Menu Monday

Quiche, fruit salad

Italian cabbage casserole, garlic bread

Tacos, rice, beans

Chicken stir-fry, rice

Homemade pizza, salad

Chicken noodle soup, salad, berry crumble

 

This is the plan anyway.  There are 2 end of the year parties this week so we will see.

 

 

My Version of Taco Soup

My crock pot is a kitchen tool I really wouldn't want to be without. On days where we plan on being busy it is so nice to come home to a nice, hot meal simmering away.  Another plus is if I'm out later than dinner time the members of my family that are home can go ahead and eat if they want to.

This recipe could easily be cooked on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker.  I just usually make it in the crock pot.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or pork (your preference)
2 c. cooked black beans
1 cup corn
2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. diced tomatoes w/green chili's (or just use plain diced tomatoes if you're not into spicy)
2 T. taco type seasoning
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder (or could use 1/3 cup chopped onion)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Brown your meat & drain off any fat.  Then pour everything else into the crockpot.  Add in just enough water to where everything is just covered.  Cook on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4.

You can serve this as is or you can pour some over some tortilla or frito chips. Then sprinkle on a little shredded cheese.

This is so easy & you can adapt pretty much any of the ingredients to suit your taste.

This makes about 7 good sized bowls.

Homemade Meat Sauce

We are fortunate enough have a big garden every year & I can all of my own tomato products. --Except ketchup.  Well, I actually have made homemade ketchup but my daughter really prefers the store bought kind so I do buy ketchup.

So now on to the sauce...

Homemade Meat Sauce

3/4 - 1 lb. of ground beef
1 quart or 4 c. tomato puree
1/4 c. tomato paste
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. chopped garlic
1 T. basil
1 T. parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Brown beef & drain off the fat. ( I add some salt & pepper to the beef while browning.)
Then add in all of the rest of the ingredients.
Allow to simmer for about 15 minutes.- About as long as it takes to boil the water & cook the noodles.

That's it. Serve over pasta, vegetables, etc.

*I do not add sugar to my tomato puree or paste when I make them myself. If you are buying them in the cans taste the sauce before adding in the sugar. You may not need it.

Super Easy Oven BBQ Chicken & Roasted Veggies

Last night we had a really healthy & delicious dinner of oven BBQ chicken & roasted veggies.
The best thing about this recipe is the prep is very easy & you just throw it all into the oven for about an hour.

Oven BBQ Chicken, Roasted Veggies, & Green Beans
 

Oven BBQ Chicken:

Any chicken pieces you like.  Boneless or bone-in.  (I used chicken thighs & pulled off the skin)
BBQ sauce- any flavor
Cooking spray or non-stick foil

Spray your baking sheet with the non-stick spray or line it with foil.
Place the chicken pieces so they are not touching. 
Then paint on some BBQ sauce.
Bake at 350 until done.
Baste with the BBQ sauce 2-3 more times while cooking.


Roasted Veggies:
Any veggies you like cut up into bite sized pieces. (I used sweet potato, squash, carrots, onion, & mushrooms)
Drizzle with olive or coconut oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, & any other herbs you like.
Toss well & bake along with the chicken.

350 for about 30 minutes - 1 hour depending on what veggies you use.
Stir half way through cooking.

I served this meal with some green beans because I had them left-over from another meal.

pulled pork, coleslaw, Texas toast, chips & dip

soft tacos & Spanish rice
smothered steak, mashed potatoes, salad
blackened tilapia, parsley potatoes, squash, cherry pie bars
oven bbq chicken thighs, roasted vegetables, rolls
pinto beans, rice, cornbread
egg casserole & sausage

Menu

I'll start my blog back up with our menu plan for the week. I will go back to doing this on Monday's after today.  :)

Sunday- We ate out at Chili's after church
Monday- BBQ chicken leg quarters, tossed salad w/homemade ranch dressing, stuffed jalapenos, & watermelon
Tuesday- Saucy turkey meatballs, roasted vegetables (sweet potatoes, tomatoes, & mushrooms)
Wednesday- Spaghetti, green beans
Thursday-  Chicken & vegetable stir-fry, rice
Friday- Hamburger & cabbage pot
Saturday-  Soft tacos & Mexican rice

Turkey Sloppy Joe's

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/4 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped bell pepper
3/4 c. ketchup
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. yellow mustard
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper

In a skillet brown the turkey, onions, & bell pepper.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt & pepper. When cooked through add in the ketchup, mustard, & brown sugar. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Taste & adjust salt & pepper to your taste.

