I'm still alive!!

Life's been hectic, but I promise I'll post some delish recipes very soon. Happy Holidays!

Menu Plan Monday

Well, this past week I was very sick so I didn't cook much. This week is going to be another boring week in the kitchen as well. Me and my Mom will be taking a short weekend trip to Memphis to see my good friends before I'm back off to Europe. So, I hope to be up and running again next week with some new yummy recipes. :) Have a great week!

For more recipe ideas please visit our host Laura @ www.orgjunkie.com

Monday
Lemon Pepper Chicken (carry over meal)
Broccoli with cheese
Wild Rice

Tuesday
Pizza :)

Wednesday
BBQ Chicken
Mixed vegetables
Cheesey rice

Thursday
Leftovers

Friday
Out of town

Saturday
Out of town

Sunday
Out of town

Herbed Pork Chops

Ok, not the greatest pic in the world, but ooohhhh so good! I changed up the original recipe a bit and served the chops with refried beans (low fat- YEAH RIGHT) and leftover Mexican rice.

2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika
4 to 6 boneless pork chops
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. water

Combine flour, sage, garlic powder and paprika in a shallow pan. Coat pork chops lightly with flour mixture. Melt margarine in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops; cook 10 minutes until both sides are browned. Push chops to one side of skillet and spoon off excess fat. Stir in soup and water, stirring to loosen brown bits in pan. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until chops are tender. Server over hot cooked wild or white rice. Serves 4 to 6.

Caldo de Res

I made this soup the other night when it was sooo cold. It was super good. Of course it's much better when my Grandma makes it, but I'm getting the hang. I forgot the cabbage, but my Mom didn't contest. :) I made Mexican rice and homemade tortillas to go along with it. I was good, only had one serving. :):)

2 lbs beef stew meat
salt, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
4 ears corn
6 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
3 tomatoes cut into wedges (I used 1 can stewed tomatoes)
3 zuchinni, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 onions, cut into 6 wedges
1/2 head cabbage, cut into quarters
1 green bell pepper, sliced

Brown meat in a little bit of oil, add onion and cook for approx 5 minutes. Aadd water to cover by 6 inches. Bring to boil, reduce heat and boil gently for 45 minutes.
Stir in salt, garlic powder. Then add corn, celery and carrots. Boil another 15 minutes.
Add potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, cabbage, and bell pepper. Boil for 15 minutes longer. Serve with rice and tortillas. Yummm

Menu Plan Monday

It was tough to stay on track with weight watchers last week. I gained 1.5 pounds (not too shabby I guess). So we are back on watching what we eat and excersing. I hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! For more recipe ideas, please visit our host Laura @ www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Caldo de Res

Tuesday

BBQ chicken

Broccoli with cheese

Corn

Wednesday

Herbed Pork Chops (Recipe below)

Wild Rice

Mixed Veggies

Thursday

Lemon Pepper Chicken (recipe below)

Wild Rice

Califlower with Cheese

Friday

Pizza night with the girls :)

Saturday

Leftovers

Sunday

Roasted Chicken

Baked Potato

Veggies

Lemon Pepper Chicken

4 Tbsp. breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan

1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

2 tsp. butter

1/2 fresh lemon, cut into 4 pieces

Mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and pepper on a medium plate. Coat chicken breast with egg whites and dip into the breadcrumb mixture, coating both sides well. Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken breasts and cook until golden brown on both sides. Try to turn only once to avoid losing the coating. Squeeze 1 piece of lemon over each chicken breast and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Herbed Pork Chops

2 Tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. ground sage

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

4 to 6 boneless pork chops

2 Tbsp. margarine

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. water

2 to 4 c. cooked long grain rice

Combine flour, sage, and thyme in a shallow pan. Coat pork chops lightly with flour mixture. Melt margarine in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops; cook 10 minutes until both sides are browned. Push chops to one side of skillet and spoon off excess fat. Stir in soup and water, stirring to loosen brown bits in pan. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until chops are tender. Server over hot cooked wild or white rice. Serves 4 to 6.

Menu Plan Monday

This week will be mostly eating leftovers and out with friends. Next week's menu should be a little more interesting. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and spends it with the ones they love!! For more receipe ideas visit our host Laura @ www.orgjunkie.com.

Monday
Dinner with friends

Tuesday

Meximelts and salad

Wednesday

At Grandma's (I'll eat good tonight)

Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving!!

Roasted Turkey

Stuffing

Sweet Potato Bake

Mac-n-cheese

Mixed Salad

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Rolls

Friday

Leftovers I'm sure!

Saturday

More left overs

Sunday

Turkey Tetrazini

Friday's Feast #169

Friday's Feast #169

Appetizer
What was your first “real” job?
At an aircraft repair station as an administrator. (got real lucky)

Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
I need all the help I can get.... Martha Stewart's house if she'll have me. LOL

Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…
I say something really stupid in front of a crowd.

Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
Be polite, always help the elderly, don't judge people

Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
omgosh.... let's see. Big hair was still kind of in. Ok, I've been sitting here for the past 10 minutes trying to think of some things. I was the biggest nerd so I really have no clue anyway. LOL

Menu Plan Monday

Whew! I had quite a week. I hope this one is a little quieter. I didn't get to the pumpkin pasta last week so I'm going to give it another shot. Have a fab week everyone!

Monday
Left over Night

Tuesday
Chicken Parmesan

Wednesday
Taco Night

Thursday
Beef Goulash

Friday
Leftover Goulash

Saturday
Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Sunday
Roasted Chicken
Mac-n-cheese
Grilled veggies

Cheese Enchiladas for My Mom

This dish is my Mom's favorite so I made it for her birthday dinner. My Grandmother used to make this for special occasions but now that she has almost retired from cooking I've taken over. :) There are a lot of steps involved but once you make it a few times it becomes really easy. I never have measured any of this so Ive tried to remember as best I could. Have fun!

Enchilada ingredients:

Shredded cheese- (I usually use monterry jack, but my Mom likes it with cheddar. You can use whatever cheese you likey.)

chili powder

salt

corn tortillas (extra thin are great for this)

chicken broth

2-3 tablespoons of flour

cooking oil

tomato, diced for topping

lettuce, shredded for topping

onion, diced for topping

Directions:

1. Fill a pan with cooking oil until it has covered the entire bottom. Heat until oil is very hot. Place corn tortilla in hot oil for about 10 seconds until it becomes soft. Remove and place on a plate that has paper towel. Repeat this step until all of your tortillas are done.

2. Reduce heat to Med. Using the same pan, leave around 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the flour and cook for a few minutes until the flour becomes brown.

3. Mix a palmful of chili powder and around 1 cup of water together in a bowl. Add salt to taste. Slowly mix this into the flour and whisk the lumps out. Add 1 cup of chicken stock. You'll need to adjust the mixture to your taste, adding more salt, water, stock, chili. Once you have the taste you want cook for around 10 minutes until it reduces and thickens a little.

4. Dip each tortilla into the sauce (on each side) until fully coated. Transfer to a large baking pan. Place cheese down the middle of each tortilla then roll it up. You'll want to place each rolled tortilla close to one another (believe me, its just easier) Repeat this process until each tortilla is done.

5. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas and top with as much cheese as your heart desires.

6. Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes then change over to the broiler until the cheese is bubbly. Top with tomatoes, onion and lettuce. Serve with rice and refried beans. Yummmm

Mexican Rice:
1 can tomato sauce
1 palmful cumin seed
2 garlic cloves
1 cup white rice
4 slices onion
1 cup water
1 cup chicken stock
salt to taste
2 tablespoons cooking oil

Heat oil in a frying pan. Once heated add onion and rice. Cook rice until brown. In a mortal & pestal grind cumin and garlic together. Add to the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add tomato sauce and cook for an additional 3 minutes to let the flavors combine. Add water and chicken stock. At this point you'll want to add salt to taste. Cover and let simmer for approx 20 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated. Serves 4-6. Delish!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Cereal Night

Tuesday
Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Wednesday
Cheese enchiladas for the Birthday Girl (my Mom)

Mexican Rice

Thursday
Chicken Soup

Friday

Leftovers

Saturday
Out with the girls

Sunday

Bean Tostadas

Mostly Green Curry Chicken

I made this for Mom and me tonight and it was great! Very very tasty and easy to make. :)

Recipe- Mostly Green Curry Chicken
Courtesy: Rachael Ray 365 No Repeats#40

1 13/12 oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup jasmine rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4- 6 to 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and black pepper
1 green bell pepper, cored, de-seeded, and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small jalapeno, cut in half and seeded
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and freshly grated
2 cups broccoli florets
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Tabasco sauce to taste

In a sauce pan, combine 1 cup of the chicken stock, 4 ounces of the coconut milk, and the jasmine rice. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep the rice covered until ready to serve. While the coconut jasmine rice is cooking, preheat a large nonstick skillet over high heat with about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces spreading them evenly across the pan, and brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and reserve. Add the last tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan. Add the green bell peppers, onions, garlic, jalapenos, ginger, and broccoli florets. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the veggies start to wilt. To the skillet add the remaining coconut mil and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, the reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the skillet, and return it to a simmer for about 2 more minutes. Add the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, scallions, parsley, and frozen peas. Stir to thoroughly combine. Simmer a minute more to heat the peas, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt or some hot sauce, if you like heat. Service over the coconut jasmine rice.

Menu Plan Monday

I found out I'll be in Dallas until the end of the year for work. So now me and my Mom are roomies for a few months. yay! It's really a happy and sad situation. I am here with my family, but my hubby is by himself in England. So Im counting the days to see him, but wanting the days to go slow with my family. My and I are both starting weight watchers Monday (again for me) so please wish us luck!

