tricia and I can't wait to make it. When she sent it to me, I immediately thought of the "Fried Apples" at Cracker Barrel--one of my favorites! *Note, while the recipe calls for tart apples, Tricia nor I enjoy the flavor of Granny Smith, so we are probably going to use Cortland or Gala*

Baked Applesauce
3 large tart apples peeled and sliced
3 TBS sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla

Place apples in baking dish. Combine sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Sprinkle over apples. Cover and bake @ 350º for 40-45 minutes. Uncover and mash with a fork. Serve warm. *I don't know if I will mash them or not. I think if I leave them in slice form, I will get a closer result to Cracker Barrel's.*

Tonight's Dessert

Fall is in the air, that means let the pumpkin desserts begin! I love pumpkin pie, but I also enjoy finding other ways to use canned pumpkin. Smelling pumpkin spices just screams autumn to me. This recipe comes from my friend Emily, whom I refer to as the "Weight Watchers Queen". She has been following the program for about 10 months and has lost an enormous amount of weight--it truly is inspiring. So feel free to follow the recipe as is, or like me, not pay as much attention to the fat and sugar free...lol. For those that want to know though, the WW count will be included!

Pumpkin Fluff


1 small can pumpkin
1 small box sugar free vanilla instant pudding mix DO NOT MAKE PUDDING
1 cup fat free Cool Whip
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (my pumpkin has spices in it, so I'm not adding this)

Mix all together. Makes 4 servings. Serve w/ extra Cool Whip on top. WW= 1 point

Shared on Gooseberry Patch Sept. 14, 2011
Shared on Everyday Sisters Oct. 2, 2011
Shared on Naptime Creations Oct. 4, 2011
Shared on A Healthy Jalapeno Oct. 19, 2011
Shared on Bacon Time Oct. 26, 2011
Shared on Newlyweds Blog Oct. 27, 2011

Pin It

Meal Plan Ocotber 3- 8

Sunday
Ravioli
Garlic Bread

Monday
Steak
Wild Rice
Peas

Tuesday
Pork Chops
Applesauce
Scalloped Potatoes
Creamed Corn
Wednesday
Skillet Stew (this is a new recipe that will be featured this week)
Rolls


Thursday
Sausage Quiche
Potato Cakes
Sliced Peaches


Friday
Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup (this will also be featured this week)
Rolls



Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Lunchable
Mandarin Oranges
Cinnamon "Goldfish"
Capri Sun

Tuesday
PB&J Sandwich
Mini Club Crackers
Sliced Strawberries
Fruit Roll Up
Regular Milk

Wednesday
Bologna/Cheese Sandwich
Pretzel "Goldfish"
Dananino Yogurt
Animal Crackers
Capri Sun

Thursday
PB Dino Sandwiches
Cheese Square
Yogurt Raisins
Granola Bar
Regular Milk

Friday
Cheese Sandwich
Yogurt Pretzels
Carrots
Fruit Snacks
Capri Sun

I Need A Break

As much as I love cooking and preparing meals for my family, even I need a night off. And I'm not talking about a night off from cooking, b/c I do get those more than a lot of other women out there--at least once a week, sometimes two. No, what I mean is a night off from having to think about it. LOL No "ok, how long does this have to cook", or "if I put this in now, will it be done when the rest of the stuff is". The whole brain overload that comes w/ making a meal sometimes is what I need a break from--a mental health day if you will. So tonight we are going simple. Salad. Yep. That's it. Not just any salad though. Greek Salads. Mmmmmm. There is a restaurant here in Fort Wayne, Triangle Park, that simply has the best Greek Salad I have ever had, so years ago I started to replicate it, and I think I've come pretty close. It's more of an arranged salad, and great to entertain with! But the time of the year when we love it the most, is in the summer b/c it's light even for the heat, but filling enough to satisfy. So if your brain needs a break tonight too, try this one---it won't disappoint!

Greek Salad


Iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 green pepper diced
1 can picked beets- drained and finely chopped
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
1 can kalamata or medium pitted black olives, drained
1 tin anchovies (optional--Adam likes them, I don't)
Small container crumbed feta cheese
Greek salad dressing ( I buy whichever is on sale)

Arrange lettuce in center of dinner plate. Place pineapple, pepper, beets and olives around edge. Top w/ cheese and anchovies, if desired.  (These amounts makes 2 dinner sized salads) Top w/ dressing. Serve w/ crusty rustic bread on the side.

