On Pans and Kneadles

Thanksgiving 2011 Menu Plan

2011-11-20T17:21:00.001-05:00

I like to share my holiday menu plan for two reasons. One, it might help others who are making their holiday menu. And two, I love looking back at previous holidays to see what we've served. Once again this year, I'll be sharing cooking duties with my mother-in-law.

Roast Turkey
Mashed Potatoes/Cauliflower*
Gravy
Dressing (or stuffing, as I like to call it, even though it won't be stuffed in the bird)*
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad
Fresh Green Salad with Walnuts & Cranberries*
Rolls
Sweet Potato Pie*

* Dishes that I'll be preparing

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-07-17T20:09:00.000-04:00

We were on family vacation last and had a great time! But back to "normal" life and menu planning. Some of our main proteins may change, depending on what I find at the store.

Monday - grilled chicken, brown rice, steamed veggies

Tuesday - turkey burgers with lettuce, onion, pickle, tomatoes on wheat bread, side salad

Wednesday - grilled steak with grilled onions & green peppers, bulgur

Thursday - make-your-own pizza on grilled flatbreads, side salad

Friday - grilled chicken, whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce, sauteed veggies

Saturday - attending a carry-in dinner

Sunday - large salad with leftover grilled meat

Don't forget to follow the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge on my main blog, Not a DIY Life.

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-07-05T08:27:00.001-04:00

I'm a little behind on menu planning due to the holiday.

Monday - grilled steak, orzo salad, fruit salad (nice, easy cookout food!)

Tuesday - grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, grilled veggies

Wednesday - oat pancakes (made on the griddle plate of my George Foreman grill), veggie/egg scrambles

Thursday - chicken paninis or wraps (depending on when I can get to the store), side salad

Friday - grilled turkey burgers, served on bed of lettuce with cooked bulgur

Saturday - church cookout (I'll take a healthy veggie or fruit side dish to share)

Don't forget to check out my progress in the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge!

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-06-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

It's week 7! I didn't do a thorough menu plan last week, since I was out of town for a few days. But Hubs and Ladybug enjoyed using the grill in my absence. Here's this week's plan:

Monday: grilled chicken, tomato/zucchini salad tossed with olive oil & vinegar, bulgur
Tuesday: grilled pork loin, grilled sweet potatoes, side salad
Wednesday: grilled turkey burgers on a bed of spinach w/ tomato, onion & dill pickle slices, polenta
Thursday: Brinner: veggie/cheese egg scrambles, whole wheat biscuits with 100% fruit spread
Friday: make your own pizzas on grilled flatbreads, side salad
Saturday: grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta tossed w/ olive oil & Parmesan cheese, steamed veggies
Sunday: grilled salmon patties on a bed of spinach, steamed veggies, quinoa

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-06-12T21:20:00.000-04:00

It's week 6 for the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. Breakfasts will remain the same, lunches will be leftovers or large salads with grilled protein.

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers)
Monday - grilled turkey burgers, sweet potato fries, salad
Tuesday - grilled pork chops, bulgur, grilled or sauteed veggies, grilled apples
Wednesday - grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, steamed veggies
Thursday - grilled paninis, salad
Friday - grilled salmon patties, quinoa, steamed veggies
Saturday - Brinner: veggie egg scrambles, biscuits
Sunday - FIFI

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan Week 5

2011-06-06T09:51:00.000-04:00

We're heading into Week 5 of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. It's been so hot here - it's great to be able to use the grill and not heat up my kitchen!

Monday - grilled turkey tenderloin, whole wheat pasta, sauteed veggies
Tuesday - Brinner: veggie/egg scrambles, biscuits
Wednesday - Brown bag dinner: grilled turkey salad
Thursday - grilled steak tips, grilled veggies, polenta
Friday - grilled turkey burgers, carrot sticks, cucumber slices
Saturday - grilled chicken breasts, grilled veggies, whole grain rice
Sunday - grilled pork chops, grilled corn on the cob, side salad

Don't forget to check out my main blog for continued updates on the Knock Out the Fat Challenge!

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-05-30T18:39:00.000-04:00

This is my dinner menu plan for the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge for week 4. My breakfasts and lunches will be similar to what I posted last week. Same rotation of breakfast choices, and either leftovers or salad for lunch.

Monday - grilled turkey burgers, grilled zucchini, whole wheat pasta with other assorted veggies
Tuesday - grilled chicken breasts, bulgar, tomato/cucumber salad
Wednesday - Brown Bag dinner (leftovers, plus a side salad)
Thursday - grilled tuna patties, whole grain rice, grilled veggies
Friday - grilled steak tips, grilled corn, grilled veggies
Saturday - Brinner: veggie egg scrambles, biscuits
Sunday - grilled steak salad with grilled toast

Check out my week 3 update for the Knock Out the Fat Challenge over on my main blog.

Grilled Flatbread

2011-05-23T08:13:00.002-04:00

I love experimenting in the kitchen. Now, as part of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge, I have a new George Foreman grill to add to the fun. This past week, we were having friends over for dinner and we decided to make personal pizzas.

I used my regular pizza dough recipe in the bread machine. After the first rise, I took the dough out and kneaded it a few turns. Then split it into 8 pieces. I rolled each piece into a somewhat circle and allowed to rest/rise for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, I preheated the George Foreman grill to High. I grilled the dough one at a time after brushing a little bit of olive oil on each side. Each flatbread took 4-5 minutes because they cooked from both sides at once.

Then we added our own toppings and finished them off in a 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes.

Check out my main blog for more about the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge.

Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

2011-05-22T19:42:00.000-04:00

This is week 3 of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. If you follow my main blog, I've mentioned the challenge over there. But that is why I haven't posted a new menu plan here recently. As part of the challenge, I've received a custom menu plan from Alsya (@inspiredrd) for the first two weeks. Now, as week 3 begins, it's my job to plan my own menu based on what I'm learning from her.

One of the requirements of the challenge is to utilize my new George Foreman grill at least five times a week. It has 2 interchangeable plates, including a grill plate and a bake plate. I can make pancakes on the bake plate, and that's one thing I'll be trying this week.

Here's my plan for this week:

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 T PB, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg

Snack: 2 T dried fruit, 12 almonds

Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 T hummus, 2 oz tuna, dill pickles, lettuce, 1 c. raw veggies on the side, 1 small apple

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: 3 oz grilled nitrate-free chicken sausage, ½ cup grilled veggies, side salad, 2/3 cup cooked bulgar, 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 1 cup celery sticks, 1 ½ tsp PB

Breakfast: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 cup strawberries, 1/3 cup homemade granola

Snack: 1 peach, 6 cashews

Lunch: Salad: salad greens, 1 cup chopped veggies, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 oz cheese, ¼ cup salsa, 1 slice whole wheat bread w/ 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1.5 tsp PB, 1 small banana

Dinner: 3 oz grilled steak, 1 cup grilled veggies, 2/3 cup brown rice w/ 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: 2 slices whole wheat toast w/ 1.5 tsp butter, 1 egg, 1 small banana

Snack: 2 T raisins, 20 peanuts

Lunch: Large salad w/ 2 oz leftover steak w/ extra veggies, ¼ cup salsa, ½ cup corn, olive oil/lemon juice for dressing

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: 3 oz grilled chicken, 2/3 cup whole wheat pasta, 1 cup grilled veggies, 1 oz feta cheese

Snack: 1 cup sliced cucumber, 16 pistachios

Breakfast: oatmeal pancake w/ 1 .5 tsp PB, 1 cup strawberries

Snack: 1 small banana, 1 T PB

Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 T hummus, 2 oz leftover chicken, lettuce, pickle, tomato, 1 peach

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 small apple chopped, 1.5 tsp PB

Dinner: grilled salmon patties (2 meat, 1 starch exchange), 1 oz low fat Colby, 1/3 cup quinoa, 1 cup sautéed veggies w/ 1.5 tsp olive oil

Snack: 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #1

Snack: 2 T dried fruit, 12 almonds

Lunch: open-face salmon patty sandwich, 1 T hummus, side salad, 1 cup strawberries

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 peach, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: Steak/Veggie kabobs (if I can find skewers!), 2/3 cup bulgar, 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 1 cup celery sticks, 1.5 tsp PB

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #2

Snack: 17 grapes, 32 pistachios

Lunch: grilled tuna melt – 2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 oz tuna mixed w/ 1 T. hummus, 1 oz low fat Colby, spinach, 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 small apple

Snack: ½ cup fruit salad, 1 T sunflower seeds

Dinner: 2 oat pancakes w/ 1.5 tsp PB, 2 eggs scrambled with 1 cup chopped veggies & 1 oz cheese

Snack: 1 cup sliced cucumber, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #3

Snack: 1 cup cubed cantaloupe, 32 pistachios

Lunch: Large spinach salad w/ 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 cup strawberries, 1 oz shaved parmesan cheese, chopped onion, olive oil/lemon juice for dressing, 4 crispbread crackers

Snack: 3 dates, 1 T pine nuts

Dinner: Tacos – 2 whole wheat tortillas, 3 oz seasoned ground turkey, 1 oz low fat cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes & onions, salsa. Small side salad

Snack: 1 cup broccoli, 1 T hummus

Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

Menu Plan 4/24

2011-04-25T09:19:00.000-04:00

My garden will have a good amount of lettuce & spinach to harvest this week. My other veggies are coming along nicely, and the local farmer's market opens soon - can't wait!

