Spring Time - Grill Time!

Happy Spring everyone! I love this time of year and even more going into the summer because we start to grill. Grilling is so easy, and the lovely part is it doesn't require much clean up! This week I'm featuring my favorites on the grill. They are so easy and will satisfy your palette. Remember to stock up on some new grilling seasoning & a case of your beverage of choice. One of my favorite parts of grilling is letting the kids play in the front yard. Starting the grill putting the tailgate on the truck down and cracking a beer! Its a great time to play with the kids, have some good conversation with your spouse and enjoy being outdoors. Get your grocery shoes on and stock up on my good meats & veggies for the grill next week! Does anyone know when the farmers market starts?

Weekly Dinner Plans

Sunday – Steak & Potatoes

Monday – Buffalo Chicken Sliders  & Curly Fries

Tuesday – Chicken Alfredo w/ Sun Dried Tomatoes & Salad  

Wednesday –   Brats & Beans

Thursday – Left Overs

Friday – Take Out

Saturday – Burgers & Zucchini  

Grocery List

Check your cabinets for ingredients you may already have!

·         1 lbs Ground Beef

·         1 bag frozen Tyson shredded Chicken (Or chicken breast and grill/shred)

·         Curly Fries

·         Steaks

 

•      Grilling Seasoning

·         Brats

·         2 Zucchini  & 2 Summer Squash

 

•     Onion

 

·         Lettuce

·         Potatoes

·         Alfredo Sauce

·         Jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes

·         Linguine Noodles

·         Franks Hot Sauce

·         Ranch packet & Ranch Dressing

·         Buns (bakery isle are the BEST!!)

·         Provolone Cheese Sliced (1/2 lb in deli isle)

RECIPES

Sunday – Steak & Potato’s    

Marinade your steaks on Saturday. Diced some potatoes put in foil with butter, salt, pepper, & parmesan cheese. Grill potatoes and steaks on grill.

Monday – Buffalo Chicken Sliders with Curly Fries  

½ bag of Tyson frozen shredded chicken

1 packet of ranch seasoning

            1 cup of franks hot sauce

In skillet heat the chicken, add the remaining ingredients. Layer the meat on buns with lettuce. .

           

 Tuesday – Chicken Alfredo w/ sun dried tomatoes & Salad

½ Bag of Tyson Frozen shredded Chicken

                1 jar Alfredo Sauce

                1 jar of sun dried tomatoes

                Linguine Pasta

                1 bag frozen broccoli

                Basil, Salt, Pepper

Heat chicken as directed on bag. Boil Linguine Pasta as directed. Add Sauce to Chicken. Season Sauce with basil, salt and pepper & add the jar of sun dried tomatoes. Strain noodles when complete and dinner should be ready!

Wednesday – Brats and Beans and Onions

Throw your favorite brats on the grill. Dice up your onion and put on foil with butter, oil, salt and pepper and fold together so it can steam on the grill. Heat some pork n beans in the microwave, easy dinner night!

             

Thursday – Left Over’s Night

You should have plenty of left overs to feast and eat up what you have in your fridge.

Friday – TAKE OUT

Saturday – Burgers & Zucchini   

Thaw 1 Ibs hamburger

                Zucchini /Squash

                Onion

                Butter, olive oil, salt, pepper

Make hamburger patties with salt and pepper, add some A1 sauce for some kick. Dice up your onion and put on foil with butter, oil, salt and pepper and fold together so it can steam on the grill. Slice the zucchini, & Squash & put in foil with oil, salt, pepper. Throw everything on grill. Top with sliced cheese

 

Evening Table

Evening Table

 

This last week I was working with a designer for Evening Table’s Logo. I'm always talking about my blog and want to get a business card created so I can easily send my friends to my blog. Being a marketer and entrepreneur mind, I wanted to make sure my mission and logo all were in line. So as I started jumbling my thoughts of why I write this blog and what it really means. I wanted to share with you. I explained to her what I see of evening table I said, “I think of a farmhouse table, covered with lace, fancy china Depression glass, candles, and flowers with a table full of family you love. Evening Table is about feeding your family in an old fashioned style. Its not really even about the food but the values that era held.  That generation ate together every day regardless of how busy they were. They prayed, they ate slow and they had conversation. Why I write this blog every week is because I want to bring that to your family. Create that tradition of eating together every meal. Evening table is about bringing your family together and having a plan. The plan is so important in today’s crazy world and without a plan the temptations are endless. With a strategy for meal planning you can have a meal on the table every single day regardless of your busy life. So I hope you find value in coming to evening table every week. Happy Easter Everyone!

