Menu Plan

Decided to post a meal plan for the first time in years.  I never stopped meal planning and for the past few months have been doing it a month at a time instead of a week.  Every week I move things around to account for things we didn't make or things we are craving or need to use up etc.

So starting this Saturday, September 2nd...

Saturday: Roast masala chicken and naan

Sunday: Philly cheesesteaks and mac n cheese

Monday: Chicken pot pie to use up veggies and chicken from the freezer

Tuesday(when school should finally resume): Crockpot pork butt with salsa served on tortillas with a side of stuffing.  Is it weird to make stuffing?  I need to use it somewhere...I think it'll work.

Wednesday: Chicken vegetable soup & homemade bread  Again to use up chicken and vegetables from the freezer.  Hurricane Harvey reminded me why I don't keep a lot of food/meat in the freezer and has pushed me to use it all up just in case another storm comes through and we aren't fortunate enough to keep power.

Thursday: Leftovers or bbq pork sandwiches

Friday: Burrito bowls(taco meat, cilantro lime rice, lettuce, tomato, avocado, hot sauce or salsa)

Saturday: Roast pork loin, mac n cheese, veg and homemade bread

Sunday: Pizza rolls(new) and salad or veg

Monday: Crockpot orange chicken(new) and rice

Tuesday Greek gyros(new) and salad

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Lemon pasta with grilled chicken(new)

Friday: Pizza or rice and beans

Saturday: eat out

Sunday: Fried fish, fries, mac n cheese

Monday: Chili and homemade bread

Tuesday: Mexican pizzas(recipe on bettycrocker.com)

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Pork chops with mushroom gravy, mash, veg

Friday: Grilled chicken salads

Saturday: eat out for my birthday

Sunday: Fried fish or chicken wings & fries

Monday: Asian lettuce wraps

Tuesday: Tacos or nachos

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Pasta with meat sauce and bread

Friday: fill in with unused recipes for the month

Saturday: fill in with unused recipes for the month

Chili

This is my favorite chili.  I serve it with cheese on top.

Lonestar Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 tablespoon diced fresh jalapeno pepper
2 15-ounce can kidney beans with liquid
1 big can peeled diced tomatoes
16 ounces tomato sauce
2 cup water
2 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 bay leaves


Cook and drain ground beef.  Add all other ingredients and simmer at least one hour.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

This was an awesome broccoli cheese soup!  Adapted from allrecipes.


1/2 Cup butter
1 onion, chopped
32 ounces frozen broccoli
4 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
2 pound loaf Velveeta--cut in small cubes
2 Cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp garlic powder
2/3 Cup cornstarch
1 Cup water

In a stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter until softened. Stir in broccoli, and cover with chicken broth. Simmer until broccoli is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Reduce heat, and stir in cheese cubes until melted. Mix in milk and garlic powder.
In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into water until dissolved. Stir into soup; cook, stirring frequently, until thick.

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark

This was soooo easy and so good!  If I remember where I got this recipe from I will definitely give credit!

300 grams dark chocolate(I used Ghiradelli's 60% cacao bittersweet chips)
1 Tbsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup roughly chopped roasted almonds

Lay out a piece of foil over a cutting board.  Melt chocolate in a double boiler(I used a bowl over a pan of water).  Add coffee powder and stir.  Add 1/4 cups of the almonds and stir.  Pour onto the foil and spread to 1/5 of an inch thick.  Sprinkle the rest of the almonds over the top and let cool completely(many many hours...I put them in the fridge).

Brownie cookies

These cookies are SO good!  I didn't use a full 2 cups of chocolate chips but they would have been good with more...I just wanted more brownie:)  Next time I will put in chopped walnuts as half the chips!

Brownie Cookies

from allrecipes.com

2/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Beat vegetable shortening and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in one egg until completely incorporated. Beat in last egg along with vanilla extract and water. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture at low speed until just blended; fold in chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

3. Bake in preheated oven until cookies are set, 7 to 9 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies

I bought lemon curd with no idea what I actually wanted to do with it.  When I saw this on pinterest I had to try it and they were really good!  The cookie itself is delicate and crumbly and not super sweet.  That pairs perfectly with the lemon curd!  The recipe comes from here and hers look lovely compared to my phone picture lol

This says it makes 48 cookies so I probably made mine too big as I only got about 24.

