Lazy Cook vs. Smart Cook

There are two ways of looking at my cooking methods--kind of like the "half full or half empty" glass, I choose to believe the half full, "Smart Cook" view!
I use Planned Leftovers alot. You know, cook once, eat twice. Though not a big fan of casseroley foods (ate too many as a kid!) they do have their place. Following are some easy examples, and I'm sure you can think of many more that would work for your family. The trick is to cook up more of the meat (or main dish) than you need for one meal. It takes NO extra time.
Day One: Grilled Chicken (Grill twice as much as you will need for one dinner) I like to marinate them in Italian Dressing first - YUM!)
Day Two: Using the leftover chicken breasts, make

• Fajitas (saute onions and peppers, heat up some beans and throw on some tortillas)
  
• Chicken sandwiches on buns (open a can of baked beans, chips)
  Chicken/veg Medley over rice (saute up whatever veggies you have on hand, onions a must, add sliced chicken right at the end to heat, and serve over rice.
  
• Chicken/veg Medley over drained Top Ramen Noodles
  Soup

Day One: Pot Roast in Crock Pot (Get a large roast)

Day Two:

• Shredded up pot roast/gravy sandwiches or over rice
  
• Use meat with barbeque sauce for BBQ Sandwiches
  
• Baked potato topping/ salad

Day One: Ham with some kind of potato

Day Two:

• Pasta salad with ham pieces
  
• Scalloped potatoes with ham
  
• Baked potato topping
  
• Ham sandwiches
  
• Homemade pizza with Ham topping

You get the idea. I really only cook an original meat about 3 times a week, and use the cooked, leftover meat for reincarnated concoctions. By using the planned leftovers, everything usually tastes fresh, especially when you add a fresh salad or vegetable each time.

Lazy or Smart, it works for me!

Recipe Of The Week- Cilantro Lime Cod

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds cod or flounder fillets
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
2 limes, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS
Place each fillet on a 15-in. x 12-in. piece of heavy-duty foil. Sprinkle with pepper. In a small saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil; stir in cumin. Spoon over fillets; sprinkle with cilantro. Place lime slices over each; drizzle with olive oil. Fold foil around fish and seal tightly. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (prepared with cod) equals 96 calories, 77 mg sodium, 30 mg cholesterol, 3 gm carbohydrate, 13 gm protein, 4 gm fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 very lean meat, 1/2 fat.

Menu Planning Monday April 14-20

Monday- Home-Style Spaghetti, Garden Salad. Cost of Dinner: $6.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 15 mins

Tuesday- Chicken Fajita’s, Brown Rice & Fruit Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time; 25 mins.

Wednesday- Veggie Egg Quiché, Spinach Salad. Cost of Dinner: $4.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins

Thursday- Fettuccine Alfredo, Caesar Salad. Cost of Dinner: $5.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 10 mins

Friday- Home Made Pizza & Ice Cream Sundaes. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 30 mins. Making memories=Priceless!

Saturday- Cilantro Lime Cod, Spanish Rice, & Steamed Veggies. Cost of Dinner: $21.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Sunday- Taco’s. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 15 mins. Having Dinner with all our family=Priceless!

The Total cost for One Week of Dinners: $60.00 for a Family of 5 + friends!

Please email me for the recipes or nutritionals: Mindy8221@gmail.com

The Weekly Waste Word: Meal Planning

A few weeks ago, we discussed the importance of making a grocery list. Going one step further, planning the week’s meals speeds up grocery shopping and reduces household food waste.
Meal Planning forces you to have a purpose for each purchased item (with one or two fun exceptions). Deciding on meals can be a chore, but no more so than if it weren’t planned. And if you don’t cook one of the planned meals because plans change–as they always do–just push the schedule back a night. I find that a note cards are useful.
As the food shopper of the house (surprise, surprise), I used to shop with the loose goal of having “enough” in the house to make the week’s dinners. Aiming for that subjective feeling of plenty and the supermarket guesswork often led to overstocked shelves and way too much time in the supermarket. Plus,
Meal planning and the idea of not having a “stocked” cupboard or fridge takes some getting used to. But, if you’ve got all your meals and snacks planned, what’s the worry? If you’re like us, I’m sure you have plenty of old “staple” items lying around for when that storm hits. You know, the cans of things you’ve elected not to eat.

