Most of my friends buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts; if you do too I have a new crock pot recipe for you:
Artichoke Chicken
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
2 cans artichoke hearts, halved
10 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C dry white wine
1/4 balsamic vinaigrette
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1. coat chicken with salt and pepper
2. layer 1/2 artichokes, 1/2 mushrooms, all of the chicken, 1/2 artichokes, 1/2 mushrooms
3. mix wine and dressing and pour over food in crock pot
4. cook 3-4 hours on high
This is great served with a hearty pasta and Parmesan cheese.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
New Floor
We did it!! We did it!!
Tracy and I finally pulled the trigger and bought new flooring for our kitchen. (Do you like how I said "our" there?) I know it's silly but I am giddy over our boxes of ceramic tile stacked in the garage. Pray for us as we plan and execute our installation. Tracy is doing all of the hard work but I'll be unable to use my kitchen...it will be crazy but worth it. I'll tell you more later...
Tracy and I finally pulled the trigger and bought new flooring for our kitchen. (Do you like how I said "our" there?) I know it's silly but I am giddy over our boxes of ceramic tile stacked in the garage. Pray for us as we plan and execute our installation. Tracy is doing all of the hard work but I'll be unable to use my kitchen...it will be crazy but worth it. I'll tell you more later...
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Crock Pot Makeover
With fall schedules ramping up it is time to figure out family meal time. Your mom knew that a crock pot meant that dinner would wait for the family and not the other way around - but she probably didn't serve you this:
BBQ Beef Sandwiches
3 lbs. beef chuck roast
2 T oil
2 C tomato puree
1/2 C molasses
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 t salt
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t mustard powder
8 seeded sandwich buns
1. brown your roast in oil on stove top for about 5 minutes per side.
2. mix tomato puree, molasses, vinegar and spices in a medium bowl until well combined.
3. place roast in crock pot and cover with sauce.
4. cook 4-6 hours on high or 8 on low.
5. remove roast to cool on carving board. Let sauce cool for 10 minutes and then skim off fat. Trim fat from beef and shred with forks. Return shredded beef to pot with sauce and heat for 20 minutes.
6. serve on toasted seeded buns
I like this served with oven fries and coleslaw. I'll be adding new crock pot recipes over the next few days so stay tuned!!
BBQ Beef Sandwiches
3 lbs. beef chuck roast
2 T oil
2 C tomato puree
1/2 C molasses
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 t salt
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t mustard powder
8 seeded sandwich buns
1. brown your roast in oil on stove top for about 5 minutes per side.
2. mix tomato puree, molasses, vinegar and spices in a medium bowl until well combined.
3. place roast in crock pot and cover with sauce.
4. cook 4-6 hours on high or 8 on low.
5. remove roast to cool on carving board. Let sauce cool for 10 minutes and then skim off fat. Trim fat from beef and shred with forks. Return shredded beef to pot with sauce and heat for 20 minutes.
6. serve on toasted seeded buns
I like this served with oven fries and coleslaw. I'll be adding new crock pot recipes over the next few days so stay tuned!!
Friday, July 29, 2011
A Monday Roast
We all have a thousand and one ideas about what to do with chicken but I really prefer beef. It is a little more expensive per pound but I have a 1 roast, 3 meal plan for you that will save you time and money. If you make your roast on Monday you can spread your beef main courses out over the rest of the week.
3-5 lbs. eye of round roast
2T vegetable oil
1T salt
1t Italian seasoning
1/2t pepper
Coat roast on all sides with oil and seasonings. Roast in a shallow pan at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Open oven door and reduce heat to 300. Close door and continue to cook roast in slow oven until desired doneness. I like mine pretty rare so I cook for 30 minutes and then take out to rest under tin foil for another 30. Serve at room temperature.
Meal 1: Roast Beef - 1/4" thick slices with popovers and gravy made from pan drippings
Meal 2: Sandwiches - paper thin slices on sourdough
Meal 3: Hash - chop into cubes and mill in food processor. Add diced raw onion and diced parboiled potatoes and mix well. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet and scoop out mounds of beef mixture. Flatten and fry until a crispy crust forms on both sides.
3-5 lbs. eye of round roast
2T vegetable oil
1T salt
1t Italian seasoning
1/2t pepper
Coat roast on all sides with oil and seasonings. Roast in a shallow pan at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Open oven door and reduce heat to 300. Close door and continue to cook roast in slow oven until desired doneness. I like mine pretty rare so I cook for 30 minutes and then take out to rest under tin foil for another 30. Serve at room temperature.
Meal 1: Roast Beef - 1/4" thick slices with popovers and gravy made from pan drippings
Meal 2: Sandwiches - paper thin slices on sourdough
Meal 3: Hash - chop into cubes and mill in food processor. Add diced raw onion and diced parboiled potatoes and mix well. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet and scoop out mounds of beef mixture. Flatten and fry until a crispy crust forms on both sides.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Kitchen Spruce Up
So I have the home improvement bug; sadly I have no home improvement budget. My husband keeps telling me to save money and prioritize my list so that he can help me accomplish what I want to do. He's right of course, but I want to do things now, now, now!! I have started a coffee can account for new tile floors. This is really a must do because my builder grade vinyl has been pretty well defeated by my two kids and one beagle puppy. Tracy will do all the work himself and I'm planning on doing 12x12 neutral beige. Pretty standard stuff. Less standard is the counter top makeover I'm considering. Rustoleum has a counter top refinishing product that looks like it would change the look and feel of the surface without removing or replacing the counter tops. I'm intrigued and will keep you posted. I also want new knobs and pulls. And a backsplash.