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies with Lemon Curd Filling     

  

Author: Christina Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 22 mins Total time: 42 mins Serves: 48 cookies

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 Tbsp grated lemon zest

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

½ tsp kosher salt

2½ cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Lemon Curd, or store-bought

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Line two half-sheet-pan baking sheets with parchment or nonstick liners.

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with mixer until well blended.

Beat in yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt.

Beat in flour just until moist clumps form. Gather dough together in bowl to bind.

Shape scant tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls.

Place balls on prepared sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.

Using a floured finger or something that will give a good round shape (I used the back of a small pestle), make a deep indentation in center of each ball.

Bake cookies until firm and lightly golden on bottom, about 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven and immediately fill indentations with curd.

Return to oven and bake 2 minutes longer to set curd.

Bake remaining cookies. Lightly dust edges with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Pecan Pie Brownies

Oh my gosh, these are heavenly good!!!!  I ran across this recipe on pinterest- it's originally from Just A Taste.

For the brownie batter:

4 large eggs

1 1/4 cups baking cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons instant coffee mixed with 2 teaspoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the pecan pie topping:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups pecans (whole or chopped)

Special Equipment: two (9-inch) round cake pans

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, baking cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso mixed with water, and vanilla until well combined.

Stir in the sugar and melted butter until well combined, then stir in the flour. Divide the batter equally between the two greased pans, using a spatula to smooth it out.

Bake the brownies for 15 minutes then remove them from the oven and set aside. While the brownies are baking, prepare the pecan pie topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, honey and heavy cream in a saucepan, stirring over medium heat. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Immediately pour the pecan pie topping over the brownies, dividing it equally between the two pans. Return the brownies to the oven for 15 minutes, or until the brownie is fully cooked.

Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to fully cool in the pans. Use a sharp knife to cut around the edges, remove the brownies from the pan, and then slice and serve.

Lemon-Blueberry Crumb Bars

These are super rich but so good!

Lemon-Blueberry Crumb Bars

1/2 C butter
1 pkg(2 layer size) yellow cake mix
2 eggs, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz each) Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 Tbsp zest and 3 Tbsp juice from 1 lemon
2 1/2 C fresh blueberries

Heat oven to 350.
Line 13x9 inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides.  Microwave butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted.  Add cake mix and  egg; beat with mixer until well blended.  Press 2/3 of the mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended.  Add remaining egg, zest and juice; mix well.  Pour over crust; top with berries.  Pinch small pieces of the remaining cake mix mixture between your fingers; press lightly into cream cheese layer.
Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in enter comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting into bars.  Keep refigerated.

Beer and Cheese Bread ABM

• 
  This bread was delicious!  It rose so much that I couldn't really put all the cheese on top or it would fall into the bottom of the bread machine.  It took about an hour for it to be devoured by the family(with me only getting one tiny slice!).
  Beer and Cheese Bread- Automatic Bread Machine
  1 1/3 cups warm flat beer
• 4 1/2 cups white flour
• 2 -3 tablespoons dried herbs, of your choice
• 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 1 cup cheese, grated

Directions

1. Pour warm beer into bread maker pan.
2. In a large bowl, fluff up or wisk gently together, flour, cheese, sugar and salt.
3. Put this mixture on top of beer.
4. sprinkle yeast over flour layer.
5. near the end of baking, after bread has risen as high as it will get (last 1/2 hour left or so) quickly top loaf with remaining cup of cheese.
6. Select "basic bread" and regular crust
7. Baking time varies on your machine.

Baked Oatmeal

Willow has been waking up VERY early and I have been half awake as I try to get her food...this was a great way to have a hot breakfast without a lot of thinking by me!

