This week:
Monday
Roast Beef
Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic
Glazed Carrots
Buttered Peas
Cole slaw
Rolls
Tuesday
French Chicken in a Pot
Rice pilaf
Broccoli with cheese sauce
Wednesday
French Dip Stromboli
JoJo Potatoes
Salad
Thursday
Homemade Pizza
Veggie Sticks and Dip
Friday
Sausage and Egg Casserole
Maple Streusel Muffins
Saturday
Leftovers for lunch, dinner with friends?
Sunday
Pasta with Pesto Alfredo Sauce and Chicken
Monday, November 15, 2010
Basic Sweet Dough
This one is a no-brainer: it's a recipe from America's Test Kitchen (foolproof), it's easy (thankyouverymuch), and it is perfect for any sweet dough application, like sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, hot cross buns, or Entenmann's-like danish. Oh, the deliciousness.
This basic recipe makes enough dough for three Entenmann's-sized danishes. My favorites are cream cheese and cinnamon (additional recipes to follow).
But here's where it all begins...
Basic Sweet Dough
3/4 c. buttermilk (or clabbered milk), warm
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled until just warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast
1 tsp. salt
Whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and eggs.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together. (I use a stand mixer for this, but if you don't have one, you can always do it by hand--it'll just mean more kneading)
Let your stand mixer mix the dough on medium-low for 10 minutes, or knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed.
Knead the dough by hand on a floured counter top until it's smooth and elastic--about 1 minute. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
How you proceed depends on what you're making next; I divide it into three even portions when I'm making danishes/coffee cakes, but use the whole recipe of dough to make a 9x13 pan of sticky buns or cinnamon rolls.
This basic recipe makes enough dough for three Entenmann's-sized danishes. My favorites are cream cheese and cinnamon (additional recipes to follow).
But here's where it all begins...
Basic Sweet Dough
3/4 c. buttermilk (or clabbered milk), warm
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled until just warm
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp.) yeast
1 tsp. salt
Whisk together the buttermilk, butter, and eggs.
In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, the sugar, yeast, and salt. Add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together. (I use a stand mixer for this, but if you don't have one, you can always do it by hand--it'll just mean more kneading)
Let your stand mixer mix the dough on medium-low for 10 minutes, or knead by hand for 10-15 minutes, adding flour as needed.
Knead the dough by hand on a floured counter top until it's smooth and elastic--about 1 minute. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
How you proceed depends on what you're making next; I divide it into three even portions when I'm making danishes/coffee cakes, but use the whole recipe of dough to make a 9x13 pan of sticky buns or cinnamon rolls.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Menu Plan
Coming soon: Recipe for homemade danish (my new obsession)
This week's menu plan:
Monday
Breaded Pan-fried Pork Chops
Green Bean Casserole
Tuesday
Chicken and Spinach Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells
Wednesday
French Dip Sandwiches
Potato Wedges
Salad
Thursday
Egg Rolls (holdover from last week)
Fried Rice
OR
Beef/Veggie Stir-fry
Friday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Crock Pot Chicken-In-A-Pot
Glazed Carrots
Herbed Noodles
This week's menu plan:
Monday
Breaded Pan-fried Pork Chops
Green Bean Casserole
Tuesday
Chicken and Spinach Three-Cheese Stuffed Shells
Wednesday
French Dip Sandwiches
Potato Wedges
Salad
Thursday
Egg Rolls (holdover from last week)
Fried Rice
OR
Beef/Veggie Stir-fry
Friday
Kielbasa
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Crock Pot Chicken-In-A-Pot
Glazed Carrots
Herbed Noodles
Monday, November 1, 2010
Menu Plan
I'm actually excited about this week's menu plan, which is a nice change! The kids and I went to the grocery store to pick up a prescription today and spent some time meandering the aisles, during which time I was reminded of a whole bunch of stuff I love, but haven't made in a while.
Here's this week's plan. But since there are a few TBA events this week, I've elected not to assign days to the meals; they'll just have to work themselves out according to how much time we have at home!
Taco Night
Spicy Shredded Beef
Mexican Rice
Refried Beans
Tortillas and fixins
Greeky Night
Greek chicken pita sandwiches (on Naan)
Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes
Zataar and olive oil for dipping (not Greek, I know. but still good)
Italian Night (kinda)
Roasted Chicken w/ pesto vinaigrette
Spicy Orzo
Grilled Romaine Salad
Asian Night
Homemade Egg Rolls
Asian Chicken Wings
Sesame noodles, Lo mein-style
Tex-Mex Aberration Night
3-Bean Chili with cheese and sour cream
Elbow Mac or Rice (depends on my mood)
Here's this week's plan. But since there are a few TBA events this week, I've elected not to assign days to the meals; they'll just have to work themselves out according to how much time we have at home!
Taco Night
Spicy Shredded Beef
Mexican Rice
Refried Beans
Tortillas and fixins
Greeky Night
Greek chicken pita sandwiches (on Naan)
Greeky Greek Roasted Potatoes
Zataar and olive oil for dipping (not Greek, I know. but still good)
Italian Night (kinda)
Roasted Chicken w/ pesto vinaigrette
Spicy Orzo
Grilled Romaine Salad
Asian Night
Homemade Egg Rolls
Asian Chicken Wings
Sesame noodles, Lo mein-style
Tex-Mex Aberration Night
3-Bean Chili with cheese and sour cream
Elbow Mac or Rice (depends on my mood)
Monday, October 25, 2010
Menu Plan
It's Turkey Week. not officially, of course; that happens in about a month. But every year, the grocery store has such fabulous deals on turkeys, and I never can pass them up. Trouble is, you only need so many turkeys in your freezer. So this week is all about using up a turkey to make room for the next bird. I've got one in the fridge thawing and plan to brine it overnight tonight and cook it tomorrow (pray that my oven hangs on, by the way). For the rest of the week, we'll just see how far we can stretch the leftovers...I'm guessing pretty far.
Monday
Spaghetti
Homemade marinara
Homemade bread w/herb dipping oil
Salad w/grated parm, sliced olives, and yellow peppers
Tuesday
TURKEY!
