Quick Chicken Divan

2 cups broccoli, cooked and cut up
1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (or two chicken breast halves, sliced crosswise and sauteed in a little bit of oil until just done)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup dry bread or cracker crumbs (Panko is great in this dish)

Arrange broccoli in a shallow casserole dish and top with chicken. Combine soup and milk and pour over chicken, then sprinkle with cheese. Combined melted butter and bread crumbs, then sprinkle on top.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425°.

NOTE: I like to add 1/4 tsp each of thyme and black pepper to the sauce. Also, it's great with Swiss instead of Cheddar.

Source: Family Corner

Menu Plan Monday, April 16

Once again it's time for Menu Plan Monday, hosted by the always-gracious Organizing Junkie!

There have been so many schedule changes in the past week and the coming weeks--I'm glad I plan out my menus in PENCIL!

SUNDAY: Chicken Marsala, mashed potatoes, green beans

MONDAY: Balsamic roast pork with roasted potatoes & carrots

TUESDAY: Cajun Bourbon Chicken Bites with rice, broccoli

WEDNESDAY: Pizza. Big Brother has a track meet at 3:45. Middle Sister has a softball game at 6:15. Both events are at the same location, which is conveniently right across the street from a pizza shop. I try to avoid fast food stops when athletic events are involved, but this didn't leave me much choice!

THURSDAY: Middle Sister's basketball banquet. It's a potluck spaghetti dinner. Each family on her team has to bring a pan of pasta (such as baked ziti) and a dessert for 12.

FRIDAY: Baked whiting (I use the same procedure as when I bake flounder). Sides "to be announced."

SATURDAY: Stir-fry, brown rice

Osaka's Pineapple Stir-Fry

Serves 4-6

1 1/4 pounds of boneless chicken breasts, skinned and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
4 tablespoons of sunflower oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2-ince piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 15 ounce can of pineapple chunks in natural juice, or you can dice up a fresh pineapple.
1 tablespoon of sweet soy sauce
6-8 scallions, white parts left whole, green tops sliced
salt and ground black pepper

Toss the strips of chicken in the cornstarch with a little seasoning.
Fry in hot oil until tender.

Lift out of the wok and keep warm. Reheat the oil and fry the garlic, ginger and onion until soft, but not browned.
Add the canned pineapple and it's juice. If you are using a fresh pineapple then add 1/2 cup of water.

Stir in the soy sauce and return the chicken to the pan to heat through.

Stir in the white parts of the scallions and half of the sliced green tops.
Then serve it garnished with the remaining sliced green scallions.

Source: Family Corner forums

Balsamic Roast Pork with Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables

1 boneless pork loin roast, about 2 pounds
2 yams, peeled and cut in chunks
4 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
1 cup baby carrots
3 tbl each olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Mix oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
Place pork roast in roasting pan. Pour a little of the oil mixture over the top. Toss the rest over the vegetables in a mixing bowl.
Spread the coated vegetables around the pork in the pan.
Bake, covered, at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Cajun Bourbon Chicken Bites

1 lb boneless skinless chicken, cut in bite-size chunks
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
1/2 cup bourbon (like Jim Beam)
2 tablespoons white wine

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients, except white wine, in a zip lock
bag.
2. Put chicken pieces in the bag.
3. Refrigerate at least several hours (preferably overnight).
4. Bake chicken at 350 F for one-half hour in a single layer, basting with
marinade every 10 minutes.
5. Remove chicken.
6. Scrape pan juices with all the brown bits and pour into a skillet.
7. Add any remaining marinade and add 2 tbsp white wine to the skillet.
8. Heat and add chicken.
9. Boil for one minute and serve over cooked rice, or as an appetizer
with individual toothpicks in each piece of chicken.

Source: Friendly Freezer Yahoo group

2 More Hefty Bags OUT THE DOOR!

I am so thrilled at the progress I've been making in the basement! I keep dragging people downstairs so they can inspect it. Today is trash day and last night I hauled two heavy bags of stuff OUT! I'm making yet another pile of stuff for Freecycle; I've got two bags of things going to my mom's (she's taking some bubble wrap for some gifts she'll be mailing out, plus a drip coffeemaker I never use, for when they have guests and need to make more than 4 cups at a time. I also have a few outgrown clothing items to pass along to a couple of nieces.)

There will be a few more trips to the garage today with stuff that really does not belong in the basement. And then it will be down to the last few trouble things: the baskets (where the HECK do I keep those?) and the "miscellaneous" that I will just have to walk around the house with, putting each thing into the right spot. After that, I will have that whole big dresser top for folding laundry or wrapping gifts.

I even got rid of the disgusting old "came with the house" curtains. When I was cleaning out, I found a box of curtains, some of which don't fit any windows we have here. There were two chambray "toppers" in that box, so I washed them and hung them on the basement windows. More light is coming in, and they look much nicer--and not quite so '70s!

Today or tomorrow I will be getting a couple of containers. As I suspected, I won't need TOO many! I do need places to keep the gift bags that we reuse, and the brown grocery bags that we recycle our paper in. I know what I want to store the brown bags in, and where to get it. The gift bag container is one I haven't figured out yet. Maybe I'll get inspired when I'm shopping!

Still Plugging Away At It

I'm still working on it and still making progress! The boxes of clothes are scheduled for pickup. I've posted four separate items on Freecycle already, with more to come.

Today I spent most of the morning working on the "household tools" area. I put all the lightbulbs together, put nails, screws, and eye hooks in separate jars, and got a box together of "things that really belong in the garage." I also took some books upstairs so I could list them on half.com, or sort them for donation to the library. I put the snow boots that Little Brother hasn't grown into yet, upstairs in his closet. I also started a list of the types and sizes of containers I will need to finish this job. Finally, I intend to move the suitcases upstairs. Everyone can keep his/her own suitcase in the bedroom closet.

I'm excited to be making progress!