This one is mine--so NO anchovies :)

Pin It

Meal Plan September 26- Oct 2

Sunday
Chili

Monday
Greek Salad
Crescent Rolls

Tuesday
Beef Roast
Loaded Mashed Red Potatoes
Winter Squash

Wednesday
Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
French Fries
Green Beans

Thursday
Steak
Wild Rice
Peas

Friday
We are going to a football game and Alex is eating supper at Maa Ma's house:)


Saturday
We are going to the Apple Festival in Kendalville:)


Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Lunchable Sub Sandwich
Handi Snack
Carrots
Cinnamon "Goldfish"
Regular Milk

Tuesday
Turkey Sandwich
Ants on Logs
PB&J crackers
Dananino Yogurt
Capri Sun

Wednesday
PB&J Dinosaur Sandwiches
Pretzel "Goldfish"
Mandarin Oranges
Animal Crackers
Strawberry Milk

Thursday
Ham Sandwich
PB&J Crackers
Grapes
Fruit Snacks
Capri Sun

Friday
Cheese Sandwich
Saltine Strawberry Snacks
Granola Bar
Vanilla Milk

Welcome Baby Samuel!

Today's post is dedicated to my dear friend Erin, her husband Paul, and big sister Mia Jo b/c Friday they welcomed Samuel Allen into their family. A beautiful bouncing baby boy who is just precious. Mommy and baby are resting well and the whole family is happy as can be. This recipe is for them, b/c Erin originally gave me the base recipe. For years I was looking for a good chili recipe and could never find one we enjoyed. Then about 2 1/2 years ago, Erin made this for us and we knew we had found the one we wanted to eat every time from then on! The only change I made was I substituted ground buffalo for ground beef. Why? B/c we love buffalo and have tons of it in our freezer :-) For those who have never tried buffalo, it's much leaner than beef and has a great flavor. It makes great burgers and can be switched out in any recipe that calls for ground beef. We get ours from a local buffalo farm, but most good butcher shops have it as well. So thank Erin for the awesome recipe and congratulations once again on your amazing son! We are so happy for all of you:)

Buffalo Chili

1 lb ground buffalo ( I prefer this b/c it's leaner and we love the flavor. Ground beef works just as well.)

1 lb mild pork sausage

1 onion chopped fine - extra for garnish

1 large can Brooks Mild Chili Beans (Can be bought at Kroger, Meijer, Walmart)

1-2 large cans tomato juice

garlic powder to taste

chili powder to taste

salt/pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook buffalo, sausage and onion until brown. Drain fat. Put in crock pot. Add beans, spices and tomato juice. Stir until well combined. Cook on high for 2 hours and then low for 4-5. All day really is best. Serve w/ finely chopped onion, cheese, crackers, taco chips, etc.

Shared on Gooseberry Patch Sept. 21, 2011
Shared on Everyday Sisters Oct. 9, 2011
Shared on The Country Cook Oct. 21, 2011

Pin It

Quick Dip??

According to my thermometer, it's 93º outside today, and ironically it is the first day of fall. So, I'm assuming if you are reading this sweating, you think I mean "dip in the pool". Well, as great as that sounds right now while I'm wilting in the shade, it isn't what I'm talking about. I am of course, talking about food! This is a great dip recipe I found on mywoodenspoon.com that I am definitely making for our next party. So quick, so easy and it sounds scrumptious--3 of my requirements. I would serve it w/ corn chips, nacho chips, or potato chips:)

5-Minute Tex Mex Dip
3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 can Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chiles (mild or hot)- undrained
2 cups corn

Mix all ingredients until creamy. Use the whole can of tomatoes plus juice!

DO NOT EAT THIS

Yes, I know how strange to read that on a recipe blog. No, it's not a recipe gone wrong, or some speech about foods that aren't good for you. It is a recipe but for something just a little different. Last spring when my mother in law was in New Smyrna Beach, FL, one of the restaurants offered a hand scrub in their restroom and she just raved about it. She said her hands were so soft and ever since she has been looking for a good one to purchase or a recipe to make one of her own. After looking at different ones on the Internet, I found this one on ehow.com and it sounds like it would be pretty similar, especially with the coconut b/c she said hers had a definite coconut aroma. So we're hoping this helps to heal those dry winter hands we all know are coming!

Sea Salt Hand Scrub
1/2 cup sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS rosemary oil

Mix together until smooth. Use on hands w/ warm water.