For more great recipes please go to the lovely hostess with the mostess' page, Laura @ http://www.orgjunkie.com/

Monday
Mostly Green Curry Chicken over Coconut Jasmine Rice
(Recipe Below)

Tuesday
Fideo with Meatballs (recipe below)

Wednesday
Fish sticks, Velveeta shells n cheese, zucchini with tomatoes & onions (super easy- just slice all three items, place in a bowl, add salt and pepper and microwave until tender)

Thursday
Beef and cheese burritos

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Out with the girls

Sunday
Family Dinner Turkey Lasagna

Recipe- Mostly Green Curry Chicken
Courtesy: Rachael Ray 365 No Repeats#40

1 13/12 oz can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup jasmine rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4- 6 to 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
Salt and black pepper
1 green bell pepper, cored, de-seeded, and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 small jalapeno, cut in half and seeded
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and freshly grated
2 cups broccoli florets
zest and juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Tabasco sauce to taste

In a sauce pan, combine 1 cup of the chicken stock, 4 ounces of the coconut milk, and the jasmine rice. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep the rice covered until ready to serve.

While the coconut jasmine rice is cooking, preheat a large nonstick skillet over high heat with about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces spreading them evenly across the pan, and brown the chicken on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and reserve. Add the last tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan. Add the green bell peppers, onions, garlic, jalapenos, ginger, and broccoli florets. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the veggies start to wilt. To the skillet add the remaining coconut mil and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, the reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken back to the skillet, and return it to a simmer for about 2 more minutes. Add the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, scallions, parsley, and frozen peas. Stir to thoroughly combine. Simmer a minute more to heat the peas, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Add more salt or some hot sauce, if you like heat. Service over the coconut jasmine rice.

Recipe - Fideo with Meatballs
Courtesy Nicole

1/2 pkg vermicelli
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1-2 cups water
1 teaspoon whole cumin
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 small onion, sliced
vegetable oil
1 pkg ground beef
garlic powder
onion powder

Combine ground beef with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper (to taste). Roll into 1-2 inch balls. Spray pan with non-stick cooking spray, add meatballs. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 350. In a large pan drizzle the vegetable oil around the pan a couple of times. Once the pan is hot add the vermicelli and onion. Fry the vermicelli until light brown. In a mortal and pestle, ground the cumin and garlic together. Add this mixture to the vermicelli. Cook for about 2 minutes to let the flavors combine. Now add the tomato sauce and cook for an additional minute. Add the chicken broth and water until the vermicelli is completely covered. Add salt to taste. Add the meatballs to the pan and simmer (covered) for approx 20 minutes until the noodles are tender. Our family likes to leave it a little brothy so we can scoop it up with flour tortillas. Serve with pinto beans. Yummmo!

Friday's Feast #166

Appetizer
Name a great website you would recommend to others.
Well, everyone knows it, but I LOVE www.amazon.com

Soup
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 as highest), how often do you dream at night?
I thought people dream every night but just dont remember most of the time? I would scale mine at around 7.

Salad
Did you have a pet as a child? If so, what kind and what was its name?
We had several pets. My first was a dog and her name was Strawberry Shortcake. Ok, before you make fun, I was only 5!! hehe

Main Course
If you had the chance to star in a commercial, what would you choose to advertise? Helping Humanity

Dessert
What is your favorite kind of hard candy?
Anything caramel.... yummm

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

My good friend made this for my bachlorette party last year and it was sooo good. So last night I made it for my family and everyone cleaned their plate. (I forgot to take a picture) Easy, quick and DELISH! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 rotisserie chickens, shredded
2 cans fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 can fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 can mild rotel (diced tomatoes with chilies)
corn tortillas
sharp shredded cheese

Mix cream soups and rotel together in a large bowl. Heat in microwave for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add shredded chicken to soup mixture. In a large casserole dish place tortillas on the bottom. Spread chicken mixture over tortillas, sprinkle cheese over chicken. Re layer over and over until you run out of mixture. Last layer should be cheese. Bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese has melted. Serves around 8.

Holiday Recipes

Here are a few family recipes that I'd like to share. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

Hot Corn

1 cup butter

2 pkgs. cream cheese

2 cups shredded cheese

1/2 cup milk

4 cans corn

1 can jalapenos

Preheat over to 375. In saucepan combine butter, cream cheese & milk until smooth. In 9 X 13 dish combine corn & jalapenos. Pour milk mixture over corn and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes (uncovered).

Shrimp Appetizer Spread

1 pkg cream cheese

1/2 c. sour cream

1/4 c. mayonnaise

3 pkgs salad shrimp

1 c. seafood sauce

2 c. mozzarella cheese

1 sm. tomato

3 green onions chopped

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream & mayo. Spread mixture on serving platter. Add shrimp. Top with seafood sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, tomato and onions. Cover & refrigerate. Serves 20.