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Green Beans
Applesauce cake
Wednesday
Pizza w/alfredo, sun-dried tomatoes, turkey, spinach, mozzarella, and feta
Cheese pizza for the kids
Salad
Thursday
White Turkey Chili
Yellow Rice
Friday
Turkey Pot Pie
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
More leftovers or possibly Beef with Broccoli stir-fry over Jasmine Rice
And here's last week's menu plan, which I never officially posted:
Monday
Smoked Sausage
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Tuesday
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Roasted Chicken Legs and Thighs
Wednesday
Beef Stew with Carrots
Homemade noodle-dumplings
Apple Crumb Galette (like a pie, but not baked in a pan--sort of tart-esque)
Thursday
Fried Rice
Pot Stickers with dipping sauce
Friday
Takeout pizza + breadsticks
Saturday
Breakfast scramble (eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese)
Sausage links
Sunday
Leftovers
Monday
Spaghetti
Homemade marinara
Homemade bread w/herb dipping oil
Salad w/grated parm, sliced olives, and yellow peppers
Tuesday
TURKEY!
Mashed potatoes
Gravy
Green Beans
Applesauce cake
Wednesday
Pizza w/alfredo, sun-dried tomatoes, turkey, spinach, mozzarella, and feta
Cheese pizza for the kids
Salad
Thursday
White Turkey Chili
Yellow Rice
Friday
Turkey Pot Pie
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
More leftovers or possibly Beef with Broccoli stir-fry over Jasmine Rice
And here's last week's menu plan, which I never officially posted:
Monday
Smoked Sausage
Mashed Potatoes
Broccoli
Tuesday
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Roasted Chicken Legs and Thighs
Wednesday
Beef Stew with Carrots
Homemade noodle-dumplings
Apple Crumb Galette (like a pie, but not baked in a pan--sort of tart-esque)
Thursday
Fried Rice
Pot Stickers with dipping sauce
Friday
Takeout pizza + breadsticks
Saturday
Breakfast scramble (eggs, potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese)
Sausage links
Sunday
Leftovers
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Short Week Menu Plan
Hey, all! Short menu plan week this week. My mom will be coming to stay at our house this weekend, beginning on Thursday, so I'm leaving all of the weekend meal decisions up to her (insert evil laugh here).
Monday's dish is a re-creation (in part) of a meal I had last Friday when Hubs and I went out for our Anniversary; he had a Wild Mushroom and Butternut Squash lasagna, and I had Cheese tortellini with chicken, toasted pine nuts, browned butter and sage, drizzled with pumpkin butter and topped with toasted sage-rubbed breadcrumbs. It was delicious. I don't have any pumpkin butter, so we're winging it without. We'll have Cheese Ravioli with browned butter and sage, pine nuts, and the sage breadcrumbs. We'll also have steamed broccoli with garlic chips, because we must have vegetables!
Tuesday will be Hot Chicken Salad, just because I crave it.
Wednesday will be Beef Stew because it can go in the crock pot, and we never ended up having it last week.
Thursday, we'll have leftovers and round our meal out with salad if need be. And it usually needs be!
As I said, Friday and forward will be up to my mom. But don't worry--she is an extremely capable and accomplished cook, so it will all be well.
Hope you have a great week in your house!
Monday's dish is a re-creation (in part) of a meal I had last Friday when Hubs and I went out for our Anniversary; he had a Wild Mushroom and Butternut Squash lasagna, and I had Cheese tortellini with chicken, toasted pine nuts, browned butter and sage, drizzled with pumpkin butter and topped with toasted sage-rubbed breadcrumbs. It was delicious. I don't have any pumpkin butter, so we're winging it without. We'll have Cheese Ravioli with browned butter and sage, pine nuts, and the sage breadcrumbs. We'll also have steamed broccoli with garlic chips, because we must have vegetables!
Tuesday will be Hot Chicken Salad, just because I crave it.
Wednesday will be Beef Stew because it can go in the crock pot, and we never ended up having it last week.
Thursday, we'll have leftovers and round our meal out with salad if need be. And it usually needs be!
As I said, Friday and forward will be up to my mom. But don't worry--she is an extremely capable and accomplished cook, so it will all be well.
Hope you have a great week in your house!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Back on the Bandwagon
I've just recently started cooking in earnest again--if you don't already know, we're expecting again, and I'm just now getting into my second trimester with some renewed energy. My poor garden bore the brunt of my energy-deprived neglect; I worked and weeded and planted and watered, then I got pregnant and tired pretended there wasn't really a garden out there at all. The unfortunate part is that I lost interest round about the time things were ready for harvest and needed the most attention. My wonderful husband helped me put up a few tomatoes, and I made a batch of pesto to last me the year, but other than that, much of my produce went to waste. Fortunately, our neighbors were able to use a bit of it, but still. I have been longing for the first frost to come so I could officially let go of my garden guilt, because I have lots of it. I pretend next year will be better, but I'll have a tiny baby in tow, so I'm not sure it will.
All of that to say that if I didn't have time or energy for a bountiful garden that could feed my family, I certainly didn't have energy for inventive and involved meal planning, much less energy to blog about it. But here I am, at week 15 or something like that, and though my house will take a while to recover from my constant napping, my meals are ready to jump right back in. I'm hoping to shake it up a little; looking at my repertoire, I'm just frankly a little bored. Hopefully, over the next few months, I'll find some fabulous new dishes and rediscover some old favorites to post here.
Monday
Meatloaf
Scalloped Potatoes
Peas
Tuesday--Our Anniversary!
Either we'll go out and the kids will eat leftovers, or we'll have
Roasted Chicken
Rice Pilaf
Salad
Wednesday
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day Bread
Thursday (Or, the day on which we might actually celebrate our anniversary on account of needing child care)
Either we'll go out and the kids will eat leftovers, or we'll have
Roasted Chicken, etc., etc.
Friday
White Chicken Chili
Sweet Corn Cake
Saturday
Pot Stickers w/ chili dipping sauce
Vegetable Fried Rice
Sunday
Takeout or leftovers
All of that to say that if I didn't have time or energy for a bountiful garden that could feed my family, I certainly didn't have energy for inventive and involved meal planning, much less energy to blog about it. But here I am, at week 15 or something like that, and though my house will take a while to recover from my constant napping, my meals are ready to jump right back in. I'm hoping to shake it up a little; looking at my repertoire, I'm just frankly a little bored. Hopefully, over the next few months, I'll find some fabulous new dishes and rediscover some old favorites to post here.
Monday
Meatloaf
Scalloped Potatoes
Peas
Tuesday--Our Anniversary!
