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.