Meal Plan - September 21 - September 26

Monday - Pork Chop & Potato Bake w/salads

Tuesday - Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese and hot dogs

Wednesday - Absent Cook Stew

Thursday - Steve's at his Dad's, Carrie's on set

Friday - Sour cream enchiladas

Saturday - Pizza

Meal Plan - August 23-August 29

Sunday - Carrie on Set, Steve on his own.

Monday - Blackwoods with out of town guests

Tuesday - Porcupine Meatballs, baked potatoes & green beans

Wednesday - Chicken curry with lots of veggies

Thursday - Tilapia with Couscous

Friday - Carrie's on Set, Steve's on his own....

Saturday - Sammy's Pizza

Taco Soup

1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey)
16oz tomato sauce
24 oz diced tomatoes
24 oz can whole kernel corn
24 oz kidney beans
1 pkg taco seasoning

Brown hamburger, draining off fat, in a large pot. Add other ingredients until everything is heated through. Serve in soup bowls or bread bowls. Top with sour cream, Fritos & grated cheese if desired.

Broccoli Quiche

1 1/2 cups hot, cooked rice
3 eggs
3 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 1/2 C)
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (10oz) chopped broccoli, thawed
3/4 C drained, canned sliced mushrooms (optional) OR FRESH ONES!
1/4 C. plus 2 T. milk (I use less as it's too soupy otherwise!)

Combine rice, one egg slightly beaten, 1/2 the grated cheese and salt. Mix well. Press firmly in an even layer on bottom of 9 inch pie pan. Beat the remaining two eggs slightly. Stir in broccoli, mushrooms and milk. Season with salt & pepper. Spoon over rice in pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle reamining cheese evenly over broccoli and mushroom mixture. Bake 10 minutes longer. Freezes well.

**This was one of my Mom's Weight Watchers recipes - and it's quite good. Sometmes if we want a little more filling of a meal, we'll dice up 1/2 can of reduced sodium Spam (yes, we eat Spam on occasion) and mix it in with the rest of the ingredients.

Hot Dip

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3 oz dried beef cut into small pieces
2 T. milk
1 C sour cream
1/4 C Chopped green pepper (optional)
2 T. dried onion flakes
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt

Soften cream cheese, add milk & sour cream. Mix in rest of ingredients. Top with sunflower seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes in an uncovered small baking dish.

Infamous 7-Layer Bars

From Buffy Brown & Paul Helstrom

1/4 C. melted butter
1. C graham crackers, crushed
1 C. shredded coconut
6oz pkg semisweet chocolate chips
6oz pkg butterscotch chips
1 15 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. chopped nuts

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Layer ingredients in the order listed above.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

**These are CALORIE loaded and perfect for backpacking/paddling/hiking trips!

Meal Play - August 9 - 15

Sunday - Chicken at Roger's

Monday - Steak, baked potatoes, salad

Tuesday - Broccoli Quiche

Wednesday - Lattice Chicken Potpie

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Pizza

Meal Plan - July 26-July 31

Sunday - Chicken Casablanca

Monday - Omelet Croissants

Tuesday - Gnocchi Alfredo & asparagas

Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - BBQ ribs & corn on the cob

Friday - Broiled Tilapia & couscous w/salad

Saturday - Carrie's out of town!

"Secret's in the Sauce" BBQ Ribs

From the August/September 2009 issue of Taste of Home

Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 6 hours
Yield: 5 servings

2 racks pork baby back ribs (about 4 1/2 lbs)
1 1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
3/4 cup cherry preserves
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced

Cut the ribs into serving-size pieces; sprinkle with pepper. Place in a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over ribs.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until meat is tender. Serve with sauce.

**another new one...can you tell who just a new issue of TOH??

Gnocchi Alfredo

From the September/August issue of Taste of Home

2 lbs frozen potato gnocchi
3 Tbsp butter, divided
1 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
dash ground nutmeg
1/2 lb sliced baby portobello mushrooms
minced fresh parsley, optional

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt 1Tbsp butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese and nutmeg until blended. Keep warm.