Sunday - Easter dinner was pork BBQ sandwiches, broccoli salad, cole slaw & strawberry pie for dessert

Monday - stir fry with leftover pork, lots of veggies, brown rice

Tuesday - Brinner - oat pancakes & veggie/egg scrambles

Wednesday - dinner at church

Thursday - baked chicken with pasta & veggies

Friday - dinner with friends

Saturday - grilled steak salads with grilled toast

Pumpkin Waffles

2011-04-21T18:22:00.000-04:00

We're on a roll with Breakfast for Dinner (Brinner) lately. Here's another favorite recipe.

Pumpkin Waffles

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 T ground flax
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pure pumpkin
6 T melted butter

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs then add buttermilk, pumpkin and melted butter. Whisk until combined thoroughly.

Make waffles according to your waffle maker's manufacturer instructions.

I have a Belgian waffle maker and this recipe makes 8 large waffles for me. The following nutritional information is based on 8 servings.

Calories - 335
Total Fat - 12 g
Total Carbs - 48 g
Dietary Fiber - 5 g
Sugars - 9 g
Protein - 11 g

Menu Plan 4/17

2011-04-17T20:20:00.000-04:00

A busy week leading up to Easter....

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - steak salads

Tuesday - pumpkin waffles, eggs to order, fruit salad

Wednesday - baked chicken & rice, roasted veggies

Thursday - salmon patties, barley, steamed veggies

Friday - steak fajitas

Saturday - veggie soup, bruschetta

Menu Plan 4/10

2011-04-10T18:43:00.000-04:00

My garden is producing enough lettuce for fresh salad greens every day! Since our daughter doesn't like salads, I'll still have a steamed veggie with most meals.

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) aka leftovers

Monday - Italian chicken, garden salad, brown rice

Tuesday -egg/bacon/veggie burritos, fruit salad

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - grilled steak salads with grilled Texas toast

Friday - Dill & Lemon salmon fillets, pasta, garden salad

Saturday - Asian Chicken and Slaw with orzo pasta on the side

Menu Plan 4/3

2011-04-03T17:48:00.000-04:00

Sunday - open face hamburgers, grilled onions, steamed veggies

Monday - spaghetti and meatballs, steamed veggies, salad

Tuesday - Crustless Cheese Quiche, Anytime Bran Muffins, fruit salad

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - Vegetable soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Friday - grilled chicken wraps, salad

Saturday - steak stir fry with lots of veggies, served over brown rice

Crustless Cheese Quiche

2011-04-02T16:33:00.001-04:00

adapted from a Taste of Home recipe

2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1-10 oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped, cooked veggies of your choice (I like broccoli)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
chopped tomatoes for garnish

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the cheese mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees for 30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Garnish with tomatoes.

Yield: 8 servings
Nutritional Info (per serving):
255 calories, 15 g total fat, 10 g total carbs, 19 g protein
Nutritional exchanges: 1 starch, 2 high fat meat

Menu PLan 3/27

2011-03-27T17:57:00.000-04:00

Sunday - Find It, Fix It (cleaning up leftovers)

Monday - grilled steak, baked potatoes, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner: Crockpot Apple Oatmeal, eggs-made-to-order

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - grilled chicken, brown rice, salad (need to keep it simple & easy because we have music practice)

Friday - salmon patties, pasta, steamed veggies

Saturday - grilled steak, quinoa pilaf, side salad

Taco Seasoning

2011-03-22T18:06:00.000-04:00

Homemade taco seasoning is easy-peasy! It has indredients that I can pronounce, and it takes no time at all. You can adjust the hotness to your taste. A half teaspoon of red pepper flakes is a little hot for me, but Hubby likes it. I may tweak that next time. Enjoy!

Taco Seasoning

2 tsp instant minced onion
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp instant minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Add to ground beef with 1/2 cup water, stir, cover & allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Menu Plan 3/20

2011-03-20T16:06:00.000-04:00

Sunday - hamburgers, sauteed onions, collards & cabbage

Monday - chicken, pasta, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner! veggie egg scrambles, skillet hash browns

Wednesday - grilled chicken salad

Thursday - Heather's meatloaf, baked potatoes, steamed veggies

Friday - Healthier Chicken Parmesan, steamed veggies

Saturday - baked salmon, quinoa, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 3/13

2011-03-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

Sunday - Find It, Fix It (aka leftovers)

Monday - baked chicken and potatoes, steamed cabbage

Tuesday - Brinner: Raisin Bread French Toast, eggs, bacon, cooked apples

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - steak fajitas on homemade tortillas with lots of veggies

Friday - Hubby & I have a date night - woot!

Saturday - ground turkey soft tacos on leftover tortillas, plenty of veggie toppings

Menu Plan 3/6

2011-03-06T15:39:00.001-05:00

Sunday - ~~homemade pizzas on flour tortillas~~, salad - Oops, didn't have any pizza sauce so we make steak fajitas instead

Monday - grilled steak salads

Tuesday - brinner: veggie/egg scrambles, whole wheat toast

Wednesday - (no kids program at church due to Ash Wednesday) homemade mac n cheese, steamed veggies

Thursday - oven roasted chicken & potatoes, steamed veggies

Friday - Italian burgers, apple & carrot salad

Saturday - broccoli cheddar soup, grilled bruschetta

Menu Plan 2/27

2011-02-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

Wow, a whole week of uninterrupted menus!

Sunday - freezer night, plus a salad

Monday - grilled steak, whole grain rice, sauteed veggies

Tuesday - Salmon Cheese casserole, barley, steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday -Italian style chicken breasts, steamed veggies, pasta

Friday - foil packet ocean perch with veggies, baked potatoes

Saturday - grilled steak salads

Menu Plan 2/20

2011-02-20T14:44:00.002-05:00

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It), there are plenty of leftovers

Monday - chicken stir fry served with brown rice

Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner - Cheese & Veggie Scramble, whole wheat toast, fresh fruit

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group, I'm making Savory Slow Cooker Chicken for the main dish

Thursday - Saturday - I"ll be attending the NC Mom Blogging Conference at Ocean Isle Inn

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

2011-02-18T10:29:00.000-05:00

The first time I attempted to make homemade pita bread was a failure. They tasted great, but there was no pocket in the middle. I wanted to try again, but was a little gun-shy. Finally, I decided to try again.

These turned out great! I don't remember exactly what I did the first time, but I think I had the oven hotter for this second attempt. Plus, I kept them warm like I do with homemade tortillas, with a warm, damp towel.

Now that I have mastered the technique, I'm going to experiment with different flavors. First up, rosemary & garlic!

Whole Wheat Pita Bread (for the bread machine)

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten*
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Add ingredients to your bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set on Dough setting.

After the dough has finished, use floured hands to punch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Lightly dust with flour. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Flatten each dough ball and roll into a 6 or 7 inch round. Lay the rounds on a floured surface and cover with a towel. Allow to rest for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lay a metal cookie cooling rack over the oven rack; you will bake the pitas on the rack.

Bake two pitas at a time for 4-5 minutes. You don't not want to overbake, as they will get brittle. Remove from oven, cover with a warm, damp towel so they will soften & stay warm while you are baking the others.