From Money Saving Mom:

Freezer-Friendly Baked Oatmeal

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup raw sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons milk
• 3 cups oats (regular or quick oats)

Beat eggs, sugar and butter together. Mix in baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

Stir in milk and oats. Pour into a greased 9×13 foil pan or baking dish and cover well. (Can use a Ziploc freezer bag, if freezing). Freeze.

To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until set in the middle. Serve warm with milk. (We like to sprinkle sugar on top before pouring the milk on.)

If you want to serve it without freezing it first, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight and then bake it at 350 degrees for 35-45minutes in the morning.

Serves 6-8.

Hoe Cake

I have found heaven on earth...  Finally I have found a recipe for those elusive awesome, fluffy, buttery, soft as pillows biscuits and it's SO easy since there's no rolling or cutting!  Thank you so much Christy(Southern Plate)!!!!

1/2 Cup vegetable shortening

2 Cups self rising flour(or add 3 tsp baking powder and 2 tsp salt to regular flour)

1 Cup milk

Preheat the oven to 425.  Pour a thin layer of oil to cover the bottom of an 8 inch round cake pan(I used my cast iron skillet) and place in the oven to heat.

In a large bowl, thoroughly cut the shortening into the flour.  Pour the milk in and stir until wet.  The batter will be lumpy.  (don't overstir!!!!!)  Pour into the well-heated pan and bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned.  Invert onto a plate.  (I didn't invert it...we cut it and it was gone so fast there wasn't time)

Chocolate Pie

Mmm this was so good!  Now to try it out on my mom when she comes to visit next!  This is from Southern Plate.

1 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Cup self-rising flour
2 egg yolks
2 Cups milk
2 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 baked pie shell

Meringue
3 egg whits
1/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325.  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and flour.  mix well.  Beat in the egg yolks and add the milk  Place over medium heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  Stir in the butter, vanill and salt.  Pour into the baked pie shell and top with meringue, if desired, or whipped cream.

To make the meringue, whip the egg whits until foamy with anelectric mixer on high speed.  Add the sugar.  Continue beating on high speed until soft peaks form.  pour onto the top of the pie and spread to the edges to seal well.  Bake at 325 for 15 minutes or until the top is golden.  Allow to cool completely and refrigerate before serving if you like.

Peanut butter icing

This made an easy, frugal icing for our cake!  Yum!  Another recipe from Southern Plate.

1 box yellow cake mix
1 1/2 Cups sugar
7 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp shortening
2 Tbsp margarine(I used butter)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C creamy peanut butter

Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, baking it in a 9x13 inch pan.

While the cake is cooling, combine the sugar, milk, shortening, margarine, and salt in a medium heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.  Once it reaches a rolling boil, stop stirring and let boil for 1 to 2 minutes or until it reaches the soft-ball stage.  Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and peanut butter.  Beat until smooth and quickly spread onto the cake.

Lemon Jello Cake

I love lemon desserts and this one was finally lemony enough for me!

1 (18 1/2 ounce) yellow cake mix
1(5 ounce-family size) lemon jello
4 eggs
3/4 Cup water
3/4 Cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients and bake at 350 for as long as the cake mix says for your pan size.  I used a bundt pan and it took 45 minutes.  Pull out of the oven and poke with holes.  While hot pour the glaze over the top(recipe below).

Glaze
2 Cups powdered sugar
2 lemons-juice

Mix together well.

Paula Deen Cornbread

This is Paula's Deen's recipe doubled which makes the perfect amount for my cast iron skillet.  The BEST cornbread of all the recipes I've tried!

2 Cups cornmeal
1 Cup flour
1 1/2 Cups buttermilk
4 eggs
1/4 Cup vegetable oil
 2 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Oil cast iron skillet and put on stove on medium low while you mix together the ingredients for the cornbread.  Do not overstir--just until the mixture has no dry flour/cornmeal.  Pour batter into heated skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Serve with lots of real butter.

BBQ Cowboy Beans & Biscuits

Mandi sent this in August and I finally got around to making it.  So good and easy!  I made the biscuits in my cast iron skillet...love that thing!!!  

I did throw some quinoa in just because I'm trying to use it up:o)  Oh and an onion with the meat...Texas onions are so cheap right now and yummmmy!

