Already Thinking About Leftovers!

I know that Thanksgiving hasn't even happened yet, but I'm already starting to think about the yummy ways we can eat our leftover turkey. I love the ideas on this website. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy some of them!

Totally trying this

Spinoccoli Pizza, thanks to Annies eats. Yum!

Meals, Schmeals...

I'm so not into making a meal plan lately. I'm tired and there's just too much going on in life to care about cooking anymore. With picky eaters and a husband who rarely eats dinner at home, how could you blame me?

So here is my really lame and really late meal plan for the next few days. Thank goodness Thanksgiving is coming up. It means I don't have to worry about a meal plan for awhile!

Friday: Von's $5 meal- garlic herb shrimp with rice
Saturday: tortilla soup/chili with cornbread
Sunday: salmon cakes and rice pilaf
Monday: spaghetti and garlic bread
Tuesday: omelettes
Wednesday/Thursday/Friday:Thanksgiving fun!

Fun Shaped Eggs and '1 pot" Mess

Yasmeen has been a HUGE fan of a bacon and egg breakfast lately. I make the bacon on the griddle and wanted to make my egg on there too so I have a fast and easy clean up (mornings aren't my thing: the simpler the better!).

The following idea is likely not new news to any experienced mom, but it was a novel idea to me :) I decided to both spice up the interest of breakfast and save myself cleaning a cast iron by placing one of my handy dandy metal cookie cutters onto the griddle, breaking the egg first into a small container, and then pouring the egg into the cookie cutter mold. It works like a charm and makes some cute eggs! So far I've made a bunny (big hit) a chic (liked) and a butterfly (which would have been a big hit, but Yasmeen has been doing a lot of puzzles lately and the butterfly is on the insect board, which she has decided are "icky" so when I placed the egg butterfly on her plate this morning she said "no, bug!").

Anyway, thought I'd pass along the tip in case you haven't tried it. Tip: it does work best if you first make the bacon then turn down the heat on the griddle a little so a film doesn't develop on the exterior of the egg while it cooks.

California Eggs Florentine

Tonight we had Brinner-Eggs Florentine style. So good. So fast (literally, 20 min or under). So easy. And cheap--at least for us, as we seem to always have bacon, eggs, and English muffins on hand. In fact, we usually also have avocado and tomato around the house, so not too many ingredients need to be picked up at the store.

California Eggs Florentine

English Muffin (one per person)
Eggs (two per person)
Spinach-Fresh baby spinach best
Bacon (two slices per person)
Tomatoes (I used 1 small Roma per person)
Avocado (1 should be enough for 4 people)
1 clove garlic
1tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
packet Hollindaise mix
1 c milk
1/4 c butter
salt/pepper to taste
Tabasco to taste


Step 1: In a large skillet fill 2/3 way with water. Bring to a boil. Add 1 tbsp vinegar. reduce to a simmer. Crack eggs first into a small cup or container. Gently place in water. Cook about 3 minutes or until desired doneness.

Step 2: Place your bacon on a griddle and cook. (As many pieces as needed/desired per person. I use one slice per side of toast, split in half.)

Step 3: saute spinach with garlic and olive oil (you'll be able to do this while waiting for the egg water to boil)
Spinach-I used about 4 cups for two servings
1 clove, garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat Olive oil in a small sauce pan. Add minced garlic and saute until the smells release then add in spinach. Saute until the color looks right for your preference. Set aside.

Step 4: While your spinach sautes and your bacon cooks start your Hollindaise sauce. I cheat and use a prepackaged mix. All it takes is 1 cup milk, the packet, and 1/4 cup butter. Whisk, bring to boil ,then simmer for one minute while it thickens. Make this last bc it is best fresh. (After you get this going it will probably be time to place your eggs in the water.)

Step 5: Slice tomatoes (I use Roma) and Avocado and toast the English muffins. As many as you need for the number of people you are serving. I used two slices of each per side of English muffin.

Step 6: Begin assembling the Eggs Florentine.Place English muffins on plates. Top each side with tomato, avocado, spinach, bacon, egg, and Hollindaise sauce.

I top it all off with a splash of Tabasco and a dash of salt and pepper.

And voila: pure yumminess that is sinfully good...even the baby ate one whole side!

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup
A few years ago I decided to give Mexican Tortilla Soup a try, but didn't find any recipes that fit the bill and tried my hand at my own invention...and it was YUMMY. Even better, it was CHEAP and EASY.I made a pot full, and soup doesn't exactly beg exactness, so here are the general measurements and ingredients:

3 cans reduced sodium chicken broth
1 container freshly made salsa (I like spicy)
1/2 container green salsa (I use Herdez)
15 oz pinto beans
15 oz black beans
15oz White Beans
15 oz canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
2-3 cups frozen corn (I used half golden and half sweet)
1/3-1/2 large yellow onion
2 tbsp minced garlic (fresh is best)
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 small avocados
handful of fresh cilantro, minced
dollop of sour cream (per serving)
handful of shredded cheese, preferably cheddar or jack-even better, a mix! (per serving)
Crispy tortilla strips (I used Wasabi Ranch flavored)

Directions:
Over medium heat, heat olive oil and place sliced onion and garlic until onion is soft ,season with salt and pepper to taste. Careful not to burn garlic. Add the chicken broth, bring to simmer. Add both salsas and bring to simmer again. Add in beans, canned tomato and corn, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add sliced avocado and cilantro, cook additional 1-2 minutes and remove from heat. Top with dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro sprigs and crispy tortilla strips and serve. For an extra treat, serve with freshly made corn bread to sop up the remaining broth. Yum!*Chicken chunks are optional for a non vegetarian version. Cook in advance and add in with beans.

Menu plan: Thurs-wed

I'm going to try to do my menus Thursday to Wednesday because new ads come out Wednesday and that way I can make the most of supermarket savings and freshness.

Thursday: Mongolian BBQ (treated the missionaries to dinner)

Friday: My awesome Lamb, Yam, Yummy salad trifecta

Saturday: It is wet and cold, so I'm stewing up some super duper easy Mexican tortilla soup (recipe to follow)

Sunday: Grilled Halibut fillets with this warm Brussels Sprout salad and rice

Monday: Hmmm, it's FHE, so something good. How about a family favorite? Brinner. And, to make it even more favored, we'll make that Eggs Benedict, thanks. I think I'll make mine with bacon and fresh tomato and avocado, but do the traditional for Jacob if he wants it. Served with Asparagus, of course.

I'm not entirely sure what I want to do yet for the remaining two days. Probably something with beef or pork, and maybe something Asian. Stay tuned.

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

O-M-GOOOOOODNESS

I'm nothing if not consistent: I didn't cook a lick all summer and into fall, but today is cold and windy with slight showers and I absolutely had the URGE to cook up a nice hearty feast, with a nod to the season of eating ahead. I even had the urge to cook meat-which I almost never do. (To date, that remains firmly planted in the hubby's territory.)

I made, if I do say so myself the most fantastic meal tonight (and I do...but the hubby confirmed it, and he wouldn't necessarily say he didn't like something, but he would eat only enough to be polite--and he cleaned his plate and asked for seconds).

Best part? It took 30 MIN (yes, that's right) from the start (as in washing veggies) to finish (as in my fork delved into this delish meal). And that included cleaning as I went for the most part.

I dived right into my latest Cooking Light magazine and made these Pork Chops (only I substituted cuts of small pork loin, cooked 4 min per side, quadrupled the portion of seasoning and oil rub per loin, adding a dash of red chili flakes into the mix and substituting a mix of dry Italian seasoning for fresh rosemary (bc I had it on hand)). I'm very pleased with myself because this was my first time EVER cooking lamb and it was PERFECT: soft-melt-in-your-mouth texture, juicy, not undercooked but no where near overdone, and super yummy flavor.

I also made the mashed "maple hazelnut sweet potatoes" featured in the magazine with the pork chops, only I used yams, slightly increased the amount of maple syrup, and added a quarter cup of shredded parma-reggiano, and eliminated the hazelnuts (opting to throw them in the salad instead)--SO creamy and delectable! Jacob, who claims not to like yams, practically licked the bowl clean after finishing his portion.

Maple Yams
Pierce 2 sweet potatoes with a fork, wrap with a wet paper towel and microwave until done. Let stand 5 minutes then peel skin, mash to desired consistency, add 1/4 cup milk, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1/4 cup shredded parma-reggiano, 1 teaspoon sea salt. Combine and serve.

Then I whisked together an adapted version of the salad dressing recommended in the magazine, but put my own salad mix together:

Honey Dijon Vinaigrette (so good, so easy, so cheap)
1 1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon cracked lack pepper
1/4 tablespoon salt
1 minced garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil (gradually whisked in)

Mixed Mediterranean Style Salad
I bought a tin of organic mixed baby greens and added 1/2 thinly sliced Fuji apple, 1/2 cup red Holiday grapes-halved , a little under 1/4 cup crushed whole dry roasted hazelnuts, 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese, and about 8 large spiced blood orange marinated green olives (available now at Whole Foods) and poured in the marinade into the salad before drenching with the salad dressing and mixing. Oh MY GOSH. SO. DANG. GOOD.

Try it. You'll be glad you did. It wasn't super cheap, but it wasn't super expensive. Admittedly I had the seasonings and grapes on hand, but the portion of food used for the meal was about $18 total. Though it cost more than that at the store for the lettuce and cheese particularly, I have enough of those left for at least 3 more salads.

Recommended preparation:
While the yams cook, prepare the seasoning and rub down the lamb, prepare the vinaigrette.

While the yams cool, cook the lamb, toss the salad, and finally, prepare the mashed the yams.

Finis!