Cut pita rounds in half and open the inside pocket. Fill with whatever sandwich fixin's you have!

* If you don't gluten, you can use whole wheat pastry flour or a combination of half whole wheat/half all purpose flour. Gluten helps to soften the whole wheat texture and the result is a less dense bread.

Don't forget to visit my main blog, Not a DIY Life, to follow my journey of healthy living!

Cabbage Sloppy Joes

2011-02-15T15:27:00.000-05:00

This has become a family favorite. We served it open-face style with a slice of cheddar cheese and a dill pickle.

Cabbage Sloppy Joes
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 T brown sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 T vinegar
1 T mustard
1 t salt

Brown ground beef in large skillet with onion, green pepper, and cabbage. When thoroughly browned, added remaining ingredients. Simmer on medium low for 10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 6
Nutritional Info:
Calories 266; Fat 16 grams; Total Carbs 19 gram; Fiber 2 grams; Protein 15 grams
Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Vegetable

Menu Plan 2/13

2011-02-12T15:56:00.000-05:00

I didn't realize what a crazy week this is going to be until I sat down to menu plan ...

Sunday - going to a friend's for dinner

Monday - Savory Slow Cooker Chicken, barley, side salad

Tuesday - Three-Grain Flapjacks topped with cooked apples, sausage

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group, I'm taking Hot Fruit Salad & Crockpot Granola to share as dessert

Thursday - grilled chicken salads

Friday - I'm running an evening 5k, so I'll have a green smoothie as my pre-race meal. Family will be eating with the in-laws.

Saturday - pork & veggie stir fry, whole grain rice

Savory Slow Cooker Chicken

2011-02-12T15:19:00.001-05:00

from the Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook

2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces, skinned
1 lb. fresh tomatoes, chopped or 15-oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

1. Combine all ingredients except broccoli in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
3. Add broccoli 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5 quart

Per serving:
Calories - 230, Total Fat - 7g; Sodium - 427mg, Carbs - 3g, Sugars - 7g, Protein - 30g

Exchange list values: Vegetable 2, Meat, lean, 3

Menu Plan 1/16

2011-01-16T13:40:00.000-05:00

Lots of extra activities this week!

Sunday - dinner at the in-laws

Monday - open-face hamburgers, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner!

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - pasta & veggies for the girl-child, Hubby & I will eat at a wedding rehearsal dinner

Friday - wedding & wedding reception food

Saturday - veggie lasagna, salad

Menu Plan 1/9

2011-01-09T13:26:00.000-05:00

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - chicken and veggie stir fry, brown rice

Tuesday - pasta, steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - Brinner! (Why is breakfast for dinner so exciting?)

Friday - soup and salad

Saturday - baked chicken, quinoa pilaf, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 1/2

2011-01-02T18:11:00.000-05:00

The holidays are over, time to get back to "normal!"

Sunday - turkey/barley soup, assorted leftovers

Monday - Thanksgiving in a Crockpot, collards

Tuesday -salad, FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Wednesday - Brinner (breakfast for dinner)

Thursday - grilled cheese sandwiches, veggies

Friday - church staff party

Saturday - veggie stir fry with brown rice

Menu Plan 12/19

2010-12-19T19:44:00.001-05:00

My mom is here for the holidays, so our menu plan is including some of our family favorites! The key will be portion control.

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - potato dumplings, steamed veggies

Tuesday - chicken & veggie stir fry with brown rice

Wednesday - homemade mac-n-cheese, steamed veggies

Thursday - homemade meatball subs, salad

Friday - a smaller version of a traditional Christmas eve meal: salmon, lima beans/sauerkraut, potatoes

Saturday - Christmas day brunch at my in-laws; we'll be taking fruit salad to share

Have a blessed Christmas!!

Menu Plan 12/12

2010-12-12T18:28:00.000-05:00

I do have recipes to share - honest!! Schedule has been incredibly busy lately. I'm hoping to catch up this week.

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - chicken & veggie stir fry, brown rice

Tuesday - Tomato-Veggie soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Wednesday - salmon patties, barley, steamed veggies

Thursday - Lemon Chicken with Garbanzo Beans, roasted veggies

Friday - Brinner - breakfast for dinner

Saturday - Broccoli Cheddar Soup, salad, bread

Menu Plan 12/5

2010-12-05T14:50:00.000-05:00

Sunday - homemade pizza (haven't made this in a while!)

Monday - tuna patties, sweet potatoes, steamed veggies

Tuesday - taco biscuit casserole

Wednesday- dinner at small group

Thursday - tomato, sausage & kale soup

Friday - spaghetti & steamed veggies

Saturday - chili & cornbread

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of healthy living!

Menu Plan 11/28

2010-11-28T18:17:00.000-05:00

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - Turkey/Sweet Potato Skillet Hash, steamed veggies

Tuesday -grilled salmon, Nutty Barley Bake, green salad

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - House Blessing Lunch - Tomato Kale Sausage Soup, herb & cheese bread, shortbread cookies (Dinner will be leftovers)

Friday - spaghetti & meatballs, steamed veggies

Saturday - Brinner! (breakfast for dinner, probably scrambled eggs with veggies & skillet hash browns)

Menu Plan 11/21

2010-11-22T10:48:00.000-05:00

Trying to keep everything simple this week before the feast on Thanksgiving Day.

Sunday - pig roast at friend's house

Monday - spaghetti, meatballs, steam veggies, Spinach salad

Tuesday - pumpkin waffles (tried a new recipe last week and want to tweak it), scrambled eggs with veggies

Wednesday- broccoli soup

Thursday - Thanksgiving Menu

Friday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) Mama's not cooking!

Saturday - turkey rice soup, lots of veggies

Thanksgiving Menu Plan

2010-11-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Here's what we're planning for the big Thanksgiving feast. I'll be sharing cooking duties with my mother-in-law, but we'll have everyone to our house to eat.

Roasted Turkey
Bread Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Shrimp and Grits (Hubby's request)
Green Beans w/ Toasted Almonds
Spinach Salad
Apple Pie
Pumpkin Pie

We're trying to keep it simple this year with the basic favorites, but I'll tweak some of the recipes to make them a little healthier.

What are your favorite must-have dishes for Thanksgiving?

Healthified Corn Bread

2010-11-19T09:08:00.000-05:00

Continuing in the process of "healtifying" favorite recipes. I tweaked the corn bread recipe on the back of the plain corn meal package. Nutritional information is at the bottom of the post to compare conventional preparation vs. my healthified version.

Healthified Corn Bread

1 cup corn meal
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp oil or melted butter
2 Tbsp ground flax

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients in a smaller bowl, and add to dry ingredients, stirring until combined. Do not overmix. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until done. Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional info:
140 calories; 3.6g fat; 322.7mg sodium; 13.8g carbs; 0.8g fiber; 3.2g protein
vs. conventional preparation
173 calories; 5g fat; 428mg sodium; 28g carbs; 0g fiber; 4g protein

Menu Plan 11/14

2010-11-14T15:18:00.001-05:00

Sunday - turkey burgers, oven fries, steamed veggies

Monday - spaghetti squash with sauteed veggies

Tuesday - pumpkin waffles (I bought REAL maple syrup, much to Hubby's delight!), scrambled eggs with veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - homemade calzones, roasted veggies

Friday - cabbage sloppy joes, steamed veggies

Saturday - tomato-veggie soup and grilled cheese sammies

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of healthy living!

Menu Plan 11/07

2010-11-07T18:02:00.001-05:00

Sunday - turkey burgers, sweet potato fries and sauteed veggies

Monday - chicken and veggie stir fry w/ brown rice

Tuesday - sausage and egg muffins, biscuits

Wednesday - dinner at church small group; we are providing salad this week

Thursday - FIFI, aka Find It, Fix It since we have music practice

Friday - meatball subs (homemade meatballs & buns), roasted veggies

Saturday - potato and kale soup, salad

Menu Plan 10/31

2010-10-31T13:49:00.000-04:00

Sunday - FIFI (aka Find It, Fix It)

Monday - tuna patties, steamed veggies

Tuesday- brinner! trying apple French toast this week

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - spaghetti, steamed veggies

Friday - tomato-veggie soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Saturday - spaghetti carbonara w/ chicken, roasted veggies

Menu Plan 10/24

2010-10-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

Sunday - my birthday celebration! Personal pizzas, kale chips, crudites while watching football

Monday - spaghetti & meatballs, steamed veggies

Tuesday- Brinner! Breakfast for dinner

Wednesday - my turn to make dinner for our small group - Taco Biscuit Casserole

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) because we have music practice at church

Friday - chili

Saturday - roasted chicken, barley, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 10/17

2010-10-16T21:08:00.000-04:00

Sunday - chili, cornbread, raw veggies

Monday - tuna patties, pasta, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Lemon Chicken & Garbanzo Beans (new recipe), steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Friday - salmon casserole, barley & vegetables

Saturday - something easy, maybe soup. I'm running my first 5k race in the morning!

