Feasting Fun

Menu Monday

2012-01-23T16:51:00.000-05:00

Long time no posting here on Feasting Fun. Don't worry, I'm still enjoying feasting with my family, we're just a bit busy right now, so I felt like something had to go--this was it!Here's a little something though:Menu Monday:Monday: Meatloaf, Baked Hasselback Potatoes, Rolls, and peasTuesday: Chicken EnchiladasWednesday: Breakfast for dinner: waffles, eggs, and baconThursday: LeftoversFriday: Chicken Ring, veggies, applesauceSaturday: @ a friend from church's houseThe Hasselback Potatoes are a pinterest find. I'll let you know how they turn out. They sure look yummy! :)

Christmas Goodies 2012

2011-12-19T10:29:00.000-05:00

This year on the Christmas baking agenda we have, drum roll please:Sugar CookiesGingerbread CookiesChocolate FudgePeanut Butter FudgePretzel TreatsOreo TrufflesFor pics of a few of these, check out last year's post. If I get all of the above done and am not feeling too crazy, I might try to make these peppermint treats again. They're last on the list b/c my hubs doesn't really like peppermint, but it is one of my favorites! :)

Zucchini Bread

2011-08-08T12:52:00.002-04:00

Zucchini Bread

3 oz cream cheese, softened
3 T vegetable oil
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1 c shredded, unpeeled zucchini
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c raisins (opt.)

Preaheat over to 350.
Beat together cream cheese, oil, and sugar.
Add eggs, on at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is light.
Stir in the zucchini and lemon rind.
Sift flour with baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and fold into batter gently.
Turn batter into a loaf pan and bake approximately 1 hr. 15 min.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

From Shari Vine

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-08-08T12:51:00.000-04:00

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 - 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I usually use the 1/2 cup of coarse - you can never have too much chocolate :)).

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until done.
Makes 12 muffins.
I usually double the batch since they go so fast. They freeze well, too.

From Aimee Wallis

Zucchini, Zucchini, Zucchini

2011-08-08T12:50:00.002-04:00

When a sweet friend from church gave us a couple zucchini and I didn't have any go to recipes, I went to facebook and posted my problem. The result: MANY recipes from other sweet friends!

So far, I've tried two and I will post them here because they got rave reviews from friends and family. As I try the other recipes, I'll post the ones we like as well. For now, here are the two that have become favs here:

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

Zucchini Bread

Enjoy!

French Toast Bake

2011-06-12T14:38:00.000-04:00

French Toast is my favorite breakfast food, so I'm excited about trying this one!

French Toast Bake

Ingredients:
12 slices of day old French bread
5 eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk
1 c. packed brown sugar (divided)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. butter melted

1. Arrange bread in a grease 9x13 pan
2. In a bowl, combine eggs, milk, 3/4 c. brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, pour over bread
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours)
4. Combine butter and remaining brown sugar and drizzle overtop.
5. Bake uncovered @ 400 for 25-35 minutes.

Brunch Enchilladas

2011-06-12T14:33:00.000-04:00

We're having breakfast for dinner after our evening service tonight. Here's what's on the menu:
Brunch Enchilladas and French Toast Bake (that recipe and pics of each will follow shortly).

Brunch Enchilladas
Ingredients:
1 lb. sausage cooked
1/2 c. chopped green onions
10 flour tortillas (8 inch)
2 cups shredded cheddar divided
1 Tsp. flour
2 c. milk
6 eggs beaten
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Grease a 9x13 baking dish
2. Cook sausage, then combine it with the chopped onions
3. Place about 1/3 cup of the mixture in a line down the center of a tortilla shell
4. Sprinkle cheese on top of the meat mixture, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish.
5. In a bowl, combine flour, milk, egss and salt.
6. Pour over the tortillas and refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours)
7. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat oven to 350
8. Bake covered for 30-35 minutes, uncover and bake for 10 more minutes.
9. Sprinkle cheese over top and bake for 3-5 more minutes.

4 Cheese Quiche

2011-06-02T11:45:00.001-04:00

My mother in law made this for a cousin's bridal shower and it was delicious. I have only made it once, but it was equally delicious and pretty simple. If you're looking for a yummy quiche recipe, look no further. If you're looking for healthy, you might want to look elsewhere! ;)

4 Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:
1 pie shell
4 large eggs
1 Tbs flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
½ c. grated mozzarella cheese
½ c. grated Swiss cheese
½ c. grated parmesan cheese
8 slices of cooked bacon

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Put pie shell in a deep pie dish
3. Put meat and cheese in the pie shell
4. Mix the remaining ingredients (eggs, flour, and seasonings) together and pour over meat and cheeses
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

update/Christmas Goodies

2010-12-17T20:10:00.005-05:00

Our family has welcomed a new addition. That's right, I had our third boy just days before Thanksgiving. He's been a joy--besides those middle of the night times! ;) Thankfully, he's still in that teeny-tiny-sleeps-a-lot-of-the-time mode, so I've been able to make some goodies with the kiddos. Here's our Christmas goody menu:
Cut-out cookies

Gingerbread cookies

pretzel/rolo treats

Oreo truffles

Kool-Aid Cookies

2010-06-01T15:00:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I read a book from start to finish--mostly during naptime, but a little bit after the kids were in bed for the night. It the latests from a fun series by Joanne Fluke, the Hannah Swensen Mysteries. Each book in the series has a handful of recipes sprinkled throughout the book, since the main character, Hannah, is the owner of a cookie shop. I've collected several of these books and checked the rest out from our local library. If you're looking for a fun read with a mysterious twist, I'd definitely recommend this series. This book, Apple Turnover Murder, had several recipes that I'm hoping to try. Today, I tried a fun cookie recipe, they call them Watermelon Cookies, but I'm adapting them. The watermelon flavor that the title they use refers to comes from Kool-Aid and I only had one packet of Kool-Aid on hand--Strawberry Kiwi. I plan to try these again with various flavors of Kool-Aid, so I decided to change the name. :) Here's their recipe, then I add a few comments at the end.

Kool-Aid Cookies (Watermelon Cookies)

Ingredients:

1 package (.17 oz) of Kool-Aid powder (the kind w/out the sugar added)
1 and 2/3 cup white sugar
1 and 1/4 cups softened butter (2 and 1/4 sticks)
2 large eggs, beaten (w/ a fork is fine)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
3 cups of all-purpose flour (pack it down when you measure it)

1/2 cup white sugar in a bowl

1. Mix the Kool-Aid with the white sugar
2. Add the softened butter and mix until it's fluffy
3. Add the eggs and mix well
4. Mix in the salt and baking soda and make sure they're well incorporated
5. Add the flour in half cup increments, mixing after each addition
6. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray or use parchment paper
*7. Roll dough balls one inch in diameter using your hands (or a cookie scoop about 2 tsp. size works well)
8. Roll the dough balls in the white sugar and place them on baking sheet
9. Bake at 325F for 10-12 minutes or until they're just beginning to turn golden around the edges--you don't want to overbake.
10. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 1-3 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Yields approx. 6 dozen cookies

* These can be made into cutout cookies at this step.

Just a couple notes:
~ I left mine on the cookie sheet to cool and they were fine.
~ I like my Kool-Aid a little strong and think these might be even better (although they are good, don't misunderstand!) if they had just a bit more of the Kool-Aid mix. Next time, I'm thinking of halving the recipe (6 dozen cookies is a lot!) but adding more than half of the Kool-Aid packet. I'll let you know how it turns out. :)

Recipe adapted from Joanne Fluke's Apple Turnover Murder, check her out at www.MurderSheBaked.com

Menu Monday...err, Tuesday!

2010-06-01T08:59:00.003-04:00

Whoa, has it really been nearly 3 months since I updated this thing? Yikes! You can see where blogging has been on my priorities lately. Just an update, in case you didn't already know, I'm pregnant with baby #3--due just before Thanksgiving. So there really hasn't been a ton of cooking around these parts! I am loving the grill though--so tasty and the clean up is pretty easy, too!
Here's a look at our menu for the week:
Monday: hamburgers on the grill, watermelon, baked beans
Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs, homemade bread, salad
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: brats, potato salad, baked beans, chips
Friday: pizza
Saturday: Tacos, cheesey rice, salad
Sunday: leftovers

Menu--Request and Dedication :)

2010-02-22T17:03:00.004-05:00

This one is for my sweet friend, Nancy. Nancy lived down the street from me until last Friday. She told me on Thursday that she really wanted me to keep updating the blog, so at her request, I dedicate this update to her! ;)

It's a light week b/c we're traveling to visit my in-laws and grandparents this weekend, but here it is:
Monday: Chicken Spaghetti (from a freezer meal swap)
Tuesday: BBQ pork sandwiches from the Boston Butt Recipe
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Sticky Chicken, rice, rolls and veggies
Friday-Sunday: travel

Menu Monday

2010-02-08T17:25:00.004-05:00

Hello...I'm back, at least today! Here's what we're serving up at our house this week--that is if everyone gets healthy and decides to eat:

Monday: Curry Chicken and Broccoli w/ rice
Tuesday: Manicotti w/ salad and garlic bread
Wednesday: leftover night
Thursday: Breakfast-waffles, eggs, and bacon
Friday: Pizza, salad and corn
Saturday: Parmesan Chicken w/ Spaghetti
Sunday: leftovers (if I don't schedule two leftover nights, we waste food!)

White Chicken Chili

2010-02-08T17:16:00.004-05:00

This recipe comes from one of my favorite people in the whole world, Tina G. She got it from another friend, who probably got it from another friend--I love that about recipes! :) This recipe freezes wonderfully!

