Friday, February 29, 2008

Monthly Menu Plan: February 2008

Here is my menu for February 2008. You will notice that Week Three is eating from the Freezer Section. I have set that week aside for potty training my 3 year old son. I don't imagine I'm going to want to cook. I'm trying to figure out how to get the shopping list posted without lots of cutting and pasting. I have it in an Open Office spreadsheet. If you'd like a copy just email me and I'll email it back to you as an attachment. After I printed the menu I realized I have Cheese Biscuits 4 days in a row. That won't be happening. Just substitute some other bread or cracker.

Sunday: Pizza, Salad, Pineapple Chunks
Monday: Chicken Curry, Pineapple, Onion, Carrots, Rice
Tuesday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cheese Biscuits
Wednesday: Seafood Chowder, Cheese Biscuits
Thursday: Fake Lasagna, Salad, Cheese Biscuits
Friday: Barbecue Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Cheese Biscuits
Saturday: Ground Beef Stroganoff, Salad, Green Beans

Sunday: Chicken Dressing, Green Beans, Jello
Monday: Taco Cornbread Stuff, Salsa, Salad, Sour Cream,Fruit
Tuesday: Hamburger Gravy, Fried Potatoes, Biscuits
Wednesday: Zesty Baked Salmon, Steamed Carrots, Broccoli, Rice
Thursday: Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese Biscuits
Friday: Chicken & Broccoli Braid, Salad, Fruit
Saturday: Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Carrot Casserole, Salad, Jello

Sunday: Leftovers!
Monday: Potty Training Chicken Strips, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Tuesday: Potty Training Frozen Waffles, Syrup, Fruit
Wednesday: Potty Training Fish Sticks, French Fries, Salad
Thursday: Potty Training Canned Chowder, Crackers, Jello
Friday: (Potty Training, Ben's Birthday) Frozen Pizza, Salad, Birthday Cake
Saturday: Potty Training Fend for Yourself

Sunday: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon,,Biscuits, Fruit
Monday: Balsamic Chicken, Broccoli, Carrots, Onions, Rice
Tuesday: Tortilla Stack, Black Olives, Salsa, Pineapple Chunks
Wednesday: Potato Soup w/ Ham, Cheese Biscuits
Thursday: Easy Breaded Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans
Friday: Lemon Pepper Salmon, Steamed Broccoli & Carrots, Rice
Saturday: Turkey Breast, Tater Tot Casserole, Salad, Pudding

Visit Here for more great menu ideas.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

7 weird things about me related to food.

I was tagged by Billie at Embracing the Journey to my Daughter to do a post about 7 strange things about me. Since I did this meme on my other blog a while back I thought it would be fun to do it here - about food stuff.

1. I can make a meal out of dill pickle slices (think hamburger dills) and saltine crackers. It's sort of like a pickle appetizer. And this is when I'm NOT pregnant.

2. The smell of eggs and cheese cooking together makes me want to vomit. Again, even when I'm not pregnant. Needless to say, I don't cook quiche, strata, or omelets. As a result, my husband's specialty is scrambled eggs with cheese and omelets. I always find something else to eat!

3. While on the subject of eggs, I enjoy boiled eggs with a salt shaker on the side, deviled eggs, and about once-a-month scrambled eggs (no cheese! but lots of salt and pepper).

4. I can't stand coffee. I've tried it every conceivable way and it's just nasty tasting to me.

5. I always order the same thing at a restaurant: Chili's - chicken strips, On the Border - club quesidillas, Olive Garden - chicken parmigiana. You get the idea.

6. I love a beefsteak tomato sliced thin and doused with salt. YUM!

7. I make potato salad from mashed potatoes. I grew up with it this way so I don't think it's weird but everyone else seems to think so.

In looking back over this list it appears that I have a salt problem. = ) I really don't use salt that much. But on certain things I want a lot of it.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Lemon Chicken with Green Beans & Potatoes

*** I found this yummy sounding recipe at Kelly's Korner.

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 lb green beans, (frozen?)
8 small red potatoes, quartered
4 chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 450. Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange lemon slices from 1 lemon in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. In large bowl combine remaining olive oil, lemon juice of 2nd lemon, garlic, salt and pepper. Add green beans and toss to coat. Using tongs, remove green beans and arrange them on top of lemon slices. Add potatoes to same olive oil mixture and coat. Arrange on inside edge of dish on top of the beans. You can also add a lemon pepper mixture on top of everything. It adds a lot of flavor.Place chicken in olive oil mixture and coat. Place chicken in dish. Roast for 40-50 minutes. Remove chicken and continue roasting potatoes/beans if necessary.

My Notes: Haven't tried this yet.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Tortilla Stack

*** This was originally a Pampered Chef recipe. I have no idea where my original copy is. I stopped using it a long time ago. This is my version.

1 can refried beans
flour tortillas (for individual servings use the soft taco size, for family style use burrito size)
1-2 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped
cheddar cheese, shredded
1 onion, chopped & sauted
1 taco seasoning packet or (2 TBSP ground chili powder, 1 TBSP garlic powder, 1 TBSP ground cumin)
1 can black olives, sliced or chopped

Mix the seasonings with the chopped chicken. Place one tortilla on flat pan (cookie sheet or pizza pan work well), layer evenly with with refried beans, chicken, onions, black olives, cheddar cheese. Top with second flour tortilla. Repeat as many layers as desired. Heat in 375* oven until cheese is melted.

Servings: One taco sized tortilla makes a good adult portion stack. Cut burrito sized tortillas into wedges (like a pizza).

My Notes: Joel doesn't like olives so I only put them on one half of the stack. The recipe works well as vegetarian. Just add the seasonings to the refried beans and leave off the chicken. When I'm low on tortillas, time or patience I only do one layer. You could also add avocado, green chilies or any other TexMex ingredient.

Chicken Curry

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite-sized pieces
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
2 cups carrots, cut in bite-sized pieces
dash of red pepper or cayenne or chili powder (can be omitted)
2 tsp ground curry powder
oil
water

In large skillet heat enough oil to saute onion and carrots. When carrots are lightly browned and almost tender remove from pan and set aside. Heat enough oil to brown chicken pieces and add chicken to pan. When chicken is mostly cooked, add curry powder, chili powder, and tomato paste. Add enough water for the thickness of the sauce you want. I add about 1/3 of a cup. Stir well. Return onion and carrots to the pan. Heat until carrots and chicken are done. Serve over white rice.

Serves: 4-5 servings.

*** My Notes: If you want the sauce thicker, bring to a boil and allow it to reduce BEFORE adding vegetables back in pan. This recipe can be stretched to feed more servings depending on what you serve with it and how much you enjoy curry. I usually serve a LOT of rice and a side of pineapple chunks.

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

1 package of yeast or 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast from a jar
1 cup of hot water
1 cup of white flour
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
wheat flour, enough so dough isn't sticky - about 2 cups

Pour hot water into large bowl. Add yeast. After yeast has dissolved add white flour. Stir to combine. Add oil and salt. Stir. Stir in wheat flour until dough is firm enough to knead. Knead dough on floured surface adding more flour as needed until dough is no longer sticky. Return to bowl and place in oven to rise. After dough has doubled in size, remove from oven and roll dough out on a floured surface. Place on pizza stone and cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove from oven and put on desired toppings.

Yield: 1 thick crust medium round crust or 1 thin large rectangle crust

*** My Notes: This dough can be rushed. I've often gone straight from kneading to rolling and placing on pizza stone. I turn the oven on low and let the dough rise for 10-15 minutes before cooking it at 350. I like to pre-cook the dough before putting the toppings on. My family asks for this pizza all the time. It's a great way to use wheat flour. If your family isn't accustomed to wheat flour start with a higher ratio of white and slowly work toward more wheat. My husband now prefers this pizza crust to restaurant pizza.

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