Menu Plan Monday

This post is this week's menu plan AND last week's--I'm posting last week's just so it can get into the archives!

Bring on the cold weather--we're ready for it with these comforting favorites.

Last week:

Monday
Roasted Pork Loin Filet
Stuffing
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

Tuesday
BLTs on homemade Challah
Broccoli Slaw

Wednesday
Aglio e Olio

Thursday/Gluttony Day
Veggies and Ranch Dip
Fresh Fruit and fruit dip

Turkey and gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Stuffing
Corn Dish
Green Bean Casserole
Southern Green Beans
Boiled Onions (uck.)
Yams
Buttery Crescent Rolls
Challah Rolls

Caramel Apple Pie
Apple Pie
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Cherry Pie
Maple Walnut Tarts
Chocolate Cream Tarts

Friday
Hot Turkey Salad

Saturday
Out to dinner! I got a French Dip sandwich, Abe got a Monte Cristo (which I just don't understand)

Sunday
White Turkey Chili, with cheddar cheese and sour cream


This week:

Monday
Pizza Margherita
Bacon and Pineapple Pizza
Sausage Pizza
Salad

Tuesday
Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Chicken
Spicy Orzo
Green Beans Amandine

Wednesday
Shepherd's Pie

Thursday
Breaded Pork Chops
Scalloped Potatoes
Buttered Peas

Friday
Leftovers (I'm helping host a Bridal shower, and we're having a Taco/Nacho Bar and a Cheesecake Bar)

Saturday
Chili 5 ways (with beans, onions, noodles, and cheese)

Sunday
Leftovers (or Chinese takeout--fingers crossed!)

Menu Plan Monday

This week:

Monday
Chicken Noodle Soup
French Bread

Tuesday
Grilled Steak
Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Salad

Wednesday
Brats with onions and peppers
Homemade buns
Mac and Cheese

Thursday
Sesame Chicken
White Rice
Stir fried snow peas with sesame oil and soy sauce

Friday
Cheeseburgers
Fries
Salad

Saturday
Cheesy Potato Soup with Ham

Sunday
Leftovers

Menu Plan Monday

So tired today! And we're getting a beef order soon, so I'm trying to clear out some space in the freezer. Any of these meals may make way for a beef something-or-other if my beef situation seems dire when I survey it today. But here's a first draft, anyway.

Monday
Hungarian Braised Short Ribs
Jasmine Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday
Chicken Enchiladas
Salad

Wednesday
Stuffed Shells

Thursday
Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Crash Hot Potatoes
Carrots

Friday
Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder
OR
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (my Panera copycat)
Homemade Crescent Rolls

Saturday (we never had this meal last week, so it's a hold-over)
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Leftover Veggies

Sunday
Leftover Smorgasbord

Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes

Every September, we plan a day at the fair. Abe takes the afternoon off from work, and we head out to see the animal barns, ride rides, and eat lots of yummy fair food. Ah, fair food. You can have the animal barns and rides, and I'd still show up for onion rings, elephant ears, and cotton candy. And french fries. And those lemonade shake-ups that are so grossly overpriced. There is a point, though, where you have to say THAT'S ENOUGH with the fair food, and this year, I hit that point early. I began to feel a bit eck from all of the sugar and grease, and I knew I needed something that more closely resembled actual food. I headed over to the Greek food vendor for a roasted chicken gyro, which was oh-so-delicious and made me feel much better. But the wonder of wonders that emerged from that foot cart was Greek Potatoes. They were "broasted," and topped with a butter/garlic/oregano sauce that completely made my year. Of course, even as I was stuffing my face with these tasty spuds, I was plotting to re-create them at home.

One thing I did want to change, though, was the deep-fried nature of these potatoes. I thought they'd be even tastier roasted--less greasy, more potatoey--and I was right. Tossed with all of the other Greeky ingredients, these roasted up to be tender, yummy gems. An added bonus: they were so easy...and infinitely cheaper than buying them at the fair!

Greeky Greek Potatoes

5 small/medium potatoes (I used russets, but yukon golds would be KILLER)
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp.melted butter
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
Kosher salt
Ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Combine lemon juice, olive oil, butter, oregano, garlic powder, and garlic, and pour over potatoes. Toss to make sure potatoes are coated, then season with salt and pepper as desired. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and browned, stirring occasionally to make sure the potatoes are covered in the flavorful oil mixture!

Menu Plan Monday

I've been looking back at some menu plan posts from last year, and I may be in a rut. Sadly, I do not plan to do anything about it this week!

Monday
Spaghetti with Italian Sausage

Tuesday
"Shake and Bake"-style baked Chicken
Stuffing
Green Beans

Wednesday
I'm undecided. It will either be:
Chicken Fettucine with Alfredo Herb Sauce
OR
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
OR
Chicken Bacon Corn Chowder.
It will depend on my mood that day.

Thursday
Beef Vegetable Noodle Soup
Salad
Homemade Dinner Rolls
Pie (dutch apple or blueberry)

Friday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes with French Fried Onions
Peas

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Pork Tenderloin cutlets with Apricot Glaze
Rice Pilaf with Slivered Almonds
Glazed Carrots

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's in store for this week: (we have a lot of salad--I bought some this week and didn't remember we already had some in the fridge!)

Monday (we didn't have this last week...)
Apple-stuffed Roasted Pork Loin
Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes
Broccoli (last of our garden's bounty!)

Tuesday
Maple-Orange Glazed Chicken
Nutty Rice Pilaf
Salad

Wednesday
Chili 5 Ways

Thursday
Cuban Panini (Medianoche)
Yellow Rice
Salad

Friday
Beef Short Ribs
Herbed Egg Noodles
Salad

Hopefully, I'll have a recipe or two posted this week, too. Cuban Panini, Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes, or Cinnamon Rolls. Any preference?

Menu Plan Monday

My parents were here this weekend to watch our kids while we attended family wedding festivities, and while they were here, my mom cooked up a storm. She made barbecued beef sandwiches, homemade pizza, and meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. We also have leftover quiche from Saturday morning. We are STOCKED UP. So we'll probably pepper our dinners this week with some leftovers, and since I'm not going grocery shopping this week, we're having a pantry festival--dinners made with whatever is on hand. I still need to take stock of what we have before I come up with a menu, but I'd like to try this one week a month: skip the grocery store, the hassle, and the expense, and make do. I'll let you know how it goes!

And later today, I'll post my menu plan. See you soon!

Oh, yeah...

Monday
Leftover Buffet

Tuesday
Beef and Noodles
Salad

Wednesday
Finish the leftovers

Thursday
Pork Loin Medallions with apricot glaze
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli

Friday
Shredded Beef Nachos with Queso
Refried Beans
Pan Roasted Corn

Saturday
Tomato Soup
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with bacon (on homemade Challah)

Sunday
Takeout

Menu Plan Monday

...a day late. It's a weird week for menu planning because a) my parents are coming to visit this weekend and b) we have a family wedding this weekend, but here's what I've got so far...

Monday
Homemade chicken egg rolls (EASY!)
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice

Tuesday
Pot Roast
Carrots
Garlic Bread

Wednesday
Baked Potato Soup

Thursday
Someone brings us a meal, maybe?
If not, then it'll be Turkey dinner.

Friday
Attend rehearsal dinner Pig Roast

Saturday
TBA lunch (Mom?)
Dinner reception at the country club (!! Fancy!!)

Sunday
Who knows? Any ideas, Mom?

I've got some desserts on tap, though:
"McDonald's" Fried Apple Pies (because of all of the extra egg roll wrappers)
Homemade chewy granola bars

I may also try to make some mozzarella appetizers with the extra wrappers. Yum!

Uncle Abe's Soft Pretzels

Okay, this one needs no story. This is just a recipe that is an amalgam of recipes claiming to be similar to "Mall" pretzels (you know the kind). I made these for the first time yesterday, and Abe thinks they're spot-on. I think they could use a bit more chewiness, so I've added in a bit of bread flour into the recipe. But if you don't have bread flour, don't sweat it--I used all all-purpose yesterday, and they still turned out really well. I ate four of them.

Soft Pretzels

4 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tsp. white sugar
1 1/4 c. warm water

1 c. bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
all-purpose flour *

1/4 c. baking soda
2 c. hot water

kosher or sea salt, or pretzel salt, if you've got it
3 Tbsp. melted butter

FIRST, mix together the yeast, 1 tsp. sugar, and 1 1/4 c. warm water, and set aside for 5 minutes to let the yeast get foamy. When it has, add in the oil.

Then, in a large bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the yeast mixture, *and then continue to add all-purpose flour until it makes a soft dough. (approx. 3-4 cups.) Turn dough onto a well-floured counter top, and knead in more flour until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to an oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about an hour).

In a large bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the hot water.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Dump the dough out onto the counter top and flatten slightly. Then, using a knife or pizza cutter, cut off a strip that is approximately 1/12th of the total dough. Roll it on the counter until it is about 16 inches long. Then, twist into the classic pretzel shape, dunk in the baking soda/water mixture, and transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet, or a cookie sheet that is well-greased. Repeat until all of the pretzels are twisted. You'll need two cookie sheets.

