Sometimes we have a great meal plan, and then life happens. We're practicing tonight with some great friends and so we're eating dinner with them as well. Mexican, of course. So the peanut noodles will just move till next week. But they're worth waiting for, I promise!
So to make everyone happy, here's the awesome dessert I made last night for our After Christmas Christmas Party.
It's not mine, but it's amazing. And gone.
Chocolate Cobbler
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Some days just need to be easier... Pizza balls.
Some days are harder than others. Some days just don't start well. So dinner should be easy. Easy to make, eaten without a fight. Just simple.
Tonight we're having pizza balls. They're easy. And I need easy.
Pizza balls start with pizza crust. I make my own, but you surely don't have to.
Right now I'm using the recipe from the Pioneer woman. It's yummy, it's easy. And again, it's all about easy.
Cut up a block of mozzerella cheese (or use the shredded) and some ham, pepperoni or sausage.
Pull of a piece of the dough, make a ball in your hand. Make that flat and form a little nest in it. Put your meat and cheese in there all cozy-like. Then wrap the dough around it.
Put it in a pie plate in a nice circle. (I usually get enough for two pie plates.)
Spray it with cooking spray/olive oil.
Sprinkle on some onion and garlic powder.
Put it in the oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
Wait impatiently for it to finish.
Pull it out.
Put it on a plate with some pizza sauce for dipping.
Eat.
Done
See, I told you it was easy. And we like easy.
For all you who think you've seen this recipe before, my "imaginary" friend Laura posted it on a bulletin board I belong to. Thanks, girl! We all need some easy sometimes.
PS. Tonight I'm doing double duty with this. I did one pie plate with sausage and ham, and one with plain sausage. The plain sausage one I didn't put the garlic and onion on and I will use in the morning for breakfast. Instead of dipping it in pizza sauce though, we'll dip it in syrup. Don't knock it until you've tried it.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Suprise Blessings...
So I started this blog. I was and still am determined to stick to my menu. But then something happened... the tamale lady showed up at my cousins work and she called me. We had been talking about them yesterday and she wanted to know if we needed any. I couldn't resist. So dinner tonight was
TAMALES! They were so good, they were handmade. They were inexpensive and we loved them.
I started thinking... sometimes we get so narrow minded and determined that sometimes we miss the small blessings that come our way. Like the tamales. Now it's not always food (but sometimes it is!) but I really think that we need to sometimes just go with the flow.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that tonight, we didn't have easy peasey quiche. We had a chance to bless someone by purchasing their food, helping them make a living. We had the chance to have some of the most amazing tamales. All because we were willing to put the menu aside for a day.
Don't worry, we'll have the quiche next week. =)
And maybe I'll have to learn to make some tamales too.
TAMALES! They were so good, they were handmade. They were inexpensive and we loved them.
I started thinking... sometimes we get so narrow minded and determined that sometimes we miss the small blessings that come our way. Like the tamales. Now it's not always food (but sometimes it is!) but I really think that we need to sometimes just go with the flow.
So, I guess what I'm saying is that tonight, we didn't have easy peasey quiche. We had a chance to bless someone by purchasing their food, helping them make a living. We had the chance to have some of the most amazing tamales. All because we were willing to put the menu aside for a day.
Don't worry, we'll have the quiche next week. =)
And maybe I'll have to learn to make some tamales too.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Happy birthday, Husband! Chicken "gyros"
It's my favorite guy's birthday today, so we're celebrating. I'm making chicken "gyros" with tzatziki and homemade pita bread. Then of course dessert.... tonight it will be brownie ice cream sundaes.
I found a great recipe for homemade pita bread over at Good Cheap Eats so I'm using that tonight. It wasn't hard, and I love the idea of not having to go to the store for pita bread.
I love tzatziki sauce, it reminds me of a dip that some friends make, but it's way healthier. And yet, still tasty. I found a recipe that's pretty simple to make in a Weight Watchers cookbook. I've changed it a bit, but not too much.
Yogurt cheese sounded scary for me at first, but it's really not, I promise. It's just two cups of plain yogurt that you put in a coffee filter and sit in a strainer in the fridge, for as little as two hours or as long as overnight. DON'T forget to put the strainer over a bowl or you'll have a nasty fridge. At least I'd imagine. =)
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup yogurt cheese
1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated, squeezed dry
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 TBSP chopped fresh dill (you can substitue dry, but only use 1/2 tsp)
1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Combine these ingredients and let the flavors mix and mingle... anywhere from a couple of hours to a day or so.
