March 29, 2010

Menu Plan Monday

Monday- Cracker Barrel Chicken, fried taters, and corn.

Tuesday- Taco Ring with all the fixin's.

Wednesday- Skillet Lasagna with Anthony's favorite Bread

Thursday- Steak tips with peppers and onions, cheesy bacon smashed potatoes, and green beans.

Friday- Wings and Fries

Saturday- Leftover night or Shake-n-bake chops, lipton noodles, and peas.

Sunday- Easter @ my Dad's. I'll bring Sweet potatoes, Deviled Eggs, and Poke Cake.

Happy Easter Everyone. I'll be starting my mini Easter advent with Anthony today. If I remember I'll get pictures and tell you all about it.

March 23, 2010

End of March Goals

Here is my goal list for the rest of March.
  • Stay on top of things, do it now so it doesn't need done later.
  • Get the house ready for spring cleaning, clean & purge.
  • Make up our monthly budget & stick to it for the rest of the months.
  • Open a savings account. Put 5-10% of each pay up.. hopefully hours pick up.
  • Get curtains hung in livingroom.
  • Rug scrub.
  • Get an organizer for all the coupons I clip, and keep them organized better.
  • Either go for walks, or go to Grandparents to use the Elipitcal.
  • Pray more.. especially for Mimi.
  • And lastly, "Bloom where I am planted".

March 21, 2010

Menu Plan

Monday- We've had this recipe before, and its really good Cabbage, Potato, and Smoked Sausage. I have all 3 ingredients here. I'll probably make some green beans too so the kiddo will eat them.

Tuesday- Spaghetti w/ meatballs and garlic toast. This is the boys favorite dinner, they could eat it weekly or daily.

Wednesday- I am thinking about making beef stew one last time before the warmer weather starts to kick in, or here's to hoping it won't be cold anymore.. I am still looking for a good stew recipe.

Thursday- Pork chops with pasta or rice, which ever the boys choose, and whatever veggie compliments.

Friday- Stir fry, I haven't decided if we'll do beef and broccoli again or if I'll do chicken teriyaki.

Saturday- MY BRIDAL SHOWER! WOOT! I am so excited, I hope I remember my camera. The boys can fend for themselves.

Sunday- FFR Barrel Chicken with ranch potato wedges, and corn.

Only one new recipe this week, sorry. I am in a rut. In the midst of my wedding bliss, we found out that my soon to be hubby's Grandma has stage four cancer in her liver, which isn't where it originated so they have to run some more test. We think it might be too late but I refuse to be anything other than positive. All things are possible threw God. Please pray for her, her family, and my sweetie. This is a very difficult thing for them since they are a close knit family.


March 20, 2010

Recipe Review: Beef and Broccoli

Beef & Broccoli

3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1/2 cup water, plus
2 tablespoons water, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless round steak or charcoal chuck steak, cut into thin 3-inch strips (I used sirloin steak)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 cups broccoli florets (stir fry veggies)
1 small onion, cut into wedges (left out)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
hot cooked rice

1. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water and garlic powder until smooth.
2. Add beef and toss.
3. In a large skillet or wok over medium high heat, stir-fry beef in 1 tablespoon oil until beef reaches desired doneness; remove and keep warm.
4. Stir-fry broccoli and onion in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes.
5. Return beef to pan.
6. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and remaining cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the pan.
7. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
8. Serve over rice.

Review- I hate soy sauce and ginger both. I however loved this recipe. Super fast even though it had a couple steps. This was great with the stir fry mix of veggies. I give this a 5/5 rating and 4/5 from the Mr. I will be adding this to our regular rotation. Mmmm!

Recipe Review: Tortellini with Ham and Peas

Tortellini with Ham and Peas


Ingredients

  • 1  pound  fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
  • 1  cup  frozen peas
  • 3  tablespoons  unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1/2  cup  heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2  cup  grated Parmesan
  • 1/4  pound  ham, chopped

Preparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook tortellini until just al dente (do not overcook), as package label directs. Add peas to pot for last 30 seconds of cooking time.
Drain tortellini and peas and return to pot. Stir in butter, cream, salt, pepper, Parmesan and ham. Turn stove on to medium heat and cook, stirring, until ingredients are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Review: This was a 2/5 for me and a 3/5 for the Mr. He said he would have liked it much better if it had more sauce, so next time I will double the sauce if I make it again.

