Monday, June 23, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 6/23/14


Welcome to the last week of June! Everything is coming to an end.. well school-wise at least lol! Loking forward to some new beginnings that will hopefully happen soon :\


Monday:  Impossibly Easy Quiche
 
Tuesday:  Weight Watchers Chicken and Cheese Casserole (didn't make last week)

Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday: beef stew in the crock pot

Friday: leftovers
 
Saturday and Sunday:  leftovers or something

Dessert of the Week:  Not sure!

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Monday, June 16, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 6/16/14


I need to get over this cooking funk. Too much exhaustion and stress. I feel like it will be months before we know what is going on with Jeff's job! I really want to enroll the kiddo in gymnastics and swim lessons but until we know what is happening in the fall, all the expensive extras are not happening! :(


Monday:  leftover french toast casserole for J - the kiddo and I are going to a picnic
 
Tuesday:  Weight Watchers Chicken and Cheese Casserole

Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: One Pot Pizza Pasta Bake

Friday: leftovers
 
Saturday and Sunday:  who knows!!!

Dessert of the Week:  I have some stuff I made for Father's Day that wasn't good enough to bring, but will be ok to eat this week.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 5/26/14


I hope you all are having a good Memorial Day weekend! Please take the time to remember a service person.


Monday:  leftover pizza

Tuesday:  Impossibly Easy Hot Dog and Cheese Pie

 Wednesday:  Skinny Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Oven Barbecue Pork Chops
 
Saturday and Sunday: I am part of a multi-family garage sale, all day Sat and Sun so leftovers or something from the freezer is what's for dinner!

Dessert of the Week:  We seriously still have Easter candy. We have been really good about doling it out, and whike I am nowhere near sick of it, I do jsut want to eat it and be gone!

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Friday, May 2, 2014

Italian Easter Bread - Daring Bakers April 2014 Challenge

Italian Easter Bread
The April Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den . She challenged us to Spring into our kitchens and make Easter breads reflecting cultures around the world.

Making bread is my "thing." I have loved to bake bread since I was young. So this month's challenge (ok, technically last month's!) was right up my alley. I had never made Easter bread before and was pleased to find out it was easy to do and tasted delicious!! Mt braids ended up HUGE, and they wer a little underbaked.... same for the eggs. BTW I dyed them using Kool Aid, since they were touching something edible.

Italian Easter Bread
recipe from The Italian Dish
makes 6 individual loaves

Ingredients:
  • 1 package Rapid Rise yeast
  • 1.25 cups scalded milk, cooled to room temperature
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3.5 cups flour (approximate)
  • 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
  • 6 dyed Easter eggs (raw - do NOT hard boil them first!)
  • sprinkles
Instructions:
 1. In a large mixer bowl, combine yeast, warm (not hot) milk, salt, butter, eggs and sugar. Add about half the flour and beat until smooth with dough hook.   Slowly add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Add flour until the dough is not sticky anymore.  Knead until smooth with either dough hook attachment or turn out on floured board and knead.

2. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.

fat little braided dough circles
3. Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece to form a 1 inch thick rope about 14 inches long and, taking two pieces, twist to form a "braid", pinching the ends. Loop into a circle.

4. Place on a greased baking sheet or line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Cover and let rise until double, about an hour again.


and the eggs were nestled all snug in their braids

5. Brush each bread with beaten egg wash. Put on the sprinkles. In the middle of each bread ring, gently place an Easter egg, making an indentation with the egg.

6. Bake at 350 degrees until golden - about 20 - 25 minutes. Cool on rack.

Italian Easter Bread - Halloween style!!




Monday, April 28, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of April 28, 2014




Monday:  Chicken Nuggets and Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

Tuesday:  BBQ Chicken Bubble Up Pizza from last week


 Wednesday:  leftover bubble up pizza

Thursday: Cheesy Italian Beef Bake

Friday: leftovers

Saturday and Sunday: Saturday is the services auction, so we won't eat a big dinner. Sunday we will be going out for lunch so dinner will be snacky foods.

