Happy March

Anyone ready for spring yet? Well Happy March, the month that welcomes spring has finally sprung! The long hard winter will soon come to an end & the sunshine, longer days, green grasses, blooming trees, and flowers will soon bud. The smell of fresh air will breeze through our kitchen windows & grace us with happiness. Spring gives you a feeling of excitement and renewal. As we sit indoors and wait for the warm to welcome us, this is a great time to clean out those cabinets! See what you have in stock, throw away old expired food, or give away to the needy if you have extra. I challenge you to plan some meals with the food you have lingering in your stock pile. Save some money and plan ahead! Ok friends, we are off to the grocery store!

 

Weekly Dinner Plans

Monday – Baked Cavatini & Corn  

Tuesday – Runza Casserole   

Wednesday –   Left Overs

Thursday – Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry

Friday – Fish Tacos  

Saturday – EAT OUT!!!

Sunday - Hamburger Mashed Potato's & Gravy

Grocery List

Check your List before you go to the store, you may already have some of these items!!!

·         3lb Ground Beef

·         Chicken Breast

·         Pepperoni

·         Spaghetti Sauce

·         Pizza Sauce

·         2 Pillsbury Dough Mix

·         Gravy Mix packet

·         Bag of coleslaw

·         Onion

·         Lemon

·         Ginger

·         Garlic Clove

·         Coleslaw in Bag

·         Asparagus

·         Crescent Rolls

·         Cream of Mushroom Soup

·         Couple different Noodles (macaroni & rotini)

·         Cream of Mushroom soup

·         Chicken Broth

·         Soy Sauce

·         Pepperoni

·         Pico De Gallo Salsa

·         Frozen fish sticks

·         1 Cans of Green Beans

·         1 can of corn

·         1 small can of diced black olives

·         2 Moz Shredded Cheese

·         Swiss Shredded Cheese

·         Shredded Cheddar Cheese

·         Sour cream

·         Mayo

·         Soft Taco Shells

·         Taco Seasoning

·         Rice

RECIPES

Monday – Cavatini & Corn

 

                Spaghetti Sauce

                Cavatini noodles

                Ground Beef

                Pepperoni

                Onion/Garlic

                Moz Cheese

                Corn

Brown 2 lbs of meat. Reserve a little over half of the meat mixture. Put the one half in fridge for tomorrow’s meal, and about a cup extra into another container to throw in freezer for pizza night Saturday. Boil noodles. Preheat oven 350. Once meat is done, saute onion and garlic. Add the sauce to the meat, onion, and garlic mix it up. Once the noodles are done. Throw everything into a casserole dish. Top with Moz cheese and put in oven for 30 mins or so. Microwave the corn and you are all set.

 Tuesday – Runza Casserole   

 

Left over hamburger meat in fridge

½ Bag of Coleslaw

Crescent rolls

Swiss cheese

                Cream Mushroom soup

Throw the meat in heated skillet with & 1/2 bag of the coleslaw, cook on medium to cook the  slaw. Maybe 5-7 minutes or so. Then add your soup and mix. Pan spray casserole dish. Put first layer of crescent rolls at the bottom of the pan. Then layer the meat mixture. Spread some cheese on top. Then add the last layer of crescent rolls to the top. Bake 40 minutes.

Wednesday – Left Overs

Eat up some leftovers in the fridge!! Its swim night for us so usually pretty busy after work and its nice to come home and all you have to do is heat up left overs in the microwave!!

 Thursday – Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry 

 

This recipe I found online; its only around 268 calories per www.skinnytaste.com I’m excited to plan some healthier recipes!

1 lb Chicken Breasts cut into small cubes

                ½ C. Chicken Broth

                1 bunch of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

                2 T. Soy Sauce

                2 t. cornstarch

                2 T. Water

                1 t oil

                Garlic

                1 t fresh ginger

                Lemon juice

                Salt/Pepper

Season Chicken with salt. In bowl combine chicken broth & soy. In another bowl combine cornstarch & water and mix well. Heat oil in skillet. Then add the asparagus medium heat, cook 3-4 mins. Add the garlic & ginger cook around 1 min. Set aside in separate bowl to save and add later. Increase the skillet to high add some oil, then chicken for 4 minutes on each side. Put chicken in bowl with asparagus mixture to save for later. Add the sauce to heated skillet bring to boil for a couple minutes. Add splash of lemon juice and cornstarch mix and stir well. When it simmers add the chicken and asparagus.  I made some rice to bed the chicken on top!

