Menu and a Recipe Too!

Here is a stew recipe that is perfect for all you people who are stuck indoors freezing (even though we had the stew last week and it was a beautiful 70 degrees all week ha ha!) This is a variation of a stew my mom used to make on the stove top. Ryan loves it, Tommy will actually eat it and it makes enough to last at least 2 meals.

In crockpot add:
1 small roast (or stew meat, but it isn't as flavorful)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 small can tomoto sauce (or can of diced tomotoes if you like them)
1 can of french style green beans (drained)
1 small can of corn (drained)
2 large potatoes (chopped)
2 large carrots (chopped)
half of yellow onion diced
about a tsp. of minced garlic
beef boullion cube
pepper
Once everything is in the crockpot add enough water so that it barely covers the top of the food and cook on low for 8 hours or until roast is done. Take the roast out and shred then mix back together. This is really great served with cornbread or homemade bread.

Here is are latest menu- let me know if you have any good meal ideas or recipes you would like to share!

pizza- homemade with bacon on top- yum!
stew- 2 nights
peanut butter chicken- 2 nights
go out- Saturday we decided to try a Columbian restaurant near our house and regretted it.
After wasting $20 there we stopped at McD's after!
baked cod and 3 cheese bread

For the cod I tried a recipe I read on-line and we ending up really liking it. I didn't get the exact measurements... For 2 6 oz. pieces of cod I mixed approximately 3/4 cup lite mayo, 1/4 cup lite sour cream, 1 tbls. lemon juice, 1-2 tsp. dill weed and pepper. Pour over top of fish and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Ok- some yummy recipes!

Cran-Apple Bread
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. applesauce
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. soda
3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. fresh cranberries chopped
2 c. peeled/diced Granny Smith apples
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix wet ingredients, sift dry ingredients and add to wet. Then add fruit and vanilla. Grease 8 in. bread pans and bake 50-60 min. at 350 degrees. I thought this was a good way to use some fresh cranberries I got for cheap!


Black Bean Salsa Dip
We had this at a bbq a while back and LOVED it!
1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can white corn
2 large tomotoes, diced
2-3 avacadoes, diced
1 bunch of cilantro chopped
1/2 red onion diced
1 packet of Zesty Italian dressing prepared as directed.
Mix everything together and enjoy with tortilla chips. This recipe makes a lot, it was too much for me and Ryan, but would probably be good for a party or a larger family.

Apple Pie
This is the best apple pie ever!! I orginally got this recipe from my friend, Heather, but I altered it a little.
Pie crust:
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. flour
dash of salt
1/4 c. cold water
Cut flour and salt into shortening then add water and knead. Roll out and place in bottom of pie pan.

Filling:
4 c. Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced (approx. 4 apples)
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbl. flour
Mix and pour into crust

Topping:
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
Mix and sprinkle on top.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour 45 min. with cookie sheet underneath.

Thanksgiving and new dinners!

First, I was going to mention that we have tried most of meat we received from Omaha Steaks. The steaks had a great texture and hardly any fat on them. The steak burgers are really good. They cook more like steak than hamburgers and have a great flavor and texture. The twice baked potatoes were good as far as frozen food goes and the carmel apple tarts were good, but I would have liked them bigger. I think if you can get the sales price they are worth the money and great gift ideas.
For Thanksgiving we tried a couple of new things this year. It is a Martin tradition to appetizers before Thanksgiving dinner. Most people don't like it because they are saving room for dinner. But I feel the appetizers keep your stomach nice a ready for the big meal and they distract you in case the turkey isn't done on time.
-Most people have heard of or tried the cranberry juice mixed with Sprite or GingerAle.
I decided this drink would taste better if the cranberry was a slush. So I mixed cran-
berry juice and real cranberries then froze it, unthawed it enough to break it up, then
froze it again. Ryan and I liked it better.
-Some new appetizers we tried were black bean salsa and cranberry apple bread. I will
post the recipes soon.
Pretty much everything else I made was generic (other than the apple pie, but I willpost that recipe later too).
Also, here is a new menu (most of the stuff has leftovers and our schedule is a little out of wack, so I won't post days):
Stroganoff
Chicken Parmesan
Tacos
Yorkshire pudding with roast and gravy
Fish/bread/salad - I bought some cod- does anyone have recommendations on the best way to cook it?

Some Recipes!

Here are a couple of recipes we have tried recently and really like.

A couple of weeks ago I had spaghetti carbonara on the menu. I didn't get a picture, but Ryan and I both liked it and my friend from Italy told me the recipe, then I looked on-line for exact measurements. I will say that the first time I made it I thought it called for too much onion, but you really do need it all.

In frying pan cook:

Tbs. EVOO

2 cloves minced garlic

1 small onion

8-12 pieces Italian bacon (or regular if you are cheap like me)

At the same time cook 2 packages of spaghetti.

Beat 4 eggs and add to pasta when it is done cooking (be sure to remove pasta from heat, the eggs will cook too fast)

Mix the frying pan and pasta ingredients then toss in 2 cups grated parmesan cheese.

