Meal Plan Mondays

Monday, August 31st: Orange Chicken
Tuesday, September 1st: Skillet Ziti
Wednesday, September 2nd: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Thursday, September 3rd: Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Friday, September 4th: Pizza
Saturday, September 5th: Panang Curry
Sunday, September 6th: Herbed Lemon Garlic Chicken Skewers

Monday, September 7th: Italian Meatball Sliders
Tuesday, September 8th: Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
Wednesday, September 9th: Sloppy Joes
Thursday, September 10th: Creamy Chicken Soup
Friday, September 11th:Pizza
Saturday, September 12th: Brisket with BBQ sauce
Sunday, September 13th: Roasted Maple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Our Favorite Stir Fry

The best thing about this recipe is you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I also love that there isn't a huge amount of sugar.  If you like more sauce, then you'll need to double the ingredients starting with the broth and ending with cornstarch. My kids like a lot of sauce for the rice, so we usually double it.

2 Tablespoons oil.  I always use coconut oil.

6 cloves of minced garlic.  I always use the garlic from Costco in a jar.

1 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 bunch of chopped green onions (optional.  sometimes I don't have them so I leave them out.  You can also just throw in regular onions.)

1 tsp. salt

1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips.

1 red bell pepper cut into strips

1-2 cups of peeled and cut carrots.

1-2 cups of broccoli cut into small pieces.

You can really add any veggies you want and as much as you want.

1 cup chicken broth

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 Tablespoons sugar, sometimes I use half white and half brown

2 Tablespoons cornstarch.

Heat oil in  wok or large non-stick skillet.  When it is hot, add 2 cloves of garlic, ginger and green onions and salt.  Stir about two minutes then add the chicken and cook until opaque. Add remaining 4 cloves of garlic and stir.  Add all the veggies and 1/2 cup of broth, stir and cover.

In a small bowl mix together the remaining 1/2 cup of broth, soy sauce, sugar and corn starch. When the broccoli is bright green, add the sauce and stir until thickened.  Serve immediately with rice.

Skillet Ziti

We all need these kinds of recipes in our arsenal of quick family dinners.  This one is one of our favorites, and it is so easy and quick.  Love it!

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 of a large onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic

1 pound of sausage, ground beef, etc.  I use turkey sausage and I think it really makes this dish.

2 Tablespoons of tomato paste

1/2-2 cups of UNCOOKED ziti pasta

1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 14.5 ounce can of chicken stock or make your own with bouillon

2 cups of shredded mozarella cheese

1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese

fresh basil for garnish (I don't usually have this so I just skip this part)

In a large skillet saute onion and garlic in oil.  Add sausage.  When the sausage is cooked all the way through add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ziti, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, and chicken stock.  Bring it to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. Remove the lid and add the cheeses and fresh basil if you are using it.  Put the lid back on until the cheese has melted then serve.  I make my favorite Food Nanny baguettes to go with this from my blog.  This dinner including the bread can be thrown together and served in about an hour.  This is my kind of dinner.

Pizza

I've been making pizza for almost twenty years, but it was always mediocre at best.  We have perfected pizza on the grill, but I had almost given up on making yummy pizza from the oven.  The crust was soggy, and my kids weren't loving it.  Then we met Joe in Canberra at a work party with the embassy.  Joe is a pizza guru who taught me the trick to great pizza is this pizza paddle.  Here is the method and recipes we use and I can guarantee you will be lovin' pizza in the oven!

 Step 1:  go buy a pizza paddle.  You will also need a pizza stone. Amazon is great.

Step 2:  go buy some parchment/baking paper.

Step 3:  crank up your oven to as hot as it will go.  I usually heat mine at 485-500 F.  You think the house will burn down, but we haven't burned our house down yet :)  You need to put your pizza stone in the cold oven and let it sit in your oven while it reaches 485-500 F.  The pizza stone needs to be in the oven for at least an hour at this temperature before you make your pizzas.

Step 4:  Make your dough.  We use this recipe:
2 cups of warm water

 2 T. sugar

6 T. olive oil

2 tsp. salt

5 tsp. yeast

5 cups flour or more if it is too sticky

Combine yeast, warm water and sugar until yeast bubbles.  Add the rest of the ingredients and knead together.  I just throw everything in my bosch with the dough hook and mix really well, letting the yeast activate first of course.  Let the dough sit for ten minutes.  I have made this recipe so many times, and it will make three pizzas that are a pretty good size.  Our family usually has a few left over pieces.

Step 5:  While the dough is resting for ten minutes, make the sauce.  We use this one from Mel's Kitchen Cafe:

1 can diced tomatoes

1 small can tomato paste

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp garlic salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

Mix everything in a food processor until smooth.

Step 6:  Tear off a piece of parchment paper.  Spray it with PAM. 

Roll out your pizza dough on the parchment paper and make your pizza right there.  See how this parchment paper is brown around the edges? You can reuse the paper so you don't go through as much paper if you are making a lot of pizza. After your pizza is finished, use the paddle and put the pizza (make sure you get the parchment paper too) on the very hot stone in your oven.  It will cook pretty fast because the oven is so hot.  Check it after about ten minutes.

 Take the pizza and parchment paper out of the oven with your paddle, and you have just made the best pizza we have ever made.  The crust will be crisp, and you can lose that phone number for Domino's :)

Meal Plan Monday

Monday, October 20th:  Sloppy Joes
Tuesday, October 21st:Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Bowls
Wednesday, October 22nd: Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
Thursday, October 23rd: Baked Chicken Tacquitos
Friday, October 24th: Pizza
Saturday, October 25th: General Tso's Chicken
Sunday, October 26th: Brown Sugar Spiced Pork Loin

Monday, October 27th: Green Chile Chicken and Rice
Tuesday, October 28th: Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
Wednesday, October 29th: Baked Southwest Egg Rolls
Thursday, October 30th: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Friday, October 31st: Mummy Meatloaf
Saturday, November 1st: Pizza
Sunday, November 2nd: Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad

Meal Plan Monday

Monday, Sept. 29th: Key West Chicken and baked potatoes.
Tuesday, Sept. 30th: Crock Pot Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta with salad and French baguettes
Wednesday, Oct. 1st:White Chicken and Spinach Lasagne
Thursday, Oct. 2nd: Crock Pot Sesame Chicken with rice and broccoli
Friday, Oct. 3rd: Pizza with this crust and this sauce.  
Saturday, Oct. 4th: Tomato Basil Soup with bread bowls
Sunday, Oct. 5th: Balsamic Shredded Beef and mashed potatoes

Monday, Oct. 6th: Chicken Pot Pie Crumble
Tuesday, Oct. 7th: Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes
Wednesday, Oct. 8th:  Dinner out for a Birthday Celebration
Thursday, Oct. 9th:Smothered Slow Cooker Chile Verde Burritos
Friday, Oct. 10th: Pizza with this crust and this sauce.
Saturday, Oct. 11th: Slow cooker pineapple chipotle beef
Sunday, Oct. 12th: Spaghetti and Meatballs with breadsticks and salad.

Salted Caramel Cake

I think I have found the world's best cake.  If you love caramel, (and even if you don't you will after this cake) this is a caramel-lover's dream.  I got the recipe from my friend Shellie and made it for a birthday party so you don't need to do the fancy roses.  It will still be the best cake you've ever had. Seriously.  Don't let the long instructions fool you. It is quite simple to make this but you'll need some time to allow the frosting to cool completely and the cakes to freeze. Make sure not to over mix your cake.  

Cake:

9 tablespoons salted butter, cold, plus more for the pans

3 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons plus 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 tablespoons salted butter, melted

8 eggs yolks

4 eggs

3 3/4 cups cake flour, plus more for the pans.  If you don't have cake flour just google how to make it.  It's really easy and makes a huge difference.

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup buttermilk (don't buy it, just make your own.  Google it)

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1.  Preheat oven to 325 F.  Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans, put a parchment round in the bottom of each pan, and butter and flour the rounds.  I just put butter and flour like normal then cut a circle of parchment paper in the bottom and sprayed it with PAM.

2.  In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed, beat the cold butter until very light, about 5 minutes. Scrape the bowl down several times while beating, and gradually add the sugar.  

3.  Add the vanilla and continue beating for 5 more minutes, scraping the bowl down again.  The mixture will be very coarse and grainy.

4.  Turn the speed to low and add the melted butter, egg yolks, and eggs, beating until they are fully combined.  Turn off the mixer.

5.  In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

6.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and cream and then turn on the mixer again to the lowest speed.  Add half the flour mixture, and then half the buttermilk mixture, and then the remaining flour, and then the remaining buttermilk. Scrape down the bowl as necessary, but MAKE SURE NOT TO OVERMIX THE BATTER, or the cake will be tough.

7.  Pour the batter into the 3 pre-prepared pans, dividing it equally, and bang each pan on a sturdy surface to release the air bubbles. Put the pans in the oven and bake them for 25-30 minutes, until they are brown on top and a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Don't over bake them.

8.   Cool the cakes for 10 minutes, then run the dull edge of a knife around the perimeter of the pans and invert them onto a cold baking sheet or rack. Note:  These cakes may be frozen for up to 3 months at this point.

9.  When you are ready to ice and assemble the main cake, slice each individual one horizontally in half for a total of 6 layers.  Your life will be so much easier if you cut and frost these cakes when they are frozen. Don't worry about being perfect in cutting them because you can always add more  frosting to even them out and believe me, no one will complain about that.

Caramel Icing AKA the best thing I've ever eaten

4 1/2 sticks (36 tablespoons) salted butter

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons half-and-half (try fat-free half and half or just use the left over cream from the cake and add some milk.)

4 1/2 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, firmly packed (you will need more than what the recipe calls for)

4 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 1/4 teaspoons salt

1.  In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.  When the butter is fully melted stir in the half-and-half and then the brown sugar.

2.  Turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, until the sugar is melted and the caramel mixture is smooth.

3.  Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.  I actually stick it in the freezer to cool for about 30-45 minutes, because otherwise it could take all day long.

4.  When it's cool transfer the caramel mixture to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and, on medium speed, beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla and salt.  The recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups of powdered sugar, but I actually put in a lot more.  After 2 1/4 cups, the icing looked like soup and something I couldn't frosting a cake with.  It will harden, but I think you'll need more than 2 1/4 cups.  I added the whole 2 pound bag of powdered sugar.  Because it hardens, the frosting can be a lot runnier than you are used to for frosting. Just add some until you think it looks a little runnier than a normal frosting.

5.  Ice the cake layers with about 1 cup of icing each, stacking them as you go.  Frosting the sides and top.  Again, it will be a lot easier to do this if your cake is frozen. Enjoy!

Source:  Alex Hitz from House Beautiful