Menu Plan Monday

Ok, this is another cheat menu.  We are still in the process of using up all of our stockpiled items in preparation for my Once A Month cooking - will probably do this in the middle of May.  So, I do apologize but will try to post some recipes this week to make up for it, lol!

Monday-Fish Sticks and Pasta Roni

Tuesday-Chicken Helper

Wednesday-Taquitos and Spanish Rice

Thursday-Hot dogs and mac and cheese

Friday-Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies

Saturday-BBQ Cheese stuffed meatloaf, roasted potatoes and baby carrots and biscuits

Sunday-Kielbasa and french fries

Pie cookbook winner is:

And the winner is:

Diane with the #6 comment DidiLyn@aol.com

Congratulations Diane, please email me at amateurdelivre@gmail.com with your shipping info:)

Bloggy Giveaways Spring Carnival

It’s that time again and I am so excited!  I participated in this last time and really had a lot of fun.  I wanted to do something from this blog so I have decided to give away a new copy of

  Best of Country Pies from Taste of Home books

There are over 200 down-home favorites from the best cooks in the country.  Sound interesting (and delicious)? 

To enter, all you need to do is leave me a comment.  Yep, that’s it.  Just make sure to have a valid email or blog address so I know how to get a hold of you.  Thanks for visiting, and for more bloggy giveaways click here.

 

Menu Plan Monday

 

Well, I veered off of some of the planned items from last week.  So, here is this weeks menu:

Monday - Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet

Tuesday - Cheeseburgers and French Fries

Wednesday - Chicken Helper

Thursday - Fish Stick and Pasta

Friday - Southwestern Casserole

Saturday - Spaghetti and garlic bread

Sunday - Roast chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and veggies

I know that this is again a fairly simple menu.  I am in the process of cleaning out the freezers and cupboard in order to get ready for a Once A Month Cooking which I hope to do in early June.  So, until then you may see some of these same simple type meals, not only because we have been fairly busy, but to use up the things we have on hand.  Hope you all had a good weekend!

Living Cookbook Software

I am always looking for things in my life that will help simplify things.  I honestly can’t remember where I came across this software, but would truly be lost without it. 

It allows you to:

Add your own recipes (and create your own cookbooks)

Create a meal planning calendar

Do a nutritional analysis of any recipe

Create automatic shopping lists from the recipes you have entered and chosen

Track what food you have with an online inventory

Export cookbooks to MS Word

Share recipes with friends by importing and exporting

I use this software daily.  I think my favorite feature is the fact that you can literally copy recipes from anywhere online, and then just highlight the text to create your “recipe card”.  There is an online demo and it is VERY reasonable to purchase.

If interested, click here - I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Freezer Veggie Calzones

This recipe courtesy of Taste of Home magazine Veggie Calzones

1/2 lb    fresh mushrooms, chopped   1   medium onion, chopped   1   medium green pepper, chopped   2 Tbs    vegetable oil   3   plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped   1   can (6 ounces) tomato paste     1 cup    (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese   1 cup    (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese   1/2 cup    grated Parmesan cheese   2   loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed   1   egg   1 Tbs    water     1 In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Add tomatoes; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; set aside. Combine cheeses and set aside. 2 On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into eight pieces. Roll each piece into a 7-in. circle. Spoon a scant 1/2 cup of vegetable mixture and 1/4 cup of cheese mixture over one side of each circle. Brush edges of dough with water; fold dough over filling and press edges with a fork to seal. Place calzones 3 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. 3 Beat egg and water; brush over calzones. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Cool desired number of calzones; place in freezer bags. Seal and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake the remaining calzones 18-22 minutes longer or until golden brown. Serve immediately. 4 To use frozen calzones: Place 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 8 servings. To use frozen calzones: Place calzones 2 in. apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.   Servings: 8

Round Steak Casserole in the Crock Pot

This isn’t much of a recipe, but it is delicious and very easy.

3-4 lbs boneless round steak, cut into bite sized pieces

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 packet Lipton Onion Soup

Cooked rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes

Place the round steak in the crock pot.  Mix together the soup mix and mushroom soup and “plop” on the top of the round steak (don’t worry, the steak will produce enough juice to make the gravy).  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring just a few times to mix the soups into a gravy.  Serve over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes.

This is one of my family’s favorites and it couldn’t be easier!

Chicken Taco Quiche

This recipe is courtesy of Taste of Home Simple and Delicious February 2008 - I will be making this tonight so will keep you posted on how it turns out. 

Prep: 20 minutes

Bake: 35 minutes

2 unbaked pastry shells (9 inches)

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 envelopes taco seasoning, divided

2/3 cup salsa

2 cups (8 ozs) shredded cheddar cheese

8 eggs

2 cups half and half cream

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 can (4 ozs) chopped green chilies

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

Line unpriced pastry shells with a double thickness of heavy- duty foil.  Bake at 400 ° for 4 minutes.  Remove foil; bake 4 minutes longer.

In a small bowl, combine chicken and one envelope taco seasoning; spoon into pastry shells.  Top with salsa and cheese.  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, butter and remaining taco seasoning.  Stir in chilies and olives.  Pour over cheese.

Cover and freeze one quiche for up to 3 months.  Cover edges of remaining quiche loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400º for 33-35 minutes or until knife inserted in near the center comes out clean.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

To use frozen quiche: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw).  Cover edges of crust loosely with foil; place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 400º for 70-75 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Yield: 2 quiches (6 servings each).

Frozen Assets….pure genius!

So, I went to the library this weekend.  We usually go once or twice a week but it has been awhile.  I have decided that I am going to get back into doing the freezer cooking - might not exactly do the Once A Month Cooking like I have in the past, but it doesn’t take a whole lot of extra effort to cook 2 of something and freeze one.  And the amount of time that is saved really does add up.

So, I checked out Frozen Assets by Deborah Taylor-Hough.  And I must say this woman is a genius. 

Honestly, these are recipes that anyone can make and eat and she gives a TON of tips.  I also have added her blog to my blogroll - check it out if you have a chance as there is a Yahoo group to join as well.

Happy Monday and thanks again for your support!  I would love it if you would comment, especially if you have some “foodie” type tips or recipes to share:)

Menu Plan Monday - my first one:)

I decided to jump on the bandwagon, so to speak, at I’m an Organizing Junkie and participate in Menu Plan Monday.  Unfortunately I don’t have links for the recipes below (ok,ok, I know that mac and cheese and hot dogs isn’t a recipe, lol!), but I will post the recipes for them as the week goes on (Southwestern Casserole has already been posted).  I wasn’t exactly what to do on this blog so please bear with me.  I am most likely going to post a recipe a day, but will also share my menus for each week.  Maybe you will find something you will enjoy, if so, please leave me a comment.  Thanks for stopping by!

Monday- Hot dogs and mac and cheese

Tuesday- Chicken Taco Quiche

Wednesday- Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet

Thursday- Southwestern Casserole

Friday- Chicken Helper

Saturday - Roundsteak casserole

Sunday - BBQ Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf, new potatoes and baby carrots, biscuits

I know, I know, we cheat on some of the nights.  The family gets busy and we do like some easy meals sometimes.  I will try and post some of these recipes this week so if you want to try your hand at making them you can.  Take care:)