Raise Healthy Eaters

I found this website today and thought it looked pretty interesting. It's by a mom who is also a registered dietitian. There are some great looking recipes as well as nutrition information.

Next Week's Meal Plan

I've been a total slacker with the meal planning the past few weeks. Of course everyone being sick didn't help. So here is my attempt at a plan for next week.

My goal this week is to eat more veggies. And to get Nathan and Christopher to at least try some!

Monday: Sandwiches. Tuna or veggie.
Tuesday: Homemade mac and cheese and broccoli
Wednesday: Chicken. Probably asian sesame with rice and veggies
Thursday: Brinner. Maybe I'll try the best waffles ever recipe!
Friday: $5 Vons meal
Saturday: Salmon burgers. Made from canned salmon, egg, minced onion and bread crumbs. It's pretty yummy and the kids will actually eat it.

A few recipes I can't wait to try!

These polenta cakes with greens

This Butternut Squash Lasagna

These Pumpkin Truffles

This Pappa al Pomodoro (you know I love me some Tuscan cuisine)


The weather here is in the 90s...consequently, I have halted all cooking activities :) I just can't quite get there when it feels hot and sticky. But man oh man, fall is on it's way and I'll be busting these babies out on the first sign of a rainy day!

The Week's Meals, Reluctantly

Am I alone in sometimes longing for the pre-marriage and childless days of yore, being able to get away with cereal and ice cream for dinner nearly every night just because I could and it was easy?

Jacob still will go through phases where that's all he feels like eating--and I can't blame the man. After working with food all day, I'm not sure I could stomach (literally) the smell of another item by the time I got home. It does put a hamper on my meal planning, though. It is NO FUN to go through all the pain of meal preparation, cooking, and clean up just to be the only one to really eat it. Yasmeen always eats what I have, but considering that her stomach is the size of her fist, and some days she is far more ornery about what she'll put in her mouth than others, she doesn't really quite count.

And, yet, she does...because if she didn't need to eat that nutritious fist size of food I would be joining Jacob in the cereal glutton.

We've been eating out ALL summer-and we live in a small little town with very few food options, so it's not like we've even been enthusiastically eating out. We've just been far too lazy. But, it is really eating a hole in our pockets, doing absolutely nothing whatsoever that is kind to my waistline, cementing some pretty awful eating habits in the little one, and we've been subjected to some pretty questionable quality control, if you know what I mean....sooooooo, the binge is over. And I'm back at this. Ugh.

It's difficult to think of easy meals that aren't terribly time consuming or expensive and are kid AND hubby friendly.

Monday: Slowcooker pulled pork with Kaiser buns and KFC coleslaw and fruit or veggie side

Tuesday: Fish tacos (thank you Jenny)

Wednesday:These Waffles of Insane Greatness (found at Annie's Eats). I have everything on hand except for the cornstarch, which I really should have in my cupboard anyway. I'll serve with fruit (likely strawberries and blackberries) and maybe Jacob will grace us with his perfect scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and a side of grits. Yumm.

Thursday: This Greek Panzanella salad with a cut of beef, probably tri tip or filet mignon

Friday: Maybe shrimp ceviche, but if I'm feeling too lazy I'm not above a run to Costco for $1.50 pizza and frozen yogurt. Just sayin'....

Saturday/Sunday: I dislike planning for weekends as we often are out and about or at the in-laws. So we'll eat what and where the wind takes us.

The Goal: Spend $10 or Less

In an attempt to save as much money on meals as possible this coming week, I've made my shopping list and menu plan early. Weekly ads come out on Wednesdays, which makes it easy to get things done on the weekend. This week my goal is to spend <$10 to complete weeknight dinners and <$5 to complete lunches. (Lunch is only eaten by Alex, Nathan and myself since Josh and Chris eat at school.)

Here we go:

Monday
Lunch: Chicken quesadillas. Chicken is $6/bag (about 24 pieces per bag and I'll probably use about 5 for this meal) and I already have diced fire-roasted chiles, cheese and tortillas. This meal is <$5.
Dinner: Spaghetti, salad and french bread. I already have spaghetti noodles, salad is about $2 (bagged) and I have a coupon for free french bread. This meal is <$5

Tuesday:
Lunch: Tuna sandwiches. I'll have to buy some tuna, which is on sale for $1/can this week and we'll probably use at least 3 cans. Also celery ($1) and mayonnaise ($3). This meal is about $7.
Dinner: Fish tacos. Tilapia is on sale ($4/lb), salsa ($1), avocado (2/$1), coleslaw (bagged, $2). This meal will be about $10.

Wednesday:
Lunch: Roast beef sandwiches. Roast beef from Trader Joe's is $5/package for about 10 slices. This meal is <$5.
Dinner: Chicken tenders and twice baked potatoes. potatoes are $.88/5 lb bag this week and green onions $1. This meal is <$10.

Thursday:
Lunch: Roast beef or pb&j sandwiches.
Dinner: Chili and cornbread. I already have all the ingredients for this meal in the pantry.

Friday:
Lunch: Leftover chili and cornbread.
Dinner: My day off! $5 Friday at Von's. I might buy a second meal to use for Saturday.

Saturday:
Lunch: The extra $5 meal I got from Von's. Josh has a soccer game that morning.
Dinner: I'll let Alex decide!

Sunday:
Lunch: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, some kind of veggie. Ground beef is about $3/lb. The veggie won't cost more than $2. This meal will be about $5.
Dinner: Leftovers/fend for yourselves.

Other foods:
strawberries ($3)
bananas ($3)
bottled water ($3)

Another Week You Gotta Eat

I am so tired of planning and making dinner now that school and soccer have started. I'm also bored with the regular meals we've been having. I wish I could just order out every single day.

So I'm making a dinner plan because I should and not because I'm excited about it:

Monday: Omelettes. The boys have decided that cheese omelettes are delicious and they must eat them as often as possible. Luckily they are super easy to make.
Tuesday: Some kind of soup. Chicken tortilla, broccoli cheddar or something else.
Wednesday: Some kind of salad. Taco, maybe?
Thursday: Barbecue chicken. Oven baked.
Friday: I'm taking the day off and it's $5 Friday's from Von's. Roasted chicken, salad and rolls.

Though dinner might be boring, I'm excited to try this delicious and easy recipe for mini cheesecakes from Bakerella. There's actually a lot of things I'd like to try on this website. But only the really easy stuff.

Back At It? I think...

So it is very definitely the middle of the week-and I very definitely have not cooked one meal yet. But no time like the present to start, right?

My motto for the time being is keep it simple sister! So tonight, we will have sloppy joes and a salad, mainly because they are easy, cheap, good, and the little one likes them so she'll actually eat some red meat. Tomorrow, we will do taco salads.

Friday we are in the city with Gramme, so we'll probably do clam chowder. Saturday will probably be family date night out and Sunday we'll likely go to the in-laws.

Lunch and Dinner Menu Plan

Dinner for this week comes with help from the Everyday Food website.

Monday: Chicken pot pie
Tuesday: Tortilla soup
Wednesday: Shepherd's pie
Thursday: Veggie chili and corn bread
Friday: Sesame noodles


Also, I am now in charge of making Alex's lunch every day (otherwise he spends an arm and a leg at school), so here is his lunch menu:

Monday: Tuna sandwich
Tuesday: Left over pot pie
Wednesday: roast beef sandwich
Thursday: Left over shepherd's pie
Friday: Left over chili

Back to School Meals

Okay, so school starts again this week, which means I'll have more time to plan meals but less time to cook them. So I'm coming back full force this week. Hopefully.

Dinner menu (in no particular order):

Open-faced tuna melts and blt sandwiches. On some good crusty, toasted bread.

Steak and eggs w/grits. We bought a value pack of steak and it's waiting in our freezer. I'll scramble the eggs for the kids, but Alex and I like our eggs sunny side up on top of the meat. With swizzle sauce, of course.

Skewered orange-glazed chicken and rice. I found a recipe that used orange marmalade so I'm going to give it a try. I'll skewer some chicken tenders and baste them with the marmalade under the broiler. It only takes a few minutes to cook. Fast and easy.

Bean and cheese burrito. But I have to get it as close to Taco Bell as I can, otherwise Christopher won't eat it.

This week I also want to:

Make my own pre-made pancake mix. I got the idea from Everyday Food. That will make breakfast quicker and easier.

Make a fondant cake. I've never really been into cake decorating, but it looks simple and fun.

Try perfecting my hummus again. It's hit or miss for me. But my whole family loves hummus, even my picky eater! So I've got to figure it out!

Small Mommy: Next Week's Dinner Menu

Okay, so here's a list of dinners for this week, in no particular order (I just know that I have the ingredients!):

chicken and white bean chili
chicken and rice soup
mac and cheese w/broccoli
spaghetti and garlic bread
loaded baked potato soup
quesadillas

sides:

cornbread
salad
smoothies
jello

desserts:

key lime pie!
snickerdoodles

Southern Food and Key Lime Pie

Yes, I've been slacking on my menu planning this summer also. But-I have been spending less on food. I've been trying to use more food storage and recipes that are cheaper to make. Though I've been taking advantage of the $7 meal deal at Albertson's, which includes one rotisserie chicken, a side of slaw or macaroni salad, 4 hawaiian rolls and a 2 liter of soda. I also like the $5 Friday deals at Von's. Sometimes it's pizza, other times rotisserie chicken or sub sandwiches.

This week we are eating leftovers from our Southern supper. That includes collard greens and chicken and dumplings. I usually use Paula Deen's recipes for Southern cooking.

I also thought I'd post the ridiculously easy recipe I use for key lime pie. It's so tasty and I feel guilty taking any credit for it. It's only 4 ingredients total. The recipe can be found on the back of Nellie & Joe's Famouse Key West Lime Juice bottle.

Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Pie

one 9" graham cracker pie shell (or you could make your own-I never do!)
one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (no whites)
1/2 cup Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice

Combine milk, egg yolks and juice until smooth. Pour into pie filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, until pie is set.

Let stand for 10 minutes before refrigerating.

Serve with whipped cream or not!

So easy. So good.

Summer Hiatus

Confession #1: I haven't menu planned consistently, if at all, in practical months;

Confession #2: I am blissfully unapologetic for it.

Somehow we've all managed to eat and most of the time the baby gets pretty healthy fare. Yes, we've begged several of our more extravagant and healthier meals off the in-laws, but hey, it's summer. I'm on vacation, damn it :) Plus, it's hot. And I'm tired. And NOTHING sounds good to me in the summer but hamburgers, fruit, salads, ice cream, ice cream, ice cream, strawberry lemonade, and sometimes pizza. So that's what we eat. Every day (slight exaggeration, but only slight.) Or cereal.

Alas, summer is almost over and fall is drawing near. Then I crave soups. And it's icky-ish outside, so I never want to leave my house...and my kitchen becomes vastly more appealing. And I cook. I have accumulated some pretty tasty looking recipes I'm dying to try....at least someday (i.e. not tomorrow, or the day after, or likely even the day after that, if you get my gist).

I'll be back when school is back in session. No, no, I don't go to school, nor do I have a child in one, but it seems like a reasonable marker for putting on my big girl pants, growing up, and eating (and spending, and cooking) more responsibly.

Dinner Menu-Small Mommy

I almost stuck to my pantry challenge last week. I broke down and bought some frozen chicken instead of using the canned because I wanted to make Christopher barbecued wings. But I don't feel too bad about it because it turns out he LOVED them. And that hardly ever happens!

So here are some dishes I will probably make in the next 2 weeks:

Chicken and white bean chili with cornbread

Meatloaf with loaded mashed potatoes and possibly fried okra. By the way, I figured out how to get Christopher and Nathan to eat meatloaf! I saw online that one mother cooked her meatloaf in muffin tins and covered them with barbecue sauce instead of ketchup. Well, it worked. Christopher loved it!

Barbecued chicken and red onion pizza on flatbread

Pasta primavera and garlic bread

Cheese enchiladas and salad

We bought an 11 lb box of medjool dates from our Palm Springs trip, so I'm going to try to find something to do with those.

I also bought a new blender today and I'm excited to start making milkshakes and smoothies.

Portobello Panini

I haven't had one of these sandwiches in years. Literally. I miss them. And I can't remember if I shared this recipe before or not.

This recipe is my own rendition of the Portobello Panini served at Pasta Pomodoro. I lived off of these the last month of my second pregnancy. I truly believe it's one of the reasons Christopher ended up being my biggest baby! ;0) Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Portobello Panini

Sliced french bread or Italian bread, I use french pre-sliced in the bread aisle
portobello mushrooms, I usually get the biggest ones so I can make nice large slices
olive oil
sliced gruyere cheese
crumbled feta cheese, I use the herbed
jar of basil pesto, nothing fancy
arugula, I usually chop it
diced tomatoes, any kind

This would be awesome on a panini maker. So if you have one, get it fired up now.

I spread pesto on only one slice of bread. Then pile everything in there, using as much or as little of each ingredient as you please; though you don't want to overfill. Drizzle with olive oil.

There really isn't an exact science to this. Just get everything on there and stick it in the maker.

Enjoy!

Summer Cuisine, by Tall Mommy

This week was hopeless: I have been SWAMPED with church obligations and the idea of even stepping foot in the kitchen was almost too much to bear...as a result, we have (and most likely will continue to) eaten dinners out. But next week, I'm getting my mojo back :)

I'm not set on an order, but here is what I'd like to have:

Monday: My take on a Chicken fajita tex-mex salad with this salad dressing by Sunny Anderson of Food Network:
Creamy Lime Dressing:
2 tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon lime zest
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Special equipment: blender
Blend all the ingredients except the olive oil until smooth. While machine is running, slowly drizzle in the oil until incorporated. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Tuesday: Chicken Pesto Sandwich with Roma tomatoes and mozzarella

Wednesday: These fish tacos with chipotle sauce

Thursday: A bug juicy burger with fries and a summer salad of some sort

Friday: Family Date night

Saturday: Maybe shrimp ceviche (the only menu item we didn't get to last week)

Sunday: I'm thinking homemade mac and cheese with bacon served with a veggie platter with chipotle ranch dip

Cooking from the Pantry: The Challenge

While it's nice and warm (or Hot, Hot, Hot!!) in the valley, it's an overcast, dreary 60 degrees in Santa Barbara. Yes, I'm complaining. I miss the warm sun.

So instead of thinking salads and watermelon, I'm thinking soups and chili. Even after 5 years of living here I still can't get used to the cold summers.

Anyway, another bummer about summer is that funds are low. But I'm going to look at these meager times as a challenge: to spend even less on meals and be more frugal.

This week is pretty much over, but I've decided that for the next week, I'm going to cook from the pantry (food storage) and the freezer. With the exception of some perishable items, e.g. milk, eggs, salad and such, I'm only going to use what we already have stored. Ooooh, this should should be fun!

I've compiled this list of meals I want to try-all with pantry items (with the exception of 2 or 3 canned goods I'll need to purchase):

Giada's Lentil Soup

Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

Chicken Enchiladas (modified version of this recipe. And using canned chicken)

Crock Pot Chili and skillet cornbread

Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole (modified version of this recipe. Also using canned chicken)

I'm pretty sure my 4 and 6 year old will starve next week. Or survive on cereal, since I'm sure they will hate everything on this list. We'll see how it goes.

Week Who Knows, But Here It Goes...

It is HOT HOT HOT here! Hot weather makes me want either anything grilled or anything meat free and light. Oh, and EASY.

Monday: pizza and salad ordered out

Tuesday: maple baked beans with cheddar cheese, quattro leoni salad (this time with Granny Smith apples in it), and spinach dip (snack for the evening) with oranges and berries for dessert

Wednesday: eggplant parmesan lasagna with quattro leoni salad (yes, we have that A LOT around here, it's been a staple for us for 3 1/2 years now); grapes to snack on

Thursday: I have a meeting with a Primary leader in the middle of dinner, so something crazy fast and easy, I'm thinking Sloppy Joes or cheesy hamburger pasta (easiest thing EVER). Maybe a banana split for dessert (that counts as getting our fruit in, right??)

Friday: Oh, I'm guessing it may be an In-and-Out night :) Can't beat the price and the quick service for some pretty tasty food

Saturday: mexican caesar salad and shrimp ceviche tacos. I also may try my hand at some home made shaved ice with pureed fruit as the "syrup"...we'll see how (un)motivated I get as the day goes on!

Sunday: July 4th! Family BBQ at the in-laws....yummmm

Week #17 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Summers are very meager times for us and I feel like it's kind of ridiculous to even plan a menu anymore. But here is what I've got on hand this week.

Chicken: Tenders, barbecued (on the Foreman grill), stir fry

Ground beef: Tacos, nachos

Sides: Pasta (lots of pasta!!!)-spaghetti, garlic/butter, Rice (pilaf, white, fried), Potatoes-fried, mashed, herbed, scalloped

Canned veggies or frozen-brussel sprouts, okra, corn, green beans

Cheese and eggs-Quesadillas, sandwiches, omelettes

And lots of Star Wars pancakes! ;0)

Week#15 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Wow, the days just get away from me! I figure that it's still good to post my weekly menus even if they are late, just to stay in the groove of it. So here goes.

Monday: Memorial Day-Steak, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, key lime pie

Tuesday: Chicken tenders, macaroni and cheese, oranges, smores

Wednesday: Probably pizza since Josh has a school play at 6pm

Thursday: Hamburgers. Ground beef is on sale $1/lb. With chips and salsa and fruit.

Friday: That last day of school!!! Maybe we'll celebrate with some Costco food.

I'm going to have to incorporate some salad into the menu next week!

Scalloped Tomatoes

Ok, so that doesn't exactly sound quite as good as it *looks.* I watched the Barefoot Contessa yesterday and she prepared the most yummy looking scalloped tomatoes that I just HAVE to try them. I plan to make them for dinner tonight, most likely paired with a Quiche Lorraine (unless I grow too lazy by the time dinner prep arrives, in which case we will have a simple cheesy/mushroom/bacon omelet) for an unexpected breakfast-but-hearty-enough-for-dinner combination.

Remember me...??? Week 14: Tall Mommy's *kind of* Menu Plan

Yes, I'm back. Yes, I realize it's been *ahem* several weeks; and, yes, my goal of meal planning for my family has fallen, well, shall we say, somewhat short in recent weeks (err...months??). But, here I am. Not exactly rearing to go, but here nonetheless.

I FINALLY started receiving Cooking Light again (I re-subscribed 6 months ago! And my first issue just came! The nerve!! If it weren't a magazine I think I'd die without I'd tell them just where to shove that subscription. Hint, it would be somewhere the sun don't shine!).

Anyway, with Cooking Light came new inspiration and desire to cook.

I'm not sure the order of my menu for the week, but here is what I have planned:

Monday: tonight we had Kifta (sp??) from my mother-in-law. It is an Arabic meal that is super tasty, and pretty easy I think. It's basically just grilled small beef patties mixed with finely chopped parsley and onion. Yummy! I made a simple arugula salad and served with fresh fruit on the side.

