Menu Plan Monday

Tweet

Hello all :)  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  It was a lazy one over here down our way.  We spent the beginning of the week going to morning appointments and open houses....and even managed to sneak in a little breakfast date and shopping with Husband Man ;)  After all the running around, a weekend at home was definitely needed.

While making this upcoming menu, I decided to search for recipes from my cookbook collection versus the Internet.  I was just tired of searching the net for recipes and figured I would go old school and turn to my trusty cookbook collection for some inspiration ;)

I'm so glad I did!  As soon as I opened those wooden doors, it was like I was transformed into another world.  The Internet is full of great recipe sites and blogs that I had allowed myself to get sucked into that astonishing world, thus forgetting about my wonderful cookbook collection in the kitchen. 

For this menu, the recipes for the first week are meals that I didn't make from my previous menu.  The recipes for the second week are new ones, taken from some of the cookbooks above ;)

I also want to mention that even though I have meals set for specific dates, I don't always make them on those days.  I like to switch it up from time to time....making Monday's dinner on Wednesday and vice versa.  Having the dates on the menu helps me stay organized thanks to my OCD personality....lol.  Valentine's Day is coming up on the 14th and I would have completely forgotten about that if I didn't write down the dates. 

New on the menu for these next few weeks is a Gumbo recipe.  I'm excited to try it :)  I have never made Gumbo before so it's going to be quite an interesting experience.  I also have decided to start doing all my baking on Sundays.  By doing this, we can cut down on calories by having Husband Man take the desserts to work on Mondays.  I can't give up baking (been there, done that, and hated it) because I just love it to dang much, so the next best thing is to control how much we eat when I do bake ;)

***Meals in bold are recipes from this blog***

Monday-31st:

Dinner=Homemade Chicken Soup and breadsticks

Tuesday-1st:

Breakfast=Homemade French Toast Sticks

Dinner=Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Garlic Bread

Wednesday-2nd:

Left Overs All Day

Thursday-3rd:

Breakfast=Yogurt Parfaits

Dinner=Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Friday-4th:

Left Overs All Day

Saturday-5th:

Breakfast=Crustless Quiche

Dinner=Beer Braised BBQ Pulled Pork, Homemade Buttermilk Cornbread, and MaMaw's Cooked Creamer Peas

Sunday-6th:

Left Overs All Day

Dessert=Sweet Potato Pie (frozen from Christmas)

Monday-7th:

Dinner=Pulled Pork over baked potatoes and Beans

Tuesday-8th:

Breakfast=Homemade Waffles

Dinner=Tuna Casserole and Lima Beans

Wednesday-9th:

Left Over All Day

Thursday-10th:

Breakfast=Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (defrosted)

Dinner=Elegant Baked Fish

Friday-11th:

Left Overs All Day

Saturday-12th:

Breakfast=Southwestern Omlets and Fruit

Dinner=Authentic Cajun Gumbo

Sunday-13th:

Left Overs All Day

Dessert=Buckeye Bars and Buckeye Balls for Teacher's V-Day Gifts

Monday-14th:

Breakfast=Heart Shaped Buttermilk Pancakes, bacon, and eggs

Dinner=Pot Roast Meatloaf

To check out other menus and find your menu planning inspiration, head on over to Menu Plan Monday's :)

Breakfast Burritos

Tweet

Did I ever tell y'all about my addiction to Sonic Breakfast Burritos?  If I haven't, then I'm about to.  During my second trimester of pregnancy with The Dude, I absolutely craved these things.  I had to have one at least once a week.  I know everyone has their little food vices and cravings while they are pregnant, and for most, those addictions stop after pregnancy.  Unfortunately, mine did the opposite and I ended up majorly packing on the fast food pounds.  In this house, we are all trying to eat healthier these days and trying to stay away from fast food. Trying to lose the baby weight and all the extra poundage I gained while in my fast food craze is proving to be harder then I thought it would be. So imgaine my surprise when I came across this recipe.  I was super excited to try it.

The above burritos are nothing like those yummy, gooey-cheesy, meaty breakfast tortillas from heaven.  They are better ;)  What makes them better?  They are 100% homemade.  Well, more like 85% homemade if you don't count the store bought tortillas.

We've been trying to substitute hamburger meat with turkey meat as a healthier alternative, and in this recipe, we used Italian Turkey Sausage.  It was wonderful!  Husband Man ate a plate of the filling without the tortillas and I ate one whole burrito.  Serve them with salsa and a side of sour cream or fruit.  These are great to make if you are having company or simply just want to make breakfast/brunch.  And....they are 100% freezable!  So go ahead.....cook and roll away....you'll be glad you did ;) 

Will I ever go back to eating the one's at Sonic?  Not a chance ;)

Breakfast Burritos

(recipe adapted from Taste of Home)

1 pound bulk pork sausage or hamburger meat or turkey sausage

1-1/2 cups frozen cubed hash brown potatoes

1/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup diced green or red pepper

4 eggs, beaten

12 flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Picante/Salsa sauce and sour cream, optional

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the potatoes, onion and pepper; cook and stir for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Add eggs; cook and stir until set.