Then, sprinkle lightly with the salt, and pop into the hot oven. Bake for 4 minutes, then rotate baking sheets top-to-bottom and front-to-back. Bake until the pretzels are golden brown.

Remove from oven and brush with lots of melted butter. Enjoy!

Makes 12 pretzels.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's the tentative plan for this week.

Monday
Spaghetti and Meatballs

Tuesday
Roast Chicken
Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Glazed Carrots

Wednesday
Chicken Verde
Yellow Rice
Black Beans

Thursday
Short Ribs
Rice
Green Beans

Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Leftovers? McDonald's? Pizza? I won't be here, so it's anybody's guess!

I am currently recovering from a no-sleep week, so this week's menu reflects a little bit of that laziness! This week's menu is also a nod to the cooler weather we have in store for this week. Finally, comfort food sounds good again. Hello, fall food! I've missed you.

Monday
Beef and Peas over Savory Herb Noodles

Tuesday
Steak
Baked Potatoes
Salad with homemade croutons

Wednesday
Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday
Hot Chicken Salad
Salad

Friday
Ribs
Baked Mac n Cheese
Corn Dish

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Chinese takeout, hopefully!

Spicy Orzo

A girl I know had cravings for Long John Silvers' hush puppies when she was pregnant. Ordinarily, this wouldn't seem odd. But she had, in fact, never eaten a hush puppy before in her life, so the sudden desire for them was inexplicable. It turned out that she loved them. Go figure.

I am no longer pregnant, but I can totally relate with the inexplicable-craving phenomenon. I once craved sweet-n-sour sauce even though I'd never had it before, and I, too, loved it. It was as if my taste buds had become ready for it and let me know when it was time. A similar thing happened with this dish: I woke up one morning craving orzo. I'd had orzo before, and all it is is rice-shaped pasta, so it was strange that I would crave orzo and not a pasta more familiar to me, like farfalle or rotini. But there it was: I HAD TO HAVE orzo.

Wouldn't you know it? I couldn't find orzo anywhere. I didn't think it was that uncommon of an item until I was craving it and couldn't find it in any store I visited. I even visited stores I don't usually frequent in the hope that they would carry these tiny little bits of pasta that were driving me slowly insane. They didn't.

Then some WEEKS later, when the craving had subsided, I was making my routine pass through the pasta aisle, and there they were, plain as day. Maybe they had been there all the time. I will never know. But I was still ready for them, so I purchased three boxes. I didn't want to be caught craving them with no recourse.

I still didn't know what I wanted to do with the orzo, but garlic sounded good. And butter. And my garden was exploding with basil; that sounded pretty good, too. And you know what else? Heat. Heat sounded good. When all is said and done, this recipe is probably closer to authentic Aglio e Olio than my actual Aglio e Olio recipe. But I think it works better here in this application with orzo than it would with any other pasta. The resulting dish is creamy, reminiscent of a risotto, with a lot of heat and flavor. AND it only takes about 12 minutes to make! Now, not only is the original orzo-something-or-other craving satisfied, but I've created a new item for me to crave. Let's get started, shall we?

Spicy Orzo

3 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, pressed or very finely chopped
1/8-1/4 tsp. dried red pepper flakes (depending on your preferred heat level)
ground black pepper
1 1/2 c. uncooked orzo
2 c. chicken stock or broth
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh basil, or 1 Tbsp dried basil

Melt butter in a saucepan and add garlic, dried red pepper flakes, black pepper, and he dried basil (if using--if you're using fresh, WAIT.). Saute over low-ish medium heat for about 30 seconds, just to infuse the butter with the flavors, then add the orzo. Saute for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Slowly pour the chicken stock into the orzo mixture, and bring to a boil. After it comes to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes, or until the stock is nearly absorbed and orzo is tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat, stir in parmesan and fresh basil (if using), and serve immediately. You may add a tablespoon or two of olive oil if you wish to keep the grains more separate or don't plan to serve it in the next three minutes.

Serves 4 as a side dish.

Menu what?

Hello mom! Yes, I have not posted plans in two weeks. Last week, I was simply too lazy to come up with one, but here were some highlights: Scalloped potatoes with ham, Taco soup with cilantro-lime rice, and pot roast with carrots and garlic and dill potatoes. Also, we had a County Fair meal which I will blog about later. Fall is here, no matter what the thermometer says.

This week is a different story. This week a deadline I had not been thinking about presented itself. Also, I have a bushel of corn shoved into my fridge awaiting its time for freezing. Yesterday afternoon, I babysat for a friend's kids. And last night, I was up until 1:45 with kids who were having sleeping/obedience issues. So far this week's meal highlights have been take-and-bake pizza, frozen pizza, frozen chicken nuggets, and Kraft mac'n'cheese, and I sense that similar things will show up on the menu later this week, too.

But after the craziness subsides, I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things with some smoked and grilled spareribs with my homemade BBQ rub, chicken pot pie, steak and smashed potatoes, fruit-glazed pork filets with herbed noodles, and Korean braised short ribs. I also need to make about 12 more batches of pesto to freeze, and we'll probably have a chicken/pesto cream sauce/pine nut/parmesan pasta dish to use some of it up. And I've been dreaming about a chicken gyro I had at the fair, and the delicious oregano/garlic/butter potatoes that came with it. I'll probably try to tackle those soon, too. Oh, man. I can't wait.

But I have to wait. I have other things to tackle this week, and I wouldn't enjoy cooking with guilt.

Back soon, and I've got some recipes up my sleeve, including a really tasty tzatziki sauce and a spicy orzo dish that is my new favorite! I've also noticed some gaping holes in my recipe collection that need to be plugged with some of our family favorites, like taco soup and chicken pot pie. So when time allows it again, I'll get those up! See you then!

Magnum Opus

Last night, I went nuts and made a meal for our history books. To quote Abe, "I love it when we have ribs, grilled chicken, red potatoes and green beans, baked beans, fresh corn, corn muffins, and a peach and blueberry tart...on a Thursday."

It started out simply--I had a rack of ribs that I wanted to smoke on our charcoal grill, and I thought I'd pair them with some baked beans, fresh corn (because I'm freezing bushels of it this week), and corn muffins. Then I decided to invite Abe's sister's family over, so I added the other stuff to the menu. It is probably Abe's favorite meal of all of the meals I have prepared for him thus far.

Along the way, I tried some new recipes (like a bbq rub and the potato and green bean dish, and the ribs themselves) andd perfected some old ones (like the barbecue sauce and grilled chicken) and I will be posting them shortly! Stay tuned!

Post-Labor Day Menu Plan

Labor Day. It's a funny holiday, really. It was first conceived to honor workers who labor for the union (like my hubby), but in recent years, I've seen lots of Happy Labor Day commercials that honor mothers who have gone through labor (me--three times). In reality, it's really a farewell-to-summer celebration and has nothing to do with either of the above anymore. Do you ever take a moment during YOUR cookout to remember your local Union leaders? Probably not.

This year's labor day, for us, featured a lot of actual labor. My house was a mess and people were coming over, so I labored all morning to get it picked up. And my hubby had several friends and family members over to help him labor on the house--namely, putting up the trim on the windows, a step that precedes siding installation. And there was no cookout. We had Subway sandwiches for lunch. And really, we had Subway sandwiches for dinner, because "lunch" didn't happen until about 4. Then our renter and his fiancee had a grilled pizza/nacho fest in our backyard that night, which we totally crashed. So no cooking for me yesterday! Viva Organized Labor and ambitious renters!

Without further ado, here's the plan for today and the rest of this week.

Tuesday (it's gonna be a hot one today)
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Caprese Salad
Chips

Wednesday
Strawberry Grilled Chicken Salad with feta, almonds, onion and raspberry vinaigrette over Organic Herb Mix greens

Thursday
Ribs (forgot to thaw them last week)
Baked Beans
Peach Cobbler

Friday
Burgers
Oven Fries tossed with fresh dill

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Pasta Salad with leftover chicken, basil, shredded mozarella, and grape tomatoes

Menu Plan Monday

Sorry about last week. It was Thursday before I realized I hadn't posted my menu plan, and by then, I figured it was too late anyway. Here's what's on deck for this week:

Monday
Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops
Salad
Cheesy Herb Loaf

Tuesday
Crock Pot Smoked Sausage
Crock Pot Potatoes
Roasted Green Beans

Wednesday
Turkey Club Sandwiches on Homemade Challah
Caesar Salad
Peach Cobbler

Thursday
Ribs
Baked Beans
Broccoli Salad

Friday
Barbecued Chicken
Dilly Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Melon

Menu Plan Monday

A couple of holdovers this week after plans changed last week. Nothing earth-shattering, just family favorites! Have a great week!

