Monday, November 22, 2010

Menu Plan Monday!! Week of 11/22/10-11/28/10


It is "Menu Plan Monday". The following are the recipes I plan on making this week :)

Monday: Eat Out

Tuesday: Chicken Artichoke and Parsley Potatoes

Wednesday: Spinach Baked Ziti and Cheesy Bread

Thursday: Happy Thanksgiving!! Turkey, Homemade Mashed Potatoes/Gravy, Broccoli Casserole, Noodles, Relish Tray, Sweet Potatoes & Pecans, Cran-Apple Salad, Hot Buttered Rolls, Pumpkin Pie and Pumpkin Cake

Friday: Thanksgiving Leftovers

Saturday: Turkey Sandwiches

Sunday: Kids Cook Day

I didn't get to the Forgotten Chocolate Chip cookies last week (hence the name, coincidentally) Will try again. Have a great week everyone and be sure to check back for any recipes with final photos.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Super Sloppy Joes and Deviled Potato Salad

Tonight, I was trying to find a way to use the buns I got on sale. I was supposed to do "Breakfast for Dinner" tonight, but I just had to use those buns. My family absolutely LOVES my sloppy joe recipe, but I decided I wanted to try something different. I googled "sloppy joe" and found a Rachel Ray recipe for Super Sloppy Joes alongside another recipe for Deviled Potato Salad. The two went hand in hand so I decided to make both. Unfortunate for me, but fortunate for my 12 year old son Cameron, an aspiring chef, the recipe was made by him. He showed up and asked if he could make dinner by himself tonight. Although I love to cook...I let him take it over.

Super Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

-1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
-1 1/4 pounds ground beef (or sirloin)
-1/4 cup brown sugar
-2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend, such as McCormick brand Montreal Seasoning
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 small red bell pepper, chopped
-1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
-1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-2 cups tomato sauce
-2 tablespoons tomato paste
-4 crusty rolls, split, toasted and lightly buttered
-Garnish: sliced ripe tomatoes, pickles, Deviled Potato Salad, recipe follows

Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and meat to the pan. Spread the meat around the pan and begin to break it up. Combine brown sugar and steak seasoning. Add sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine. When the meat has browned, add onion and red peppers to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium and cook onions, peppers, red wine vinegar and Worcestershire sauce with meat for 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toaster, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Serve with your favorite sides or sliced tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper, dill pickles and Deviled Potato Salad. Have plenty of napkins on hand!

Deviled Potato Salad

Ingredients:

-5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and diced
-Coarse salt
-1/4 onion
-3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
-1/2 cup mayonnaise, eyeball the amount
-1 teaspoon sweet paprika
-1 teaspoon hot cayenne pepper sauce (recommended: Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot)
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
-2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:

Boil potatoes in water seasoned with coarse salt until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain cooked potatoes and return to the warm pot to dry them out. Let the potatoes stand 2 minutes, then spread potatoes out on to a cookie sheet to quick-cool them. In the bottom of a medium mixing bowl, grate 1/4 onion using a hand grater. Add mustard and mayonnaise, paprika, and cayenne pepper sauce to the grated onion and stir to combine. Add potatoes to the bowl and stir to evenly distribute dressing. Season potato salad with salt and pepper and taste to adjust your seasonings. Top servings of salad with chopped scallions.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Pennsylvania Dutch Pork and Sauerkraut

I didn't get a chance to make this last night as per the menu plan so I made it tonight. I found this recipe in my 3,4,5 ingredient cookbook and must say that the kraut gave the pork that small wonderful touch of sourness. Love it!!

Pennsylvania Dutch Pork and Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

1 (2 1/2 lb) tenderloin of pork
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 (15 oz) cans sauerkraut

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy iron skillet or Dutch oven and brown pork on both sides. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add sauerkraut. Cover and continue to simmer for 1 hour or until tenderloin cooks thoroughly.




**Tip: Serve with mashed potatoes and applesauce for an authentic Pennsylvania Dutch dinner.

***You also prepare this in the regular oven. Pour kraut over pork in a casserole dish and bake at 400F for 30 minutes.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Sausage Manicotti

I absolutely love manicotti! Cheese, meat, it is all good to me. My husband received a cooler full of deer sausage from a friend and we decided to give it a try...so good!!!

Sausage Manicotti

Ingredients:

Manicotti Noodles
Sausage (we used deer, but any would do; italian or pork)
Mozzerella cheese
Parmesian Cheese

Cook noodles, drain. Brown sausage, mix with 2 cups of mozzerella cheese and 1/4 cup grated parmisian cheese.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish, stuff noodles with sausage mixture and line up in pan. Pour sauce over, add extra cheese to the top. Bake at 400F for 30 minutes covered with foil. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Italian Chicken

This is one of my favorite recipes that I actually found in a magazine a long time ago, but I have no idea which?! A very tasty recipe!

Italian Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons oregano
1 Tablespoon parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless chicken
3 Tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Combine Parmesan cheese, oregano, parsley, garlic salt and pepper. Dip chicken breasts in melted butter then coat with mixture. Place in a greased baking dish. Drizzle with remaining butter. Bake uncovered at 425F for 15-20 minutes.


Menu Plan Monday Week of 11/15/10-11/21/10


These are the meals I hope to get to this week :) I will post recipes and photos after any new ones are made.