Recipe Of The Week- Chicken Marbella

This is my Second Favorite Cookbook ever! I Love it! Easy, Simple, Recipe's that My Family Always Loves To Eat! I have picked Chicken Marbella this week. If you are lacking time like I am these days, Stop by your local Dream Dinners. This month they have Chicken Mirabella (the same recipe as Silver Palate CookBook) This is sure to be your Family Favorite!

Chicken Marbella

From the book: The Silver Palate Cookbook by Sheila Lukens, Michael McLaughlin, and Julee Rosso

This was the first main-course dish to be offered at The Silver Palate, and the distinctive colors and flavors of the prunes, olives, and capers have kept it a favorite for years. It’s good hot or at room temperature. When prepared with small drumsticks and wings, it makes a delicious hors d’oeuvre.
The overnight marinating is essential to the moistness of the finished product. The chicken keeps and even improves over several days of refrigeration, and it travels well and makes excellent picnic fare.

Ingredients

4 chickens, 2½ pounds each (10 pounds total), quartered

1 head garlic, peeled and finely puréed

1/4 cup dried oregano

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted, sliced Spanish green olives

1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice

6 bay leaves

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white wine

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.

3. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.

4. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juice and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.

To serve cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over the chicken.

Menu Planning Monday April 14-20

Monday- Dream Dinners Chicken Mirabella, Garden Salad. Cost of Dinner: $25.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 40 mins

Tuesday- Sweet & Sour Pork Chops, Brown Rice & Fruit Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time; 25 mins.

Wednesday- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches w/Homemade Tomatoes Soup, Spinach Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins

Thursday- Old Fashion Meatloaf, Mash Potatoes, Caesar Salad. Cost of Dinner: $14.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 10 mins

Friday- Home Made Pizza & Ice Cream Sundaes. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 30 mins. Making memories=Priceless!

Saturday- Beef Enchilada’s, Spanish Rice, & Steamed Veggies. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Sunday- Sunday Pot Roast, Roasted Carrots & Potatoes Cost of Dinner: $12.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 45 mins. Having Dinner with all our family=Priceless!

For more information: http://www.dreamdinners.com/ choose the Poulsbo, WA Store.

The Total cost for One Week of Dinners: $83.00 for a Family of 5 + friends!
Please email me for the recipe's or nutritional: Mindy8221@gmail.com

Menu Planning 101

Looking for a great way to save time and money each month, menu planning is one of the best ways for people either on a tight budget or with tight time constraints to make sure that they and their families are eating healthy and right. Here are some basic tips on how to plan a weekly menu and the benefits of doing so.

Create a Budget

One of the many things that fiscally responsible families do is create a budget for monthly expenses. Just as you would calculate the cost of running a house, paying for your children's school or transportation costs, you should also consider how much money to spend on food each week or month.

Believe it or not, many shoppers don't even know exactly how much they spend on food. In addition, many families tend to eat out at least a couple of times per week. If you ever tried to figure out the cost of eating out 8 times per month for a family of four, it would probably give you sticker shock. By creating a budget, you can easily calculate your food expenses for the month or even break it down weekly, giving you an idea on how much to spend on a weekly menu for you and your family.

Creating a Menu

Now that you have your budget and know exactly how much you can spend for food each month, your next step should be figuring out which types of meals would be best for your family. Most families tend to start out menu planning with only fresh and healthier food choices, only to find out a couple of weeks later that they dread eating at home and rush out to purchase fast food or to eat out at the many casual dining establishments. One thing to consider is to plan a menu that is for the most part healthy, but includes foods that each member of your family enjoys ( in moderation of course). By making sure that there are foods that everyone enjoys, it will entice each member of the family to stay home for meals.

Menu planning is a great way for the entire family to lose weight together or to reduce certain types of foods in their diets. For instance, many families find that they could all stand to lose a few pounds; menu planning can help with the process. By creating a menu that is low in calories, fats, carbs, etc (depending on your diet of choice), you and your family can lose weight together usually increasing the success of all those involved.

For families that have a history of certain types of illnesses like heart disease or diabetes, menu planning is essential to good, long term health. By getting into the practice of eating certain types of foods and shying away from others, you can improve your health and form strong foundations for younger children who hopefully will follow the same eating patterns as they age.