The chicken was originally going to be a gyro recipe, until I realized that I don't have any oregano. So it kind of became something else. I recently bought some garam masala at the health food store. I love getting spices there because you only have to buy a tablespoon or so if you want. And it's all organic so that means no fillers. Anyway, it's been sitting in my cupboard for a couple of weeks and I've been itching to use it. So I did.
Chicken "gyros"
1 lb chicken tenderloin
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder (not onion salt)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt
Combine these ingredients and let it marinate for about an hour, more if you have the time.
When it's all gotten happy in there, saute it in a hot pan over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Serve it on pita bread topped with feta cheese and the tzatziki sauce. Yum.
Or do what I did and load up the chicken with the cheese and sauce and then dip the pita in it... double yum.
I found a great recipe for homemade pita bread over at Good Cheap Eats so I'm using that tonight. It wasn't hard, and I love the idea of not having to go to the store for pita bread.
I love tzatziki sauce, it reminds me of a dip that some friends make, but it's way healthier. And yet, still tasty. I found a recipe that's pretty simple to make in a Weight Watchers cookbook. I've changed it a bit, but not too much.
Yogurt cheese sounded scary for me at first, but it's really not, I promise. It's just two cups of plain yogurt that you put in a coffee filter and sit in a strainer in the fridge, for as little as two hours or as long as overnight. DON'T forget to put the strainer over a bowl or you'll have a nasty fridge. At least I'd imagine. =)
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup yogurt cheese
1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated, squeezed dry
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 TBSP chopped fresh dill (you can substitue dry, but only use 1/2 tsp)
1/2 TBSP lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Combine these ingredients and let the flavors mix and mingle... anywhere from a couple of hours to a day or so.
The chicken was originally going to be a gyro recipe, until I realized that I don't have any oregano. So it kind of became something else. I recently bought some garam masala at the health food store. I love getting spices there because you only have to buy a tablespoon or so if you want. And it's all organic so that means no fillers. Anyway, it's been sitting in my cupboard for a couple of weeks and I've been itching to use it. So I did.
Chicken "gyros"
1 lb chicken tenderloin
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder (not onion salt)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp salt
Combine these ingredients and let it marinate for about an hour, more if you have the time.
When it's all gotten happy in there, saute it in a hot pan over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through. Serve it on pita bread topped with feta cheese and the tzatziki sauce. Yum.
As far as dessert, boxed brownies make me happy. Add a little cinnamon to the top before you bake them for an extra special flavor. A little ice cream and some chocolate and caramel sauce and you have a birthday dish fit for a king. Or at least a birthday boy.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Back to life... Black bean soup
Today my boys went back. Husband to work and Big Man to school. I woke up not feeling settled, but by then end of the day (and thanks to coffee time with Jennie and Liz) we were back to "normal."
Tonight we're having soup. I try to do that once a week in the winter, because we all like it so much.
It's beef and black bean soup tonight. Originally it was going to be black bean and sausage but we had a lot of roast left over from the rolled tacos, so I made that switch. I hate having leftovers in my fridge because they just end up going in the trash. Even before we ate it, it smelled fabulous. And when I pulled Husband away from Mario Kart long enough to taste it, he deemed it "perfect."
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic (I use the jar)
2 TBSP chopped onion
Leftover Roast
2 cans black beans
1/2 jar medium salsa
3/4 cup water
1 TBSP cumin
A few sprinkles of Emerils Bayou Blast (LOVE that stuff)
1 tsp lime juice
Instructions:
Heat thick bottom soup pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and garlic, add onion. Cook 1 minute.
Add roast, beans and seasonings. Add salsa and water.
Heat to boil, then turn down to medium low. Add lime juice and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream and shredded cheese.
A couple of notes:
1. I love that Emeril seasoning. I need to know what's in it so I can make it with spices from the health food store. (My new favorite spot for spices.)
2. Every time I cut up an onion I chop the whole thing and then stick the extra in a freezer bag and freeze it for a later date. I do the same thing with green pepper.
Here's the recipe card. ENJOY!
Tonight we're having soup. I try to do that once a week in the winter, because we all like it so much.
It's beef and black bean soup tonight. Originally it was going to be black bean and sausage but we had a lot of roast left over from the rolled tacos, so I made that switch. I hate having leftovers in my fridge because they just end up going in the trash. Even before we ate it, it smelled fabulous. And when I pulled Husband away from Mario Kart long enough to taste it, he deemed it "perfect."
