Steak & Twice Baked Potatoes

Tonight's dinner was so good. The steak was seared to perfection (thanks Mr. B!) and the potatoes full of ooey-gooey goodness. Top that off with a nice crisp salad and some of the honey-oatmeal bread I baked earlier and you have a meal fit for a king .....or queen!

Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday

Yep, it's that day again, you know the one...it's WEDNESDAY! That means no cooking for me. Instead we will enjoy the efforts of TP, as Ms. J is away to the Smokies. (Lucky woman) It's lasagna, salad and some yummy dessert!

BBQ Chicken

Okay, some days just don't work out like you plan. I arrived home to find boneless, skinless chicken breasts thawed and ready to prepare instead of the bone-in meat my recipe called for (my bad - I prefer to think someone switched the packages on me). Since I like bone-in chicken for my oven recipes, I kindly asked Mr. B if he would grill the chicken for our dinner and he consented. So I pounded those bad boys to an even thickness, sprinkled them with Paula Deen's house seasoning and some olive oil and off to the hot grill they went. Mr. B basted them with the BBQ sauce called for in my recipe at the end of the cooking time. Dinner saved:)

Menu Plan Monday - October 27, 2008

I could not help myself! My good friend Lisha has been a part of this for several months and while I plan our meals I had not succombed to being part of MPM...until now.

Monday: BBQ Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans

Tuesday: Pork Fajitas, Spanish Rice, Easy Guacamole Salad, Chips

Wednesday: Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday (Eat at church) Lasagna, Salad and Dessert

Thursday: Steak, Twice Baked Potatoes, Salad

Friday: Fall Festival at Mulder - Hot Dogs, Popcorn & Candy

Saturday: Spaghetti, Salad, Garlic Bread

Sunday: Chili with toppings, Coleslaw

Thanks for stopping by my blog and don't forget to check out other menu plans at OrgJunkie!

It's Okay

Tonight we are having a super easy meal. I don't do this often but it's okay now and then to rely on those boxed mixes. I may have a few facts later or I may not.

Thursday Meal
Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper
Salad
Green Beans
Crescent Rolls (Garlic Flavored)

No recipes needed:)

Food Fact: For a change of pace, take the entire roll of crescents out of the package, slice jelly roll style and bake.

Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday

Aaaahhhh.............it's that day again. You know, Wednesday! I'm a happy camper to be able to enjoy the fruits of Ms. J's labors and share a meal with Mr. B and friends.

Wednesday Meal
Scrambled Eggs
Sausage
Cheese Grits (personal favorite of this southern girl)
Biscuits
Fruit Salad

Ms. A's Brown Sugar Ham

I am looking forward to tonight's meal. This ham recipe has got to be the best ever. Friday we were guests of a lovely couple in our supper club group. The entree' was this yummy grilled ham and the process could not be simpler. I think you will agree.

Tuesday Meal
Ms. A's Brown Sugar Ham
Baked Sweet Potatoes
Mac & Cheese (for The Hoss)
Turnip Greens
Corn Muffins

Ms. A's Brown Sugar Ham
1 center cut ham steak
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. cracked black pepper

Place the ham, sugar and pepper in a gallon ziploc bag. Seal and place in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Remove from the bag and grill. Delicious!

Chicken Pot Pie

I love chicken pot pie, especially the kind made from scratch. Tonight, I have the makings for the Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie and that's what I'm serving. Comfort foods just warm my soul during these crisp, cool autumn days! As always, you'll get the facts later.

Monday Meal
Chicken Pot Pie
Salad
Pudding Cups

Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
1 cup cooked chicken, cubed
1 can Veg-all mixed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix chicken,veggies and soup. Spread in bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Mix Bisquick, milk and egg and pour over the top. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Food Facts: As I was preparing this dish it seemed to be a bit bland, so to the chicken mixture I added about a half cup of milk, minced onion, garlic powder, black pepper and poultry seasoning. To the crust mix, I added some dried oregano. The result was spectacular. Mr. B and The Hoss had two servings each and practically licked the dish. Note that tonight I used a large can of white meat chicken. Could not be easier. We will definitely be eating this again! The pudding cups consisted of sugar-free butterscotch pudding (from a mix) layered in serving dishes with crushed graham cracker crumbs. Finish with whipped topping from a can. Yummy!

Sunday Dinner

I know it's Monday, but I just did not find time to blog about yesterday's meal. We had friends join us for a late lunch which, with some careful planning, I prepared before we left for church. Saturday night I put the roast in my trusty slow cooker with carrots, celery, onions, an au jus seasoning packet and 2 cups water. I cooked it on low all night. It was perfection. The peas were from my freezer and the dessert recipe courtesy of my good friend Lisha.