Menu Plan 10/10

2010-10-10T12:18:00.000-04:00

Sunday - FIFI for Hubby and Ladybug, Choctoberfest for me!

Monday - crockpot chicken, roasted veggies

Tuesday - chicken & barley soup, salad, bread

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Friday - tuna patties, pasta, steamed veggies

Saturday - cabbage sloppy joes on whole wheat bread, raw veggies w/ spinach & herb dip

Menu Plan 10/3

2010-10-03T13:46:00.004-04:00

Sunday - homemade pizza and kale chips

Monday - meatloaf, barley, veggies (I have an extra meatloaf in the freezer so this will be an easy meal with easy clean up)

Tuesday - tuna patties with pasta and veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers)

Friday - Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup - new recipe, can't wait to try it!

Saturday - Lemon Chicken and Garbanzo beans (new recipe from Food on the Table), veggies

Menu Plan 9/19

2010-09-19T20:09:00.005-04:00

I'll be going to the Type-A-Mom conference this week, so menu planning is a challenge. I know Hubby can handle all the parenting duties while I'm gone, but I want to make meals as easy as possible.

Sunday - football party with friends

Monday - meatloaf, brown rice, roasted veggies

Tuesday - Amish chicken casserole (with leftovers to go in the freezer for the weekend)

Wednesday - ~~homemade pizza with salad~~ oops, church night instead

Thursday - salmon casserole, barley, steamed veggies (will make ahead so Hubby only has to reheat)

Friday/Saturday - Hubby's choice: spaghetti & meatballs, leftovers or dinner with friends

Quinoa Pilaf

2010-09-15T15:39:00.004-04:00

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is one of my favorite high-fiber side dishes. I find it in the natural food section of my grocery store. But what the heck do you do with it? For me, the easiest way to prepare it is to make a pilaf.

You can use any combination of vegetables. Whatever you have on hand or whatever is in season. I'm looking forward to trying this with butternut squash! Peas and carrots are a favorite combination, as is the below recipe with tomato and zucchini.

Quinoa Pilaf

1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 large tomato, diced
salt, pepper, or seasoning salt (to taste)

While quinoa is cooking, heat a medium skill over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add onion and cook for about 3 minutes until they start to soften. Add zucchini and seasonings, and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add tomatoes and remove from heat. The residual heat from the veggies will warm up the tomatoes (you don't really need to cook them). Stir in cooked quinoa.

Makes 4 servings

Menu Plan 9/12

2010-09-13T12:59:00.005-04:00

Oops. The menu plan was done, but I forgot to post it! It's an easy week for me in the kitchen.

Sunday - meatball subs (on homemade buns), healthy coleslaw, sauteed zucchini

Monday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Tuesday - baked tilapia with brown rice, steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church (yay!)

Thursday - either spaghetti or FIFI since we have praise band practice and I need something with easy clean up!

Friday - possibly out to dinner with friends

Saturday - Country Chicken, quinoa pilaf (haven't made this in a while!)

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of healthy living!

Menu Plan 9/5

2010-09-05T16:22:00.008-04:00

I am loving the late summer veggies!

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It); there are TONS of leftovers from yesterday!

Monday - chicken panzanella

Tuesday - salmon cheese casserole (didn't get to it last week), steamed veggies or salad

Wednesday - chicken, garbanzo bean & pasta salald

Thursday - FIFI

Friday - grilled flatbread pizzas

Saturday - not sure our plans for the day yet, may not be home for supper

Making Homemade Meatballs

2010-09-03T16:39:00.004-04:00

Ladybug (3 years old) loves meatballs. Well, so does the rest of the family. But when you have a preschooler going through a picky phase, you become thankful that she likes nutritious foods. Meatballs can be one of them.

I was going to pick up a bag of frozen meatballs at the store this week. Then I turned the bag over and read the ingredients. I couldn't pronounce half the words, and I was grossed out by what I could. Eww.

I decided right then and there that I would get some good ground meat and make my own meatballs. They're not difficult. Just time consuming.

I remembered reading a post on Frugal Upstate last year about making large batches of meatballs and freezing them. Aha! I bought 9 lbs of ground beef and ground turkey, I came home, and I set to work.

You can easily double, triple or even quadruple this recipe.

Homemade Meatballs

2 lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey (or a combination)
4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted and allowed to dry out1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

After toast has dried out a bit, place in a food processor and pulse until you have a find bread crumb. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. (I use my hands.) Use a scoop to portion out uniform size lumps of meat, then form into meatballs. I keep mine about 1 inch in diameter.
Place meatballs on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes (depending on size of meatball) until brown. Allow to cool.

You can then place on a clean cookie sheet with a little bit of space in between each meatball and freeze. Once meatballs are frozen, transfer to large freezer bags and keep frozen until ready to use.

(Mine made about 35 meatballs per pound, about 42 calories per meatball.)

Menu Plan 8/30

2010-08-30T07:53:00.006-04:00

This week will be a little more challenging because it will be just me and the kiddo for dinner more often than not. I want to make meals that she will eat as is, instead of a meal for me and a meal for her.

Sunday - Taco Biscuit Casserole

Monday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Tuesday - beef and veggie stir fry with brown rice

Wednesday - salmon cheese casserole, steamed veggies

Thursday - spaghetti with meatballs, steamed veggies

Friday - pizza with homemade pizza dough

Saturday - might be a Mama/Daughter date night!

My New Favorite Way to Make Chicken

2010-08-24T17:48:00.006-04:00

Food on the Table calls this "Country Chicken." I call this my New Favorite. Very flavorful way to cook bone-in chicken that falls off the bones.

I did make a few changes. First, I halved the recipe because, even though it says 4 servings, four pounds of chicken is a lot and to me is more than four servings. Second, I used seasoning salt instead of the salt and pepper. Personal preference.

I served this over biscuits, but you could also serve it over rice or noodles.

Country Chicken

1/4 cup butter
2 lbs cut up chicken, with skin and bones
1-2 tsp seasoning salt
2 cups chicken broth or stock (I had turkey stock in the freezer so I used that)
1 cup water
1 cube chicken bouillon
8 oz sour cream

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Season the chicken pieces, then place in the pot. Cook until skin is browned, turning as necessary.

2. Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil and add chicken bouillon cube. Stir until dissolved. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35-45 minutes until chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.

3. Remove chicken pieces from pot and set. Stir sour cream into the broth. Serve chicken and broth over biscuits, rice or noodles.

This makes a lot of broth, so the nutritionals will be less if you don't use up all the sauce. Also, we don't eat the chicken skin so the fat grams will increase if you do.
Nutritional info:
Calories - 214
Fat - 14 g
Carbs - 2.2 g
Protein - 20 g

Menu Plan 8/23

2010-08-22T17:22:00.005-04:00

Yes, we are having lots of chicken this week. That's the only meat I have left in the freezer. Time to do some shopping to restock!

Monday - spaghetti (plain for the kiddo, I'm going to experiment with a basil/spinach/garlic sauce for the grown ups), steamed veggies, watermelon

Tuesday - Country Chicken (new recipe) with biscuits, steamed veggies

Wednesday - FIFI (aka Find It, Fix It; aka leftovers; aka Mama's Not Cookin'!)

Thursday - Chicken Cacciatore (new recipe)

Friday - Chicken Rice Gumbo (made this last week and it was FABULOUS! We're having friends over and I can't wait to show off this easy dish. Recipe coming soon.)

Saturday - grill out night

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of healthy living!

Menu Plan 8/16

2010-08-16T08:03:00.003-04:00

Back to menu planning!

