Monday, September 29, 2008

This Week's Menu & Shopping

Sunday: Party at Dad's
Monday: Baked Ziti
Tuesday: Onion Roasted Chicken, Potatoes and Sugar Snap Peas
Wednesday: Cheeseburger Casserole
Thursday: Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup
Friday: Turkey, Cheese and Broccoli Casserole
Saturday: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans

Shopping this week was $55 - wahoo!!!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffeecake

A friend shared this recipe and it is AMAZING!!!
I left out the pecans and forgot to grease the pan!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Blueberry-Sour-Cream-Coffee-Cake/Detail.aspx?prop31=1


Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Sausage Meatloaf Cupcakes with Creamy Potato Frosting

I found this recipe in Rachel Ray's magazine and it was really good!
I didn't have foil baking cups, so I just greased my muffin cups, but they still stuck. So I definitely recommend using the foil baking cups!


2 baking potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 1/4lbs sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
2tbs butter
1 1/4 cups bread crumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
Preheat oven to 400.
Line a standard 12 cup muffin pan with foil liners.
In a medium saucepan of salted water, bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes, drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until barely pink, 3-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl. Discard any excess grease and return to medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add to the sausage and let stand for 5 minutes.
Using an electric mixer, beat the potatoes, cream, butter and some salt until smooth.
Using your hands, combine the bread crumbs and sausage mixture, breaking up any large pieces. Mix in the eggs, season with salt and pepper.
Fill each prepared muffin cup with 1/3 cup sausage mixture.
Bake until browned, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, transfer to a platter.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a star tip with the mashed potatoes and pipe onto each cupcake.
Enjoy!

Cheesy Baked Shells with Broccoli

Found this recipe in Real Simple Magazine, but I didn't want to broil it, so I baked it!

1 box of medium pasta shells
1tbs butter
2tbs flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/8tsp nutmeg (I omitted this)
salt and pepper
16oz frozen broccoli florets, thawed

Preheat oven to 350 and cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 4-5 minutes.
Add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir until melted. Stir in nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Add sauce to pasta and broccoli and toss to combine. Transfer to 13x9 dish and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Enjoy!


This Week's Menu and Shopping

Sunday: Football Party

Monday: Cheesy Baked Shells with Broccoli

Tuesday: Cream Chipped Beef over Rice

Wednesday: Sausage Meatloaf Cupcakes with Creamy Potato Frosting

Thursday: BBQ Chicken, Scalloped Potatoes and Green Beans

Friday: Quick & Easy Chicken, Broccoli and Brown Rice

Saturday: King Ranch Chicken

This week's shopping was $104

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Sage and Pancetta over Herbed Egg Noodles

I saw this recipe in Everyday Food Magazine, but I had a pork tenderloin, not a roast so I changed it a bit.

Pork Tenderloin
Fresh Sage Leaves
1/8lb Pancetta, sliced super thin
Fresh Ground Pepper

Preheat oven to 375

Place tenderloin in 13x9 dish and lay sage leaves on it.



Wrap pancetta over it, covering the entire tenderloin.



Season with fresh ground pepper.

Cook in oven for about 35 minutes, or until temperature reaches 170 degrees inside.


Herbed Egg Noodles

Cook egg noodles according to package directions.
Drain and add some butter, salt, pepper, fresh parsley and fresh thyme.

Enjoy!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Ditalini with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozz

I got the original recipe from Giada's Everday Dinners cookbook http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/little-thimbles-sciue-sciue-recipe/index.html
and just fixed a few things to make it a bit easier and work-week friendly!

1/2 box Ditalini
14.5oz can diced tomatoes (the kind with garlic, basil and oregano)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2tbs olive oil
handful of basil leaves, chopped
1/4lb fresh mozz, diced

Prepare pasta per package directions to al dente.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic. Simmer for 1 minute. Drain about 1/2 of the liquid from tomatoes and then add to garlic. Continue to simmer for about 6 minutes. Add pasta and mix together. Remove from heat. Add mozz and basil and combine.

Enjoy!


Sunday, September 14, 2008

My Fave New Pot Roast Shorcut!

I used to use the McCormick's Pot Roast seasoning envelope with the cooking bag included, but Shoprite was out of them today, so I bought this:



All you have to do is put the Eye Round Roast in your crockpot, mix 1 cup water with the seasoning packet, pour over the roast and cook on high 4 hours, and voila! Awesome Pot Roast!!!
And it even makes it's own gravy too! My husband liked it as well, but said it was a little peppery, but I LOVE pepper, so I was happy!


More info at http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?id=11720

This Week's Menu and Shopping

Sunday: Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes and Mixed Veggies

Monday: Ditalini with Tomatoes and Fresh Mozz

Tuesday: Angel Chicken Pasta

Wednesday: Skillet Sausage and Rice

Thursday: Country Pork Chops over Rice with Green Beans

Friday: Penne Vodka

Saturday: Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pancetta & Sage over Herbed Egg Noodles

This Week's Shopping was $100 (including diapers and a few magazines)

Monday, September 8, 2008

This Week's Menu and Shopping

Monday: Baked Ziti
Tuesday: Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole
Wednesday: Orecchiette with Broccoli
Thursday: Tacos
Friday: BBQ Beef Cups
Saturday: Party

Shopping was about $100 this week.

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans and Ricotta

I got this recipe from Real Simple Magazine and it was very good, but I didn't take any pics!

1lb gnocchi (refrigerated or frozen)
1/2lb green beans, cut into 1/2in pieces, about 2 cups
8oz container store bought pesto (about 1 cup) - I use Buitoni
1/4cup heavy cream
1/4cup ricotta
Salt and Pepper

Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. Drain and return them to the pot.
Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add 1tbs salt. Add the green beans and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes; drain.
Add the pesto and cream to the gnocchi and cook over medium heat, stirring, just until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Divide among bowls and top with the green beans, ricotta, and pepper.

Enjoy!

Monday, September 1, 2008

This Week's Menu and Grocery Shopping

Monday: Burgers on the Grill, Tater Tots, Potato Salad, and Corn on the Cob

Tuesday: Chicken with Creamy Spinach and Shallots

Wednesday: Tortellini with Eggplant and Peppers

Thursday: Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with Green Beans and Ricotta

Friday: Pizza

Saturday: Grilled Pork with Broccoli Rabe and Couscous

Sunday: Football Party!!!

This week's total shopping was $118.