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Monday, September 26, 2011

Menu Monday

(September 18-24) I love Menu Monday's! Yes! even my own Menu Monday! I love to cook. Even more, I love to cook for people who love to eat my food! And while technically, you, my reader are not eating at my table every night, I feel like I get to share my love for nurturing and feeding others. I hope you enjoy this week's menu and if any of you are trying any of the recipes ... will ya give me a shout? I'd love to hear what you cooked, what your family loved or even hated ... lemme know!







SUNDAY
Brunch - cheesy scrambled eggs, potatoes o'brian, crumbled sausage, sauteed apples with oatmeal pancakes
(Thanks to my friend for sharing her bounty of farm fresh eggs with us! We really enjoyed the fresh treat! While this is not a 'quick' meal I don't mind taking the time for it for two reasons ... 1. the left over potatoes make a great base for an egg skillet later in the week for a quick breakfast or lunch and 2. I love big breakfasts! I love eating them so therefore I love cooking them!) 

Potato O'Brian

image from evernewrecipes.com
1/2 c onion (optional)
1/2 c green pepper &/or sweet red pepper (optional)
4 medium red potatoes cubed
3 T cooking oil (I use EVOO)
1/4 c beef broth
1/2 t Worcestershire
1 t salt

Saute onion and peppers & potatoes in oil over med heat for 4 minutes. Combine broth, W sauce & salt and pour over veggies. Cover & cook for 10 min or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook till liquid is absorbed about 3 minutes. Yield 4 servings.

I love this recipe because I don't have to peel the potatoes - a bonus when your kids are hungry! and I've made it with and without the broth but the broth definitely adds a flavor boost!

Also use the leftovers ... you can add them to a soup or do like we do, warm them up and sprinkle with cheese and put on a fried egg for a quick, hearty breakfast one morning!



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Cinnamon Oatmeal Pancakes

This recipe is from Cook This! Not That! 
Banish the Bisquick! The ubiquitous dry mix is fine in a pinch, but if you could make healthier, more delicious pancakes by spending an extra 2 minutes at the mixing bowl, why wouldn’t you? Oats and wheat flour give these pancakes a fiber and protein boost, helping stabilize your blood sugar levels as your body absorbs the rush of carbs that comes with a stack of flapjacks. Also each one is 260 calories!

You’ll need:
1 ½ cups buttermilk
¾ cup instant rolled oats
¾ cup whole-wheat flour
2 Tbsps milk
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 ½ tsps baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Pinch of cinnamon, plus 1/8 tsp for the apples
Pinch of nutmeg
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup apple juice
2 Tbsps brown sugar
Butter or cooking spray
Confectioner’s sugar

How to make it: In a large mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk, oats, flour, milk, butter, baking powder, baking soda, pinch of cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to gently combine, then set aside to rest for a few minutes.

Combine the apple, apple juice, brown sugar, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the apple has softened and the liquid has thickened.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Adding a bit of butter or cooking spray before each round, scoop ¼-cup portions of batter into the skillet and use a spatula to spread into thin, even circles. Cook until small bubbles form in the top of the batter, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Keep pancakes warm in the oven while you finish cooking. Serve topped with the warm apples and a bit of confectioner’s sugar, if you like.



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Monday, September 19, 2011

Menu Monday


(for the week 9/11-9/17) We are on a budget where every dollar counts. And while I'm not a couponer by any means I shop generic when I can, fresh every chance I get and hardly buy anything that's not on sale.







How do I do it?

<--- Well first my life is organized on this calendar. Every game, every practice, every appointment is penciled in here. I check it to see what nights I have time to cook and what evenings I need a good meal quick! Then I get out my menu notebook and jot down dinner/breakfast and even snack ideas for the week.


My grocery list is created from that menu and what follows is really what we ate this week. Maybe you'll be inspired to try something new. Gather your family around the table and make some time for real food and togetherness! Enjoy this week's Menu Monday....


Sunday
Waffle Maker Waffles for Brunch
(I make the waffles the kids add their own toppings. This photo is my oldest son's plate. As you can imagine he got in trouble for using so much whipped cream) 
Sandwiches for lunch
Cereal for dinner

Monday
Tator tot casserole
(I adore this simple dish and hubby loves it as a leftover)

Tuesday
we tailgated with sandwiches as Ebay had a football game

Wednesday
Spaghetti & Meatballs with Garlic Bread
(don't think for a second that I make meatballs - I don't! But I do look at the ingredient list as some are nothing but fillers. Look for all beef meatballs for your healthiest option!)

tastykitchen.com
Thursday
Pioneer Woman General Tso's Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
(my family raved!! about this new recipe! and they never rave! While it's not an easy meal to put together it was worth it! We loved it! I doubled the recipe and made 2# of chicken and it was still delicious for lunch as a leftover)

Friday
we were invited out - thanks Perry's!