I've been using Food on the Table to help with menu planning. It's a relatively new site that matches up your food preferences and sale items at your favorite grocery store to give recipe options. If they don't have your store listed, you can send them a request and they'll add it.

The new recipes below are from Food on the Table. You can plan all or some of your meals with their service. I've really enjoyed the new recipes that I've tried so far. And knowing how to fit sale items into a menu plan has been such a big help in planning lately. You can follow Food on the Table on Twitter as well!

Monday - spaghetti, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Serbian Beef, Vegetables & Potato Bake (new recipe)

Wednesday - FIFI (aka Find It, Fix It) (aka leftovers)

Thursday - Chicken Gumbo (new recipe)

Friday - shrimp stir fry over brown rice

Saturday - grill night (hot dog for the kiddo, hamburgers for the grown ups), including grilled veggies

** The opinions shared in this post are my own and I was not compensated in anyway to share my opinions.

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of healthy living!

Vegetable Lasagna

2010-08-14T09:31:00.004-04:00

I love lasagna. Evidence: Crockpot Lasagna, Philly Cheesesteak Crockpot Lasagna, and Vegetable Chicken Crockpot Lasagna. I've also made Tara's Garden Lasagna recently. (Her recipe has tomato sauce, this one does not.)

I didn't make this particular recipe in the crockpot, but you could easily adapt the above recipes with the below ingredients. Make sense?

This was yummy! I used all local, in-season veggies, including fresh basil from my herb garden. It was great. It still makes a mess in the kitchen, but it's totally worth it!

Vegetable Lasagna

1 T. olive oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 medium zucchini, shredded (or yellow squash)
2 medium carrots, shredded
1 medium sweet potato, shredded
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms (optional; I can't eat them)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 egg
2 cups light ricotta cheese (light cottage cheese works as well)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 t. dried basil leaves or 1 T. fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 cups nonfat milk
1 t. salt
1 T. garlic powder
1 1/2 cups water
9 uncooked (no boil) lasagna noodles
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 T. fresh parsley chopped

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions, zucchini, carrots, sweet potato, mushrooms and garlic. Cook 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain off any excess liquid.

Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add ricotta cheese, Swiss cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and basil. Mix well.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. When melted add flour and stir constantly for 2 minutes until flour has a nutty smell. Increase heat to medium high. Gradually add milk, salt and garlic powder. Stir often, making sure no lumps are forming. As sauce begins to thicken, add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. (You can substitute a 16 oz jar of Alfredo sauce instead of making your own.) Once sauce is thickened and cheese is melted, remove from heat and gradually add water.

To assemble lasagna, place 3 uncooked lasagna noodles in bottom of prepared baking dish. Top with 1/3 of the sauce mixture, half of ricotta cheese mixture and half of vegetable mixture. Layer fresh spinach over veggies. Repeat layers of noodles, sauce, ricotta cheese & vegetable mixture. Final layers will be noodles and sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover dish with foil.

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until bubbly around the edges. Sprinkle with parsley. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings, around 400 calories per serving.

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey toward healthy living!

Peach Oatmeal Flax Cookies

2010-08-13T14:17:00.007-04:00

I still have a sweet tooth. I try to satiate that sweet tooth with fruit, but every once in a while a good cookie is the only solution. I now bake all of my cookies with at least half whole wheat flour, honey or molasses instead of refined white sugar (not always possible due to moisture content), and I love to add ground flax!

These cookies were inspired by my breakfast one day last week, where I topped my oatmeal with fresh peaches. So good! And the cookies turned out great too! (Excuse the bad picture, they really tasted good!)

Peach Oatmeal Flax Cookies

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2/3 cup butter, softened 2 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons ground flax 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats 2 medium peaches, pitted, peeled and diced 1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, cream together the sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, combine flour, flax, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until smooth. Fold in the oats, peaches and raisins. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop dough by tablespoonful onto nonstick cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Back to Blogging

2010-08-11T07:55:00.002-04:00

My apologies for leaving this blog silent so much this summer. Between vacation, crazy summer schedule, moving to a new home and being without internet for 2+ weeks, there has been little computer time for me this summer.

I will be back to regular menu planning next week, plus I have new recipes to share!

Menu Plan 7/19

2010-07-19T07:00:00.006-04:00

I haven't done much menu planning recently because of vacation and busy schedules. The next two weeks will be busy as well, but menu planning always gives me a sense of security, knowing that our suppers are one less thing I have to worry about. Also, I am trying to clean out the freezer a bit since we'll be moving to a new house in a couple of weeks, so I need to use up what I already have.

Monday - one pot meal: whole wheat pasta, chicken and lots of veggies, plus a tomato/okra side dish for Hubby and I (okra from our CSA basket)

Tuesday - grilled pizzas, grilled corn on the cob, other veggies that need cleaned up

Wednesday - CSA day! baked fish, barley, and veggies from our CSA basket

Thursday - pasta/bean salad, gazpacho (my new summer fave!)

Friday - grilled hamburgers & veggies

Saturday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It, aka leftovers)

Menu Plan 6/20

2010-06-20T20:59:00.003-04:00

Sunday - Father's Day - grilled hamburgers & veggies

Monday - Rigatoni with Beef & Eggplant

Tuesday - Roasted Vegetable & Feta Sandwiches

Wednesday - FIFI (aka Find It, Fix It)

Thursday - gazpacho

Friday - grilled flounder & veggies

Saturday - spaghetti, meatballs, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 6/13

2010-06-13T19:37:00.005-04:00

Sunday - breakfast for dinner

Monday - spaghetti & meatballs, steamed squash

Tuesday - crockpot pork BBQ on homemade rolls, steamed veggies

Wednesday - pork & sweet potato crockpot casserole

Thursday - chicken panzanella

Friday - Mama gets a night out, so it will be FIFI (Find It, Fix It) for the family

Saturday - grilled flounder, barley, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 6/6

2010-06-06T13:40:00.004-04:00

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers!)

Monday - chicken spaghetti, steamed squash

Tuesday - breakfast for dinner! omelets, skillet potatoes, bacon

Wednesday - at the suggestion of Heather at Home-Ec 101, I'll be trying this recipe for gazpacho, with quesadillas

Thursday - chicken fajitas

Friday - flounder, barley, steamed veggies

Saturday - grilled chicken, pasta salad

Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns

2010-06-04T08:19:00.004-04:00

I love baking bread. The bread machine makes it easier, of course. But I love the variety of breads that I can make with it. My latest variation was to make our hot dog buns!

Ladybug had her 3rd birthday on Monday and I wanted to make as much of our food from scratch. The menu was meatball subs, crockpot mac-n-cheese, fresh corn on the cob, a veggie tray, and homemade strawberry frozen yogurt and homemade cake. It was a feast of Ladybug's favorite food.

With the bread machine, the most difficult part of making homemade buns was rolling them out. Mine were rustic looking (sorry, forgot to take a pic!) but everyone raved about them. That made all the extra work worth it!

Because this was my first attempt at making homemade buns and it was for such an important occasion, I didn't want to tweak the recipe too much. I did use granulated sugar, but will try honey next time.

This recipe makes 8 hot dog buns, or 10-12 hamburger buns, depending on how big your buns need to be. I made 3 batches for Ladybug's party.

Homemade Hot Dog/Hamburger Buns

1 1/3 cups warm water
2 Tbsp powdered milk
2 Tbsp shortening (I used olive oil)
2 1/2 to 3 Tbsp sugar (I have to use the full 3 Tbsp when the humidity is high)
2 tsp salt
4 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour, but you can use 2 cups all purpose flour & 2 cups whole wheat flour)
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast (or 1 packet)

Fill the bread pan of your bread machine according to manufacturer's instructions. Set on dough setting.

When dough finishes its first rise, remove from pan, turn out on a floured work surface and knead a few times. Divide dough into 8 sections for hot dog buns or 10-12 sections for hamburger buns. Shape into long narrow shapes or circular rounds. Place on baking sheet and set in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes. (I set the oven to "warm" then turned it off before placing the dough in there to rise.)

After 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake buns for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.

These turned out great! I'm so glad I took the time to make them for Ladybug's party. This post fearlessly submitted to Fearless Friday at Home Ec 101.

Menu Plan 5/31

2010-06-01T09:34:00.004-04:00

I'm a little late in posting our menu plan because our Ladybug turned 3 yesterday! We had a great birthday party.