Menu Plan Monday, April 9

EASTER SUNDAY: Glazed spiral-sliced ham, baked yams/baked potatoes, pickled beets, cole slaw, Portuguese Easter bread, and for dessert: Walnut-Spice Cake and Chocolate Cream Pie

MONDAY: Tandoori Chicken

TUESDAY: Spaghetti

WEDNESDAY: Chicken fried rice

THURSDAY: Beef Burgundy Stroganoff

FRIDAY: Linguine with shrimp marinara

SATURDAY: Chicken piccata

Visit the hostess of Menu Plan Monday for many more recipes and menu ideas!

Pickled Beets

2 cans sliced or cut beets
Liquid from ONE can of beets
2/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt

Combine liquid from one can of beets, vinegar, sugar and spices in saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Add beets and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmering 20 minutes. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cole Slaw

1 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup finely diced onion (1 small to medium onion)
2 stalks finely diced celery
1/2 cup finely diced green pepper
1/2 cup shredded carrots

3/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt

Combine vegetables. In separate container, mix vinegar, sugar and salt. Pour over vegetables. Stir well. Refrigerate overnight before serving.

This serves 6 as a side dish.

Walnut-Spice Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

This cake has a delicate, delicious flavor. Get the recipe at Cook and Count!

Works-for-Me Wednesday: Car Edition

Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer has declared this week "Car Week" for Works for Me Wednesday.

Here's my tip: I keep a collapsible cooler in the trunk at all times. It will keep frozen food frozen for a couple of hours. In warm weather, if I go grocery shopping, I put all the cold stuff in the cooler--and this buys me time to do one more errand before going right home. It's also come in handy when we visit my parents and they send us home with a "care package" of holiday leftovers, since it's almost a 3-hour ride home. Since it collapses it takes up almost no space at all. Cooler in the trunk--works for me!

30-Day Challenge: The Beginning

As if she doesn't have enough to do with her famous Menu Plan Monday, Laura the Organizing Junkie has started up a 30-Day Organizing Challenge!

I'm up for it. Anything that can help me improve my basement/pantry/laundry room/graveyard for assorted, miscellaneous "stuff" will be a great blessing! If nothing else, putting this out in public will shame me into doing something about it.

Here's the mess at hand:














As for the plan of attack: I'd love to do what they do on "Clean Sweep" where they empty the whole room into the backyard and sort the stuff, but that's not practical--and I don't have my own personal bunch of burly movers and camera crew! So I think my plan will be to "sweep" around the room twice. The first time will be the Get Rid of What We Really Don't Need sweep. The second time will be the Find A Home For Everything We Kept sweep.

I am going to allow myself a budget of $50 for any containers I might need--but there's a good deal of storage space in this room that I am not using well. I hope I won't need to purchase too much of anything.

(And tomorrow's Recycle Day, so I'm going to get all those cardboard boxes out of the way right away.)

UPDATE: (April 4) I have 8 boxes ready to go to the recycle pile outside. I have 4 boxes of outgrown stuff piled up to donate, and I will be calling to have those things picked up, later today. I am starting an area for "Things to Freecycle." I'd have stayed down there longer, but I swept around the furnace and hot water heater to evict the Dust Bunny Colonies, and kicked up so much dust that my asthma started acting up.
I have also figured out a better place to keep all the soda, and a place to store the wrapping paper. Those things will be taken care of soon.

CLICK ON THE LABEL "30 Day Organizing Challenge" and you'll see all the posts on this subject!

Menu Plan Monday, April 2

SUNDAY: Dinner at our cousin's home. She served turkey, some fabulous mashed red-skin potatoes, stuffing, two vegetables, and salad.

MONDAY: Pork Teriyaki, brown rice, broccoli

TUESDAY: Paula Deen's Sesame Chicken Strips, french fries, green beans

WEDNESDAY: It's just me and the kids; I'm undecided. Maybe I'll find a good idea when I read everyone ELSE'S menus!

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Our traditional Good Friday meal of grilled-cheese sandwiches and clam chowder.

SATURDAY: Stir-fry

Thanks again to the gracious hostess of Menu Plan Monday. Visit her site to see an abundance of great recipes and meal ideas. Last week well over 100 participated!

Orange-Cranberry Scones

These are fabulous for breakfast, or anytime! They're even good without the frosting, if you can't wait for them to cool before eating.

Makes 8 servings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter (cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons orange rind
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg

GLAZE
1 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons orange juice

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in cranberries.

In small bowl, mix buttermilk and egg along with orange rind/zest. Add all at once to dry ingredients, mixing JUST until combined, no further. Turn out mixture on floured board and pat into a flat rectangular shape. Cut squares into triangles and arrange on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 15-25 minutes or until golden brown. Your nose will tell you when these are done!

For glaze, mix together powdered sugar and orange juice, for desired consistency (add juice slowly, as humidity will play a factor in how quickly it reaches drizzle stage). Drizzle over slightly cooled scones.

Menu Plan Monday, March 26

SUNDAY: Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with sesame garlic sauce, rice

MONDAY: Leftover pot roast with onion gravy, noodles, vegetable

TUESDAY: Balsamic Chicken with Thyme, rice, vegetable

WEDNESDAY: Chili

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: French Toast and fruit

SATURDAY: Spanish Garlic Shrimp

Visit the hostess of Menu Plan Monday for more recipes and meal ideas!

Sesame Garlic Stir-Fry Sauce

Why use the bottled stuff when you can MAKE YOUR OWN?

My father-in-law bought a bottle of sesame garlic stir-fry sauce at a supermarket so he could make this recipe. It was really good but some would have preferred less spice. I looked at the ingredient list on the sauce bottle and figured it wouldn't be too hard to make at home.

Did you know that manufacturers must list ingredients in order of quantity? The first ingredients on the list are the major ingredients in a food. Keeping that in mind, here's how I wound up making the sauce:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbl EACH water and cornstarch (dissolve the cornstarch in water before adding to sauce)
1 tbl sesame seed
1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic
1/4 tsp fresh-ground pepper blend
1/4 tsp ground ginger (not in the sauce but we like ginger in our stir-fry)

Stir to mix, and microwave for 1 minute before adding to the pan. Cook until sauce thickens a little.