Friday – Fish Tacos

Frozen Fish Tacos (10 in a box)

Use the left over bag of coleslaw

½ C sour cream

½ C Mayo

Taco Seasoning

Cheddar Cheese

Taco Shells

Pico Salsa

Cook the fish sticks as directed. Mix the sour cream, mayo, & taco seasoning. Once the sticks are baked cut them in half. Layer your tacos with mix, fish, cabbage, cheese and pico!! Thank you Cassie for this great recipe!!

Saturday – Homemade Pizza Night

 

Prep your Pillsbury Pizza dough follow directions. (two packages is usually what I use but you can get away with a thinner crust with one.) Then roll out on pizza pan. Add your sauce, meat from fridge. Cut a little onion, add Cheese, pepperoni, black olives. Kids love helping with pizza night!

Sunday- Ground Hot Beef
Ground beef with some onions. Drain the grease. Peel & cut up 5 large potatoes, microwave on high for about 15 minutes or so. Make the gravy as directed. Once potatoes are done, mix with your mixer with a splash of milk and butter. On plate lay some mashed potatoes, then the meat mixture and cover with gravy on top. Add some salt & pepper.
 

Lent

How's everyone doing this week. My house we are happy & healthy & our freezer is finally stocked with 1/4 beef which means we have been eating hearty. Lots of home-cooked meals here. Therefore my menu for the week is stocked with beef, hope you like it. Maybe we have gained a few pounds but it was Fat Tuesday remember. Lent began this week, I am Catholic so it started on Wednesday "Ash Wednesday" Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, he was tempted by satan. Lent began as a mirroring of this and to prepare for Easter. So even if you are not Catholic or Christian. Just ask yourself......How can I prepare to be a better person, whether that is giving up something that we do not need in our lives, fasting, praying more, or giving back to those in need. What are you going to change in yourself or in the world for the better? It could be something as simple as smiling to a stranger.

Weekly Dinner Plans

Sunday – Eat Out

Monday – Meatballs & Mashed Potato's  with Green beans

Tuesday – Roast & Corn

Wednesday –   Roast Beef Sandwiches & Steamer Bag Veggies

Thursday –  Spanish Hamburger Rice

Friday – Breakfast for Dinner

Saturday – Lasagna, Garlic Bread, & Salad 

Grocery List

Check your List before you go to the store, you may already have some of these items!!!

·          3 lb Ground Beef

·         Beef Roast

·         Onion

·         Lettuce

·         Bag Potato's

·         Bag of Frozen Fajita Peppers

·         Steamer Bag Broccoli & Mac and Cheese

·         Corn

·         Hamburger Buns

·         Rice

·         Jar of Salsa

·         Lasagna Noodles no bake

·         Shredded Moz

·         Spaghetti Sauce (If you haven't tried Sorriso's its amazing and made in NE!)  

·         Cottage Cheese

·         Evaporated Milk

·         Eggs

·         Pancake Mix

·         Maple Syrup (if you find the peacon butter get it its amazing)

·         Oatmeal (Cooking quick oats)

 

Monday – Meatballs

Monday is bachelor night so I always like to treat us to something a little more special and down home cooking! Tonight Meatloaf balls are on the menu, my family just loves these and they are so easy to make!

                Meat Mixture: 1 lb hamburger (Leave remaining 2 lb in fridge for tomorrows meal, sometimes if the meal is days out I will wrap it in a freezer package and throw it in the freezer)

 

                1 Cup Oatmeal

                1 egg

                ½ t. pepper, ½ t. garlic powder, ½ t. salt, ½ t. chili powder

                Chopped Onion

                ½ Cup evaporated milk

                SAUCE: 2 Cup ketchup, 1 ½ Brown Sugar, 2 Tbsp. liquid smoke, chopped onion, garlic powder

Mix the meat ingredients. Shape into balls, place in dish. Pour sauce on top. Bake 350 for 45 minutes. Cut up 6 potatoes and put in microwave for 13 minutes, add butter, salt pepper & dill. Heat up beans with some butter on the stovetop. Remember to take the Roast out of the freezer!