Monday
Aglio e Olio with Chicken
Salad

Tuesday
Stuffed Burgers
Grilled Yukon Golds
Sauteed Zucchini with garlic

Wednesday
Calzones
Watermelon

Thursday
EATING OUT!!!

Friday
Brinner:
Pancakes
Bacon
Hashbrown casserole
Strawberries

Saturday
Leftovers/Sandwiches, etc. (Clean out the fridge day!)

Sunday
Subway sandwiches

Menu Plan Monday

...on Tuesday. A wonderful friend of mine gave us a gift card for maid service for after our baby was born. Today, I redeemed that gift card. How nice that things got clean in my absence! Alas, they do not de-clutter, so I spent most of yesterday just trying to get things to their rightful put-away places. Menu Plan Monday fell by the wayside.

I do have a plan, though. I have to--this weekend, we're hosting my brother, sister-in-law, and their son, and also my Mom and Dad. I've got to get my ducks in a row when I'm cooking for a crowd.

Monday
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Mac n Cheese
Broccoli Slaw

Tuesday
Turkey Tenderloin
Potatoes Au Gratin
Salad

Wednesday
Clean-out-the-fridge night

Thursday
Calzones

Friday
Breakfast: Hashbrown casserole, melon
Lunch: Grilled Chicken Salad
Dinner:Chicken Verde Burritos
Black Beans
Yellow Rice

Saturday
Breakfast: Sausage and Cheddar Quiche, Blueberries, Toast
Lunch: Sandwiches, Chips, Cookies, etc.
Dinner: Grill out-fest: Brats, Italian Sausage, Potato Salad, Baked Beans

Sunday
Breakfast: Bagels, Cereal, etc.
Lunch: Aglio e Olio w/ Chicken
Dinner: Pizza? Chinese? Some sort of takeout

Naan (Indian Flatbread)

Generally speaking, I like to prepare things that my husband will enjoy eating. The kids, after all, are at that stage where they don't really care about food enjoyment--if it's not candy, it's only good to sustain life. (Unless we're talking about McNuggets, which is a different story.) Anyway, I happen to know that one of my husband's all-time favorite sandwiches is a Chicken Pesto sandwich from a local restaurant. I've had the sandwich, and it's good, but it's basic--nothing that couldn't be re-created at home. So this week, I sought out to do that very thing.

The sandwich consists of grilled chicken, pesto, salad greens, and diced tomatoes (which my husband skips), all sandwiched between two pieces of flatbread. Well, grilled chicken is easy enough. Salad greens? Just snip some from the garden. As for pesto? Well, see this other post. I added thin slices of fresh mozzarella, and sliced tomatoes (for me and for the kids), because you can't go wrong with the mozzarella/tomato/pesto combination. That left the flatbread.

I didn't want to purchase flatbread because HELLO, have you seen the prices on that sort of thing? Besides, how hard can it be to make? I remembered a recipe I had tried back in the day from a very old Fleischman's Yeast promotional recipe booklet--called "Arab Bread," it was the nearest thing I've ever had to a flatbread I ate while on a missions trip to the Dominican Republic in high school. It was good, but I thought that it might be a bit too thick and dense for a sandwich. Then I thought of Naan. I'd seen it in the grocery store, and I knew that it is traditionally served with Indian cuisine (which I don't like). It looked thin, but substantial enough to hold together for a sandwich--in short, perfect for this application. The main drawback, again, was that it was so blooming expensive, I couldn't justify purchasing it. I'd have to try to make it.

I went online to Allrecipes.com, my go-to for recipe basics, and sorted Naan recipes by rating. The recipe I chose to try was the highest rated recipe, which even readers from Naan-eating countries deemed closest to the real thing. I made the dough on Tuesday for Grilled Pizza and liked it so much, I made it again on Thursday for my Grilled Chicken Pesto Sandwiches. The long and the short of it is this: Abe actually thought this sandwich was better than its restaurant-originated counterpart, due in large part to the bread. As a matter of fact, as I was finishing up this post, Abe came home from work, rummaged furiously through the fridge and asked, "Do we have any more of that bread??"

I do not take a compliment from Abe very lightly. This recipe is a keeper! It's also EASY, even if you don't have a mixer suitable for making bread--the dough is very soft and pliable, very easy to work with. And the cooking time is brief--the bread cooks on the stove top, so there's no need to heat your oven or your house. For me, this is a big plus in summertime! So there you have it. I don't like Indian food, except for Naan. Please give this wonderful flatbread a try! It's super for sandwiches, for grilled pizza, or just for eating with spreads like hummus, if you like that sort of thing. Go forth with confidence.

Note: I've just looked over the instructions, and man, am I WORDY. But read through it, and you'll see that even though I used a lot of words to describe the process, it's still really simple. Don't be put off my my inability to self-edit.

Naan
adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 pkg. yeast (approx. 2 1/4 tsp)
1 c. warm water
1/4 c. sugar, divided (1 Tbsp. and 3 Tbsp.)
3 Tbsp. milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
approx. 4 1/2 c. bread flour*
melted butter
1 tsp. garlic powder

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the warm water and the sugar. Sprinkle yeast over surface of water to moisten, and wait about 5-10 minutes for it to "proof," or get foamy. If it doesn't get foamy, try again--this means your yeast has DIED. RIP.

In the meantime, whisk together the milk and the egg. Combine the remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. When the yeast is done proofing, dump in the milk mixture and combine, then dump in the sugar mixture, and stir to combine. Then begin adding flour. *I don't even measure the flour at this point, because the important thing is just to add in flour until the mixture forms a dough and pulls away from the side of the bowl. I seriously doubt I use 4 1/2 cups, as the recipe calls for, but you'll want to have this much on hand just in case, I suppose.

When you've stirred in as much flour as it will incorporate, knead the dough a few times on the counter just to get it smooth and not sticky. Transfer to an oiled bowl and turn to coat (or just brush it with a little oil). Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until it's doubled in size. [I like to fill a 2 c. measuring cup with water and bring it to a boil in the microwave, then put the dough into the micro. with the hot water, and let it rise there--using this method, I only let it rise 45 minutes, and it's already doubled]

After it has doubled, turn it out on a floured countertop and flatten it, then divide it into 6-8 pieces (depending on how large you want your bread). Shape the pieces into balls, spray with a bit of oil or non-stick spray, and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let rise for about 30 minutes.

Right before you're ready to cook the bread, melt the butter and mix in the garlic powder.

Now, the fun part: heat up a griddle or a large non-stick skillet to medium-high heat. Stretch your dough into flatbreads--make them very thin, because they'll puff up quite a bit! Toss the bread right onto the griddle or pan, cook for about 2-3 minutes, then flip, and cook for 2-3 more. Most of the dough will still be very light in color, but it will have darker spots where it bubbled and had contact with the pan. Remove from the pan and brush with the butter. Repeat as needed.

NOW. Last night, I only used half the dough, used the grill side of my griddle pan, and made four nearly dinner plate-sized breads, which I folded in half for the sandwiches. It took all of 10 minutes to cook the bread, and we served it warm. If you're using it for a crowd or for pizza, go ahead and use all the dough--even when I only used 3/4 of the recipe, it made 3 large pizzas. But it's so yummy, you may want to make it all, because then you can snack on it. It's that good.

Pesto

Yet another entry from the "I Thought It Would Be Gross" files. I first had pesto on a sandwich called St. Basil's Delight at a cute little restaurant in Grand Rapids called The Brittany Cafe. Just down a block or two from my place of employment, "The Brit" was a frequent lunch destination for us. We had plenty of opportunity to try menu items, and I personally wouldn't have ordered this one on my own, but my colleague and roommate, Beth, ordered the St. Basil and let me try a bite. I believe I said something along the lines of, "Basil, where have you been all my life?" or "Humminahumminahummina."

Armed with the knowledge that I liked pesto, I felt confident ordering a pesto dish at another Grand Rapids restaurant, this time the Bistro Bella Vita. Bistro Bella Vita is a little swankier than The Brit, so the fact that the pesto/pasta dish was the cheapest thing on the menu also influenced my decision to order. Thankfully, this combination of roasted chicken, bow tie pasta, toasted pine nuts, and a pesto cream sauce was magically delicious. At that point, having tried pesto in a sandwich and on pasta, and having liked it quite well in both instances, I added pesto to the list of Things I Like to Eat, and began seeking it out.

It was only natural, then, that I would want to try to make my own pesto. This summer, with our garden full to bursting with basil, seemed the perfect time to try it. I used this recipe, and it did not disappoint--I've eaten pesto on various foodstuffs three times in the past week. And with the stockpile of pesto I've already frozen using this recipe, I plan to keep on enjoying it for a long time.

Pesto

1 garlic clove
1/4 c. pine nuts or walnuts, toasted in a dry skillet
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
2 c. basil leaves
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/3 c. olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the garlic clove (sometimes I use more cloves if they're small), nuts, cheese, and basil together until it forms a stiff paste. Then, with the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil until it forms a slightly less-thick paste.