Creative Meals To Make With a Rotisserie Chicken

I said we rarely eat out, but I never said I make all my meals entirely from scratch!

Enter: the Rotisserie Chicken.
On Tuesdays, Albertsons has these on sale for 3.99 each. But mostly I'm in a hurry on the Other Days, and have to pay full price. It doesn't really matter, because I can still feed my family for a lot less than if we drove through McDonald's.

First, pull off a leg and nibble on it while you decide what to do with the rest of the chicken. Take the chicken off the bone and pull it apart or cut it up into chunks. Hmmm. How about......

1. Sauteed Vegetable Medley served with chicken, over rice. Lightly saute onions and whatever veg you have on hand. While that is sizzling, make a pot of rice. Add chicken bits to the veggies just before serving to heat through, and serve it over the rice. My Family LOVES soft wheat flour tortillia's with this dish.

2. Chicken Fajitas Saute up some onions and peppers, then add chicken right at the end. Let everyone build their own fajita, with grated cheese, beans, lettuce, sour cream, salsa. Don't forget the chips. This is a good one to serve with cut up fruit.

3. Pasta with Chicken and Vegetable Pesto (Delish!)Lightly saute vegetables in olive oil. I like onions, red peppers, zucchini, broccoli and carrots. It just takes a little bit of each kind to make a lot. Add the chicken at the end.
Meanwhile, boil ziti or mostaccioli pasta (or whatever you have). Mix the pasta in with the vegetables and add several tablespoons of Pesto to mix in also.
You can add some goodies like feta cheese and black olives to this just before serving. Tastes like it came from a restaurant!

4. Chicken Salad
Every one has their favorite way to make chicken salad, so I won't do a recipe here. Sometimes, I put scoops of chicken salad inside buns and wrap in foil and heat in the oven. It's like a Hot Pocket, except it tastes good.

5. Chicken/Vegetable Soup
My Mom is the queen of soup making. Even a small amount of leftover rotisserie chicken can make a delicious soup, and we especially love it in the fall and winter. All you do is put some water and/or canned chicken broth in a pot and get it slowly boiling. Start digging through your vegetable drawer, and cut up whatever you have on hand and throw it in, along with the chicken. It's the onions and the garlic that make everything taste good, so use plenty. I usually add boullion cubes to boost the flavor. Thicken it at the end and serve it up with crusty bread.

6. White Chicken Chili
I use the recipe on the back of Bush's Northern Beans. The recipe used to be on the back of the Navy Bean can, but now they went and changed it. I'm waaay over my 500 word "limit" so I'll post the recipe.
You can always just eat the chicken right off the bone, which is what we do quite often. Paper plates optional.

How about you?

Share your Rotisserie Chicken ideas with me, so the rest of us JOYfilled readers can get inspired!

Mindy's Gift To You- Get-Real Menu Planning for Busy Families

There are many elaborate menu plans I see that I just know won't work for my family. They include things like "Roasted Leg of Lamb with Braised Asparagus and Cherries Flambe for Dessert."

Riiiiight.


I've found that I can easily come up with a month's worth of dinner ideas out of stuff I already know how to make. First, I start by brain-storming.

I list broad categories of dinners, like: Italian, Crock-Pot, Grilled, Mexican, LEFTOVERS (yes, it's a category, PAPER PLATE MEALS (you gotta get real), Gourmet (I'm putting this in for you "Foodies"), Soup N Sandwich, Breakfast for Dinner, etc.


Then, I think of as many meals as can that fit under each category.


Italian: Spaghetti, pizza, manicotti, baked ziti, stuffed shells from Sam's, etc.


Crock Pot: Pot Roast, Barbeque Chicken, Beef Stew, Italian Chicken


Go ahead! Take out some paper and try it. I'll bet you can come up with a BUNCH!


Each Category really only needs 4 items because.....Then, I look at our Family Calendar. I start plugging in the standing activities we have that affect our dinner times.

For example: for many years, we had soccer practice twice a week from 5:30-6:30, which meant that we either had to eat early OR late.

On Wednesday nights, we have church.

Sports might be on another night.

I take a blank calendar page and write these activities across the top. I put in my work/volunteer schedule: example: On Thursdays I work all day at Junior's school after I've served at the homeless shelter....