Meal Plan September 19-24

Sunday
Walking Tacos (we did not have these a couple weeks ago when they were listed)

Monday
Pork Roast
Stuffing
Applesauce
Sauteed Corn

Tuesday
Angel Hair Pasta w/ Herbs
Breadsticks

Wednesday
My mom is taking Alex to the mall for shopping/supper. I'm not sure what Adam and I will be doing:)

Thursday
Chicken Tenders in Panko
Mashed Potatoes
Noodles

Friday
Pork Egg Rolls
Fried Rice
Sugar Snap Peas


Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
PB&J
Grapes
PB/Cheese Crackers
Yogurt
Capri Sun

Tuesday
Ham Sandwich
Sesame Crackers
Yogurt Covered Pretzels
Carrots
Strawberry Milk

Wednesday
Turkey Sandwich
Saltine/Strawberry Snacks
String Cheese
Fruit Roll Up
Capri Sun

Thursday
Cheese Sandwich
Pretzel "Goldfish"
Granola Bar
Applesauce
Vanilla Milk

Friday
PB Dinosaur Sandwiches
Club Crackers
Mario Fruit Snacks
Yogurt
Capri Sun

Happy Birthday Alex!!!!!!

Yep, my monkey turns 6 today. It's so hard to believe I just said that. I am pretty sure I was just pregnant, we just brought him home from the hospital, and we just celebrated his 1st birthday! He is growing so fast and I'm trying to hold onto each and every second! Last week he came to me and said "Mommy, can you find a recipe for peach cobbler? It can be easy. I know you like easy". Does my boy know me or what??? So, for my little man, here is what I found on Cooks.com for such an easy cobbler, Alex could probably make it himself. I will be making this next week just for him!

Peach Cobbler
1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
2 16 oz. cans sliced peaches in heavy syrup
2 sticks butter

Pour peaches and syrup into a 9x13 baking pan. Cover peaches completely w/ dry cake mix. DO NOT MIX. Cover mix w/ pats of butter. Bake @ 350º until golden brown approx. 25 minutes.

Shared on Simply Delish July 15, 2011
Shared on Gooseberry Patch Sept. 28, 2011

Peach

Meal Plan September 12- 17

Sunday
We actually ate leftovers from Alex's birthday party the day before:)

Monday
Linguine w/ Caper and Green Olives

Tuesday
Breakfast
Eggs
Sausage Links
Toast

Wednesday
Roasted Whole Chicken
Steamed Asparagus
Cranberry Sauce
French Bread

Thursday
Alex's Birthday!!! He has requested to go to Chuckie Cheese:)

Friday
BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
French Fries
Green Beans


Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday
Lunchable Mini Sub
Ants on Logs
Grapes
Cinnamon "Goldfish"
Strawberry Milk

Tuesday
PB&J
Granola Bar
Handi Snack (cheese and cracker sticks)
Danonino Yogurt
Capri Sun

Wednesday
Cheese Sandwich
Pretzel "Goldfish"
Banana
Yogurt Raisins
Regular Milk

Thursday
Ham Sandwich
PB/Cheese Crackers
Danonino Yogurt
Animal Crackers
Capri Sun

Friday
PB Dino Sandwiches
Applesauce
Club Crackers
Fruit Roll Up
Vanilla Milk

In My Other Life

Just a couple weeks ago I was telling my sister in law that I must have been Italian in my previous life, b/c there are not many things I could eat every single day and tire of, but pasta is the one. I love it. It makes me feel so good when I eat it. I have no idea why, I know it isn't the best thing for me, but I could seriously find a different one to make each night and be totally content. This is one I found on the internet when searching for "pantry" items to use. I like to find recipes that include ingredients I most always have on hand, and this definitely fit the bill.

Linguine with Olives and Capers

1 TBS olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 26 oz jar marinara sauce (or homemade)
1 6.75 oz jar green olives, drained and chopped
1 3/5 oz jar capers, drained and chopped
1 # box linguine

Heat olive oil and garlic in large sauce pan over medium heat 2 minutes. Add marinara, olives and capers. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

Cook pasta and drain. Add 1/2 sauce and mix. Serve in portions w/ rest of sauce on top.