Weekly Dinner Plans

Sunday – Spaghetti & Freezer Corn

Monday – Spaghetti Casserole

Tuesday – Chicken Drumsticks, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Wednesday –   Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Celery

Thursday – Left Overs

Friday – Take Out

Saturday – Honey Ham & Cheesy Potatoes

Grocery List

Check your cabinets for ingredients you may already have!

·         2 lbs Ground Beef

·         Chicken Drumstick Legs

·         Honey Ham

·         Pepperoni

·         Celery

·         Green Onions

·         Potatoes

·         Butter

·         Eggs

·         Cream of Chicken Soup

·         Oil

·         Mayonnaise

·         Pickled Relish

·         Lrg. Crescent Rolls

·         Gravy Package Mix (White Gravy)

·         Flour

·         Spaghetti Noodles

·         2 Jars  Spaghetti Sauce

·         Sour Cream

·         2 Blocks Cream Cheese

·         Hash Browns

·         Corn Flakes

·         Cheddar Cheese

·         Moz Cheese

 

 

RECIPES

Sunday – Spaghetti with Freezer Corn   

Pretty much prep so you are making double. Because you will use the extra spaghetti and sauce for your casserole tomorrow. Ground 2 lbs of beef. Boil Water. Add whole package of Spag. Noodles. Then sauce to beef. Heat corn in microwave. Use all the left overs for tomorrows spaghetti casserole.  

 

Monday – Spaghetti Casserole  

This is super easy since you have all the ingredients cooked. You will just warm 8 oz cream cheese and mix with 8 oz sour cream. You will layer half spaghetti at the bottom of greased casserole dish. Spoon half of cheese mixture all about, then repeat layer and top with some Moz cheese & pepperoni on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes!

           

 Tuesday – Fried Chicken & mashed Potatoes and gravy

I found drumsticks on sale at Supersaver for $2.50. Fill your cast iron skillet, or skillet with 2 inches full of oil.  Put on Medium heat to start heating the oil. In one bowl crack and mix a couple eggs. Put flour in another bowl. Pat your chicken will paper towel. Then dip in egg mix, then dip in flour. Once finished put chicken in the skillet. Cook around 7 minutes each side covered. I check the internal temp so its 180. While the chicken is cooking cut up your potatoes, and put in the microwave to steam for 12 minutes. Then prep your gravy mix as directed. The left over chicken, shredded up to use for tomorrow’s chicken salad sandwhiches. You can even prep it that night if you wish.

 

Wednesday – Chicken Salad Sandwiches

            1 ½ C. finely chopped and shredded chicken from the leftover drumsticks

            ½ C. Celery

            ½ C. Green Onions thinly sliced

            1 T. lemon juice

            2 Hard Cooked Eggs

            1/3 C. Mayo

            2 T. Pickled Relish

            2 t. mustard

In mixing bowel combine chicken, celery, green onions, lemon juice, and pepper. Stir in Egg, mayo, pickled relish & mustard. Cover Chill for tomorrow.

Thursday – Left Over’s Night

You should have plenty of left overs to feast and eat up what you have in your fridge. Remember like Grandma says “Don’t let any food go to waste!”

Friday – TAKE OUT

 

Saturday – Honey Ham & Cheesy Potatoes

Honey Ham is so easy! Just follow the directions on the package. Then make some cheesy Potatoes to go with!

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup. 1 ½ C Sour Cream. ½ Block Cream Cheese. Hash Browns. 1 pck Cheddar Cheese. 2 C. Corn Flakes. 2 T Butter.

Heat oven 350. Mix Soup, Sour Cream, Cream Cheese in bowl. Add Hash Browns Cheese and mix well. Pour in greased dish. Combine crushed corn flakes and butter and top. Bake 50 mins.

 

Grandma Ludy

Yesterday I went back to my home town to celebrate my Grandmothers 90th Birthday. She still lives
independently, she drives, and every year cooks liver and onions for my Dad's Brithday in March. Wow what a blessing God has given! The family hosted a party for her at a local senior center in David City. It was amazing how many of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends showed up to wish her well and celebrate her!!! She has touched many lives, and is truly one of the most amazing people I will ever know. She has an art of cooking and baking, and strong love for Jesus and her family. I learned from her to never let anything in your fridge to go to waste. Leftovers can be transformed into something glorious & delicious. She was married to my Grandfather Clarence Birkel they lived in the Birkel homestead and raised 8 children. She fed hungry mouths for many years and has continued to pass down the tradition  to many of praying and eating as a family. This week I am featuring all of my grandmothers recipes! Some are my grandfathers favorites so eat up, Grandma's cookin this week!!