White Chicken Chili

*This recipe makes enough for you to serve your family for dinner and freeze the other half...or have LOTS of leftovers!! :-)

1 Can Family Size Chicken & Rice Soup
1 can kidney beans—rinsed/drained
1 can black beans—not rinsed if you like a little extra flavor ;-)
1 can Rotel Tomatoes and Green Chilis, any “heat” variety...I use “Original”
1 can sweet yellow corn, undrained
1 tsp. Cumin
3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed OR 1 large can of chunk chicken

Directions: Cook and cube chicken, if necessary. Dump all ingredients into pot, add ½ “family-size soup can” of water. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Best served with corn chips, a few spoonfuls of shredded “Mexican blend” cheese, and a little dollup of sour cream :-)

Freezer Meal Swap

2010-01-30T13:48:00.004-05:00

Last week, a few friends and I swapped meals for the third time. If you haven't heard of a freezer meal swap or have heard but are skeptical, I say keep reading. Whoever thought of this idea is brilliant and I want to hug them. :) I spend one day cooking for several hours and come away with 6 meals that I've prepared. I freeze one for myself and take the other five to our swap. I come home with five different frozen meals. My family has tried recipes that I probably wouldn't have thought of or tried. And on those days when I know I'm going to be running here and there, I can relax and know we'll still be eating a home-cooked quality meal with next to no effort of my part. It's wonderful. We're currently trying to add two more people to our swap so that we can have 8 meals frozen. By the way, I don't have an extra freezer or even a large freezer. We have a side-by-side fridge/freezer and it still works. :)
Also, we communicate back and forth via facebook email about what we're going to make and the recipes and instructions for reheating.
I'll list the names of a few that we've tried that have frozen well and if you're interested, I'll try to post the recipes soon--just comment and ask for them and I'll gladly do that! :)

Freezer Meal Swap Recipes:
Beef and Bean Burritos
Honey Glazed Pork Chops
Spaghetti Pie
White Chicken Chili
Taco Soup
Vegetable Beef Soup
Manicotti
Turkey/Chicken Pot Pie
Cheesey Chicken Strips
Chicken Quiche
Sloppy Joes
Baked Ziti
Spanish Rice Bake
Meatballs

I think there's more, but that's a start! Also, Terra has some great freezer meal recipes on her site. Check it out! :)

Boston Butt

2009-11-30T16:09:00.004-05:00

Yep, that's actually the name of the BBQ pork recipe my friend Kendra gave me. It's the type of pork roast you're supposed to use. I've made it twice now and it's delicious. The picture is before you shred (actually it falls apart) the meat, but it's all I've got right now! Without further ado:

Boston Butt
Ingredients:
3-4 lbs Boston Butt
1/2 can Coke at room temp
black pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
brown sugar
salt
worcestershire sauce
liquid smoke

Sauce ingredients:
(double if needed)
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 sugar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
juice of one lemon

To cook:
Trim excess fat from butt. Season bottom moderately with all ingredients except the Coke. Put in crock pot and pour Coke over. Season top of butt with all ingredients. Cook on LOW for 12 hours.

When done, it will be very hot! Transfer meat over to a dish to cool. Once cool, remove all fat and connective tissue. Put meat back into clean crock pot and add BBQ sauce (instructions to follow) and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Stir occassionally. Enjoy.

yuck

2009-11-03T11:12:00.002-05:00

That's how I've been feeling lately. The past three weeks have been filled with sickness at our house. It started with the kids and worked it's way to my husband and I. Everyone else kicked that nasty virus, but unfortunately, mine turned into bronchitis. Also, my camera was broken for a few weeks, and since I have been told that the pics add so much to the recipes, I had been delaying posting a couple of great recipes. So...once again, I'm apologizing for my absence. I do have some updates--I did the freezer meal swap and loved it. I'm hoping to have a whole post about it this week. Also, I've gotten some new recipes that I plan to try and then share soon. Tomorrow, I'm making this bbq shredded pork recipe that I've made once before and loved--pics and the recipe by the end of the week! :)

AWOL

2009-10-02T12:40:00.003-04:00

So, I know I've been absent for a while, but in the meantime I've painted several rooms in my house, completely reorganized the kids toys, and gone to visit my grandparents and extended family in A-town and taken the kids to the fair. :) But enough excuses...tomorrow, I'm getting together with some friends in Cedarville to plan a freezer meal swap. If you've never heard of one, basically, each person makes enough of a recipe (or two) for each family that's participating and then you bring the food together and swap. So you cook a large quantity of food on one day and end up with 4-12 (depending on how many are in your group) meals to freeze and pull out later. I've never done a meal swap before, but I'm really looking forward to it. I mean, what's not to like about having lots of meals already made in your freezer?? :) I plan to post pics and recipes from our experience to let you know how it goes. Maybe some of you want to try this yourselves? Or maybe some of you have done it already? If you have, I'd love to know what has worked well for you and even what hasn't worked well. Thanks!!
:)
Heather

new recipes

2009-10-01T16:19:00.001-04:00

A few new recipes are coming soon:
Sesame Stir Fry (adapted from the Pioneer Woman)
and
Mexically Pie
be on the look out! :)

Menu?!

2009-09-16T16:29:00.003-04:00

After having my mom visit, followed by my whole family, I got a bit caught up with some projects around here--including painting our bedroom! However, in the meantime, I let everything else go by the wayside. Here's a glimpse of our menu for the week...better late than never, right?

Monday: Pizza
Tuesday: Roasted Chicken w/ potatoes and carrots
Wednesday: leftovers (church night!)
Thursday: Sweet and Sour Pork
Friday: Taco Casserole (recipe and pics to come)

Oops!

2009-08-26T17:17:00.003-04:00

I just realized that I never posted our menu for this week. Monday, the day I typically post the menu, was extremely chaotic--quick summary: groceries, call from my hubbs saying he was being taken by ambulance to the ER, quickly lining up childcare for my kids, zooming to the ER, hanging out there for a while, taking my dehydrated and sinus infected husband home, back to grocery store to get Rx, then home to take care of all three of my boys! CRAZY! Anyway, he's on the mend, but now my littlest one (almost 2) seems to have a cold or virus of some sort...like I said, CRAZY week! But enough about that, let's get back to the menu:

Monday: Chicken Ring
Tuesday: Meatloaf
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Raspberry Balsamic Chicken (it keeps getting pushed to the back burner, but I really want to make it, it's SO yummy!)
Friday: Brats (hubbs fav)
Saturday: Church picnic
Sunday: Shredded Pork Sandwiches--great recipe to come!

The Menu

2009-08-18T09:46:00.003-04:00

After a busy weekend, I'm a little late posting this, but...better late than never, right? With soccer on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the meals need to be quick and easy, so...here's the quick and easy for this week:

Monday: leftovers--we had so much leftover from last week!
Tuesday: Beer Chicken Fajitas
Wednesday: Meatball Subs--using the other half of the meatballs from last weeks spag and meatballs that I stuck in the freezer!
Thursday: French Toast, sausage links, and scrambled eggs (at the request of the birthday boy)
Friday: Raspberry Balsamic Chicken

Chicken Popovers

2009-08-12T14:23:00.003-04:00

At the request of my dear friend and neighbor, Nancy, I'm sharing the recipe for chicken popovers. I had these for the first time when we visited my sis-in-law in Michigan over a year ago. She made them in front of me and I immediately got the recipe. Since then, I've made them at least 7 or 8 times and lost the recipe, but I can pretty much wing it. Here's the basics:

Chicken Popovers

Ingredients:
2 tubes of pilsbury crescent rolls
1 lb (or a little more) of chicken, cooked and cubed
4 oz (half a block) of cream cheese, softened/at room temp
1/4 cup of butter, softened/at room temp
couple shakes of garlic powder
couple shakes of onion powder/flakes
1/2 tsp of salt
approx. 35-40 garlic croutons

1. Cook and cube chicken, then preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and seasonings, then add chicken and stir until well mixed
3. On a baking sheet, lay out two crescent roll triangle and press the seams together making a rectangle.
4. Spoon a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture and seal the crescent roll around the mixture.
5. Repeat until all the crescents and mixture are gone--should make 8 popovers
6. Press 4-5 croutons onto the top of the popovers and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

What's for Dinner

2009-08-09T14:45:00.003-04:00

Due to various members of my family being sick--including but not limited to me--a couple of the recipes I had planned to make last week are reappearing because they did not get made. Thankfully, we're all on the mend! :)
Monday: Chicken Popovers
Tuesday: Taco Casserole (recipe to come)
Wednesday: Pizza
Thursday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Friday: leftovers/date night?
Saturday: Ribs

Mongolian Beef

2009-08-03T16:51:00.003-04:00

So ever since a girls day I had back in April, I've been wanting to make Mongolian Beef. However, two picky little eaters and the lack of a good recipe has kept me from trying it. Then last week, much to my delight, I came across this food blog that looks quite promising: A Year of Slowcooking. I'm continually amazed at what tasty food can come out of my crockpot and how much more I enjoy the hours between 4 and 6pm. You moms out there know what I'm talking about--the kids are getting hungry, tired of each other, tired of you and yet want your full attention and you're trying to be loving and patient and kind and cook a healthy and tasty meal. Yet all you want to do is scream and run to the nearest spa and get a pedicure? Well...the crockpot doesn't give me a pedicure, but it sure does free me up to at least pay a little more attention to my kids--or check my facebook. Anyway, without further ado, here's the recipe. It should be noted that this only makes enough to serve approximately 2 people-double or triple accordingly. Also, this recipe is designed to be gluten free, but you can use regular soy sauce.
**pics to come later--when the rice is done. currently just looks brown and lumpy**
Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:
--1 1/2 pounds flank steak
--3 cloves of garlic, minced
--4 sliced green onions--one is for garnish
--1 t dried minced onion (or 1/2 fresh onion, diced very small)
--1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce (I used La Choy)
--1/4 cup white wine
--1/4 cup cooking sherry*(I didn't have cooking sherry or white wine vinegar
--1/2 T white wine vinegar* so I used red wine vinegar and red cooking wine)
--1 t sesame oil
--1 t molasses
--1 t ginger
--1/4 t black pepper
--1 t red chili pepper flakes
--1/2 T peanut butter (if allergic, use black bean paste)
--3 T brown sugar
--1/4 cup cornstarch (to dredge meat--don't add to sauce mixture)

1. slice your meat in thin strips and toss in a Ziploc bag with cornstarch.
2. add all of the liquid and dried spices to your crockpot, and the peanut butter, and mix well. Add the garlic and three of the sliced green onions. If you are using fresh onion, add that now, too.
3. put your meat on top, and toss gingerly to coat.
4. cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. (Flank steak is thin and have very little fat, and will cook quickly. There isn't a lot of liquid in this dish, so if your crock tends to cook hot, please check it after 3 hours. The meat is done when it is no longer pink and has reached desired tenderness. I cooked our meat in a 6qt oval crockpot and it was done after 3 hours on low.)
Serve over steamed or fried rice, and garnish with freshly sliced green onion.

source: A Year of Slowcooking

Menu Monday

2009-08-03T15:15:00.004-04:00

Here's what I'll be making this week:

Monday: Mongolian Beef(recipe to come), rice, green beans
Tuesday: Cornflake Chicken, corn, fruit salad and rolls
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Chicken popovers, peas, fruit, rolls
Fri-Saturday: trip to Indy to see the Browns!
Sunday: brats, beans, fruit

errr, maybe not...

