Menu Plan Monday

Sunday - Chicken Fried Steak and Mashed Potatoes
Monday - Easy Chicken Casserole (*update - Jason said it needed more crackers. I also mixed the crushed crackers w/melted butter prior to putting them on the casserole.*)
Tuesday - Spaghetti
Wednesday - Meat & Potato Casserole (this seems to be a weekly favorite)
Thursday - Nachos
Friday - Hamburgers or possibly out to eat for Family Night
Saturday - Game Night (lots of munchies)

Thanksgiving Menu

This year we are having a small Thanksgiving. My family is scattered all over and we all have conflicting work schedules and so it has made it difficult for us all to get together. We are getting together with one of Jason's sisters and her family - Phillip and Abby.

Here is our menu:
Turkey - Jason is in charge
Casserole - Marty
Dressing - Marty
Mashed Potatoes - Me
Spinach Dip - Me (Knoll Vegetable Dry Soup mix..recipe on back of box)
Fudge - Me (see recipe below)
Pumpkin Pie - Me (see recipe below)


Fudge - I've never tried this recipe but it is called Foolproof Chocolate Fudge. I'm not sure it is 'Amanda proof' though. I've been known to screwup the smallest things. :0)

3 cups (18 oz.) Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips or Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not Evporated Milk)
Dash of salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with Eagle Brand and salt. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8 or 9 inch square pan. Chill for 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board, peel off paper and cut into squares.


Pumpkin Pie - I found this recipe 2 years ago and it has been a favorite ever since.
1 (8oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup milk or half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger, optional
2 pieces pre-made pie dough (I use a pre-made pie crust - usually a graham cracker pie crust.)
Whipped cream for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs, milk (or half-and half), melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger (if using) and beat until incorporated. Set aside.

Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. From the 2nd piece of pre-made pie dough, cut out the largest tire shape possible that is 2 inches in width. Position the tire around the edge of the pan, and then pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern.

Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.

***This makes 2 pies when using premade graham cracker crusts. If you were to use a larger pie pan, it would make one. ***

No Menu This Week

Well, the boys were at their mom's house this week and so it was just Jason and me. We were lame and ate out most of the week. Sunday we did cook, but nothing fancy - just some chicken cooked in olive oil/butter and rice.

I'll be back to my menu planning next week, so check back on Sunday to see what I've come up with.

Menu for the rest of this week

Here's what I have planned for the rest of the week. Now that baseball is over, I have more time to actually cook a meal.

Tuesday: Taco Bake
Wednesday: Spaghetti
Thursday: Beef & Potato Casserole (this seems to be a staple in our house now)
Friday: Hamburgers

Puff Pastry Chicken

I found this recipe through a message board I frequent. It was very tasty. Jason and Tristen liked it, but Colby didn't seem to care for it.





Here is the recipe:

4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
6 oz cream cheese
1/2 tsp each salt, garlic powder and onion powder (I actually used a herb blend rub that I just mixed in w/the cream cheese.)

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter and oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Mix cream cheese with spices. I did this by putting the cream cheese in a bowl and just mashing it all together with the back of a spoon. It helps if the cream cheese is room temperature.

Unfold the pastry and roll into a 14” square. Cut into 4 squares. Spread about 2 tbsp of the cheese spread in center of each square. Brush edges of squares with egg. Fold each corner to center on top of chicken and seal edges. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush with egg.

Bake 25 minutes @ 400 degrees or until golden.

I've started this blog for a couple of reasons.

1. To keep up w/my recipes.
2. Share recipes w/others.
3. Boredom.
   

By no means am I this amazing chef. For the past month, I've been trying to menu plan. It has been working out quite well and we don't end up having the same things over and over. Having 2 kids in the house often makes menu planning difficult. They are pretty good eaters, but can go through phases where they are VERY picky!