Easiest Chocolate Dessert Ever

1 box graham crackers (low fat)

whipped cream

1 bottle chocolate syrup (light)

1 box white chocolate

3 tubs cool whip

Make pudding with milk (let firm in fridge)

Layer the following (like a lasagna)

Graham crackers

Chocolate syrup

pudding

cool whip

Top layer should be graham crackers then syrup

Finish with whipped cream

Baked Breakfast

6 slices of bread

softened margarine

1 tube of sausage

1 1/2 cups (6 to 8 oz) shredded cheese

6 eggs beaten

2 cups half and half

1 tsp. salt

Remove crusts from bread. Spread margarine on bread slices. Place in a buttered baking dish. Cook sausage until brown and crunchy (drain well). Spoon over bread slices, sprinkle with cheese. Combine eggs, half and half and salt. Mix well and pour over the cheese. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve warm. Serves 6-8.

Menu Plan Monday

Oh how I love Menu Plan Monday. I look forward to reading everyone's meal plans and your stories. I will miss posting for the next few weeks. On Saturday I leave for Home to Dallas (yay) until the end of October. I'm sure I will be posting recipes while over there so be sure to check back. Have a great week!

For more great menu ideas and recipes check out Laura's site at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

Monday
Cheesy Chops with Potatoes
Mixed Vegetables

Tuesday
Out with friends - Domino's Pizza :)

Wednesday
Steak Diane
Roasted Potatoes
Salad

Thursday
Chicken Piccata
Sauted green beans
Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Friday
Baked Potato Casserole (recipe below)
Courtesy- My Best Friend Rabia

1 bag of frozen hashbrowns (the cubed potato ones, not the shredded)
w/ red and green bell peppers in it
1 tub of cream cheese
1 small carton of sour cream
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cheddar Cheese

Mix, all except last ingredient together in a bowl. Top w/ Chedder cheese. Bake on 350 until cheese is bubbly. About 20-30 min

Peanut Chicken Stir Fry

I was supposed to make this tonight, but honestly it just seemed TOO healthy. Then I remembered my dear friend Liz at Mommy Chef posted this a few weeks ago. It was delicious! Very saucy (and as Liz said, this would be a kid friendly dish). I made the onions and peppers big enough for my big kid to pick them out. Oh so good!

Peanut Chicken Stir Fry
Courtesy Mommy Chef

Patrick's review: A "Although I didn't go for all the peppers, the chicken was juicy and the sauce was creamy. I would definitely have this again."

2 tsp cornstarch
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3 T soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/4 lbs chicken breast, cut into strips
3 tsp olive oil,divided (I used toasted sesame oil)
1 c chopped onion
1 c thinly sliced green pepper
1 c thinly sliced red pepper
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms (we didnt have any)
1 tsp minced garlic
Hot Cooked Rice

In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients until smooth; set asideIn a large skillet or wok stir fry chicken in 1-1/2 tsp oil for 3-4 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Stir fry onion and peppers in the remaining oil for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; stir fry 3-4 minutes longer or until vegetables are crisp tender. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken. Heat through. Serve with rice.

Grilled Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce

Patrick and my favorite restaurant is called Texas de Brazil. They have this delicious chimichurri sauce that I just LOVE. So tonight I tried to make it and to my surprise it almost tasted like theirs. I drizzed it over the medium rare ribeye steaks (yumm) and served the steak with mixed vegetables and roasted potatoes. Here is the chimichurri sauce recipe... it's "fab" with steak.

Chimichurri Sauce:
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Oh-la-la

I really should not be eating this cake since I'm trying (supposidly) to loose weight. It was soooo good! This is the second time I've baked in two months. I've never really been into baking, but I'm starting to love it! I found this recipe from The Average Cook. The recipe was super easy and the results were dyn-o-mite!

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
9 slices pineapple in juice (from 14-oz can), drained
9 maraschino cherries without stems, if desired
1 1/3 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 9-inch square pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over melted butter. Arrange pineapple slices over brown sugar. Place cherry in center of each pineapple slice.
2. In medium bowl, beat remaining ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter over pineapple and cherries.
3. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately place heatproof serving plate upside down over pan; turn plate and pan over. Leave pan over cake a few minutes so brown sugar mixture can drizzle over cake; remove pan. Serve warm. Store cake loosely covered.

Marinated Cod

Marinated Cod
Inspired by Jamie Oliver

We had marniated cod for dinner last night and it was "delish". Next time I will cut down on the capers cause they were a little overwhelming. Other than that, this was easy to make and very tasteful. Patrick even went back for seconds!! I served the fish with white rice and sauteed green beans in garlic and prosciutto.

Ingredients

Olive Oil
1 small can anchovies
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 small can capers, drained
fresh rosemary
4 fish steaks (I used Cod)

Mix rosemary, capers and olive oil together. Let sit for about 20 minutes to let the ingredients infuse. With your hands rub the marinated over each piece of fish and place in a casserole dish. Place lemons over fish then the remaining marinade. Top with anchovies and cook for around 15 minutes at 180 C.

Here's the finale... delicious!

Menu Plan Monday

October 1st already?? Where has the year gone? Not long now before the holidays!! Thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday every week. For more ideas and recipes click here. I hope everyone has a great week!