Monday - birthday party - meatball sandwiches (meatballs, Ragu sauce heated in crockpot, served on homemade buns), crockpot mac-n-cheese, corn on the cob, veggie tray, homemade cake, homemade strawberry frozen yogurt - I'll post the recipes for the homemade buns & fro-yo as soon as I can!

Tuesday - leftovers

Wednesday - vegetable fried rice

Thursday - grilled steak & veggies

Friday - grilled chicken, pasta & bean salad

Saturday - tabouleh (didn't get to it yet), I'll add shredded chicken to make it a one-dish meal

Menu Plan 5/23

2010-05-23T14:08:00.003-04:00

Plans may change as we'll be receiving our first delivery from our CSA this week. I'm not sure what to expect! But I'm so excited about getting fresh, local produce!

Sunday - pizza tortillas (feeling the need to shake up our usual pizza night!)

Monday - flounder, barley, steamed veggies

Tuesday - tabouleh (trying a new recipe, I'll probably added shredded chicken)

Wednesday - chicken spaghetti, steamed veggies

Thursday - FIFI aka Find It, Fix It

Friday - pork BBQ, probably as open-faced sandwiches, steamed veggies

Saturday - meatloaf, quinoa pilaf, steamed veggies (if it's too hot to use the oven, I'll cook the meatloaf in the crockpot)

Menu Plan 5/16

2010-05-16T20:30:00.003-04:00

Sunday - homemade pizza

Monday - spaghetti with meatballs, steamed broccoli

Tuesday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It, a.k.a. leftovers)

Wednesday - chicken stir fry, veggie fried rice

Thursday - grilled cheese sandwiches, carrot & celery sticks

Friday - Amish Chicken Noodle Casserole, steamed veggies

Saturday - flounder, quinoa, steamed veggies

Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins

2010-05-15T13:26:00.006-04:00

I had leftover butter squash filling when I made Butternut Squash Ravioli (which tasted wonderful, but were messy and labor-intensive!). So I used about 1 1/2 cups of the filling mixture in place of the butternut squash in this recipe.

Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups butternut squash puree
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a small bowl, combine milk, egg, and melted butter until thoroughly mixed. Add squash puree. Fold squash mixture into dry ingredients. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Each cup should be about 2/3 full. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins
Each muffin has: 121 calories, 2 g fat, 24 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein

Strawberry Ricotta Muffins

2010-05-15T12:32:00.007-04:00

Today was baking day! I got everything done that I had planned. I tried three new recipes and they all turned out great. In addition to these, I made Apple Oatmeal Bars and Spiced Butternut Squash Muffins.

I will definitely be making these again! This is a great way to use up the last little bit of ricotta cheese that you may have leftover from another recipe. I tweaked this.

Strawberry Ricotta Muffins

2 cups medium strawberries
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
10 Tbsp. melted butter, divided
2/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tsp lime juice (I used Key lime juice, which I had on hand)
2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp ground flax meal (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet. Wash, hull, and quarter the strawberries. Place strawberries on prepared rack. Bake until strawberries are partially dried. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Set oven to 400 degrees.

2. Brush the inside of a 12 mold muffin pan with 2 Tbsp melted butter. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese, eggs, vanilla and remaining butter.

4. In a large bowl, add sugar and lime juice. Stir until all the sugar is moist. Mix in flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and flax. Gently but quickly fold wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick and heavy. Stir in strawberries and spoon into muffin tin. Bake until tops of muffins are slightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins
Per muffin: 158 calories, 3 g fat, 29 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein

Menu Plan 5/9

2010-05-10T21:08:00.003-04:00

Oops! Forgot to post this!

Sunday - Mother's Day - the kitchen is closed!

Monday - homemade calzones, steamed bok choy

Tuesday - pasta, chicken and veggies

Wednesday - Tomato & Feta Frittata

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Friday - butternut squash ravioli (didn't get to it last week)

Saturday - grilled steak, barley, steamed veggies

Healthy Snack Mix

2010-05-07T11:14:00.005-04:00

I've posted a snack mix before, but I think it was before my days of trying to limit processed foods. So while this mix has processed foods, I went with the best ingredients possible.

I like to make a snack mix when we have a road trip or if we'll be spending time at the beach or at the pool. Just grab a cup-full and snack!

1 box of Kashi Heart-to-Heart Warm Cinnamon Oat Cereal
1 box Post Toasties (wheat & bran cereal)
6 cups stove-popped or air-popped popcorn (you can use microwave popcorn if it's "natural")
1 large bag of M&Ms (I got the dark chocolate flavor)

Mix all ingredients in a large tub. A one cup serving is approximately 125 calories.

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of parenting and getting healthy!

Pasta & Bean Salad

2010-05-05T18:00:00.004-04:00

As we move into summer, pasta salads become a staple of our weekly menu plan. They're great for several reasons. First, you make them ahead of time and don't have to spend the afternoon in the kitchen if the pool is calling your name. Second, you can use whatever leftover veggies you have on hand.

I use olive oil, lemon juice and salt as a dressing instead of prepared salad dressing. It has less calories and a light taste, which is perfect for this time of year.

This salad is only limited by what you have on hand and your imagination! Add squash, zucchini, peppers or whatever you can think of!

Pasta and Bean Salad

16 oz small pasta, cooked, drained & rinsed (I used ditalini pasta)
1 cup garbanzo beans
2 cups shelled edamame, lightly steamed
3 large carrots, diced
2 medium celery stalks, diced
2 medium radishes, diced
fresh chives, chopped
(I also chopped the fresh radish leaves and added about 2 Tbsp)
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 Tbsp olilve oil
1 oz lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Add all ingredients in a large bowl. Gently toss to combine. Chill for several hours before serving.

Makes about 10 servings.
280 calories
6 g fat
42 g carbs
12 g protein

Menu Plan 5/3

2010-05-02T17:28:00.004-04:00

Sunday - homemade pizza, salad

Monday - steak, baked potatoes, steamed veggies

Tuesday - chicken stir fry with lots of veggies, brown rice

Wednesday - pasta salad with garbanzo beans and lots of veggies

Thursday - FIFI, aka Find It, Fix It

Friday - time to try something new - Butternut Squash Ravioli

Saturday - grilled tilapia, barley, steamed veggies

Hopefully, our CSA will start deliveries this week. The spring planting was late because of a wet winter. So if we do receive our first delivery, then the menu plan will adjust accordingly!

Menu Plan 4/25

2010-04-25T13:38:00.005-04:00

Breakfast is usually oatmeal with fruit. Lunch will be leftovers, salad, or smoothies, depending on our schedule. And for dinner:

Sunday - open-face turkey burgers, oven fries, fresh zucchini

Monday - spaghetti w/ meat balls, steamed veggies or romaine salad

Tuesday - grilled steak, baked potatoes with toppings

Wednesday - chicken quesadillas, steamed veggies

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers) since we have praise band practice

Friday - salmon casserole, pasta salad (I always have more veggies than pasta in my pasta salads.)

Saturday - our praise band from church is playing at a music & arts festival so we'll probably eat out

Don't forget to visit my main blog to follow my journey of getting fit & healthy living.

Spinach and Potato Frittata

2010-04-20T06:38:00.001-04:00

I've always wanted to make a frittata. But I never tried before, because I assumed that it needed to start on the stovetop and finish in the oven, and I don't have the proper cookware for that.

When I needed to pull together a meal a few weeks ago with ingredients I had on hand, I looked for a frittata recipe and found one that had directions for cooking entirely on the stovetop. Score! I adapted this recipe to the ingredients that I had, and it was delicious!! We'll definitely have this again!

For more recipes and kitchen tips, visit Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Spinach and Potato Frittata

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 small red potatoes, sliced
1 cup torn fresh spinach
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 tsp crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Place potatoes in the skillet, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
In a medium bowl, beat together eggs and milk. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm.

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life. Thanks!

Menu Plan 4/18

2010-04-18T15:05:00.003-04:00

Sunday - homemade pizza, salad

Monday - chicken spaghetti, steamed veggies

Tuesday - pork tenderloin, barley, steamed veggies

Wednesday - pasta salad with lots veggies

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers)

Friday - turkey burgers on wheat buns, oven fries, steamed veggies

Saturday - grilled steak, baked potatoes with toppings

Special thanks to my friend Kaylea for giving this blog a make-over!