Other nights this week: Whole wheat linguine with slightly charred heirloom cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and goat cheese; eggplant bake; cracked wheat salad with nectarines, parsley, and pistachio (here); spring risotto; arugula salad with prosciutto wrapped melon and goat cheese in a light citrus vinaigrette; fresh fruit salad.

I realize there is very little meat in this menu...and for that reason I will probably throw in a Sloppy Joe night. I also figure I will be eating many of these solo or splitting it with the baby while Jacob (my resident carnivore) makes a mad dash for the nearest Micky D's. But hey, my kitchen, my cooking, my menus, my rules, right! (right?)...

Week #14 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

And...I'm back. Last week kind of got away from me.

Monday: Fish tacos-Alex went fishing with a friend and caught a bunch of mackeral that we need to use up. Serve with shredded cabbage, lime, herdez salsa (canned, because it's the best) and spanish rice for me.

Tuesday: $5 pizzas. Josh has a dentist appointment at 4pm so no home cooking.

Wednesday: Mexican stuffed Shells-Something new to try. I've had a box of pasta shells in the pantry forever and figured I'd finally use them. I think Christopher might actually eat these. I'm going to tweak this recipe.

Thursday: Spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. Christopher has a school play at 6pm, so keep it simple.

Friday: Asian Orange Chicken. With rice and stir fry veggies.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

For a pot full of sinfully cheesy soup (hey, guilt free...it's healthy...I said broccoli, right??!):

Ingredients
-16 oz broccoli flowers
-2 can Campbell's cream of chicken soup
-1 can Campbell's cheddar cheese mix soup
-2 cups shredded cheese, Jack and Cheddar mix
-1 cup shredded parma-reggiano cheese
-2 cups milk
-8 slices crispy bacon
-1/3 yellow onion thinly sliced
-1 tbsp minced garlic
-1 tbsp olive oil-pepper to taste

Heat skillet over medium-high heat-coat pan with olive oil and place onion and garlic. Saute until onion is soft and translucent. Add cream of chicken (according to directions: add 1 can water for each can soup) and stir until evenly incorporated. Add broccoli and bring to a boil-cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, add pepper then reduce heat to medium, add canned cheese and milk and cook another 5 (at about a simmer), still stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Take 1/3 of the mixture and place in blender (or processor) and pulse briefly. Add shredded cheese to remaining portion and mix until melted. Mix in the pulsed portion until fully incorporated. Add bacon and stir. Garnish with shredded cheese and half slice of bacon and serve.

Spicy Pickled Okra

Okay, I heart Cooking Light Magazine!!! I checked out a couple of issues from the library and found a bunch of delicious looking recipes I'd like to incorporate into my weekly meal planning.

Here is one that everyone in the family is excited about. Spicy Pickled Okra. Yum.

1 1/2 pounds okra
4 garlic cloves
4 dill sprigs
2 cups cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups water
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1. Divide okra, garlic and dill evenly among 4 (1 pint) jars.

2. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Carefully pour vinegar mixture into jars, leaving about 1/4 inch at top. Seal jars; refrigerate for 3 days before serving.

Yield: about 4 cups (serving size: 1/3 cup)

Week#12 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Better late than never...

Monday-Raviolis (frozen) and Alex's brussel sprout recipe. Cook chopped onions in olive oil and a bit of butter. Add brussel sprouts (we use the frozen bag, defrosted) and saute until cooked through and slightly charred. Sprinkle with parmesan. Yum!

Tuesday-pot roast, cornbread and corn

Wednesday-soft tacos

Thursday-chili cheese dogs, fruit and chips

Friday-some kind of pasta, don't know what yet. Spaghetti, tuna noodle casserole, chicken spaghetti, one of these.

Other snacks-strawberries, crackers, oranges, popcorn

Week #11 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

I get so bored of making dinner sometimes. So I'm really trying to mix it up this week.

Monday: Fish tacos-Tilapia is on sale this week. I grill it with some lime, chili powder, cumin and olive oil. Stuff it in a corn tortilla with shredded cabbage and top with salsa. Voila. I like to serve it with spanish rice, but I'm the only one in my family who likes it.

Tuesday: Honey-lime roasted chicken-I thought I'd give this a try since I have the ingredients and it sounds different and yummy. I'm going to serve it with this rice pilaf.

Wednesday: Grilled eggplant and tomato sandwich with basil mayo-How good does that sound? You can find the recipe here. Of course Christopher and Nathan won't eat it, so they can have grilled cheese instead.

Thursday: Angel hair pasta with chicken and veggies- Recipe here.

Friday: Brinner-That is breakfast for dinner. Eggs, bacon or sausage, grits and biscuits.

Week #10 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Last week I went shopping and found some great deals. I used a couple of coupons too. I'm really starting to love using coupons. I used to throw away those coupons I got with my receipts, but since I've been paying attention I've used several, even some for free stuff!

Monday-Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken. Last week I bought 2 whole chickens that were on sale for 67 cents a pound. That's $3 per chicken! Serve with loaded mashed potatoes and corn.

Tuesday-Maayu has a doctor's appointment, which means more shots and possibly a sad baby. So it will be something easy. Spaghetti, salad and french bread.

Wednesday-Nathan's 4th birthday! I'll leave this day open in case we decide to go out for pizza.

Thursday-Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I figured out how to make this recipe with canned cheddar soup and frozen broccoli. It tastes pretty good. Serve with biscuits.

Friday-Hamburgers, chips, salsa.

Snacks: oranges, crackers, grapes, chips/salsa, hard-boiled eggs, hummus

Week 9: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Ok, I'll be honest: last week my menu planning efforts were DERAILED. (Mon: leftovers, Tues: Red Robin, Wed: Costco, Thurs: Chilis, Fri: I honestly can't remember, but it was purchased, Sat: Picnic Day and snacks, Sun: Pre-cooked Tri Tip and boxed pilaf. Yeeahh, I think derailed is pretty accurate.)

This week, I'm hoping to fare better.

Mon: Grilled Mahi Mahi, cous cous, cheese stuffed tomatoes
Tues: The burritos from last week's menu
Wed: Avocado, Tomato, Bacon, Bri grilled sandwiches and salad
Thurs: basketball night, so dine out...maybe Chinese
Fri: Tacos!
Sat: Caesar Salad and Tomato and Goat Cheese pizza (possibly with grilled chicken)
Sun: Spring Risotto and Melon & Feta salad

Week #9 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

I have to go grocery shopping this week, so I decided to check out the store ads first. We get Von's, Albertson's and Ralph's. I went through and circled everything I'd like to buy in each ad, then went back and figured out which store had the most and best sales. It turns out it was Von's. They also had some great coupons in the ad that I'm going to take advantage of. And can I say that I am really proud of myself! Last time I went shopping I used 5 coupons, and one of them was for free milk! I'm starting to love coupons.

I'm getting pretty bored with dinner lately. So I tried to come up with something different that was budget-friendly AND that my kids would eat.

Monday-Build your own nachos. That way Josh and I can have nacho salad. Maybe I'll try it with Doritos.

Tuesday-Bbq chicken with pineapple and rice.

Wednesday-Omelettes. (I have a coupon for eggs!) It will be build your own. Probably cheese for the boys and veggie for me.

Thursday-Pork chops, applesauce, and rice.

Friday-Sandwiches. Alex leaves town that afternoon so I want to make something super easy. Probably turkey, cheese and avocado. With chips.

Other snacks: oranges, strawberries, crackers, cheese

Quatro Leoni salad

Several years ago we ate at a restaurant in the piazza della Passera in Florence called La Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni. They served us the most amazing starter salad-seriously, true love formed at first bite. It was also amazingly simple (though difficult to entirely reproduce).

Ever since, I have tried to replicated it at home. I've never gotten it just right-thanks in part to different produce variety and the inability to accurately capture the dressing, but I have captured the spirit of it and my version, while not nearly as enticing as the real deal, is a big hit in our home.

I always use the pre-packaged lettuce--usually the one that is a variety of four different baby salad leaves, always including butter leaf. If you can't find it, pure arugula is the next best bet. Their salad was served with fresh baby arugula, but I've found the varieties at my local store are not fresh enough to taste yummy without a few other types mixed in.

The salad can be served with a very wide variety of cheeses, the catch is there needs to be 2-3 and the flavors must play well off each other. One should nearly always be some form of a Swiss or soft white cheddar, when possible. I'm pretty positive the original salad used a very expensive kind of Swiss cheese. If I don't have Jarlsberg, a close second to what they used, I'll often use white cheddar, regular cheddar and Sicilian jack, or white jack, hot pepper jack, and something creamier like Havarti. Whatever you do, cube it and throw it in. If you have only one kind of super creamy, pretty pricey white cheese, then one cheese would do (their's, as I can recall, had just one).

Dice 1/2 of a granny smith apple, dice 1 whole avocado, finely chop 1/4 small to medium yellow onion (optional).

Top with about 1/8 cup of pine nuts.

Either create your own basil dressing OR for a similar, easier and equally as delicious flavor buy El Torrito's Cilantro Pepita Caesar dressing.

Top with a very small amount of sea salt and a healthy dose of freshly ground pepper.

Manga!

Week 8: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Can you believe we have been menu planning for two months already?! Nice. Honestly, some weeks I can credit this blog for us having a semblance of a balanced meal on our table...nothing terribly inspirational admittedly, but hey, don't judge.

This week I have our first Sunday of Primary behind me-lots of work ahead of me, but I need to find balance and know it will be ok now if everything isn't perfect. I'm hoping this week's menu plan reflects that quest for balance...a few easy meals for days I may not feel well *like today* or have a TON to accomplish, and a few meals or treats that inspire the senses and make me actually like to be in the kitchen.