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp chopped garlic (I use the jar)
2 TBSP chopped onion
Leftover Roast
2 cans black beans
1/2 jar medium salsa
3/4 cup water
1 TBSP cumin
A few sprinkles of Emerils Bayou Blast (LOVE that stuff)
1 tsp lime juice
Instructions:
Heat thick bottom soup pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and garlic, add onion. Cook 1 minute.
Add roast, beans and seasonings. Add salsa and water.
Heat to boil, then turn down to medium low. Add lime juice and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream and shredded cheese.
A couple of notes:
1. I love that Emeril seasoning. I need to know what's in it so I can make it with spices from the health food store. (My new favorite spot for spices.)
2. Every time I cut up an onion I chop the whole thing and then stick the extra in a freezer bag and freeze it for a later date. I do the same thing with green pepper.
Here's the recipe card. ENJOY!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Might just be the best day of the year... Rolled tacos
I am aware that the year is only a couple of days old, but this might be the best day so far. Church this morning was good, friends are here for lunch and we made ROLLED TACOS!
I don't fry much, but these are worth it.
Ingredients:
Corn and/or flour tortillas (6 inch work best)
Roast (cooked and shredded)
Lettuce
Oil for frying
Salt (of course)
Toothpicks
Instructions:
It's pretty simple. Heat the oil in a frying, just enough to shallow fry.
Take the roast (which I cook the day before in the crockpot, but it's also a good way to use up leftover roast) and put a few strips along with a few strips of lettuce into the tortilla. Don't overstuff them. You'll need to be able to close it completely and secure it with a toothpick.
Take the taco and fry it until it's a nice golden brown color on each side.
Remove it from the oil and sprinkle it with salt.
Serve with salsa (we prefer green) and sour cream. To make the whole experience incredible, add some pepper plant hot sauce. (Thanks Tif for the Christmas gift!!!)
Enjoy!
I don't fry much, but these are worth it.
Ingredients:
Corn and/or flour tortillas (6 inch work best)
Roast (cooked and shredded)
Lettuce
Oil for frying
Salt (of course)
Toothpicks
Instructions:
It's pretty simple. Heat the oil in a frying, just enough to shallow fry.
Take the roast (which I cook the day before in the crockpot, but it's also a good way to use up leftover roast) and put a few strips along with a few strips of lettuce into the tortilla. Don't overstuff them. You'll need to be able to close it completely and secure it with a toothpick.
Take the taco and fry it until it's a nice golden brown color on each side.
Remove it from the oil and sprinkle it with salt.
Serve with salsa (we prefer green) and sour cream. To make the whole experience incredible, add some pepper plant hot sauce. (Thanks Tif for the Christmas gift!!!)
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Menu plan for January Week one
Sunday- Rolled Tacos
Monday- Black bean and sausage soup, corn muffins.
Tuesday- Chicken gyros with tziki sauce and fries.
Wednesday-Easy peasy quiche with fruit
Thursday- Work, the boys go to Paul's moms. And I'm grateful!!
Friday- Peanut chicken and noodles
Saturday- Pizza balls and dessert for regifting party
Sunday- hamburger gravy and mashed potatos
And because I can, I'm going to add my shopping list. I have a decent pantry, stocked with lots of beef (We purchase a quarter cow in the spring.), chicken and staples. The rest I'll pick up this week.
Black beans
Cilantro
Broccoli
Green pepper
Catilina dressing
Sausage
Mozzerella cheese
Also, I'll need an assortment of fruit, veggies and yogurt.
Plus some staples like milk and bread.
Monday- Black bean and sausage soup, corn muffins.
Tuesday- Chicken gyros with tziki sauce and fries.
Wednesday-Easy peasy quiche with fruit
Thursday- Work, the boys go to Paul's moms. And I'm grateful!!
Friday- Peanut chicken and noodles
Saturday- Pizza balls and dessert for regifting party
Sunday- hamburger gravy and mashed potatos
And because I can, I'm going to add my shopping list. I have a decent pantry, stocked with lots of beef (We purchase a quarter cow in the spring.), chicken and staples. The rest I'll pick up this week.
Black beans
Cilantro
Broccoli
Green pepper
Catilina dressing
Sausage
Mozzerella cheese
Also, I'll need an assortment of fruit, veggies and yogurt.
Plus some staples like milk and bread.
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