Menu Plan Monday, March 19

Sunday: We attended a birthday party for our little neighbor Cutie-Pie. (She's 3). Dinner was sandwiches and chili at the party.

Monday: Tandoori Chicken, rice, broccoli
KITCHEN HINT: The recipe calls for 1/3 cup plain yogurt. In a container you get 2/3 cup. I don't use plain yogurt for anything else, so I doubled this marinade and froze half of it for next time.

Tuesday: Barbecue pork sandwiches, french fries, salad, raw vegetable platter

Wednesday: Chicken pot pie

Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs

Friday: homemade French Bread Pizza, salad

Saturday: Paula Deen's Sesame Chicken Strips This is a Tried & True recipe in our house. I freeze the chicken strips in the marinade (looks gross but it works out in the end) and follow the recipe from there.

Visit the hostess of Menu Plan Monday for lots more menu ideas and recipe links!

Granma's Irish Biscuits

These are a cross between a drop biscuit and a scone. I learned this recipe from my Granma (my Dad's mother) who was born in Co. Waterford, Ireland, in a little town called Kilmacthomas. Family members still live in the same house, today. The picture above is not that house, but it looks quite like it, and it's in the same county.

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 stick margarine, at room temperature (not melted)
raisins, to taste
1/2 cup milk*
1/2 tsp.  mace, optional (I added this ingredient. Granma never used it)

Mix all ingredients. Batter shouldn't stick to fingers (add more flour if necessary). For best results, mix by hand--I dump the semi-mixed dough onto a floured tabletop and knead it a bit--but only a few times.
Drop about 1/2-cup size balls onto floured cookie sheet, or pat into a rough circle and cut into wedges. Makes about 8.
Bake 20 minutes at 350.
*The quantity of milk is variable. Granma never used a measuring cup. If you accidentally put in too much milk, just add a little more flour. This is a "go by the feel of it" kind of recipe.

You may use butter instead of margarine, but Granma always told me that butter is "too extravagant." Dad says that this translates into "too expensive." These are a wonderful, quick breakfast item, and nice to serve guests at any time of day, with a good cup of tea.

Irish Soda Bread

Everyone thinks they have THE BEST recipe for Irish soda bread. This is the recipe my mom follows. She turns out over a dozen of these every St. Patrick's Day, to share with family, friends and neighbors.

Get the recipe at Cook and Count.

Menu Plan Monday, March 12

SUNDAY: Pizza

MONDAY: Barbecued Chicken, Orzo, vegetable-to-be-named-later

TUESDAY: Pork Paprikas

WEDNESDAY: Hawaiian Chicken with rice and pineapple

THURSDAY: Spaghetti

FRIDAY: Homemade Potato and Cheese Pierogi (I know, Fridays are supposed to be a penitential meal. I'll do plenty of penance putting this together. It will take me most of the day.)

SATURDAY: undetermined. It will just be me, Middle Sister and Little Brother, as it's a Boy Scout camping weekend.

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday to get more recipes and menu ideas!

My Husband's Family's Pierogi Recipe

It's an old family recipe. This will make a LOT. Enough to feed about 60 people. The family gets together before Christmas Eve to prepare these for the holiday feast. Here it is, in my husband's cousin's words. All filling quantities are basically "eyeballed."

Before you start the pierogies you will have to melt salt pork with onions and make sure you do it in a slow flame otherwise it won't render the salt pork juice.

Dough:
3 cups of flour
1/4 cup of Presto Cake flour
2 beaten eggs
pinch of salt
1 cup of water

Mix it all and if it is too dry take more water. Knead the dough until it is blended then put it into a bowl and plastic on top and put into the fridge. Let it set overnight.

Potatoes:
15 lbs of yukon potatoes
5 tablespoons of melted salt pork
2 blocks of extra sharp cheddar cheese (grated)

After you skin the potatoes boil them and when it is done drain the potatoes then mash the potatoes with salt pork, cheddar cheese and your taste of pepper.


Sauerkraut:
7 large cans of sauerkraut
3 tablespoons of salt pork
1 cup of plain bread crumbs

Drain the sauerkraut then put it into a large pan with the salt pork and your taste of pepper. Let that slow simmer until the sauerkraut is soft and darker. When it is done then you can put the bread crumbs in. If it is still very wet then put more bread crumbs.

My additions to the directions follow. Cousin S. wrote these down for us, and everyone knows how to do these steps:
After the filling is prepared, roll the dough and cut out circles. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling in each circle, fold over and pinch closed. It's easier to do this if someone shows you how. Make sure it's COMPLETELY pinched so there are no "leakers." The only thing worse than "leakers" is when someone mixes up which pan has the potato pierogi and which pan has the sauerkraut!

Place the pinched pierogi on a table to dry. Flip them over to dry the other side. After they've dried, boil until they come to the top. You can freeze them with melted butter (wax paper between layers) at this point, or refrigerate.

To serve, fry in plenty of butter until they're browned on both sides.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala Recipe
Source

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breast halves without skin
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp basil, dried
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tbsp olive oil
4 to 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (1/2 to 1 cup sliced)
1/2 c Marsala wine

Instructions:
Pound chicken to 1/4" thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and basil; mix well. Heat oil and butter in a heavy non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour mixture.

Cook chicken until lightly browned on first side (about 2 minutes). Turn chicken and add mushrooms around the chicken pieces. Cook about 2 minutes more, until lightly browned; stir. Add Marsala wine to pan. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with hot cooked pasta or rice.

Best Barbecued Chicken

This recipe comes from the book The Convent Cook by Maria Tisdall. It became a family favorite the first time we tried it. I like to freeze chicken pieces in the marinade, and then when we want to grill some chicken we just defrost and cook!