Dessert of the Week: so. much. Easter.  candy!

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Monday, April 21, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 4/21/14


Easter was a success!!



 




Well, hi there! The past few weeks of craziness have finally ended. No more birthdays, holidays, surprise parties, house guests (love), spring break.... etc! Back to boring ole life lol Hope that everyone had a good Easter!


Monday:  leftovers from my birthday dinner
 
Tuesday: J. has to go back to work so it will be something quick from the freezer

 Wednesday:  He will either get good news or bad news on Tuesday, so we will go out to dinner to celebrate or to commiserate!


Thursday: Crock Pot Mac and Cheese

Friday: BBQ Chicken Bubble Up Pizza


Saturday and Sunday: Saturday is up in the air. Sunday will be leftovers or maybe pizza!

Dessert of the Week: so. much. Easter.  candy!



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Monday, March 17, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/17/14


Breaking out the spring Menu Plan Monday banner! Too bad we are stuck in endless cold and freezing weather! Thankfully today's snow is supposed to stay south of us... we are going to get the freezing temps though YAY. (not)

This is a strange week for us... we are getting into our busy time so the menus for the next month or so will be a bit different!

Monday: we are not Irish, but I have not met a holiday meal I haven't liked ;) Actually, I don't like corned beef or cabbage lol Jeff is also working all day, but i still want to make something St. Patrick's Dayish... So it will be Shamrock Shaped Pizzas
 
Tuesday: not sure... I think I might head to a cookbook for this one.


 Wednesday: Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday: We are going into the city to see Aladdin :D And eating dinner at Schnippers

Saturday and Sunday: Saturday we are seeing Divergent (YAYAYAYAYAY!) and taking the in laws out to lunch.  Sunday, who knows!!!

Dessert of the Week: I am attempting cookie decorating for E's birthday cookie cake, so I baked cut out cookies to decorate today. Wish me luck!!



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Monday, March 10, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/10/14





Monday: leftover pork chops
 
Tuesday: salsa chicken over potatoes (using leftover salsa chicken from last week)

 Wednesday: something from the freezer

Thursday:  quiche

Friday: GOING TO SEE THE VERONICA MARS MOVIE!!!! So we will either order pizza before we go or eat on our way there, since the theater is aways away.

Saturday and Sunday: who knows!!! I try not to cook on weekends.


Dessert of the Week: I made cookies yesterday!



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Monday, March 3, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/3/14



 Well, last week was a bust! I had a horrible bad cold, and I am still feeling it today! I had to cancel my Disney party, too. :( Cooking did not happen! But after 2 weeks off, I need to get back into gear and into a schedule again.

Monday: hot dogs... still not up to cooking!

Tuesday: Banana Bread Pancakes (for Shrove Tuesday)


 Wednesday: Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops w/Au Gratin potatoes

Thursday: Salsa Chicken

Friday: leftovers

Saturday and Sunday: who knows!!! I try not to cook on weekends.


Dessert of the Week: I need to start practicing decorating cookies for the kiddo's birthday! Any tips appreciated ;)



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Monday, February 24, 2014

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 2/24/14


And we are back from vacation!!! It was such a great time, and the perfect thing to escape winter :D I will post pictures soon. This is the week after vacation panic, when supplies are low, and I am too tired to find recipes! Gotta get to the grocery store, but here is a temporary plan.

Monday: Getting our taxes done today (we canceled 2 weeks ago due to snow!!) - so it is the traditional Bobby's Burger Palace dinner

Tuesday: Pasta, maybe a baked ravioli dish

 Wednesday: apps for dessert


Thursday: something from the freezer!

Friday: Pizza night!

Saturday and Sunday:  My #disneyside party is Saturday so I need to figure out what to make lol!

Dessert of the Week: need to make my daring bakers dessert!

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