Then, I take a blank calendar page, and working across the week, I start assigning the broad categories to days of the week.
On Baseball nights, I assigned Crock Pot Night, and Sandwich Night--both are quick and easy with little clean-up required.

On Church Nights, I might do Drive Through Night (Oh, didn't I tell you? That's also a category! I just like to plan it in, rather that use it willy-nilly)

On Monday nights, we are all home together so I plan a nice, sit-down meal. Gourmet perhaps?

On Saturday nights, I might do Breakfast for Dinner, because you never know who is actually going to be home: waffles are always a hit.

I actually found that I could come up with TWO MONTHS worth of dinner ideas by doing it this way. And even when I don't stick to the menu plan, just having it posted up on the refrigerator helps jog my memory when I'm in a pinch, which it often. It also helps me remember to thaw things out ahead of time and start early enough in the day so I don't have mutiny on my hands when 6:30 rolls around and the troops are starving. Voila, Dinner is Served.

Give it a try and let me know how it goes!

Recipe Of The Week- Sweeten Braided Bread with Poppy Seeds

When I make this bread- it instantly takes me back to my Grandma's House. If you have never made Bread before this is a very simple recipe. This recipe can be used for Cinnamon Rolls as well.

Enjoy!

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 can warm water (use the condensed milk can to measure it)

1c. unsalted butter, softened

5 eggs

¼ c. fresh yeast

1 tablespoon salt

1kg all purpose flour

1 egg yolk, lightly beaten, to brush the bread

1 TLBS poppy seeds

Place the yeast and the water in the bowl of a stand mixer; mix well to dissolve the yeast.

Add the sweetened condensed milk, salt and butter and, using the paddle attachment, beat well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Switch to the hook attachment and, beating in slow speed, add the flour, gradually. Once you added all the flour, beat until you get smooth dough.

Cover with cling film or plastic wrap and set aside - let the dough rise until almost doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times and form a ball; divide dough in 4 equal parts and make 15 inch ropes with each part. Place the ropes on a very large greased baking sheet (mine was 40x26cm) and braid them. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 320º; beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush the bread with it. Sprinkle the poppy seeds over the bread and bake for 30-40 minutes or until beautifully golden and cooked through – if it starts browning too fast, cover it loosely with foil.

Serves 10-12

Menu Planning Monday Mar. 31- April 6

Since the beginning of time, Women all across America do not want to spend Hours upon Hours slaving away to make Dinner. This week I am experimenting on making Dinner in less then 25 mins? I am sure most of you are saying Can it be done? Will it be Healthy? How many trips to the Store will I be making?

In order for this to work, I need to be organized. With a list prepared, I have already gone to the Store. The total cost for this week for 7 dinners that feeds 6 adults is $64.00 Yes, I shop by the Ads.

I will keep you updated daily on the outcome of each dish. Comments from my family, along with, "if I will make the dish again"

Monday: Egg-Ta Ta. Made with Hash Browns, Bacon & Cheese. Strawberry Spinach Salad. Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Tuesday: Happy April Fools Day! Stewed Rabbit (Chunky Chicken Risotto) Green Beans, Garden Salad. Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Wednesday: Steamed Salmon, Fresh Broccoli w/ Wilde Rice. Prep Time: 5 mins. Cook Time: 15 mins.

Thursday: Potato Leek Soup & Crusty Bread. Prep Time: 5 mins. Cook Time 20 mins.

Friday: Home-made Pizza & Ice Cream Sundaes. Total Prep: 10 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins. Making Memories=Priceless!!!

Saturday- Jambalaya w/ Kielbasa- Prep Time: 5 mins. Cook Time: 20 mins.

Sunday: Oliver Chicken w/Egg Noodles. Prep Time: 5 mins. Cook Time: 10-12 mins.

The Total cost for One Week of Dinners: $64.00 for a Family of 5
Please email me for the recipe or nutrition's: Mindy8221@gmail.com

Recipe Of The Week- Home-Made Tomatoe Soup

I like to saute both the onion and tomatoes together....

Chop up Parsley, Basil, an a tiny bit of Rosemary....

Slowly Add the Cream, for a lighter version, use skim milk....

The Finished Product!