Get the recipe with nutrition information at Cook and Count!

Menu Plan Monday, March 5

SUNDAY: Meatball subs, green salad

MONDAY: Goulash

TUESDAY: Little Brother's 5th Birthday! He wants chicken drumsticks for his dinner. I don't think he cares how I cook them as long as they "have that bone that sticks out." Maybe we'll have chicken on the grill.

WEDNESDAY: Chicken flautas

THURSDAY: Chick-Fil-A night for Middle Sister's school.

FRIDAY: Vegetable fried rice. This link takes you to a recipe containing shrimp but we're just using vegetables this time.

SATURDAY: Lemon Mushroom Herb Chicken

Be sure to stop at the home of Menu Plan Monday and check out all the great menu and recipe ideas!

(And I guess I should clear up some confusion here. "Little Brother" is not my brother. He is my younger son. The older one is known here as "Big Brother," and my daughter is "Middle Sister.")

Aircraft Carrier Birthday Cake

This is an upside-down post. It shows the finished cake, and then in reverse, the steps I took to get there. Not including baking and planning (the most important part) I probably spent under 2 hours doing the actual decorating.

The airplanes are the only non-edible part of the cake. Happy Birthday, Little Brother!


Here's the partially-iced cake.


This is the fully-iced cake without airplanes.


Here's how I started out. 2 cakes size 9X13 and 3 mini loaf cakes.

Baked Flounder

I want to think of a fancy, appetizing title for this fish dish. Don't have one yet though!!! This is how I make flounder or similar fish fillets (tilapia, sole, scrod) when I don't want to pan-fry. It's a very simple dish but extremely tasty.

Flounder fillets
Olive oil
Butter
Coarse Salt
Lemon-pepper seasoning

Use a Pyrex dish with a lid for this recipe, or plan to cover your dish with foil.

Brush a little olive oil on the bottom of the casserole dish (to prevent the fish from sticking)
Place fillets in single layer in the casserole dish.
Dot with butter.
Sprinkle a little coarse salt and lemon-pepper seasoning on top of the fish. Don't use too much--you don't want to overpower the fish.
Cover.
Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes.
The fish will be moist, tender and delicious.

Menu Plan Monday, February 26

SUNDAY: Arroz con Habichuelas, Nachos with beef and cheese

MONDAY: Chicken Marsala with jasmine rice, green beans

TUESDAY: Pot roast with mushrooms and onions, over noodles and gravy

WEDNESDAY: Baked flounder with butter and lemon

THURSDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

FRIDAY: Cheese quesadillas with salsa

SATURDAY: Birthday party for Little Brother (he's turning 5). Here's the menu:
Sausage and pepper sandwiches
Meatballs with sauce
Chicken Chili Blanco
Hot dogs
And for dessert: the Aircraft Carrier Birthday Cake

For more menu plans and recipe ideas, visit the home of Menu Plan Monday!

Nancy's Arroz con Habichuelas

source: a friend from Family Corner

1 to 2 tbl oil
1 large spoonful Sofrito
1 envelope Sazon Goya (yellow box)
1/2 small can tomato sauce
1 can small beans
2 cups regular long-grain rice
3 to 4 cups water

In a large skillet, heat oil, sofrito and sazon. Add tomato sauce and beans. Stir. Add rice and water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until water is almost absorbed. Cover and simmer 20 minutes (no peeking!)

Lenten Penitential Meals

As the penitential season of Lent approaches, and I make my menu plans, I start thinking about what constitutes a "penitential" meal for my family.

My dad expressed it well when we were kids: "If pizza or fish is a treat, how can it be a penance?"

Maybe it's a penance only for the one who has to budget around the extra expense of eating fish instead of less-expensive meats, or ordering a pizza?

I wouldn't want to serve my family foods they don't like, and call it a penance. All I'd achieve would be rebellion and wastefulness.

No one has really noticed that I've been serving them meatless dinners every Friday for months now. It's pretty much become routine. Growing up, I was taught that only Fridays in Lent were supposed to be meatless (and Ash Wednesday, of course!) but I have learned lately that all Fridays are penitential days. I haven't mentioned it--it's just been happening here. But I bet the issue will be on the table, so to speak, the first Friday after Easter.

It's been more of a stretch for me than for them. They eat what I put on the table. (Sometimes someone moans and groans about it, but my family generally consists of good eaters--even adventurous ones. Middle Sister likes sushi, for example.) I am the one who thinks about what to serve on which day, and I can shuffle the meal plan as events warrant, but Friday's dinner is Friday's dinner because that is Meatless Night.

But anyway, the issue at hand really is: if they really LIKE shrimp marinara over linguine, or Spanish Garlic Shrimp, or sauteed tilapia, or even pizza, where's the sacrifice?

Maybe it's time to lay this on the table with my family and see what ideas everyone comes up with.

Menu Plan Monday, February 19

SATURDAY: "Not" Rachael Ray's Veggie Not-sagna

SUNDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

MONDAY: Pork Teriyaki, jasmine rice, stir-fry vegetables

TUESDAY: Roast Chicken

WEDNESDAY: Tomato soup and grilled-cheese sandwiches

THURSDAY: Stroganoff using the leftover beef from last Wednesday's "Valentine Filet Mignon Roast"

FRIDAY: Cheese tortellini with marinara sauce

SATURDAY: Chili. Maybe.

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday to get many, many, many more ideas and recipes for YOUR family's menu plan!