Drain gnocchi. In a large heavy skillet, cook remaining butter over medium heat until golden brown (do not burn). Add mushrooms and gnocchi. Cook and stir 4-5 minutes or until gnocchi are lightly browned and mushrooms are tender. Serve with sauce. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.

**This too is as of yet untried (by me)

Omelet Croissants

from the August/September 2009 issue of Taste of Home

Prep/Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings

3 eggs
1 Tbsp water
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp finely chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 tsp. butter
2 croissants, split
4 1/2 tsp ranch salad dressing
4 slices Canadian bacon
4 slices Muenster cheese
1/2 cup fresh arugula
4 thin slices tomato

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, water & bouillon; set aside.

In a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, red pepper and lemon-pepper in butter until tender.

Add egg mixture. As eggs set, push cooked edges twoard the center, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely set, fold omelet in half and cut into two wedges.

Spread croissants with salad dressing. On croissant bottoms, layer the bacon, omelet, cheese, arugula and tomato. Replace croissant tops.

Cook on a panini maker or indoor grill for 2-4 minutes or until cheese is melted.

**I haven't tried this one yet, but it sounds tasty!

Chicken Casablanca

from Fix it and Forget it

Makes 6-8 servings

1 Tbsp oil
2 large onions, sliced
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 large carrots, diced
2 large potatoes, diced
3lbs skinless chicken pieces
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. raisins
14 1/2 oz can chopped tomatoes
3 small zucchini, sliced
15oz can garbanzo beans, drained
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

(I usually omit the raisins because I just do...)

1. Saute onions, ginger, and garlic in oil in skillet (reserve oil). Transfer to slow cooker. Add carrots & potatoes.

2. Brown chicken over medium heat in reserved oil. Transfer to slow cooker. Mix gently with vegetables.

3. Combine seasonings in separate bowl. Sprinkle over chicken and vegetables. Add raisins and tomatoes.

4. Cover. Cook on high 4-6 hours.

5. Add sliced zucchini, beans and parsley 30 minutes before serving.

6. Serve over cooked rice or couscous.

Variation: Add 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper to step 3.

Meal Plan - July 12 - July 28

Sunday - Big Salads & Cheesy bread from Papa Murphy's

Monday - Turkey Tacos w/Margaritas

Tuesday - Macaroni & Cheese w/Veggies

Wednesday - Chicken with Tomatoes & Cream

Thursday - Sloppy Joes

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Tinfoil Dinners in the Boundary Waters!

Chicken Breasts in Tomatoes and Cream

From Hollyhocks & Radishes

Serves 4-6
Prepare 15 minutes
Cook 20-25 minutes

"An easy way to get fancy"

6 boned chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, saute chicken in butter until lightly browned. Remove. Reduce heat to medium and cook onion and garlic until soft. With a flat whisk, stir in flour and brown for a minute. Add tomatoes and return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 20-25 minutes.

Stir in sour cream, Parmesan cheese, and salt to taste. Heat to serve, but do not allow to boil.

*I serve this over jasmine rice. I think it would be good over egg noodles too!

Meal Plan - June 14 - June 20

Sunday - impromptu hot dog dinner at my FIL's

Monday - Broccoli/Rice Quiche

Tuesday - Chicken burgers, spud puppies & veggies

Wednesday - Pork Chop Potato Bake

Thursday - Turkey Meatloaf

Friday - BLTs

Saturday - Homemade Pizza (or Sammy's?)

