Menu #72

Monday: Angel Hair Pasta with Broccoli & Bacon in Alfredo Sauce

Tuesday: Chicken Cilantro Enchilada's

Black Beans

Spanish Rice

Wednesday: Beef Kebabs

Wild Rice

Thursday: Spinach Lasagna

Garlic Bread

Friday: Honey Pecan Chicken

Potatoes

Fresh, Steamed Green Beans

Menu #71

Monday: Macaroni & Cheese

Cut up Fruit

Tuesday: Drip Beef Sandwiches

Roasted Potatoes

Wednesday: Blackened Cajun Chicken Pasta

Garlic Bread

Thursday: Pork Chops

Roasted Root Vegetables

Friday: Chicken & Veggie Packets

Bread

Chicken and Mushroom Goulash with Gnocchi

I am back posting for a second time to share one of my favorite recipes from Rachael Ray. I have tweaked it a little bit over the last few years but I have mainly kept it the same. My whole family loves it and the kids always gobble it up. I brought this to a recipe exchange earlier in the year and it won first prize, so you know it is good!

• Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2/3 palm full
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream or reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup parmesean
• 1 package fresh gnocchi, in refrigerated section of market, 12 to14 ounces

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken. Brown the meat 3 to 4 minutes, push it off to the sides of the pan then add mushrooms, garlic, onions and peppers to the center of the pan. Cook the vegetables 10 minutes then mix them together with chicken and season with smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Stir in stock and tomato sauce and bring to a bubble. Reduce heat to low, simmer and cook 20-25 minutes then stir in sour cream and turn off heat. Add parmesean. Adjust seasonings, to your taste.

While chicken goulash cooks, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Salt boiling water and cook gnocchi until they puff up like pillows and float, 5 minutes or to package suggestions. Drain gnocchi and add to chicken just after you stir in the sour cream.

Here's Rachael Ray's picture, I will take a better picture on Tuesday when
I make it for our family. :)

• 
  

Menu #70

Monday: Rotisserie Chicken

Pasta Salad with Goat Cheese & Arugula

http://tastebudsnblossoms.blogspot.com/2010/04/pasta-salad-with-goat-cheese-and.html

Tuesday: Cricket Burgers

Sweet Potato Salad

http://tastebudsnblossoms.blogspot.com/2011/07/cricket-burgers-and-sweet-potato-salad.html

Wednesday: Turkey Cutlets

Romaine Salad

Wild Rice

Thursday: Chili Chicken

Black Beans & Rice

Tortilla's

Friday: Meatball Sliders

Green Salad

Spaghetti a la Jayden

One hot, summer day, my oldest wanted to help make dinner 'for me'. He planned what he wanted to make, shopped for it, and the result was delicious! I am so pleased that he wants to learn to cook and show love through the meals we make for others.

Browning the ground turkey - most of the meals that call for ground beef anymore, we make with ground turkey. But you can use ground beef or pork, or sausage... 

Whatever sounds good to you!

Our neighbor sent some basil over that very morning. And fresh basil makes everything better!

The final product! It was delicious!

Here's our kid-friendly recipe, in case you have kids who would like to cook 'for you'!

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

1 lb ground turkey
1 jar favorite pasta sauce
Salt & Pepper
1 bunch basil leaves, chopped
12 oz spaghetti noodles, or favorite pasta
parmesan cheese

1. Brown your seasoned ground turkey, add pasta sauce and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. My son added a special ingredient to add more flavor (he peppered the ground turkey a little more than I would have).

2. Prepare your noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

3. Plate your pasta and sauce, however you love! Top with parmesan cheese. Serve!

4. Make sure your child cleans up the dishes, too... It's not a labor of love without the clean-up!!

Blueberries, Blueberries, Blueberries!!

I don't know about you but I've got a TON of blueberries right now. My M-I-L is a gardener and boy oh boy are my kids happy (and regular), thanks to her berry-growing-skills! My garden yielded about 5 peppers, 4 radishes, and enough lettuce for two salads. Yup, I'm not saving ANY money there yet. Husband says at this rate we should break even on the investment in 2030.
Anyhoo, I digress...
Here's the yummiest blueberry bars that I renamed for the excellent buttery flavor. I used good quality (in other words: double the price) butter that is actually YELLOW!
Worth. Every. Penny.
Here ya go, try to save some for the rest of your family:


Blueberry Butter Bars

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
Preheat oven to 375 & grease a 9x13 pan.
Mix together the sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon zest, & salt. Cut in the cold butter with either a pastry blender or a food processor (pulse until crumbly).
Press half into the pan.
In a separate bowl, mix together the remaj ing 1/2 C sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, & blueberries. Pour on top of the uncooked crust, then top with the rest of the crumb mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes (this took 55 in my boo-tay oven).
Enjoy!
--Elisabeth


-Courtesy to Smitten Kitchen

Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies via the Picky Palate

I'm always hunting for a new food blog to follow - or a new recipe to try.  I've come across the Picky Palate and have gained 15 pounds just looking at the yummy creations she makes.  

I've made candy bar brownies, brownie covered oreos, some gooey white chocolate bars and much more...  

For Father's Day I made my husband some Reese's Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies.  

Yeah, you get what I'm saying...

15 pounds, Baby.

 

Candy Bar Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies
2 sticks softened butter
1 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla
10 oz bag chocolate chips
Variety of snack size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers and Kit Kat
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla until well combined.
2. Place flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl; mix then slowly add to wet ingredients. Add chocolate chips to combine. Using a cookie scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of snack size candy bar. Take another scoop of dough and place on bottom of candy bar. Seal edges together by pressing and cupping in hand until candy bar is enclosed with dough. Place onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and bake cookies 9-13 minutes or until cookies are baked to your liking. Let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Serve with a tall glass of milk, enjoy!
Makes about 24 LARGE Cookies
Here's a link to her cookies:
Collection of Picky Palate Stuffed Cookies