Pesto is great on a sandwich or pizza. To use it with pasta, combine it with about 1/2 c. of the pasta cooking water to thin it out a bit, then toss it with the pasta, and serve.

Yum! Give it a try!

Menu Plan Monday

Another summer week, another menu plan with seasonal eats. I'm so happy to be cooking again! You'll notice that I'm using the grill a bunch lately--I just can't get enough of that smoky charcoal-fire char flavor. I've also taken to throwing a few chunks of mesquite on for some added yum. Ah, I love summer.

Here's the plan:

Monday
Southwestern Salad with fresh corn, cilantro, and black beans, with Salsa Ranch dressing
Cilantro Lime Rice

Tuesday
Grilled Pizzas:
Margherita (with this week's splurge, fresh mozzarella)
Pepperoni

Wednesday
Roast Beef Sandwiches (from the crock pot--I've got some beef in my freezer to use up before we get our next order. These will either be Italian or BBQ)
Roasted Green Beans
Caprese Salad (to use up the rest of the mozz. and our overabundance of basil in the garden)

Thursday (crowded grill day)
Grilled Chicken Pesto Flatbread Sandwiches (pesto recipe to come, and maybe a flatbread recipe, if all goes well)
Grill-fried Potatoes with fresh dill (done in perforated foil pan on the grill)
Grilled Zucchini

Friday
Crock Pot Western-Style Pork Ribs with homemade BBQ sauce
Corn Pudding
Watermelon
Salad

Menu-Plan Friday

*Edited Saturday's Pasta Salad*

It's unorthodox, I know--menu plans should be posted on Monday. But my post-baby menu planning starts now, so here it is. After many months of not being able to cook for my family, I'm back in the game, and ready to start enjoying summer fare.

I don't even know if anyone reads this blog anymore--it's been so long--but just the same, I need the organization for myself, so I will continue to post Menu Plans! In a twist, I've decided to provide a few details about the items that appear on the menu, both to remind myself what I had in mind when making the menu plan and to perhaps inspire others' cooking efforts.

Friday
Grilled Asian-Glazed Chicken (brined chicken pieces, grilled over medium heat, glazed toward the end of cooking with 1/3 c. teriyaki, 3 Tbsp. sweet and sour sauce, 1 Tbsp. hoisin, 1 tsp. sesame oil, 1/8 tsp. chinese 5-spice powder, 1 clove garlic grated, 1 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. grill seasoning)
Sesame Teriyaki noodles (prepared noodles, "fried" in sesame ginger dressing, tossed with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro)
Cucumber slices

Saturday
Chicken Pasta Salad (leftover chicken, bowtie pasta, cucumbers, finely chopped fresh basil, shredded mozzarella cheese, grated parmesan, good seasons Italian dressing)
Croissants

Sunday
"Busy Day Macaroni"--provided by Debbie from Church

Monday
Steakhouse Salad (sliced grilled steak, lettuce greens, spinach, shredded cheddar and colby jack cheese, cukes, carrots, celery, hard boiled eggs, croutons, homemade ranch dressing)
Rolls

Tuesday
Smoked Pork Loin (marinated, with spice rub, prepared on charcoal grill with mesquite chips)
Herby Potatoes (boiled potatoes tossed with butter and herbs from the garden)
Leftover Salad

Wednesday
Cuban Sandwich Panini (thinly sliced pork, ham, mayo and dijon, pickle slices on sub buns, "pressed" on my stovetop grill pan)
Yellow Rice (packaged by Vigo)
Colored Pepper Rings

Thursday
Burgers Au Poivre (oblong burger patties spread with tiny bit of dijon, pressed into cracked black pepper, quickly fried)
Grandma Corn (simply fresh corn, cut off the cob, with all the milky kernel-y bits included, cooked with a splash of milk and butter, kosher salt, and pepper)
Watermelon

Friday
Dinner provided by Christy from church

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Remaining Leftovers or Subway ($5 footlongs, natch)

Menu something-or-other update

Hey, remember me? I used to post things about food here.

It has been a while.

I plan a return soon, just not this week--since Ruby arrived, we've been receiving meals from our friends from church, so every day's menu is a complete surprise to us. So far, we've gotten:

Chicken Divan, Rice, Salad, and Brownies from Jan B.
Chicken Pot Pie and rolls from Sue D. (1)
Beefy taco cornbread bake, green and red pepper and corn salad, and fruit salad from Laura B.

Tonight, I'm anticipating something Italian from Cathy K., who used to live in Italy, and tomorrow, Sue D. (2) promised us some beef.

Come next week, the meals are fewer , so I will have a few meals to plan, and I will post them here! I hope I remember how to do that...

KitchenAid giveaway! Enter NOW!

*EDITED TO ADD: this contest ends at 8:00 pm. Pacific time.*

The Pioneer Woman is hosting a giveaway of a real, new KitchenAid mixer at her site, and all you have to do is submit a favorite recipe in a comment to enter. Here's the link, but don't wait--these contests are usually only a few hours long! I believe she's going to announce the winner tomorrow.

Enter here

Even if you get there after the contest is over, take a peek at the comments--hundreds and hundreds of peoples' best recipes, ripe for the picking. And while you're there, check out her recipes, too. I haven't made many of them, but the ones I have made have turned out really well!

French Dip Sandwiches

This recipe comes from Ellen, and it's easy and good! First, I'll post her recipe verbatim, and then I'll add what we did to them the night we enjoyed them.

So, for the most important part, Ellen's recipe:

French Dip Sandwiches

chuck tender roast
can of coke
can of french onion soup
beef broth

in crock pot all day

shred

serve on french bread - dip in juice - delish!

See? Yummy. Except that I didn't have a can of Coke or a can of french onion soup. So I just used an envelope of onion soup mix mixed with a cup of water, and a cup or so of beef broth, and poured that over my chuck roast, and it was still good. I do think the Coke would give a really nice depth to the jus, but on this particular day, I wasn't up for a trip to the store for a can of Coke.

It's important that you use a chuck roast here, because a) the shreds will be just the right size, and b) it's a relatively cheap cut of beef that, because of its fat and marbling and connective tissue (that sounds gross) cooks up best over a log period of time, in liquid, on a low heat, a la a crock pot.

As for the sandwich assembly, the only thing I did differently was to open my buns, top them with some provolone cheese, and toast them under the broiler for a minute or two so the cheese would form a protective layer between the meat and the bread. That way, when you dip it in the jus, it doesn't fall apart. Admittedly, I mostly did this because I'm a tad bit OCD and always feel compelled to toast the bread I use for warm sandwiches. ALSO, I didn't have the more sturdy French bread that Ellen's recipe called for, which would obviously stand up wonderfully to the jus. But again, I wasn't up for a trip to the store to get some, so we made do with what we had. So if you're not up for it or think I'm being silly about the whole thing, or if you have French bread for these babies like you're supposed to, don't do the whole toasting thing. Or do. It's your choice. Either way, it will still be REALLY, REALLY good!

Thanks, Ellen!

Scalloped Potatoes

My sister-in-law called me one day, asking for my scalloped potato recipe.

"I don't really have one," I replied.

"What? But you make them all the time!" she said.

"Yes, but hardly ever with a recipe, and never the same way twice. I've just never hit upon the recipe that I like best, so I just continue the hunt every time I make them."

"Oh. Well. Never mind, then, I guess."

As I'm sure you've noticed if you've flipped through this blog at all, I have a love affair with potatoes. I will eat them in a house, and I will eat them with a mouse, I will eat them here or there, yes, I will eat them anywhere. And over the years, I've been fortunate enough to find or concoct recipes for potatoes that I've really loved in every category of preparation.

Except scalloped.

I first had scalloped potatoes as a child, when my family was dining with some friends. They were a potato lover's dream: wonderful flavor, simple, tender... I longed for those potatoes in my adult years, and thinking back to that first dish and how it must have been prepared, I reckon it involved potatoes, milk, flour, butter, and salt and pepper, and that's it. I must have tried every possible combination of those ingredients, but I never made scalloped potatoes that comforted me as much as those first scalloped potatoes. In fact, my sauce either turned out too thick and gloppy, or a more simple pour-the-milk-over preparation favored by many old-fashioned cookbooks yielded a curdled, tasteless mess.

But there's this marvelous magazine called Cooks Illustrated. The idea behind this particular publication is that they test and dissect recipes until they are perfect and foolproof, and they're very often successful. So when I had reached an impasse in my scalloped potato recipe search, I remembered them. They have one of those websites that you have to pay a monthly fee to use, and I wasn't quite desperate enough to pay for the recipe--yet. Frequently, bloggers and other miscellaneous recipe-posters will post notable Cooks Illustrated recipes on other sites, so I went a-Googlin' in hopes of finding it for free, and lo and behold, up popped this recipe.