Monday

Fish steaks (marinated in capers, olive oil, fresh rosemary)

topped with lemons and anchovies

Vegetables

Tuesday

Cheesy Chicken (didn't get to it last week)

Salad

Wednesday

Apple-bacon stuffed chicken breasts

zucchini, salad

Thursday

Salmon teriyaki

rice, vegetables

Friday

Date Night

Saturday

Ribeye Steaks

Baked Potato, salad

Sunday

Japanese Chicken Scallion Rice Bowls

Chicken Chili

Since it's cold and rainy and the hubby is away (he doesn't like beans) for the weekend I made this chicken chili with beans. It was oh so good and heated me up since we haven't turned on the heat in the house yet. I only made this for myself so if you're making this for a family you will want to double it. :) Simple, easy and delish.

Chicken Chili with Beans
Courtesy Nicole

1 can cannelloni beans
1/2 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatillos
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2-3 cups chicken broth
6 pieces chicken tenders
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
sour cream
cilantro

Saute garlic and onion in the butter add diced chicken. Cook chicken for about 5 minutes until browned on each side. Add chicken broth, beans, tomatillos, cumin, salt, pepper, milk and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour until reduced. Top with cilantro and sour cream. Enjoy!

Friday's Feast #162

Appetizer
How are you today?
A little lazy today. It's cold and rainy and all I want to do is sleep!

Soup
Name 3 television shows you watch on a regular basis.
I'm all about TV. Here are a few favs... Barefoot Contessa, Sex in the City, Everybody Loves Raymond

Salad
What’s the scariest weather situation you’ve experienced?
When I lived in Memphis with my good friend Jill (about 10 yrs ago), we were sharing a room in her parents 2 story house upstairs. There were bad thunderstorms the entire night. Around 2am I think the roof almost lifted up! I was so scared that I ran downstairs yelling for Jill's parents. (I forgot my dear friend upstairs) Now it's a joke with her family how I left Jill to be taken away by a tornado.

Main Course
If you could wake up tomorrow morning in another country, where would you want to be?
Back in the US at my Grandma's house with my family.

Dessert
What do you usually wear to sleep?
I know this is TMI... I usually go to sleep in a large shirt, but in the mornings I usually end up without it. hehe

Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine

Oh-my-goodness this was to die for. Very rich and tasted just like restaurant alfredo. I won't make it again for a long time though since it's so rich. This time I added marinated shrimp, but next time salmon sounds like a winner.

Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine

Alfredo courtesy Giada De Laurentils

Shrimp courtesy Nicole

Alfredo Sauce:

18 ounces fresh fettuccine

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (yes, that's right 12 TABLESPOONS!)

2 cups grated Parmesan

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Pinch freshly grated nutmeg (I just used bottled)

Salt and freshly ground white pepper (I used black pepper)

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Drain.
Stir 2 cups of the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy large skillet to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the pasta and toss. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream, and Parmesan to the cream sauce in the skillet. Add the lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. Toss the pasta mixture over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

Shrimp:

I marinated 2 pkgs of cooked shrimp in some Thai chili, cilantro, garlic, lemon with salt and pepper for about an hour. Once the pasta was ready I heated the shrimp up in the microwave and served over the pasta. Yummmo!

Baked Parmesan Fish

I wasn't quite sure if I'd like this very much. I usually only like pasta if it has a sauce. But to my surprise it was quite tasty. The recipe calls for angel hair pasta (which I love) but, as with several other things, I can't find it here so we had to use regular spaghetti pasta. I served it with roasted sweet potatoes with garlic sauce.

4 ounces Angel Hair Pasta, cooked

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour 3 thyme sprigs, crushed without the stems

4 (6-ounce) white fish fillets

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 cup mushroom caps, halved

1/2 cup green onions, finely sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the Parmesan cheese, flour, and thyme in a paper bag. Individually coat the fish by gently shaking the fillets in the bag; reserve the coating ingredients in the paper bag.
Place fillets in a baking pan with rack, bake for 20 minutes. The fish fillets are done when they flake apart with a fork.
Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the yellow onion, mushrooms, green onions and garlic until the onions are tender; stir frequently. Seasoned with salt and pepper according to taste.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday

Chicken Mole with Rice

Tuesday

Cheesy Chicken

Courtesy Mommy of Three

Wednesday

Taco Salad

Thursday

Fettuccine shrimp alfredo

Friday

Date Night

Saturday

Baked Parmesan Fish with Pasta

Sunday

Roasted chicken

Roasted Vegetables with rosemary sauce

Mixed Salad

Garlic cheese biscuits

Friday's Feast #161

Appetizer
What is your favorite type of art?
Hmmm, I'm not really into art so I have no clue... whatever is pretty. lol

Soup
When was the last time you got a free lunch (or breakfast or dinner)? Who paid for it?
I got a free lunch a few months ago when I was in Dallas. My boss paid for it.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how emotional are you?
Whoa. I'd have to say 9.9999 hehe Im pretty emotional and sensitive.

