Showing posts with label menu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label menu. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Valentine Dinner Spaghetti

This is my menu for our Valentine's Day dinner. By the way, if you look at the word Spaghetti long enough, it stops making any sense.


Spaghetti
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 8 oz tomato sauce
  • 14 oz diced tomatoes (I estimate 3 tomatoes equals one can)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 4 oz mushrooms (if can, drain first)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound spaghetti


1.  Cook ground beef in a large skillet, stirring to crumble it into very small pieces. Drain fat.

2. Add remaining ingredients except the spaghetti. Simmer for about an hour.

3. Boil spaghetti to al dente stage. 

4. Serve with sauce. And in my household, some small curd cottage cheese dolloped on top. 






Garlic Bread
  •  2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened (if you are smart, you will have set the cheese out 30 min ago)
  • 1 loaf Italian bread, split lengthwise

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Saute garlic in butter. DO NOT BURN. I speak from experience.

3. Mix garlic and butter with cream cheese. This will take some elbow grease. 

4. Spread bread liberally with mixture. Lay face open on cookie sheet and tent with foil. Bake 15 minutes. For crustier bread, remove foil last 5 minutes. But let's be honest, who doesn't want crustier bread? 


Two great entrees for one of those bleak winter evenings when your hibernation instincts are shouting for hot, comforting food that will keep you full for hours to come.
Great as a leftover but we never really have any. *wink*



Strawberry Shortcake
All of the prep prior to the actual assembly can be done before dinner.

  • 2 4-count packages round shortcakes - I really do wish I could say I made these from scratch but maybe next year.
  • 1 quart strawberries
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 Cup sugar plus 1 tbsp sugar
1. Dice strawberries into small mixing bowl. Sprinkle with tsp sugar. Cover with saran wrap and place in fridge so they start to juice.

2. Pour whipping cream into medium mixing bowl. Add vanilla and remaining sugar. Mix with electric blender on high speed till stiff peaks form. This means that if you turn off the mixer and lift out the beaters, they pull the cream up behind them into peaks and the peaks don't immediately fall back down. 

3. Cover with saran wrap and place in fridge till ready to assemble shortcakes. 

4. Place one round shortcake in the middle of your prettiest salad plate. Pile on strawberries then top with whipping cream. Delicious! 



Our salad was bagged because I stink at making salads. Just ask my long suffering husband. It is not my strong suit. If you end up trying out one of these recipes, please come back and let me know! I would love to hear what you thought about them.



Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Weekly Menu Sept 16-22

MONDAY

B- Whole wheat Pancakes (double recipe and freeze some for later in week)

Sn- homemade popcorn

L- p.b. and honey sandwich
    carrot sticks
    red grapes
    cheese stick

Su- Chicken pot pie
      fruit medley


TUESDAY

B- Banana bread muffins

Sn- Apple slices w/ p.b.

L- same as Monday

Su- leftovers


WEDNESDAY

B- Banana bread muffins

Sn- sliced bananas w/ cinnamon

L- pancake sandwich w/cream chz filling
     apple sauce cup
     raisins

Su- stir fry veggies with rice


THURSDAY

B- toast fried in cast iron skillet topped with honey or molasses
     scrambled eggs

Sn- carrots and grahm crackers

L- Banana muffin
     carrot sticks
     hard boiled egg
     black grapes

Su- leftovers


FRIDAY

B- pancakes

Sn- cucumber and cheese slices

L- p.b. and jelly sandwich
    cheese stick
    banana
    cucumber slices

Su- Baked potatoes
      brocoli
     green beans

SATURDAY

B- homemade cinnamon rolls

Sn- ?

L- refridgerator cleanout

Su- Easy Lasagna
      Mashed potatoes
      green beans
      grapes
      Jello!

SUNDAY

B- pancakes

L- at church

Sn- fruit with crackers

Su- Spinach chicken quiche



This is not my best week by far, but at least it's planned out so I don't have to think about it. That/s half the battle to not spend money on eating out and junk food.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

         At the request of my sis, I am sharing some menu ideas. She and I have both complained heartily about how easy it is to get in a rut and cook the same old things week after week. Now, I am not claiming to be any kind of cook. But maybe you'll find something to spark your brain and your supper. Good Eating!


Monday

B- Pancakes

L- apple slices w/ p.b.
    carrot sticks
    grahmn crackers

Snack-grapes
           cheese

Supper-company casserole
            salad
            fried okra
            grapes
            garden fresh tomatoes

Tuesday

B- Pancakes

Sn- animal crackers and raisins

L-pb and jelly sandwiches
    carrot sticks
    apple slices

Su- Grandma meal

Wednesday

B-coffee cake

Sn- animal crackers and raisins

L- pb and jelly sandwiches
    bananas w/ cinnamon

Su- chicken and rice
      green beans
      corn on the cob
      salad

Thursday

B- healthy morning muffins

Sn- cheese and apples

L- leftovers

Su- leftovers

Friday

B- pancakes

Sn- grahmn crackers w/ pb

L- healthy morning muffins
    hard boiled eggs
   fruit

Su- chicken pot pie
      pineapple
      salad

Saturday

B- skillet toast
     scrambled eggs w/ cheese

Sn-  bananas w/ cinnamon
        raisins

L- leftovers

Su- Grandma meal

Sunday

B- pancakes

L- salmon patties
     rice
    sweet peas
    candied carrots

S- leftovers



Let me explain something.
When I have "Grandma meal" listed,
what I am talking about is a supper like the ones I have eaten many
times at my Grandmothers house.
A quick, easy but hearty meal consisting of Grandma's
amazing skillet cornbread and any veggie she has on hand.
For example, the other night, we had cornbread, black eyed peas, sliced tomatoes and onion,
pineapple, rice, green beans and corn on the cob.
And of course the obligatory honey, butter and black strap molasses
 for the cornbread. Add some sweet tea and you have one
tasty, moderately healthy and light-weight meal.
It is a favorite of my family.
 
I honestly think my kids could eat their weight in cornbread.
 
Maybe next week I'll share my recipe.