BBQ Cowboy Beans & Biscuits

From: 5 dollar dinners

Ingredients

1.3 lb ground beef
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups cooked black beans or Substitute 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked pinto beans or Substitute 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained
Drop biscuits (see recipe below)
1/2 bag frozen corn

Directions

1. Brown the ground beef with the crushed garlic cloves. Drain and return to skillet. Add the black and pinto beans, as well as the BBQ sauce, diced tomatoes…and stir through. Let simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Make drop biscuits.
3. Prepare the corn as directed on package.

4. Serve BBQ Cowboy Beans over Drop Biscuits with Corn.

Drop Biscuits
-----------------
Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 cup milk

Directions
1. In mixing bowl, combine wheat flour, white flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut in 4 Tbsp of butter with pastry blender or 2 knives.
3. Slowly mix in milk and stir with fork. Mix until thick batter forms.
4. Drop biscuits onto greased cooking sheet or into greased muffin tins. Makes 12 biscuits.
5. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Cool on cooling rack.
6. Serve warm with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

Menu Plan Monday

We had some meals we didn't make last week so I am putting those on and also making more than a week plan because we have everything on hand.

Monday:
Salisbury steak with onion gravy(new)
Veggie

Tuesday:
BBQ Cowboy beans and biscuits(new)
Veggie

Wednesday:
Asian Salmon (new)
Fresh green beans

Thursday:
Mexican vegetables on cornbread

Friday:
Steak
Squash
New England baked beans(new)

Saturday:
Bumblebee soup
Depression era bread

Sunday:
Quick Pasta Carbonara
Veggie

Monday:
Pizza

Tuesday:
Cheesy beef taco skillet

Cream Soup Substitute

I would have sworn I had this recipe on here but I can't find it by searching so I'm putting it on again.

Ingredients:
2 cups dry milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes, optional
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf basil, optional
1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram, optional
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons butter
Preparation:
Combine all ingredients except butter together and store in airtight container. To use, mix 1/2 cup dry soup mix with 1 1/4 cups water and cook until thick; add butter. This is equal to one can cream soup. The mix makes enough to equal 9 to 10 cans. For cream of mushroom or celery soup, add chopped sauteé mushrooms or celery along with the butter while cooking.

Chicken Shepherd's Pie

This was one of Mandi's choices for this week and it was perfect for what I had in the kitchen!  It's originally from here.  I had canned succotash on hand so two cans of that made the vegetables and I added cheddar cheese before the mashed potato layer.  Out of a 9x13 pan there was one small serving leftover that Hunter(13) had for breakfast today!

• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 3 cups mashed potatoes (I used instant)

Boil carrots in the broth till tender.  Stir in peas, cream of chicken soup, salt & pepper and cooked chicken.

Pour into a greased 9×13 casserole dish.  Top with mashed potatoes.  Dot with butter.  Bake 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Twinkie Tiramisu

I feel like I'm stalking eatathomecooks lately!  I've been trying to not make big desserts unless I already have the ingredients on hand but this sounded just way too good so I went to the store(using the excuse that my son needed to go get a new bike tube...).  I used vanilla pudding because I was wanting more of a regular tiramisu taste but the chocolate sounds awesome too!  This was SO.  GOOD.

• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee
• 2 boxes (3.4 oz)  instant pudding mix
• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 1 container frozen whipped topping, thawed (8oz)
• 1 box Twinkies

Mix the boiling water and sugar together, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid turns clear.  Stir in the coffee and let it cool.

Mix the pudding mix and milk together with an electric mixer until the pudding has thickened.  Fold in the whipped topping.  This makes a delicious mousse-like fluff.

Slice the Twinkies in half, lengthwise.  Place half of the slices on the bottom of a pan.  I experimented with pan sizes.  9×13 was a bit too big.  9×9 was too small.

Drizzle with half the coffee syrup.

Spread half of the chocolate fluff over the Twinkies in the pan.  Top with the rest of the Twinkies.  Drizzle with the remaining coffee syrup.  Spread the chocolate fluff over the top of all of it.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.