Main Course
Approximately how long do you spend each day responding to emails?
Most of my working day is responding to emails... I'd have to say about 6-7 hours.

Dessert
To what temperature do you usually set your home’s thermostat?
We like it cold in our house... it usually stays at around 68

Menu Plan Monday

Monday
Left over chicken soup

Tuesday
Patrick's Birthday :)
Hobo mini meat loaves
Mac and cheese

Wednesday
Chicken Milan

Thursday
Salmon Piccata

Friday
Out of town

Saturday
Out of town

Sunday
Out of town

40 Cloves of Garlic Chicken

The picture doesn't do it one bit of justice, but this take on Ina Garten's 40 cloves of garlic chicken was FAB. This was a first timer for the both of us so I am not quite sure how it was supposed to actually taste, but the way it turned out suited us just fine. Below is my take on the recipe.... enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 whole heads garlic, about 40 cloves
1 family pack chicken thighs (about 6-8 pieces)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons dried thyme
4 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Separate the cloves of garlic and drop them into a pot of boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain the garlic and peel. Set aside.

Dry the chicken with paper towels. Season liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. In batches, saute the chicken in the fat, skin side down first, until nicely browned, about 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Turn with tongs or a spatula; you don't want to pierce the skin with a fork. If the fat is burning, turn the heat down to medium. When a batch is done, transfer it to a plate and continue to saute all the chicken in batches. Remove the last chicken to the plate and add all of the garlic to the pot. Lower the heat and saute for 5 to 10 minutes, turning often, until evenly browned. Add 1 cup chicken stock and the wine, return to a boil, and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot with the juices and sprinkle with the thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer over the lowest heat for about 30 minutes, until all the chicken is done.
Remove the chicken to a platter. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the sauce and the flour and then whisk it back into the sauce in the pot. Raise the heat, add the remaining chicken stock and the cream, and boil for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste; it should be very flavorful because chicken tends to be bland. Add the chicken back to the pot and heat through. I served this with white rice and green beans.

Stuffed Shells

Have you ever stuffed a shell? It's not as easy as it looks, but the outcome was excellent. It was a bit rich for me so I only ate half of my serving. Patrick wanted the garlic cheese biscuits as well but I said no way... TOO MUCH CHEESE! This is the second recipe of Giada de Laurentils that I've tried and have loved. She really knows what she's doing!




Stuffed Shells
Courtesy Giada De Laurentils

Shells: 1 (12-ounce) package jumbo shells pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound thick-cut pancetta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes (or regular bacon)
2 pounds frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta
1 cup grated asiago cheese (I used a store bought Italian mixture)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter 1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup cream
2 cups grated asiago cheese, plus 1/4 cup
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the shells: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta cheese, asiago cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Stuff the shells with about 2 tablespoons of the spinach mixture each and place the stuffed shells in a large, buttered baking dish.

For the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to very low and add the 2 cups asiago cheese, parsley, and pepper. Stir until the cheese is dissolved. Pour the sauce over the shells. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup asiago cheese. Bake until golden on top, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Substitutions

Substitutions
Courtesy www.cheapcooking.com

Uh-Oh! Recipe looks interesting but you're missing an ingredient? Maybe this list can help.

Baking powder: 1 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar for each teaspoon of baking powder.

Beer: Use apple cider or beef broth

Bread crumbs: Use an equal amount of crushed crackers or oats

Butter: You can substitute an equal amount of regular margarine, but not light versions, whipped versions, or vegetable oil spread. You can substitute shortening, although the taste won't quite be the same. If the recipe calls for melted butter, you can also use vegetable oil.

Buttermilk or sour milk: For each cup, add 1 Tbs lemon juice or white vinegar to milk and let stand a few minutes. Or use yogurt.

Cake flour: 1 cup regular flour minus 2 Tbs will work out about the same as 1 cup of cake flour

Corn syrup: For each cup add 1/4 water to 1 cup granulated sugar.

Eggs: 1 Tbs. soy flour plus 1 Tbs. water for each egg. For baking, you can try substituting 2 Tbs mayonnaise for each egg.

Honey: 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 1/4 cup water or apple juice

Lemon juice: use an equivalent amount of white vinegar

Lemon zest: 1/2 tsp lemon extract for every teaspoon of zest

Mayonnaise: Use an equal amount of yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese blended until smooth. If you have some mayonnaise but not enough, use up what you've got and then use the substitution for the rest.

Poultry seasoning: 1/4 tsp thyme and 3/4 teaspoon sage for each teaspoon

Pumpkin or apple pie spice: For each teaspoon, use 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, 1/8 tsp allspice and 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Self-rising flour: Add 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to each cup of regular flour.

Shortening: If you're baking and a recipe calls for shortening, you can usually substitute an equal amount of butter or margarine successfully. Don't try to use the whipped, light margarines, or vegetable oil spreads. If the recipe calls for melted shortening, you can use melted butter or margarine or a vegetable oil.