Either we'll go out and the kids will eat leftovers, or we'll have
Roasted Chicken
Rice Pilaf
Salad
Wednesday
Crock Pot Beef Stew
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day Bread
Thursday (Or, the day on which we might actually celebrate our anniversary on account of needing child care)
Either we'll go out and the kids will eat leftovers, or we'll have
Roasted Chicken, etc., etc.
Friday
White Chicken Chili
Sweet Corn Cake
Saturday
Pot Stickers w/ chili dipping sauce
Vegetable Fried Rice
Sunday
Takeout or leftovers
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Menu Plan
This one's for you, Katie D. :)
Well, we're back into the swing of things after a marathon of family vacations. We've actually been back for over a week, but frankly, I was worn out. And THEN, coming up with a dinner menu on the fly every night has been even more taxing...so it's time to get back into the normal routine of planning and shopping accordingly. Summer always presents more work, what with the gardening and preserving of food for the winter months, and I simply can't spare the energy to try to come up with a nutritious meal for my family when my brain is already fried from all of the weeding and pruning and what-have-you.
Speaking of the garden, that is one of the joys of summer cooking for me: the abundance of fresh produce right outside my back door. This year, we've got several varieties of peppers and hot peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, yellow squash, beans, broccoli, lettuce, and a variety of tomatoes, along with cilantro, dill, rosemary, and basil. Later on, we'll also have corn, watermelon, and pumpkins. I can hardly wait. So as you read the menu plan for this week, insert fresh garden produce wherever you see veggies mentioned.
(And cross your fingers for my tomatoes--they're not doing so well...)
Sunday
Home-fried tostadas
Refried beans
Spicy Shredded chicken
Cilantro
Tomatoes
Monday
Hamburgers
Fried potatoes
Tuesday
Honey Mustard Garlic-rubbed Pork chops
Steamed Broccoli with cheese
Honeyrock Melon
Wednesday
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
Big Old Salad
Cornbread
Thursday
Country-Style Pork ribs
Corn on the Cob
Buttermilk Biscuits w/ Strawberry jam
Friday
Grilled Steak Salad
Garlic-Rosemary Focaccia
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Wish I knew. Probably Pasta Salad with chicken.
Well, we're back into the swing of things after a marathon of family vacations. We've actually been back for over a week, but frankly, I was worn out. And THEN, coming up with a dinner menu on the fly every night has been even more taxing...so it's time to get back into the normal routine of planning and shopping accordingly. Summer always presents more work, what with the gardening and preserving of food for the winter months, and I simply can't spare the energy to try to come up with a nutritious meal for my family when my brain is already fried from all of the weeding and pruning and what-have-you.
Speaking of the garden, that is one of the joys of summer cooking for me: the abundance of fresh produce right outside my back door. This year, we've got several varieties of peppers and hot peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, yellow squash, beans, broccoli, lettuce, and a variety of tomatoes, along with cilantro, dill, rosemary, and basil. Later on, we'll also have corn, watermelon, and pumpkins. I can hardly wait. So as you read the menu plan for this week, insert fresh garden produce wherever you see veggies mentioned.
(And cross your fingers for my tomatoes--they're not doing so well...)
Sunday
Home-fried tostadas
Refried beans
Spicy Shredded chicken
Cilantro
Tomatoes
Monday
Hamburgers
Fried potatoes
Tuesday
Honey Mustard Garlic-rubbed Pork chops
Steamed Broccoli with cheese
Honeyrock Melon
Wednesday
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
Big Old Salad
Cornbread
Thursday
Country-Style Pork ribs
Corn on the Cob
Buttermilk Biscuits w/ Strawberry jam
Friday
Grilled Steak Salad
Garlic-Rosemary Focaccia
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Wish I knew. Probably Pasta Salad with chicken.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Menu Plan
Busy week this week! Errands yesterday, Hubs' softball game tonight, Charis' farm field trip tomorrow and my sister-in-law's High School graduation ceremony tomorrow night, dinner with friends on Friday night, church fellowship on Sunday, and hubs informs me he may have to work OT on Saturday. Whew! But we still have to eat, so....
Monday
Grilled Burgers
Baked Mac n Cheese
Peach Cobbler
Tuesday
Grilled Flank Steak, sliced
Home Fries with Garlic and fresh dill
Creamy corn
Wednesday
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with broccoli or spinach (haven't decided which yet!)
Thursday
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Salad
Friday
dinner out--bringing dessert (TBA)
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Fellowship Sunday--cookout at church
Monday
Grilled Burgers
Baked Mac n Cheese
Peach Cobbler
Tuesday
Grilled Flank Steak, sliced
Home Fries with Garlic and fresh dill
Creamy corn
Wednesday
Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti with broccoli or spinach (haven't decided which yet!)
Thursday
BBQ Chicken Pizza
Salad
Friday
dinner out--bringing dessert (TBA)
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Fellowship Sunday--cookout at church
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Menu Plan + bonus recipe: Greek Sauce
Yep, I know it's Wednesday. but I've been finding that it is helpful to look back at past menu plans to draw ideas for new ones, so I'll add this one to the pot.
I fired up the grill last night and grilled 2 steaks, 5 pork chops, 1 chicken breast, and four huge smoked sausages. From that, we'll have meals for most of the week.
Monday
Pasta salad with grilled chicken and LOTS of veggies
Tuesday
Grilled Pork chops finished with Greek-style sauce
Roasted Potatoes with golden garlic chips (also finished with Greek sauce)
Butter-braised fresh green beans
Greek sauce: 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. melted butter, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 clove garlic, grated, kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk together the lemon juice, butter, oregano, and garlic powder. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking briskly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over finished pork chops or roasted potatoes. MMMMM!
Wednesday
Pan-fried homemade egg rolls
Maple-sesame bacon fried rice
Thursday
Naan sandwiches (filling to be determined--maybe thinly sliced steak that I grilled last night, with onions, mozzarella cheese and peppers for me; sliced chicken, spinach, cheese, and tomatoes for the kids; sliced steak, cheese, spinach and spicy mayo for hubs)
Corn on the Cob
Friday
Grilled Smoked Sausage
Sauteed Vidalia Onions
Potato Salad
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Takeout or leftovers (if we still have some)
MONDAY! Memorial Day!
Brats?
Baked Beans?
Corn on the cob?
Oven Fries or Potato Packets?
I fired up the grill last night and grilled 2 steaks, 5 pork chops, 1 chicken breast, and four huge smoked sausages. From that, we'll have meals for most of the week.