2009-07-27T08:24:00.002-04:00

Last week, I didn't even plan a menu for the week b/c I was exhausted from our trip to Virginia...little did I know that by not planning, I would be making more work for myself later. I ended up having to run to the store 2 extra times later and calling my husband and having him stop one other time--CRAZINESS! So...here's the menu plan for this week:

Monday: Chicken Parm, salad, bread, corn
Tuesday: Hotdogs, baked beans, chips, fruit salad
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Ham and Swiss sandwiches(recipe to come), peas, fruit
Friday: Marinated grilled chicken, green beans, rolls, fruit
Saturday: pizza
Sunday: BBQ sausage for church potluck

I quit...

2009-07-21T14:25:00.002-04:00

Well, not really, but currently many other things in life--like trying to manage my home and discipline/train my two toddlers--have taken priority over blogging. So...I apologize for being sporadic, but know that I have not left forever, I will continue to post new recipes as I find them. For now, I have great news--the amazing Pioneer Woman, Ree, has started a recipe site. Go there immediately and find/share recipes--you will not regret it! :)
The Tasty Kitchen

Hawaiian Bread Sandwiches

2009-07-06T17:03:00.004-04:00

Hawaiian Bread Sandwiches

Ingredients:
One loaf Hawaiian bread
1 pkg sliced ham
1 pkg sliced turkey
1 pkg sliced swiss cheese
8 slices of bacon, cooked
10 thin sliced dill pickes—sandwich stackers work best
A few tablespoons of olive oil
1 garlic clove crushed or minced
A few tablespoons of mustard

1. Slice the Hawaiian bread in 4 pieces, as shown in the picture. You should have two middle pieces that are about the same size and two outer pieces that are similar size to make two huge sandwiches out of the loaf.

2. Mix the olive oil and the garlic in a small bowl
3. Spread mustard on the inside layer of two slices of the bread.
4. Layer ham, then turkey, then bacon, the swiss, then pickles*
5. Top with other piece of bread, brush outside of bread with olive oil mixture
6. Cut the sandwich in half—makes for easier flipping.
7. Cook in a frying pan at medium heat for about 7 minutes with a heavy pan on top (my mom-in-law uses a cast-iron skillet, I improvised--see pic) to flatten the sandwich and encourage cooking clear through faster.

8. Flip and repeat step 7.
9. Slice, serve and enjoy.

*pickles are optional—my husband does NOT like them, I love them!
**leftovers taste great reheated later

This recipe is a favorite that my mom-in-law makes often

oops! menu

2009-07-06T16:37:00.003-04:00

Last week was so busy, I thought I posted our menu, but I didn't! Here's a brief recap and the menu for the next few days. On Thursday, the little ones and I take off for Virginia to visit my family. I'm sure I'll help cook while I'm there, so maybe I'll post from there as well. But don't be surprised if I'm quiet next week--at least online, I'm not usually quiet in person for very long! ;)

Last week:
Marinated grilled chicken
meatball subs
pizza
and a couple other things, obviously, but I can't remember...isn't that sad!

This week:
Monday: brats, corn on the cob, pasta salad
Tuesday: chicken enchilladas, salad, rice
Wednesday: Meatloaf, rolls, green beans

What's for dinner?

2009-06-22T14:02:00.004-04:00

Today, I'm trying something new and linking to a blog that I just started following. She has Menu Plan Monday, where over 200 other bloggers link their menus for the week. Check it out--I'm sure you'll find some great ideas! :)
And now, back to your previously scheduled program...
It's nice to have a whole week where we'll be sleeping in our own beds! Don't get me wrong, I love traveling and visiting loved ones, but especially with two little ones, it's nice to be home! :)
Here's a glimpse at our menu for the week:

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken, peas, salad, wheat rolls
Tuesday: BBQ Ribs, baked potatoes, salad, rolls
Wednesday: Chicken Enchilladas, corn, chips and salsa
Thursday: Hawaiian Bread sandwich dealio that my mom-in-law makes--recipe to come!!
Friday: Hamburgers/hot dogs on the grill, green beans, watermelon
Saturday: My birthday--no cooking going on here! :)
Sunday: leftovers

My latest favorite dessert--Strawberry Shortcake Cake

2009-06-18T19:03:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, some of our favorite college friends came to visit. Kim and I have both grown to love cooking and baking more and more in the past few years and love to compare notes about recipes. In fact, many of the recipes that I post on here were recommended to me by Kim. But I digress, this past weekend, Kim offered to make a dessert that has become one of their favorites--Pioneer Woman's Strawberry Shortcake Cake. I'm SO glad that she did--it's absolutely delicious. Seriously, it's amazing--you must try it! :) It does take a little bit of time, but it's nothing to crazy, just bake a shortcake from scratch, mash up some strawberries, make icing from scratch and assemble. Here's a picture--this is on day 2, so not as pretty as it would have been had I thought to take a picture the day she made it. Honestly, I was to enraptured by the cake itself to think straight! ;)

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Ingredients:
Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
9 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing
1/2 pound cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound strawberries

1. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.
2. Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.
5. Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes, or until no longer jiggly like my bottom.
6. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
7. Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes.
8. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. (or puree them in a food processor or blender) Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.
9. Make icing: combine cream cheese, 2 sticks butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.
10.Slice cake in half through the middle.
11. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices.
12. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, just to make icing easier.
13. Remove from freezer. Use a little less than 1/3 of the icing to spread over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer.
14. Place the second layer on top. Add half of the remaining icing to the top spreading evenly, then spread the remaining 1/3 cup around the sides.
15.Leave plain OR garnish with strawberry halves.
IMPORTANT: Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature. For best results, store in the fridge!

For pictures that walk you through this recipe, check out the original on the Pioneer Woman's blog. It's one of my favorites! :)

This Week

2009-06-15T14:54:00.003-04:00

Well, Friday we're off again for a quick weekend with relatives, but here's the menu for Monday through Thursday:
Monday: Spaghetti and meatballs
Tuesday: Spanish Rice Casserole
Wednesday: Grilled BBQ Chicken Wraps
Thursday: leftovers
Hope you're having a lovely summer!!

Sweet BBQ Sausage

2009-06-11T19:22:00.004-04:00

At a family member's graduation party recently, there was quite the spread of delicious food. On my first trip (we were there for 7 hours) I completely missed the sweet bbq sausage. Thankfully, when I asked my husband if I could get him anything a bit later, he requested it. Of course, once it was requested by my picky hubby, I knew I needed to at least give it a try. YUMMMMM! Am I ever glad that I did. Directly after delivering it to him, I searched for his aunt, the hostess, to find out what was in it. I suspected brown sugar and maybe ketchup, and while I was right on the ketchup, I was wrong on the br. sugar. Instead, it's SOOO simple and even healthier than brown sugar--cranberry sauce! Here's the recipe--if you can even call it that!

Sweet BBQ Sausage

Ingredients:
1 or 2 rings of polish sausage (Johnsonville has links--that would work fine also)
3 cups of ketchup
1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce

1. Slice the sausage (however thick you want the bites to be).
2. Spray the crockpot and turn to low heat.
3. Pour the ketchup and cranberry sauce into the crockpot and mix together with a whisk.
4. Add the sausage and stir again.
5. Cook on low for at least an hour and a half, but really as long as you'd like.

I should mention, that my mom-in-law is actually the one who made this for the party and that she only makes it as an appetizer, but I liked it so much that I wanted it to be a main dish. So I served it up with some green beans and some homemade rolls. Yum! :)

This week might look a little familiar, b/c of a few things that came up last week there are some repeats from last week. Here it is:

Monday: Tacos (got pushed back from Saturday)
Tuesday: marinated grilled chicken, potato salad, fruit (forgot to marinate the night before last week, so we just did a lawry's 30 minute marinade--not nearly as good as this recipe!)
Wednesday: Crockpot Pork Chops and Gravy (*new recipe*)
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: chicken ring
Saturday: brats/hot dogs on the grill, coleslaw, watermelon, corn on the cob

Sweet and Tangy Meatloaf--take 2

2009-06-03T14:24:00.004-04:00

I told the story behind this recipe once before, but I'll briefly tell it again. When I was in middle school, my mom and I had a deal--I'd make dinner and she'd do the dishes. Since I despised doing the dishes, it was a really good deal for me. Since she was working, it was a really good deal for her as well--she got to come home to dinner in the oven or on the table! Typically, she would leave a recipe and I would just follow the directions. Being the only girl in the family, I had been by my mom's side cooking for a long time. Anyway...one day, she left the recipe for meatloaf and we were out of ketchup. So...I went looking for anything else that was red that I could throw in. I added Catalina dressing and BBQ sauce. It turned out pretty good. Thus began my experiments with meatloaf. Over the years, I definitely stopped using measuring cups and just added what seemed right. That led to the guestimates on the measurements that I posted earlier. Monday, I tried measuring and think that I may have figured it out. Here's our favorite version of my meatloaf:

Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef (I try to use fairly lean beef--(85-90%)
1/3 cup of ketchup
2 Tbs of BBQ sauce
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
~15* crackers crumbled (I prefer whole wheat Ritz crackers, but often use saltines)

sauce:
1/3 cup of ketchup
2 Tbs of BBQ
3 Tbs of brown sugar

*if the meatloaf seems too runny, add more cracker crumbs, if it seems really dry, add a little extra ketchup

1. Preheat oven to 375, get out a 9 x 13 pan. (I prefer cooking it in a 9x13, b/c then the grease has someplace to go besides back into the meat, unlike in a loaf pan)
2. Mix all ingredients in a big bowl with your hands
3. dump the meat mixture into the pan and form into a loaf

4. Mix sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over med heat until it comes to a boil.
5. Drizzle, or spoon generously over the meat mixture

6. Bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes.

This is great served with baked potatoes. I usually stick the potatoes in the oven before I start the meatloaf and they're all done around the same time. Make some steamed veggies or a side salad and some rolls and you've got a great meal!