Spoon filling off center on each tortilla. Sprinkle with cheese. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. Serve with picante/salsa sauce and sour cream if desired.

To freeze and reheat burritos: Wrap each burrito in waxed paper and foil. Freeze for up to 1 month. To use, remove foil and waxed paper. Place one burrito on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave on high for 2 to 2-1/4 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees, turning burrito over once. Let stand for 20 seconds. Makes 12 burritos.

Menu Plan Monday

Tweet

Hello all!  I hope everyone had a good weekend ;)  I have been up to my eyeballs in doctor and therapy appointments for both of my children this past week.   Needless to say, it's been crazy around here...and the fun won't stop until the end January!  Due to all the hustle and bustle of the upcoming few weeks, I had to plan our meals out carefully. 

I am also going to revert back to the way I used to do my menus before I started this section on my blog.  I know, I know...it's VERY detailed....lol...but I guess that's just my Type A/OCD personality coming out of me.  It helps that I know the particular dates because it helps me stay organized.  Hopefully I will not scare anyone away from this blog by reading my detailed menu...LOL. And yes, it's ok to giggle and laugh while reading this.  Just remember to laugh with me, not at me...LOL ;)   

***Meals in bold are recipes from this blog***

Monday-17th:

Dinner=Cheesy Broccoli-Vegetable Soup, and Homemade Buttermilk Cornbread

Tuesday-18th:

Breakfast=Pretty Cinnamon Pumpkin Rolls

Dinner=Sloppy Joe Sandwiches and Chips

Wednesday-19th:

Dinner=Left Overs ;)

Thursday-20th:

Breakfast=Homemade French Toast Sticks

Dinner=Homemade Chicken Soup and Breadsticks

Friday-21st:

Dinner=Left Overs

Saturday-22nd:

Breakfast=Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes, Bacon, and Eggs

Dinner=Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Sunday-23rd:

Left Overs all day

Monday-24th:

Breakfast=Banana Oatmeal Pancakes (defrosted)

Dinner=Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Sandwiches with chips

Tuesday-25th:

Breakfast=No-Time For Breakfast Biscuits (defrosted)

Dinner=Tuna Casserole and Baby Lima Beans

Wednesday-26th:

Left Overs all day

Thursday-27th:

Breakfast=Banana Oatmeal Pancakes (defrosted) and Bacon

Dinner=Beer Braised Pulled Pork, buttermilk cornbread, and MaMaw's Creamer Peas

Friday-28th:

Left Overs all day

Saturday-29th:

Breakfast=Orange Rolls

Dinner=Quick and Easy Chicken Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

Sunday-30th:

Left Overs all day

Monday-31st:

Dinner=Slow Cooker Spaghetti and Garlic Bread

Desserts/Baking

Sugar Cookies

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Homemade Apple Crisp

Sweet Potato Pie (already made from Christmas)

Lemon Meringue Pie

Homemade Strawberry Pie

For more Menu Planning Ideas and Tips, go here.

No-Time For Breakfast Biscuits

Tweet

Breakfast...the most important meal of the day.....supposedly ;) 

I'm not sure how many of you out there have mornings that are super busy...but I have had more busy mornings then I can count.  My children attend preschool three days a week....so our mornings are rush, rush, rush all the time.  Despite how organized I try to be or how much I try to keep them on a regular morning routine, making time for breakfast always seems to be non-existent.  I'm hanging my head in shame as I admit that we tend to keep the producers of Pop Tarts in business every month.  It doesn't take but 5 minutes to grab one of those sugary pastries out of the box, then grab a juice box out of the fridge and have my children eat/drink both while on the way to school.

Honestly though, my problem has to do with time management.  And until I can figure out that part of our lives...I will just have to whip these biscuits up :)

I first heard of this recipe while watching the Racheal Ray Show one day.  I rarely watch daytime tv...unless it's on at a dentist or doctor's office...so imagine my utter joy when I came across her show one day and saw her making these nifty things. These biscuits may just have solved my healthy breakfast issue.  Well...healthier then Pop Tarts and juice boxes ;)

The ingredients are everything you would eat in a nice, big breakfast....just in a biscuit form. 

Make them in muffin form............

Or free form..........

Make them and then freeze em....or store in a plastic container in the fridge.  When you have those rush-rush mornings, grab one out of the container and head out the door...resting assure that it is possible for your family to have a big breakfast....on the go ;)  Another added plus....they are a lot healthier then one of those fast-food sausage, biscuit, and egg sandwiches ;)

No-Time For Breakfast Biscuits

1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 strips bacon, chopped or a cup of crumbled up sausage

5 eggs, divided

Salt and ground black pepper

2 1/4 cups baking mix, such as Bisquick

1 cup milk for mix

1 cup shredded yellow cheddar cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 425ºF.

2.  Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), about 1 tablespoon. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

3.  Beat 4 eggs in a small mixing bowl. Add the eggs to the pan that the bacon was cooked in, season with salt and pepper, and scramble them lightly. Transfer the eggs to a plate and reserve.