So I tried it, and I loved it. It is now my scalloped potato recipe, so if Beth ever calls again looking for one, I will give this to her. Actually, come to think about it, I think I already gave it to her, knowing that she'd love it as much as we do. It's a little more detailed of an ingredient list than the flour-butter-milk-salt and pepper recipes I'd been using, but it still wasn't difficult, I usually have everything on the list on hand, and it actually comes together much more quickly than standard scalloped potato recipes, and with infinitely better flavor and texture. If you love potatoes like I do, or even just kind of like them, give this one a try!

Cooks Illustrated Scalloped Potatoes with Thyme and Bay

2 Tbsp. butter
1 med. onion, minced
2 med. garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1 tsp. dried thyme--that's what I use)
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs. (about 5 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 in. thick (*note: I don't peel, I just scrub. I like the skins and the flavor and nutrients they add. And to slice, I just run the spuds through the food processor with the slicing blade)
1 c. chicken broth
1 c. heavy cream (or, if you're like me, you use 2% milk, because that's what you have)
2 bay leaves
4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup loosely-packed shredded cheese)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Melt the butter, and sauté the onion over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook for about 30 seconds or so. Add the potatoes, broth, cream (or milk), and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard.

Transfer the mixture to a 8x8 baking dish (or whatever casserole dish you'd like). Sprinkle the top with the cheese and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown. Cool for about 10 minutes before serving (or not, if you're impatient like me).

NOW, if you want to turn this into a main dish casserole, prepare as directed, except that, before you dump the potato mixture into the baking dish, add some cubed ham or chicken. I'd say about 1 1/2 cups should do it, but it's ultimately up to you. And if you really want to go crazy and make it a one-dish meal, you could add some thawed (but not cooked) frozen peas, too, about 3/4 to 1 cup.

Menu Plan Monday

Hey, look! It's Monday! And I'm actually posting a menu plan, instead of waiting until Tuesday or begging your forgiveness for not posting one at all. To be fair, it is a short cooking week, so that makes it fairly easy. But still.

Monday
Spaghetti w/Meat sauce
Garlic Bread
Salad

Tuesday
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice (w/lots of peas to count as our vegetable)

Wednesday
Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli

Thursday
Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder (or leftovers, if we have tons)

Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Visiting Grandpa and Grandma in Ohio--nothing for me to plan!

Menu Plans Past and Present

Well! Are you ready? The winner of last week's Menu Plan Suggestion Showdown was...

Ellen! Her suggestion for French Dip sandwiches went over very well. She even sent me the recipe, and it was really easy and really good! With her permission, I will post it soon.

And by the by, reading over your suggestions made me drool! Especially my mom's plan--I think I want to go live with her again. The cook at my house is too predictable and boring.

So here's last week's plan, followed by this week's. Thanks for playing along!

Monday
Tomato Soup
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Tuesday
Brinner
Fried potatoes
Sausage
Scrambled eggs and cheese

Wednesday
French Dip sandwiches
Salad

Thursday
Hamburgers
Oven Fries
Roasted Corn on the Cob

Friday
Fried Chicken (remind me to post about this sometime--it was really good. Thanks, Paula Deen)
Cheesy potato casserole
Asian Broccoli Slaw

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Burgers (again--but yummmm) at one of our favorite local restaurants. They're running a special for April--every burger, topped with whatever you want (I got cheddar, bacon, sauteed peppers, sauteed onions, and grilled tomatoes. Abe got pepper jack, bleu cheese, olives, and bacon--weirdo.) is $5.99. And kids eat free! It doesn't get much better than that.

This week:
Monday
Honey and Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
Rice Pilaf with peas

Tuesday
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Wednesday
Pork Tenderloin with fruity glaze
Salad

Thursday
Cuban Sandwiches
Yellow Rice
Black Beans

Friday
Leftovers

Saturday
Ballpark food when we go watch the Detroit Tigers play the Angels. Bring on the brats and nachos!

Sunday
Probably Subway

Menu Plan...Blah, blah, blah...

Okay. I have far too many part-time, on-the-side projects going on right now, and no time to do them in. My deadlines have passed, and I'm overwhelmed. And the last thing my mind wants to do is create a menu plan for this week--I'd really rather the Dinner Fairy showed up at my house every night with something delicious to eat. Since I haven't heard from her in years, I'll settle for some suggestions: what are YOU having for dinner this week? If you have a whole plan, super! I'd love to see it in a comment. Even if you don't have a whole plan, one or two things that you plan to eat this week might make for a helpful suggestion for me and mine.

Next week, I'll post what we ended up eating this week, accompanied by whose suggestion the various meals were. And for the person who suggests the meal my family ends up loving the most, I've got a special prize!

So please plan my week for me!!!! Hope to see some comments soon.

(No, seriously, I need your help....soon.)

Chicken Verde

Okay, I'm not going to re-type this recipe--I'm just going to give you the link to its blog of origin. Again. I linked to this recipe in my weekly menu plan this week, and we ate it tonight. Sweet fancy Moses, it was good. I mean, really, really good. The only change I made to Canarygirl's recipe was to sub a 16-oz. jar of medium-heat salsa verde for the tomatillo sauce--though, for all I know, they may very well be the same thing. And in the burritos, we used black beans instead of refried. And instead of a whole chicken, I just used a bunch of thighs and legs--dark meat is cheaper and more moist, and turns out so much better after long periods of cooking, as in this recipe. And, oh. Cilantro. We love cilantro, so I put lots of fresh cilantro on mine, and hummina hummina hummina.

So, just to reiterate, WOW. This was good. I will make it again. And again, and again, and again...

Chicken Verde. Seriously.

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's going on this week! Yahoo for warmer weather!

Monday
Beef Noodle Bowl

Tuesday
Texas Toast Garlic Bread Pizzas
Salad

Wednesday
Roast Beef
Mashed Potatoes
Glazed Carrots

Thursday
Make-Your-Own-Burritos:
Chicken Verde
Cilantro Lime Rice
Black Beans
Tortillas
Cheese
Tomatoes
Hot Sauce

Friday
Girls' Night--Daddy cooks (!!!) or scrounges for leftovers

Saturday
Girls' Day--Daddy wishes wife wasn't gone, takes kids to McDonald's

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's cooking at our house this week:

Monday
Grilled Steak
Potato Salad
Corn

Tuesday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Salad

Wednesday
Mockzagna

Thursday
Roasted Chicken
Roasted Green Beans
Honey Oatmeal Wheat Bread

Friday
Leftovers or re-styled chicken something-or-other

Saturday
Drywalling Work Day! Sloppy Joes, Chips, Pasta Salad, and Brownies

Sunday
Leftovers

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

Thank you, good night. The title pretty much sums up the whole recipe, doesn't it? I'll still elaborate, because I'm me and can't leave well enough alone.

We had a birthday party this weekend for Judah and his cousin. It was strictly nothing-fancy fare (these are kids we're talking about); burgers, hot dogs, corn dish, potatoes, cake, ice cream, and finger jello. My contribution was the potato portion. I toyed with the idea of doing potato wedges, but good grief--we were feeding 12 humans. That's a lot of potato wedges. I had just read through the new Food and Family magazine from Kraft foods, though, and noticed this recipe. It sounded tasty, easy, and (most importantly for our purposes) kid-friendly. I was very pleasantly surprised--and so was everyone else! Here's the recipe as is from the Kraft Kitchens.

Now, here's how I modified its preparation. Enjoy!

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese

3 lb. potatoes, well-scrubbed and cut into 1-in cubes (more or less)
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss potatoes with ranch dressing. Place potatoes on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or in a large non-stick roasting pan, and toss 'em in the oven. After about 35 minutes, give 'em a good stir, then toss in the cheddar and bacon, and stir to combine. Return to oven until potatoes are tender and as golden brown as you prefer. (I actually let mine go a bit longer than I meant to, and the bottoms of the potatoes had gotten a bit crunchy and golden, and they were great!) Total cooking time: approximately 45-55 minutes. Feeds a bunch!

Menu Plan Monday

Sorry about last week, I really am. We did end up eating something for dinner every day, but I just really lacked the energy to create or commit to a plan. A highlight of the week (for the kids, anyway) was the pizza party we had for Judah's birthday--homemade pizza (I made the sauce and the dough, but not the mozzarella or sausage. So, only kind of homemade), pop, and homemade "Hostess" cupcakes. The kids couldn't believe their good fortune--pop? With dinner???? And no veggies?!?! Giddiness ensued.

One night we had crock-pot pork ribs. A couple days later, we had shredded pork sandwiches. Also, we had Shepherd's Pie, per Abe's request. So if this week's menu doesn't do it for you, those are some other suggestions from my un-chronicled week.