Saturday
Red Potato Soup with fresh bread
(I didn't love this soup recipe. I won't make it again. I wanted to make Julie's recipe but she didn't get it to me in time. I'll try your version next time McV! Also, I buy the frozen bread dough that raises practically on it's own ... all you have to do is bake it and the house smells heavenly!)





p.s. I've recently learned that this idea is not a unique one!

1. Kate Gosselin announced on Twitter that she would be posting her own Menu Monday and

2. I found Menu Plan Monday on this cool website where a whole bunch of menu planners post their stuff each week!


http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday-guidelines








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Tator Tot Casserole


Tator Tot Casserole

1 pound ground beef fried (w onions if you love em like me!)
1 can Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 - 2 Cups of your favorite shredded cheese
1 bag of frozen tator tots cooked crispy
1/2 can milk


Cook tots according to directions or until crispy.
Fry beef and drain well.
Put beef back in pan and mix with soup and half can of milk.
Stir till delicious looking!
Place almost all of the tots in a greased casserole dish (double the recipe for a 9x13 pan)
Pour cheesy hamburger mixture over tots
Sprinkle remaining tots on tops of casserole
and smother in cheese.
Place in 350 oven till done! ummm ... like 15 minutes or so.
You'll know when it's done, the cheese will melt like heaven!



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Monday, September 12, 2011

Menu Monday


Last week was Labor Day. It was also fair week. And Ebay's first football game. And Aaron had 2 home soccer games. He volunteered me to run the concession stand. We had words about that. Friday we finally took the kids out to the carnival. I literally did not cook for four nights in a row. That has never, ever, in the history of my parenting happened!

Good thing I have a menu for you this week. It's actually from August 8th. Trust me, I would have much rather eaten this. Instead we were heavy on the grilled cheese, PB&Js and bowls of cereal for dinner. That's ok, this week I got some great new recipes up my sleeve and I am looking forward to cooking! Enjoy Menu Monday ....


Monday
Grilled Hamburgers & Sweet Corn
(We always grill more burgers than we need. They make great leftovers for lunch and they freeze well)

Tuesday
Cornbread Sausage Pizza
(I got this out of a Family Fun magazine and it's a keeper!)

Wednesday
Crock Pot Roast, Boiled Potatoes & Carrots, Blueberry Cornbread Muffins, Ramen Salad
(save leftover roast for a future Beef Stroganoff)

Thursday
Lasagna & Garlic Bread
(I literally buy a box of lasagna noodles & cook the recipe on back)

Friday
Macaroni & Cheese
(from the blue box! I don't love it but my kids do and I don't mind the leftover lasagna)

Saturday
leftover Lasagna

Sunday Brunch
Buttermilk Pancakes & Sausage links
(I buy Armour brand links they are precooked (just eat n eat!) and very inexpensive comparably)


I only cook breakfast on Sundays. A big hearty breakfast can take me almost all day but the kids need more, of course! Sandwiches or leftovers for lunch and in the evening they always have cereal...me? I have a giant bowl of popcorn! Yum!)

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Buttermilk Pancakes

image from www.pulsd.com
This is my mother-in-law's famous pancake recipe! I was a Bisquick girl myself until I married Aaron. It doesn't take long before you will prefer these pancakes over any other! On the mornings when we have pancakes for breakfast I will set out the electric griddle the night before and put all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Then in the morning all I have to do is put in the eggs and buttermilk. Viola! Hot breakfast easy peasy!



2 C flour
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients. Add eggs and buttermilk. Mix very well. Let sit for a minute or two and pour big or tiny puddles onto a hot, non stick pan. Flip when the entire pancake is full of bubbles. Cook for another minute or two. Slap on some butter and syrup .... mmmm!


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Monday, September 5, 2011

Menu Monday

for the week of August 29  Our life is super busy right now. There is always a certain level of chaos activity when you throw, er ... knit, 7 lives together but as it is every fall we are coming.... and going... and we meet ourself coming and going again.

Aaron coaches M-R varisty soccer ... they practice or have a game every night
Halee babysits, has drama practice and college prep level homework
Ethan has football practice every night and homework ... it's all we can do to keep him Math-motivated
Eric has soccer 2 nights a week
and the Twins? well, they pretty much get dragged around everywhere.

Bless their hearts.

So all that to say is this week's menu is heavy in the front and light in the back - that means the first 3 recipes each leave my family with significant leftovers that we can munch on later in the week!



MONDAY
Freezer Enchiladas (love this recipe because I make one and freeze one for another day)
Cheesy Mexican Rice
Chips n Salsa
Fried Cinnamon Strips (since I had the time)




TUESDAY
Pasta with White Sauce
Garlic Bread
Steamed Broccoli
Parmesan Crusted Tomatoes (because my friend with a garden was very generous with her red Romas. But let's be honest, the tomatoes are for me and the hubby, the kids don't touch em & I don't make em) p.s. this photo was taken on Halee's 1998 homemade Cinderella plate...cuz I'm sophisticated like that!