My Variations on Rachael Ray's Vegetable "Not-sagna"

1 pound curly pasta (recommended: campanelle or cavatappi by Barilla)
Coarse salt
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed & drained
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup frozen shredded zucchini, thawed & drained
2 cups sliced frozen carrots, thawed
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tsp chopped garlic
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 rounded tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 cups Italian 4-cheese mix (I used a mix of mozzarella, provolone, Asiago and Romano)

Heat a pot of water to a boil for pasta. Cook pasta to al dente.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add onions and garlic to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. When the onions are tender, about 5 minutes, add defrosted spinach and zucchini, separating into small bits as you handle it, and toss to heat through. Transfer veggies to a dish and return skillet to stove top. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add 2 rounded tablespoons of flour and cook a minute or so, then whisk in stock and milk. Bring to a bubble and thicken the sauce, reducing it 2 to 3 minutes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add all cheese to the sauce and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts completely. Slide vegetables back into sauce. Drain pasta and mix with the cheese sauce.

In case you're interested, here's the original recipe. I had no ricotta (well, I HAD ricotta, but it was well on its way to Science Experiment Status) so I decided to improvise from there. I find that Rachael Ray's recipes are quite forgiving that way, and this tasted delicious to me.

No one else in the house will want to eat this, so I'll be freezing the rest in individual portions for lunches. I was the only one home tonight, so I figured I'd cook what I like.

The leftovers will also be great with some leftover marinara sauce on top.

Public Service Announcement: Check Your Pantries!

H/T to Milehimama, where I read this first:

The FDA is asking consumers to destroy Peter Pan brand and Great Value brand peanut butter, because it is contaminated with Salmonella. Destroy any jars that begin with product code 2111.

Here's the official news release from Con Agra, the manufacturers of Peter Pan peanut butter.

I found one of these jars in my pantry, and am just feeling lucky that we hadn't opened it yet.

Menu Plan Monday, February 12

SUNDAY: FIL cooked a delicious chicken stir-fry when we visited for dinner. Great stuff, Pop!

MONDAY: Chicken piccata with brown rice and broccoli.

TUESDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs.

WEDNESDAY: It's Valentine's Day and I'll be making a very special meal for my family: Filet mignon, as a roast, with potatoes and green beans.

THURSDAY: Pork and Wild Rice from Taste of Home Simple & Delicious (Feb. 2007)

FRIDAY: Baked flounder with lemon and butter. Side dishes to be determined later.

SATURDAY: It's Pop's birthday celebration. He loves to cook for an audience, so he'll probably be searching for a cool new recipe to try!

Visit the Home of Menu Plan Monday to get more great ideas and recipes for your family meals!

Menu Plan Monday, February 5

Better late than never??? I got this ready last night, but this morning with one sick kid, and another one who missed the bus, I just never got back to things!

SUNDAY: We just picked on "party food." The feature was Chili Cheese Dip.

MONDAY: Cashew Chicken with rice

TUESDAY: Ham and cabbage with potatoes. This is boiled ham, like my grandmother always made. Nostalgia on a plate.

WEDNESDAY: Hungarian Pork Paprikas with noodles

THURSDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

FRIDAY: Homemade focaccia with choice of vegetable toppings

SATURDAY (if we're home): Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

Now that you've read what we're eating this week, why not head over to the Home of Menu Plan Monday to check out lots of other great menu ideas and recipes?

Chili Cheese Dip

source: my mom's cousin Patricia

1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 package chili seasoning mix
1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1 6-ounce can of tomato paste
3/4 cup water
1 onion, chopped fine
1 green pepper, diced

Mix all ingredients. Place in casserole dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nanny's Ham and Cabbage

This is a family specialty. The ham comes out so moist--way better than baked.

1 bone-in smoked half ham, BUTT END
1 head cabbage
Lots of water

Find a pot big enough to hold your ham. I use my 18-qt Nesco roaster but you can use a deep stockpot as well. (In the roaster, place the ham on the rack.) Cover the ham with water and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and let it cook a couple of hours.

Quarter and core the head of cabbage. Put it into the pot with the ham after the ham has been cooking a while (you might have to bail some water out of the pot to make the cabbage fit).

Cook another 30 minutes or a little longer, depending on how soft you like your cabbage.

When everything's done, remove the cabbage and a little water to a smaller pot, and just cover it to keep the cabbage hot. Carve the ham. Save the bone for a future batch of Pea Soup.

Cashew Chicken

source: The Complete Chinese Cookbook by Jillian Stewart.

This is one we've enjoyed before...time to enjoy it again! Don't let the long list of ingredients throw you--and if you're missing one or another of the vegetables, no big deal, just substitute what you have on hand. BUT do get everything ready before you start cooking.

CASHEW CHICKEN
12 oz chicken breast, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 tbl cornstarch

1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbl light soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar

oil for frying
1 cup cashew nuts
2 green onions, chopped
1 small onion, peeled & cubed
1 inch fresh gingerroot, peeled & sliced (I use 1/2 tsp ground instead)
2 cloves minced garlic
3 oz snow peas
2 oz bamboo shoots, thinly sliced

2 tsp cornstarch
1 tbl Hoisin sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock

Roll chicken pieces in cornstarch.

Mix salt, sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar. Pour over chicken. Leave to stand 10 minutes.

Heat oil and fry cashews until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain.

Add a little oil and stirfry the onions, ginger and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add snow peas and bamboo. Stirfry 3 more minutes. Remove all of this to a bowl.

Add a little oil and fry chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove, and clean the pan (wad up some paper towels, hold them in your tongs, and wipe out the pan).

Add a little fresh oil and return chicken, vegetables and nuts to pan.

Mix cornstarch, Hoisin sauce and chicken stock. Pour this sauce over chicken. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens and becomes transparent.

NOTE: Whoops! Forgot the "roll chicken in cornstarch" step. It still tasted great. No harm, no foul if you skip that step.

Shredded Chicken Sandwiches

source: Family Corner
1 T. butter
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup chicken broth, divided
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts**
1 T. cornstarch
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
6 sandwich buns, split

Melt butter in a large saucepan; saute onion, celery and one tablespoon broth for 5 minutes. Add chicken and remaining broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is tender, about 15 to 20 mintures. Remove chicken from saucepan and allow to cool, reserving broth. Shred chicken; return to broth in saucepan and bring to a simmer. Whisk cornstarch and milk together in a small bowl; slowly stir into chicken mixture. Simmer and stir mixture is thickened but still moist, about 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste; spoon onto buns. Makes 6 sandwiches.