Sunday Meal
Rump Roast with Veggies
Mashed Potatoes
Lady Peas
Corn Bread
Apple Pie Bites with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

It was so nice to eat at home (not at a restaurant) and reminded me of those Sundays long ago when everyone gathered for the noon meal.

Steak & Gravy

Fall is probably my favorite season. I also love the comfort foods that come with this time of year. Tonight will feature another menu that is a staple in our house.

Thursday Meal
Cubed steak with gravy
Mashed potatoes
Salad

Cubed Steak & Gravy
1-1/2 lbs. cubed beef steak
flour
salt & pepper
1 pkg. onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can water
cooking oil

Season steak with salt & pepper and dredge in flour. Brown in oil and place in a casserole dish. Combine soup, water and onion soup mix and pour over steak. Cover & bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

Food Facts: The steak was tender and the gravy was the best I've ever made, according to Mr. B & the Hoss. I have to admit it was pretty good! Guys love meat and potatoes.

Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday

Wednesdays, I love 'em! Tonight's menu is one of my favorites. The best part is that I'm not responsible for the preparation.

Wednesday Meal
Meatloaf
Hash Brown Casserole
Green Beans
Rolls
Dessert

Honey Pecan Pork Chops

Tonight is Bible study so I've selected this easy to prepare dish from What's Cookin'?, a publication of the Junior Service League in Alexander City, Alabama. I've tried several recipes from this book with great results. I'm sure this one will be tasty as well.

Tuesday Meal
Honey Pecan Pork Chops
Brown Rice
Green Beans
Rolls

Honey Pecan Pork Chops
1-1/4 lb. boneless center cut pork chops
1/2 cup flour
salt & pepper
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup honey

Flatten pork chops to 1/4 inch thickness. Dredge in flour, salt & pepper and cook until golden brown in melted butter. Remove from pan. Add honey and pecans and stir until bubbly. Scrape bits from bottom of pan. Serve sauce over pork chops.

Food Facts: This recipe turned out even better than I expected. It was quick and easy to prepare and the honey-pecan sauce was out of this world. I think it would translate well to boneless chicken breasts in place of the pork. Mr. B and The Hoss ate everything on their plates and wished for more. This one's a keeper! Dessert at Bible study were these yummy apple pie bites.

Hot Dogs and.......

I know it must seem that we eat a lot of hot dogs. Truth is I can count on them in a pinch and since tonight is our final JV football game, they fit the bill. Tonight we are eating OM Weiners. They were BOGO a few weeks ago at our local grocery store. As a special treat, I made potato salad on Sunday to serve as our side dish.

Monday Meal
Hot dogs with chili
Potato salad

Potato Salad

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
2 eggs, hardboiled & chopped
1/2 cup Kraft Olive Oil Mayo
2 tbsp. mustard
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1 tbsp. minced onion
salt and pepper

Peel and cube potatoes, cook until fork tender, drain. Combine the remainder of the ingredients and serve warm or refrigerate until needed. Add more mayo if too dry.

Fifteen Today!

Today The Hoss turns 15. You might ask what that has to do with cooking or food. It actually has very little to do with either, except birthdays are special at our house and the birthday boy or girl gets to choose the menu. My birthday boy has chosen to eat a local Italian restaurant, Casa Napoli, for his celebration meal instead of a meal prepared by me. I am not offended that he chose this restaurant as it happens to be one of my favorites as well. Menu selections and the facts will follow later. Here's what we ate:

Appetizer - Calamari
Barb - Eggplant Parmigiana
The Hoss - Crab Manicotti
Mr. B - Fried Flounder & French Fries
Salads all around!

Food Facts: The restaurant was oddly empty this evening so the service was even better than normal. We are seafood lovers and were salivating by the time the calamari arrived at our table. It did not disappoint. Light, crispy fried with a homemade marinara dipping sauce. Yummy! The salads were the usual spring mix with olives, tomato wedges and pepperocinni. Mr. B & I had the creamy Italian dressing and The Hoss had the ranch. All their dressings are homemade and so good! The dinner portions here are huge and part of mine is at home waiting for another meal. The fried flounder was crisp on the outside and moist on the inside. The fries were fresh cut but fried perfectly. Mr. B was a happy man. The manicotti was full of cheese and crab smothered in marinara and topped with more cheese. The Hoss scarfed it down in record time. My eggplant was perfect as always. The prices are in the moderate to high range, but well worth it. Note that lunch prices are very reasonable and a lot of the dinner items are available at the noon hour. We skipped dessert in lieu of the birthday cake waiting at home. If you are in the mood for or have room for dessert, I recommend the Tiramisu, the Italian Cream Cake and the Pecan Cobbler. We'll be going back for sure!

Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday

WooHoo! It's Wednesday.....and that means no cooking for me. Tonight we will enjoy a meal prepared by Ms V as she stands in for our usual Wednesday chef.