Up this week:

Monday
Brats with caramelized sweet onions
Asian Broccoli Slaw

Tuesday
Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches w/pickles and cheddar
Green beans

Wednesday
Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Stir-fry
Steamed Rice

Thursday
Steak Salad with field greens, toasted almonds, sliced strawberries, and feta cheese

Friday
Baked Potato Soup
Leftover Salad

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Campanelle Pasta (a new short-cut that looked fun)
with slow-cooker Marinara Sauce

Go-To Mac 'n' Cheese

One of the first meals I ever ate with Abe's family included a favorite of his: Baked Mac 'n' Cheese. It's his grandma's recipe, and he has enjoyed it ever since fetus-hood. He would eat (and probably has) and entire pan of the stuff without blinking if the rest of the family, also ardent fans, allowed it. Alas, they do not. They all eat it with great gusto and appreciation.

I, on the other hand, eschewed mac 'n' cheese as a child. I wouldn't touch the stuff with a ten foot pole. (I'm sure my mother was pleased as punch about that. I also never cared for bologna or peanut butter and jelly, but that's better left for another post.) I never ate mac 'n' cheese until I was a starving college student, by which point either a) my taste buds had developed more fully, or b) my poverty-induced hunger and need for a cheap meal trumped my lactose intolerance and general dislike of cheese. Either way, I was a relative mac 'n' cheese newbie well into my adulthood, and when I did eat the stuff, it was usually the neon-orange stuff from the blue box (or its equally-orange but less-expensive generic counterpart) or other saucy versions.

So when I sat down to sample Abe's family's mac 'n' cheese, I was stymied; it looked simply like baked noodles. Plain baked noodles. Later, after inquiring after the recipe, I realized that it was in fact a closer relative to scalloped potatoes than the mac 'n' cheese that I knew and, well, tolerated. I personally found it to be fantastically mushy, indescribably bland, and altogether unsatisfying. This was apparently no problem with the rest of the family--they polished off the entire 9x13 dish in a matter of seconds without needing my help.

Well into our marriage, the subject of baked mac 'n' cheese was a hot-button one in our household. I told Abe that I'd make anything he liked to eat in the kitchen--except his grandma's baked mac 'n' cheese. Of course, that only meant that he'd ask for it more repeatedly. It took me a while, but I finally hit on this solution: I would make a dish that had all of the qualities I thought mac 'n' cheese should have, and would bake it to give Abe the satisfaction of having his requests met. When it comes down to it, this version is neither bland nor mushy, and it is really satisfying--even more than the kind with the bright orange cheese-flavored powder. So I'm totally satisfied by this incarnation, and as for Abe, well--who really cares? He's not cooking anything anytime soon.

I started with Alton Brown's version of Stove-Top Mac 'N' Cheese and modified it slightly--I doubled the amount of pasta, while leaving the rest of the ingredient list intact. And I only use a total of 8 oz. of shredded cheese, putting 4 oz. in the actual pasta, and sprinkling the rest on top before running it under a broiler on low to give the illusion of being baked. (Don't tell.)

So, thanks Alton, for the inspiration (and the recipe).

Go-To Mac 'n' Cheese

1 lb. penne pasta
4 Tbsp. butter
2 eggs
6 oz. evaporated milk
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
1 tsp. kosher salt
Fresh black pepper to taste
3/4 tsp. dry mustard
8 oz. shredded cheddar (or the cheese of your choice), divided

Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until JUST al dente. be very careful not to overcook (unless you like your noodles mushy like my husband does). Drain, and return to the pot, tossing with the butter until the pasta is coated and the butter is melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and mustard. Stir egg mixture into the pasta, add 4 oz. of the cheese, and put some low heat under your pot. Stir for about 3 minutes more, or until the sauce is creamy.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray (you'll thank me later) and add pasta to dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of the pasta, and place under a broiler set at low* until the cheese is as golden brown as you like it.

*Note: if your broiler doesn't have high/low settings, just put the mac 'n' cheese on a really low rack in the oven, and watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. Or, you can actually bake it--I'd suggest about 25 minutes at 375 degrees, or, again, until it's as golden as you like. JUST MAKE SURE that your pasta isn't too done before you start baking, or else you're going to end up with mush during the baking process--the pasta will absorb much of the sauce. If you like it mushy, though, of course, proceed with all manner of overcooking. I will try not to judge.

Serves: I've never gotten an actual count of how many this could feed, since it generally just all gets eaten by Abe. As a side dish, though, I bet it could feed 6. But not in this household.

Best Ever Banana Bread

Here's another recipe that was the result of a years-long search for a recipe that was what I thought it should be. I can honestly tell you that I tried dozens of recipes for banana bread, ranging from easy, Bisquick-based recipes to more complicated, superlative-laden recipes. This is the first time I've ever made a recipe that labeled itself "Best Ever" and ended up believing that the recipe authors were telling the truth.

For me, banana bread has to meet a few criteria to make the grade. It must first of all be moist, because, hey--no one likes a dry bread, really. It should be dense, but light; nothing too fru-fru for me, please, but I'd prefer it not also be suitable as a doorstop. And it should be addicting.

I believe this last point is what made my banana bread quest so daunting: there are plenty of Just Fine banana bread recipes out there, but few Really Good, Really Addicting ones. There are so few breads that make you guiltily slink back to the loaf promising yourself just one more little sliver--for the third time. The ultimate test of the addiction factor comes when I put it in front of my family: if they all feel they must sneak a bite or two when I'm not looking and end up eating the whole thing in a day, well, that's a pass. Then there are recipes like the coffee cake I tried last week: it was okay, but it took us four days to finish the thing. That's a fail.

Now, I realize that most superlatives are subjective. And this banana bread might not fit the bill for your family. That's okay. All I'm saying is, this banana bread never lasts more than six or seven hours in our house, and that's something, when you consider that two of our family members weigh about 30 pounds and have stomachs the size of a walnut.

One more note before you try this recipe: Sometimes, I get a little decadent and mix up a streusel-type substance to put in the middle. It usually involves brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, ground nuts, and melted butter, but I've never even attempted to write down any sort of recipe for it. So if streusel sounds good to you, find another recipe somewhere that has streusel in it, and just steal it away and insert it into this recipe. I'll never tell.

Oh, and I take back that other thing about that last paragraph being the last one. I have one more thing to say: use rrrriiiipppe bananas--I mean, bananas so ripe, they're nearly black and too smooshy to eat. They'll make the most flavorful bread for you.

Thank you. The End.

Best Ever Banana Bread
from The Complete Guide to Country Cooking, a Taste of Home book

1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 c. mashed banana (2 or 3 medium)
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. plus 1 Tbsp. buttermilk *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease (I use cooking spray) and flour a 9x5x3 loaf pan. (Actually, I use a bundt pan, because it bakes up a bit more quickly and makes for a prettier bread. But use what you've got!)

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, banana, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, and stir just until moistened. (Seriously, don't go overboard with the stirring.) Fold in the nuts, if you're using them.

Add batter to loaf or bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour (less--ore like 45 minutes--for a bundt), or until loaf tests done. (That's what they say in the recipe. Here's what I say: Insert a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, the bread is done. Also, if the edges of the loaf are pulling away from the sides of the pan, that's a good indication of doneness, too.)

Remove from oven, and cool for 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This bread is a better-the-next-day bread, so I usually bake it at night. When it's cool, wrap it in plastic wrap, and it'll be so moist and tasty the next day, you won't believe it. In fact, don't even try to eat it the same day, because you'll probably be disappointed, and you'll want to rename it Pretty Average Banana Bread and never make it again.

*Buttermilk: I never purchase buttermilk. Instead, for this recipe, I put a teaspoon of lemon juice in the bottom of a 1/3 cup measure, and then fill it not quite to the top with milk. Give it a good stir, let it sit for about five minutes, and you've got the thickness and tang of buttermilk without the added expense of it. For other recipes requiring more buttermilk, use this formula: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice or vinegar, plus enough milk to measure 1 cup total.

Menu Plan Monday

And we're back. I've got a little more vim this week. Also, I actually went grocery shopping, so now I don't have to obsess about how else I can use potatoes without causing my family to revolt. Or obsess about how I can disguise potatoes in my menu plan so you don't judge my single-mindedness. Potatoes are quite nutritious, see? (And cheap. And filling.)

Off of the top of my head, then (because I have--can you believe it?--options), here's what's on deck for this week:

Monday
General Tso's Chicken (homemade-ish, so hopefully healthier than Hunan Kitchen's version)
Steamed Rice
Stir-Fried Broccoli

Tuesday
Bronco Beans ('cause we worried about health yesterday)
Salad

Wednesday ('cause I've got a lot of singing to do this evening, so I need a quick-to-prepare dinner)
Hawaiian Ham Steaks
Pineapple-Almond Rice Pilaf

Thursday ('cause I made fresh pesto, and YUM)
Pesto Chicken Pasta Salad

Friday ('cause we need a little comfort)
Western-Style BBQ Pork Ribs
Baked Mac and Cheese
Steamed Green Beans

Saturday ('cause I need a day off)
Leftovers

Sunday ('cause who doesn't love a potluck?)
Choir Potluck Dinner--I'm taking BBQ Cola Meatballs

Menu Plan Monday

...will resume next week. Frankly, I'm too tired and uncomfortable today to think about it! I'm hoping the dinner fairy will leave meals under my pillow at night. Come to think of it, that would be pretty messy. So I guess this week will be off-the-cuff!