Monday
Pasta salad with grilled chicken and LOTS of veggies
Tuesday
Grilled Pork chops finished with Greek-style sauce
Roasted Potatoes with golden garlic chips (also finished with Greek sauce)
Butter-braised fresh green beans
Greek sauce: 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. melted butter, 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp dried oregano, 1 tsp. garlic powder OR 1 clove garlic, grated, kosher salt and pepper to taste.
Whisk together the lemon juice, butter, oregano, and garlic powder. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking briskly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over finished pork chops or roasted potatoes. MMMMM!
Wednesday
Pan-fried homemade egg rolls
Maple-sesame bacon fried rice
Thursday
Naan sandwiches (filling to be determined--maybe thinly sliced steak that I grilled last night, with onions, mozzarella cheese and peppers for me; sliced chicken, spinach, cheese, and tomatoes for the kids; sliced steak, cheese, spinach and spicy mayo for hubs)
Corn on the Cob
Friday
Grilled Smoked Sausage
Sauteed Vidalia Onions
Potato Salad
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Takeout or leftovers (if we still have some)
MONDAY! Memorial Day!
Brats?
Baked Beans?
Corn on the cob?
Oven Fries or Potato Packets?
Monday, May 17, 2010
Menu Plan
Greetings, all four of you! Back again. It's supposed to warm up this week, and my garden will be the better for it, I'm sure. You'll see a number of Turkey entries this week--we're using up the Turkey I roasted last week. Also, we just bottled maple syrup with my husband's folks, so you'll see maple a couple of times this week, too. Mmmmm good.
Let's get cooking!
Monday
Sweet Italian Sausage w/sauteed onions and peppers
Potato-Cheddar Pierogies
Roasted Green Beans
Tuesday
Turkey Pot Pie
Broccoli Slaw
Wednesday
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice (with veggies)
Thursday
Chinese Turkey Salad with Fried Wonton Crisps and Sesame Seeds
Friday
Cuban Sandwiches
Saffron Rice with Peas
Saturday
Out-and-about
School Carnival, Going Away Party
Sunday
Leftovers
Let's get cooking!
Monday
Sweet Italian Sausage w/sauteed onions and peppers
Potato-Cheddar Pierogies
Roasted Green Beans
Tuesday
Turkey Pot Pie
Broccoli Slaw
Wednesday
Maple-Sesame Bacon Fried Rice (with veggies)
Thursday
Chinese Turkey Salad with Fried Wonton Crisps and Sesame Seeds
Friday
Cuban Sandwiches
Saffron Rice with Peas
Saturday
Out-and-about
School Carnival, Going Away Party
Sunday
Leftovers
Monday, May 10, 2010
Menu Plan
Ah, Monday. You present all sorts of challenges, don't you? My current dilemma is of the What Are We Gonna Eat nature. I figure I'll start by letting you know what we had last week. Maybe that will get my creative juices flowing for this week's menu.
Also coming up--a post about homemade salad dressing. I started making my own about a year ago, and we hardly use any bottled dressing any more. It's easy to make, and it's CHEAP! It also tastes a lot fresher, and there's the added benefit of being able to tailor the dressing to personal tastes. I may post that yet today, but I will post it by tomorrow at the latest.
LAST WEEK'S MENU:
Monday
Baked Ziti
Salad
Tuesday
Grilled Pork Steak
Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes (Roasted potatoes tossed with freshly grated Parmesano-Reggiano cheese and liberal amounts of freshly cracked black pepper immediately before serving)
Roasted Corn on the Cob
Wednesday-Cinco de Mayo!
Barbacoa Burritos with black beans, cilantro-lime rice, fresh roasted corn and roasted jalapeno salsa, shredded cheese, and sour cream
Homemade tortilla chips
Fresh Guacamole
Thursday
Scrambled Eggs
Hash Browns
Sausage Links
Friday
Out to eat. I had Asian Lettuce Wraps, Abe had a Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger, and the kids had Mac and cheese and Pizza
Saturday
Linguine with Roasted Garlic Pesto Alfredo
Grilled Romaine Salad
Sunday-Mother's Day!
Out for pizza. The kids had a cheese pizza, and Abe and I had pizza with alfredo, roasted chicken, bacon, mushrooms, feta, and mozzarella, sprinkled with oregano and parmesan cheese. Wowsers. It was GOOD!
THIS WEEK'S MENU
Monday
Tacos w/home-fried shells, onions, peppers, leftover barbacoa, salsa, and cheese
Yellow Rice
Tuesday
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad--loaded with peas, carrots, romaine, peppers, cucumbers...
Wednesday
Roasted Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Stir-fried garlic veggie blend (sugar snap peas, red peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts)
Thursday
Grilled Pork Loin
Sauteed Vidalias
Jasmine Rice Pilaf
Friday
Chinese Turkey Salad (or leftovers)
Saturday
Junk food at the baseball game
Sunday
DEFINITELY leftovers...we'll have plenty, I'm sure!
Also coming up--a post about homemade salad dressing. I started making my own about a year ago, and we hardly use any bottled dressing any more. It's easy to make, and it's CHEAP! It also tastes a lot fresher, and there's the added benefit of being able to tailor the dressing to personal tastes. I may post that yet today, but I will post it by tomorrow at the latest.
LAST WEEK'S MENU:
Monday
Baked Ziti
Salad
Tuesday
Grilled Pork Steak
Cacio e Pepe Roasted Potatoes (Roasted potatoes tossed with freshly grated Parmesano-Reggiano cheese and liberal amounts of freshly cracked black pepper immediately before serving)
Roasted Corn on the Cob
Wednesday-Cinco de Mayo!
Barbacoa Burritos with black beans, cilantro-lime rice, fresh roasted corn and roasted jalapeno salsa, shredded cheese, and sour cream
Homemade tortilla chips
Fresh Guacamole
Thursday
Scrambled Eggs
Hash Browns
Sausage Links
Friday
Out to eat. I had Asian Lettuce Wraps, Abe had a Bacon and Bleu Cheese Burger, and the kids had Mac and cheese and Pizza
Saturday
Linguine with Roasted Garlic Pesto Alfredo
Grilled Romaine Salad
Sunday-Mother's Day!
Out for pizza. The kids had a cheese pizza, and Abe and I had pizza with alfredo, roasted chicken, bacon, mushrooms, feta, and mozzarella, sprinkled with oregano and parmesan cheese. Wowsers. It was GOOD!