Pork Chop & Potato Bake

From my Mom

6 porkchops (I usually just use 3 or 4)
veg oil
seasoned salt
cream of celery soup (1 can)
1/2 C milk
1/2 C sour cream
1/4 tsp pepper
1 pkg (24oz) frozen hashbrowns - loose pack
1 C cheddar cheese
1 can french fried onions (2.8oz)

Brown pork chops in lightly greased skillet. Sprinkle with seasoned salt & set aside. Combine soup, milk, sour cream & pepper and 1/2 tsp seasoned salt. Stir in potatoes, 1/2 C cheese and 1/2 can f.f. onions. Spoon mixture in a 9x13 baking dish. Arrange pork chops over potatoes. Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour. Top with remaining cheese & onions; bake uncovered 5 minutes longer.

Meal Plan - June 7 - June 13

Sunday - Still in Austin, Steve's still on his own

Monday - Take out from Taste of Saigon

Tuesday - Lattice Chicken Potpie

Wednesday - Pork tenderloin w/apricot glaze, salad, sweet potatoes

Thursday - Chicken leftovers

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Saturday - Pork leftovers

Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Glaze

From Parenting Magazine

Prep: 5 minutes
Roast: 30 minutes
Serves: 8

Cooking spray
1/4 C apricot preserves (or apricot fruit spread)
2 Tbsp country-style Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
2 pork tenderloins, 1 lb each

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spritz a baking sheet with cooking spray (I recommend using foil on the pan! The jam gets baked on like TAR and is super fun to clean off...)

2. Combine preserves, mustard, and rosemary in a small bowl.

3. Place tenderloins on baking sheet (leave about 2 inches of space between them); brush each with the apricot mixture.

4. Roast for 30 minutes, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 150.

5. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before slicing diagonally.

Per serving: 161 calories, 4 g fat (1 g. saturated), 108mg sodium, 73 mg cholesterol

Lattice Chicken Potpie

From Taste of Home's Casserole Cookbook

1 pkg (16oz) frozen California-blend veggies
2 C cubed cooked chicken
1 can cream of potato soup
1 C milk
1 C (4oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2.8oz) french-fried onions
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tube (8oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, chicken, soup, milk, cheese, onions and seasoned salt. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

Unroll the crescent roll dough and separate into two rectangles. Seal the perforations; cut each rectangle lengthwise into 1/2" strips. Form a lattice crust over the chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

4-6 servings

Meal Plan - May 31 - June 6

Sunday - Graduation Party at my cousin Anna's

Monday - Taco Bar (turkey taco w/fixin's)

Tuesday - Taco leftovers

Wednesday - Hamburger Stroganoff w/Noodles

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Carrie & Dahlia in Austin, Steve's on his own!

Saturday - ditto!

Hamburger Stroganoff with Noodles

From My Mother...

1lb pkg creamette extra wide egg noodles, uncooked
1lb lean gr. beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tsp beef flavored instant bouillon
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. water
8oz sour cream
2 Tbsp chopped parsley

Cook noodles as pkg directs; drain. In large skillet, over medium heat, brown beef; pour off fat. Add onion & garlic, cook & stir until onion is tender. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, bouillon & pepper then soup, water & mushrooms, mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat & simmer 15 minutes. Combine sour cream with remaining 1 Tbsp flour and parsley. Stir into beef mixture; heat through (do not boil). Serve over hot cooked noodles.

**I noticed as I was re-typing this that the directions say to add in the mushrooms, but no mushrooms are listed in the ingredients...well, add some if you like.

Meal Plan - May 24 - May 30

Yeah, this is last week's a week late...

Sunday - BBQ at my MIL's

Monday - Dinner out at the Brewhouse

Tuesday - Creamy Chicken Italiano (because we didn't get to it the week before)

Wednesday - I was in LA

Thursday - I was still in LA

Friday - Pizza from Papa Murphy's

Saturday - Brats with my folks in Longville

So as you can see I prepared almost NOTHING last week! Sweet!

Meal Plan - May 17 - May 23

Sunday - Brats & hot dogs on the grill (with parents & in-laws!)
Chips, Mandarin Orange "salad," baked beans

Monday - leftover pizza & salad

Tuesday - Grilled pork chops & asparagus (grilled mushrooms too!)