Weekly Dinner Plans

Monday – Cheesy Chicken Rice Bake & Corn  

Tuesday – Chicken Enchilada Dish & Black Beans

Wednesday – Smothered Steak  

Thursday – Left Overs

Friday – Grilled Salmon & Asparagus

Saturday – EAT OUT!!!

Sunday – Skillet Lasagna & Salad

Grocery List

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

Chicken Breast (you can purchase for $10 at Walmart around 10 chix breast)

1 lb Hamburger
3 salmon filets
1 lb round or chuck steaks cut into strips
2 Onion
2 Green Peppers
Asparagus
Celery
2 Lrg Carrots
Head of Lettuce
1 bag of frozen green beans
1 Lg Can Diced tomatoes
1 Can of Black Beans
Can of Corn or Frozen Corn
Can of Green Beans
1 can diced green chilies
Cottage cheese
Lasagna Noodles
Egg Noodles
Tortillas
Shredded Monterey jack cheese
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Spaghetti Envelope Mix
Rice
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Can evaporated Milk
Check your cabinets for these ingredients most you will already have!!
            1/4 C. brown sugar
             1/4 C. olive oil
             1/4 C. Soy sauce
             2 t. lemon pepper
             1 t. dried thyme
             1 t. dried basil
             1 t. dried parsley
             1/2 t. garlic powder

Sunday – Skillet Lasagna & Salad

1 lb ground beef

1/4 C. onion

             1 envelope spaghetti

1 pt. cottage cheese

3 cups lasagna noodles broken up

             3 1/2 tomatoes

1 C. Water
1 t salt
1 T basil or oregano
2 C. Monterey jack cheese

Brown meat and onion. Sprinkle 1/2 sauce mix over top. Add cottage cheese. Arrange noodles over the top. Add remaining spag. sauce mix and seasonings. Add tomatoes with liquid and water. Cover tightly and simmer for 30 min. Sprinkle with cheese over the top. Return cover and let stand for 10-15 min. Prep quick salad.

Monday – Cheesy Chicken & Rice Bake with Corn

              6 Chicken Breast

1 can cream of mushroom soup

             1 1/2 C. Water
              3/4 C. uncooked Rice
              1/2 t. onion powder
              1/4 pepper
              1 C. Cheddar Cheese

Mix in 2 qt baking dish. Mix soup, water, spices and rice. Layer at bottom of dish. Then add 4 of the chicken breast on top. Cover and bake 45 minutes. In another dish put 3 or 4 chicken breast with some salt and pepper to cook as well so you can prep tomorrows enchilada meal. Uncover your rice dish and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top. Bake until cheese is melted. With the two chicken breast you will let it cool and shredded up the meat with the fork and put in the fridge to save for tomorrow. Heat Corn in Microwave.

Tuesday – Chicken Enchilada Dish with Black Beans
 

             Shredded Chicken out of fridge

8 Tortillas

            Cream of Chicken Soup
             1 Can Evaporated Milk
             1 can of green chilies
             Onion
             Cheddar Cheese/Monterey Jack

Slice the tortillas into strips. Arrange ingredients in layers in 9x13 pan. Starting with Soup mixture. Tortillias, chicken and last the cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees. Heat black beans in microwave.

Wednesday – Smothered Steak (This was a favorite of Grandpa Clarence)

             1 lb round or chuck steak cut into strips

1/3 C. flour 

             1/2 t. salt
             1/4 t. pepper
          
Put into crockpot, stir well to coat steaks.
          
Add:
             1 large Onion, 1-2 green peppers, 1/2 C. Celery, 2 Carrots, 2 tsp soy sauce,

Cover and cook for 8 hrs on low. Serve with egg noodles.

Thursday –  LEFT OVERS!!!!!!!!

Friday– Grilled Salmon

             1/4 C. brown sugar
             1/4 C. olive oil
             1/4 C. Soy sauce
             2 t. lemon pepper
             1 t. dried thyme
             1 t. dried basil
             1 t. dried parsley
             1/2 t. garlic powder

Whisk together all ingredients pour into resealable plastic bag. Add salmon filets and marinade for 1 hr. Grill on each side around 5 minutes. Put asparagus on grill with olive oil and salt/pepper.

Saturday – TAKE OUT

 

Jambalaya

 Have you tried to make Jambayla? I'm not talking about the zatarian's box mix either. If you have not its a must recipe to bring to your family's table! This is the recipe that has become my go to recipe to take new moms. I just wanted to find something different and delicious that people will remember. I realized after I took my friend the meal last week and she was requesting the recipe and I didn't have it. The reason being, I was using two different recipes and modifying it so much that I was having a hard time texting her the recipe. Finally I told her to check out my blog this week and I will be sure to feature it. So here I am; I finally wrote it all out so you can have it on hand. Remember you can add or modify how you wish, usually for new moms I do the less spicy version & not put as much hot sauce. That is what cooking is all about having fun and trying new things and sharing your favorite recipes for others to enjoy! Have you taken a meal to someone lately or invited others over to share a meal on your table?

