Make Ahead Meals!

I am a huge fan of "make ahead" meals for many reasons.  It is very helpful when I do not have time or just do not feel like cooking.  It ensures that I always have a back up meal.  Sometimes if I am lucky enough to have the time to make a meal that takes a little longer, I will double the recipe and freeze the rest for another dinner.  "Make ahead" meals are also convenient for us because when I travel with the kids and the hubby stays home to work, his meals are already made and all he has to do is reheat them.  Finally, I work in the evenings on the weekend, so by having the "make ahead" meals I can spend the day with my family and still have dinner on the table for them while I am at work. 

***Note: the whole process of making meals ahead of time is especially helpful when you have a second freezer or deep freeze.

Once a month I take a Sunday and prepare one, two, or three meals that can be frozen and used whenever they are needed.  I thought I would share with you a meal a week that you can prepare ahead of time.

If the meal is a casserole I will put it in a disposal foil tin.   I will write on the lid with marker, the date, meal, and reheating instructions.  If it is a soup I usually put it in the reusable Ziploc containers (pictured above) and use a removeable label.  I use this method because we have a deep freeze. 

If you have a stand up freezer you could package your "make ahead" meals like this:

blogs.babble.com

This first "make ahead" meal is one of the most time consuming ones that I make, but SO worth it.  So I always make sure to double this and have two on hand.  Plus, after you have this you will wish you had made more.   I would love to say that this is my recipe and keep it a secret but unfortunately it is not, it is from the television series "Top Chef". 

 

Lasanga with Two Sauces

By: Chef Dave Martin, Top Chef

bravotv.com

 

Ingredients

ALFREDO SAUCE:

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 roasted garlic cloves (see below)
• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FIRE-ROASTED MARINARA SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 6 roasted garlic cloves (see below)
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 1 medium white onion, finely diced
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 small bunch basil, cut into chiffonade
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1/2 cup brandy
• Two 28-ounce cans whole fire-roasted tomatoes with juices
• 3 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

LAYERING INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound dried lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups)
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup finely grated Romano cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions

 

ALFREDO SAUCE:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it apart with the back of a wooden spoon.
2. Add the cream and bring to a simmer (do not boil).
3. Add the nutmeg, basil, and oregano and cook until reduced by about half, about 45 minutes, watching the pot carefully so the cream doesn’t boil over.
4. Lower the heat, add the grated cheeses, and stir until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

 

FIRE-ROASTED MARINARA SAUCE:

1. While you’re making the Alfredo sauce, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, breaking it apart with the back of a wooden spoon.
2. Add the carrots, onion, celery, and shallot and cook until the vegetables are caramelized, about 20 minutes.
3. Add the thyme and basil and cook for 1 minute, stirring.
4. Add the sherry and brandy and cook for 5 minutes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Add the canned and fresh tomatoes, the stock, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, to thicken and concentrate the flavors.
6. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce directly in the pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste as needed.
7. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, then taste again and adjust the seasonings if needed. Set aside.

 

LAYERING INGREDIENTS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce over the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-3-inch baking pan or lasagna pan (disposal foil tin with lid, if freezing).
3. Follow with a layer of lasagna noodles, overlapping the noodles slightly. Spread a layer of Alfredo sauce over the noodles and top with a layer of marinara sauce. Sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, provolone, Parmesan, and Romano cheeses, followed by a dusting of pepper.
4. Repeat the layers, reserving some of the marinara sauce and some of the Parmesan and Romano cheeses to cover the final layer of pasta.

*At this point I would take plastic wrap and wrap the lasagna, then place the lid on the tin.  Label the tin with the dish name, baking instructions, and date.  Then freeze until ready to use.  When you are ready to bake this, take it out of the freezer and thaw throughout the day, then bake according to instructions.  


BAKING INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes, or until starting to bubble, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly on top.
2. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 

ROASTED GARLIC:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel off the papery outer layers of the garlic head and cut off the top 1/2 inch. Place the garlic on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the garlic. Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
3. Wrap in the foil and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the garlic is soft enough to slide out of the skin when pressed.

Serves 8-10
Dave Martin, Top Chef, Season 1, Episode 4   twosaucelasagana

*Stay tuned for next weeks "make ahead" meal, I promise it is less time consuming than this one:)

Week 4 Themed Menu and Recipes

Happy Saturday! 

Last week in the post I had mentioned that my family had not tried a few of the recipes, so I wanted to give a little feedback.  My family had last weeks mac-n-cheese recipe for the first time and it was AWESOME!  Everyone is the house loved it! 

We also did the stuffed peppers and they were a hit.  As a bonus, I had extra filling for the peppers so I made a stuffed pepper soup and froze it for a future dinner.  I did receive feedback from a few of you (THANK YOU) who made the stuffed peppers as well, and they loved them too! 

Sadly, my family did not enjoy the slow cooker orange chicken on Wednesday.  My whole family thought it was way too sweet.  Maybe I will try it again and tone down the sweetness.

*Short side note...my family has a hectic schedule Monday-Thursday.   As a result, in last week's menu and for most of the upcoming menus I will have some meals that can be "made ahead" during the day so at dinner time only baking or reheating necessary.  Hopefully this can be helpful to you as well.





thesisterscafe



 

 

 

 

 

Here is another version of a printable menu planner with grocery list.  You can click on the image to print.  This one is from The Sister Cafe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NOW ONTO THIS WEEKS MENU!

Weekly themes are as follows:

• Mac-n-Cheese Monday - a jazzed up version of mac-n-cheese each week with a protein
• Taco Tuesday - Mexican fare
• Wang Chung Wednesday - Asian fare (sometimes becomes "Wacky Wednesday" and it's pot luck)
• Tuscan Thursday - Italian cuisine
• Fish Friday
• Slow Cooker/Simmer Saturday
• Sandwich Sundays - this can be anything from burgers to panini's to cold cuts

***Saturday and Sunday are interchangeable depending on your families schedule that week.

 

As always, at the end of each recipe there will be a link to direct you to the site where I found these meals. You can print from the blog page or from the link that I provided.

Notes

1. My daughter has a peanut allergy so we substitute and/or omit items that may be in a particular recipe, please do the same if you or anyone in your family has any allergies/dietary needs/personal preference (vegetarian).
2. Some meals that I put on the menu will be my first time making them as well. So feedback is always appreciated
3. If there is a meal that I know my kids will not eat I will make a "kid friendly" version of it for them, I will make note of this within the recipe.
4. All families grocery budgets vary so please adjust ingredients or brands to fit the needs of your family.
5. The majority of the meals are 30 minutes or less. We all have busy schedules!!!

Monday - Philly Cheesesteak Mac-n-Cheese

w/Tossed Salad

rachaelrayshow

 

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound cavatappi-shaped pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded provolone
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

For the salad:

• 1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
• 1 jar pepperoncini, drained and chopped
• 1 English cucumber, chopped
• 1 head romaine lettuce, core removed, leaves chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

 

Directions:

1. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil.
2. Once the water boils, cook the cavatappi to al dente according to package directions. Once the pasta has finished cooking, drain it and return it to the pot it was cooked in.
3. While the pasta is cooking, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onions to the pan and top them with a lid or piece of aluminum foil for 2-3 minutes, just to get them cooking. Remove the lid or aluminum foil and continue cooking the onions until tender and lightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
4. While the onions are caramelizing, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium-size pot. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and cook the mixture for about 1 minute. Whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture slowly and bring up to a bubble to thicken. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve.
5. To the skillet with the onions, add the beef stock and the roast beef. Cook to warm through.
6. Add the cheese sauce and the onion-roast beef mixture to the pot with the drained pasta and toss everything to combine.
7. Prepare your salad by tossing all the veggies together with the red wine vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons EVOO, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Portion the mac and cheese onto plates, topping each with a sprinkle of parsley, with some salad alongside.

Serves 4, Ready in 30 minutes

Rachael Ray Show  phillycheesesteakmacncheese

 

 

 

Tuesday - Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

w/Spanish Rice OR Chips & Salsa

thisvintagegrove

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• juice from 2 limes
• 1/2 cup of cilantro
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 teas. dried onions
• 1/2 cup of water
• 6-8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed
• Box of Near East (or your brand of choice) Spanish Rice (optional)
• Chip & Salsa (optional)

Toppings optional:

• sour cream
• cheese
• salsa/tomatoes
• avocado

 

Directions:

1. Add every single ingredient to the crockpot. This could be cooked on low all day, or you could set the crockpot to high and cook for 3-4 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, use a fork to shred it, and stir well. 
2. While warming tortillas and shredding the chicken, cook rice to package directions.  
3. Spoon chicken into soft taco tortillas. Top with cheese, sour cream, salsa, and tomatoes. Garnish with a few lime wedges.
4. Serve with prepared spanish rice or chips and salsa.

***For a faster version of this you could use a store bought rotisserie chicken, combine ingredients and warm through on stove top.  This way would be ready in 20-25 minutes.

 

Serves 4, Ready in 6-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high

This Vintage Grove  cilantrolimetacos

 

 

             Wednesday - Beef w/Scallions, Tomato, and Rice

foodnetwork

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound flank steak
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 bunch scallions, cut into 2-inch long pieces, whites and greens kept separate
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cut into large chunks (into 8ths) (about 3 to 4 medium tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
• Steamed rice, for serving

Directions

1. Cut the beef against the grain into thin strips about 2 inches long (by 1/4-inch thick). In a large bowl, whisk together the sherry, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and sugar. Add the beef and mix well. Set aside.
2. Preheat a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and heat until very hot. Add the scallion whites and beef mixture to the skillet, arrange it in a single layer, and cook, without stirring, until well-browned on the bottom and still pinkish inside, about 1 minute. (It is key to only partially cook the meat at this stage, since it will be finish cooking later in the sauce.) Transfer to a bowl.
3. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (only a few seconds if using young ginger). Add the scallion greens and tomatoes and cook until slightly softened and saucy, and tomato skin begins to wrinkle, about 1 minute.
4. Return the beef and any collected juice to the skillet, add the hoisin sauce, and cook, stirring, until thick, about 30 seconds more. Season, to taste.
5. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with rice.

 

Serves 4, Ready in 25 minutes

Food Network  beefandscallions

 



 

                        Thursday - Sundried Tomatoes & Feta Turkey

                                 Meatloaf w/Baked Potato

skinnymomskitchen



 

*This meal can be made ahead and reheated at dinner

 

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped garlic and herb-marinated sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, optional
• 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat
• 4 medium-large potatoes (I used red potato) punctured with a fork for microwaving
• Steamed carrots (or veggie of choice), seasoned

Directions

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, if using, eggs, milk, feta, salt, and pepper. Add the turkey and gently stir to combine, being careful not to overwork the meat.
4. Carefully pack the meat mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, microwave potatoes for 6-7 minutes in microwave. 
6. Transfer to a cutting board and slice. Prepare baked potatoes with desired toppings.
7. Serve meatloaf alongside baked potato and steamed carrots.

Serves 4-6, Ready in 1hr 15minutes

Giada DeLaurentiis  sundriedtomatoemeatloaf

 

 

Friday - Shrimp & Crab Etouffe

myrecipes.com

 

 

*slightly modified for the kids

Ingredients:
 



2 pounds unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp*

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped celery

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1 tablespoon low-sodium Creole seasoning

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

1 (16-oz.) container fresh crabmeat, drained and flaked

Box of Near East (or brand of choice) Long Grain Rice, prepared 

Garnish: chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

Directions:

 

1. Peel shrimp; devein, if desired.

 

2. Melt butter with oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; stir in flour, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until caramel colored. Add chopped onion, green pepper, and celery; cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add minced garlic, and sauté 1 minute.

 

3. Stir in chicken broth, white wine, and next 6 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Add shrimp, my kids do not like shrimp so I will add this at the end once I have served them. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

 

4. Stir in crabmeat; cook, stirring often, until thoroughly heated.

 

5. Spoon mixture into individual serving bowls for the kids and serve rice on top.

 

6. Now add shrimp and simmer until shrimp is opaque.  Spoon mixture (for grown-ups) and hot cooked rice into bowl. Garnish, if desired.

 

Serves 4-6, Ready in 30 minutes

Southern Living  crabshrimpetouffee

 

 

Saturday - Chicken Noodle Soup & Dumplings

allrecipes.com

allrecipes.com

 

*My grandma's chicken noodle soup is such a comfort food for me.  This is her recipe with a few modifications to make the process faster. 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 large rotisserie chicken, shredded
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2-3 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of basil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 quarts of chicken stock or 16 cubes of chicken bouillon and 16 cups water to desired taste
• 1 bag of wide egg noodles, cooked
• 2-1/4 cups of Bisquick
• 2/3 cup of milk

Directions:

1. Place shredded chicken, onions, carrots, celery, basil, s&p, and stock into a pot. 
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for and hour.
3. Once the simmering is done, bring soup back up to a boil.
4. Combine Bisquick and milk to until soft dough forms, then drop by spoonfuls onto boiling soup for 10 minutes.  Then reduce heat, cover soup and cook for 10 minutes longer.
5. Place cooked egg noodles in a bowl and serve the soup and dumplings over it.

Serves 4-6, Ready in 1 hr 30 minutes.

Courtesy of my G'Rock!

 

Sunday - Italian Layer Bake

mrfood.com

 

Ingredients:

• 1 (8-ounce) container refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 slices deli turkey (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices deli ham (about 1/2 pound)
• 12 slices deli hard salami (about 1/2 pound)
• 8 slices Swiss cheese (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained
• 4 eggs, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll crescent roll dough without separating triangles. Separate dough into 2 squares along center cut line.
   
2. Place 1 square of dough into an 8-inch square baking dish; using your fingertips, press dough to fit bottom of dish.
   
3. Layer with half the turkey, ham, salami, Swiss cheese, and roasted peppers. Pour half of beaten eggs over peppers and repeat with remaining meats, cheese, and peppers.
   
4. Place remaining square of dough over peppers. Pour remaining beaten eggs over dough and cover lightly with foil.
   
5. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil, and bake an additional 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden and heated through. Let cool 15 to 20 minutes then cut and serve.

***choose your own side tonight:)

 

Serves 6, Ready in 40 minutes

Mr. Food Test Kitchen  italianlayerbake

 

 

Thank you for your comments and I look forward to hearing from you this week.

 

 

Have a Super Week!



Week 3 Themed Menu & Recipes

I realize that I missed the post for meals last week, I apologize! 

Here is this weeks dinner menu for my family.  Some of the meals we are trying for the first time. Please make some or ALL of them and try with us and make sure to let me know what your family thinks. My kids will definitely tell me if dinner is a WIN or a LOSS.

You can click on the image to the right and print this awesome template to write out the weeks meals.  It is courtesy of eatathomecooks.com.

eatathomecooks.com

Weekly themes are as follows:

• Mac-n-Cheese Monday - a jazzed up version of mac-n-cheese each week with a protein
• Taco Tuesday - Mexican fare
• Wang Chung Wednesday - Asian fare (sometimes becomes "Wacky Wednesday" and it's pot luck)
• Tuscan Thursday - Italian cuisine
• Fish Friday
• Slow Cooker/Simmer Saturday
• Sandwich Sundays - this can be anything from burgers to panini's to cold cuts

***Saturday and Sunday are interchangeable depending on your families schedule that week.

 

As always, at the end of each recipe there will be a link to direct you to the site where I found these meals. You can print from the blog page or from the link that I provided.

Notes

1. My daughter has a peanut allergy so we substitute and/or omit items that may be in a particular recipe, please do the same if you or anyone in your family has any allergies/dietary needs/personal preference (vegetarian).
2. Some meals that I put on the menu will be my first time making them as well. So feedback is always appreciated
3. If there is a meal that I know my kids will not eat I will make a "kid friendly" version of it for them, I will make note of this within the recipe.
4. All families grocery budgets vary so please adjust ingredients or brands to fit the needs of your family.
5. The majority of the meals are 30 minutes or less. We all have busy schedules!!!

Monday - Extra Creamy Mac-n-Cheese

w/ Buffalo Chicken Tenders (plain tenders for the kids) and Steamed Green Beans

clevercraftycookinmama

Ingredients:

 

1 16oz box pasta (shells, macaroni, bow tie) I used 3/4 of the box or 12 oz for this recipe

(if you have a larger family 5-6+ use the whole box but add more milk and cheese)

7 Tablespoons butter (4 for mac-n-cheese, 3 for buffalo sauce)

1 can cheddar cheese soup (10 3/4 oz)

1 can evaporated milk (12oz)

1-2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

8-10 chicken tenders (breaded or non-breaded, your choice)

1/3 cup of hot sauce

1 package of fresh green beans

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven and bake chicken tenders according to package instructions
2. Cook and drain noodles. Add back to warm pot, stir in butter, and cheese soup
3. Add half the can of evaporated milk. Stir until combined
4. Add 1 cup of shredded cheese to start with, add more until desired cheesiness
5. Keep the burner on low to help melt things together, if it gets too thick, add some reserve evaporated milk to thin it down
6. Add salt and pepper to taste
7. In a small pot steam a bag of fresh green beans until desired tenderness, season w/ S&P
8. In another small pot melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 1/3 cup of hot sauce.  Once melted, toss desired amount of chicken tenders in the buffalo sauce.  Leave some tenders plain for the kiddos.
9. Serve pasta warm and along side chicken tenders and green beans.

Serves 4, Ready in 25 minutes

Clever, Crafty, Cookin' Mama  extracreamymacncheese

 

 

Tuesday - Southwest Stuffed Peppers

simplylovefood

 

Ingredients:

 

Olive Oil

1/2-3/4 lb lean ground turkey breast (vegetarians can use tofu)

1 cup chopped onions

1 heaping tbsp of homemade taco seasoning (or you can use the packaged type if you like)

2 cups of cooked rice (any type you like – I like brown)

3-4 organic bell peppers, halved and seeds removed

1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed

½ cup of organic frozen corn

1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

 

Toppings:

fresh cilantro

sour cream

sliced avocado

 

 Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and roast in a baking dish about 20-25 minutes just until cooked thru. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle them.
3. While peppers are baking, brown ground turkey and saute the onions.
4. In a bowl add the taco seasoning, cooked ground turkey, chopped onions, black beans, corn and rice. Add in the jar of salsa and mix well.
5. Once peppers are cooked and mixture is made, carefully spoon the turkey mixture into each half of the bell peppers and place back into the baking dish. Cook the peppers for another 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked all the way thru.
6. Before removing from the oven sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheddar cheese. Place back into the oven just until the cheese has melted.
7. Remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro, avocado slices and/or sour cream just before serving.

*You can serve this with your favorite chips and salsa.

 

Serves 4-6, Ready in 50 minutes.  You can make this dish ahead and set aside until ready to bake

Simply Love Food  southwesternstuffedpeppers

 

 

 

Wednesday - Crock Pot Orange Chicken & Rice

w/Stir Fry Veggies

team-t-adventures.blogspot.com

 

 

 Ingredients:

 3-4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks
 1/3 cup flour
 olive oil
 1/2 T salt
 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
 3 T ketchup
 6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw or throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds)
 4 T brown sugar

 2 cups of minute rice, cooked

 1 bag of frozen or fresh stir fry vegetables, cooked to your liking. 

 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, and ketchup
2. Pour the flour in a small bowl.  Cover the chicken breast chunks in flour and shake off the excess.
3. Pour a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and brown the flour-covered chicken.  The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.
4. After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot.
   Then cover the chicken with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir.
5. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.
6. Serve over rice and alongside veggies.

Serves 4, Ready in 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 on high

Team-T-Adventures  crockpotorangechicken

 

 

 

Thursday - Penne w/Asparagus & Balsamic Butter

foodandwine

 

*This is a meatless meal, but you could easily add sliced grilled chicken to this dish*

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

1 pound penne

1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

 

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and discard them. Cut the spears into 1-inch pieces. Put the asparagus on a baking sheet and toss with the oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.
3. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, asparagus, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Serves 4, Ready in 30 minutes

Food and Wine  penneasparagusbalsamicbutter

 

 

 

Friday - Grilled Halibut

w/Mango-Avocado Salsa & Rice Pilaf

Gwyneth Paltrow from Bon Appetit

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1medium ripe avocado, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
• 1medium ripe mango, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice
• 1cupcherry tomatoes, quartered
• 4large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 3tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for brushing
• 3tablespoonsfresh lime juice, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 46-ounce halibut or mahi-mahi fillets
• 4lime wedges
• 1 box of Near East rice pilaf (flavor of choice), cooked

Directions:

1. Prepare a grill to medium-high heat. Gently combine the avocado, mango, tomatoes, basil, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a large mixing bowl. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper and set aside at room temperature, gently tossing occasionally.
2. Place fish fillets in a 13x9x2" glass baking dish. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoon lime juice over. Season fish with salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes, turning fish occasionally.
3. Brush grill rack with oil. Grill fish until just opaque in center, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to plates. Spoon mango-avocado salsa over fish. Squeeze a lime wedge over each and serve.
4. Serve with prepared rice pilaf.

Serves 4, Ready in 30 minutes

Bon Appetit, Gwyneth Paltrow  halibutmangoavocadosalsa

 

 

Saturday - Balsamic Honey Pulled Pork Sandwiches

(or sliders)

www.bhg.com

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 - 3 poundboneless pork shoulder roast 
• 1 cup chopped onion (1 large)
• 3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper (1 medium)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cuphoney
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
•  1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• round dinner rolls, split and toasted
• Deli coleslaw
• Sweet or dill pickles, coarsely chopped
• 1 package of frozen french fries

Directions:

 

1. Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit into a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. In the cooker, combine onion and sweet pepper. Add meat; sprinkle with thyme and rosemary. Pour broth over meat.

 

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 9 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

 

3. Meanwhile, for barbecue sauce, in a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally.

 

4. Transfer meat to a cutting board. Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds, discarding fat. Strain vegetable mixture, discarding liquid. Return shredded meat and strained vegetables to cooker. Stir in barbecue sauce. If using high-heat setting, turn to low-heat setting Cover and cook for 1 hour.

 

5. To serve, spoon meat mixture onto bun bottoms. Top with coleslaw and pickles. Add bun tops.

 

6. Meanwhile, bake french fries to have alongside the sandwiches.

 

If making sliders serves 20, on regular buns serves 8-10, Ready in 9-10 hours on low or 5-6 hours on high.

Better Homes and Gardens  balsamicporksandwiches

 

 

 

Sunday - Steak Em Up Pitas

rachaelraymag.com

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1/4 cup 2% greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

EVOO, for brushing

2 onions, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices, rings left intact

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 pounds filet mignon (I use flank steak), cut crosswise into 4 even pieces

4-6 plain pitas

1 bunch spinach--stemmed, thoroughly washed and dried

 

Directions:

1. Preheat a grill to medium. In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, mayonnaise, horseradish and garlic. (I serve horseradish on the side so it is not to hot for the kids)
2. Lightly brush EVOO on the onions. Place them, rings intact, on the grill (if you have a grill topper, use it here). Season with salt and pepper, cover the grill and cook, carefully turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
3. Pat the beef dry and brush with EVOO; season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before thinly slicing crosswise.
4. Grill the pitas, turning once, until just warmed through but not crisp, about 1 minute. Slice off the top third of each pita and spread the insides with 2 generous tsp. of horseradish sauce, then stuff with the spinach, sliced meat and grilled onions. Finish with a dollop of the remaining sauce and serve immediately.

***Choose your own side tonight:)

 

Serves 4, Ready in 30 minutes

Rachael Ray  steakemuppitas

 

 

Don't forget your comments!

 

Have another SUPER week and happy eating!

 

Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) as a Degreaser?!

As you all found out in my last post, I LOVE to clean!  Over the past 12 years I have graduated from the very strong and potentially harmful cleaning solutions to about 90% all natural and safe products.   However, I have found this small little miracle...Isopropyl Alcohol.  It is not a natural cleaner, but I have to share with you some of its wonderful uses.

I have tested and tried out many cleaning solutions and ideas to get that sticky, tacky, yellowish brown grease out of my kitchen.  I am sure you all know what I am talking about.  That grease can be found on the cabinets, light fixtures, and under the microwave that is over the stove.  And finally I found it, Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol)!  As I stated before this is not a "natural" product, but it works and the unpleasant fumes that it gives off are short lived and gone as soon as the area is dry.

Try on a small test area before you start!!!

I take the rubbing alcohol and put on a cotton ball to test the area first.  Once I determine the area is safe, I dampen a rag with the alcohol and wipe the surface.  Depending on the amount of grease build up, it may take cleaning it twice to remove all grease.


I have successfully used Isopropyl Alcohol on my waffle maker, kitchen cabinets above the stove, underneath of the microwave, light fixture, and toaster oven. 

buzzle.com

It dries and leaves no vapors but just as an extra precaution I will rinse with water any areas that will come in contact with a direct flame or excessive heat.

Rubbing alcohol is a highly flammable compound that must not be used or combined with flames, lighters, gasses and extreme temperatures.
Rubbing Alcohol Facts | eHow.com

While in my search to find this wonderful degreaser I also learned that Isopropyl Alcohol can be used for many other things.  Such as: window cleaner, permanent marker remover, stain remover on laundry, mold remover (especially in showers), and it can melt frost off of windows.  So if you come across a stubborn stain or that grim in the kitchen look no further than your own cabinet.

 

The Ultimate Cleaning Schedule

To say it bluntly, I am a clean freak! I am truly passionate about cleaning and organizing, and I am good at it. While going to college I started up a small cleaning business that expanded quickly. I have a system and cleaning schedule that has worked for me for many years.

picture courtesy of eco-buzz blog

 

I have never written down my cleaning schedule until I started this blog and was asked by many for the schedule I keep.  When I finished the list and read through it I realized that it is INTENSE.  I am blessed to be able to work part time, be home with my children, and maintain the household.  With that being said, I know that this schedule will not work for everyone, but it most certainly can serve as a "guide" or "starting point" to help get your home the way you would like it. 

The Cleaning Schedule is separated into 2 sheets.  It is less overwhelming this way and helps to just work on the task at hand.  The rest serves as "reminders" so you can work a little bit each week or month into your current schedule.   

I have broken the schedule into catergories such as:

Daily
Bi-Weekly
Weekly
Bi-Monthly
Monthly
3-6 Months (or Seasonally)

 

Click on these links to get the lists
(once you click the links below you can download and print after a free login on scribd.com)

 

CLEANING SCHEDULE #1  http://www.scribd.com/doc/105742330

CLEANING SCHEDULE #2  http://www.scribd.com/doc/105742333

 
The weekly cleaning day in my house is on Tuesdays. It takes me around 3 hours to complete with no extra tasks. My Bi-Weekly "wipe down" day is on Friday or Saturday mornings. This takes me no longer than 30 minutes. I add 1-2 items from the Bi-Monthly or Monthly list to my weekly schedule so then I am not taking time out of my other days to clean.

template from
microsoftoffice.com

Keep in mind this schedule is made for my home.  Take the schedules and adjust them accordingly and get the kids involved.  It makes the cleaning go so much faster and it gives the kids responibility.  Luckily, my son and daughter still think it is "fun" to take out gargbage and put dishes away so I am using it to my advantage.

***I am always adding to my schedule so if you have a task that I do not have on my list please SHARE it with me!!!