Sour cream: Use plain yogurt instead.

Tomato juice: For each cup, use 1/2 cup tomato sauce and 1/2 cup water.

Tomato paste: For each 1/2 cup, use 1 cup tomato sauce cooked uncovered until reduced to 1/2 cup.

Tomato sauce: For each cup, use 3/4 cup tomato paste plus 1 cup water.

Wine: For red wine, substitute beef broth, tomato juice, or water. For white wine substitute grape juice, apple juice, chicken broth or water.

Yogurt: Use sour cream instead.

In Loving Memory

Brussel Sprouts

I remember when I was around 5 or so I sat at the kitchen table for hours until I finished the brussel sprouts my Mom served me. I don't remember if I ended up eating them or not, but I do remember trying to put them in a napkin and into my shorts pocket. All my life I've avoided them, except for tonight. The other night Ina Garten made them on her show and made them look so delicious. So, I made them tonight and they looked pretty, but I tried to put them in a napkin and put them in my pocket again. I just don't like the taste of brussel sprouts! I didn't like them when I was 5 and I don't like them when I'm 29! So, if you likey them, here is a pic and the recipe. I definitely won't be making them again and I know this won't hurt Patrick's feelings.

2 tablespoons good olive oil
6 ounces Italian pancetta or bacon, 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts (2 containers), trimmed and cut in 1/2
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup golden raisins
1 3/4 cups Chicken Stock or Broth

Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan and add the pancetta. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is golden brown and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta to a plate lined with a paper towel. Add the Brussels sprouts, salt, and pepper to the fat in the pan and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the raisins and chicken stock. Lower the heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts are tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. If the skillet becomes too dry, add a little chicken stock or water. Return the pancetta to the pan, heat through, season to taste, and serve.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Garlic Cheesy Biscuits
Courtesy Paula Dean

OMGOSH... these are soooooooooooooo good! And super easy! I will definitely be making these again soon. They almost taste like the Red Lobster biscuits.

1 1/4 cups biscuit mix
1/2 cup grated sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup water

Garlic Butter:
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I just spread vegetable oil with a paper towel on the pan) Combine the biscuit mix and cheese in a small bowl. Add the water and stir just until combined. The dough will be slightly moist. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the biscuits are firm and beginning to brown. While the biscuits are baking, make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic powder, salt, and parsley flakes. Mix well. As soon as you bring the biscuits from the oven, brush them with the garlic butter using a pastry brush.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday

Left over pot roast

Left over Brussel sprouts

Roasted potatoes

Tuesday

Shells with pancetta & spinach

Mixed vegetables

Wednesday

Chicken Tetrazini (recipe below)

Thursday

Salmon wrapped in prosciutto

green beans

mushroom rice

Friday

Date night- hubby's taking me out

(I guess I need to tell him!) hehe

Saturday

40 cloves of garlic chicken

mashed potatoes

mixed veggies

Sunday

Homemade chicken soup (recipe below)

Thanks to Laura for hosting Menu Plan Monday. Check out her site and other recipes here!

Chicken Tetrazini:

1 family package chicken thighs

angel hair pasta, cooked per package directions

1 small onion, chopped

1 large can cream of mushroom & chicken

1 small can evaporated milk

shredded cheddar cheese

2-3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter

bread crumbs

In large saucepan melt butter, add onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes

Add cream of mushroom, chicken broth and 1/2 can of evaporated milk

Once heated through add cooked noodles and incorporate sauce

Mix in about a cup of cheddar cheese

Transfer to casserole dish and top with more cheese and bread crumbs

Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly at 180c or 350f

Chicken Soup:

4-6 pieces chicken thighs/legs

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2-3 potatoes, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1 cup rice

1 small can tomato sauce

6-8 cups of water

salt

Boil chicken in water with bouillon cubes

Add potatoes, rice, carrots and celery

Cook until vegetables are tender (about 20 minutes)

Salt to taste then

Add tomato sauce and cabbage. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Hmmmm mmmm good!

Chicken and Rice Bake

I didn't feel like cooking tonight (for once) so I put this together in a casserole dish and threw it in the oven. Patrick said it was very tasty and even had two servings. Next time I will precook the rice and add the chicken towards the end so it will be a little juicier.

Chicken and Rice Bake

Courtesy Nicole

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

1 can cream of mushroom & chicken soup

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup long grain rice

frozen vegetables (I used 2 small packets)

cheddar cheese, shredded

season to taste with the following:

onion salt

garlic powder

black pepper

Directions:

Mix soup, broth, rice and vegetables together in casserole dish and season to taste. Place chicken breasts on top of mixture. Bake in oven at 180 c for about 20 minutes. Add shredded cheese on top of chicken and cook for additional 5 minutes. That's it! Enjoy!