INGREDIENTS
3 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
24 fresh basil leaves, Handful of Parsley & Rosemary to taste, minced
1-1/4 teaspoons sugar
1-1/3 cups whipping cream
2/3 cup butter or margarine


DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, bring the tomatoes and broth to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add basil and sugar. Reduce heat to low; stir in cream and butter. Cook until butter is melted.

EnJOY!

Menu Planning Mar. 10-16

This week the meals have a bit more prep time, with the Boys taking more of a active role in preparing dinner the time is usually cut in half. All entrees that I make serve a minimum of 8-10. To keep cost consistent, I will double this and freeze and use for the following month, or give to a friend in need. In the following week, I will post "How to Prepare Dinner in a Fast Food Lane" Stay Tune....

Monday- Clam chowder w/ Sour Dough Rolls, Garden Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 35 mins

Tuesday- Veggie Ham Strata, Fruit Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time; 25 mins.

Wednesday- Chicken Stir-Fry, Brown Rice, Spinach Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins

Thursday- Fresh Spinach Manicotti Roll-Ups, Caesar Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 35 mins

Friday- Home-Made Pizza U-Make & Ice Cream Sundaes. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 for 5 Pizza’s Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 30 mins. Making memories=Priceless!

Saturday- Apricot Onion-Glazed Chicken, Potatoes Wedge & Steamed Veggies. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Sunday- Dream Dinners Arroz Con Polo- (We are having some Friends over for dinner) Cost of Dinner: $44.00 for serving of 8. Total Prep Time: ZERO! Cook Time: 45 mins. I do not mind having to pay for this convenience for a lazy Sunday Afternoon. For more information: www.dreamdinners.com choose the Poulsbo, WA Store.

The Total cost for One Week of Dinners: $84.00 for a Family of 5

Please email me for the recipe's or nutritionals: Mindy8221@gmail.com

Recipe Of The Week- Fettuccine Alfredo

I am posting this recipe because my family LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Fettuccine Alfredo, but it's always been a restaurant dish that I would not even think about indulging in.

BUT the Boys requested it last week for one day this week.

Now granted you can't sit and eat SPOONFULS out of the pot without consequence....in moderation. When I made it, (I do my dinners in the morning, because of how busy we get in the afternoon) I tasted it (at 7 am and almost began to eat spoonfuls!

IT'S THAT GOOD!

Knowing just how good dinner was going to be I ate only an apple...which I KNOW is not the best approach....but I KNEW this was worth all the calories! SO....here is the recipe!

Enjoy!

ALFREDO SAUCE

12 ounces dry fettuccine pasta
1 cup nonfat milk
1/2 cup Butter
8 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cubed (cream cheese)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup shreded grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water cook fettuccine and drain.
2. Combine milk, cubed Neufchatel cheese, butter or margarine, garlic powder, onion powder, minced garlic, and salt. Stir until smooth. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until blended.
3. Toss pasta with Alfredo sauce and serve warm.

All you need is a salad to go with this....NOW again, it's NOT fat free...but....it is DELICIOUS!!

Menu Planning Monday Mar. 3-9

The family dinner table represents the connection we have with each other...

Each person sitting at the table isn't there by accident, but is a God-given gift and a specific fit for your family....

MONDAY: Meatloaf, Garlic mashed Potatoes’, Salad, the meatloaves are made in muffin tins (WHAT a great idea) Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 5 mins. (Meatloaf out of freezer) Cook Time: 35 mins

TUESDAY: Fettuccine Alfredo, (See Posted Recipe) Garden Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins

Wednesday: Slow Cook Chicken w/Dumplings, Fruit Salad Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: Crock-Pot. Cook Time: 45 mins.

THURSDAY: Pork Rolls, Fried Rice, Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time: 15 mins.

FRIDAY: Home Made Pizza U-Make. Caesar Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins.

Saturday: Cheese Burger Soup (Taste Of Home) Rolls & Green Beans. Cost of Dinner: $ 4.00 Total Prep Time: 15 mins. Cook Time: 1 hr.

Sunday- Family Restaurant Day! Cost for 5 family members: $100.00= Priceless!

The Total Cost for One Week Of Dinners: $144.00

If you would like the recipes & nutritionals just email me: Mindy8221@gmail.com

What is For Dinner Around The World?