March 15, 2010

Menu Plan

So I survived the tooth pulling.. it really wasn't that bad besides the after care.. and the trying to eat part. So hopefully tomorrow I will feel 95% better. Right now I am at about 85%. My poor little guy has pneumona right now so I am hoping we don't catch it too. Although I think it might be too late for me. :( I hope we can keep on track this week with the sickies going around.

Monday- PW's pot roast with onions and carrots I'll have some potatoes and if the kid chooses gravy I'll mash them. Some leftover corn will likely get tossed in too.

Tuesday- Tortellini with ham and peas finally.

Wednesday- Beef and Broccoli but I am using stir fry veggies with this, and adding some rice maybe.

Thursday- Leftovers or PB & J, oodles of noodles, or soup. Mama isn't cooking tonight.

Friday- Seasoned Pork Chops, with sauteed cabbage and egg noodles, and green beans.

Saturday- Ranch parm chicken with mac and cheese, and baked beans.

Sunday- Meatloaf topped with kc masterpiece sauce, baked potatoes or roasted, and peas.

This week I plan to get a fresh pineapple and some stuff for salads. I will add salads in when I get the stuff to make them. I will probably make a funfetti cake with the kiddo too. I hope it starts to be more spring like, and less flooding waters for us.

March 08, 2010

Recipe Review: Apricot Onion Pork

Apricot Onion Pork


Ingredients

  • 1  pound  pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch slices ( I used boneless sirloin pork chops)
  • 1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 2  tablespoons  olive oil
  • 1  tablespoon  unsalted butter
  • 1  onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2  cup  canned low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2  tablespoons  apricot jam
  • 1  tablespoon  Dijon mustard (I used regular)

Preparation

Flatten each pork slice to 3/4 inch by placing it between sheets of plastic wrap and pounding it with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of pork with thyme and salt. Warm oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy skillet. Cook medallions, turning once, until well browned on both sides, about 3 minutes total. (Work in batches, if necessary.) Transfer to a plate.
Add butter to pan and melt. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add broth, jam and mustard and bring to a boil, stirring. Cover, lower heat and simmer until onion is very soft, about 5 minutes.
Return pork to pan, turning to coat with sauce. Cover and simmer until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to a platter, cover with sauce and serve immediately.

Mr. Bear gave this recipe a 5/5, and I did too. This was great. A few steps, but they all come together quickly. Don't be put off if you don't like mustard, Mr. Bear isn't fond either, but still enjoyed this. The sweet and tangy taste went well with the pork.

March 03, 2010

Family Favorite Recipe: "Barrel Chicken"

Grilled Chicken Tenderloins
(Like Cracker Barrel’s)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
1 cup zesty Italian dressing
2 tsp lime juice (I always use lemon)
3 tsp honey

Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over. Seal and marinate for at least an hour.

Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized. Coat
each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it.
 
 This is delish! We have it often since we always have the stuff on hand for it. Full of flavor, tender, and goes with just about anything. I found this recipe at Southern Plate.
She also has some great pictures to check out. 

March 01, 2010

First week of March Goals

I want to stay on track this month. I mean really on track. I have had an earache/infected tooth off and on since September, its really cramped my flow of things. Some days I think if anyone crossed me I'd rip them apart the pain is pretty bad. Luckily and I say luckily in a scarsastic way.. I get the darn tooth pulled on the 9th. That is if the receptionist doesn't mess up and I end up having to wait another 3 months. So anyways.. here are some of my goals, I hope I can check them off!

  • Drink more water, for all 3 of us.
  • Bedtime routines, we are all 3 so off schedule. Like right now I should still be sleeping, and I am sure I'll go back to sleep after this for 2 more hours. 
  • Formulate a bedtime routine for the little.
  • Do more positive reenforcment for my fellas.
  • Work with little bear more on his rhyming, opposits, numbers, letters, and phone number.
  • Stick to our menu plan. This week has a handful of new recipes.
  • Make a Spring cleaning list up.
  • Finish my laundry and put it all away.
  • Take inventory for already bought clothes for fall/kindergarten (sniff sniff).
  • Might as well try to enjoy this darn snow too.
  • Last but not least, enjoy a lovely date with my sweetheart. :)
I can't wait to get it all checked off! For whatever reason I can't find the spell check button.. ugh.