**They're "dark meat" fans in my house, so I'll probably use two chicken leg quarters.

Menu Plan Monday, January 29

Between some award-winning recipes at Family Corner, last week's Menu Plan Monday, and the February issue of Taste of Home Simple and Delicious (Orgjunkie is right--get your hands on this one!), I didn't have too much trouble getting February's menu plan done! I'll be posting it here a week at a time, because I do adjust as needed when things come up. (That's why my menu's in pencil, folks)....

SUNDAY: Tandoori Chicken, Orzo, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, raw vegetable platter

MONDAY: Balsamic-Maple Pork Chops, Brown Rice, Steamed Broccoli

TUESDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

WEDNESDAY: Beef & Cheese French Bread (from the Simple & Delicious magazine, p. 31)

THURSDAY: Chicken Marsala

FRIDAY: Spanish Garlic Shrimp, Jasmine Rice (didn't make this one last week)

SATURDAY: Company's coming for dinner! We're having Sweet Onion Pork Roast, Mashed Potatoes, and a vegetable to be determined later. For dessert, Lemonade Pie.

Don't forget to visit the Hostess of Menu Plan Monday to get all the links to all the menus and great recipes!

Lemonade Pie

A little taste of summer. Easier than cheesecake and just as rich!

Get the recipe at Cook and Count.

Homemaking Meme

I found this one at The Markmiller 5.

Aprons – Yes or No? If Yes, what does your favorite look like?
Yes! I have three white butcher aprons. But I intend to get my oven mitts on something that looks a little nicer in time for National Wear an Apron Day!


Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Breads, brownies, scones....I love to bake.


Clothesline – Yes or No?
YES! I have a really big one in the backyard that can hold 3 tubs of laundry at once. For winter, I have a few short lines in the basement for those things that I absolutely will not put in the dryer.


Donuts - have you ever made them?
No.

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
I always make our bed.


Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
Yes.

Garbage Disposal – Yes or No?
No.

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
The Internet. Specifically, Family Corner.

Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
It's not too bad, especially if I can watch TV while I do it. I like to iron in batches instead of one item at a time.

Junk drawer – Yes or No? Where is it?
My whole desk is one big junk drawer.
I also have several in the dining room.

Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme
Blue and white. No "decorating scheme" unless you consider Small and Crowded to be a scheme.

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Feeding my family.

Mop – Yes or No?
Only because I have to for sanitary reasons.

Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
In the washer, when I MUST wear them, but I dry them on the line.

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
I usually open it up.

Pizza – What do you put on yours?
I like very thin sliced peppers and onions.

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
I either read or check my favorite blogs.

Recipe card box – Yes or No? What does it look like?
I have a binder (5X8) that sits on top of a 2-drawer card box, on this cool easel setup. It was handmade by high school students in a vo-tech high school where my mom used to teach.

Style of house – What style is your house?
1960s split level (ewwww! But it's home.)

Tablecloths and napkins – Yes or No?
Paper napkins, plastic placemats. I'm all about practicality here.

Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized! The only things under there are a bag of paper recycling and an old dishpan for bottles and cans.

Vacuum – How many times per week?
When the debris shows, I vacuum.

Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
At least 2 a day.

X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Sometimes. And I'll admit to writing things on the list, just so I can cross them off.

Yard – Yes or No? Who does what?
I don't do the yard.

Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Start the dishwasher.

Want to play? Let me know in the combox.

Menu Plan Monday, January 22

My great-aunt makes GREAT vegetable-beef-barley soup! She sent me a "care package" of 3 quarts of soup via my mom. Guess what's for lunch this week?

Here's what my family will be eating for dinner this week:

SUNDAY: Chinese Buffet

MONDAY: Swiss Chicken Bake, rice, roasted Brussels sprouts for me, pickled beets for the rest of the hungry hordes (who appear to believe that Brussels sprouts were created by mothers who want to torture their children. YES, my husband is one of these people!)

TUESDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs (Big Brother gets his braces adjusted Monday. He'll need an easy meal!)

WEDNESDAY: Roast pork topped with caramelized onion; baked yams; green beans

THURSDAY: Ranch chicken strips, French fries, broccoli (just dip chicken strips in ranch dressing and seasoned bread crumbs, then fry until done)

FRIDAY: Spanish garlic shrimp over Jasmine rice

SATURDAY: We're attending a parish event: "Pizza, Pins and Pop" at a local bowling alley.

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday to get more great ideas for YOUR dinner menus!

Focaccia Taste Test

I was asked by some readers to report on the Focaccia recipe we were trying today.

A few notes:

A double batch is just a TINY bit too much to fit happily in my bread machine pan (eeek!) I had to run out and pick up Big Brother, who missed the bus, and the dough sat a few minutes and grew bigger in there. Luckily I got home before it was a gooey mess everywhere.

I divided the dough into 6 portions and made smaller ones, 3 per cookie sheet.

I brushed olive oil all over the dough before adding any topping.

I also mixed a can of tomato paste and a tsp each of Italian seasoning and garlic powder and spread a thin layer of that on top of the olive oil. Then I topped with vegetables and/or cheese as desired.

NEXT TIME I will oil the dough and cover it in plastic wrap before the second rise.

There WILL be a next time.

Menu Plan Monday, January 15

SUNDAY: Hoagie night

MONDAY: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Big Brother! He's chosen Pork Teriyaki for his birthday meal. (We never had this one last week)

TUESDAY: Pollo con Limon y Ajillo with Spanish Rustic Peas and fried potatoes.

WEDNESDAY: Spaghetti

THURSDAY: Goulash

FRIDAY: Homemade Focaccia (we're trying a new recipe here....we'll see how it goes!)

SATURDAY: Big Brother and TheDad will be camping with the Boy Scouts, so the rest of us will keep it simple tonight.