Menu and more

2009-06-01T16:19:00.004-04:00

We're back home after our trips to Michigan and Kentucky and I'm excited to be home for a while. We still have a lot on the calendar, but at least we get to sleep in our own beds! :) Here's a look at our menu for the week:
Monday: meatloaf--I plan to take pics of this one and update my recipe with more specific measurements, baked potatoes, homemade rolls and fruit salad
Tuesday: grilled marinated chicken, potato salad, leftover rolls and fruit salad
Wednesday: Pizza, corn, and fruit
Thursday: sweet BBQ sausage(this is a new and yummy one, recipe to come), green beans, rolls, fruit
Friday: cookout with friend from church, I'm bringing cheesy potatoes
Saturday: tacos
Sunday: leftovers

In other news, while we were gone, my sweet 3 year old (or as he says, "free and a haff") had a yummy m&m cookie at a bakery. He's been hooked on the chocolate chip cookies from Annie's Eats for months--he and my husband--and wants them constantly, with the butterscotch chips added in as I do here. So, since returning home to find that there are no homemade cookies *gasp* he requested chocolate chip/butterscotch cookies with m&m's. I gave it a whirl this afternoon. When he got up from his nap, he could smell them. He followed his nose and this is what I found when I got downstairs:

Then I gave him permission to eat one, here's the results:

late menu

2009-05-21T14:30:00.003-04:00

Whoa...where has this week gone? Here's a late posting of our meals for this week:

Monday: marinated steaks, corn on the cob, and salad
Tuesday: Pizza
Wednesday: French toast (it's a family favorite), scrambled eggs, sausage
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: grilled chicken, green beans, fruit salad

We're leaving Saturday for a trip to Michigan to see my husband's brother and his family. We won't be back until Wednesday or Thursday, so I probably won't post until next Friday or so. Hope you all have a marvelous holiday weekend! :)

Creamy Chicken Bacon and Tomato Pasta

2009-05-11T19:14:00.004-04:00

I stumbled upon this recipe from Kraftfoods.com several months ago and knew it was something my husband would like--anything with bacon in the title wins around here. It was really quick and easy to make. It's not a new favorite, but it will definitely be in the rotation. It has a unique creamy tomato sauce that I really like. I bet you will, too. So, the next time you feel stuck in the recipe rut, give this one a try!

Creamy Chicken, Bacon & Tomato Pasta

Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
uncooked 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
3 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, cubed
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, cook chicken in large skillet on medium heat 5 to 6 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.
3. Add bacon, tomatoes, cream cheese, water and pepper; mix well.
4. Cook 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently.
5. Drain pasta; place in serving bowl. Add sauce; mix lightly. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

What's for dinner?

2009-05-11T14:44:00.003-04:00

Well, after a lovely weekend, I'm refreshed and ready for a new week. I'm trying one new recipe this week. I'll blog about it soon. With the weather turning warmer, I'm definitely looking for some grilling favorites to try. I'd love to hear from you. What's your favorite thing to grill or your favorite marinade? What's your favorite summertime food? Around here, our favorite is probably marinated grilled chicken and baked beans and summery fruits--watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, etc.
Here's our menu for the week:
Monday: brats, baked beans, fruit
Tuesday: Creamy chicken, tomato and bacon pasta
Wednesday: bbq ribs
Thursday: Raspberry Chicken
Friday: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Saturday: leftovers

Nancy's Pizza Roll/Calzone

2009-05-07T19:48:00.007-04:00

For at least 6 months, I have been hearing about this calzone/pizza roll that my friend and neighbor makes and often gives to other families. I knew it was something that my family would like since we love pizza and stombolli. And actually, while we lived in Virginia there was a great place called Vinnie's that had calzone's that Pete and I loved, so I was eager to try my hand at making them at home. It really was pretty easy and the results are fantastic. Everyone loved it--even the picky toddlers!! :) When I asked Nancy about it, she was excited and said that she was actually planning to make it soon and would send me the recipe with some pics. So...today, my sweet friend Nancy is our guest contributor. I also recommend trying to find a cute helper like she did! :)

Here's her recipe and pics:

Nancy's cute helper, Natalie

Pepperoni Roll

1 box Pillsbury hot roll mix
1 egg
1 bag mozzarella cheese
pepperoni
Marinara sauce (for dipping sauce)

Follow the directions on the back of the hot roll mix. (mix all ingredients, knead, let sit 5 mins, ) Then, roll out the dough into a large circle-- about 18" in diameter. Sometimes I sprinkle a little oregano on top of the dough at this point.

*From here there are 2 rolling options--

"Pepperoni ROLL" -- lay pepperoni and cheese all over the dough, then roll up like a cinnamon roll.

"Pepperoni CALZONE" (this has become my favorite, because the dough will rise a lot bigger!)) Only layer LOTS of pepperoni and cheese on half of the dough. Fold over the unused dough and crimp the edges (kind of like on a pie).

Cover and let rise for as long as you can-- I usually let mine rise for like 3 hours! (I start the recipe when the kids go down for naps around 2!)

Brush the top with milk or egg white. Bake at 375 for 15-20 mins, until golden brown.

Slice and eat with warm dipping sauce. I like to serve with a salad.

***Just another note-- I had tried adding more ingredients/toppings inside, and it just is NOT as good as just cheese and pepperoni. Trust me-- and I love LOTS of toppings on my pizza!

This Week

2009-05-04T16:44:00.002-04:00

Hubby's traveling this week until late Wednesday, so...meals will be sparce at the beginning of the week. Here's what I'll be serving up:

Monday: French toast--a favorite with the boys, sausage links (aka little hot dogs)
Tuesday: my sweet friend is having us over!
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday: Barbeque Chicken*--a crockpot recipe from Cooking Light via my mother in law.
Friday: PW's Pot Roast (YUM!) w/ potatoes and carrots, salad and homemade rolls
Saturday: my friend Nancy's calzones*

*recipes w/ pics to come!

Baked Ziti pt.2

2009-05-02T19:38:00.004-04:00

Long ago--okay, only a couple of months ago, but long ago sounds so much more...poetic or something--I posted the recipe to Baked Ziti, a family favorite recipe given to us by Heather W. I decided to make it tonight for our church Mannafest meal tomorrow, so I took some pics, since I found the missing camera, and updated that recipe with them. Check it out! :)

Salsa Chicken

2009-05-01T19:42:00.003-04:00

At long last, I bring you....drumroll please...Salsa Chicken. Not to be confused with it's cousins Cha-Cha Chicken and Mambo Chicken. I know, my humor, it's way corny. I was told once that it is what made me a good elementary teacher. Anyway, I digress. Salsa chicken...my friend, Kim, recommended this recipe that she found online at Christy's Kitchen Creations quite some time ago. It's been on the list but kept getting moved to the backburner...wow, and the puns just keep on coming. Today was the day, I finally tried it and I'm so glad. It meets all my criteria for becoming a regular around here:
1. easy
2. yummy
3. everyone in my family ate it!
4. pretty inexpensive/low key ingredients
It's a crockpot meal, which is always nice. Since this was my first time making it, I stuck to the directions and served it with rice, as Christy has in her picture that I'm borrowing below. (I've misplaced my camera and even with the help of my superhero sons we can't seem to find it!) The only change I made was that I cut up the chicken into chunks before cooking it. Also, as I was putting away the leftovers tonight, I had a good idea for variation. I would love to pour this stuff over tortilla chips...similar to a chili, chips and cheese but with chicken chunks. Yum! So...here it is folks, enjoy! :)

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
3 to 4 skinless-boneless chicken breasts
taco seasoning (as much or little as you want)
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa (mild, medium or hot...please your own tastebuds)
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 cup fat free sour cream

1. Layer first four ingredients in crock-pot in order listed.
2. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. During last 15 minutes of cooking time, stir in sour cream.
4. Serve over rice.

Source: Christy’s Kitchen Creations

Potluck/Carry-in/Mannafest Meal

2009-04-30T19:53:00.002-04:00

We're having a Mannafest Meal at our church on Sunday...that's code for potluck or carry-in. I'm supposed to bring either a 9x13 casserole dish to share or a crockpot dish. I know there's all kinds of things I could bring, but I'm coming up blank on anything I want to bring. Any suggestions? I'm toying with the idea of trying something new, so if you have a recipe that you think would work, send it my way! :)

this week

2009-04-27T16:07:00.003-04:00

Well...sick kiddos here are seriously limiting the amount of time I'm spending in the kitchen. But here's the plan, and I use that word loosely, for this week:
Monday: Grilled pork chops, salad, baked potatoes
Tuesday: Pizza
Wednesday: Hamburgers, salad, baked beans, fruit salad
Thursday: Spanish Rice, chips, salad
Friday: leftovers
Saturday and Sunday: undecided

Italian Meatballs

2009-04-27T15:50:00.006-04:00

A couple months back, my cousin, Kristi, had my family over for dinner while my mom was visiting. It was very last minute, so I was amazed that she decided to make meatballs from scratch and serve us spaghetti and meatballs. That would be a lot for anyone on one day's notice, but Kristi has three kids, the youngest of whom was only 3 months old at the time! Anyway, the meatballs were delicious and I, of course, asked for the recipe. A couple weeks ago, I finally got around to trying them myself. I've always thought meatballs = time consuming + a lot of work, however, that wasn't the case. These cook in the crockpot after you bake them, so they're pretty low-key. One thing I really like about this recipe is that it's pretty basic, so you could play with it and make it your own. I think next time, I'll throw in some grated parmesean--my family loves all things cheesy! :) Also, I halved the recipe, but next time I think I'll make the whole thing and freeze the leftovers for another busy time. Here's the recipe and some pics. Enjoy!

Meatballs

1 lb. lean (or whatever you prefer) ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 sleeve of saltines (I've used wheat Ritz in the past and they were good!)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder OR 3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp. Italian seasoning (
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional...I like mine with a bit of a kick!)

*2 tbsp. olive oil for sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400. Crush crackers until finely ground.
2. In a large bowl combine w/beef, pork, eggs, garlic, Italian seasoning, olive oil and red pepper flakes.

3. Mix well with hands.
4. Shape into meatballs (whatever size you prefer--I made mine the size of my kids toy golfballs).

5. Line up on two foil-lined cookie sheets or 9 x 13 baking dishes.

6. Bake for approx. 35 min. at 400.
7. Add meatballs and 2 jars of spaghetti sauce (w/1 tbsp. olive oil mixed into each jar) to crockpot.
8. Leave on high for 1-2 hrs. then turn to low.

I usually have to add more sauce when having leftovers. Just depends on how much sauce you like.

So, I'm back this week, but it's going to be an abbreviated week. We're going to visit my husband's parents and my grandparents this weekend. Here's the menu around here:

Monday: french toast, sausage links, scrambled eggs
Tuesday: Salsa Chicken, corn, salad
Wednesday: Marinated grilled chicken, fruit salad and leftover corn
Thursday-Sunday: on the road...

