Meal Planning

Sunday- Artichokes and Healthified Fettuccine Alfredo
Monday- Skillet Lasgana from Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner
Tuesday- Cranberry Glazed Chicken
Wednesday- Breakfast for dinner
Thrusday- Leftovers
Friday- Homemade pizza

I'll come back and share how we like the Healthified Fettuccine Alfredo and the Skillet Lasgana as I've not made either of them before.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

So since everyone is asking me how I do these and the recipe keeps getting lost on Facebook I'll post it here!

I make my stuffed bell peppers in the crockpot. It makes my life easier and is a fast and easy dinner for nights when I have stuff I need to get done. We are actually having them tomorrow because I need to get the house clean before T and S come and visit for the weekend.

Obviously you'll need a crockpot if you plan to do it that way. Otherwise this dish works just great in a casserole dish in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins to an hour.

4 bell peppers of any color. I generally use a variety of green red and yellow.
Half a pound or so of ground beef or turkey uncooked.
A large can of tomato sauce.
Bread crumbs and brown minute rice to your liking. I like a lot of rice in ours because it makes it heartier without extra meat.
You can add whatever else sounds good. For the ones for tomorrow I added chopped white onion and drained canned corn.

Mix all of your ingredients together. Don't use all of your sauce just about a third to a half of the can you need the rest later. Stuff your peppers and cover the tops with remaining sauce and pour some on the bottom of the dish too.

If you prep the night before cover and place in the fridge. I generally take mine out at lunch and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or so. If you cook much longer they get a little soft but are still yummy!!!

Enjoy!

oh and the recipe is adapted from my Mom and my grandma!

Recipes I want to try

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/07/skillet-summer-vegetable-lasagna.html

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/05/grilled-island-chicken-2.html

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/04/honey-lime-fruit-salad.html

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/06/mediterranean-pasta-salad.html

Meal Planning

Monday- http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/my-favorite-meatloaf/ and mashed potatoes and green beans.
Tuesday- Swedish Meatballs, and green beans and bread
Wednesday- leftovers
Thursday- Sour Cream Noodle Bake
Friday- burgers, corn and beans
Saturday- Steak, corn on the cob, beans, and potato salad

Menu Planning

Trying to get back in the groove of planning our meals before hand.

Sunday: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/02/spinach-lasagna-rolls.html with salad and bread
Monday: Artichokes and pasta
Tuesday: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spicy-honey-brushed-chicken-thighs-10000001591042/ with roasted potatoes and salad.
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Tacos

Recipies I want to Try

Slow Cooker Chicken with Rosemary, Apples and Onions

Garlic-Lime Chicken with Olives

Healthified Cheesy Potato Chowder

Italian Bulgur Meatballs with Spaghetti SquashCreamy

Chicken and Rice

Healthified Beef and Noodle Layered Casserole

Meal Planning

Okay I'm back on the meal planning wagon! I hate that we have been eating out more lately, so back to healthy at home meals, 2 weeks at a time.

Sunday- Quesadilla Casserole from McCormick Recipe Inspirations
Monday- Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup
Tuesday- Breakfast for Dinner
Wednesday- Creamy One-Pot Pasta
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- E fends for himself, A out with friends

Sunday- Corn and Bacon Chowder
Monday- Crock pot Lasagna
Tuesday- Breakfast for Dinner
Wednesday- Deer Steaks, bake potatoes, green beans
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- Dad and Kids visit

Persimmon Cookies

This is my Mom's recipe. Be warned it makes 9 DOZEN cookies if you use the full recipe. If you do this use a HUGE bowl, it will not fit in a Kitchen Aid Mixer. I halved the recipe tonight and it turned out just fine!

2 cups shorting
4 cups brown sugar
4 cups persimmon pulp( I do this in the blender, make sure you remove the skin)
4 eggs
8 cups flour( add a cup at a time)
4 tsp. baking soda
1 cup raisins
dash of salt

Bake at 375* for 10-12 minutes.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

Makes 18 Muffins

2 1/2 Cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 cup Libby's Solid Pack Pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups peeled, finely chopped apples
Streusel Topping

Streusel Topping: In small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Cut in 4 teaspoons butter, until mixture is crumbly.

In large bowl, combine first five ingredients: set aside. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into grease or paper lined muffin cups. Sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter. Bake in preheated 350* oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

For cake adjust baking time until toothpick comes out clean.

Source: Libby's Pumpkin

Pumpkin Pancakes with Cinnamon Brown Butter

E and I just had these for dinner. They are so filling and super yummy!

Cinnamon Butter
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans toasted( I omitted these because I thought it was a lot to have in the sauce/butter)

Pancakes
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

In a small saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat, stir in pecans.

In a small bowl combine flour, brown, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, and cheese. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Drop the batter by 1.4 cupfuls onto a greased hot griddle; trun when bubbles form on top. Cook until the second side is golden brown. Serve with brown butter.


Source: 2011 Taste of Home Annual Recipes.

Meal Planning

Saturday- Corn Chowder and homemade bread.
Sunday- leftovers
Monday- Candy Apple Glazed Chicken, Rice, Asparagus
Tuesday- Sloppy Joes, tater tots, green beans
Wednesday- Steak, roasted potatoes, green beans
Thursday- leftovers

Meal Planning

Sunday: Tacos
Monday: Some sort of quiche, I haven't decided what type yet.
Tuesday: Steak for E, roasted red potatoes, corn.
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Candy Apple glazed chicken, asparagus and rice
Friday: Going to Dad's.

