Weekly Menu

Hello Everyone!  Sorry I didn't post a menu last week.  I think I needed a little break.  So, here's a new menu for the week.  Hope ya'll had a great week and are looking forward to the weekend.  Sunday is my mom's birthday, so we will be having a small luncheon at my house after church for her.  She will be a young 76, (sorry mom).  She doesn't like to reveal her age, because she doesn't look it! 

I wanted to tell ya'll of some cool websites I have found to help you with your meal planning.  Some of these sites have a service charge for their meal planning, but I have found sound nice Menu Calendar downloads to share.  One is http://thefamilyhomestead.com/.  The other is http://theorganizedhome.com/  Both are interesting sites about family meal planning and organizing your home.  In the organizing your home, go to the Top Stories and read the article on Menu Planning: Save Time in the Kitchen.  The family homestead site has a menu calendar you can print out for the whole month, if you like to really plan ahead.  So, check them out!



Sunday         Monday           Tuesday    Wednesday     Thursday    Friday         
Tortilla        Slow-Cooker   Left-          Easy                Grilled      Talipia        
Soup            Meatloaf          Overs        Stroganoff      Cheese      Twice Baked     
                                                                                          Soup      Potatoes 
                                                                                                             Salad



Recipes:

Tortilla Soup

8 Corn Tortillas
1 can (14-1/2 oz) Whole tomatoes, undrained        1/4 tsp sugar
1 cup diced onion, medium size                               1 whole chicken, cooked and boned
1 clove garlic, finely chopped                                  Broth from chicken w/strained        
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)                         8 oz shredded colby-jack cheese
1 Tbsp lime juice                                                      2 medium avocados
1 tsp comino (cumin)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.  Stack and cut tortillas into 1/2 inch strips.  Place in a single layer on sheets.  Lightly spray tortillas strips with cooking spray.  Bake 20-25 minutes until crisp.  Set aside.

Place tomatoes, inion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, cumin and sugar in blender. Blend until chunky.  Place in large cooking pot, add broth (from chicken) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add boned and chopped chicken.  Simmer and additional 10 minutes.  Season to taste. 

To serve:  Top with tortilla strips, cheese and avocadoes

Slow-Cooker Mexican Meatloaf: (this is a new recipe I'm trying)

1 eggs, slightly beaten                1 pkg of Corn or Flour Tortillas
1  jar roasted red peppers
3/4 cup crushed tortillas chips
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp grd cumin
1 tsp chili power
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup frozen whole kernal corn
1/2 pepper
1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine egg, 1/2 cup of the roasted peppers, chopped, crushed tortilla chips, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.   Add beef and corn; mix well.  Shape mixture into a round loaf or oblong loaf to fit the slow-cooker. 

Crisscross three 18 inch strips of foil,  Place meat loaf in center of strips.  Bring up foil strips to lift and transfer meat to slow cooker.  Cover; cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. 

Using foil strips, carefully lift out meatloaf and place on cutting board.  Sprinkle with cheese and service with tortillas (corn or flour). Top with salsa, avocado, and lime wedges. 

Easy Stroganoff:  ( I use to make this recipe when my kids were younger, they loved it)

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 (8 oz) carton sour cream

Hot cooked Noodles

Cook beef and onion in a large skillet until meat is browned; stirring to crumble meat; drain.  Stir in flour and next 3 ingredients; cook and stir 1 minute.  Stir in soup and mushrooms.  Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occassionally.  Add sour cream, and heat thoroughly.  Serve over noodles.  Yields 4 servings

Twice Baked Potatoes:

Cook your potatoes either in the oven, or microwave.  When the are done, cut in two and scoop out the insides.  Place scooped out potato in a medium bowl and add cheese, butter, sour cream and chives.  Mix well.   Place mixture back into the potato shells.  Top with cheese and place in the oven or microwave to melt cheese.  Serve with additional butter and sour cream. 

Talipia recipe: 

You can use any type of fish, we like talipia. 

2 T Olive oil
4  talipia fish
1 T Season-all
1 small lemon
4 t butter

In a large skillet add the olive oil.  Add talipia, add season-all to both sides of fish.  Squeese the juice of one lemon into skillet and over fish.  Add the butter to tops of fish, cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.  Flip fish over and cover and cook and additional 8 to 10 minutes. 

Serve over hot rice or with a small side salad. 

 
Enjoy your week!  Until next time....   Dee Dee

Are we ready for Fiesta!!!!   I thought a nice cheery picture would brighten your day!!!

 This photo was taken during Fiesta and is some if my cousin's beautiful floral work and display!  He is very talented.  If anyone needs an excellent florist or event decorator in San Antonio, let me know! 

Menu Post for Week of February 15th

Howdy all you Rodeo Fans! It's time for the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo, which actually has already started, but my mind has been on Valentines! Well, now that it's over I can think about the Rodeo.  This weeks menu has a Cowboy Theme.  I'm thinking of chuck wagons and being on the trail with some cowboys and their trusty horses.  Hee Haw !!!  Time to cook up some grub! 