Seafood Quesadillas

Oooohh wheee!!! These were really good! I didn't go by a recipe (I don't think it even requires one). The only difficult part of making these were trying to flip them over in the pan without everything falling out. Good times... lol By the way, the ingredients below are only what I used, of course you can make it any ole' way you like. Oh and another cool thing about quesadillas... you can put what each person likes in their own quesadilla. So if you like onions you can stack them up and the fussy ones can stay away!

Patrick's review: "Switch off your phone cause you don't want anyone calling while you are eating this." LOL his reviews really crack me up

Seafood Quesadillas

Courtesy Nicole

Ingredients:

Button mushrooms, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 types of shredded cheese (cheddar & leicester)

Cilantro

Flour tortillas

Kielbasa sausage, diced

4 garlic cloves

paprika

onion powder

poultry seasoning

Directions:

Sautee mushrooms and onions in a little oil, remove to a bowl

Cook shrimp, sausage, garlic and spices until shrimp is pink

Layer cheese on one piece of tortilla, then add other ingredients as you like

Add more cheese and top with other piece of tortilla

Heat a bit of oil and butter in a non-stick pan

Place the quesadilla in the pan until one side is lightly brown and repeat with other side

Serve with guacamole and sour cream

Mexican Chicken

This is my absolute favorite. My Grandma made it for us growing up then I learned how to make it. I haven't posted it on the blog because my fussy dear husband doesn't care for it. (The red sauce puts him off) LOL Anyway- here is the recipe. When I get home next month I'll make it and post a photo. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1-2 pkg chicken, shredded (I think it's best with dark meat, but use whatever you like)
I've also used rotisserie chicken in this and it's SO good!
1 can taco sauce
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom sauce
1 cup chicken broth
shredded cheese (Mexican style is good)
1-2 bags fritos crushed

Directions:
Mix sauces, shredded chicken and a bit of the broth together in a large bowl
Layer like a lasagna
First layer - chicken sauce mix
Second layer- fritos
Third layer - cheese
Layer as many times as possible and top with cheese
Bake in the oven at 350 until bubbly hot (usually around 20 minutes)

PS- Double the recipe for more than 4 peeps.

Right after I posted this recipe I found this website http://www.mexgrocer.co.uk/home.php So, that means I'll be able to make Mexican dishes now. YAY!

Oops I won't do it again......

Awww look how excited I was about the Sesame Chicken. I even took a picture of the prep work! I followed this recipe almost exactly as directed. I tripled the sauce (and added honey) because I most of the reviews said that it lacked sauce and it was still dry!!! Also, someone mentioned to coat the chicken with corn flour and egg, which I did. So I have no idea WHY it didn't turn out all that good. Maybe my expectations were too high. I know it wasn't from lack of love because I gave this dish my heart and soul. lol I mean, the dish overall had a good taste, it was just different and not at all what we expected. I was so looking forward to my favorite Chinese dish. Maybe it was because I used ground ginger, not fresh? Or maybe I shouldn't have taken that reviewer's advice and coated the chicken? Oh who knows.... all I know is it's sitting in the refrigerator waiting for a remedy. So, I'm on the lookout for a new Sesame Chicken recipe. If anyone has an idea please pass it my way. I'd be oh so grateful!

Look how pretty it looks!!! Why oh why couldn't you be as good as you look?

White Sauce Stroganoff

I borrowed this from Edibles and Economics. DH loved it! I added cream cheese, poultry seasoning and regular salt since I didn't have garlic salt. This was simple and "delish". Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

I'm very excited about this week's menu. I can't wait for Wednesday's sesame chicken. I've searched several Chinese restaurants here and nobody makes it. So, I am trying it myself. I'm going home in October for a few weeks and will have some family recipes up. (can't make them here cause I can't find the ingredients) I can't wait for that either!! Thanks to Laura for organizing Menu Plan Monday. Check out other great recipes here.

Monday

White Sauce Stroganoff

Mixed Vegetables

Tuesday

Chicken Milan

Wednesday

Sesame Chicken

White Rice

Thursday

Seafood Quesadillas

Homemade guacamole (recipe below)

Salad

Friday

Leftover Night

Saturday

Pork schnitzel with mushrooms

Spaetzle

(I'm making this on the weekend....Just in case I mess it up we can go for Chinese)

Sunday

Grill Hamburgers

French Fries (aka Chips)

Salad

Guacamole:

4-5 avocadoes

2 small tomatoes, diced

1 small red onion, diced

1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

salt to taste

zest and juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Smash avocadoes in a mixing bowl

Mix in tomatoes, onion, lemon zest, cilantro and lemon juice

Salt to taste

Top off with a bit more lemon juice (do not stir again)

Enjoy!

Garlic Chicken Fried Chicken

I originally planned to use this recipe but changed it quite a bit.

We both really liked it. Especially with the garlic mushroom sauce on it. This meal was simple and fast clean up.

INGREDIENTS
4 teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin

1. In a shallow dish, mix together the garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika, bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.

2. Instead of frying the chicken I baked it in the oven around 350 for 15 minutes.