Wednesday Meal
Spaghetti
Salad
Bread
Dessert

Vegetable Beef Soup

Today is Football Day, so it's my trusty crockpot to the rescue again. This is a basic recipe that lends itself to whatever meat & veggies are available. Corn bread muffins or saltine crackers are the perfect addition.

Tuesday Menu
Vegetable Beef Soup
Saltine Crackers
Tossed Salad

Vegetable Beef Soup
1 pound boneless stew beef or ground churck (you can also use leftover roast beef)
16 ounces frozen mixed veggies or 2 - 15 ounce cans mixed veggies
2 - 15 ounce cans diced tomatoes (with or without added spices)
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
4 cups beef stock
1 cup water
1 tbsp. minced onion
1 cup macaroni (uncooked, optional)
salt & pepper

In crockpot, combine tomatoes, ketchup, stock, seasonings and water. Stir well. Add meat and veggies. If using ground chuck, brown and drain before adding to crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add macaroni during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.

Food Facts: This is a tried and true staple recipe in my kitchen. The end result is dependent on the ingredients at hand, but it's always easy and delicious. The canned tomatoes I used today, contained garlic, basil and onions which gave the soup an Italian flair. As a side note, this may actually taste better the second day.

Tangy Chicken with Smashed Potatoes

Our football game has been moved to Tuesday, so no rushing tonight. I am preparing this dish in my slow-cooker so it will be ready when Mr. B and The Hoss get home from football practice. Again, this is a couple of recipes I've combined and tweaked for the crock pot. Make your favorite mashed potato recipe. My guys love them made with Yukon Golds and mashed with the skin on. Any green veggie will do. I just happen to have cabbage and broccoli that need to be cooked. You'll get the facts later.

Monday Menu
Tangy Chicken
Smashed Potatoes
Steamed Cabbage
Steamed Broccoli (for The Hoss)
Rolls


Tangy Chicken
4 bone-in chicken breasts (cut breasts in half, if large)
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup Heinz 57 sauce
1 cup water
salt & pepper

Spray slow-cooker with cooking spray, salt & pepper chicken and place inside. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken breasts. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Food Facts: I'm not too sure about this recipe. It may need a bit more tweaking or just cooking in an oven. While the guys gobbled it down, I just didn't think it was all that great. The meat was juicy and the cranberry & 57 sauces formed a gravy that I poured over the plated chicken. Potatoes and cabbage were awesome!

It's Friday!

Yep, it's Friday again and you know what that means.....FOOTBALL! We will be eating at home before heading off for the game. This is a simple meal that will probably be prepared by Mr. B, since he is at home today (I repeat lucky man)!

Friday Meal
Hamburgers (on the grill)
Tossed Salad
Chips

Food Fact: This was an easy, yet tasty before game meal. Once again, we had a friend of The Hoss over for dinner. They finished off the burgers and the dumplings from earlier in the week! Growing boys do know how to eat!

Fall weather makes me want to cook!

This weather is wonderful and it makes me want to cook and cook and cook some more! I'm really looking forward to tonight's meal. It brings back a host of memories from my childhood when my mother prepared this same menu for our family. Since this is a family favorite, you can be sure Mr. B & The Hoss won't be late for dinner. Even though I will make homemade gravy, the biscuits are courtesy of Mary B's. The facts will follow.

Thursday Meal
Salmon Patties & Gravy
Rice
English Peas
Biscuits

Salmon Patties

1 - 15 1/2 oz. can of Alaskan salmon (remove visible bones)
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
salt & pepper

Pour salmon in a mixing bowl (do not drain), add eggs and stir well. Add flour, salt & pepper and stir until just blended. Heat oil in a skillet to medium high, take salmon mixture by tablespoons full and fry till golden brown. Gently press into patty shape as they cook with your fork or spatula. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Gravy

1/4 cup cooking oil (heat on medium)
3-4 tbsp. flour
salt & pepper
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water

Heat oil and stir in flour, salt & pepper to form a roux. Raise temperature to medium high and cook until just brown. Combine milk & water. Slowly add to roux. Lower heat to medium and stir or whisk until smooth. Let thicken and pour into a serving bowl. Serve over the rice and biscuits.

Food Facts: We opted not to make the gravy tonight....but the meal was wonderful without it. Try the salmon patties, gravy and biscuits for breakfast one morning!

Front Porch Sittin' Wednesday

Wow! Wednesday is here again already. I really look forward to these days. It's nice to sit down with Mr. B and my church family and share a meal I didn't prepare. The Hoss will eat after football practice. Thanks, Ms. J, for Wednesdays!

Wednesday Meal
Chicken Enchiladas
Beef Tacos
Mexican Salad
Key Lime or Cheesecake Pie

Food Fact: Food tastes much better when you share it with friends and family!