Wednesday - Soy Ginger Chicken & potstickers

Thursday - Tilapia filets, home friends & edamame

Friday - Spaghetti & Salads

Saturday - Creamy Italian Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Soy Ginger Chicken

From MarthaStewart.com

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

1/3 C soy sauce
2 Tbsp dark-brown sugar
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2/3 C fresh cilandro, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
1 piece fresh ginger (about 2 inches long), peeled & cut into thin strips
5 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (1 C packed)
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground pepper
4 chicken drumstick & thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs total), skin removed
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tbsp corstarch
cooked white rice, for serving

1. In the slow cooker: In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, stir together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cilantro, ginger, 1/2 cup scallions, vinegar, coriander, and pepper. Add chicken and carrots; toss to coat. Cover, and cook on low until chicken is tender. About 6 hours. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard any fat from surface of cooking liquid.

2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 1 Tbsp water. Ladle 1 Cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture. Serve chicken with white rice and garnish with cilantro sprigs and remaining 1/2 c scallions.

Note: to make in an oven: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow step 1, using a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight fitting lid instead of the slow cooker. Add 1 Cup water and ocver. Transfer to oven. Cook until chicken is tender about 1 1/2 hours. Proceed to step 2.

Creamy Chicken Italiano

From Fix-it and Forget-it Cookbook

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 C water
8oz package of cream cheese, softened (I usually only use about 1/2, otherwise it's too rich!)
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup
4oz can mushroom stems & pieces, drained (or fresh ones!)

1. Place chicken in slow cooker.

2. Combine salad dressing mix and water. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on Low 3 hours.

4. Combine cheese & soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken.

5. Cover. Cook on low 1 hour, or until chicken juices run clear.

6. Serve over noodles or rice (I usually serve over rice).

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

From The Taste of Home Baking Book

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 1 Hour + cooling
Yield: 16-20 servings

1 C. butter, softened
2-3/4 C sugar, divided
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 C all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 C (16oz) sour cream
2 Tblsp ground cinnamon
1/2 C chopped walnuts

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter & 2 cups sugar until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternatelly with sour cream, beating just enough after each addition to keep batter smooth.

2. Spoon a third of the batter into a greased 10-in tube pan. Combine the cinnamon, nuts and remaining sugar; sprinkle a third over batter.

Repeat layers twice. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mandarin Orange Salad

I say "salad" lightly because this is more of a dessert. But here, in Minnesota, things made with cool whip & fruit are considered 'salads.' You have been forewarned.

From "A Dish to Pass" The First United Methodist Church from Austin, Minnesota's cookbook from 1993 (given to me for Christmas from my Grandma B in '93)

1 3oz box American tapioca
1 3oz box orange jello
1 3oz box vanilla (cook & serve) pudding
3 C. water or orange juice
1 small (or large!) can mandarin oranges (drained)
1 c. mini marshmallows (optional)
1 8oz container of Cool Whip

Mix tapioca & vanilla pudding with orange jello. Add water and cook until thick (stir frequently). Let cool slightly and add drained mandarin oranges. Refrigerate until jello mixture starts to set up. Add Cool Whip. mix well. Serves 10-12 people.

Meal Plan - May 10 - May 16

Sunday - BBQ at Steve's Mom's House

Monday - Rigatoni (we never got to it last week), salad, rolls

Tuesday - Cashew Fried Chicken, homemade egg rolls & cream cheese wontons - totally stolen from Julie

Wednesday - Meat Loaf, Red potatoes, green beans

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Chicken cordon bleu (the pre-packaged Gold'n Plump kind), jasmine rice, salad

Saturday - brats, beans, chips, orange salad

Meat Loaf

This recipe is from my Better Homes & Garden cookbook - but I change it up a bit...