This week, I will post the recipe for spaghetti and meatballs that I mentioned a couple weeks ago. Also, I'll post the salsa chicken recipe w/ pics and add some pictures to the marinated grilled chicken. That marinade is really our favorite and has become the favorite of several of our friends. Check it out! :)

MIA

2009-04-14T14:56:00.002-04:00

I know I haven't posted much lately, between Easter and two little boys, I've been BUSY! And this week, we've got friends visiting, so...the break continues. I do have pics and a recipe to post when I get time. Hope you've had a wonderful Easter and that you'll be back to check out some new recipes next week! :)

Roasted, Marinated Pork Tenderloin

2009-04-06T19:46:00.005-04:00

My sweet friend, Kim, passed this recipe recommendation to me, but it was supposed to be grilled. The snow and sleet we got today turned it into a roasted tenderloin instead. I have to say that the end result was pretty darn good. I am still planning to try it grilled sometime, but this way the meat was literally falling apart and you can't beat that! :) Hope you enjoy!

Roasted, Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
a pork tenderloin (ours was small, approx. 2 1/2 lbs.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup orange juice
the juice of one lime
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. dijon mustard

1. Combine all ingredients in a large ziploc bag.
2. Add pork and refrigerate for at least 4 hours--best if you can all night.
3. Pour all ingredients in a deep baking dish and bake at 275 for 3-4 hours. (you could also do this in the crockpot for a little longer time)

for the original recipe and grilling instructions, click here. :)

I'm crazy busy right now, but I'm going to try to get a the menu and a new recipe posted real quick! Here goes:

Monday: Roasted Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Tuesday: Chicken Corn Soup
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs*
Thursday: Salsa Chicken*
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Brats and Hotdogs
Sunday: lunch at a friends

*these are both new and I'll post recipes and pics as I can! :)

Cornflake Chicken

2009-04-01T18:59:00.005-04:00

A month or so ago, my friend Christina mentioned that she was going to try this recipe. Afterwards, she had nothing but good things to say and has mentioned several times that she was making it again. She has a 3 1/2 year old and a 5 month old, so I know she's not into extravagant recipes right now and I think I've loved every recipe she's passed my way. I'm not really sure why I didn't try it sooner. Sunday I decided to put it on the menu for this week. However, when I did my grocery shopping on Monday, I completely forgot to buy cornflakes--seriously!?! I briefly contemplated trying to pick the bran flakes out of raisin bran or using the flakes from Special K, but ultimately ended up running to the store again today. This recipe is simple but tasty. And what really puts it over the top in my book is that both of my little ones, who are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2, loved it! You really should give it a try! :)

Cornflake Chicken

Ingredients:

2 cups of cornflakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
dash of garlic powder (optional)
1/4 cup of butter, melted (possibly more, depending on how much chicken you use)
1-2 pounds of chicken

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan.
2. Crush cornflakes.

3. Mix cornflakes, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
4. Dredge chicken in butter, then roll in the cornflakes mixture.

5. Lay chicken in baking pan. Sprinkle remaining flake mixture over top.

6. Bake for 25-35 minutes--depending on the thickness of your chicken--until chicken is cooked clear through.

Here's the game plan this week:

Monday: BBQ Ribs, rice and veggies
Tuesday: leftovers--Pete has to work late
Wednesday: Cornflake Chicken (recipe to come), mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and rolls
Thursday: Hamburgers, chips, fruit salad
Friday: Grilled Pork Tenderloin (recipe to come), grilled potatoes, fruit salad and rolls
Saturday: grilled brats, baked beans, fruit
Sunday: leftovers

Annie's Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-03-25T16:42:00.004-04:00

I definitely thought that I had blogged about these cookies before, but I've scoured the posts and it's not there...if it is and I'm re-posting, I apologize. But you've got to try these cookies. I think they're single-handedly responsible for 8-10 of the 15 pounds I want to lose. They're thick and chewy--in fact that's what Annie calls them, Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies. The only place that I vary on her recipe is the size that she makes them. Because my toddler insists on having his own whole cookie, I make mine smaller--using the Pampered Chef medium scoop. I made them huge--the way the recipe calls for them--and my husband LOVED them that way, but my sweet son was getting WAY too much sugar or throwing a fit about not getting a whole cookie. Anyway, these are now a family favorite. Hope you enjoy!!

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips*

*I often put 1/2 cup of butterscotch chips in and only 1 cup of chocolate chips. We've tried it with white chocolate as well, but butterscotch is our family favorite.

Directions:
1. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Preheat oven 325°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly combined. Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.
4. Add dry ingredients and beat at low-speed just until combined.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. *this is where I just use the cookie scoop* Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull apart into two equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.
7. Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft and puffy (approximately 11-14 minutes). Do not overbake.
8. Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Blueberry Bread

2009-03-23T22:44:00.005-04:00

Organic blueberries were on sale for the same price as regular blueberries today, so I decided to buy a bunch. In the back of my mind, I was thinking about blueberry pancakes with my kiddos and some kind of blueberry breakfast food to share with some girlfriends who are coming over tomorrow. I started searching for recipes and decided I wanted to make a blueberry bread. I found this recipe, which provided a starting point for me. Many people had left comments saying that they thought it was a little bland and dry, but that they added a little sugar or a little cinnamon, etc...so I decided to play around with it myself. I'm pleased with the results. It reminds me of a cross between blueberry pancakes and blueberry muffins. We'll see what the girls say tomorrow! :)

Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups milk
3 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (could probably use frozen?)
1/2 cup walnuts (optional--I opted against this)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease 2 loaf pans. (8x5)
2. Mix eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla and vegetable oil well with a whisk.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
4. Slowly fold in the flour mixture--don't over mix.
5. Toss freshly rinsed blueberries with a little (1 Tbs) flour
6. Gently stir the berries into the batter.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

updating the site

2009-03-23T19:59:00.002-04:00

In an effort to make this site better, I added labels...now you can search more easily. I'm also going to try to remember to take more pictures of food and post them. Any other suggestions?
Keep sending me recipes!! :)

Menu for the Week

2009-03-23T18:00:00.003-04:00

Monday: Sweet and Tangy Meatloaf*, baked potatoes, corn, rolls
Tuesday: Spanish Rice Bake, tortilla chips, salad
Wednesday: Barbeque grilled chicken, baked beans, chips, fruit salad
Thursday: Lasanga, salad, no-fail French bread (didn't have this meal last week)
Friday: Barbeque Ribs, rice and veggies, rolls
Saturday: leftovers

*I'm going to re-post the meatloaf recipe, b/c my measurements were off--that's what happens when I actually make up a recipe... :)

Peanut Butter Take 2

2009-03-22T17:13:00.008-04:00

As in, Peanut Butter, I'll take 2 please...or 3 or 4! I have made this peanut butter 4 times now in the past two weeks. It only makes about a cup at a time, so don't worry--we are eating more than just peanut butter. :) But I just want to let you all know how much I'm loving this stuff and walk you through the process a bit. First, it takes all of 5 minutes. Second, there's really only one or two ingredients. Third, it's delicous. I could stop there, because really it's already met my criteria--fast, easy, and delicious. However, there's more: no preservatives!
So...you start with:

Then you put it in a food processor. Mine is very whimpy, bought only to grind up baby food. Check it out:

Then you grind the peanuts for a few minutes. I stop and use a spatula to get the pieces out of the corners every minute or so. If you stop early, it will look like this and you'll think something is wrong and there's no way it'll ever be creamy...patience...patience...

Eventually, after 4-5 minutes, it will be much creamier. I've even gone an extra minute or so, because I don't really care for crunchy peanut butter. And this is my finished product:

I've eaten more celery in the past two weeks than I have in the past year--I kid you not. Seriously, if you like peanut butter even a little, try this! :)

Also, my friend used her magic bullet to try it and said it worked great. Let me know what type of machine you used and how it worked for you. Thanks! :)

On an un-food-related topic

2009-03-21T13:44:00.004-04:00

Friends of ours have started a company that has been talked about for years making t-shirts. These aren't just t-shirts though...you have to check them out and see for yourselves. I just wanted to put a plug in for these guys and their company. They are definitely a high-quality, trustworthy operation. Check them out here: http://www.rocket-ts.com/

Chicken Pie

2009-03-20T14:22:00.004-04:00

This recipe is a favorite for my husband who doesn't do veggies mixed in with things. I like it a lot, but would prefer to add some vegetables. You can do whatever you want--that's the beauty of cooking, mix it up a little to make it your own! :) I still remember when I made this for some friends and Luke, who was 4 at the time, told him mommy that I was a really good cook (or possibly cooker). Hope you agree! ;)

Chicken Pie

1 box Pilsbury all-ready pie crust
4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
¼ c. minced dehydrated onions
2-4 oz. mild cheese (Swiss, Havarti, Provolone or Mozzarella)

1. Cook chicken breasts (I boil them)
2. Preheat oven to 350 F
3. Line pie plate with one pie crust
4. Cut chicken into chunks
5. Combine chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and onions
6. Pour #5 into pie crust
7. Top with a layer of cheese
8. Top with second pie crust and seal
9. Shield edges with strips of aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning
10. Cut a few slits in the top of the pie crust to allow air to escape
11. Bake for 40-45 minutes
12. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing

Serves 6-8
From FCS cookbook

Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars

2009-03-19T15:04:00.003-04:00

I love baking. LOVE it. But unfortunately my metabolism is slowing down, which means I need to slow down on the baking. I actually took about two weeks off of baking any dessert items for just that reason. And now I need to work back into it with moderation or my pants won't moderately fit my not so moderately sized waste!! My friend Jen sent me this cookie bar recipe and I couldn't resist. I love snickerdoodles as cookies and figured naturally I'd love these as well. I just pulled them out of the oven and ate two already! Yum.

Snickerdoodle Cookie Bars

Ingredients:
1½ cups flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
½ cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg

2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease either a 9×9. (Depending on how thick you want them to be)
2. Whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg and mix. Gradually add flour mixture and mix more.
5. Spread into pan.
6. Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle over dough.
7. Bake at 350F for 14-18 minutes, or until golden brown (or a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean).
8. Let cool in pan. Cut into bars.
From Something Sweet

Pizza Dough--no bread machine needed

2009-03-18T16:30:00.004-04:00

Kendra also passed along Zach's grandma's pizza dough recipe. I have had it twice and it is really good. I will probably stick with my previously posted recipe that I make in the bread machine, just because it's easier and still pretty good. But for those of you out there without bread machines, I thought you might benefit from this yummy recipe. Enjoy!