Oink Oink

We love meat. There I said it. We love beef, pork, chicken, fish, all of it. I've said before how my husband tires of chicken, so I try not to cook at as much as I would like, but pork is one thing we can both agree on. We love pork chops, pork roast, pulled pork, if it comes from a pig, we'll eat it. This recipe was one I found online, and I apologize I can't remember the site, when I had bone in pork chops I needed to use. Most of the time we use boneless sirloin pork chops, but these looked really good at the butcher shop one day, so we got them. I am not a big fan of breaded pork chops baked in the oven, so when I can upon this technique instead I was excited to try it. They are amazing. Moist, flavorful and absolutely easy as can be.

Baked Pork Chops

4 bone in pork chops

4 TBS yellow mustard (can use more to taste)

Italian Seasoning

Put chops on a baking sheet. Spread 1 TBS (or more) mustard on each. Sprinkle w/ seasoning. Bake in a preheated oven @ 350º for 1 hour.

Sorry For The Delay

I apologize for not having this week's meal plan posted on Sunday. Not only was it a holiday weekend, but Adam's family reunion was Saturday and Sunday topped off w/ his youngest brother getting married lakeside on Sunday. Needless to say, we were super busy. But I haven't forgotten, and am back on track. A special note though, there are a couple meals that will be repeats from the last 2 weeks. No, I'm not feeding my family the same thing again, that soon, both are actually just now being used b/c my husband was kind enough to bring supper home those nights so I didn't have to cook (woo hoo). Hope everyone had a great Labor Day, and has a fabulous week!

Meal Plan

Sunday

We actually were at the wedding, so no meal needed:)

Monday

Hot Dogs

Ranch Pasta Salad

Sliced Cucumbers and Tomatoes

Tuesday

Steak

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Baby Butter Beans

Wednesday (Alex's Meal)

Fish Sticks

Macaroni and Cheese

Broccoli

Thursday

Vegetable Soup

Friday

Pork Chops

Red Potatoes

Parsnips

Alex's Lunch Plan

Monday

No School

Tuesday

Lunchable

Yogurt Raisins

Fruit Roll Up

Capri Sun

Wednesday

1/2 Bologna Sandwich

Raspberries

Peanut Butter/Cheese Crackers

Granola Bar

Vanilla Milk

Thursday

Peanut Butter Dinosaur Sandwiches

Pretzel "Goldfish"

Danonino Yogurt

Grapes

Capri Sun

Friday

Cheese Sandwich

Carrots

Applesauce

Animal Crackers

Regular Milk

Sweet As Candy

When I was younger, I hated cooked carrots. The only time I would eat them is if my dad would take the time to "candy" them. But that was saved for special occasions, so it was a special treat. Well, I have passed that preference on to my husband, who had never had them until I came along, and to my son, b/c let's face it, a kid will eat any veggie that includes butter and sugar! Depending on the type of carrot you are using, you can do this a couple different ways, but in the end it doesn't matter b/c they are delicious!

Candied Carrots

2 cans sliced carrots

2 TBS butter, diced

3 TBS brown sugar (may need a little more)

Preheat oven to 350. Drain carrots and put in casserole dish. Dot w/ butter and sprinkle w/ sugar. Bake for 30 minutes. (You can also microwave for 5-7 minutes if in a hurry)

*NOTE* You can also use fresh or frozen carrots. For fresh, it's best to boil for a few minutes before baking. If frozen, just put in colander in the sink all day and allow to thaw.

Shared on Everyday Sisters Oct. 30, 2011

September Brings Soup

So I didn't know what recipe to post today, so I wasn't going to. Then I looked at the weather and saw that it's only supposed to be 65º here in Fort Wayne on Saturday and that made me think of fall. Then I was going through my recipes trying to find suppers for next week and I came across one of my favorite soups and I thought, "Well, I guess it would be okay to make soup since it's cooling down". So I wrote it down and started to get excited. Then I saw the extended forecast that showed me by Monday it's going to be back up to 80º. Oh well. I planned it. I wrote it down. We're eating it. LOL Besides, it is cooked in the crock pot, so at least it won't heat up the house:)

Crock Pot Vegetable Beef Soup
1 lb. round steak, diced into small chunks

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 beef bouillon cubes (extra may be needed)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 cups water

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed veggies

Place all ingredients in crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours. Then low for 2 additional hours.