Tuesday – Roast, Corn & left over Mashed Potatoes.  

You will want to make sure your roast is thawed out. Right away in the morning get your crockpot out and put your roast in along with about 2 cups of water. I just purchased "Onion Onion" Seasoning from tastefully simple so I sprinkled some of that and chopped an onion quick and set for 8 hours on low. When you get home from work. Remember you have some of the mashed potatoes saved from the night before so you can microwave those. So all you need to do is heat the corn and cut the meat.

If you feel ambitious you can make gravy with some of the juices. All you need is: 2 T butter, 2 T flour, and take 2 C stock. Melt butter in sauce pan, whisk in flour for about 1 min. Then slowly add your stock and whisk to desired thickness. Make sure to save and shred up the remaining meat for tomorrows meal and put with the juices from the crock into the fridge once cooled.

 

Wednesday – RB Sand and Steamer Bag

You will take out the meat from the fridge, there will be a hard white overlay of fat, remove that and discard. Then you will heat the meat and juices in the microwave. I like to put mayo on the buns, layer with your meat, get a little dish for your dipping juice and throw your steamer bag in the microwave. And Done!

 

Thursday – Spanish Hamburger Rice

Folks this is so easy! Its very similar to the jambalaya recipe I have if you have tried that. Brown about 1 lb of the hamburger. Drain. Put meat back in stir fry pan. Add can of salsa. Around 2 cups of water. 1 cup rice. Half a bag of frozen peppers. Then you can add some seasonings. (Salt, pepper, chili powder, a little hot sauce & Worcestershire. We layered with some cheese and ranch!

 

Friday – Breakfast for Dinner  

So if you are Catholic like myself you will practice fasting on Friday & abstaining from meat. My family loves pancakes so what a perfect choice for a Friday night & who doesn't love breakfast for dinner!!  Just follow the recipe on the box and baam!

 

Saturday – Lasagna, Salad and Garlic Bread  

Preheat oven 350. Brown your hamburger with a little onion and garlic. Drain pour sauce in. Mix in separate bowl, 2 C cottage cheese, one egg, 1 C parmesan cheese with some Italian seasoning. Spray your pan. Start to layer: Meat Mixture, Noodles, Meat sauce, Cheese Mixture, Sprinkle a little moz cheese. Then repeat. Finish with layer of noodles, meat and moz cheese.  Bake for 50-60 minutes covered with foil.

 

Sunday – EAT OUT!!!

 

Make Valentine's Day not a day about presents but a day of presence!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! I'm not big into the presents, flowers, and all that jazz but I do love to have a nice meal on Valentine's Day. This year I did a little early homework in finding a sitter and was unsuccessful. It made me realize instead we will have a date night as a family at home! See my meal plan for Saturday I don't think you will want to miss this!! I plan to set up our table pretty with my antique china, (from my mom since her Birthday is on Valentine's day) also I want to set the table with fine linens, flowers, wine glasses, candles and some Rose Mary Clooney playing in the background (I just love old music from the 50's)! I want to teach my boys the importance of making others feel special and starting traditions. Make Valentine's Day not a day about presents but a day of presence! Enjoy!

Also my best friend Cassie who is an outstanding cook, mother, wife, teacher and wonderful friend. She shared a few of her favorite recipes with me, so I featured those on my blog for this week, Chicken Fajita's and Chicken Pot Pie. She started cooking at a young age and I learned so much from her growing up. I remember going to her house when we were kids and we would have adventures in the kitchen. Before our dance classes we would make orange Julius's. Once we failed at an attempt to make lemon meringue pie, and I also remember baking cookies in her moms kitchen. What fun memories can you think of with a friend in the kitchen? I want you all to know you can send me recipes if you have them because I would love to add them to evening table and feature a story about you!! Thanks Cassie Moffitt, Love you!

Weekly Dinner Plans

Sunday – Chili & Cinnamon Rolls

Monday – Chili Dogs & Chips  

Tuesday – Oven Baked Fajitas

Wednesday –   Chicken Pot Pies

Thursday –  Left Overs

Friday – Favorite Take Out

Saturday – Crab Legs & Baked Potato

Grocery List

Check your List before you go to the store, you may already have some of these items!!!