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey of getting fit and healthy in 2010!

Menu Plan 4/11

2010-04-11T17:27:00.005-04:00

Sunday - long day including a big lunch at church, so dinner is FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - leftover pork loin, orzo/vegetable salad

Tuesday - stir fry with lots of veggies & leftover pork loin, brown rice

Wednesday - garbanzo bean salad

Thursday - FIFI

Friday - grilled tilapia, barley, steamed veggies

Saturday - grilled steak, skillet potatoes, steamed veggies

Don't forget to visit my main blog Not a DIY Life to follow my journey to a healthier lifestyle.

Recipes I Want to Try

2010-04-10T11:45:00.002-04:00

I found some recipes that I'd like to try that also include directions for freezing. Great for making 2, and freezing 1!

Vegetable and Orzo Soup

Basil Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Pasta au Gratin

Anytime Bran Muffins

2010-04-06T09:59:00.001-04:00

As mentioned in this post, my mom has a great little muffin recipe book from Gooseberry Patch. During her visit this spring, we had marathon muffin making days to restock my freezer with baked goods. I'll be sharing our favorites! This is from the Country Friends Collection, Book #6 Muffins. I'm not sure if it's still available for purchase. (The wonderful folks at Gooseberry Patch left a comment on my Ten Little Muffins post and said that it's fine to share their recipes, provided I link back to them - thank you!)

For more great recipes and kitchen tips, visit the home of Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace.

Anytime Bran Muffins

3 c. whole bran cereal
1 c. water, boiling
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 c. buttermilk
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. raisins or chopped dates

In a separate bowl, pour boiling water over the bran cereal. Stir until blended and set aside to cool. In the meantime, stir together the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add oil, eggs, and buttermilk to the cooled bran mixture. Combine bran mixture with the dry ingredients and fold in raisins or dates. Pour batter into greased muffin cups until each cup is 2/3 full. Bake at 425 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes or until to springs back when touched lightly.

Oops. Forgot to mention why these are called "anytime" muffins. You can store the batter in the fridge up to 2 weeks and make muffins as you need them. Fresh muffins!

Menu Plan 4/5

2010-04-05T14:25:00.005-04:00

I'm late getting to my menu plan for the week because of Easter. Boy, did we have a feast!

Monday - Easter leftovers, homemade mac and cheese, grilled asparagus

Tuesday - grilled kielbasa, skillet potatoes, steamed veggies

Wednesday - grilled chicken, something with barley (I need a good recipe, got one?), steamed veggies

Thursday - grilled cheese, carrot/celery sticks (back to our usual busy Thursday night meal)

Friday - pasta with sauce and meatballs, steamed veggies

Saturday - pork tenderloin, baked potatoes and toppings

Sunday - homemade pizza

Don't forget to visit my main blog for more posts about my journey to better health!

Menu Plan 3/28

2010-03-28T17:00:00.001-04:00

I do have some new recipes to share. Life has been so hectic, I haven't had time to post them. I'll try to get to that soon!

Anyway, here is our healthy menu plan for the week!

Sunday - homemade pizza, salad (my mother-in-law brought taboulleh - it was wonderful!)

Monday - pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes, steamed veggie

Tuesday - Italian wedding soup

Wednesday - goulash

Thursday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Friday - baked tilapia, brown rice, steamed veggies

Saturday - whatever is easy as we'll be spending a lot of time prepping for Easter

Our Easter dinner plan is: pulled pork BBQ, ham, mashed cauliflower/potatoes, roasted green beans, broccoli salad, cole slaw, homemade rolls, homemade pastries

If you have a chance, hop over to my main blog to read my Mamavation (health and fitness) updates. Thanks!

Menu Plan 3/21

2010-03-21T15:50:00.004-04:00

Sunday - homemade pizza

Monday - garden lasagna

Tuesday - pumpkin soup (it is SO good, and I have pumpkin puree in the freezer), and for those less adventurous family members, rice noodles w/ tomato sauce & meatballs

Wednesday - goulash

Thursday - tomato-veggie soup, grilled cheese sandwiches on homemade whole wheat bread

Friday - grilled steak, quinoa pilaf, steamed veggies

Saturday - Hubby & I have a date, so we'll be eating out; Grammy & Ladybug have yet to decide what's on the menu for them

Menu Plan 3/14

2010-03-14T15:54:00.004-04:00

Is it really halfway through March already? My mom is coming for a 3 week visit starting this week, so the menu plan this week will be very flexible, depending on when we get to the grocery store, and what we want to make. Mom and I love being in the kitchen together, even if we sometimes get in each other's way.

Here's our healthy menu plan for the week:

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It, a.k.a leftovers)

Monday - birthday dinner for my niece

Tuesday - skillet hash, steamed veggies

Wednesday - egg/sausage muffins, skillet potatoes

Thursday - tomato-veggie soup, grilled cheese on whole wheat bread, carrot & celery sticks

Friday - grilled whiting filets, brown rice, steamed veggies

Saturday - (drawing a blank, I'll have to rely on Mom for suggestions!)

Menu Plan 3/8

2010-03-08T06:30:00.003-05:00

I'm so excited to find a bloggy menu carnival that focuses on REAL food! We've moved away from processed foods in the last few years, at first to help with the budget, then because it's just healthier!

Here's the plan for the week. Some meals from last week's plan are up again because we had to makes changes last week.

Monday: venison crockpot meal - venison, tomatoes, tomato sauce, squash, green beans, peppers, cook on low all day, served over whole wheat pasta or homemade bread (Hubby's choice as I have to leave early for a meeting.)

Tuesday - salmon casserole, quinoa pilaf (Hubby LOVES the quinoa!)

Wednesday - chicken and vegetable stir-fry

Thursday - grilled cheese sandwiches (using homemade whole wheat bread and REAL cheese; I eliminated the processed cheese a few months ago - real cheese tastes SO much better!), carrot and celery sticks

Friday - chicken tortillas with homemade tortillas and lots of veggies

Saturday - breakfast for dinner, we haven't done this in a while, it always makes an easy meal!

Sunday - homemade pizza with my pizza dough recipe; we usually have chicken and broccoli as toppings

Menu Plan 2/28

2010-02-28T18:34:00.002-05:00

Sunday - FIFI (find it, fix it)

Monday - crockpot chicken, brown rice, steamed veggies

Tuesday - chicken spaghetti with veggies

Wednesday - tomato-veggie soup

Thursday - salmon casserole with quiona pilaf

Friday - something with venison in the crockpot

Saturday - not sure yet (depends on grocery shopping!)

Menu Plan 2/21

2010-02-21T18:20:00.003-05:00

Sunday: homemade pizza

Monday: dinner at the in-laws

Tuesday: ham & potato casserole, steamed veggies

Wednesday: salmon casserole, brown rice, steamed veggies

Thursday: grilled cheese sandwiches, carrot sticks

Friday: tomato-veggie soup

Saturday: will be at an anniversary party

Healthified Mac and Cheese

2010-02-21T18:04:00.003-05:00

I'm trying to "healthify" a lot of our favorite recipes. This is your standard homemade mac and cheese recipe, using whole wheat pasta and the addition of carrot puree for nutrition.

Cook pasta according to package directions. With remaining ingredients, except carrot puree, make a cheese sauce. Pour sauce and carrot puree over pasta, stir to combine. 8 servings

Number of Servings: 8
Per serving: 290 calories, 6.5 g fat, 44 g carbohydrates, 14 g protein

Menu Plan 2/14/10

2010-02-14T18:02:00.004-05:00

I didn't make a menu plan last week, and I felt like I was floundering all week long. Won't make that mistake again. I hate that feeling.

Sunday - pizza tortillas

Monday - baked whiting filets, roasted vegetables

Tuesday - Mardi Gras dinner at church (I'm taking healthified mac-n-cheese)

Wednesday - crockpot chicken, quinoa pilaf

Thursday - grilled cheese, carrot sticks

Friday - tomato/veggie soup

Saturday - chicken & veggie stir fry with brown rice

Oat Pancakes

2010-02-13T09:10:00.002-05:00

I adapted this recipe from Cooks.com to make healthy pancakes on our snowy February morning.