4.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, milk and remaining egg to make the batter. Gently stir in the crispy bacon, reserved scrambled eggs and shredded cheese.

5.  Deposit dollops of the batter onto a greased baking sheet (or muffin tin) and bake until golden brown, 10-12 minutes.

Notes:  To make this low fat, use low-fat Heart Healthy Bisquick Mix (yes..they make this), low sodium or turkey bacon/sausage, low fat shredded cheddar cheese, and egg substitutes such as Egg Beaters

You can probably also add veggies into the mix as well.  I have not tried this idea, but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to ;)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

Tweet

Valentine's Day is slowly creeping up on us.  While running my daily errands, I noticed that all the stores are being decked out in Valentine's Day Decor....making Christmas seems like a distant memory.  Seems like only yesterday the family and I were snuggled by the fireplace opening gifts under the tree.  Boy how time flies!!

All the Christmas baking that I have done recently has left me with some extra ingredients to use up.  I had all this almond bark and peanut butter left from when I conducted the Christmas Cooking Class that I literally have been on the hunt to figure out what else to make with them.

Luckily, I came across this recipe over at Tina's blog, Mommy's Kitchen.  I have made quite a few recipes from her blog and we have enjoyed them all ;)  It was a definite winner in our house and did not disappoint.  This is similar to the way I make my Peanut Butter Buckeyes, only difference is you cut the peanut butter mixture into hearts instead of making them into individual balls.  You can use milk chocolate almond bark or milk chocolate chips as the coating.  These are great to make as teacher gifts, gifts for your friends, or just cause ;)

Since this is a recipe blog, I figured I'd post a tutorial on how to make em'......so let's get started....

First, mix the stick of butter with the peanut butter until well blended.  I use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer for this. Then, you want to slowly add the cups of powdered sugar.  You can use your hands to mix in the sugar.  After all the mixing, the dough should look like this....a nice...smooth ball of peanut butter dough....and should have the consistency of play dough when you pull it apart......

Next, you want to roll this ball of sweetness into a nice circle....being sure to coat the surface with a little powdered sugar.....

Your kids can help you with this next step!  Take a small, heart shaped cookie cutter (or large...depending on how big you want the hearts) and start cutting out heart shapes all over the circle......

Place each of the little/big hearts on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Set them in the fridge/freezer for one hour or overnight.

When ready, melt your chocolate (almond bark or chocolate chips with shortening) in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.  Make sure you only put them in for one minute because anything after that minute will start to cook the chocolate.  Be sure to stir the bark/chocolate really well before heading on to the next step.

Dip the hearts inside the bowls of chocolate, making sure to coat both sides.  Place the hearts back onto the wax paper to set.  We placed ours back in the fridge to set because we enjoy eating them cold. 

Yummm!  Just look at that smooth, yummy middle inside.....

Easy peasy and so simple!  And seriously...who doesn't like chocolate mixed with peanut butter??  They are a match made in heaven ;)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts

2 cups smooth peanut butter

1 stick butter (1/2 cup) or margarine - softened

 4 cups of powdered sugar

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels

3 T. shortening

1 – Package milk chocolate almond bark

(if using the almond bark omit the chocolate chips & shortening)

Mix the butter with the peanut butter until well blended. 

Then, slowly add the cups of powdered sugar.  You can use your hands to do this part.  Mix it until it forms the shape of a ball and there is no peanut butter left on your hands.  The ball, when torn apart, should have the consistency of play dough.

Prepare to roll the dough out by sprinkling a little bit of powdered sugar on the surface.  Roll the dough with a rolling pin into a nice circle...about an inch to half an inch thick.

Take your heart shaped cookie cutters and cut little hearts out of the dough.  Place the hearts on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put in the fridge/freezer for an hour or overnight.

Once the hearts have hardened, melt your chocolate (almond bark or combine the chocolate chips with shortening) in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. Make sure you only put them in for one minute because anything after that minute will start to cook the chocolate. Be sure to stir the bark/chocolate really well before heading on to the next step.

Dip the hearts inside the bowls of chocolate, making sure to coat both sides. Place the hearts back onto the wax paper to set. 

Menu Plan Monday

Tweet

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year ;)  We went out of town for the holidays and had a blast!  Due to our holiday absence, I did not have a chance to make a menu for the rest of December.  Half of the meals on this menu will be repeats off the menu I made for the first few weeks of December.  I have also added a few new recipes that I would like to try as well.  Now that the holidays are behind us, I am really looking forward to getting back in the kitchen and testing out new recipes.  Especially the Breakfast Burrito recipe listed below ;)

***Meals in bold are recipes off of this blog***

Breakfast

No Time For Breakfast Biscuits

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Breakfast Burritos

Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes

Homemade French Toast Sticks

Dinner

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Pasta Bake and a Salad

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Spicy Turkey and Sausage Soup

Garlic Roasted Chicken, MaMaw's Creamer Peas, and Biscuits

Dessert/Baking

Buckeye Bars

Chocolate Candy Cane Cupcakes

Pretty Pumpkin Cinnamon Buns

Peanut Butter Chocolate Hearts