Monday: LEFT OVERS. Pulled pork is so yummy (even Yasmeen loves it) and we have enough for a second dinner, so that is what we are having. Don't want it? Find your own fare.

Tuesday: If the weather is still cold and crappy I'll try this Chicken Chili with Hominy slow cooker recipe; if it is nice I'll probably opt for a fresh spring primavera pasta served with bruschetta.

Wednesday: This Shitake and Pea Risotto though I'll adapt with Ina Garten's secret and add 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese before serving, stirring until creamy and melted for the ultimate consistency. I may also add asparagus. Serve with Romaine-Tomato Salad.

Thursday: Pan grilled fish (likely Halibut) with this rice: from Cooking Light: Cook 1 cup long-grain white rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ cup thawed frozen whole-kernel corn and ½ cup chopped zucchini to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until vegetables are charred. Stir in ½ cup halved grape tomatoes and 1⁄3 cup chopped green onions; sauté 1 minute or ­until tomatoes almost wilt. Combine vegetable mixture, rice, and ¾ teaspoon salt. I may add either feta or blue cheese crumbles to the rice too.

Friday: I'm hoping for take out-burgers or our traditional Friday night pizza run.

Saturday: These Chipotle Chili Burritos from Cooking Light

Sunday: Fillet Mignon with broiled vine tomatoes stuffed with pine nut cous cous, crumbled blue cheese and basil

Sweet Treat: I'm going to try these Brown Butter Sea Salt cookies from Yummy Mummy

Week #8 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Today I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if there were dinner fairies who magically put dinner on the table every night. *Sigh*

I used to love to cook, but that was back before I had picky children. I'm getting bored of tacos and chicken strips. So I've decided to compromise. On at least 2 days of the week I will cook something I want to eat and then the kids can eat left overs or make a sandwich. That seems fair.

Monday-Grilled chicken (marinated in Italian dressing), rice and veggies.

Tuesday-Loaded baked potato soup. I found this delicious recipe online. It's super easy.

Wednesday-Pork fried rice and veggies.

Thursday-Chicken quesadillas.

Friday-(kids' choice) Macaroni and cheese and chicken strips.

Snacks: strawberries, crackers, cheese, cereal, oranges

Week 7: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Better late than never--this week has been crazy. This Sunday we are officially in charge of Primary and I have been running around like crazy trying to get organized!
So, here it is, my (lazy and totally non-impressive, but, hey, at least we're eating) menu plan:
Monday: Eat Out
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes (couldn't be easier-follow the directions on the back of McCormick's seasoning package for sloppy Joes and then I add a little sugar, a little chili powder, and finely chopped yellow onion and bella mushrooms).
Wednesday: Egg salad sandwiches, of course...what else is one to do with all those Easter eggs?! Random recipe, but oh so tasty. To get the perfect hard boil eggs (heat uncovered on medium until boiling then turn off heat, cover, and let sit about 10 minutes (prevents a green ring). Add a little vinegar to the water to prevent any leaking if they crack.)
Thursday: Jacob has a late basketball game, and he doesn't like eating big before a game, so I'm making my fabulous Quattro Leoni salad, and we'll probably have left overs later.
Friday: Pizza out.
Saturday: Maybe fish again, if we can find a nice cut (otherwise filet mignon) with rice pilaf and steamed brocollini.
Sunday: I have a meeting at church at 3; Jacob has one at 1:30, so I'll make my tried and true BBQ pulled pork so it's ready when we can eat it.

Week #7 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

Last week took a toll on me! We ate out more often that I had planned. But I had to survive somehow, I suppose.

This week I'm going to take it easy. Especially since Alex is busy and will be out of town all weekend for a conference.

Monday-left over pork roast. It depends on how much is left. Probably tacos.

Tuesday-Grilled chicken, saffron rice and salad (I've got a coupon for the salad-99 cents!)

Wednesday-Sun-dried tomato alfredo with bacon. Just jarred sauce, fettucine and crumbled bacon.

Thursday-Cheeseburgers, baked beans and chips

Friday-Alex will be gone. Costco (usually about $6-8 dollars for the four of us.)? Five dollar meal at Von's? Seven dollar meal at Albertson's? Whatever sounds good that I don't have to cook.

snacks: hummus, crackers, cheese, deviled eggs or egg salad, strawberries, oranges

desserts: jello, cake

Week 6: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Can I just say I'm so glad we're doing this menu planning project? Because if we weren't, last week would have been when my noble goal coasted a little south, and this week would be when it died a slow and painful death. Seriously, if not for the menu plan last week we may have had cereal for every meal, every day last week for lack of food in the pantry and motivation to fix it...which, you know, isn't such responsible parenting for a growing one year old.

Gramme is here visiting tonight, tomorrow and going home Tuesday. We plan to celebrate accordingly with tasty eats...including making small mommy's yummy mascarpone dip and buying lots of fresh fruit with which to enjoy it.

Monday: FHE at the fountains, including Big Spoon frozen yogurt and who knows what for dinner? Something tasty and random, not eaten at home.

Tuesday: FatBurger, a no frills burger joint at the casino on the Indian Reserve. The Burgers are pretty yummy and the thick fries are to die for, with the shakes coming in a close second. Gramme wants to check it out...and she heard no complaints from us!

Wednesday: Something beef free! Quattro Leoni salad (my absolute favorite!) and loaded baked potatoes (creamy ranch sour cream, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and chives).

Thursday: lighten it up with grilled fish, cous cous, asian slaw, and a vegetable.

Friday: I know we did take out twice already, but I'm breaking all the rules this week. I'm thinking chinese, or I'll let the hubby grab one of his (disgusting) fast food burgers, give the baby (her favorite) chef boyardi spaghetti rings, and I'll make (a very yummy) salad loaded with veggies and drizzled (err...drenched?) in a sweet and tangy asian sesame dressing.

Saturday: General conference all day, and Jacob has priesthood session in the early evening. I'll probably make sloppy joes for lunch, with left overs for either an early or late dinner and cereal or salad in between.

Sunday: EASTER! Dinner at the in-laws. Yummm.

Breakfast: smoothies, fresh fruit, boiled eggs (of course!)
Snacks: crackers, cheese, fruit
Lunch: pasta salad, grilled cheese, baked beans...keeping it simple and things I can make and serve both me and baby girl
Sweet treat: mascarpone dip, smores

Week #6 Small Mommy's Meal Plan

This week is Spring break for the kids, so I'm responsible for both LUNCH and dinner. Christopher made me promise that we will have lots of picnics, which not only sound fun, but means less dishes and clean up for me. Win-win.

So basically the whole week will be kids' choice.

Monday

Lunch: Picnic at the zoo-sandwiches, sliced oranges, chips or pretzels

Dinner: Little Ceasar's has a special on Mondays-Large pepperoni pizzas for $4 each. We normally pick up two of them.

Tuesday

Lunch: Picnic at the History Museum-sandwiches, fruit, crackers, hummus

Dinner: chicken tenders, loaded mashed potatoes, veggies

Wednesday It's supposed to rain so we'll probably be inside most of the day.

Lunch: Mac and cheese, fruit, jello

Dinner: Skewered citrus soy chicken and rice, stir fried veggies. I marinate the chicken in a simple sauce made with soy sauce, minced garlic, brown sugar, orange juice (I just squeeze half an orange in there and throw in the rinds too) and sesame oil, for a few hours. Then I skewer them and put them under the broiler for a few minutes. The kids love it.

Thursday It's supposed to rain again today, so we'll be inside again.

Lunch: chicken quesadillas, fruit, yogurt

Dinner: tacos

Friday Hopefully the rain will have cleared up by now!

Lunch: grilled cheese sandwiches, fruit, yogurt

Dinner: I'm thinking it's $5 family meal at Von's. They usually have sub sandwiches, roasted chicken or pizza. Or, Albertson's has a family meal deal for $7 that includes a roasted chicken, a pound of salad (your choice: potato, macaroni or slaw), a pound of fried potatoes and Hawaiian style rolls.

Special treats:

Costco sundaes or churros (or both!)
chocolate cake
cookies
fruit smoothies

If I can stick to this week's meal plan, I'll only spend about $20 to feed all five of us lunch and dinner all week!

Basic Crepe Recipe

Ok. Here it is-my basic crepe recipe...which isn't really mine, per se. I have no idea where it is from originally; it's been in my recipe book since I studied in Italy and a roommate made us crepes from scratch. Changed. My. World. So I learned how, and here it is for your enjoyment. So simple. So cheap. Sooooo yummy.

BASIC CREPE

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
sometimes I add a little vanilla, sometimes I don't

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Combine milk, water, melted butter, and eggs in a blender. Add the flour mixture to milk mixture, and process until smooth. Cover batter; chill for 1 hour.

Heat an 8-inch nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter into pan; quickly tilt pan in all directions so batter covers pan with a thin film. Cook about 1 minute. Carefully lift the edge of the crepe with a spatula to test for doneness. The crepe is ready to turn when it can be shaken loose from the pan and the underside is lightly browned. Turn crepe over, and cook for 30 seconds or until center is set.

Place crepe on a towel; cool completely. Repeat procedure with the remaining batter, stirring batter between crepes. Stack crepes between single layers of wax paper to prevent sticking. These can be made several days in advance and stored in the fridge, between wax or parchment paper and sealed in a zip lock.

Once you have this down, you can make what you like. A favorite in our house is the tried and true Strawberry Nutella dessert crepe. We also like mascarpone and Nutella, chocolate and banana, apple and cheddar cheese, and many dinner crepes.