Menu of the Week

 Finally getting around to the menu!  I've been busy this weekend.  My grandkiddos came over to the house for a visit yesterday.  So, you know what that means!  Time to play!  My daughter-in-law and I took my granddaughter to the boot store to get her a new pair of boots. She got pink boots, and a pink cowgirl hat with rhinestones on the hat band!  She is ALL decked out for the rodeo!  The boy's got new boots also, and cowboy hats!  Gosh if they didn't remind me of when their dad (my son) was a boy and I took him to get his first boots and hat!  What a fun day! 

Well, here's the menu.  I'm going to add Sunday .... since it's Valentines!  You can use my idea, or choose your own, of course! 

Happy Valentines Week Everyone!!!                

Dee Dee

Monday: Feb 8th:  Hamburgers with Homemade french fries, or the frozen kind.
                              
Tuesday: Feb 9th:  Chicken Picata with Herb Potates and Frenchstyle Greenbeans

Recipe for Chicken Picata:  Serves 6  Recipe from  The Southern Living Cookbook

6 Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Place each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.  Combine flour, salt, and pepper; dredge chicken in flour mixture.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken, and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.  Remove chicken, and drain on paper towels; keep warm.  Add lemon juice and lemon slices to pan drippings in skillet; cook until thoroughly heated.  Pour lemon mixture over chicken; sprinkle with parsley (optional)

Herb Potatoes (My own recipe)

10-12 small Red Potatoes (washed and dried)
2 Tablespoons of Parsley flakes
2 Tablespoons of Butter or Margarine
1/2 tsp Salt & Pepper

Cube the potatoes and place in a medium size pot, cover with water and bring to boil.  Turn down to simmer and cook potatoes until done. 
When potatoes are soft, drain and place in a serving bowl.  Top with butter or margarine and let the butter melt.  Add the parsley and other spices and toss to coat. 

Frenchstyle greenbeans ... Canned or frozen (easy enough!)

Wednesday: Feb 10th:  Slower Cooker Bar-b-que Pork Sandwiches

1 - 2 lb pork roast
1/4 cup Barbque Sauce
1 Tablespoon Liquid smoke

Place in your slow cooker in the morning.  Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.  Will be ready when you get home from your day out!  Pull apart pork and serve over hamburger buns.  Garnish with onions and pickles!  Pick up some potato salad, or make your own. 

Thursday: Feb 11th: Fish Tacos

See my recipe from an earlier post.  See January 17th post.

Friday: Feb 12th:  Left overs day! 

If we have leftovers in the refrigerator, which we usually do, we have a feast of whatever is there.  We do this at least one day a week! 

Sometimes we have an OYO Day!  On Your Own for dinner!  This was my husbands contibution to the meal planning!  Hey! I like it! 

Saturday:  Feb 13th:  Pizza night!

Sunday:  Feb 14th Valentines Day!  Roast and Potatoes with Yorkshire Pudding
                                                             Desert: Strawberry Shortcake
 (this is my husbands favorite, it's also our Anniversary, so I'll make this for him!)

2 to 4 lb Roast (your choice of cut)
6 to 10 Red Potatoes, cubed with skins on
1/4 chopped small onion
1/2 cup water

Add first 3 ingredients to your roaster pan. Cook in the oven on 350 degrees for one hour, or until done.   30 minutes before your roast is done, add your potatoes.  

Mix up the Yorkshire pudding and have it ready to put in the oven when the roast is done.  

Yorkshire Pudding: Recipe from my mother-in-law (who is from England)

2 cups Flour              Bake at 450 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown
2 cups Milk
2 Eggs
Pinch of Salt

Beat eggs in milk.  Add salt to flour.  Pour eggs and milk mixture into flour and beat well.  Let set for 30 minutes to thicken.  Pour into a 9x9 pan.  Will be puffy and golden brown.

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

1 Ready made Angelfood Cake
1 Carton of Fresh Strawberries
1 pkg of Strawberry Glaze
1 Carton (large) of Coolwhip

Shred the cake into bitesize pieces.  Wash and drain the strawberries and cut into bite size pieces.  In a small bowl add the strawberries and glaze.  Mix together. 

In a pretty glass bown layer the cake, strawberries and coolwhip.  Chill before serving. 

Bon Apetite!!!

Ciao....Dee Dee  

The Pantry

A convenient place for storing and displaying your kitchen goods. 

To most people, a traditional pantry means a cool, dark room near the kitchen, a room stocked with fresh foods and canned goods and filled with the scents of herbs and spices.  Before home refrigeration became common in the late 1800's, this versatile storage and work room-usually fitted with a stone or wood sink-could be found in most homes.  Shelves held seasonings, meal, and sugar, dairy products were kept on a stone or dirt floor.                                                                                                                                  

Today many homeowners don't have the space in their houses to devote a whole room to pantry storage.  But, with a little imagination, it is still possible to create the effect of a pantry in almost any kitchen.  You might try using an old pie safe to store kitchenware.  Or, fill a wall of open shelving with jars of preserves.  Even tabletops and corners can evoke a pantry feeling when set up to dry herbs and vegetables or to store wares and utensils.                                                                                                                                  

From: The Country Kitchen, Time Life Books 1988.
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I wanted to share this with you.  If you are lucky enough to have any space for a pantry, they can be so handy! 

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What a wonderful idea! Turn any corner into a Pantry!
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Or change a small closet!  Remove the doors and add shelves! 

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Happy Weekend!  Will post a new menu tomorrow!

Cia!

Dee Dee