If I had the opportunity to give every woman on the planet a gift, it would be a vase of flowers for the middle of their dinner tables to remind them that this is a sacred place where their families are not only fed but are nurtured and loved--where heartstrings are tied and relationships realigned..."

An poignant demonstration of what is eaten in one week by various families around the world...

Germany: The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07

United States: The Revis family of North Carolina (Sure hope most American families eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less junk food than this family.)
Food expenditure for one week $341.98

Italy: The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11

Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mex ican Pesos or $189.09

Poland: The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27

Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55

Bhutan: The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03

Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23

Suddenly, my lack of Thin Mints seem ever so trivial in the midst of these findings. How I really wish that I could send my pantry contents to the last few...

Potatoe Or PoTAtoe....From Chef Kelly

This Spuds for You!
Potatoes: I’m asked a lot by my students what potato to use for certain dishes, there are so many out there to choose from, here is a short/easy guide for you to use

*Baking & Mashing: My fav way to eat spuds!
Use High Starch potatoes-russets & Idaho’s are perfect for fluffy drier mashed spuds & the best fresh fries!
* Over all Use spud: the award goes to-Yukon Golds & other yellow fleshed potatoes which have a medium starch content-good for if you prefer creamier to fluffy mashed potatoes or pan frying & are a good choice for a change of pace potato salad.
*Roasting, Boiling & Salads-Red potatoes, they tend to be lower in starch but higher in sugar content that lends them to brown easier and roast to a caramelized deeeelishishness.
*Specialty Spuds-Russian fingerlings, Peruvian Blues, these are just two of a plethora of specialty spuds now available at local farmers markets & super markets- use them to make show stopping roasted potatoes with a sliced yam or two some olive oil & fresh snipped thyme, rosemary & garlic!

Simple Dinners for Two!
Now that I’m officially a working “empty-nester” it’s just me and my hubby (and our pup), I’ve found dinner time can get….. well to be too much! I’m on a learning curve to scale back my recipes so we don’t drown in leftovers and eat the same meal all week long! It can be a challenge to cook/bake for two but I’m already working on that for you so stayed tuned!!

So here are two suggestions for quick & easy Simple Dinners for Two-

Made for a Meal Stuffed Baked Potatoes-
2 large Russet or Idaho bakers
1/3 cup Ranch Dressing-the pre-made kind
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese plus 4 Tablespoons for sprinkling on top of spuds to serve.
1/4 cup sour cream or whipped cream cheese (at room temp)
1/3 cup bacon bits or diced chicken or leftover sausage.
1/3 cup cooked broccoli-optional-use any leftover veggie you have that sounds good to you!
1 teaspoon dried or fresh chopped parsley.
2 green onions-chopped to your preference.
Salt & pepper to taste.

Directions:
Wash potatoes very well using a potato brush if you have one.
Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork-DO NOT forget this part or you will have a mess inside your microwave from exploding potatoes!
Place spuds on a microwave safe dish.
Microwave uncovered on HIGH for 18-22 minutes or until tender turning once.-Keep watch on these they can overcook very quickly!
Let stand for a few minutes until cook enough to handle them.
While the spuds are cooking in a medium bowl mix together:
Ranch dressing, sour cream OR cream cheese, bacon bits, bacon bits or leftover diced protein, chopped veggie, chopped parsley, green onion.
When the potatoes are cooled enough to handle-cut a thin slice off of the top of both potatoes make sure to leave a thin shell of potato so it doesn’t collapse; gently scoop the potato pulp out into a separate bowl & mash
Add the mashed potato to your mixture in the bowl and mix it all up well.
You may need to add more Ranch to get a good creamy consistency because of potato size.
Spoon your filling back into your potato shells. Place the filled potatoes back onto a microwave safe dish, microwave uncovered until the filling is hot-approximately 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with reserved cheese.
If you like your cheese melted place reserved cheese onto filled potatoes before microwaving.
Serve with a green salad and enjoy!
Tips: I’ve made this with shredded soy cheese too- it’s VERY good.
Low fat cream cheese, sour cream can be substituted as well as low fat Ranch dressing.