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday to see some great meal ideas!

Focaccia

INGREDIENTS
• 3/4 cup water (70° to 80°)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 medium onions, sliced and quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
•
DIRECTIONS
In bread machine pan, place the first six ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting.
When the cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly greased 12-in. pizza pan; pat into a 10-in. circle. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onions and garlic in butter for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in the Italian seasoning; cook 1 minute longer.
Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make deep indentations 1 in. apart in dough. Top with onion mixture and cheeses. Bake at 400° for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 12 servings.

Pollo Con Limon y Ajillo, and Spanish Rustic Peas

A Two-For-One deal on a delicious and easy Spanish dinner.

Serve with fried potatoes (not French fries, but skillet-fried potatoes) and crusty bread.

Chicken:
1 dozen large chicken tenders
2 tbl olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped (I substitute 1 very small onion)
4 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp paprika
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbl chopped fresh parsley
salt and ground black pepper

Heat oil in a frying pan. Stirfry the chicken with the shallot (or onion), garlic and paprika over a high heat for about 3 minutes or until cooked through.

Add the lemon and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Peas:
2 cups frozen peas
2 tbl olive oil
1/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste

Cook frozen peas in oil and water in an open pan, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated almost completely (watch carefully so peas don't burn!) Season with salt & pepper.

Pasta e Fagioli

28-oz can diced tomatoes with sauce
14-oz can diced tomatoes in sauce
14-oz can chicken broth
2 14-oz cans beans (I used Navy beans and small white beans)
2 carrots, peeled and cut up
1 stalk celery, cut up
1 onion, diced
garlic
salt
pepper
rosemary

Simmer a few hours.
Cook some pasta. Add it to the soup, let simmer a couple more minutes, and serve.

It's probably not anything near an authentic recipe, but it tasted good.

Beef Burgundy Stroganoff

For lack of a better name...I invented this dish as a combo of some other recipes I have cooked before. It's a delicious way to "recycle" your leftovers.

2 cups thick-sliced cooked roast beef/pot roast, cubed
1 can cream of mushroom soup, condensed
1/2 cup burgundy wine
1 packet onion soup mix
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 cups sliced white mushrooms

Mix soup, wine, thyme and soup mix until well blended. Add cubed meat and sliced mushrooms. Stir until coated. Cover and cook 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over noodles.

Balsamic Chicken with Thyme

Get the recipes with nutrition information at Cook and Count!

Magnificent Marinara Sauce

My homemade chunky marinara sauce:

1 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil for the pan
Dash of white wine for deglazing
1 14-oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
Seasonings to taste: coarse salt, oregano, basil & a touch of crushed red pepper, pinch of sugar

Saute the onion in the olive oil. When it begins to soften, add the garlic and saute for a minute or so. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add tomatoes and seasonings and simmer, covered, at least 1/2 hour.

I just tweaked this recipe today after overhearing someone talking about the white-wine-deglazing step. Normally I do this in my Nesco roaster but I did it all in a large heavy skillet, and I WILL NOT MAKE MARINARA ANY OTHER WAY EVER AGAIN. I could eat this sauce with a spoon.

Menu Plan Monday, January 8

Boy, I have missed doing the menu plans!

I'll go through last week, when I just plain FORGOT, and the coming week.

NEW YEAR'S DAY: Dinner at our friends' home. Great food, great company--great way to start the year.

TUESDAY, JAN. 2: Beef Burgundy Stroganoff

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 3: Spaghetti and meatballs

THURSDAY, JAN. 4: Balsamic Chicken with Thyme, Jasmine Rice, Green Beans

FRIDAY, JAN. 5: Pasta e fagioli

SATURDAY, JAN. 6: Pizza party at my brother-in-law's

SUNDAY, JAN. 7: Lemon Mushroom Herb Chicken with rice and vegetables. One of my "forum buddies" from Family Corner created this recipe, and it's absolutely delicious! HINT: I like to mix up a big batch of the seasoned flour and just keep it in a jar in the cabinet. It's easy to just pour out the amount I need to flour the chicken.

MONDAY, JAN. 8: Spaghetti & meatballs

TUESDAY, JAN. 9: Greek Chicken with Potatoes

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 10: Pot roast with noodles and gravy

THURSDAY, JAN. 11: Pork Teriyaki with brown rice

FRIDAY, JAN. 12: Cheese ravioli with homemade marinara sauce

SATURDAY, JAN. 13: Our anniversary!

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday for plenty of great menu ideas!

My Prayer Intentions

Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother. To thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, by in thy clemency hear and answer them. Amen.

When I read or type these intentions, I will be praying in my heart for those mentioned here.

For my husband, who works really hard, who has stress at work, and whom I love very much. Saint Joseph, pray for him.
For my children, that they may grow up healthy and strong in their faith. Saint Joseph, Saint John Bosco, and Saint Anthony, pray for them.
For my mom, whose doctor had some concerns after her routine mammogram. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for her. Saint Anthony, pray for her.
For Miss Barbara who is being treated for leukemia. Saint Anthony, pray for her.
For Father Dan, for healing and strength for him. Saint John Vianney, and Saint Francis, pray for him.
For Christina, who is beginning her hunt for a teaching job as she prepares to graduate from college. Saints Luke and Catherine of Bologna, patrons of artists, and Saint Gregory the Great, patron of teachers, pray for her.
For my great-aunt Anna, recovering from knee surgery. Saint Luke, pray for her. Saint Roch, patron of knee problems, pray for her. Saint Anthony, pray for her.
For Sue, SFO, who is recovering from elbow surgery. Saint Luke, patron of surgeons, pray for her and her medical team.
In thanksgiving for Natalie's kidney transplant, with prayers for the family of the donor, and for her continued good health. Saint Luke, pray for her. Saint Anthony, pray for her.
For my uncle, who is pastor of a church he is trying to revitalize, but which may be closed down in the future--and for all in churches that may become victims of diocesan "consolidations." Saint John Vianney, pray for him.
For all the members of my SFO fraternity and the intentions they hold in their hearts. Saints Francis, Clare and Anthony, pray for them.
For J, whom I know only through her blog, and her very special intention. May God give her strength, courage, perseverance and faith in her time of difficulty. Saint Anne, pray for her. Saint Edward the Confessor, pray for her.
For my friends at Family Corner and their intentions.