Enjoy creating your own sweet and savory crepe treats! Posted below is one of my favorite dinner crepes:

California Crepe

Yellow onions, thinly sliced
Green onion, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
Marinated artichoke hearts (about 3-4 per crepe)
Baby spinach (about 2-3 cups raw leaves)
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper
Sun dried tomato pesto
Sour cream
Avocado, sliced to squares
Cheese, any mix, shredded (I used asiago and mozzarella)
Chicken, coked and cubed

Saute yellow onions in medium skillet. Add salt, pepper and any other seasoning you desire. Add spinach. Stir until spinach wilted. Remove from heat and set aside. Slather crepe with sun dried tomato pesto, add avocado and artichoke hearts then heap spinach and onion mix on top. Sprinkle green onion and cheese (as much as desired) on top. Fold like a burrito and place on a cookie sheet, seam side down. Broil (low) in oven until tops of crepes slightly golden (about 1 minute). Remove. Serve with sour cream on side (I mix a small amount of oregano in mine for extra flavor)

Mascarpone fruit dip

Here is a delicious dip recipe I got from my dad. He made this for us to dip strawberries in. And since strawberries are on sale right now, I thought I'd make this heavenly dip and share the recipe with you. It is ridiculously easy.

Mix one container of mascarpone with an equal-sized container of creme fraiche. Sweeten with sugar or splenda. Dip ripe strawberries in and then savor a little piece of heaven!

*If you're having a hard time finding creme fraiche (or you're just too lazy to go driving around looking for it, like me!), here's another dip recipe using mascarpone that sounds pretty tasty too.

Basic Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sour cream or mascarpone
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine all until smooth and creamy.

Week 5: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Another busy week with too much to do and too little energy with which to accomplish it all...and we got our first gas and electric bill (yikes!) for the new place, so I'm feeling particularly sluggish AND frugal this week.

Monday: Costco-pizza slices, $1.50 each, $1.50 smoothies to wash it down. Perfect. Total cost? $6.

Tuesday: Picked up a frozen Margherita pizza from Costco, making it tonight. Chunks of buffalo mozzarella, large basil leaves, pesto marinara, and heirloom tomatoes. Yummm. $9.99. Picking up a pre-bagged caesar salad mix to go with it-$2.50. Total cost? You guessed it: $12.50.

Wednesday: Homemade mac n cheese with jarlsberg cheese-picked up a 2.2lb block for about $6. Serving with garlic bread. Actual cost of portions used for this meal should ring in around $5.

Thursday: Jacob has a basketball game at 9, so he'll probably eat a really late lunch and do take out post game (so none of it comes back up during all that running). I'm thinking of giving small mommy's chicken pot pie a try-hubby isn't too keen on the dish, so it's a perfect opportunity for me!

Friday: Ward Fiesta party at church! Yummy mexican food will be served. We're bringing a nacho bar or enchiladas...depends how lazy we get.

Saturday: No idea. Hubby will be meeting with the renters mid-evening and I think mom will be up to visit, so I think we'll play it by ear. I'm leaning toward rice pilaf (have tons of it in my pantry) some sort of grilled fish and caramalized tomatoes.

Sunday: Either peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or grilled cheese and tomato basil soup for an after church treat. Maybe loaded baked potatoes and split a filet mignon for dinner.

Breakfast: smoothies and eggs.

Lunch: fruit, mac n cheese, tofu, baked beans, sliced deli meat and cheese...mainly items on hand and maybe take out one day.

Snacks: fruit, cereal, bread and cheese

Sweet treat: Mascarpone and nutella crepes with strawberries and homemade whipped cream

Week #5 Small Mommy's Menu Plan

So, last week I veered from my original menu plan because I got sick. But we still had corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, thanks to my wonderful husband. And it was really good too! ;0)

Alex doesn't get paid again until the end of next week, so this week is going to be a challenge as far as meals. I'm determined though. Let's see how well I can do no budget at all!It's really all about what we have on hand this week.

Monday: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas-I'm using the recipe from Real Mom Kitchen. I don't have olives, but they are only about $1.50 or so.

Tuesday: Pasta Primavera and garlic bread-Just noodles, frozen California Blend veggies, olive oil, parmesan and seasonings. And depending on if I have time or not, possibly garlic bread. I will try this "Easy Peasy" recipe. Otherwise, it's store bought for $2.

Wednesday: Minestrone soup and cornbread-My own version of minestrone, anyway. I use chicken broth, spaghetti sauce or italian stewed tomatoes (which ever I have on hand), kidney beans (from food storage), carrots, onions, yellow squash (frozen), bay leaf, italian seasonings, a handful or two of whatever pasta I have on hand.

Thursday: Corned beef and cabbage-again! But we love it. I bought two corned beef pieces last week, one big one for St. Patrick's Day and a smaller one for only $2! I don't have cabbage on hand, but cabbage is about $1/lb.

Friday: Kid's choice. Maybe Costco. I've been loving Costco. For $8 I can feed all the kids and myself. If we still have $8 by then. If not, it will be something else!

So, total, if we do go to Costco, for the week will be $13. If not, $5!

Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili w/ Cheesy Corn Bread

Both Cooking Light recpies; these come from their "5 ingredient, 15 minute cookbook"...love that magazine.

Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili

1 lb ground beef
2 tsp salt-free chili powder blend
1 (14oz) package frozen seasoned corn and black beans (you can totally use canned varieties of both)
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (15oz) can seasoned tomato sauce for chili (such as Hunt's)
Sour cream (optional)
Green onions, sliced (optional)

Combine beef and chili powder in a largepan/dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until beef is browned, stirring to crumble (around 6 min). Drain well.

Stir in corn mixture, broth, and tomato sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 min. Uncover and simmer 5, stirring occasionally.

Serve, garnish with sour cream and green onion.

Cheesy Cheddar Corn Bread
2 c self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/4 c sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
butter or butter flavored cooking spray

Prehat oven to 425

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir just until dry ingredients moistened. Pour batter into an 8 inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray or butter. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Remove from oven; coat top of corn bread with cooking spray or butter. Return to oven; bake an additional 3 min or unil a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and corn bread is golden. Serve!

Week 4: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

I'm not gonna lie. I'm tired. And lazy. And tired. (Did I already say that? Oh, I did? Well it's true.) And have a bajillion things going on right now, so this week's menu plan really lives up to that whole "prepare meals with as little effort as possible" bit.

Monday: Breakfast...as in you're lucky if you get cereal with fruit on it prepared by me breakfast.

Tuesday: Mexican take out. My dear husband will be at the old house until late showing it to a potential renter and getting it all ready to go, and I'm not up for preparing dinner for one and a baby, so there it is.

Wednesday: St. Patty's Day feast with Dad (thank you, Dad...corned beef, cabbage, taters...and no effort on my part!...I'll happily post HIS recipe though, as it is delish.)

Thursday: Beefy Corn and Black Bean Chili with Cheesy Cheddar Corn Bread...sounds complicated, right? WRONG. 5 ingredients each. Chili prep time? 1 minute. Corn Bread? 4. Cook time for both? Under a half hour. Now that's what I'm talking about!

Friday: Elder's Quorum Social at church; dinner provided (niiiicee...we are bringing a large shrimp cocktail and fruit salad, but the hubby has it covered, so again, I'm in the clear!)

Saturday: Baked Eggplant Lasagne again, at the request of my mother (who is coming to babysit, hang out, and show some love while hubby speaks at church on Sunday)

Sunday: BBQ pulled pork sandwiches...this time I'll actually post the recipe :) It's slow cooker, so it sounds way more impressive in the effort arena than it is!

Breakfast: Smoothies and eggs
Lunch: avocado, chinese (take out, thanks), chef boyardi, mac and cheese...you know, all the junk I don't actually have to prepare but little one loves.

Sweet treat: Strawberry Nutella Crepes...my love for sweets knows no limits and the more tired I get, the more willing I am to prepare something tasty. Fortunately, theses are SUPER cheap, SUPER easy, the crepes can be made days in advance and warmed, and are pretty much the most spectacular dessert on earth.

Week #4 Small Mommy's Menu Plan

Monday: So, I'm changing things up this Monday from Mexican to Southern! Chicken and dumplings-I'm going to try Paula Deen's recipe this time. Though I won't cut the chicken into pieces, I just throw in it the pot whole. I also use chicken broth instead of bullion cubes. I've never used the cream of celery soup before, but it sounds like it will make it rich and smooth.

Tuesday: Pork stir fry-just cut up pork with frozen stir fried veggies over white rice.

Wednesday: Corned beef and cabbage (of course!)-I used to use my crock pot to make this, but my crock pot died (may it rest in peace), so now I'll just use a stock pot. I'll just throw it in the pot with it's own juices and spices along with carrots, cabbage and potatoes. Let it cook until everything is cooked through.

Thursday: Joshua has Science Fair so we might eat out. Or have left overs.

Friday: Friday is kid's choice. So it's mac and cheese and hot dogs. (Christopher's choice)

Baked Eggplant Parmesan 'Lasagne'

This dish was A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. It does require a bit of time in the oven, both to get the eggplant ready and the baking, but the actual prep time is negligible.

I found the recipe here at Yummy Mummy and adapted it slightly.

1 Large Eggplant
Egg Wash
Seasoned Dry Bread Crumbs
Olive Oil
Marinara Sauce
Mushrooms, sliced
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parma Reggiano
Salt, seasonings of choice

I drizzled olive oil over the eggplant and sprinkled with salt before I dredged it, letting it sit for just a bit so that it soaked in, and then drizzled more olive oil over the top after before placing them in the oven. It made the eggplant taste so rich and creamy. I baked them on a grill plate so they had beautiful lines and got nice and golden, baking at 400° for twenty minutes before flipping, drizzling with more olive oil, and baking another 10.