We also tried orange chicken (picture up top). Since Ryan and I don't agree on rice usually I was going to put it on top of a salad, but I made it later in the week than planned so the lettuce and my green onions were wilted.

I breaded a package of chicken tenders with crushed cornflakes and baked it until chicken was done and outside was crispy. The actual recipe has the chicken in cubes, dipped in flour and fried. I chose the healthy route and it still tasted really good.

While chicken is cooking combine:

1 1/2 cup water

juice of one orange

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup vinegar (rice vinegar if you have it)

2 1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

1 Tbs. orange zest

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. minced ginger root

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 Tbs. green onion

1/4 tps. red pepper flakes (I did 3/4 and it was SPICY)

Bring to a boil on stove top then mix 3 Tbs. of cornstarch with 2 Tbs. of water and add slowly to thicken.

Pour of top of chicken and let cook a little longer.

I felt like this tasted even better than most restaurants because it wasn't too greasy!

New Menu

Well I already got behind on the menu, but our schedule changed so much last week I wasn't able to post. Some of the new menu includes steak and hamburgers from Omaha Steaks. I got a coupon for them recently and went on-line to check it out. They actually have the deal going on for everyone. We got 2 filet mignon, 2 petite sirloin, 4 chicken breasts, 10 steak burgers, 4 jumbo franks, 4 twice baked potatoes and 6 carmel apple tarts for $50 and this was delivered to our door. The prices seemed good, we will have to let you know how everything tastes! Anyway, here is the menu again.
Thursday- bagel sandwiches
The deli had angus roast beef on sale so I got that then made the sandwiches with bagels, garlic & herb Laughing Cow cheese, green leaf lettuce and red peppers and they tasted so good!!

Friday- leftover sandwich meat and deli chicken
Saturday- went out to Chili's they have the $20 deal where you get an appetizer, 2 dinners, and dessert for $20. Tommy usually eats off our plates, so we felt like it was a pretty good deal.
Sunday- bbq at friends
Monday- spaghetti
Tuesday- roasted potatoes/chicken nuggets
Wednesday- chicken noodle soup
Thursday- leftover soup
Friday-
Saturday-
Sunday- steak and twice baked potatoes
Monday- sweet n sour meatballs
Tuesday- orange chicken salad
Wednesday- hamburgers and fries

First Menu

Here is my first menu. I will post any recipes and pictures when I feel like I have made something interesting enough or if someone requests it. If you want to share your own menu ideas or are curious about a recipe leave a comment or email me. I usually do my menu's from Thursday- Wednesday.

Thursday: BLT toast (combined crumbled bacon, cheese, mayo and toast on french bread then sprinkle with lettuce and tomato)
Friday: Tacos (I like to add salsa to the meat while it is still cooking for more flavor and moisture)
Saturday: leftover tacos
Sunday: Spaghetti Cabonara (learned recipe from an Italian- recipe and pictures coming soon if it looks good!)
Monday: Shake n' Bake and garlic mashed potatoes
Tuesday: pita sandwiches (perfect for eating during Tommy's soccer practice)
Wednesday: stuffing casserole

My New Blog Idea

Greetings everyone! I know I should be making my original blog better, but right now I am in the mood to do something different. Most of the time I pump for Sara I sit at the computer. Sometimes I do useful stuff and sometimes I goof off. I had an idea for a blog the other day and decided now would be a good time to get it started.
I am one of those people who plans my meals every week. I can't comprehend how people never decide what they are having until they make it. So, the night before I go shopping I spend lots of time looking at a calendar and a list and picking meals. Lately, I am completely stumped... it takes me forever to plan for the week and I don't feel like I have much variety.
So, my blog idea is to post my menu each week and maybe get some ideas from other people and maybe give ideas to other people... then for us menu planners we will have to spend a lot less time deciding on a menu. Sometimes I will post recipes and pictures. I don't feel like I am the best cook in the world, but I don't think I am a horrible cook either. Some recipes will be quick, some will be healthy, some will be easy and some will be difficult (you get the idea).
This kind of thing might take awhile to take off because as of right now I think I have like 5 confirmed readers of my blog. But anyone who is interested let me know... I only want to keep it up if other people participate.
To get my blog started I will post a recipe we tried the other night. I don't have pictures, but it was something different we enjoyed. When I get my menu going for the next grocery trip I will actually post it.

Philly Steak and Cheese
-piece of roast or steak (the original recipe calls for steak, but I like it with roast)
-1 green pepper
-1/2 yellow onion
-1/4 cup water
-black pepper
-garlic powder
-beef boulion cube
Combine ingredients above and cook in crockpot for 4 hours or until meat is tender and veggies are soft.
Cut and toast some bakery buns or rolls and heat up a jar of nacho cheese. Spread the nacho cheese on the buns then add sliced roast and veggies. If you are a mushroom lover those can be added to the crockpot too. If the nacho cheese doesn't sound good we have had this recipe with mozarella or extra sharp cheddar and they taste good too.

So there is my first recipe- check back soon for my first menu :)