Shared on Gooseberry Patch Feb. 22, 2012

Soups at Very Good Recipes
Pin It

Monday Night Tip

For those of you that read the meal plan (yesterday's post) you saw that I am making grilled ham steaks tonight. Sometimes I will just grill them "plain", sometimes I will add a little olive oil for taste and sometimes I will glaze them for extra flavor. Tonight is a glaze night:) I came across an awesome site, cookingnook.com (I've never used this site before, but after today i it is bookmarked) that had all different types of glazes to use on ham, and it had exactly what I was looking for. Something easy that I could make from things I have in my pantry. So I will be making the first one listed, but there are many to choose from, so maybe you can find one that suits your tastes; and know I will be trying a different one next time!

Honey and Brown Sugar Ham Glaze

2/3 cup brown sugar

3 TBS honey

1 TBS prepared mustard

Orange Glaze

1 cup orange juice

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 TBS Dijon mustard

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp. soy sauce

Baked Ham Maple Glaze

1 TBS mustard

2/3 cup real maple syrup

Brown Sugar Glaze

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder

3/4 tsp ground cloves

Marmalade Glaze

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 TBS flour

add enough pineapple juice to create a thick paste

Pineapple Glaze

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup well drained crushed pineapple

Ginger Glaze

1 tsp dry ginger

1 tsp dry mustard

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

canned pear or peach syrup to make a thick paste

1 tsp lemon juice

Chili Glaze

1/2 cup thick chili sauce

1/4 cup corn syrup

For all glazes above, just mix ingredients together and brush ham. Use extra glaze to baste with.

Mustard and Red Currant Glaze

1/3 cup mustard

1 cup red currant jelly

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 TBS oil

2 TBS soy sauce

Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Stir and warm over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until jelly has melted.

This Week's Meals

Last week's posting of my meal plan had a really great response, so it will now be a weakly feature. But along w/ it, I thought I would also post Alex's weekly lunch plan. He asked if we could sit down every weekend and figure out what he will be packing in his lunch every day--and w/ Mommy being all about organization, that was okay w/ me! If there are any questions about any recipes, methods, meals. etc, don't hesitate to comment and I'll help wherever I can!

Menu Plan

Sunday

Tomato Soup

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Alex isn't feeling well, so this meal is for him)

Monday

Grilled Ham Steaks

Stuffing

Winter Squash

Applesauce

Tuesday

Mini "meatloaf" meatballs

Scalloped Potaotes

Candied Carrots

Wednesday

Grilled Chicken Wings (marinade or rub to be chosen later)

Baked Potatoes

Corn

Thursday

Shell macaroni in homemade Mushroom Cream Sauce

Friday

Walking Tacos

Alex's Lunch Plan

*Note Alex takes a Capri Sun Roarin Waters or Horizon Organic Milk each day to drink*

Monday

Ham Lunchable

Tuxedo Olives

Granola Bar

Tuesday

Cheese Sandwich

Pretzel "Goldfish" crackers

Mini carrots

Fruit Roll Up

Wednesday

PB & J Dinosaur Sandwiches

Cheese/PB crackers

Danonino yogurt

Grapes

Thursday

Bologna Sandwich

Saltine/Strawberry "sandwiches"

Mini Banana

Cinnamon "Goldfish" crackers

Friday

Peanut Butter Dinosaur Sandwiches

Yogurt Raisins

Grapes

Animal Crackers

Channeling Jamie Oliver

This past spring I was addicted to ABC's "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution". Each week I watched Jamie fighting for the nutrition and health of the residents of Huntington, WV starting w/ the food served inside their schools' cafeterias. It was sometimes appalling to see what these kids (and other kids across America) are eating every day; and are considered "healthy" by the school nutrition officials. Jamie has revamped the school lunch program in England so much so that he felt that he could bring the same help, ideas and knowledge to the citizens of Huntington. And while met w/ resistance at first, by the end of the series, Jamie had convinced a lot of people that schools need to change the way they are feeding their children and many many people stood up next to him demanding better. I don't know if I would have thought about Alex's school lunch as much as I do know w/o watching Jamie and his revolution. I've seen the menu for Alex's school and while I know they are trying, I can see many things that could use improvement if some of Jamie's ideas were implemented. But until that happens, I will continue to pack my little guy's lunch every day w/ healthy, delicious and fun things that I can be proud to say I'm feeding him.

Nutty Pretzel Wands

Spread peanut butter on top few inches of pretzel rods. Roll in chopped peanuts and/or dried fruit.

Fruit Dip

Mix 1 cup low fat sour cream and 2 TBS each brown sugar and lime juice. Sprinkle w/ cinnamon sugar. Thread fruit onto skewers (pineapple, grapes, strawberries); serve w/ dip.