Pizza Dough from scratch

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
2 1/4 tsp. yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Combine all ingredients
2. Knead together for at least 10 minutes.
3. Coat a bowl with a little olive oil, place dough inside, cover and put in a warm place to rise for 30-45 minutes.
4. Spread on your favorite pizza pan/stone. Top w/ sauce and your favorite ingredients. Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes.

Pizza Sauce

2009-03-18T16:24:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite people passed this recipe on to me. Her name is Kendra and it's from her husband's Italian grandmother. It's nothing too fancy-schmancy, but it tastes SO good! One of my favorite things about it is that it makes a smooth sauce...I'm not a chunky sauce kind of girl. The recipe she gave me makes tons, so I've adapted it a little.

Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
1 medium can of tomato paste
1 can of water (use the can the tomato paste was in)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic minced or pressed
dash of oregano
dash of basil

1. Put all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes* stirring frequently.

*The time helps the ingredients to cook together.

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

2009-03-16T14:29:00.004-04:00

I just made this tasty and easy peanut butter after my friend, Julie recommended it. It's SOOO simple.

Homemade Honey Roasted Peanut Butter

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Honey Roasted Peanuts
a pinch of salt

1. pour all ingredients in a food processor
2. grind until it reaches your desired consistency

Yum! I'm dipping my celery in it right now!! MMMMMM! :)

The recipe is originally from Joy the Baker

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up

2009-03-16T14:20:00.003-04:00

I got this recipe from Kraft Foods and have edited it slightly. To get their original recipe, click here.

Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up

Ingredients:
pizza dough*
1 pound hamburger meat
4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 Tbs of dried chopped onions
8 oz. of Velveeta cut into small squares (I use the 2% milk version)

1. Make pizza dough in bread machine.* (they use a pillsbury pizza crust)
2. Preheat oven to 400, then cook bacon in a large skillet
3. Cook hamburger in the bacon grease w/ the onions
4. Drain grease and pat w/ papertowels to absorb any remaining grease, return to the pan.
5. Add the Velveeta and cook on med/low, stirring frequently until cheese has melted.
6. Spread pizza dough out on a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
7. Spread the meat filling over the dough.
8. Roll dough, starting at one of the long sides. Seal seams well and place seam side down on your pan.
9. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.
10. Serve with your favorite condiments--we dipped in ketchup and mustard or barbeque sauce. :)

This week temps are supposed to be in the 50's and 60's here, which might not be all that warm, but it's warm enough for me to feel like breaking out the old grill. :) Grilling is definitely a favorite of mine. Not only do I love the food, but my kids can run around on the deck or in the back yard while I cook--mostly leaving me to cook in peace!! Ahh...sounds delightful!! :) Here's a peak at what we'll be cooking 'round here:

Monday: Brats, baked beans, chips and strawberries
Tuesday: Marinated chicken breasts (grilled), sliced potatoes(grilled), fruit salad, and baked beans*
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Roll-up
Thursday: Beer Chicken Fajitas (possibly with homemade tortillas)
Friday: Lasanga, salad, no-fail french bread
Saturday: out
Sunday: leftovers

*we love Bush's Country style baked beans and eat them a lot when we grill...so you might as well get used to seeing that one on the menu! :)

Homemade Tortillas--freshly milled flour

2009-03-12T14:47:00.004-04:00

Homemade Tortillas, w/ freshly milled flour

Ingredients:
2 cups freshly milled flour
2 Tbs lecithin
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup oil

Measure liquid into bowl.
Add dry ingredients.
Knead in flour until the dough is workable - it will be barely workable - too much flour makes them crack. I had to get a tortilla press to use this recipe because I handle the dough. It would get too stiff.

Let stand 10 minutes.

Shape into 8 balls and let stand 10 minutes more. Roll thin or use a tortilla press.

If using a press, follow those directions.

Otherwise heat ungreased skillet over med-high heat until a little a water sprinkled on the surface dances.place tortilla in pan - cook 20 to 30 seconds until top is bubbly and bottom is flecked with brown spots. Turn over and cook 20 to 30 seconds more. If tortilla puffs when cooking, press down gently with spatula. Remove. If pan becomes to hot - turn heat down.
From Stephanie Ross--thanks! :)

Homemade Tortillas--store bought flour

2009-03-12T14:43:00.003-04:00

My friend, Stephanie-the same one who gave me the recipe for "No-Fail French Bread" (which we had with dinner last night--YUM)--gave me two recipes for homemade tortillas. One is for freshly milled whole wheat flour and one is for store bought. Eventually, we might get there, but for now, this will be the recipe I use--the one for store bought flour.

Tortillas

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup veg shortening
1/2 cup warm water

Combine flour and salt in medium bowl. Cut in shortening until mixture has a fine texture. Stir in water until dough forms.

Knead dough for 2 or 3 minutes - wrap in plastic and let sit 30 minutes at room temperature - this is an important step.

Knead dough a few times - divide into 8 pieces. Shape into balls and cover with plastic. Keep covered.

Roll out on floured surface, turning frequently.

Heat ungreased skillet over med-high heat until a little a water sprinkled on the surface dances.

Place tortilla in pan - cook 20 to 30 seconds until top is bubbly and bottom is flecked with brown spots. Turn over and cook 20 to 30 seconds more. If tortilla puffs when cooking, press down gently with spatula. Remove. If pan becomes to hot - turn heat down.

Basic Pancakes

2009-03-12T14:36:00.005-04:00

This morning, my three year old requested pancakes. This might not seem like a big deal, but if you're around here in the morning you know that breakfast ALWAYS equals cereal or hot oatmeal. He'll do eggs, pancakes or french toast for dinner but he thinks it's dinner food. I've suggested it for breakfast and he laughs--I'm not kidding! So, this morning when he requested pancakes, even though I knew it would take longer and slightly change our plans for the morning, I jumped at the idea! Especially because I had been wanting to try this recipe from my friend Jen for weeks! And they are delicious. Just writing about it is making me want to go warm up one of the leftovers. :) We stuck with the basic recipe, but will definitely be adding blueberries one day soon--I heart blueberry pancakes! ;) Enjoy!

basic pancakes

Ingredients:
2 c all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
1 or 2 eggs (I used 2)
1 1/2 to 2 c milk (I used 1 3/4)
2 T melted butter or oil

Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs into the milk and then add the butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, enough to moisten the flour. If it's thick, add more milk.

Variations:
Add fresh or frozen blueberries. Fresh are added as the last ingredient in the bowl, Frozen are added without defrosting and the panckes are cooked slowly b/c they tend to burn.

Add chocolate chips while panckaes are cooking.

For you meat eaters, you can spoon the batter over cooked bacon.

Sprinkle ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves or allspice over batter as it cooks. Use sparingly.

I also make a whole batch and refrigerate or freeze the leftovers for future breakfasts. They are really good reheated in the microwave.

Thanks Jen! :)
(she said to be sure to give credit to "the minimalist", mark bittman, from the cookbook "how to cook everything."

Gingerbread Waffles

2009-03-12T14:34:00.002-04:00

My friend, Jen, just shared this recipe with me and it sounds delicious. I haven't tried it yet, but I did just try her pancake recipe this morning and they are SO good! I'll post that next. Here's what she posted on facebook:

i am putty at the hand of anything gingerbread related, and these waffles are no exception. the recipe makes a gigantic batch of batter, so i freeze any leftovers or share the still-warm waffles with my next door neighbor. make sure that you use a huge bowl, and get all the dry ingredients mixed in(they are easy to miss once you get mixing because there is so much batter). i set the timer for three minutes once the waffle iron is closed, and that seems to be the perfect amount of time for cooking. source for this one is rachael ray's cookbook "cooking 'round the clock".

gingerbread waffles

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 1/4 cups milk

1/2 cup molasses

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter, plus some to butter the iron

Syrup, whipped cream or fresh fruits for topping, to pass at table

Preheat waffle iron.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in pumpkin, milk, molasses and melted butter. Stir the wet into dry until just moist. Do not overstir the waffle batter. Brush the iron with a little melted butter and cook 4 waffles, 4 sections each. Serve with toppings of choice.

Recommendation and upcoming recipes

2009-03-11T19:11:00.003-04:00

I made the Chicken Parmesan recipe from Annie's Eats...oh, my! It's always been a favorite of mine at any Italian eatery, but I've never come close at home--until now! It's fairly simple, too. Go ahead, give it a whirl, you won't regret it! :)

Also, my friend, Stephanie, just passed her homemade tortilla recipe on to me--actually two. I'll be posting them tomorrow...

Like I had previously mentioned, this month is super busy for us, so again the menu is somewhat abbreviated, but here it is:

Monday: Baked Ziti, salad, french bread
Tuesday: Raspberry-Balsamic Chicken, Corn, Salad, french bread
Wednesday: Pizza, corn, strawberries
Thursday: Chicken Parmesan, pasta, salad, french bread (do you see a pattern?)
Friday-Sunday: Pete's parents come to stay with the kiddos for the weekend so we can celebrate our anniversary a couple weeks early!!

PW's Pot Roast

2009-03-08T17:52:00.001-04:00

I tried this recipe and loved the taste. I have a few other recipes from The Pioneer Woman that I want to try, but for now, wet your appetite with this pot roast! Yum!

Ingredients:
1 Chuck Roast*
2 Onions
6-8 Carrots
Olive Oil (2-3 Tbs)
Salt
Pepper
Beef Stock (2-4 cups)
Fresh Thyme

Optional Ingredients:
Red Wine
Garlic
Button Mushrooms

1. Heat a large pot/dutch oven over medium high heat. Then add 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Generously salt and pepper your roast.
3. Cut 2 onions in half and cut the 6-8 carrots into 2 inch slices.
4. When the oil in the pan is very hot but not smoking, add in the halved onions browning one side then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.
5. Throw the carrots in the same pan and toss them around until slightly browned. (about a minute or so) Remove the carrots to the plate.
6. Add a bit more oil to the pan, place the meat in the pan and sear it on all sides (about a minute on each side) Remove the roast to the plate.
7. With the burner still on high use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all that flavor up!
8. Return the roast to the pan, add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2-3 cups). Add in the onions and the carrots as well as some fresh thyme.
9. Put the lid on and roast at 275 in the oven for 3 hours (for a 3 pound roast, for a 4-5 pound roast, plan on 4 hours)

*The Pioneer Woman recommends that you choose a nicely marbled piece of meat--she says this greatly enhances the flavor. A good tip! :)

From the Pioneer Woman

Ellen's Chicken and Rice Bake

2009-03-08T17:51:00.002-04:00

My friend, Ellen, passed this recipe along to me months ago and I keep forgetting to post it! It is really quite tasty and easy--and you know that makes it a keeper! :)
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 ¾ C water
1 ½ C sliced mushrooms
¾ C uncooked long-grain rice
1 1/3 C French’s French Fried onions, divided
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, divided
4 chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
½ teaspoon each paprika and dried thyme leaves

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Combine soup, water, mushrooms, rice, 2/3 C French Fried onions and 2 teaspoons Worcestershire in 3-quart oblong baking dish.
3. Arrange chicken over rice mixture. Brush chicken with remaining Worcestershire and sprinkle with paprika and thyme.
4. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
5. Top with remaining 2/3 C onions. Bake 3 minutes or until onions are golden.

(Ellen’s version! I don’t like mushrooms so I use cream of chicken soup and eliminate the mushrooms. I cut the chicken breast into smaller pieces so they cook a little faster (and I know they’re cooked all the way through). I don’t usually measure the Worcestershire sauce – I just splash a little on each piece of chicken. Oh yea, and I usually use more onions because they’re just that good!!)

Chicken Parmesan

2009-03-08T17:26:00.002-04:00

I'm going to recommend a recipe that I'm going to try this week. It's from Annie's Eats and everything she posts is amazing, so I'm sure this will be the same. Click on the link to see a pic and the recipe.

Kelly's Manicotti

2009-03-02T20:37:00.001-05:00

*This is for a large amount of crepes, so I'd "half" the recipe. Even by halfing it, you'll still get two great meals for 4 people (I like to bake one for dinner, and freeze another dish to pull out for dinner on a hectic day!).

For the filling:
2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/3 c. parmasean
handful of chopped parsley
1 egg

--- Mix those ingredients well.

For the crepe:
6 eggs
6 c. flour
1 c. water
1/2 tsp. oil

---Blend in a blender until it gets light and frothy, with lots of air bubbles. If needed, continue to add water in small amounts until you get a fairly thin consistency. Use a spoon or spatula to scrape the sides and make sure all ingredients are well incorporated.

Put medium-sized saucepan (or crepe pan) on medium-high heat. I like to spray the pan with cooking spray before each crepe. After it's hot, hold the pan at an angle and fill half the pan with the crepe mixture, and rotate quickly to cover the bottom of the pan. When the edges of the crepe begin to curl up a little, it's done. (I've come to expect to ruin the first 2 or 3, until the heat of the pan gets just right!)

Put marinara sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.

Take a tablespoon of your cheese mixture and smear it onto half of a crepe with the back of the spoon. Beginning on the end with the mixture on it, tightly roll up the crepe. Lay it in the baking dish.

Once the manicotti is finished and in the dish, add one more layer of sauce on top, and sprinkle more parm.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or so, uncovered.

Thanks, Kelly! :)

this week's menu

2009-03-02T15:06:00.003-05:00

I don't usually have a busy February and March, but this year it seems to be that way. More recipes are coming, but for now, here's our menu:

Monday: Meatloaf, baked potatoes, corn and rolls
Tuesday: dinner at my cousins house
Wednesday: Chicken Ring (we do have this a lot--it's a family favorite)
Thursday: Subs
Friday: Date night (my mom's in town=free babysitting)
Saturday: leftovers (I'll be taking my mom to the airport)
Sunday: Stromboli

Light menu

2009-02-23T16:07:00.003-05:00

By light, I don't mean low-cal or low-fat. By light, I mean my husband's traveling most of the week, and then we're going out of town to pick up my mom and bring her here for a visit. So, by light I mean un-impressive. :)

Monday: Company Chicken and biscuits
Tuesday: French Toast and scrambled eggs (my 3 yr. old LOVES french toast and I do, too!)
Wednesday: dinner at a friends house (thanks Tina!!)
Thursday: dinner out for a friend's birthday
Friday: homemade pizza
Saturday: out of town
Sunday: out of town

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-02-14T09:15:00.004-05:00

I believe that this recipe has been making the rounds on the food blogs, but it is simple and scrumptious, so I'll join the masses. My friend, Nancy, passed it on to me this week. I'm always glad for a new breakfasty food to serve to the sweet ladies that come to Bible study here each week. This one is definitely going on the list. It is worth noting that you must begin this recipe the night before.

Cinnamon Rolls (aka Land of Nod Cinnamon Rolls)

Ingredients:
20 frozen dough rolls
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding
½ t cinnamon
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 - ½ cup melted butter

1. The night before ~ grease 10" bunt pan and add frozen rolls.
2. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding mix, cinnamon, (and raisins and nuts if you want them). 3. Pour melted butter over all.
4. Cover with a clean damp cloth. Leave out at room temperature over night.
5. In the morning ~ preheat oven to 350 degrees, and bake 20-25 minutes (until golden brown).
6. Let sit 5 minutes then turn out on a serving plate.

Cheesy Chicken Soup

2009-02-14T09:12:00.003-05:00

It's been a while since I've made this one, but not because it isn't delicious. In fact, it might be on the menu next week. It's easy and tasty. Even my husband, who isn't fond of soups, likes this one because of the cheese. :) Enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds of chicken 2 cups potatoes, diced
8 cups water 2 cups uncooked quick rice
1 tsp. salt 4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. pepper 2 cups water
1 small onion, chopped 16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups carrots, diced

1. Bring chicken to a boil with salt and pepper, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Remove chicken, reserve the broth. Chop chicken into small pieces and return to the broth.
3. Add remaining ingredients except cheese. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 ½ hours.
4. Add cheese and cook, stirring often until cheese melts. Do not boil.

**Freezes well**

From Debbie Parr/FCS cookbook

Simple Stir Fry

2009-02-12T14:15:00.004-05:00

My dear friend, Christina, passed this little jewel on to me...sweet and simple, just the way I like it! :)

Simple Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken, cut into fairly small pieces
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. rice vinegar
fresh or frozen veggies that you prefer
rice (again, your preference)

Marinade Ingredients:
2 T soy sauce
2 T brown sugar
1/2 tsp. rice vinegar

Directions:
1. Marinade chicken for several hours (from the morning works best--or overnight)
2. In a wok or a large skillet, cook chicken for several minutes (3-4), then stir and cook for several more minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. Put water on to boil for the rice.
4. Add the liquid ingredients.
5. Once the liquid ingredients are simmering, add the veggies. Bring to boil agian, then reduce the heat and allow the ingredients to simmer together until the veggies are cooked.
6. Serve over rice.

This week's menu

2009-02-09T14:40:00.002-05:00

I haven't tried any great new recipes lately...we were having some battles at dinnertime with the little ones, so I decided to stick to more tried and true recipes. I do have a couple new ones* coming this week though!

Here's our menu:

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken, rice and veggies
Tuesday: BBQ Ribs, baked potatoes, salad and rolls
Wednesday: Chicken Club Ring, corn, strawberries
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: out for Valentine's Day date
Saturday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans

* Simple Stir Fry
*Cheesy Chicken Soup
*Cinnamon Rolls

Red Velvet Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

2009-02-05T13:54:00.003-05:00

A friend, Stephanie, posted this recipe on Facebook and it looks yummy and festive. I thought many of you mom's might like to try it for Valentine's Day. Here's her post:

This is a recipe I found in my Runner's World magazine actually. I made them as a practice to see how good they were & had to throw some away because otherwise we would have eaten them ALL. They are delicious!!! The recipe actually came from the owners of a NYC bakery. Also, here are the nutrition facts per cupcake: 290 calories, 35g carbs, 3 g protein, and 16g fat.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups cake flour (I used all purpose)
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup veg. oil (I used Olive)
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. red food coloring (I used less)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese (one bar)
1/2 lb. unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Heart shaped cupcake toppers or colored sugar/sprinkles

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 12 cupcake muffin tin with wrappers.
2. Mix dry ingredients.
3. Mix wet ingredients separately.
4. Mix wet and dry ingredients together.
5. Fill tins up 2/3 way with batter.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.
7. Frosting: mix butter & cream cheese until smooth.
8. Slowly mix in confectioners sugar. Add vanilla.
9. Frost using a piping bag with a star tip or small spatula.
10. Sprinkle with decorations.
Makes 24 cupcakes. Enjoy!

Honey Yeast Rolls

2009-02-02T16:54:00.003-05:00

I've heard nothing but great things about these rolls from Annie's Eats, so today, I finally tried them. But I adapted the recipe so that I could make them in my bread machine--a little less work for me and more time to work on the chicken and dumplings and chocolate chip cookies. To get the original recipe, click here. Here's my adapted version:

Honey Yeast Rolls

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (105°-115° F)
¼ cup honey3 tbsp. canola oil1 ¼ tsp. salt1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups bread flour
2 ¼ tsp. instant yeast

To spread over rolls:
1 T butter, melted
1 T honey

Directions:
1. Put ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed.
2. Select dough cycle on your bread machine (mine’s approx. 1 ½ hours long)
3. Punch the dough down and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball and place into a round, lightly greased baking dish, spacing evenly.
4. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 20 minutes.
5. Mix together the melted butter and honey, and brush lightly over the tops of the rolls. 6. Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Adapted from Annie’s Eats

Beer Chicken Fajitas, pt. 2

2009-01-28T13:56:00.002-05:00

So...we're finally trying the Beer Chicken Fajitas that Kim and Josh have been raving about and I now understand what all the commotion was about! I threw everything together and had all the ingredients in the crockpot by 10am. It's been simmering and smelling so delicious, I decided to see if the chicken had cooked clear through yet--it has, so I tasted and oh...my...yummmmmminessss! Seriously, I can't wait to put it on a warm tortilla with some cheese and sour cream (yeah, that's why I can't loose wait!). And as if there needs to be anything else said here, I'm totally loving that besides some corn and rice for sides, I don't have to cook anything else tonight! Love it. Anyway, just wanted to strongly endorse that recipe...try it! :)

Taco Lasagna

2009-01-28T11:19:00.003-05:00

When our friends were visiting last weekend, Kim and I ran to the store to pick up a couple things. While we were going down the isle we saw a boxed dinner by Old El Paso that actually looked tasty. It was called Mexican Lasagna or something like that. Anyway, it got me thinking and here is the result. This is still a work in progress, so I'm open to suggestions and I'll probably tweak it a bit the next time I make it.

Taco Lasagna

Ingredients:
8-10 corn tortillas (they're smaller than the burrito tortillas)
1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef
1 lg. jar of Enchillada Sauce (your favorite Mexican sauce/taco sauce/salsa?)
2 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese
1 jar of diced tomatoes (w/ or w/o green chiles)

1. Brown the beef
2. Add the enchillada sauce and tomatoes, and let it simmer for 10 minutes or so
3. Spray an 8x8 pan, then line the bottom with a layer of tortillas. (I tore mine in half so that they would fit better)
4. Pour a layer of the meat mixture over top
5. Sprinkle cheese over the meat mixture
6. Repeat tortillas, meat, cheese 2 more times
7. Cover and bake for 30 minutes
8. Uncover, bake 10 more minutes
9. Serve with sour cream

We liked it...hope you do, too! :)

I'm feeling very non-committal...so here's a list of the meals I'm hoping to make this week:

Beer Chicken Fajitas
Taco Lasanga
Chicken and Dumplings
French Bread Pizza
Chili and corn bread
Raspberry Balsamic Chicken

by the way, Kroger is having a big sale on chicken breasts--$1.77/lb. so stock your freezer now! :)

Beer Chicken Fajitas

2009-01-27T10:40:00.005-05:00

I've been told that I really need to try these, so I think we're going to have them this week! :)

Beer Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
3-4 boneless chicken breasts (approx. 1 per person)
2 bags of fajita seasoning
½ bottle of beer
Tortillas

1. Slice up 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, and 1 boneless/skinless chicken breast per person and put in a crock pot

2. toss with 2 bags fajita seasoning, and pour in half a bottle of beer

(I'm not sure what difference it makes if you use different beers--I've tried a few different ones and it hasn't seemed to matter)
3. Simmer on low for 6-8 hours
4. Serve with tortillas and your favorite toppings. :-)

From Kim Brown

Easy Crockpot Rigatoni

2009-01-23T10:30:00.002-05:00

So, I just discovered a new food blog that looks like it's a good one. Annie's Eats linked to Christy's Kitchen Creations, which is where I found this:

Rigatoni

Ingredients:
28-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
12-oz. rigatoni, cooked
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, browned
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 lb. pepperoni slices

1. In a 4-quart slow cooker, layer half of each ingredient in order listed. Repeat.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours.

She has a picture, too...click to see it. We'll definitely be trying this one soon, as we're fans of all things Italian! :)

Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings

2009-01-22T15:17:00.001-05:00

Since our friends are coming this weekend, I probably won't take the time to post again tomorrow, so I thought I'd go ahead and post this one, too. It's another from my friend, Tina! Enjoy! :)

Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Broth:

3 quarts water* see note at end before you start
½ of a chicken, cut up (with bones, skin, etc. still on) * see note at end
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 small onion sliced into big pieces
2 stalks celery
1 clove garlic peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
4-6 whole parsley leaves (I never have these so I just sprinkle some parsley in there)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper (if you don't have coarse pepper, USE LESS, I learned this the hard way)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk (I seem to remember this was too much milk, so you might want to add a little at a time until you get a “rollable” dough, it's been a while since I've made this!)

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, garlic, celery, bay leaf and parsley to the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer, cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours. The liquid should reduce some.
2. Remove chicken from pot and set it aside. Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating stuff. You only want the chicken, so toss everything else out.
3. Pour 1 ½ quarts (6 cups) of the stock into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe, you can save it for next time! It's freezable). Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing dumplings.
4. For dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 ¼ tsp salt, and milk in medium bowl. Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes. Roll the dough onto floured surface to about ½ inch thickness.
5. Cut the dough into ½ inch squares and drop each square into the simmer stock. Use ALL of the dough, it seems like a lot but they cook down. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly partially dissolve to thicken the stock into gravy. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until thick. STIR OFTEN.
6. While the stock is thickening, tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot. Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for a few minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart (not a big deal if it does though in my opinion).
7. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle portions onto plates and serve hot.

A few notes from trial and error:

*I always start with more water (maybe 4 quarts) and a WHOLE chicken, and then you have enough chicken and stock to make this twice. I always freeze all but the 6 or 7 cups of stock and ½ the chicken for next time. It's up to you though.

Also, the dumplings are a funny step, you'll be sure something's wrong when they all blow up in the pot, but they really do cook down, just keep stirring gently. They are so YUMMY!

Easy Stromboli

2009-01-22T15:15:00.002-05:00

My good friend, Tina, mentioned this to me the other day and I quickly asked her to send me the recipe. I can't wait to try it. Actually, I'm trying it tomorrow when our friends the Brown's come to visit--we'll let you know how it turns out!! :)

Easy Stromboli

Ingredients:

1 recipe for white bread dough for breadmaker (if you don't have one of these, I can send you mine, just let me know)
2 eggs, separated
2 Tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon pepper
4-oz package pepperoni
8-oz package shredded mozzarella (or more, if you like lots of cheese)
1 Tablespoon grated parmesan (not important if you don't have it)

1. Roll out bread dough into a 12x15 rectangle; set aside. (I used a Pampered Chef baking stone for cooking this, it works well if you have one. If not, a cookie sheet will be fine, I'm sure)
2. Combine egg yolks, oil, oregano, parsley, garlic powder and pepper together; spread over dough. (I use a brush to spread this and it works really well.)
3. Arrange pepperoni first in a single layer over the whole thing, and then put mozzarella cheese on top. This order is important. If you do the cheese and then the pepperoni, it doesn't stay together right.
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over mozzarella.
4. Roll up long ways, and SEAL SEAM THOROUGHLY. place seam side down on a baking sheet or stone.
5. Brush w/ egg whites (not all the egg whites, it's way too much)
6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes until big and golden brown all over. Sometimes I have to put foil over mine for the last few minutes b/c it's getting too brown, but you need to make sure you bake it long enough.

New Recipes are coming!!

2009-01-21T14:38:00.003-05:00

I got three new recipes that sound delicious! They'll be coming soon. For now, I really need to be getting things done around here...but just to get your mouth watering, I'll list them for you:

Chicken and Dumplings
Stomboli
Ranch Style Chicken (actually, I'll just link this one to it's site, that's easier--click and see for yourself)

Monday: Quiche and scones (sounds very formal, but really it was last minute and super informal)
Tuesday: Sweet n' Sour Pork
Wednesday: Pizza
Thursday: leftovers
Friday: Baked Ziti
Saturday: Enchilladas
Sunday: more leftovers (we have been wasting leftovers, so in an attempt to be less wasteful, we're having an extra leftover night!)

Four Cheese Chicken Fettucine

2009-01-16T22:36:00.002-05:00

I can't actually remember where I found this one, just that it's really tasty!

Four-Cheese Chicken Fettuccine
SERVINGS: 6-8
TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 30 min.

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 jar (4-1/2 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2-1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
TOPPING:
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook fettuccine according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large kettle, combine the soup, cream cheese, mushrooms, cream, butter and garlic powder. Stir in cheeses; cook and stir until melted.
3. Add chicken; heat through.
4. Drain fettuccine; add to the sauce.
5. Transfer to a shallow greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over chicken mixture.
6. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.
7. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until golden brown.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Melt in Your Mouth Scones!

2009-01-14T17:42:00.003-05:00

My friend from college, Kim M., mentioned this delicious recipe on Facebook the other day, so I asked her to share it with me. She did and wow! These are so scrumptious! (that's kind of a fun word, isn't it?) The recipes makes 16 (or 12 large scones, if you make them at 11pm and are hurrying) and I took about half to share with my friend, so it was perfect. However, if I were just making them for my family, I might split the recipe in half. Maybe I'll give you both:

Scones

Ingredients:
4 cups plus one tbsp all purpose flour
2tbsp sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (this is 3 sticks or 1 1/2 cups)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup cold heavy cream
3/4 cup small-diced dried strawberries (or other dried fruit...I used cherries)*
1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water or milk, for egg wash

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a LARGE bowl, combine 4 cups of flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Blend in the cold butter using a pastry blender until butter is in pea-sized pieces (do not overblend butter!).
4. Combine eggs and cream and quickly add them to the flour/butter mixture. Combine until just blended.
5. Toss fruit with 1 tbsp flour, add to the dough, and mix quickly.
6. The dough may be a bit sticky.Dump dough out onto well-floured surface and be sure it is well combined. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4 inches thick.
7. Cut into squares with a 4-inch plain or fluted cutter, and then cut them in half diagonally to make triangles. (I rolled the dough into a circle and cut it like a pizza to make the triangle-ish shapes).
8. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the tops with egg wash. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes, until outsides are golden brown.

Makes 16 scones

My friend, Tina, is going to try chocolate chips instead of fruit--I think they'll be just as delicous. Seriously, you need to try these--YUMMMMMM!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recipe halved:
2 cups plus one tbsp all purpose flour
1tbsp sugar, plus more for sprinkling
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/8 pound cold unsalted butter, diced (3/4 cup, or 1 1/2 sticks)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
3/8 cup small-diced dried strawberries (or other dried fruit...I used cherries)
1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water or milk, for egg wash

follow same directions above

Lunch?

2009-01-12T14:00:00.002-05:00

Just curious...what do you (and your children, if you have them) eat for lunch? I get bored with lunch, but definitely don't want to have to work much at this meal, since I'd prefer to put my time and energy into dinner and baked goods. What do you do for lunch?

Fiesta Chicken Pasta

2009-01-12T11:12:00.002-05:00

This yummy recipe was given to me by Laura Sharbaugh. Thanks, Laura!

Fiesta Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

2 cups rotini pasta
1 T oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts - cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups chopped red peppers (about 2 medium peppers)
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1/2 cup Salsa
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Shredded Cheese

1. Cook pasta as directed on package.

2. Heat oil in large skillet, add chicken and cook.

3. Add peppers, dressing, and chili powder and cook about 3 more minutes, stirring frequently. 4. Remove from heat and stir in salsa and sour cream.

5. Add cooked pasta to the chicken mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Yum! Yum!

Abbreviated Menu

2009-01-12T10:58:00.003-05:00

This week, Pete is traveling to California, so we're going to go visit my friends and family in Ashland. Therefore, the meal plan is a bit skinny! :)
Monday: Sticky Chicken w/ rice, peas, and homemade rolls
Tuesday: Chicken Ring (Pete's favorite--send him off w/ happy thoughts of homecooked meals)
Wednesday: French toast and scrambled eggs--Jon's favorite
Thursday: Ashland
Friday: Ashland
Saturday: date night w/ a babysitter!!
Sunday: Baked Ziti w/ no fail french bread, corn, and salad