Weekly Dinner Plans

Monday – Jambalaya & Corn Bread & Honey    

Tuesday – Burgers on the Grill & Cucumber Salad

Wednesday – Fettuccini Alfredo & Broccoli   

Thursday – Left Overs

Friday – Homemade Mac & Cheese   

Saturday – EAT OUT!!!

Sunday – Philly Sandwhich & French Onion Soup

Grocery List

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

·        2 lb Ground Beef

·        Polish Sausage

·        Chicken Breast or Tyson Frozen Chicken Breasts Diced up

·        Cucumber

·        Onion

·        Tomato

·        2 bags Frozen Fajita peppers (Red pepper, onion, green and yellow pepper bag)

·        Pepper Jacks Philly Meat

·        Frozen bag of oriental veggies

·        Frozen bag of broccoli

·        Alfredo Sauce

·        Alfredo Noodles

·        Favorite Pasta noodles for Mac and Cheese (I used Cavatini)

·        2 Boxes of Jiffy Corn bread Mix & Honey

·        Jar of Sun Dried Tomato’s

·        Box of Rice

·        Chinese Package of seasoning (stir fry)

·        Large Can of Diced Tomato

·        Can of Chicken stock or Bouillon cubes

·        Small can of tomato juice

·        Vinegar

·        Ranch

·        Velveeta Cheese

·        Shredded cheddar Cheese

·        ½ lb Smoked Gouda sliced deli Cheese

·        Hamburger Buns

·        Hoagie Buns

RECIPES

Monday – Jambalaya & Corn Bread   

            One Bag of Frozen Fajita Veggies (red pepper, onion, yellow & green peppers)

            Ring of Polish Sausage

            Large can of diced tomatoes

            1 Cup Rice

            1 garlic clove

            ½ tomato juice

            2 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp (or more!) of hot sauce

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oregano

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp garlic salt

1 bay leaf
           

Throw your bag of the frozen fajita veggies in the skillet with a little oil. 5-7 minutes or so. Preheat over for jiffy corn bread. While that is cooking cut up the polish sausage into small pieces, toss the meat into the skillet with the veggies by this time they should be soft. Open your can of diced tomatoes throw in un-drained. Add one garlic clove. (I use a garlic press).  Then add your seasonings & rice and cover and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes. While this is simmering mix up your jiffy and put into muffin tins and bake! (set out your frozen hamburger for tomorrows meal.)

 Tuesday – Burgers on the Grill & Cucumber Salad   

Tuesday is supposed to be really nice! Get your grill on! Make your patties. Grill the burgers. Use some of the smoked gouda cheese to top! For the cucumber Salad, just cut up the cucumber, Slice up a little onion, tomato. ½ cup or so of vinegar, T. of sugar, and ½ or so of ranch. Refrigerate until dinner is ready.

Wednesday – Fettuccini Alfredo & Broccoli

Honestly I cheat and buy the Tyson frozen chicken breast in strips. Its so easy you just throw it in the skillet to heat. Boil your water. Once water is boiling put your noodles & broccoli in at set the timer for how long they need to cook. Put your jar of alfredo sauce with the chicken along with some sun dried tomatoes. BAAM!

Thursday – Left Overs

Eat up some leftovers in the fridge!!

Friday – Homemade Mac & Cheese

Cavatini Noodles

Half Stick of Butter

2 cups milk

¼ C Flour

8 Oz Velveeta Cheese

4 Oz Shredded Cheese

Couple slices broken up of the gouda cheese

Boil your noodles. In sauce pan heat the butter on Low/Medium. Then add the flour while stirring with a wooden spoon until you get a thickened consistency. Then you can very slowly add the milk stir and add very slow this should take about 3 minutes you will start to see it thicken, keep stirring to reduce the clumps. Then add all your cheeses. Stir very frequently.

Saturday – EAT OUT

Sunday – Philly’s &  French Onion Soup

            Philly Meat

            Hoagie buns

            French onion soup

            Gouda Cheese

Heat up your philly meat on stove top as direct on package, once completed. Place hoagie buns on baking sheet, butter the bread, scoop meat on bun along with cheese. Heat oven to boil. Put in oven but watch closely shouldn’t take but a few minutes. As bread is heating, put your French onion soup in cups (I like to use little tea cups) with a little mozzarella cheese and microwave for a couple minutes. Cut your sandwiches and place French onion soup on plate. Garnish with pickles. Don’t forget to dip your sandwich in soup!! So yummy!!