Serve on your favorite bread or rolls.

Makes about 6 -8 servings.

*This recipe freezes well!

Menu Monday (on a Tuesday) LOL!

In no certain order...

Breakfasts: Oatmeal, homemade granola, eggs, waffles

Lunches: left-overs, salad w/boiled eggs & avocado, baked sweet potatoes

Dinners:
Chicken & Dumplings, peach cobbler
Turkey sloppy joes, layered salad
Crockpot pinto beans, rice, homemade tortillas, fruit salad
Spiral ham, potatoes, green bean casserole
Breakfast casserole w/ham, fruit salad
Southwest burritos, Mexican rice
Sushi (homemade with cooked crab & veggies)- no raw fish here! :)

Cornbread Dressing

The day before you want to make your dressing bake a 9x13 pan of yellow cornbread (you can use sweet but I prefer the traditional kind)

Other ingredients:

1-2 cups shredded, cooked chicken or turkey (optional)
1 stick butter
1 cup finely diced celery
1 cup finely diced bell pepper
1 cup finely diced onion
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups chicken or turkey broth
1 T. sage
1 T. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (Tony's)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (if you like it spicy & we do)

Now crumble your cornbread that should be a little dried out.  (You can also crumble it up the day before & let it get a little hard or pop it in the oven crumbled to do the same thing)

In a skillet sauté your celery, bell pepper, & onion in the butter.

When it's soft mix it all in with the cornbread, chicken or turkey, & seasonings.  Mix it very well. (I usually use my hands) 

--Now taste it and see if the seasonings are good. You may want to add a little more of salt or something.

Whisk up the eggs & broth.  Pour this all over the cornbread until it is just saturated not real soupy.

Bake covered for about 40 minutes.  Uncover & continue to bake about 20-30 more minutes or until set.

*This is the recipe I slightly adapted that my mother-in-law makes. She also adds in diced boiled eggs to the cornbread mixture which adds another yummy element.

Yankee Stuffing

I was born up north but have resided in the deep south for most of my life so we lovingly call this Yankee or bread stuffing.  I don't do a lot of measurements but I'll tell you what goes in and then you season it to your liking.  This will make about a 9x13 pan or you can stuff it inside the bird. (Only stuff right before you're about to bake it)

6 cups of bread, toasted & cubed (or a little stale)
1/2 stick butter
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
1 egg
poultry seasoning
sage
salt & pepper

In a skillet sauté the celery, mushrooms, & onion in the butter.

When just begins to soften turn it off.

Mix this along with the seasonings & toss into the bread cubes.

Whisk egg into the chicken broth.

Now add some chicken broth to just moisten everything.---NOT soupy.

Place in the bird and/or dish.  Cover dish with foil and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes.

If you want the top a little crunch remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Menu Monday

Sunday: Chicken fajitas
Monday: Cheeseburger sliders, baked fries
Tuesday: Birthday dinner outdoors: hotdogs, chili, chips, cookie cake & ice cream
Wednesday: Crockpot black bean soup, tortillas
Thursday: Beef tips & rice, peas, rice, rolls
Friday: Crockpot BBQ pork, coleslaw, chips (didn't make this last week)
Saturday: Baked chicken thighs, salad, corn

Breakfasts are usually either eggs, oatmeal, or pancakes/waffles.  Sometimes just yogurt or chia pudding.

Lunches usually left-overs, salad, salmon patties, or some kind of sandwich or wrap.   Sometimes we eat what we call a cracker plate. 
This is a combo of several small things that I make on our sectioned plates.  --crackers, celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber, cheese, olives, fruit, etc.  My daughter loves days like those & you use up little things in the fridge.

Mac & Cheese

I don't know why, but my daughter cannot eat the easy mac type macaroni and cheese. When she does her lips and around her mouth turn red & it hurts.  It took a couple of times to pin it down, but that's the culprit.  This does not happen with the great value mac & cheese in the box.  There are so many chemicals in that stuff  & I don't like it anymore so we rarely have it.
Here is a fairly easy way to make your own mac & cheese.
Like most of my meals it makes a whole pot full.  I've never tried to freeze it but the left-overs reheated are good.