I also didn’t calculate measurements, but just plopped down sauce and mushrooms and cheese according to my taste and in whatever order I felt like. I put the marina and mushrooms on the very bottom-and used very little. The hubby isn’t such a fan of marinara. I also used a spicy marinara, which I think really added to the flavor. I placed only a single layer crispy eggplant next then topped with randomly placed dollops of ricotta, an even layer of sliced mozzarella, and freshly grated parma reggiano. I topped it off with bits of fresh oregano and plopped it in the oven at 350° F and baked it for only about 25 minutes.

I let it warm in the oven until we were ready for dinner, and it was still super super super tasty.

Seriously, I’m mildly obsessed with this dish. I like eggplant, but don’t love it, and don’t always know what to do with it…but not anymore!

Week 3: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Here is my menu plan for the coming week. Enjoy!
Monday: Meatloaf and Gravy, Italian Style Roasted Potatoes [Family Favorite]

Tuesday: Eggplant Parmesan, Bruschetta, Steamed Broccoli Florets with Cheese Sauce [Tasty Meal]

Wednesday: Pesto Chicken Sandwich and Classic Caesar Salad [<$10]

Thursday: Fish n' Chips [Wild Card]

Friday: Breakfast for Dinner!

Saturday: Dine Out

Sunday: Cheesy Chicken Bake over Rice, Steamed Asparagus [Slow-Cooker/Food Storage]

Sweet Treat: Spiced Tomato Soup Muffins with Orange Topping

Breakfast: Berry Orange Smoothies, Omelets, Toast

Lunch: Mostly left overs, pasta

Snacks: Yogurt, Crackers & Cheese, Pears, Avocado, Cereal

Pizza Dough Recipe

Here is the pizza dough recipe I used last week. I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I got it from a children's cook book, but there you go. It's pretty easy, but it is bread, so it requires rising time.

Ingredients:

1 cup of lukewarm water
1 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast (I use the rapid rise in the packet)
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3 1/2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading



1. Using your finger, mix 3 tbsps of water with the yeast and sugar. Leave it in a warm place for 10 minutes or until it begins to bubble.

2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and stir in the yeast mixture. Stir in the oil and then enough of the remaining water to make a soft dough.

3. Lightly flour your hands and your work surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic.

4. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with greased plastic wrap. Put it in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.

5. Punch down the dough and put it on a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out into round pizza shapes. This recipe makes 2 6-inch pizzas.

6. Place the pizza bases on a lightly greased baking tray. Top as desired.

7. Bake at 425 degrees for roughly 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the pizzas.

Dad's Southern Chili

Let me preface this with the following statement: My dad makes the BEST chili.

THE BEST.

I know. I know. Everyone thinks they make the best chili...well, they don't. He does. It's that simple.

And, as it turns out, it really is that simple. Dad graced me with his infamous chili recipe a few years ago and it is mmm mmm good. I have an inkling of an idea he may have left a secret ingredient or two out, because it never tastes exactly like his...but it is super tasty nevertheless.

And easy. And cheap (the entire pot should run you about $15 and make 4-5 heaping servings). And yummy even after freezing. The most important part is allowing yourself a leisurely cook day, because the longer it simmers and sits the better and better it gets.

Dad's Chili

Because this is Dad's secret chili recipe, and secret chili recipes are hard to come by and very beloved by the owners, and because he may or may not approve of me sharing it with the world, I feel an obligation to post the recipe exactly as he shared it with me. So here goes....

(Dad, being Southern, and therefore endowed with an odd sense of humor, specifically with an unusual appreciation for bathroom humor, has a fitting title for his chili:)

Recipe: Dad's "It will make you slap your mama and fart twice" chili

(No I didn't make that up...it is literally written at the top of the paper he gave me.)

Ingredients
1 generous lb of ground beef (cheap is fine; I use less than 15% fat)
1 packet Lawry's chili seasoning
1 medium yellow onion or 1/2 large
2-3 cloves garlic
1- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey
1/4 medium lemon or 1/6 large
1/4c semi-sweet chocolate chips
8oz tomato sauce (Hunts or Del Monte preferred)
15oz kidney beans (canned fine, fresh better)
15oz pinto beans (canned fine, fresh better)
15oz canned S&W Mexican style stewed tomatoes

Directions
1. On low to medium heat brown the meat. Take your time: the point is to render the fat. (appx 5-10 minutes). Drain the fat well in a colander. If the meat looks greasy still, wash it down and return to the pan. Wash out the pan if you are using it the entire way through or transfer from skillet to your 3-4 quart sized pot with a heavy bottom.

2. Add in coarsely chopped onions and finely chopped garlic cloves to meat. Brown until onion turns translucent.

3. Add chili packet to meat, onion and garlic. Mix thoroughly.

4. Drain beans (if using canned, rinse completely, otherwise some juice may be left in) and add to meat mixture.

5. Add tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes. STIR.

6. Add appx 1/2 can of water to tomato sauce can, swirl to rinse down the sides, and add to pot.

7. Add sugar, honey, and lemon. Mix together.
*Start by going easy on the sugar and lemon, and taste later to see if you need more*

8. Add chocolate chips. Stir to incorporate.

9. If desired, add a couple "whaps" tobasco sauce (it's desired, trust me)

10. Bring chili to slow boil over low heat. Watch carefully to ensure that the mixture does not stick to the bottom. Stir often!

11. Once to a gurgling boil (one bubble here and there, slowly, and infrequently) turn heat to simmer or warm and cook, uncovered, 1 hr. Stir often-every 10-15 min to avoid sticking.

*Taste and adjust as necessary-some tomatoes are very acidic so you may need to add more sugar; add water if the chili is too thick*
12. Cover with lid and cook an additional 15-20 minutes. (You'll probably need to stir at least once during this time.)

*Goal is a very infrequent "boil up" bubble all throughout cooking*

13. Turn off heat, leave covered and let stand at least a half hour (melds the flavors together).

Dad's directions: "Eat! Then slap your mama and fart twice."

My directions: Grate cheese over the top (any is fine, cheddar or provolone are awesome) and serve with corn bread or saltine crackers (and I always enjoy mine with a glass of cold milk).

Chili always tastes best the next day, so make enough for leftovers. Enjoy!!!

Week #3 Small Mommy's Menu Plan

I'm pretty proud of myself. I actually stuck to my original menu for this week! That never happens.I usually end up going grocery shopping in the middle of the week for a meal I didn't plan.

I'll be honest though, the "make your own pizzas" night was rough. Turns out Joshua had a game rescheduled for Tuesday night and I had to make all of the pizzas myself while the boys sat at the table and asked me if they were ready every 5 minutes. The crust was good, but I don't think I'll be making my own for again for awhile. It was just too much work.

I really like the planned leftovers meal. The roast beef I made today will be easy to slice and use for french dip sandwiches tomorrow. But I think in the future I might try to do the planned leftovers meal on Sundays.

I've already decided on my meal plan for next week. I figure the sooner I do it the better.

Monday-fajitas. Beef with pepper trio (frozen), mushrooms and onions. Serve with sour cream and shredded jack cheese. And Spanish rice.

Tuesday-hamburgers with sweet potato fries. I love sweet potato fries, and sweet potatoes are cheap and store for a long time. I found a tasty looking recipe for them here:

http://pinchmysalt.com/2008/11/04/vote-then-eat-some-rosemary-garlic-sweet-potato-fries/

Wednesday-asian-style orange chicken with white rice. I'm going to try the recipe on this site:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Asian-Orange-Chicken/Detail.aspx

Thursday-broccoli and bowties. Here's a great recipe by Ina Garten:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/broccoli-and-bow-ties-recipe/index.html

I tried this recipe yesterday. I added toasted pine nuts and crumbled bacon. Because why not?

Friday-chili dogs and cole slaw (Joshua's choice). I'll make the chili from food storage beans.

The only things I'll have to go out and buy are hot dogs/buns and cole slaw. Everything else we already have.

I haven't figured out what to do for Saturday or Sunday yet.

Pear and Prosciutto Pizza with Spring Green Gorgonzola and Beet Salad

Thursday: Pear and Prosciutto Pizza with Spring Green Salad of Gorgonzola, Beets, Glazed Walnuts and Citrus Vinaigrette

I was so excited for this meal, but when it came time, I was sick. I came down with a little stomach bug of some sort and didn't have the energy to go to the store...visions of crisp pizza topped with fresh produce and creamy cheese almost went out the window. Then I looked in my pantry and realized I had most of the items canned...not quite the same lure as a fresh succulent pear, but what the heck? So I forged ahead. I asked the hubby to grab pre-prepared thin pizza crust from the store and bring home some thinly sliced prosciutto from the deli (family business...yes, it is a charmed life for this tummy of mine).

The good news is that this meal tasted FANTASTIC even after I reworked the recipes and used mainly (canned) items on hand.

For the Pizza:
1 pizza crust (homemade or store bought)
1 can halved Bartlett pears, sliced into quarters
8 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 oz gorgonzola, crumbled
4 oz provolone, sliced or broken into rough chunks
2 oz feta, crumbled
1/8th medium onion, very finely sliced
Pesto spread
red pepper flakes
sea salt, black pepper

Pre heat oven to 425 degrees (or follow directions on pizza packaging)

Prepare the crust by rubbing well with the olive oil (both for flavor and so it doesn't burn) and sprinkle lightly with dash of salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread a very thin layer of pesto leaving about 1/2 inch around the crust clear. Place the cheese randomly over the top of the pizza. Top with sliced pears, prosciutto strips, onions, and halved tomatoes. Drip VERY slightly with olive oil (so cheese doesn't burn). Place in oven for about 7 minutes, watching closely so the edges don't burn. Let cool slightly, cut, and serve! Top with fresh arugula drizzled with balsamic vinegar if you want to get a little fancy (this I did not have on hand, but wished that I had!).