·         1 lb Ground Beef

·         Hot Dog Package

·        3 lbs Chicken Breast

·         Crab Legs

·         Large Can of Tomato Sauce

·         Large Can of Diced Tomato

·         Cream of Chicken Soup

·         Onion

·         Celery

·         Lettuce

·         Large Potato for Baked Potato's

·         Bag of Frozen Fajita Peppers

·         Bag of Frozen Mixed Veggies

·         Frozen Bag of Sweet Potato's

·         Cinnamon Rolls

·         Garlic Clove

·         Black Beans

·         Packet of Chili Mix

·         Packet of Fajita Mix

·         Lays Wavy Chips

·         Shredded Cheddar Cheese

·         Salted Butter

·         Tortillas

·         Sour Cream

·         Salsa

·         Bisquick

·         Milk

·         Egg

·         1 Cans of Green Beans

·         1 can of corn

·         Bag of favorite Chips

·         Franks Wing Sauce

·         Crab Legs

·         Pillsbury Pie Crust & Favorite Filling & Vanilla Ice Cream!

 

RECIPES

Sunday – Chili & Cinnamon Rolls  

 Brown your Hamburger. Pre-heat oven for Cinnamon Rolls. Start your stock pot and sautéed 1/4 of an onion & 2 garlic cloves chopped. Drain Hamburger. Add the Tomato Sauce, Diced Tomato's, Black Beans, Hamburger, and the seasoning to the pot, then let it simmer for over 20 minutes! Done! Save left overs for Chili Dogs for Tomorrow!

Monday – Chili Dogs & Chips
Heat your left over Chili in microwave. Then heat your hot dogs. In a saucer bowl add one piece of bread, the hot dog, then layer with chili & cheese! You can heat again in the microwave to melt the cheese. I like to add the chips to the side of the bowl to make it look pretty and fun to eat!

Tuesday – Oven Baked Fajitas
Preheat the oven 400, spray glass baking dish, cut chicken into thin strips. Bake 35-40 minutes. While in oven put the frozen peppers in sauté pan to cook, add 1/2 fajita seasoning. When done let cool and shred all the chicken with fork and add 1/3 of chicken to the veggies on stovetop and put in remaining seasoning. The rest of the chicken put in the fridge to use for the next couple nights meals.

Wednesday – Chicken Pot Pie
Preheat oven 400. Take 1/2 of leftover chicken, mix with frozen vegetables, and chicken soup in ungreased pie plate. Then mix up 1 cup bisquick mix, 1/2 cup milk, and egg. And layer on top of meat mixture. Put in oven for 30 minutes.

 

Thursday – Buffalo Chicken Wraps and Sweet Potato Fries
Preheat the oven for the fries, bake in the oven as directed. Then Take 1/2 of leftover chicken mix with 2 TBSP of the Franks Hot sauce, mix all together & heat in microwave. Cut up lettuce, celery, and roll in tortillas to dip in ranch.

 

Friday – Take out Night!!!

 

Saturday – Happy Valentine's Day
Put two baked potato's in the microwave for around 7 minutes then turn and cook for another 7 minutes.This is the pan I use, its pampered chef and I use it all the time for veggies and such, just love it! (http://www.pamperedchef.com/shop/Cookware/Large+Micro-Cooker%C2%AE/2778) I have a friend who sells pampered chef if you need one, let me know! Preheat the oven for your pie as well. I just cheat and use the Pillsbury box dough layer the bottom, throw in your filling and add the dough crust to the top and bake it! Then onto the crab legs, Start boiling a large stock pot 1/2 full with water. Add some salt (or seafood seasoning if you have it) to the water, boil for around 3-5 minutes! Did you know almost all crab legs are cooked on the ships after they are caught at sea? Make sure you use your tongs to remove from the water, and dip in wonderful salted butter. I plan to serve me meal up with a baked potato with all my favorite fixings: sour cream, butter, salt, pepper! So yummy and since its Vday light some candles, and set up your pretty dishes at the table for the whole family! Make it special for the kids too!!