1 1/4 c. oats
2 c. skim milk
1 egg
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. toasted wheat germ
2 tbsp. ground flax meal
1 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix oats and 1 cup milk; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. For each pancake pour a scant 1/4 cup batter on hot well greased griddle over medium low heat. Cook, turning once, until well browned on both sides and cooked through.

Makes 12 pancakes. Approximately 95 calories per pancake.

French Bread

2010-02-03T12:38:00.003-05:00

Another recipe for my bread machine. I have a French cycle on mine that gives this a nice crust, or you can use the dough cycle. Then shape the bread, allow to rise 20 minutes in a warm place, and bake in a 350 degree oven until golden (about 25-30 minutes).

French Bread

1 cup warm water
2 tsp sugar (or honey)
1 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour (you can slightly healthify this by using 1.5 cups bread flour & 1.5 cup whole wheat flour)
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Add to bread pan in order specified by the manufacturer.

NOTE: You can also add 2 Tbsp ground flax meal to increase the nutrition.

Menu Plan 1/31/10

2010-01-31T18:51:00.002-05:00

Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: leftovers or spinach salad

Sunday: Homemade Chicken Soup, healthified corn muffins

Monday: Chicken & Stuffing Crockpot Casserole (still haven't made this, hopefully this week!)

Tuesday: Ham and Egg Breakfast Casserole

Wednesday: FIFI (Find It, Fix It, a.k.a. leftovers)

Thursday: grilled ham & cheese sandwiches and carrot sticks

Friday: Garden Lasagna (didn't get to make this last week due to a stomach bug visiting our house)

Saturday: something with leftover ham

Menu Plan 1/24/10

2010-01-24T14:02:00.003-05:00

Breakfasts: oatmeal
Lunches: leftovers or salad

Sunday - supper at church Vision night - I'll be making a green smoothie before I go so that I am not too hungry. You never know what will be at pot luck suppers!

Monday - baked whiting and quinoa pilaf (trying quinoa for the first time!)

Tuesday - chicken and veggie stir fry with brown rice

Wednesday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) (a.k.a. leftovers)

Thursday - grilled cheese on whole wheat, carrot sticks

Friday - venison steaks, steamed veggies

Saturday - garden lasagna

Menu Plan 1/17/10

2010-01-17T13:34:00.000-05:00

Breakfast is usually oatmeal flavored with unsweetened applesauce & cinnamon. Lunches will be leftovers or spinach salad. Keeping it healthy for another week - woohoo!

Sunday - homemade pizza night (my pizza crust recipe) and tomato-veggie soup

Monday - chicken stir fry with brown rice

Tuesday - baked whiting fillets with steamed veggies

Wednesday - chicken & stuffing in the crockpot (didn't get to this last week since we had to go out of town) and steamed veggies

Thursday - grilled cheese sandwiches and carrot sticks

Friday - biscuit taco casserole (at Hubby's request for his upcoming birthday)

Saturday - baked spaghetti (friends are coming for dinner) and salad

Tomato-Veggie Soup

2010-01-17T13:01:00.001-05:00

1 lg can diced tomatoes (or 2 small cans)
2 lg carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups plain spaghetti sauce
2 cups water, vegetable stock, or chicken stock
garlic salt & Italian seasoning to taste

Place all ingredients in a large pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Menu Plan 1/10/10

2010-01-10T18:46:00.003-05:00

Sunday - homemade pizza with my pizza crust

Monday - venison BBQ (trying something new!) on whole wheat bread, steamed veggies

Tuesday - chicken stir fry with brown rice

Wednesday - salmon casserole, rice, steamed veggies

Thursday - grilled cheese on whole wheat bread, carrot sticks

Friday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It), a.k.a leftovers

Saturday - chicken & stuffing in a crockpot (trying to clean out the freezer)

Trying to keep it healthy!

Menu Plan 1/03/10

2010-01-03T16:13:00.002-05:00

Sunday - Find It, Fix It (aka leftovers)

Monday - - pasta & veggies

Tuesday - crockpot chicken, rice & veggies

Wednesday - chicken BBQ pockets

Thursday - Saturday - we'll be traveling so it will be healthy restaurant fare!

Homemade BBQ Sauce

2010-01-02T06:23:00.001-05:00

I ran out of bottled BBQ sauce this week and didn't want to make a run for the store. So I googled a recipe for homemade BBQ, tweaked what I found, and this is what we made. It's the best BBQ sauce I've had in a very long time.

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, chopped
8oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper
Dash of liquid smoke (optional)

In a 2 quart sauce pan, heat the oil. Add the chopped onion, and sautee it until the onion is translucent and smells really yummy. Add all of the other ingredients. If you have liquid smoke around, it makes the sauce taste very good, but if you don't have any, don't worry, it is still quite delicious. Stir everything up and let the mixture simmer over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. The mixture will thicken up some, but it won't be as thick as commercial barbecue sauce. Makes about 3 cups.

Skillet Hash

2010-01-01T17:39:00.002-05:00

This is a homemade version of those boxed hamburger helper meals. Since we are trying to eat less processed foods, for our health and for our budget, this is just as fast and easy as dinner-in-a-box!

This makes 8 servings. Each serving is about 200 calories!

Skillet Hash

1 lb lean ground turkey
4 medium white potatoes
1 large sweet potato
seasonings (I use a combination of Seasoning Salt, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder)
1 cup water
1 cup spaghetti sauce

Brown the ground turkey in a large skillet. Drain grease, if any.

While meat is browning, cut the potatoes into julienne strips. Add potatoes, seasonings, and water to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, depending on how big your julienne strips are. Stir occasionally.

When potatoes have reached desired tenderness, stir in spaghetti sauce. Allow to heat through. Serve!

Menu Plan 12/28/09

2009-12-28T12:43:00.003-05:00

Monday - ham, mashed potatoes, squash

Tuesday - chicken stir fry (lots of veggies - cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, etc)

Wednesday - pork BBQ, collard greens

Thursday - FIFI (find it, fix it) or cabbage & noodles, depending on how many leftovers we have

Friday - skillet hash, steamed veggies

Saturday - ham stromboli, steamed veggies

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Brownies

2009-12-26T11:57:00.004-05:00

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir until blended. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly brown around edges.

Menu Plan 12/20/09

2009-12-20T18:44:00.000-05:00

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) a.k.a leftovers

Monday - hosting our Mary Kay Christmas party, I'm providing dessert

Tuesday - chicken, pasta, & veggies tossed in olive oil

Wednesday - pizza

Thursday - sandwiches and/or FIFI (we have to be at church at 5:00 to prepare for our Christmas Eve service; food needs to be self-service and on-the-go)

Christmas morning breakfast - omelets, fried taters, and biscuits

Saturday - salmon casserole & baked potatoes

Gingerbread Coffee

2009-12-17T10:46:00.000-05:00

I've been craving all things gingerbread this holiday season. One of the ways I love taming this craving is in flavored coffee. Yum! First recipe if for Gingerbread coffee, and the second is for Gingerbread coffee creamer. Enjoy!

2 cups powdered coffee creamer

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cups instant coffee

Blend together with a whisk. Add 3 tablespoons of the mixture to a mug of hot water. Taste test to see if you want to use slightly rounded or level tablespoons.

GINGERBREAD COFFEE CREAMER MIX

2 cups Coffemate Powdered Creamer

1/2 c. packed DARK Brown sugar

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cloves

Blend well, add 1 Well Rounded tsp to Hot Coffee or Tea.

Thanksgiving in a Crockpot

2009-12-11T17:29:00.003-05:00

Wow. This is some good eats. A totally flexible meal depending on what you have on hand. Great for cleaning up leftovers too.

Chicken and Stuffing Crockpot Casserole

1 large sweet potato
2 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups homemade cream of something (or 1 can cream of chicken soup+1 canful milk, mixed together)
2-3 cups prepared bread stuffing (I had leftovers from Thanksgiving)

Layer ingredients in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Enjoy!

UPDATED TO ADD: Depending on what vegetable you use, this is about 350 calories per serving.

Recipes I Want to Try

2009-12-10T15:36:00.003-05:00

Sausage and Vegetable Medley

Deep Cocoa Coffee Cookies

Chicken Cacciatore

Crunchy Peanut Butter S'more Bites

Classic Shortbread Cookies