New Plan

One thing I try to do, but that can be pretty difficult, is planning one week of meals at a time. John keep suggesting that I just make the same 7 things each week, so I don't have to think about it. Maybe the kids would eventually eat those 7 meals without complaint??? I'm not going to try it, though. I like to eat different things, and to try new recipes. So instead, I'm doing something similar to what I was taught in Marie Ricks' House of Order class about 7 years ago. I have assigned each night of the week a different "theme." This is how we are organized right now, along with some ideas for each "theme."

Monday - Pasta
Tuesday - Pizza
Wednesday - Mexican
Thursday - Casserole
Friday - Soup and/or Sandwiches
Saturday - Burritos
Sunday - Meat

The kids are pretty excited about it, and although I still have to plan, this helps to narrow things down for me.

Pocket Burritoes

Ingredients:
5 flour tortillas
1 can black beans
1/2 - 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
1/2 - 1 cup frozen sweet corn
1/2 cup sliced olives
2 1/2 cups shredded cheese
onion powder
salt
garlic powder
dried cilantro
cumin
1 TBSP canola oil

Method:
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add black beans, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, and cilantro. (I didn't measure, just sprinkled them in.) Cook beans over medium high heat about 5 minutes, then add chicken, corn, and olives and warm through.

Sprinkle about 1/3 cup cheese over one half of one tortilla. Spoon bean mixture over cheese, and cover with another layer of cheese. Fold empty side of tortilla over filling. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, and filling. Brown both sides of tortilla on a griddle or in a frying pan over medium high heat. Press down on tortilla. When cheese is melted and tortilla is golden brown, remove from heat.

Serve warm as is, or with desired toppings (sour cream, tomatoes, salsa, etc.)

(This was a last minute dinner tonight because I ran out of time. It's really just a dressed up quesadilla, but I asked John to come up with a good name. I'd been thinking about trying this recipe, and used similar ingredients. You could leave out the chicken for a vegetarian meal.)

Sloppy Lasagna

1 1/4 lb uncooked Italian sausage
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz dried lasagne noodles
2 c chicken broth
2 c water
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 c (4 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Cut sausage from casings, brown slowly with onion and garlic. Stir often. (use large kettle pan)
2. Break noodles into 2"-3" pieces.
3. To pan, add broth, 2 cups water, tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, herbs, and noodles. Boil, stirring often until pasta is tender (about 15 minutes).
4. Serve in bowls, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, and serve.

Goes well with sourdough bread and salad.
from Carla

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
cold water

Put butter, flour, and salt in a medium size bowl. Cut flour into the butter with a pastry blender or two forks. Add cold water, a little at a time until you are able to make the dough into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible and don't get it too wet. Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the fridge until you're ready to assemble the pie. I like to make the crust a few hours ahead of time to cut down on prep right at dinner. (This is for a single crust pie. Double it if you want a bottom crust.)

Sauce:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried sage, marjoram, or thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk

In a saucepan cook onion in butter till tender. Stir in flour, salt, sage, marjoram, or thyme; and pepper. Add chicken broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir till thick and bubbly. (Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.)

Filling:
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1 potato, parboiled and cubed
1 carrot, diced
1/3 cup corn
1/2 cup green beans or 1/3 cup peas (or both)
(or 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables)

Method:
Add filling to sauce and spoon into pie plate.
Roll out crust on floured surface. Place on top of pie filling and seal edges. Using a fork, make several holes in the crust for steam to vent. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Cherry Glaze

We don't usually use cake mixes, but I was planning to make

these cupcakes for Ruby's party later in the week,

so I picked up a Private Selection Vanilla Bean mix at Smith's.

I like that line (no trans fat, fast, easy, and pretty good),

and this time I tried the glaze recipe on the package,

only with cherry instead of lemon flavoring.

It reminds me of the cherry glaze at Daylight Donuts.

Cherry Glaze

1/3 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp artificial cherry extract

2 -4 TBSP water

1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in powdered sugar and cherry extract.

3. Stir in hot water, 1 TBSP at a time until smooth and consistency of thick syrup.

I made ours purple for Ruby.

Dear c jane,

Thank you

for picking me to win your giveaway!

The lullaby album sounds wonderful.

And if it can help any of my little ones

(or me) to fall asleep at night it will be

worth it's weight in chocolate.

Sleep and chocolate are two things

that I never seem to get enough of.

Sincerely, Jenny

Rebecca's Chocolate Caramel Delights

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup melted butter

Mix together. Put half of the mixture in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile,Heat these together until melted:

14 oz bag caramels (about 48)
1/2 cup whipping cream

When flour/oatmeal mixture if finished baking, take out of the oven and sprinkle with
12 oz bag milk chocolate chips

Top with melted caramel mixture.

Sprinkle remaining flour mixture on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

This is from my friend Jenny's mother, Rebecca. They are sooo good.