Menu Plan Monday - July 2, 2012

Hot, hot, hot!  After a weekend of scorching 100+ degree heat, this week is all about grilling and chilling.  Although the temperatures are supposed to ease back down into the 90's, my goal is to turn on the oven as little as possible this week.

smashed potato and corn salad

Sunday - Hamburger sliders, smashed potato and corn salad, watermelon

Monday - Grilled portobello mushroom burgers, Boca burgers for the kids, salad

Tuesday - Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, corn on the cob

Mini Corn Dog Muffins

Wednesday - To bring along for the parade:  Corn dog muffins, fruit, granola bars and maybe stained glass jello (in jars).  I have read that you can use sweetened coconut milk in place of the condensed milk...I'll have to investigate further.    Later, tequila lime chicken, plaintains, watermelon.  What I really want to make though is a red velvet sheet cake.  I have a bottle of Lorann Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion that I feel compelled to crack open.  Red velvet cake seems so perfect for the Fourth, too!


I need to give a special thanks to Jennifer at Adventures in Breadland (and Mamaland) for introducing me to these Bakery Emulsions way back in December in this post.  I ordered the Red Velvet and the Princess Cake and Cookie Emulsion.  I used the Princess one in just about all of my baking for my daughter's birthday.  The cake, the icing, the cookies and all I can say is "WOW!"  Really great stuff.  I substituted about half of the vanilla extract called for in each recipe with the bakery emulsion.  I can't wait to try the red velvet cake...yum!  I think I may have to try the sweet dough one the next time I make an order to KAF.    


Anyway, back to the menu:

Thursday - Grilled Pizza, veggies

Friday - Shredded Chicken egg rolls (baked), cold sesame noodles, broccoli, challah

For more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Octopus Pops and Sweet Candy Sushi

The other day I wrote a bit about my daughter's birthday party, but I didn't get a chance to give many details.  These octopus pops I saw several places on pinterest.com.  I thought they were really cute little novelty.  Easy - a bag of marshmallows, a bag of melting chocolate (color of your choice), pop sticks, and candy eyes.  Of course, you can buy those googly eyes in the baking supply aisle OR you can be an overachiever and make them like me :).  All you need to do is melt the chocolate either in the microwave or over a double boiler.  Place a bit of the melted chocolate into a small plastic baggie or disposable piping bag.  Cut a small hole in the plastic and pipe 8 "tentacles" onto wax paper sheet.  With the remaining chocolate, dip the marshmallows on a pop stick and place the pop on the "tentacles" and add the eyes.  I used plain white candy dots and added the details for eyes with food coloring pen.  I have to admit, doing the white candy dots was much easier than trying to make a batch of black royal icing and keep it from bleeding in to the white.  I finished them with a sprinkle of colored sugar, but certainly not a necessary step.  In the end, I think I rushed though the project a bit so the chocolate coating looked a little bumpy. While they were really cute and looked nice on the food table, but I don't think anybody actually ate them entirely.  Clearly a novelty item, but still worth the effort.  

Sweet candy sushi (from the Hello Kitty party a couple of years ago)

The sweet candy sushi, on the other hand was truly a hit.  I made it a couple of years ago for my daughter's  Hello Kitty birthday party.  She asked for it again this year when we were planning a mermaid swim party. I found this recipe in Family Fun magazine as well as the inspiration for the Sand Castle cake.  Another very easy recipe and pretty tasty too.  This year I also made "real" veggie sushi  to help balance out the sweets a bit.  This recipe, besides the cake, was definitely the hit.

This year's leftovers

Sand Castle Cake and Turning 7

The sand castle cake.

I can't believe Miss D is seven now.  Wow!  The mermaid party turned out great.  I think the kids loved swimming in the pool and playing in the gym.  We had starfish cookies, octopus marshmallow pops, veggie sushi, sweet candy sushi, fruit and veggies and other little nibbles.  But best of all was this smile!