THIS WEEK'S MENU
Monday
Tacos w/home-fried shells, onions, peppers, leftover barbacoa, salsa, and cheese
Yellow Rice
Tuesday
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad--loaded with peas, carrots, romaine, peppers, cucumbers...
Wednesday
Roasted Turkey
Mashed Potatoes
Stir-fried garlic veggie blend (sugar snap peas, red peppers, mushrooms, water chestnuts)
Thursday
Grilled Pork Loin
Sauteed Vidalias
Jasmine Rice Pilaf
Friday
Chinese Turkey Salad (or leftovers)
Saturday
Junk food at the baseball game
Sunday
DEFINITELY leftovers...we'll have plenty, I'm sure!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Cinco de Mayo!
You know, I love Thanksgiving. I love the Turkey and stuffing and the green bean casserole and the pies and the hours of thankful indulgence. And I love the 4th of July, a day which begs for a menu of juicy smoked-this and grilled-that and heaps of pasta salads, potato salads, baked beans, corn, and ice cream. Independence and a cookout. What's not to love? And there's Easter, with its savory ham. And Christmas, with its crumbly, sugary cookies and decadent baked sweets. I know holidays weren't created with food in mind, but when holidays roll around, food is always on my mind.
That's why I will welcome any holiday that demands I prepare a menu of more food than we could possibly eat. Cinco de Mayo (The 5th Of May) commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. Not super relevant to my every day life. But oh, how I love south-of-the-border food. And yes, I'm fully aware that many of the items we call "Mexican food" are not, in fact, Mexican. I'm okay with that. Because at the end of the day, Cinco de Mayo encourages me to use lots of cilantro and limes and spicy peppers and guacamole, and that's always a reason to celebrate.
I started LOVING Mexican food about 10 years ago. I've always liked it, but growing up, I just usually ate Taco Bell-type interpretations. Good, but MEH. Then I went to a restaurant called Maggie's Kitchen, which served authentic Mexican food cooked by actual Mexicans. Then I went to Nina's Taqueria, which, again, served real Mexican food prepared by people who know it. And I went to those places again and again, all the while discovering a deep fondness for Barbacoa. And for cilantro. And that beautiful, slightly-tomatoey, slightly-spicy rice. And refried beans that aren't pink and don't come out of a can. And real, honest-to-goodness pico de gallo and salsa verde and and and and....
So when it came time to have my own kitchen in my own house where I get to do all of the shopping and the cooking and the meal planning, I decided to make room in our calendar for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Our menu is fairly standard; last year, it was fajitas, this year, burritos, but mostly, it is the same stuff. This year, it will be my own version of Barbacoa (because I don't have access to a whole sheep, a pit lined with volcanic rock and mesquite, and leaves of a maguey cactus, I'm using chuck roast and a crock pot) to serve in gigantic burritos stuffed with black beans and cilantro-lime rice, sour cream, shredded cheese, and homemade salsa with roasted corn, tomatoes, and jalapenos. On the side, we'll have Mexican rice (like they serve at Nina's Taqueria), fresh guacamole, and fresh, home-fried tortilla chips. To top it off, we'll drink Lime Jarritos soda.
So it's not my holiday. So what? I will still eat myself silly celebrating it. Viva Cinco de Mayo!! Next up: Bastille Day!
That's why I will welcome any holiday that demands I prepare a menu of more food than we could possibly eat. Cinco de Mayo (The 5th Of May) commemorates the victory of the Mexican militia over the French army at The Battle Of Puebla in 1862. Not super relevant to my every day life. But oh, how I love south-of-the-border food. And yes, I'm fully aware that many of the items we call "Mexican food" are not, in fact, Mexican. I'm okay with that. Because at the end of the day, Cinco de Mayo encourages me to use lots of cilantro and limes and spicy peppers and guacamole, and that's always a reason to celebrate.
I started LOVING Mexican food about 10 years ago. I've always liked it, but growing up, I just usually ate Taco Bell-type interpretations. Good, but MEH. Then I went to a restaurant called Maggie's Kitchen, which served authentic Mexican food cooked by actual Mexicans. Then I went to Nina's Taqueria, which, again, served real Mexican food prepared by people who know it. And I went to those places again and again, all the while discovering a deep fondness for Barbacoa. And for cilantro. And that beautiful, slightly-tomatoey, slightly-spicy rice. And refried beans that aren't pink and don't come out of a can. And real, honest-to-goodness pico de gallo and salsa verde and and and and....
So when it came time to have my own kitchen in my own house where I get to do all of the shopping and the cooking and the meal planning, I decided to make room in our calendar for a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Our menu is fairly standard; last year, it was fajitas, this year, burritos, but mostly, it is the same stuff. This year, it will be my own version of Barbacoa (because I don't have access to a whole sheep, a pit lined with volcanic rock and mesquite, and leaves of a maguey cactus, I'm using chuck roast and a crock pot) to serve in gigantic burritos stuffed with black beans and cilantro-lime rice, sour cream, shredded cheese, and homemade salsa with roasted corn, tomatoes, and jalapenos. On the side, we'll have Mexican rice (like they serve at Nina's Taqueria), fresh guacamole, and fresh, home-fried tortilla chips. To top it off, we'll drink Lime Jarritos soda.
So it's not my holiday. So what? I will still eat myself silly celebrating it. Viva Cinco de Mayo!! Next up: Bastille Day!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Menu Plan
I'm sure no one even looks at this blog any more. With that in mind, I feel pretty safe writing the following things down to explain why there haven't been any new posts (or much cooking at all) going on.
1) My husband was laid off for about three months. He is our sole breadwinner. You do the math! Frankly, when the budget is that tight, cooking isn't a whole lot of fun--it becomes very casserole-heavy in an effort to stretch the protein out over a few meals and fill up the meals with filling and inexpensive starches. That was a very bleak time for us. It did, however, help encourage creativity on my part--how can I best utilize my pantry? How can I make a pound of hamburger feed us for three meals? How many ways can I serve potatoes? Thankfully, he is now back to work. So while I'm still quite frugal when it comes to groceries, I feel a little more leeway and the ability to feed my family what it wants to eat.
2) I was pregnant during that time of layoff, so, very tired. Very, very tired. Easy things like spaghetti work well when you have no energy at all. But planning meals and posting them does not work well. Obviously.
3) I miscarried. About a month and a half ago, we lost the baby I'd been so tired with for months. This really isn't the place to discuss too much about my state of mind and what all went down during that time, but suffice it to say that of all the things I could give time, thought, and energy to, cooking and blogging about it was pretty low on my list of priorities.