Enjoy- Chef Kelly

Menu Planning Monday Feb. 25- Mar. 2

Choosing what we are to have for Dinner each night of the week has become one of my families’ favorite Sunday night rituals. We plan the meals around all of our activities. Each member of our family picks out there favorite meal. This gives them something to look forward to during the week. We are adding My Father & Two Nieces for Dinner, a few nights.

ENJOY Family!

Monday- Pecan Crusted Pan Sizzle Pork Chops, Brown Rice & Salad. Cost of Dinner: $12.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 20 mins (Super Easy)
Tuesday- Cilantro-Lime Cod, Bake Potatoes, Spinach Salad. Cost of Dinner: $12.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 20 mins (Super Easy)
Wednesday- Home Made Minestrone Soup, Home Made biscuits’, Fruit Salad Cost of Dinner: $12.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 1 hr. (Yummmmy, and Super Easy)
Thursday- Veggie Egg Scramble, Toast Sticks & Green Garden Salad Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 25 mins (Favorite #1 pick)
Friday- Home Made Pizza, Caesar Salad. Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 20 mins. (We use this as part of our Family Fun Night. Each person makes their Own Pizza)
Saturday- Taco Salad Cost of Dinner: $8.00 Total Prep Time: 10 mins. Cook Time: 10 min. (Easy)
Sunday- Going Out to Dinner! Family of Five $100.00=Priceless!

The Total Cost for One Week Of Dinners: $160.00
If you would like the recipes & nutritionals just email me: Mindy8221@gmail.com

Menu Planning Monday Feb. 18-24

The Boys & I have picked our Menu Planning Meals this week from Taste Of Home Cook Book. How we pick our entrees for the week: I check my pantry, see what we don’t have, make out a shopping list according to what we need. Since I have Three Teenage Boys, One Husband (HUGE eaters), I always double the recipe.

Monday- Thai- Style Chicken, Brown Rice, & Salad (I marinade the chicken the night before) Cost of Dinner $12.00 Total prep time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Serves: 8

Tuesday- Turkey Biscuit Bake, Fruit Salad (Since I double this recipe, I find to a friend that I can share with) Cost of the Two Dinners $8.00 Total prep time: 10 mins- Cook time: 18 mins Serves: 14

Wednesday- Flounder Zucchini Bundles, Spinach Salad (This is a super easy recipe and my family’s favorite!)Cost of Dinner $24.00 Total prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves: 10

Thursday-Fettuccine Primavera, Garden Salad (This is a great way to eat all the vegetables) Cost of Dinner $ 8.00 Total Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 10 mins Serves: 10

Friday- Homemade Pizza, Ice Cream Sundaes (the boys have their friends come over and they all make their OWN pizza) Cost of Dinner $10.00 Total Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 15 mins Serves: 9

Saturday- Grilled Lemon Pepper Pork Chops, Vegetable Barley Bake (heart smart month) (Having family over for dinner) Cost of Dinner $21.00 Total Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 50 mins Serves: 10

Sunday- Princess Sarah Church Potluck, Creamy Risotto & Chicken (I purchased this is at our local Meal Assembly Store, Poulsbo Dream Dinners) Cost of Dinner $23.56 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Serves: 6

Total Cost of One Week Of Dinner: $114.56

A Break Down- Gave One Dinner To a Friend, Entertained three times.

If you would like any of the recipes (except dream dinner’s entrée’s) Just email me, in addition nutritionals are included

Home-Made Pizza In Less Then 40 minutes

The Most Requested Recipe So Far........

HOMEMADE PIZZA SAUCE

1 c. crushed tomatoes
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/4 c. dry red wine
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix ingredients in saucepan. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Use approximately 3/4 cup sauce for each pizza. Store remainder or freeze. Yield: 1 and 3/4 cups.

Home-Made Pizza Dough

1 tbsp. yeast or 1 pkg. dry active yeast

1 c. hot water

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. flour

1 tsp. sugar

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1. Dissolve yeast in hot water. Using a fork, stir in salt and sugar.
2. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring with fork.
3. Add oil and stir vigorously with fork. If dough is sticky, add another 1/2 cup flour. Allow dough to rise for 1/2 hour.
4. Using floured hands knead dough, then spread out on greased cookie sheet with floured fingertips.
5. Spread tomato sauce over dough. Add toppings in layers. Sprinkle cheese over dough.

6. Bake 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes.