Menu Plan – Week of November 23

Sunday – Steak, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans

Monday – Chicken Tacos with refried black beans and all the fixings

Tuesday – Hot Brown Sandwiches with Honey and Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Wednesday – White Bean and Kale Soup (will be adding sausage)

Thursday – HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Friday – Day After appetizers and Christmas decorating; we are taking Hot Crab Dip, veggies and dip, and King’s Hawaiian rolls for leftover turkey sliders

Menu Plan – Week of November 3, 2014

Monday – tacos with all the fixings to celebrate little man being on the all-A honor roll

Tuesday – Moroccan Carrot Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches

Wednesday – Chicken Pesto Stuffed Shells (from freezer) and green salad

Thursday – Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches (from freezer) and coleslaw

Friday – Pizza and salad

Saturday – Slow Cooker Lasagna with green beans

Sunday – at mom and dad’s

Menu Plan – Week of October 26, 2014

Sunday – Chicken Pot Pie (make 1, freeze 1)

Monday – White Chicken Enchiladas with a tomato and avocado salad

Tuesday – BLT sandwiches with oven roasted potatoes

Wednesday – Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Thursday – Potato, Corn, and Carrot Chowder

Friday – Pizza night!

Saturday – at Mom and Dad’s

Menu Plan – Week of March 19

It’s getting warm here in the South.  We are anticipating temperatures in the upper 70’s all week.  That means a return to lighter, simpler fare at out house.  One of my goals this Spring and Summer is to find ways to make meal preparation more simple in the evenings.  Being back at work full time for almost years, you’d think I would have a system down.  Yet, 5:15 is often upon us and I am scrambling.  I hope to try some new recipes and techniques and will be glad to share what I learn (and what flops!).

Dinner:

• Cheddar Polenta Croquettes with field greens and broiled asparagus
  • I will make the polenta one night after dinner and allow it to cool.  That way, all I have to do when ready to eat is pan fry it and broil the asparagus.
• Butternut Squash Tacos, Refried Beans
  • I plan to make the big batch of beans, portion and freeze.  Also, I’ll peel and cut the squash the night before.
• Spaghetti Pie with homemade sauce, green salad
• Tomato Basil Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches

Not Dinner:

• Applesauce
• Gingerbread Waffles – make, portion, and freeze for easy breakfast and snakcs for little man

Potato, Corn, and Carrot Chowder

7-8 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch rings or chunks

1 large, or 2 small shallots, sliced thin 

1 T butter

3 C milk, broth, or a mixture of both

1 c milk, mixed with 1/3 C flour to form a slurry

4-5 C corn (we like the flash frozen sliver queen sweet corn)

2 C extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Salt and pepper to taste – for us, this is usually 3-4 T salt and about 2 T pepper

Extra milk, as needed, to thin the chowder

1.  Place the cubed potatoes and carrots in a large Dutch oven, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer 8-10 minutes until potatoes are tender

2.  While potatoes and carrots are cooking, sauté the shallot in the butter in a small pan

3.  Once potatoes are cooked, drain.  Reserve about 1 C cooked potatoes, return the balance to the Dutch oven. Lightly mash the set aside potatoes and put them in the pot as well.

4.  Add the 3 C liquid, and a hearty amount of salt and pepper, return to a simmer and cook 2-3 minutes.

5.  Add the flour and milk mixture and allow to thicken. Add more milk at this point if needed.

6.  Add the corn and the cheese, stir occasionally until cheese is melted.

7.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Can be topped with cooked bacon and slides green onions, if desired. We usually do not add those things and it’s great for us.

Enjoy!

January Menu Plan

Breakfast:

Chai Latte

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothies (a daily indulgence!)

Gingerbread Waffles

Orange Sticky Cake (going for mom of the year award!)

Bacon Cheddar Biscuits (recipe to follow)

Dinners:

Butternut Squash, Kale, and (Soy) Sausage Minestrone

Enchiladas with Avocado Cream sauce (adaptation from this recipe)

Quiche with mixed green salad

Spaghetti Pie with mixed green salad

Mushroom Lasagna with mixed green salad

Chicken Pot Pie with mixed green salad

Tomato Basil Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches

Curried Lentil Soup with Chickpea Puree

Pan fried chicken, Cheddar Scallion Polenta Croquettes, and mixed green salad

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Black bean tostadas

Black Bean Burgers served with homemade coleslaw

Pinto Beans and Rice served with cornbread and maybe coleslaw

Turkey Meatballs with grape jelly and chili sauce served with egg noodles and green beans

Beer Cheese Soup (sans sausage)

Toscano Soup (essentially this soup with soy sausage added) with Italian Cheese Bread

Tortellini, Peppers, and Spinach

Creamy Tomato Barley Risotto

Homemade pizza and salad (a Friday night staple, so this knocks out 4 meals)

Breakfast for Dinner (at least 3 times a month)

What’s cooking in your home this month?  Are you trying to eat healthier in the New Year?  We sure are and we’d love to share our journey with you!

 

Menu Plan, Week Beginning December 17

DH and I have fallen off the wagon with regard to meal planning.  I say this quite of often on my blog, not as an excuse, but to let you know that life happens to us all.  Schedules get crazy, people get hungry, and nutrition falls by the wayside.  We know we will be eating a rich meal on Christmas day with my parents, so we are paring back for the next several days to try to kee things in check.

Dinners:

• Creamy Mushroom Soup with White Beans, served with homemade Baguettes
• Vegetarian Meatloaf and Roasted Cauliflower & 16 Cloves of Garlic
• Black Bean and Tortilla Bake with sliced avocados and salsa
• Eggplant Parmesan with whole grain spaghetti and green salad
• Pumpkin Turkey Chili – recipe to follow later this week

Other Cooking / Baking:

• Honey Whole Wheat Bread
• Triple Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls (Christmas morning breakfast)

I pray you will all slow down this week and embrace the holy season.  This season is not at all about a man with a beard, dancing little people, flying reindeer, or animated snowmen.  It is about reverence, awe, wonder, and humility at the sacrifice made by our Lord to bridge the divide between us and Him.  Quiet your heart and mid, put down your list, and soak in the great mercy offered through a humble babe born in Bethlehem.

 

 

Chicken, Corn & Black Bean Enchiladas

I made supper for 50 at our church last week again.  I thoroughly enjoy cooking and have found several recipes that are really just as easy for 50 as they are for 3.  This enchilada recipe is one of those.  I start several days in advance.  Here’s a timeline and recipe for you.  This is how I make them to save time and money.  You can easily substitute readier to eat foods for anything below (canned beans, rotisserie chicken, canned sauce, etc.)  Enjoy!

*I mentioned I made this meal for 50 people.  Total cost for this dish was less than $50.  I purchased the chicken, corn, tomatoes, chilis, and tortillas.  I had all the spices, cheeses, and several bags of dry beans in the pantry.

•  1 lb dry black beans, soaked overnight
• 1 3-4 lb fryer chicken, thawed, giblets removed
• 1 C frozen corn kernels (Silver Queen or another sweet variety)
• 2 small cans diced tomatoes with green chilis (usually 10-12 oz per can) OR 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes and 2 4 oz cans green chillis
• 1/2 C grated pepper jack cheese (buy the block and grate it yourself – so much better!)
• 8-10 medium sized wheat tortillas
• 2 C Chili Gravy, recipe follows
• 2 C colby jack and/or pepper jack cheese, depending upon how spicy you want it

It all starts with this chili gravy.  You can make this a few days in advance and refrigerate.

Recipe from Amber’s Delectable Delights / Sugared Whisk

Makes 2 cups

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp powdered garlic

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano is preferred)

2 T chile powder (either homemade or a dark brand such as Gebhardt’s or Whole Foods)

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

1 pinch red pepper flakes

2 cups chicken broth (or water)

 

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.

3. Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.

4. Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.

5. Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes. If desired, add water to adjust the thickness.

 

Beans:

Prepare the beans 2 days in advance.

Soak them overnight and then put them in a slow cooker for 8-10 hours on low with:

• 2T chili powder
• 1T cumin
• 1T black pepper
• 1T salt
• 1t onion powder
• 1t garlic powder
• Add enough water to cover beans by 1 inch, cook on low 8-10 hours

Chicken:

Prepare the chick the day prior to serving.

Make sure it is fully thawed and cleaned.  Make a rub of:

• 1T chili powder
• 1/2T cumin
• 1/2T black pepper
• 1/2T salt
• Coat the chicken with the rub and place in a slow cooker
• Cook on low 4-5 hours
• Cool, skin, and pick clean making sure to get both light and dark meat.

The Day Of Serving:

1. Combine beans, corn, tomatoes, chilis, chicken, 1/2 c chili gravy, and 1/2 c pepper jack cheese in a large bowl
2. Place about 1/2 cup filling into the center of a tortilla and roll
3. Place tortilla seam side down in a 9*13 casserole dish
4. Repeat with remaining tortillas to fill the dish
5. Pour remaining chili gravy evenly over tortillas, taking care to cover the edges
6. Sprinkle the 2 cups of cheese over top
7. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes until cheese is melted and gravy is bubbling.

Chicken Pot Pie

DH and I have cut way back on our meat consumption.  This week we baked 4 chicken breasts on Sunday.  Normally they would have been gone instantly, but I had 2 lonely chicken boobs in the fridge yesterday morning … and since yesterday was Wednesday, they needed to be used – stat!  It was also cold and rainy here in NC, so a chicken pot pie sounded like the best thing in the world to this gal.  I played around for a while online looking for recipes, but in the end I combined, improvised, and came out with something that we thought was yummy.

Ingredients:

• 2 standard size pie crusts, the ones from the refrigerated section – roll out, not pre-formed like the frozen ones
• 1 C finely chopped onion
• 1 C cooked chicken, chopped fine
• 1 C carrots, chopped fine
• 2 C potatoes, chopped fine
• 1 C frozen corn
• 1/2 C frozen peas
• 3 C water
• 2 T chicken base (can use equivalent chicken stock for water and base)
• 2 C milk
• 1 t dried thyme
• 1 t black pepper
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1.5 t salt
• 1/2 C (one full stick) butter
• 1/2 C flour

1. This requires a small sauce pan plus a large dutch oven.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In the small sauce pan, put in the carrots and potatoes along with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and simmer 8-10 minutes until just tender enough for a fork, drain.
3. Melt the butter in a large dutch oven over medium high heat
4. Add the onion and saute about 5 minutes, until translucent and soft
5. Add the flour, thyme, pepper, garlic powder, and salt – reduce heat to medium; saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently
6. Add the liquids, slowly, stirring constantly to break up and lumps; turn heat back up to mid-high
7. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes then add in all the veggies and chicken.
8. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Remove from heat.
9. Roll one pie crust into the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish and par-bake according to package instructions.
10. Pour chicken and veggie mixture into par-baked pie crust.
11. Roll out the 2nd crust to cover the top.  Pinch, fold over, smoosh the edges together to prevent major overflow.  Cut several slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
12. Bake, on a cookie sheet, 40-45 minutes until crust has browned and inside is bubbling hot.

Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall has arrived!!!  I bought my first (of many) cans of organic pumpkin puree from Trader Joe’s this week and I could not wait to make our stand-by fave muffin.  I have been making this muffin for about 4 years and little man loves them.  There’s no easier way to get him to consume pumpkin, apples, and whole wheat!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (adapted from Marg’s recipe)

• 4 eggs
• 1.5 cup unsweetened applesauce (I make my own, but if you buy some make sure to use organic, unsweetened)
• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin (Trader Joe’s Organic)
• 1 cups sugar
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 (heaping) teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces semisweet mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix first 5 ingredients together; separately, mix dry ingredients.
2. Blend the two mixtures together, fold in chips.
3. Generously fill 24 greased or paper-lined muffin cups. (I have found the paper liners don’t work very well.).
4. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 16-20 minutes.  Mine were done at 18 minutes.