Monday: Italian Chicken and Roasted Garlic Potatoes

Tuesday: Creamy Broccoli (Zumba Night..needed something quick)

Wednesday: Manicotti and Crispy Breadsticks

Thursday: Pennsylvania Dutch Pork & Sauerkraut

Friday: Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Saturday: Eat Out

Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner

I hope to get a new baked good recipe: Forgotten Chocolate Chip Cookies, and maybe some muffins in there sometime this week as well :)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Apple-Pork Chops

This was a definite autumn type recipe! Just enough sweetness with not too much saltiness. I found it in my 3,4,5 ingredient cookbook under the 4 ingredient recipes section.

Apple-Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 butter-flied pork chops
2 apples, peeled
2 teaspoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

Place pork chops in non-stick sprayed shallow baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake at 350F for 30 minutes. Uncover and place peeled and cored apple halves on top of pork chops. Add a little butter and a little brown sugar on each apple. Bake for another 15 minutes.

I served it with some buttery carrot coins which made this comfort meal even more so.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Oatmeal Crisps

I felt like throwing something together today and found this quick, yummy recipe in my 5 ingredient or less cookbook :)

Oatmeal Crisps

Ingredients:

1/2 cup margarine
1 cup pack brown sugar
2 cups quick oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

In a saucepan, melt margarine and add brown sugar; stir until blended. Remove from heat and add oats, baking powder and salt. Spread in a greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 325F for 15-20 minutes. Cut into squares while still warm. I think this would be so awesome with a side of vanilla ice cream :)

Cookie dough, in general, may be frozen up to 3 months in airtight containers or refrigerated 3-4 days.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

As-Easy-As-Fallin-Off-A-Log-Chili

I was supposed to make this recipe Thursday, but have been switching around a bit this week. Since soccer practice was cancelled tonight due to the cold and rain, it seemed like a perfect night to try out this new recipe. It is in my 3,4,5 ingredient cookbook under the 3 ingredient section.

As-Easy-As-Fallin-Off-A-Log-Chili

Ingredients:

2 lb ground beef or ground round
2 (1 oz) packets chili seasoning (taco seasoning works just as well)
2 (32 oz) jars spaghetti sauce with chunky tomatoes, onions, peppers

Directions:

In heavy skillet, brown meat. Drain and stir in chili seasoning. Add sauce and 1 cup water. mix well and simmer for 30 minutes.

*Tip: If you have to have beans in your chili, add 1 or 2 cans pinto beans and heat for 20 minutes longer.


Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Broccoli & Garlic Pasta

I switched a day this week and decided to serve this dish on Tuesday instead of Wednesday since it is a quicker meal and I was running out the door to get to my Zumba class on time. It is now one of my family's favorite pasta dishes. I found it in my "5 Ingredients or Less" cookbook that my in-laws got for me...thanks Tina and Garry :) This meal is great hot or cold, for lunch or for dinner :)

Broccoli & Garlic Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) pkg shaped pasta, such as ziti or raddiatore
1 bunch broccoli cuts into florets
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan and/or Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Four minutes before the pasta finishes cooking, add the broccoli to the water. While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, olive oil and cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain the pasta and broccoli and toss with the garlic mixture.

**I had no fresh broccoli on hand so I used a frozen package which worked just as well.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Pepperoni Chicken

This was really nice and tender :) Yum!!

Pepperoni Chicken

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
24 pepperoni slices
6 mozzarella cheese slices

Directions:

Brown chicken on both sides in well-greased skillet. Place chicken in sprayed 9 x 13-inch pan and arange 4 peperoni slices over each piece of chicken. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes, remove from oven and top each with cheese. Bake additional 5 minutes or until chicken is tender.

***You can also use shredded mozzarella cheese.



Broccoli Casserole I

I have been making this recipe for years (I made this last night for a dinner with friends). I found it 15 years ago when I worked for the FBI and we did a cookbook fundraiser for the Child Development Center on the FBI grounds. I changed a few things about the recipe which made it so much better!

Broccoli Casserole I

Ingredients:

1 cup Minute Rice
1 can mushroom soup or 1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg chopped broccoli (10 oz frozen)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup hot water
1 small jar Cheez Whiz
1 stick butter

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together. Place in casserole baking dish. Sprinkle the top with Pepperidge Farm seasoned bread crumbs. Bake for 1 hour for 350F.

***Instead of cheez whiz, I use the Ragu cheese sauce. Also instead of the Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs, I tear pieces of bread and lay on top. I then sprinkle it with oregano and italian seasonings. I think it tastes so much better!

Menu Plan Monday!! Week of 11/1/10-11/7/10


It is "Menu Plan Monday" We have one more week of soccer practices (Tues & Thurs)and my 10 year old is having a sleepover on Friday. Here are the meals I have planned for the week:

Monday: Pepperoni Chicken

Tuesday: As Easy As Fallin Off a Log Chili, Tortillas for dipping

Wednesday: Broccoli and Garlic Pasta, Rolls

Thursday: Fend for Yourself Night

Friday: Sleepover Night

Saturday: Eat Out

Sunday: Breakfast for Dinner (Cinnamon Toast)

I would also like to get in one new appetizer (Hot Cocktail Squares) and one dessert (Million Dollar Pie)

All recipes this week are new to us so we will see how they rate in the "yummy" department.

Check back during this week for these recipes and final product photos!