Menu Plan Monday - 8/29/11

Menu Plan Monday  - 8/29/11

Wow! The end of August already!  Still in the 90's here and not a drop of rain.  My garden is definitely slumping.  I just can't seem to get out to water it enough.  Busy week - what's new?  I really hope to post a few recipes this week. 

Sunday - Spaghetti and Meatballs (as requested from Miss D)

Monday - Black Bean Veggie Chili, with the "fixin's" (avocado, cheese, etc.)

Tuesday - Leftover Spaghetti and Meatballs

Wednesday - Orange-Glazed Chicken - Love this recipe - I often make extra of the sauce and just keep it in a jar in the fridge ready.  It makes a great Orange Beef, too!

Thursday - Homemade Pizza

Friday - Grilled Tilapia, spinach? not sure yet

Looking for more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - 8/22/11

Keeping it short this morning.  Busy weekend, Nutcracker auditions for Miss D and it's still 95 degrees here.  Who can think cold and snow?  Not me!  We had a bit of rain this weekend.  The garden definitely needed it.  The plants had been stalling out with all the dryness.    


Sunday - My parents sent us a shipment of buffalo and elk from Wyoming.  We tried the buffalo grilled last night.  Not bad.  A bit bland was the verdict.  I kept it simple with just a bit of olive oil and steak seasoning.  Perhaps there is a better way?  Not sure we'll try it again.

Monday - Tilapia (grilled - weather permitting, or pan-seared), Mac and Cheese

Tuesday - Taco night (crock-pot)  ground beef, taco seasoning.  Avocados.

Wednesday - Chicken ?? not sure yet

Thursday - Calzones

Friday - Hunter-style chicken, rice, veggies, challah

Hope everyone has a great week.  If you would like more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - 8/15/11

Menu Plan Monday - 8/15/11

Where did the weekend go?  I can't believe it's Monday again.  We're having a "cool" front blow through for a few days ( so temperatures should only be a high of 90 this week!).  I have the windows open this morning and it does feel almost cool, almost Fall-like already. 

Sunday  - Sushi.  I know not the prettiest of rolls, it's been a while since I've made sushi.  Still pretty yummy though and the kids loved it!

Monday  - Leftover Chicken piccata (minus the butter - I use all EVOO)

Tuesday - Crock-pot Chuck roast with veggies. 

Wednesday - Shredded Beef Tacos (with leftover chuck roast) and Avocados

Thursday - Homemade Pizza

Friday - Roasted Chicken and vegetables, Challah

Also, there has been a request made for a cake on Friday for Orientation (can you believe the college kids are coming back already, too?).  I don't know...maybe a tennis court for the cake??  I have to think a bit more about that.  I have a few recipes that I'd like to share this week.  Last week I shared a recipe for Carrot Raisin Bread, please check it out if you haven't seen it yet.

Looking for more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Carrot Raisin Bread

Carrot Raisin Bread

Found this recipe in the newspaper years ago (not even sure which one).  I've changed it a bit for our liking, adding spices and raisins.  Something that I love about this recipe is that it uses cooked carrots in the batter - no grating of carrots involved!  It's a nice way to use up some leftover carrots from dinner or you can also use a can of carrots just as well.

1 1/2 cups AP flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

pinch ground nutmeg

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup mashed carrots (or about one (15oz.) can drained and mashed)

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.  Stir with a whisk to combine.  Add raisins and make sure they are separate and coated in flour.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs until lightened.   Gradually add sugar, and then oil and mashed carrots to egg mixture.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Tranfer batter to prepared loaf pan.  Bake for about 55 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack. 

This recipe was shared at Frugal Food Thursday at Frugal Follies.

Menu Plan Monday - 8/8/11

Menu Plan Monday  - 8/8/11

Second week of school already and dance classes start this week. Need to start thinking about those crock-pot meals again.

Monday - Trying a new recipe...Mexican Lasagna  from Nigella Lawson. I probably will make half the recipe to see if it works for the family.  It shouldn't be too spicy, but sometimes the small people in the family complain about those things...we'll see.


Tuesday - Pasta and homemade sauce (cue: crock-pot for the sauce)

Wednesday - Grilled chicken, grilled sweet potato wedges

Thursday - Homemade pizza (maybe on the grill, if it's hot and not thundering!)

Friday - Chicken Piccata, orzo and roasted vegetables (minus the feta), challah

Looking for menu ideas? Please check out MPM at orgjunkie.com

A shout out!

The Kosher Cooking Carnival is a monthly review of Kosher cooking around the web.  Jennifer (of Adventures in Mamaland) has done a wonderful job compiling the latest edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival.  There are some great links to check out (including one from me!).  Please check it out at the KCC- the Av (love) Edition!

Back to School -Lunch planning

Can't believe it's back to school time already.  I'm just trying to plan out some lunch ideas for Miss D.  She needs to take a lunch and a snack.  Everything needs to be in reusable containers with no disposable packaging.  We do "dairy" for lunches since that is what she eats at home most of the time anyway.  No peanuts.  So from last year, here are my choices:

• Yogurt (frozen the night before in a seal-able cup) with granola/cereal bar (either bought or homemade)
• cream cheese and jelly sandwiches
• leftover pasta or mac and cheese
• snack-y lunch (veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, hummus, etc.)
• Roll-ups (tortilla smeared with cream cheese, add a banana and roll-up, cut into pieces)
• quesadillas or pizza
• mini bagels, eggs (hard-boiled or scrambled)
• egg salad

Other ideas :  This year we are trying Sunbutter!  So far it has been a big success and I can't wait to try it in some recipes in place of peanut butter.  So SB and jelly sandwiches.

Also, forgot to add:  fruit and dried fruit (always a favorite), pretzels or rice crackers and an occasional treat are likely additions.

If anyone has anymore ideas, I'd love to hear them!!  Please share.

BTW, not doing a traditional MPM this week, but for more menu-planning ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Cakes, cakes and more...

Last week, I was asked to make a cake (and some cupcakes) for a Sweet 16 party.  A client of my husband reads my blog (Hi, Gwen!)  and kindly asked me to make a cake for her daughter's party.  She saw the pictures I posted  from Miss D's birthday and asked that I make something like it.  Anyway, here are a couple of pictures.  The cake was a white cake with butter cream frosting and marshmallow fondant.  Half the cupcakes were chocolate and half were vanilla cake with the butter cream frosting.  It was a fun experience.  It's the first time I've made a cake for someone else (not family or close friends).  Hope I get a chance to make more cakes.  I feel like each time I learn something new.  And nobody at home seems to be minding the leftovers either!  :)