What I'm really curious about is why. Why? Why do I feel this need to upgrade? I am blessed to have all I need to prepare, store and serve food to my family. God is faithful to provide every single day. I have electricity, running hot and cold water, air conditioning and refrigeration. Am I seriously drooling over granite in a home improvement catalog? You know I am. In a matter of a few weeks I will be beginning a Bible study based on the book Radical led by my friend Dani. The Lord knows I need that, too. And He is faithful to provide. And mighty to save. Thank goodness!!
What I'm really curious about is why. Why? Why do I feel this need to upgrade? I am blessed to have all I need to prepare, store and serve food to my family. God is faithful to provide every single day. I have electricity, running hot and cold water, air conditioning and refrigeration. Am I seriously drooling over granite in a home improvement catalog? You know I am. In a matter of a few weeks I will be beginning a Bible study based on the book Radical led by my friend Dani. The Lord knows I need that, too. And He is faithful to provide. And mighty to save. Thank goodness!!
A Saturday Baking
Monday, wash day. Tuesday, ironing. Wednesday, mending. Thursday, errands. Friday, cleaning.
Saturday, baking.
This weekly chore chant has gotten thousands of homemakers on track for hundreds of years. When I need a reboot I sing it to myself and decide again that I am going to get on and stick to a schedule. It usually works until it doesn't anymore and then I find I need another reboot. I am thinking ahead to school starting in a couple of weeks and trying to get on track for the renewal of our busy family schedule. Both my little ones are going this year and I want very much for them to have lunch boxes full of food they would never trade and a dinner that makes them look forward to coming home. Here is a Saturday baking itinerary that will get your ready for your week.
1 basic roll dough - yields 12 clover leaf dinner rolls and 16 raisin cinnamon rolls
1 perfect white bread - yields 2 loaves
1 best ever muffins - yields 12 muffins; we like blueberry or jam
1 biscuit dough - wrap tightly and refrigerate. take out at dinner time, bake, and eat immediately - yields 12-15 biscuits.
1 simple cake - loaf pound cake, pineapple upside-down cake, applesauce cake, etc.
Saturday, baking.
This weekly chore chant has gotten thousands of homemakers on track for hundreds of years. When I need a reboot I sing it to myself and decide again that I am going to get on and stick to a schedule. It usually works until it doesn't anymore and then I find I need another reboot. I am thinking ahead to school starting in a couple of weeks and trying to get on track for the renewal of our busy family schedule. Both my little ones are going this year and I want very much for them to have lunch boxes full of food they would never trade and a dinner that makes them look forward to coming home. Here is a Saturday baking itinerary that will get your ready for your week.
1 basic roll dough - yields 12 clover leaf dinner rolls and 16 raisin cinnamon rolls
1 perfect white bread - yields 2 loaves
1 best ever muffins - yields 12 muffins; we like blueberry or jam
1 biscuit dough - wrap tightly and refrigerate. take out at dinner time, bake, and eat immediately - yields 12-15 biscuits.
1 simple cake - loaf pound cake, pineapple upside-down cake, applesauce cake, etc.
OR
1 pie
AND
2 cookies, bars or mini pies; we like chocolate chip cookies, brownies and apple pies but I like to mix it up.
This sounds like a lot of baking, and well, it is. But if you set aside the time to do it in one day you save a lot of time in cleanup and ingredient gathering. This list should give a family of four like mine 3 breakfasts, 5 desserts, 5 dinner breads, sandwiches and toast, and lunch box and after school snacks for the week.
Mmmm....
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Menu 7/25 - 7/30
Monday - cereal and milk, bananas
pimento cheese sandwiches, orange slices
Italian roast beef, mashed potatoes, carrots, popovers
Tuesday - eggs and grits, orange juice
roast beef sandwiches, sliced apples
pork chops, rice and gravy, broccoli, chocolate pie
Wednesday - peanut butter toast and yogurt
spaghetti O's and cheese cubes
grilled chicken breasts, peas and carrots, tomato slices, cornbread
Thursday - cheese toast and apple slices
grilled chicken salad, corn bread
spaghetti with meat sauce, grissini
Friday - cereal and milk
spaghetti with meat sauce, fruit salad
Chick-fil-A
Saturday - waffles and turkey sausage
burgers and fries
pizza
pimento cheese sandwiches, orange slices
Italian roast beef, mashed potatoes, carrots, popovers
Tuesday - eggs and grits, orange juice
roast beef sandwiches, sliced apples
pork chops, rice and gravy, broccoli, chocolate pie
Wednesday - peanut butter toast and yogurt
spaghetti O's and cheese cubes
grilled chicken breasts, peas and carrots, tomato slices, cornbread
Thursday - cheese toast and apple slices
grilled chicken salad, corn bread
spaghetti with meat sauce, grissini
Friday - cereal and milk
spaghetti with meat sauce, fruit salad
Chick-fil-A
Saturday - waffles and turkey sausage
burgers and fries
pizza
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