1 lb. elbow macaroni
1/3 c. flour
1/4 c. butter
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. whole milk or half & half
2 c. shredded cheese (I usually use cheddar)

Cook macaroni according to package directions. I like it just done, not mushy.  Drain the macaroni.  While it is draining go back to the same pot and put in the butter, flour, and seasonings.  Constantly stir this with a whisk for about 2 minutes.  Then slowly add in the milk & keep whisking.  It should be like a thin gravy. If it is too thick just add in a little more milk.  When it is at the consistency you like turn the fire off.  Now stir in the cheese.  When the cheese is melted stir in the macaroni.
Yum!

*For a pot luck or company I will make the sauce just a tad thinner.  Put it in a greased casserole dish. Top with more shredded cheese & allow to bake just until the cheese is melted.  --Happy Thanksgiving :)

Cheep & Yummy = Crockpot Red Beans & Sausage

Crockpot Red Beans & Sausage

1 lb. red kidney beans (or could substitute small red beans) $1.50
14 oz. pkg. smoked sausage  $2.50
1 T. Mexican seasoning blend (could use taco seasoning)  .25
2 tsp. salt
2 c. rice $1.00

Soak beans over night if you want but it's not really necessary with kidney beans.
In crock place washed beans, salt, & Mexican seasoning.
Cover with water to about 2x over the beans.
Turn crockpot on high & cook for about 4 hours.
Now add in the smoked sausage, sliced.
Allow to cook another hour or two or until beans are tender.

Cook rice in another pot according to package directions.

Place a scoop of rice in a bowl and ladle over a big scoop of the beans & sausage.

$5.25  for the entire meal.  Serves 6-8.

Now this is a whole yummy meal but my husband insists it needs a big hunk of cornbread on the side.   :)

Homemade Pizza

This is my daughter's topped with some ham, pineapple, & cheese

 

One of our favorite meals to make is homemade pizza.  Most of the time I grind up my own flour blend to use, but my grinder is still at the repair shop so we did us all-purpose flour...scary...LOL.

It's still homemade & is still better for you. Also, it's fun to make your own pizza!

 

 

Crust:

1 T. yeast

1 cup warm water

1 tsp. sugar

2 T. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

3 cups flour

 

In your bowl (or can use a bread maker with a dough setting) Place the warm water, yeast, oil, & sugar.   Allow to set for about 3-5 minutes.

Then add in the flour & salt.

Mix or knead it until all combined and looks like a nice soft ball of dough.

Cover and allow to rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour.

On a lightly greased pizza pan or cookie sheet roll or press out into the shapes you want. 

Now bake the plain crust for 5 minutes on 425*

Then remove & put on your toppings.

Return to the oven for about 10-15 minutes or until bubbly and the crust looks a little golden.

This will make 2 large pizzas or about 4-5 smaller ones.

 

The left has hamburger, onion & cheese

The right had it all.

They are shaped different to fit on my cookie sheet.

Cheap & Yummy = Dirty Rice

Some of the moms in our homeschool co-op were talking about different meals. A meal swap even came up.  Sounds fun to me! 
Anyhoo, I thought I'd share a couple of really cheap & really easy meals that will serve a family.

First up:

Dirty Rice

1 lb. breakfast or Italian sausage (get in breakfast meat section)- $2.50
1 1/2 cups minute rice- (store brand)- $2.99 for whole box so I'll say 1/3 would be- $1
1/2 onion, finely chopped- .50
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped-.50
3 stalks celery, finely chopped- .25
1 1/2 c. water- free

In a large skillet add sausage, onion, pepper, & celery. Cook until sausage is browned.  Then drain a little of the grease but leave some in the pan.  Mix in the rice & then add in the water.  Allow to come to a boil & then turn fire off. Cover with a tight lid.  Allow to set about 5-10 minutes.

Serve!

Total cost:  $4.75 and I think it could even be a little less depending on the type of onion and pepper you choose.

If you have it in the budget serve with a side salad.

This makes quite a bit.  Left-overs are good & you can freeze them also.
Something else good is to reheat the left-overs in a skillet & scramble in a couple of eggs. 