See you next week.

Menu

Short week this week--I went to visit my cousin Sarah yesterday, and she helped me get set up to be a transcriber from home (and also treated me to a delicious lunch). I think the family had McDonald's for dinner, but I'm not going to think about it.

So, for the rest of this week:

Tuesday
Grilled Chicken Salad
Garlic Bread

Wednesday
Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Steamed Broccoli

Thursday
Burgers
Mac and Cheese
Salad

Friday
Grilled Cheese Sanwiches
Tomato Soup

Saturday and Sunday
TBD

Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Chicken

*Note: I've tweaked this recipe a bit, so look for italicized changes below!*
Kudos to Katie for her recipe request!

Now, for the full disclaimer: I have never written down any sort of recipe for this, so what I'm about to present is merely my best guess. Here's how it came about: One day, I had thawed a whole chicken to roast for dinner. I had seen chefs on the Food Network putting things under the skin to flavor the meat, and I thought that was a smash-up idea. The only problem was that, at the time I had this thawed chicken on hand, I seemed to have none of the actual things these chefs used. But I know that lemon, sage, and butter all work well with poultry, so I figured I'd give it a go and make up my own under-the-skin thing. Luckily, it worked like a charm.

This week, when I made this chicken, I used a whole chicken breast, and also brined it. The chicken comes from my mother-in-law, who, during the warm months, has been known to occasionally raise chickens for eating. (I'm not sure why, but something about that sentence makes my mother-in-law seem like some sort of barbarian.) Well, her chickens end up HUGE--so huge that a whole chicken breast is actually good for two meals for our family. I have never seen whole chicken breasts like this in the grocery store, but if you ever happen upon them, give 'em a try!

And last, before we get to the recipe: don't be put off by the length of the instructions. It's actually quite easy, it just so happens I'm feeling very chatty today and I couldn't stop myself from typing a lot of needless words.

Lemon Butter Sage Roasted Chicken

1 3-4 lb. chicken
1/2 c butter, softened
1-2 tsp. lemon juice (I didn't measure)
1 tsp. rubbed sage (or more, if you love sage so much you want to marry it)
3-4 cloves garlic, pressed
olive oil
kosher or ground sea salt
ground pepper

Brine:
2 quarts hot water
1/2 c. salt
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. dried lemon peel

Rinse chicken. In a very large bowl, combine ingredients for brine, and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. When the water has cooled a bit (room temperature-ish), submerge the chicken, breast side down. Cover bowl, and chuck it (gingerly) into the fridge, where it can rest for a very long time. Shoot for several hours. Two, maybe? Three? It's not an exact science. *Note: I don't always brine, and this chicken still turns out pretty yummy, so don't fret if you opt to skip this step.

In the meantime, and pretty much right before you want to roast the chicken, mix together the softened butter, lemon juice, sage and garlic. You will want this mixture to be pretty pliable (but not runny) when you use it, so keep it at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Yes, that's right. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Using your fingers, loosen the skin from the breast, taking care not to tear it. The reason for this is two-fold: 1) it will give you a place to slide your delicious butter mixture, and 2) it will make for crispier, golden brown skin. (At our house, we like to eat the yummy crispy skin, but don't tell our cardiologist. Okay, we don't have a cardiologist, but if we did, this is the kind of thing we'd keep secret.)

Using a spoon, take portions of the butter and slide them under the skin. Just shove the spoon under there, and use your fingers on the outside of the skin to scoot the butter to where you want it to be. When you're satisfied with your butter distribution, pat the skin dry again, rub a little olive oil on the skin, and season with a bit of salt. Also, generously salt and pepper the cavity of the bird.

Place chicken in whatever vessel you're cooking it in (uncovered, of course), breast side up.* Let it roast at 425 until done. When is it done? Good question. I use a thermometer with an alarm--I put it into the thickest part of the thigh, set the temp at 165, and walk away until it beeps at me. If you only have an instant-read thermometer, test it at about 50 minutes, and adjust cooking time accordingly. If you have neither, you're on your own. I'd say that an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half will be about right, but don't hold me to that.

When you remove it from the oven, let it rest without cutting it for about 15 minutes. Then, dig in and enjoy! Spoon the pan juices over the chicken for extra scrumptious flavor.

*Another note: if you're using a whole chicken, you may want to consider putting your chicken on some sort of rack to keep it elevated from the bottom of the pan so the bottom isn't soggy and flaccid. Sometimes, I butterfly the chicken by cutting out the backbone with a pair of kitchen shears and smooshing the chicken flat. Then I line the bottom of the roasting pan with large chunks of celery and onion and place the butterflied chicken on top of that--this also serves as an "aromatic," flavoring the meat as well. PLUS, butterflying the chicken cuts the total roasting time. Or, skip the butterflying step, and use celery ribs for a simple "rack" under the whole chicken. (I just did this a few days ago with some limp-looking celery. I curled the celery ribs up in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet and put the chicken on top. Worked great!)

Menu Plan Monday

Here's what's coming up this week:

Monday
Spaghetti

Tuesday
Lemon Sage Butter Roasted Chicken
Rice Pilaf
Salad

Wednesday
Roast Beef
Roasted Potatoes
Glazed Carrots

Thursday
Cheesy Chicken and Rice
Steamed Broccoli

Friday
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Herbed Noodles
Veggie TBA

Saturday
Leftovers/Celebrate Beth's Birthday

Sunday
Leftovers/Celebrate Beth's Birthday

Menu Plan Monday

Hello, again, folks! Happy Valentine's Day Week! How will you celebrate this week? We're headed out for dinner on Tuesday night after our volleyball game, and I think that will be about it. I always have to remind Abe when Valentine's Day is--it wasn't really celebrated in his household growing up, so I can hardly blame him. But someday, he's going to take me to Paris or Hawaii for Valentine's Day to make up for it!

Here's how the rest of the week will probably shape up:

Monday
Hot Chicken Salad

Tuesday
Frozen Pizza for the kids

Wednesday
Chicken Chili Enchiladas

Thursday
Western-Style Ribs
Green Beans
Cheesy Baked Shells

Friday
Taco Soup
Rice

Saturday
?? Leftovers, or something new if the guys decide to work

Sunday
We may celebrate Beth's birthday today....

Stuffed Shells (Grusendini)

I had to double- and triple-check that I hadn't already posted this recipe, because it seems inconceivable that I haven't. This one, I love. It is a part of my childhood. It is a part of me.

Well, that may be overstating things a bit, but I do really, really enjoy these shells.

It had its naissance on Greenleaf Drive in Parma, Ohio. I was probably about 11 years old, and my family had been invited to my Principal's home for dinner. Mrs. Grusendorf, my principal's wife, presented with the challenge of preparing a filling meal for four adults and five children on a meager private school principal's salary, cooked up this delicious baked pasta dish. Now, it seems odd that we had never had these at our own house, for two reasons: 1)they're really simple to make, especially for my extremely talented home-ec major mother, and 2)they're pasta. But, for whatever reason, we had never had these before. We tasted them, and we loved them.

My father liked them so much, he had my mother ask for the recipe. Mrs. Grusendorf gave us the recipe, which she had simply entitled "Stuffed Shells," but my father, well, he is witty and thought the dish needed a jazzier name. So he christened the dish "Grusendini," in honor of the recipe donor, and the name stuck. Years later, when I asked my mom for the recipe so I could have it for my files, she was unclear about which recipe I was requesting until I said, " You know--Grusendini." And she gave me the recipe in a flash.

I'm making this recipe this week for my family, and 20 years after I first tried i, it is a kid- and man-pleasing family favorite. And I know it will be as tasty this week as it was that first night on Greenleaf Drive.

Grusendini

1/2 box large stuffing shells
1 lb. ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 c. bread crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1 jar spaghetti sauce (or 2 cups of your homemade sauce)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Additional Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef with onion until no pink remains. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Cook shells until just al dente; drain.

Combine ground beef with the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, pepper, and eggs. Mix well.

Cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan with a thin layer of sauce, just so the shells have a bed to sit on and so they won't get stuck to the pan. Using a spoon, stuff the meat mixture into shells, and arrange them in the pan. Top the shells with remaining sauce, taking care to coat all of the pasta with the sauce. Cover with foil and place in the preheated oven for about 3o minutes.

Remove shells from oven and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and additional Parmesan, if desired. Return pan to oven until cheese is melted and browned to your liking.

Serves 6 (easily--these shells are filling!)

Salsa 101

I mentioned in last week's Menu Plan post that I was making fresh salsa to take to the Super Bowl festivities. Well, it was very well received. I think that fresh, homemade salsa is something many people don't ever think of attempting to make--and they have no idea what they're missing out on. It's so easy, so fresh and bright, and has nothing to do with anything you'd ever find on a shelf in a bottle. It's best when all of the fresh ingredients are in season, but even in the dead of winter, it's still better than bottled stuff. I know this because early in my pregnancy, I had a fierce craving for fresh salsa, made the recipe, and ate it all myself without even looking back. Give it a try!! (not the eating it all yourself thing--I don't necessarily recommend that.)