So now, I'm physically back to normal, Abe's back to work, and we have more of a routine now. Thank God for his healing and restoration! And if you're reading this, thank you for coming back.
You'll notice that this week's menu is grilled food-heavy. I have a concert this Friday and several practices this week in preparation, so I won't have a whole lot of time to cook. My hubs is always saying that when the grill is fired up, we should take advantage of its heat and grill up a bunch of stuff--this week, I'm taking the challenge and having him grill things for four of this week's meals this evening. I hope he does a good job! This week's menu depends on it.
Monday
Grilled Steak
Baked Potatoes
Salad w/ homemade croutons and homemade dressing
Tuesday
Grilled Chicken Tacos with cilantro and mango salsa, in home-fried corn tortillas
Cilantro-Lime rice
Wednesday
Brats
Grilled Onions and peppers
Potato Salad
Broccoli Salad
Thursday
Various pizzas--cheese, pepperoni and mushroom, and Margherita
Salad
Friday
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Pork Chops
Aglio e olio Orzo with Peas
Saturday
Eat out for hubs' 34th Birthday
Sunday
Leftovers or takeout
1) My husband was laid off for about three months. He is our sole breadwinner. You do the math! Frankly, when the budget is that tight, cooking isn't a whole lot of fun--it becomes very casserole-heavy in an effort to stretch the protein out over a few meals and fill up the meals with filling and inexpensive starches. That was a very bleak time for us. It did, however, help encourage creativity on my part--how can I best utilize my pantry? How can I make a pound of hamburger feed us for three meals? How many ways can I serve potatoes? Thankfully, he is now back to work. So while I'm still quite frugal when it comes to groceries, I feel a little more leeway and the ability to feed my family what it wants to eat.
2) I was pregnant during that time of layoff, so, very tired. Very, very tired. Easy things like spaghetti work well when you have no energy at all. But planning meals and posting them does not work well. Obviously.
3) I miscarried. About a month and a half ago, we lost the baby I'd been so tired with for months. This really isn't the place to discuss too much about my state of mind and what all went down during that time, but suffice it to say that of all the things I could give time, thought, and energy to, cooking and blogging about it was pretty low on my list of priorities.
So now, I'm physically back to normal, Abe's back to work, and we have more of a routine now. Thank God for his healing and restoration! And if you're reading this, thank you for coming back.
You'll notice that this week's menu is grilled food-heavy. I have a concert this Friday and several practices this week in preparation, so I won't have a whole lot of time to cook. My hubs is always saying that when the grill is fired up, we should take advantage of its heat and grill up a bunch of stuff--this week, I'm taking the challenge and having him grill things for four of this week's meals this evening. I hope he does a good job! This week's menu depends on it.
Monday
Grilled Steak
Baked Potatoes
Salad w/ homemade croutons and homemade dressing
Tuesday
Grilled Chicken Tacos with cilantro and mango salsa, in home-fried corn tortillas
Cilantro-Lime rice
Wednesday
Brats
Grilled Onions and peppers
Potato Salad
Broccoli Salad
Thursday
Various pizzas--cheese, pepperoni and mushroom, and Margherita
Salad
Friday
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Pork Chops
Aglio e olio Orzo with Peas
Saturday
Eat out for hubs' 34th Birthday
Sunday
Leftovers or takeout
Monday, April 12, 2010
Salad Dressings
Ah, salad. Growing up, I ate salad with dinner probably three out of five nights of the week. Nowadays, we don't eat salad quite so often (maybe once or twice a week), but we still enjoy it. Especially my husband, who grew up eating salad approximately zero nights of the week. Don't you just feel like it's a good meal if it included some fresh, crunchy veggies? I do. It's also an easy and easy-to-vary side dish. Paired with a lean protein like grilled steak or chicken and topped with homemade croutons, it's also a great main dish.
My favorite salad ingredients are pretty simple--some nice greens, spinach, a sprinkling of yummy cheese like parmesan or feta, fresh veggies like sprouts, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, corn, and green beans, other goodies like sliced strawberries, toasted almonds, homemade croutons and what-have-you...the variations are limitless. And while I know a couple people who eat their salads plain and eschew all types of salad dressing (weirdos), I prefer my salads dressed with a tasty dressing that complements the ingredients. There are dozens of varieties of dressing in my grocery store, and I imagine we're tried a dozen or so.
For years, I thought I was really something special for making Good Season Italian dressing from a packet--to me this seemed healthier and homemade than bottled dressing. I made a homemade raspberry vinaigrette once for my sister-in-law's birthday, and really enjoyed it, but it didn't occur to me that homemade dressing was something I could do all the time. Then, after I had knee surgery a year or so ago, a kind lady from church brought by a scrumptious meal. It was a standard-but-delicious pot roast, some rolls, and the fixings for a beautiful salad: field greens, walnuts, sliced berries, broccoli florets, and a homemade poppyseed dressing. I still thought the salad would be better with some bottled dressing, but wanted to give her an honest thank-you-for-everything, so I decided to try the dressing.
It was amazing. It was perfectly sweet and sour, slightly tangy, with a pleasant nutty crunch from the poppyseeds...a revelation. And while this woman has quite a reputation as a great cook, I fancy myself handy in the kitchen, too, and set about figuring out the dressing's ingredients. Once that was tackled, I went back to the raspberry vinaigrette. And I remembered that I had also made homemade Ranch dressing the summer before. And Greek dressing for a salad I took to a potluck once. And the Asian-Sesame-ginger dressing I'd made for a really scrumptious noodle salad. And I had made good Seasons Italian from a packet--I figured there must be a copycat recipe online to make my own at home. As the pieces fell together, I realized that all of my favorite dressings I had, at one point or another, made fresh at home. And if I had done it before, I figured there was no reason I couldn't continue doing so--most of the dressings are made up of things I always have on hand, sparing me not only the expense of bottled dressing, but also the preservatives and chemicals in the shelf-stable varieties as well.
So here are a few of my favorite recipes for salad dressings. Give 'em a try! You'll feel so proud of yourself and will have a great, truly fresh salad to boot. They keep in the fridge for a while--but don't expect them to last long--you'll eat them up before they go bad. These recipes also make less than you'll find in a store-bought bottle, so you'll use them faster.