WEDNESDAY
Tuesday, after cleaning up dinner, I took out a bag of frozen, boneless chicken breast and defrosted it in fridge. Wednesday morning I opened it, dumped in half a bottle of generic (cuz I'm cheap like that) Italian dressing. Put it back in the fridge and let it marinate. (make sure you put the bag in a large bowl or something as it tends to drip -- ew!)

Parmesan Chicken
Rice Mix - whatever's in the pantry we happened to have chicken n mushroom
Green Beans (love summertime & friends with gardens)

THURSDAY
our first home soccer game! I'm working concession stand so the Sikorski Tribe is eating PB&Js or hot dogs out of the stand.

FRIDAY
Hubby will be away at soccer tournament, I have to work till 5 and pick up the kids and head out of town! No new dinner tonight ... insert leftovers! Yum!

SNACK
Everyday after school this week we had apples, grapes, bananas and Popsicles on hand. Also I made this Bugle Snack...it's just handy to have stuff the kids can munch on at various "Mooooooom! I'mmmmm starrrrrrrrving!!" moments :)

SATURDAY
Special: for lunch I used leftover chicken and put it in a box of Cesar Suddenly Salad (mix 1/4 c mayo w 1/4 c milk & seasoning packet. add chicken tomato and cucumber)



Dinner: Buffalo Chicken (I don't know how Bdubs makes their wings but my Buffalo chicken is nothing more than fried chicken dunked in buffalo sauce. I stock up on this fantastic sauce when Sav-A-Lot has it in stock. I oven fry chicken breasts or wings or tenders (whatever is on hand) and smother it! It is soo good)
Onion Rings
Twice Baked Potatoes




my Fav! burger seasoning


SUNDAY, BRUNCH DAY
Scrambled eggs & sausage links
Monkey Bread
Strawberry Yogurt Smoothies


Hamburgers on the grill Potato Salad
chips n dip n salsa from the garden



Also because I was in the mood I made a soccer cake! Did you know that a Pyrex bowl can be used as a cake pan? This is a generic cake mix. Generic icing. Some M&Ms I found in the pantry! The kids raved!

Cinnamon Strips


8 Flour tortillas cut into 1 inch strips
pan for frying
enough veg oil to cover bottom of pan and be about an inch deep
3/4 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon

Mix sugar and cinnamon together.
Heat oil in pan.
These cook quick so I always save them for the last, after all my other meal is prepared. It literally takes 5 minutes as your oil only gets hotter and hotter which means they fry up quick!

Using tongues place a few strips of tortilla in hot oil.
As soon as they are light brown flip over
and fry just seconds on other side.

Transfer to paper towel to get off excess oil.
Place a few more strips in pan.
Transfer drained, fried tortilla strips into sugar and cinnamon and toss around.
Flip tortilla strips in pan.
Transfer coated tortilla strips to serving platter, sneak a sample ...
Move fried strips to paper towel ... repeat ....

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Freezer Enchiladas

1 pound prepared taco beef
(I almost always make too much taco meat whenever I can, love having it on hand to knock out an extra 20 minutes)
8 flour tortillas
1 small jar green chilies
1/3 cup water
20 ounces (or so) of Enchilada sauce
your favorite Mexican Blend cheese
(we love Supremo Quesadilla cheese when we can find it!)

Mix beef, chilies and water.
Pour a smidge enchilada sauce in the bottom of greased 9x13 pan - just enough to cover it
Spread beef mixture down center of each 8" flour tortilla
Sprinkle in cheese (as much or as little as you want - or skip altogether for a more authentic enchilada)
Tightly roll up tortillas and place side by side in pan
Cover with enchilada sauce (as much or as little ... you decide)
Smother in cheese (the best part)
Cover in foil
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
or ....
double the recipe make two, bake one and freeze one for later
(but be kind to yourself and use a foil pan. I hate scrubbing Pyrex.)
When ready to use bake in oven for about an hour OR take out of freezer that morning, thaw in fridge and bake normal)

Snack Mix

Best No-Bake Snack mix ever .... almost!
3 bags Bugels
1 box Cheese Nips or 3 bags Goldfish or your favorite cheese cracker/snack
1 can your favorite nuts (we use cashews only)
1/2 bag of pretzels (sticks, twists ... whatever)
1/2 c veg oil
1 envelope dry Ranch dressing

Mix the snacks together in a huge bowl. Mix ranch & oil well! Pour over all the salty goodness. Stir gently but well. Dig in or let it sit to let flavors combine. Snack!