Salsa 101

5-6 ripe plum tomatoes, cored and diced
1/2 of 1 large red onion, diced finely
3 jalapeños, seeded and diced finely
fistful of fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
ground sea salt to taste

I feel I may have already said too much with the instructions in the ingredients list, because there's little left to say. Simply chop up the tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and cilantro as instructed, toss together in a large bowl, squeeze the lime over top, and stir. Sprinkle with salt and taste test it with a few chips to make sure you've got the salt just right.

And that's about it.

Fresh salsa doesn't keep long--plan to use it that same day, or the day after, at the latest. And jalapeños very in heat somewhat, so start out with 1 1/2-2 jalapeños, taste, and then decide if you want more heat. And if you really want to knock up the heat a bit, leave the seeds in the jalapeños, because that's where a lot of the heat resides.

Go forth and conquer!

Menu Plan Monday

Hey, folks! That was easily the best Super Bowl I have ever seen. All the delicious food, coupled with good company and a great game, made for a fantastic evening! I hope your Super Bowl celebration was a success, as well.

Wow, did that ever sound cheesy. Anyway, on to this week's menu plan:

Monday
Sweet and Sour Chicken over Jasmine Rice

Tuesday
Hawaiian Ham
Scalloped Potatoes

Wednesday
Stuffed Shells (Grusendini)

Thursday
Lemon Pepper Chicken Scallopini
Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

Friday
Aglio e Olio with Chicken

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Who the Heck Knows????

As I've mentioned a thousand times before, you can also check out other menu plans at Orgjunkie.com. Have a grrrrreat week!

BBQ Cola Smokies

Yay, April! As the first (and only) to respond, you have earned yourself a prize! Email me with your mailing address, and I'll get it out to you right away!

Okay, so April suggested I post the recipe for BBQ Cola Smokies, which I'll be making for Super Bowl Sunday. I first came upon this recipe when looking for family-friendly appetizers to serve at Judah's First Birthday party. The original recipe was actually for BBQ Cola meatballs, and included a recipe for those as well. Opting for ease, I used pre-made frozen meatballs instead. Let me tell you--these little babies, which simmered away unattended all morning in the crock pot, were by far the biggest hit of the party. People were practically drinking the sauce on its own.

Of course, tomorrow's appetizer will be a bit different; I'll be using Hillshire Farms Li'l Smokies, because they were BOGO this week at the grocery store. And I am out of regular cola, so I'll be using cherry cola instead. I'm sure they'll still turn out to be yummy. Even so, here's the original recipe for you, including the from-scratch meatballs.


BBQ Cola Meatballs
adapted from allrecipes.com

Meatballs
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbsp. grated onion
1 (1 oz.) pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

Sauce
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup cola
1 tsp. seasoning salt (such as Lawry's)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, grated onion, and ranch dressing mix. Shape into 1-in. meatballs, and place on a pan with sides. Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.

In the meantime, prepare the sauce: saute the onion in the butter until translucent. In the bowl of a slow cooker, combine the ketchup, vinegar, cola, seasoning salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the onions, and stir to combine.

Add meatballs to sauce, stirring gently to coat all of the meatballs. Cover and cook on Low for 3 hours. Remove the lid, and allow to cook for a while longer (30 min-however long you'll be serving them) so the sauce can thicken a bit.

Menu Plan Monday

Well, folks, here's this week's plan. We had a few carry-overs last week from some schedule changes, so you may recognize a few entries. Beware: upon further reflection on this week's menu plan, I realize that it is not in any way diet-friendly. I blame it on the baby's need for rich, heavy foods, so if you have a problem with it, take it up with my unborn child!

And, FYI: I'll let you, the reader, choose what recipes I post this week. Just leave a comment! If I get no comments, I'll know that it's time to spice up my menu plans.

Monday
Chicken and Bacon Corn Chowder

Tuesday
Tacos
Yellow Rice

Wednesday
Schultzie's Mess
(inspired by Guy Fieri's Food Network Show "Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives." This artery-blocking delight can be found at Schooner or Later, a restaurant in Long Beach, California. The menu describes it like this: "This world famous, local tradition is a tasty blend of chopped ham, onion, and bell pepper grilled with hash browns and eggs. Topped with melted Cheddar cheese.")

Thursday
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice

Friday
Crunchy Chicken Fingers
Potato Wedges
Salad

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Who knows? But I'm taking homemade salsa and some BBQ Cola Smokies to a friend's house for the Super Bowl.

ALTERNATE:
Pork Steak was on sale last week, so that may find its way into the menu rotation. It would probably take the place of the Crunchy Chicken Fingers meal, and I'd just switch to baked potatoes instead of wedges.

Menu Plan Monday

Looking back at past weeks' menus, I noticed a lot of repeats. Really, how many times did I schedule Pot Roast? It's sort of amazing how we get in a food rut, eating the same 10 things over and over again. So this week, to remedy the rut and shake things up a little bit, I'm digging up some menu items from the archives.

Monday
Pork Chop and Rice Hot Dish
Green Beans

Tuesday
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Wednesday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Corn on the Cob

Thursday
Beef and Noodles
Cucumber Salad

Friday
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice

Saturday
Leftovers

Sunday
Tacos

Find hundreds more menu ideas every Monday over at orgjunkie.blogspot.com!

White Chicken Chili

Back before my husband and I tied the knot and he whisked me away to the land of promise, I worked for a small, non-profit organization. I was there for three years, and I loved it; hundreds of miles away from my family, they became my local family.

One of the days I most looked forward to was soup and salad potluck day. One of the dear ladies I worked with, Betty, always brought in her signature soup, a White Chicken Chili. It was, among so many delicious options, my personal favorite, a fact that I shared with her on more than one occasion. I remember having the feeling that its recipe was a closely guarded secret, and I always imagined Betty in the kitchen tinkering with this and that until it had arrived at perfection. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I alone manufactured that story; I can't remember a single shred of evidence to support it. (At least, I hope that's true--otherwise, I could be in big trouble for sharing this recipe with you.) But it seemed a much more romantic and intriguing notion than reality: Betty, under shroud of night, clutching her cumin and cayenne, casting furtive glances about to check if anyone was hiding in the shadows, watching her develop her secret soup formula. She probably got the recipe from a book somewhere, but that isn't very exciting, is it?

When it came time for me to wed (doesn't that sound old timey?), the ladies I worked with threw me a bridal shower. Most gifts came from my registry, but there were, of course, several exceptions: some hand-knit dishcloths, a decorative wooden rooster (thanks, Sandy), a soup tureen with bas relief grapes and squash and things on it. The soup tureen was from Betty. I hadn't registered for it, and to be truly honest, it wasn't really my style (sorry, Betty, if you're reading this). But tucked inside that tureen was the best present I received all day: Betty's White Chicken Chili recipe.

I have since seen many versions of this recipe, and I'm sure they're all quite similar, but I've been making this one for years because it was a gift to me, and I love it. I'm passing it along to you in the hope that you will love it, too.

White Chicken Chili
1 48 oz. jar Great Northern Beans
4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. ground oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 cups cooked chicken, diced

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, saute onion in oil until tender and translucent. Add chilies and spices and mix thoroughly. Add beans, broth, and chicken, and stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.

Serves 10

Betty even noted for our information: 415 calories, 16 grams of fat per serving.

Being health conscious, Betty probably doesn't do what I do after the soup is done: ladle it into soup bowls, and top it with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. But it's really, really good that way, even if you have to throw those 415 calories and 16 grams of fat out the window.

Ranch Oyster Crackers

I had the classic City Grandparents/Country Grandparents arrangement growing up. My dad was raised in the city, and visiting his parents meant Pepsi and Pringles and takeout pizza. Visiting my mom's parents out in the country meant corn on the cob fresh from the field, popcorn popped on the stove, and these oyster crackers. At the time, I probably preferred the City Pepsi and Pringles. But now, looking back, I have exceptionally fond memories of the Country fare, especially these crackers, which grandma kept in a huge yellow Tupperware bowl that seemed to have no bottom.

They take about 30 seconds to prepare, and they are delicious--and amazingly addictive! I now bring them to my husband's Family Christmas every year, and they go fast. They've become a family favorite of a whole new family. Give them a try!

Ranch Oyster Crackers

2 (12 oz.) bags oyster crackers
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1 envelope dry Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
1 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
1 tsp. celery seed (optional)

Dump crackers into a gallon Ziploc bag. Pour oil over top, close bag, and shake bag to distribute oil. Open bag, dump in herbs and dressing mix, seal bag, and toss around until all of the crackers are coated.

These are great right away, but even better after the flavors have had a chance to combine. They keep for a super long time in your cupboard, but don't expect them to last that long!