Cheap & Yummy = Vegetable Barley Soup

Vegetable Barley Soup

1 can tomato paste- .50
3 quarts water -free
3 beef bullion cubes- (I get the ones in the Mexican section)- .50
1 T. oil - .10
1 bag mixed vegetables $1.50
1 cup barley $1
1 T. Italian seasonings -.25

Mix all in a soup pot. 
Bring to a boil and allow to simmer about 45 minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
When the barley is tender it's done.

Total cost:  $4.35

The barley will fill you up. Of course you could add meat or other vegetables but that would add to the cost.  Served with a loaf of French bread to sop up the delicious broth would add about $2 more to the meal if store bought or make your own for about $1.  Still a good, comforting, cheap recipe!

This freezes well!

Farm to Fork

A cheap & easy meal that my family enjoys is purple hull pea soup.  I make it in the crockpot & I like to eat mine plain in a bowl with the broth.   It's a whole healthy meal in itself but you can make a pot of rice & cornbread to go along with it & it's over the top yummy!  The other night after class we made grilled cheese sandwiches to eat with it & that was good too.

Purple hull pea soup (Totally Farm to Fork or homemade version)

4 cups frozen purple hull peas (picked from the farm just down the road)
1/2 c. chopped green onions (from my garden & frozen)
1 quart chicken broth (I make & freeze)
pinch of cayenne pepper (from my garden, dehydrated & then ground up)

Put all in a crockpot & set on low for about 6 hours.

Done!

Of course you can make this with store bought ingredients & it's good too but there's just something special about knowing it all came from close by.

Easy Meatloaf Dinner

Tonight we're having one of my favorite comfort meals.  Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, English peas, & apple crisp.  mmm...  It's in the oven right now & smells delicious. 
I make meatloaf several ways but thought I'd share the easiest recipe & the one I made tonight.

Easy Meatloaf

1 1/4 lbs. ground beef
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 egg
1/3 c. ketchup
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Mix all together in a big bowl with your hands until well combined. Place on broiler pan and shape into loaf. (broiler pan will make the grease fall underneath but you can use a regular pan too)
Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes or until cooked though.

Crockpot

My mom used to use the crockpot often, and so do I. Well, about once a week, sometimes more.  I would say it is probably my favorite appliance other than my mixer.
I have 4 meals on my 2 week meal plan I listed yesterday that are cooked in the crockpot.

Pinto beans (for a couple recipes)
Black eye peas
Crockpot BBQ pork
Creamy crockpot chicken & broccoli

I typically pick crockpot recipes for days that we plan on being busy.  However, a roast or a pot of stew on a cold day really makes the house smell warm & cozy.

For any beans or peas it is best to soak them overnight with a little lemon juice or whey then turn on the crockpot in the morning. BUT...if you forget that throw them in early and by dinner they should be done.  Add in any seasonings, especially salt,  or a little bacon or ham & delish!

BBQ pork- I just put in a pork roast and a bottle of our favorite BBQ sauce or homemade.

The creamy crockpot chicken is one I found on pinterest. If it turns out well I'll share that link.

I am a pinterest fanatic. There are lots of crockpot recipes on there that just look delicious! 

2 Weeks of Meals

This post is mainly for my sister-in-law... :) I'm going to try to plan & shop for 2 weeks at a time. We went Saturday & have everything stocked for the following meals.

Breakfasts:
eggs
bacon
toast
tortillas
oatmeal w/raisins or blueberries
waffles
muffins
juice/milk

Lunches:
tuna salad, gf crackers, carrot sticks
soup and toast
left-overs
chef salad
-Also bought sandwich fixings & small bags of chips for the guys. Mostly they take left-overs.


Dinners:
chicken stir-fry, rice
bean & cheese quesadillas, chips, salsa
spaghetti w/meat sauce, peas
crockpot bbq pork, coleslaw
oven tacos, mexi salad
meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas
black eye peas, collard greens, rice, cornbread
creamy crockpot chicken  broccoli over rice, rolls, apple crisp
Mexican cornbread casserole, beans
bean burritos w/peppers, onions, cheese, and salad
salmon patties, macaroni salad
chicken broccoli supreme, rolls, jello

I did not buy any cokes. Drinks will be coffee, ice tea, water, & lemonade.
Cheese- I bought a 2 lb. block and divided it up into freezer bags. Burger & chicken the same.

Next week I will probably have to restock on milk, lettuce, and maybe some fresh fruit but that should be it.