Meal Planning

Well this week is my second week of working 3 days a week and going to school the other two. Its fun and I'm loving my job it just means planning things I can make and put in the fridge during my lunch break and then cook when I get home. I'm going to try that this week and see how it works.

Monday-Lasagna, green beans, garlic bread
Tuesday- Mini meatloaves, mashed potatoes, green beans.
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday-Cranberry Glazed Chicken , white rice, asparagus.
Friday- Homemade pizza
Saturday- Enchiladas, Spanish rice.

Lasagna

Lasagna

1 package no boil lasagna noodles

1 jar spaghetti sauce (whatever type you like)

1 lbs ground beef or turkey browned fat drained.

1 16oz container part skim ricotta cheese

4-8 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl mix together cooked meat, sauce, and ricotta cheese, place small amount of mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish cover with noodles, place more mixture onto of noodles and then place cheese. Continue to layer in this manner until the pan is full. Make sure you place cheese over the top. Add 1 cup water to the pan and cover with foil, bake at 350 for 1 hour covered or until bubbly.

Note that this can also be done in the crockpot, with the same recipe. Cook on low for about 4 hours.

Meal ideas

E is wanting more beef in his diet, I'm not a big beef eater but I'm going to try. Here are some ideas that I am coming up with.
http://annies-eats.com/2009/08/20/beef-stroganoff/
http://annies-eats.com/2008/10/28/beef-stew/
http://annies-eats.com/2008/09/16/beef-wellington/
http://annies-eats.com/2008/03/13/mmmm-pot-roast/
http://annies-eats.com/2010/03/17/island-spice-pork-tenderloin/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/07/16-minute-meal-3-mini-meatball-sandwiches/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/04/sloppy-joes/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/03/bbq-meatballs-comfort-food-to-the-max/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/fried-round-steak/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/09/grilled-ribeye-steak-with-onion-blue-cheese-sauce/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/2008_the_year_of_the_pot_roast/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/01/marinated-flank-steak-part-one/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/01/marinated-flank-steak-part-2-come-to-mama/
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/marlboro_mans_f/
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/08/crockpot-3-packet-pot-roast-recipe.html
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/02/crockpot-barbecue-beef-ribs.html
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/01/crockpot-barbecued-pulled-pork-recipe.html

Meal planning

So I thought since I will be alone this weekend, I'll get a head start on my meal planning for the next two weeks. It saves us money for me to do it this way and all around its easier.

Week one: August 22- August 28
Sunday- Sloppy Joes, squash
Monday- enchiladas
Tuesday- Bow-tie Lasagna , squash, garlic bread
Wednesday- leftovers
Thursday-breakfast for dinner
Friday- Homemade pizza
Saturday-leftovers

Week two: August 29- September 4
Sunday- breakfast for dinner
Monday- Tacos
Tuesday- Mac and Cheese, squash, bread ( easy night because I am reheating the mac and cheese I have frozen)
Wednesday- toastadas with leftover meat from Monday
Thursday- leftovers.
Friday and Saturday we will be gone.

String Pie

If you love spaghetti and you love lasagna you will love String Pie!

1/2 package or more spaghetti noodles
1 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 white onion chopped
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 container cottage cheese
grated parm cheese
butter
grated moz. cheese

In pan brown meat with onions. In salted or oiled water cook your noodles. Drain fat off of meat mixture and combine with sauce in separate bowl, set aside. Drain water from noodles, mix in small amount of butter and parm cheese, pour into bottom of square or 9x13 glass baking dish. Pour cottage cheese evenly over the top of noodle mixture, over that pour meat mixture. Over meat mixture spread the grated moz cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted and you can see bubbles.
Enjoy!

*this recipe comes from a family friend, Tammy Myers. *

Hot Crash Potatoes

This recipe is from Pioneer Woman. I had heard all sorts of raves about it, so I decided to try it. Oh man its amazing! If you are a potato lover like I am you will love this recipe. E loves them as well.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

My only adaption to the recipe is I use Yukon Gold or little yellow potatoes instead of reds. E and I like the buttery taste of Yukon Gold's better and I personally think they handle this cooking method better.

Enjoy!

Meal Planning

Sunday- leftovers
Monday- Garlicy Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon with Rosemary Potatoes and green beans
Tuesday- Pasta with pesto and bread
Wednesday- Tater Tot Casserole
Thursday- leftovers
Friday- dinner out

Aunt Gracie's Cake

This is a recipe from my husband's family. We are not exactly sure who Aunt Gracie is or how long this recipe has been around but my Mother-in-Law and my husband's Aunt rave over it. I tried it out today. Its amazing. It calls for red food coloring which makes the cake pink but I'm sure you could use whatever color you wanted.

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

3 eggs

1 cup butter

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp red food coloring ( you could use what ever you want its just want the recipe says)

Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and food coloring together. Add remaining ingredients. Bake in a bunt pan(greased) for about 75 minutes at 325.

Serve plain, with butter frosting or a glaze. I'm doing a glaze. The cake is light and fluffy.