Prep: 20 minutes
Bake 45 minutes
Oven 350 degrees

1 beaten egg
3/4 c soft bread crumbs (1 slice) or 1/4 c fine dry bread crumbs (I skip these and use 1/2 c grape nuts)
1/4 c milk, beer, apple juice or water (I use milk)
1 c finely chopped onion (1/2 of a medium) or 1 Tbsp dried minced (I use 1/2 pkg of onion soup mix)
1/4 c finely chopped celery, green sweet pepper or shredded carrot (I use carrots)
2 Tbsp snipped parsley (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried sage, thyme, basil or oregano, crushed or dried dillweed (I usually skip spices since I use the soup mix)
1 lb ground beef (I use turkey)
2 Tbsp bottled bbq sauce, chili sauce or ketchup (I use ketchup)

1. In a mixing bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion, carrots & spices. Add ground meat. Mix well.

2. In a shallow baking dish, pat mixture into a loaf.

3. Bake at 350 til no pink remains. (I just use the meat thermometer). Bake for 45-50 minutes. Transfer to platter. Top with ketchup. Makes 4 servings.

Meal Plan - May 3 - May 9, 2009

Sunday - Taco leftovers

Monday - Hamburgers on the grill with corn & spud puppies

Tuesday - Jean's Chicken Dinner Casserole

Wednesday - Dinner at the in-laws

Thursday - Lion's Pancake Dinner at the DECC

Friday - Michelle & Chris's Rehearsal Dinner

Saturday - Michelle & Chris's Wedding Dinner!

Easy meal plan for me this week!!

Jean's Chicken Dinner Casserole

From one of my FAVORITE cookbooks Hollyhocks & Radishes

Serves 6-8
Prepare 10 minutes
Bake 35-50 minutes

4 whole chicken breasts skinned & split (bone in or out)
6 oz Jarlsberg, Amish or jack cheese, sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced*
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt & pepper (optional)
Garlic powder (optional)
1 8 oz package (2 cups) Pepperidge Farm herbed stuffing mix (not the cubes)
3 Tablespoons melted butter

1. Prehead oven to 350. Butter a shallow 9X13 baking dish. Arrange chicken breasts in dish. top with cheese slices, then zucchini.

2. Combine soup & wine. Pour over zucchini. If you'd like sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Top with stuffing mix, then drizzle with butter.

3. Bake, uncovered, for 35 minutes for boned chicken, up to 50 minutes for bone-in. Chicken should be cooked through and the casserole bubbling.

*As a substitute for zucchini, try 1 to 1 1/2 cups of small florets of broccoli cooked barely tender.

Meal Plan - April 27 - May 1, 2009

Our inaugural meal plan!

Sunday - Chicken Stir Fry w/Jasmine Rice

Monday - (leftovers) or Pigs in a Blanket

Tuesday - Pigs in a Blanket (or something I haven't thought of yet)

Wednesday - Baked Ziti w/zucchini & garlic bread

Thursday - Fish & Chips (broiled tilapia filets w/homemade fries), No Knead Bread and peas

Friday - Ground Turkey Tacos & Nachos (and maybe a margarita or two...

Baked Ziti

From Julie's Blog

1 pound dry ziti pasta (we've also been known to use just about any kind of pasta)
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground meat (we typically skip the meat or use turkey but beef works too)
2 (26 oz) jars of spaghetti sauce
6 oz Provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 oz mozzarella cheese (yeah, I'm SURE we use more than that!)
2 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese (again, I'm sure we use more than that!)

Boil pasta to al dente, drain. Brown onion and ground meat. Add meat mixture to spaghetti sauce and simmer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 of the sauce, ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese are melted.

Pigs in a Blanket

From AllRecipes.com


* 8 hot dogs
* 8 slices American processed cheese
* 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Wrap cheese around each frankfurter then the biscuit around that. Put on cookie sheet with the overlap of biscuit faced down, so you don't have to use tooth picks.
3. Bake in preheated oven until biscuits are brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Margaritas

We searched & searched for the best margarita recipe that we could find (that fit into our budget and matched our taste buds needs...).