Menu Plan Monday - June 11, 2012

I know, I know it's been a few weeks.  We've definitely been in Summer mode here.  Memorial Day holiday, my birthday, and summer camps have started the past couple of weeks.  The menu planning continues, although I'm trying to keep it easy. 

Sunday - BBQ Beef Brisket sandwiches, corn on the cob, and matzo ball soup.  I know a strange combo - but my daughter was under the weather and said the soup would make her feel better.  What mama wouldn't say yes to that?

Monday - Manicotti (crepes are in the freezer), crudite

Tuesday -Chili-topped baked potatoes with guacamole

Wednesday - Turkey burgers and grilled veggies

Thursday - Pizza (maybe on the grill?)

Friday - Baked tilapia, challah, not sure?

If you are looking for more menus, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - May 21, 2012

Wow!  It's the last week of school already!  Trying to keep this short today.  Just an update first.   I made cupcakes for Miss D's school last week.  I think they turned out pretty nicely.

I made fondant apples for the tops.

The cupcakes were pretty simple vanilla with vanilla buttercream.  I made 4 dozen and only brought half a dozen home.  I would say a success. 

Okay, on to the menu:

Monday - Hamburgers, corn on the cob, watermelon

Tuesday - Penne a la vodka, baked zucchini "fries"

Wednesday - Grilled Chicken and veggies

Thursday - Homemade Pizza

Friday - Baked Tilapia, challah

Weekend (Shavuot) - Not sure yet, I know I will be making this recipe for Baked Blintzes and some sort of cheesecake (maybe a frozen key lime cheesecake? or a traditional baked cheesecake?), other than that, not sure.
  Looking for more menu ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - May 14, 2012

Rainy weekend.  Lots of rain.  Not complaining though, we certainly needed it.  Many things going on this week.  I need to make four dozen cupcakes for Miss D's school on Thursday.  Art and music night Thursday, dance rehearsal Friday and recital next Sunday.  Whew!  I'm tired just thinking of it.
Went to Micheal's this weekend to pick up a few things for cupcake baking this week.  Has anyone else noticed the changes in the baking aisle?  What is up with that die-cut cake decorating system?  The prices and the amount of space it takes up makes my head spin.  Here I am, trying to find a simple 99c decorating tip and ending up frustrated and empty-handed.  I mean, I understand why they are doing it, but ugh!  Now I know I don't always stick by Alton Brown's rules of unitasker versus multitasker (especially when baking is involved), but I try.  Who has the room for all this stuff?  Okay, 'nuff said.  On to the menu.

Monday - Turkey Burger sliders, zucchini

Tuesday - Pasta night

Wednesday - Oven chicken strips, broccoli

Thursday - Pizza Night

Friday - Spag. and meatballs (already made and in the freezer).  Heat the sauce and meatballs in the crock-pot, so they are ready when we get home from rehearsal. Challah.

Looking for menus and recipe ideas, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan Monday - May 7, 2012

So not ready for Monday this morning.  We had a great weekend.  DH was home all weekend for the first time in a looong time.  We got some little projects around the house done.  So nice.  We even had some rain Friday.  My grill is clean and semi-fixed.  Still waiting on a part to come in the mail.  We celebrated our Cinco de Derby day in style.  Watched the races with tortilla chips, salsa, black bean salsa and guacamole.  Ate grilled fish tacos and I made a Brown Derby Cake for dessert.  Has anyone ever heard of this cake or made it?  Gosh, what a blast from the past.  Maybe it's a New Jersey thing?  Not sure.  I remember (way back when I was growing up in NJ) the Wycoff Bakery had this cake.  I didn't find too many recipes for it online, but I found a great video from the Crumb Boss.  I didn't add the peach filling and just used a box mix of devil's food cake, but it was so yummy!

Menu:
Monday - Onion Pot Roast (in the crock-pot) with carrots

Tuesday - Ravioli, crudite

Wednesday - Grilled chicken tacos, guacamole

Thursday - Homemade Pizza

Friday - Lime Scallion Chicken (made the tequila lime chicken last week!)

Looking for more recipes, please visit MPM at orgjunkie.com