Poppyseed Dressing
1/2 c. mayo
2-3 Tbsp. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp. poppyseeds
pinch salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
milk
Whisk all ingredients except milk together, then add milk until dressing is desired consistency. Store in airtight bottle in fridge. Keeps for a week or more.
"Good Seasons"-type Italian dressing
For Mix:
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Combine mix ingredients well and store in a baggie or other airtight container in the cupboard. For each recipe of dressing, shake together 2 Tbsp. of the mix, 2 Tbsp. of water, and 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar until well combined. Add 2/3 c. oil and 1 tsp. dijon mustard (helps emulsify the dressing) and shake, shake, shake. Shake immediately before using.
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1 10 oz. jar seedless raspberry preserves
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 c. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Remove lid from preserves and melt slightly in the microwave, just so it's a bit more liquid-y. Whisk the preserves, mustard and vinegar together, then whisk briskly while drizzling in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note: when you store this one in the fridge, the olive oil will solidify. I just microwave it for 15 seconds or so before using, or sit it on the counter for about 20 minutes to bring it to room temp.
ALSO, I usually make a half amount. This one is especially good on a salad with spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds, and feta.
Ranch Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream or buttermilk (use sour cream to make a veggie dip, buttermilk to make a thin dressing, or use half of each to make a thick dressing, like I do)
1 clove of garlic, minced, or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. EACH salt and pepper
2-3 Tbsp. herbs of your choice
(I personally think dill is ESSENTIAL, along with thyme, onion powder, and oregano. I have also used chopped chives and finely chopped basil and enjoy those, too. When it's summer and I have these herbs fresh, I use them. But the dressing doesn't keep as long with fresh herbs as with dried. also keep in mind that fresh herbs aren't as potent, so you'll need more)
Mix everything together (I usually reserve some of the milk so it isn't too thin, then add it just until the dressing is how we like it), and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors really come together. Made with fresh herbs, this keeps for about 4 days. Made with dried, it will keep for a week or more!
My favorite salad ingredients are pretty simple--some nice greens, spinach, a sprinkling of yummy cheese like parmesan or feta, fresh veggies like sprouts, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, corn, and green beans, other goodies like sliced strawberries, toasted almonds, homemade croutons and what-have-you...the variations are limitless. And while I know a couple people who eat their salads plain and eschew all types of salad dressing (weirdos), I prefer my salads dressed with a tasty dressing that complements the ingredients. There are dozens of varieties of dressing in my grocery store, and I imagine we're tried a dozen or so.
For years, I thought I was really something special for making Good Season Italian dressing from a packet--to me this seemed healthier and homemade than bottled dressing. I made a homemade raspberry vinaigrette once for my sister-in-law's birthday, and really enjoyed it, but it didn't occur to me that homemade dressing was something I could do all the time. Then, after I had knee surgery a year or so ago, a kind lady from church brought by a scrumptious meal. It was a standard-but-delicious pot roast, some rolls, and the fixings for a beautiful salad: field greens, walnuts, sliced berries, broccoli florets, and a homemade poppyseed dressing. I still thought the salad would be better with some bottled dressing, but wanted to give her an honest thank-you-for-everything, so I decided to try the dressing.
It was amazing. It was perfectly sweet and sour, slightly tangy, with a pleasant nutty crunch from the poppyseeds...a revelation. And while this woman has quite a reputation as a great cook, I fancy myself handy in the kitchen, too, and set about figuring out the dressing's ingredients. Once that was tackled, I went back to the raspberry vinaigrette. And I remembered that I had also made homemade Ranch dressing the summer before. And Greek dressing for a salad I took to a potluck once. And the Asian-Sesame-ginger dressing I'd made for a really scrumptious noodle salad. And I had made good Seasons Italian from a packet--I figured there must be a copycat recipe online to make my own at home. As the pieces fell together, I realized that all of my favorite dressings I had, at one point or another, made fresh at home. And if I had done it before, I figured there was no reason I couldn't continue doing so--most of the dressings are made up of things I always have on hand, sparing me not only the expense of bottled dressing, but also the preservatives and chemicals in the shelf-stable varieties as well.
So here are a few of my favorite recipes for salad dressings. Give 'em a try! You'll feel so proud of yourself and will have a great, truly fresh salad to boot. They keep in the fridge for a while--but don't expect them to last long--you'll eat them up before they go bad. These recipes also make less than you'll find in a store-bought bottle, so you'll use them faster.
Poppyseed Dressing
1/2 c. mayo
2-3 Tbsp. sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp. poppyseeds
pinch salt, freshly ground pepper to taste
milk
Whisk all ingredients except milk together, then add milk until dressing is desired consistency. Store in airtight bottle in fridge. Keeps for a week or more.
"Good Seasons"-type Italian dressing
For Mix:
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. celery salt
Combine mix ingredients well and store in a baggie or other airtight container in the cupboard. For each recipe of dressing, shake together 2 Tbsp. of the mix, 2 Tbsp. of water, and 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar until well combined. Add 2/3 c. oil and 1 tsp. dijon mustard (helps emulsify the dressing) and shake, shake, shake. Shake immediately before using.
Raspberry Vinaigrette
1 10 oz. jar seedless raspberry preserves
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. dijon mustard
1/2 c. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Remove lid from preserves and melt slightly in the microwave, just so it's a bit more liquid-y. Whisk the preserves, mustard and vinegar together, then whisk briskly while drizzling in the olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note: when you store this one in the fridge, the olive oil will solidify. I just microwave it for 15 seconds or so before using, or sit it on the counter for about 20 minutes to bring it to room temp.
ALSO, I usually make a half amount. This one is especially good on a salad with spinach, strawberries, toasted almonds, and feta.
Ranch Dressing
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream or buttermilk (use sour cream to make a veggie dip, buttermilk to make a thin dressing, or use half of each to make a thick dressing, like I do)
1 clove of garlic, minced, or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. EACH salt and pepper
2-3 Tbsp. herbs of your choice
(I personally think dill is ESSENTIAL, along with thyme, onion powder, and oregano. I have also used chopped chives and finely chopped basil and enjoy those, too. When it's summer and I have these herbs fresh, I use them. But the dressing doesn't keep as long with fresh herbs as with dried. also keep in mind that fresh herbs aren't as potent, so you'll need more)
Mix everything together (I usually reserve some of the milk so it isn't too thin, then add it just until the dressing is how we like it), and let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors really come together. Made with fresh herbs, this keeps for about 4 days. Made with dried, it will keep for a week or more!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Moist Chocolate Cake
I love cake. I always have. I love most cake flavors, but for my birthday, my mom always makes me chocolate. And because she loves me, she LEAVES THE FROSTING OFF. There are some frostings I don't mind, but I love cake so much, I figure, why ruin a good thing? Cake is so good by itself.