Menu Plan Monday, December 18

MONDAY: Pork Teriyaki, Brown Rice, Broccoli

TUESDAY: Chicken Parmesan, Pasta, Garlic Bread

WEDNESDAY: Tandoori Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Green Beans

THURSDAY: Spaghetti and meatballs

FRIDAY: It's our cookie baking day, so we'll have pizza for dinner!

SATURDAY: Chicken Piccata (never got to it last week and the kids are pestering me for it....)

SUNDAY: Christmas Eve Polish Wigilia dinner with my husband's family. All the homemade pierogi you can eat, plus baked ham, mushrooms, bread, and enough desserts to send the whole family into a diabetic coma. I can't wait.

MONDAY: Christmas Dinner. We're hosting my husband's parents. We're serving filet mignon. I haven't figured out the rest of the menu yet.

Visit the home of Menu Plan Monday to see what everyone else is having for dinner this week!

Menu Plan Monday, December 11

MONDAY: Hungarian Pork Paprikas with noodles

TUESDAY: Spaghetti & meatballs (time to make the big batch!)

WEDNESDAY: Sports banquet at Big Brother's school

THURSDAY: Chicken Chili Blanco

FRIDAY: Pizza

SATURDAY: Chicken Piccata

SUNDAY: Sausage, Pepper & Onion sandwiches

Visit the Home of Menu Plan Monday for lots of links to more great ideas!

Hungarian Pork Paprikas

This is my adaptation of a Rachael Ray recipe in her book Comfort Foods.

HUNGARIAN PORK PAPRIKAS

1 lb boneless pork loin, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 TBL flour
1 1/2 TBL Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup olive oil
14-oz can plain diced tomatoes
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream

Combine flour, paprika and marjoram. Coat pork cubes in mixture.
Preheat deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, then add coated meat cubes and cook 3 minutes per side, shaking pan occasionally.
Add tomatoes, mushrooms and onions to pan. Stir pan with wooden spoon to loosen any drippings. Add sour cream and stir until combined. Season with salt & pepper.
Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Family Favorite Rocky Road

A few years ago I came across this recipe for Rocky Road fudge on a home organization website.

It's a great recipe because even small children can help (by dumping the marshmallows and peanuts into the Very Big Bowl and mixing them up while the rest of the ingredients melt.)

I've modified the recipe a bit to use the microwave instead of stovetop. It makes for easier cleanup too. I am ALL ABOUT easy cleanup, folks. If there's any way to make less of a mess, it's for me.

So here's my version of CEO's Rocky Road:

1 bag mini marshmallows
2 cups dry roasted peanuts
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 bag (12 oz) chocolate chips (semisweet or milk chocolate)
2 tbl butter

1. Get a Very Big Bowl and mix up the marshmallows and peanuts. Let the little ones help with this! If they eat a few, no big deal. The peanuts will always sink to the bottom, but little kids will be happy to stir and stir anyway.

2. Line a 9X13 pan with waxed paper. Do this before the next step because there's no time later!

3. Melt the milk, chips and butter in a microwavable bowl. I put it on for 45 seconds, take it out to stir, and put it back for increments of 30 until it's smooth.

4. As soon as the chocolate mixture is smooth, pour it into the mix of peanuts and marshmallows and stir until everything is coated. Press into the lined pan. Chill until set. Remove from pan and cut into cubes.

This is a must-give to Little Brother's Godfather and Big Brother's Bus Driver. They've received it in the past, and really, really like it.

One time I made it with M&Ms instead of peanuts. Little Brother's Godmother really, really likes that variation!

The original recipe says you can keep this at room temp but I find that it gets pretty messy that way. I prefer to refrigerate the Rocky Road.

Menu Plan Monday, December 4

Organizing junkie, who usually hosts Menu Plan Monday, is on vacation this week.

I am not. People are demanding meals on a regular basis here. And I like cooking, though if by some miracle someone else did the cleaning up, I wouldn't complain!

Here's what's on the menu this week:

MONDAY: Roast Pork with Caramelized Onions, Roasted Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes, Portuguese Easter Bread

TUESDAY: Grandpa's Dark Meat Chicken over pasta

WEDNESDAY: Beef Stroganoff

THURSDAY: Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple, Brown Rice, Broccoli (this one got skipped last week)

FRIDAY: Baked whiting (side dishes to be named later)

SATURDAY: Turkey Dinner from the Freezer (turkey and stuffing frozen after Thanksgiving) with mashed potatoes and green beans

SUNDAY: Beef and Cheese Enchiladas

Roast Pork with Caramelized Onions

2-lb boneless pork roast
1 Vidalia onion (the hugest you can get)
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl sugar

Put pork into your roaster and start cooking at 325.
Use a heavy skillet to caramelize the onions. Add olive oil, onion and sugar. Stir to coat. Let cook about 1/2 hour, stirring OCCASIONALLY. Yes, it takes a while, but it is SO worth it.
When the onions are done, top the pork with the onions and continue cooking the pork until it's done.

Saucy Baked Chicken with Mushrooms

The kids call this "Grandpa's Dark Meat Chicken." The original recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I've modified Grandpa's recipe so I can use cooked chicken or turkey.

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
8 oz fresh mushrooms, halved
1 large onion cut in thin wedges
1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
OPTIONAL: chunks of bell peppers

Cook mushrooms & onions (and peppers, if using) in skillet in a little olive oil.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water & spices.
Spoon vegetable sauce over chicken.
Bake uncovered 40 min. at 375.
Serve over pasta, with crusty bread.