Simplicity reigns...here it is.

Margaritas:

1 1/2 oz tequila
1 1/2 oz triple sec (or cointreau if you're fancy)
1 oz lime juice

Stir with ice. Garnish with lime wedge & salt if you prefer.

Chicken Stir Fry

From The Food Network/Paula Deen


Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 tablespoon sesame oil
* 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
* 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
* 1 package shiitake mushrooms
* 2 to 3 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 red bell pepper, chopped
* 1 cup onion, diced
* 1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
* 1 cup chicken broth
* 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
* 1 tablespoon soy sauce
* 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* Serving suggestion: Hot, cooked rice noodles

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the oils over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, pepper, and onion and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the water chestnuts. In a small bowl, combine broth, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch. Add to chicken mixture and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Serve over hot, cooked rice noodles.




**I only used one lb of chicken (for 2 and 1/2 of us). It seemed to be enough with some leftover. All other amounts I left the same. Except I always add extra carrots. I love carrots! I served with jasmine rice.

The Infamous No Knead Bread

No Knead Bread Recipe

"No Knead Bread Recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman of NY Times who got it from Sullivan Street Bakery. When the recipe first came out, it was the blogging community who took the bread to new heights, especially Rose Levy Beranbaum, author of The Bread Bible. I followed Rose’s experiments through the weeks and learned from her recipe adjustments and the why’s of how this bread works".....and I stole this from SteamyKitchen

Yield: one 1 lb loaf

3 cups bread flour (I like Harvest King bread flour)
1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
3/4 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon table salt)
1 1/2 cups warm water

Covered pot (five-quart or larger cast iron, Pyrex, ceramic, enamel…something that can go into a 450F oven.)[I used my cast-iron camping dutch oven!]

1. Mix dough: The night before, combine all ingredients in a big bowl with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. It will be a shaggy, doughy mess. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 12-20 hours on countertop.

2. Shape & preheat: The dough will now be wet, sticky and bubbly. With a wet spatula, dump the dough on a floured surface. Fold ends of dough over a few times with the spatula and nudge it into a ball shape. You can use your hands if you like, just keep your hands wet so that the dough does not stick. Generously dust a cotton towel (not terrycloth) with flour. Set dough seam side down on top of towel. Fold towel over the dough. Let it nap for 2 hours. When you’ve got about a half hour left, slip your covered pot into the oven and preheat to 450F.

3. Bake: Your dough should have doubled in size. Remove pot from oven. Holding towel, dump wobbly dough into pot. Doesn’t matter which way it lands. Shake to even dough out. Cover. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover, bake another 15-20 minutes or until the crust is beautifully golden and middle of loaf is 210F. Remove and let cool on wired rack. If not eating right away, you can re-crisp crust in 350F oven for 10 minutes. Best way to eat it? Smear a warm slice with some good butter.

Applesauce Muffins

from Deceptively Delicious

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Makes 12 Muffins (I got 18 but who's counting?)

TOPPING:
2/3 Cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 Cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, melted

BATTER:

1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 Cup old-fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup nonfat (skim) milk (I used 1%)
1/2 cup butternut squash or carrot puree (I used squash)
1/2 Cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 Cup vegetable or canola oil
1 large egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

2. To make the topping, stir together the oats, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the margarine.

3. To make the batter, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl or zipper-lock bag and stir or shake to mix. IN a second bowl, mix the applesauce with the milk, vegetable puree, sugar, oil and egg with a wooden spoon. Add the flour mixture slowly, stirring until just moistened. Do not overmix - the batter is supposed to be lumpy.

4. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake until the topping is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the muffins, 18-20 minutes. Turn the muffins out on a rack and serve warm or cool.


**I made up a bunch of my own vegetable purees when I got this cookbook and froze them in 1/2 cup amounts. Comes in very handy! If you don't want to mess with your own purees you could always use baby food.

These muffins were DELICIOUS and the house smelled of cinnamon & apples all day.