Another reason I like cake? Because box mixes go on sale so frequently I can stock up, and when the mood strikes, I can have cake at a few moments' notice. I know some people have an aversion to boxed cake mix (my mother-in-law, to name one), but what can I say? My palate isn't so refined that I can't still enjoy Betty Crocker's convenient mixes.
In fact, until recently, I had only ever made cake from a mix--I wasn't scared to try one from scratch, but I just didn't see the point in going to the trouble when I liked the box variety just fine. But a while back, I complied a cookbook of some of my husband's family's favorite recipes. Among the 30 dessert recipes was one for my mother-in-law's Moist Chocolate Cake. When, last week, I got a hankering for chocolate cake and had no chocolate mix on hand, I knew I had to try it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good. I sampled a piece while the cake was still slightly warm (because my willpower is lacking, apparently), and it was light and airy, with a tiny bit of crunch on the top. It was divine, I tell you. Now, it is pretty delicate, and if you're looking for a cake to decorate for your child's birthday party, this is probably not the one. I suspect it wouldn't stand up to heavy frosting. But if you want a fluffy, tender, soul-satisfying cake whose rich chocolate flavor you can augment with some sweetened whipped cream or fruit or some sort of gooey, drippy glaze, then, friend, look no further.
Or better yet, in my opinion, eat it plain. Eat it for breakfast on a Sunday morning while huddled over a heating vent, like my kids did a couple of days ago. Eat it in a house, with a mouse. Eat it with ice cream scooped on top. Whichever way you do it, you're going to love this one.
Moist Chocolate Cake
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. hot coffee
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Stir together dry ingredients.
Add oil, coffee, and milk. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for two more minutes. Batter will be VERY RUNNY.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (The original recipe says 25-30 minutes, but that MUST be a typo.)
My mother-in-law likes to top the cooled cake with 2 cans of cherries or 2 cups of sliced strawberries, and mounds of Cool Whip. I, as you know, like it plain. But do whatever suits you!
Another reason I like cake? Because box mixes go on sale so frequently I can stock up, and when the mood strikes, I can have cake at a few moments' notice. I know some people have an aversion to boxed cake mix (my mother-in-law, to name one), but what can I say? My palate isn't so refined that I can't still enjoy Betty Crocker's convenient mixes.
In fact, until recently, I had only ever made cake from a mix--I wasn't scared to try one from scratch, but I just didn't see the point in going to the trouble when I liked the box variety just fine. But a while back, I complied a cookbook of some of my husband's family's favorite recipes. Among the 30 dessert recipes was one for my mother-in-law's Moist Chocolate Cake. When, last week, I got a hankering for chocolate cake and had no chocolate mix on hand, I knew I had to try it.
Sweet fancy Moses, it was good. I sampled a piece while the cake was still slightly warm (because my willpower is lacking, apparently), and it was light and airy, with a tiny bit of crunch on the top. It was divine, I tell you. Now, it is pretty delicate, and if you're looking for a cake to decorate for your child's birthday party, this is probably not the one. I suspect it wouldn't stand up to heavy frosting. But if you want a fluffy, tender, soul-satisfying cake whose rich chocolate flavor you can augment with some sweetened whipped cream or fruit or some sort of gooey, drippy glaze, then, friend, look no further.
Or better yet, in my opinion, eat it plain. Eat it for breakfast on a Sunday morning while huddled over a heating vent, like my kids did a couple of days ago. Eat it in a house, with a mouse. Eat it with ice cream scooped on top. Whichever way you do it, you're going to love this one.
Moist Chocolate Cake
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 c. sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
1 c. hot coffee
1 c. milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.
Stir together dry ingredients.
Add oil, coffee, and milk. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla. Beat for two more minutes. Batter will be VERY RUNNY.
Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. (The original recipe says 25-30 minutes, but that MUST be a typo.)
My mother-in-law likes to top the cooled cake with 2 cans of cherries or 2 cups of sliced strawberries, and mounds of Cool Whip. I, as you know, like it plain. But do whatever suits you!
Menu Plan
I haven't even really come up with a plan of attack for this week's meals yet, and here it is, Tuesday already. I figured I'd better jot something down before I get crazed.
Monday
We had Smoked Sausage
Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Peas
Tuesday
Roasted Chicken Thighs
Risotto
Salad
Wednesday
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Brothers Bread
Thursday
Chicken Stew
Roasted Red Skin Potatoes with garlic and dill
Friday
Taco Soup
Rice/Cheese/Corn Chips
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Baked Spaghetti
Salad
Monday
We had Smoked Sausage
Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Peas
Tuesday
Roasted Chicken Thighs
Risotto
Salad
Wednesday
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Brothers Bread
Thursday
Chicken Stew
Roasted Red Skin Potatoes with garlic and dill
Friday
Taco Soup
Rice/Cheese/Corn Chips
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Baked Spaghetti
Salad
Monday, January 4, 2010
Menu Plan
It has been a while, hasn't it? I am So behind on blogging, I don't even know where to begin. I thought a nice, easy Menu Plan might be just the thing to give me a good jump start. You know what else needs a jump start? A normal diet. We've been so involved with Christmas goodies, eating out, and scrounging for a quick bite between stuff, our meals have been a bit abnormal. We're REALLY looking forward to getting back to good old, from-scratch, (relatively) healthy home-cooked meals. Here goes...
Monday
White Chicken Chili
Yellow Rice
Tuesday
Pork Chop Stuffing Bake
Chopped Salad w/ homemade dressing
Wednesday--back to Church activities; we're going for a crock pot meal
Beef Stew
Homemade rolls
Thursday
Bacon Sesame Fried Rice (with veggies)
Friday
Florentine Quiche
Salad
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Spaghetti?
Monday
White Chicken Chili
Yellow Rice
Tuesday
Pork Chop Stuffing Bake
Chopped Salad w/ homemade dressing
Wednesday--back to Church activities; we're going for a crock pot meal
Beef Stew
Homemade rolls
Thursday
Bacon Sesame Fried Rice (with veggies)
Friday
Florentine Quiche
Salad
Saturday
Leftovers
Sunday
Spaghetti?
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