For the Salad:
Hearts of Romaine or Spring Greens
1/4 can cubed beets
1/4 c glazed walnut bits
1/4 c gorgonzola, crumbled
1 small can of mandarin oranges
Newman's Own Low fat Sesame Ginger dressing
Orange juice
Ground pepper to taste

Combine all together in a large bowl (equal parts Newman's Own and orange juice), mix, and serve.

Tip: Coupons are a Budgeter's Best Friend

I don't have a recipe to post for today, so I thought I'd share a tip instead. It isn't revolutionary, but it will revolutionize your life-I know it did mine. Are you ready? Here goes...

Save your 'junk mail,' search for coupons, cut your coupons, then *and this is the hardest part* USE THEM.

I suggest not going too crazy and limiting coupons to items you plan to buy soon/know you'll need. Unless you are the most organized person it is pretty easy to forget which ones you have, which ones are good at which stores, and when they expire.

I used to whine and whine about how annoying all that extra ad crap is in the mailbox. Then the hubby pointed out that's like complaining about free money. It's true-those ads are chalk full of savings---sometimes huge ones!

In fact, tonight's dinner is courtesy of a coupon. Fried chicken and two large entrees for...FREE! No, we didn't have to buy one of something to get the rest free. We just cut out the coupon, walked into the store, handed over a dinky piece of paper, and *SCORE* walked out with dinner.

My first thought was 'how can they do that! I bet they lose a fortune!' Then I realized, of course they don't. Nobody reads the darned ads anyway. I doubt many people took advantage of the deal...and the coupon is good the entire month of March. I think there is no household limit either, which means if you were really desperate you could beg your neighbors for their coupon too :)

The only thing that beats a good deal is a free deal. I can't believe I lived so long throwing potential savings in the trash.

Chicken Gyros with Humus and Saffron Rice

Monday: Chicken Gyros with Humus & Saffron Rice

I adore gyros-when I lived in Italy I would take a bus from Siena to Florence an hour and a half just to patron a hole in the wall gyro shop, eat my heart out, then get back on the bus and be home in time for dinner. I dream about those gyros to this day. Not that I don't have gyros often...they are a frequent lunch item for us, just rarely made from our home.

I got the idea for chicken gyros from this post on Annie's Eats. Not that chicken is a new thing for gyros-it certainly isn't authentic, but it's done. I've just never found a recipe that looked taunting enough.

So I thought, Yes! I will try them. Chicken is far easier to deal with than lamb...and really, there is no substiute good enough for that whole fire spit roasted lamb bit anyway.

I adapted Annie's recipe for the chicken, using finely chopped fresh mint rather than dried oregano and cut out the lemon, though I opted for a lemon infused olive oil.

Now I'll be honest: I am not a chicken person. I pretty much dislike it across the board unless it is prepared in a way that makes it, well, not taste like chicken.

So, perhaps it's not being fair to Annie when I say that we most likely won't be having these again. Annie has never steered me wrong in the past; I have adored nearly everything I've tried from her massive recipe list. But I'm betting she has never experienced the yumminess that is the real thing. I do get to have authentic Mediterranean cuisine almost daily, afterall.

That sets an unbelievably high bar.

And I couldn't get on board with her recipe's cucumber sauce. I went with the tried and true from the in-laws...and that part was delish.

So were all my additional yummy gyro toppings. I just wasn't lovin the chicken. Maybe that's because it tastes nothing like lamb...and gyros + lamb= little slice of heaven.

But if YOU love chicken-or even reasonably like it- I say give these a go. Because gyros are the definition of tasty, even with chicken.

For the chicken:
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
A little over a capful of extra virgin olive oil (lemon infused)
2 heaping tbsp. plain yogurt
Handful of fresh mint, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 lbs. chicken pieces (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)

Combine it all, throw in the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator at least an hour. Cook using your method of choice (I went ahead and broiled as she did, and the chicken was very juicy and tender.)

For the cucumber sauce:
I'm assuming Annie's recipe is the Greek method and likely was derived from a recipe using Greek yogurt. The in-laws use sour cream and it is much tastier, I think. Greek yogurt is very sour cream like anyway. Normal yogurt, not so much.

Container of sour cream
Tbsp or so of crushed garlic (start light and add more after tasting, if you think necessary)
1/4-1/2 fresh squeezed lemon juice (again, start light and add more after tasting...it can overpower easily)
1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A sizeable amount of finely chopped mint (adjust to preference...I say the more the merrier)
1/2 finely chopped Serrano pepper
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped into rather small bits

Add it all together and stir, tasting often to adjust with a little more of this or that until it is just right. Mmmm...so good. If it isn't good, you haven't achieved the right balance. Give it time :)

For the Gyro Assembly:
Pitas (I use store bought and love them. I may try Annie's homemade pita recipe sometime though)
Cherry or grape or vine tomatoes, sliced
Pepperoncini
Crumbled Feta cheese
Red onion, sliced thinly
Romaine lettuce

Heat the gyro in the oven slightly. Place lettuce as the bottom layer to protect the pita from becoming too soggy. Add the chicken, then the yogurt sauce. Top with tomatoes, onions, pepperoncini, and feta. Eat up!!!

For the Humus:
This is my husband's *secret* recipe (shh, don't tell I blabbed it)...it is really the best humus ever. EVER. Practice makes perfect though, so don’t get frustrated if it isn't right the first time.

Garbanzo beans, 2 cans
At least 4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 finely chopped Serrano pepper (more if you like it spicy)
1/4 freshly squeezed lemon juice (could use a bit more if it needs it)
Dash of salt
2 heaping serving sized spoonfuls of Tahini
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Drain the liquid from one can of beans and place the beans in the blender. Drain just the top liquid from the second can and place everything-beans and remaining liquid- in the blender. Add all of the above ingredients. Start slow with the garlic, peppers, and lemon...too much of any could upset the balance. Blend well. You will have to take the top off several times and help push the mixture down until the consistency gets smooth enough. Taste at these intervals and add the additional lemon/garlic/peppers as needed. If it is unmanageable, add a *tiny* bit of water. Keep blending on high, with the occasional pulsing, until the consistency is smooth and blends easily. It will be thick, but easily blended and no bean chunks should be remaining.

Place in serving bowl and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Serve with pita or pita chips or fresh veggies.

*A note on Tahini: Tahini is the secret ingredient to real humus. It is a necessity. Go buy some now; it is soooo that good. And humus without is is nasty. Tahini is made of hulled, slightly roasted, ground sesame seeds. Make sure you stir it before you use it to get the oil off the top and incorporated. I've seen it in the specialty section at the regular grocery store, or you can find it at your local Whole Foods or specialty market.

For the saffron rice:
I just purchase the saffron rice packets and make those...way easier than doing it yourself. Maybe someday I'll post how to make your own using saffron.

This meal takes about an hour between prep and cook. You could easily make your sauce and marinade the chicken the night before to cut that time in half.

Week #2 Small Mommy's Menu Plan

March 1-6

Monday-I love Mexican food and decided that Mondays can be "Mexican Mondays". The family will eat it because it includes cheese and sour cream! This Monday will be tacos using ground beef.

Tuesday-Joshua has basketball practice after school every Tuesday, so I have a little free time to make something that takes a little more effort than usual. This Tuesday it's "make your own pizza" since I'll have time to make pizza dough. We have olives, peppers,chicken or plain old cheese.

Wednesday-chicken stir fry with white rice. Made with cooked and cubed chicken tenderloins, frozen stir fry veggies and sauce from a bottle. Over white rice.

Thursday-beef roast with veggies (carrots & potatoes) and cornbread.

Friday-Joshua's basketball games are on Friday, so I figured left overs or dining out would be good. This Friday is french dip sandwiches (using left over beef from Thursday) and onion rings.

All of these recipes are super cheap to make.

Week 2: Tall Mommy's Menu Plan

Here is my menu plan for the coming week. Enjoy!

Monday: Chicken Gyros, Hummus & Pita, Saffron Rice [Family Favorite...sounds like it would be more expensive than it is-hummus and rice are made from food storage items, leaving the shopping list for this dish pretty small]

Tuesday: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, coleslaw [ <$10: best part? all but the coleslaw are free with a coupon at my local Raley's! Score.]

Wednesday: Pear and Prosciutto Pizza & Spring Greens with Gorgonzola, Beets, Glazed Walnuta and citrus Vinaigrette [Tasty Meal]

Thursday: Dad's Chili & Corn Bread [Food Storage....not all from storage (though some) but enough to freeze for food storage]

Friday: Left Overs!

Saturday: Dine Out

Sunday: Enchilada Bake [Slow-Cooker]

Sweet Treat: Mini Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Breakfast: Strawberry Banana Smoothies, Cheese Grits & Fried Eggs

Lunch: Mostly left overs, Canned Vegetable Soup

Snacks: Yogurt, Crackers & Cheese, Hummus, Fresh Fruit, Avacado, Cereal

Orzo Salad with Chicken

Here's a quick and easy salad. I use it as a main dish-just throw a little cubed chicken in it and serve with some fresh baked bread.

Ingredients:

cooked orzo pasta, cooled
pesto
cherry or grape tomatoes (if you don't have any fresh tomatoes on hand, you could also throw in some jarred sun-dried)
cucumbers, sliced or cubed
cooked chicken, cooled and cut into bite-size pieces
crumbled goat cheese

Just toss it all together in a big bowl.

*Note-When I cook at home I don't really measure anything. I go by the directions on the pasta box and then just eye ball everything else. That's the beauty of cooking at home!