Meal Planning Monday (on a tuesday Morning)

I've been a bit of a slacker lately because I've been on duty for the last 4 days. Then B & I had one day off together. Now i'm going back to work for 3 more days.

But I was able to pull together a Meal Plan last Night

The days on this are all Subject to change...

Tuesday - B's homemade Tomato Basil Chicken w/ Brown rice

Wednesday - Baked Pesto Chicken (side dish TBD*)

Thursday - Chipotle Mac & Cheese

Friday - Upside down Pizza Casserole (recipe re-do**)

Saturday - Taco's in pasta Shells (recipe re-do**)

I'm excited for this week. I really like to work and it seems like I've been getting more and more opportunities at my new unit.

But i'm also trying 2 new recipes this week, which is always exciting to me.

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* TBD = To Be Determined
** Recipe Re-do = a recipe already posted on this site

Apple Pie Bread

I've been posting about this recipe all day on facebook and I have several friends DYING to get their hands on this recipe.

FYI, I have NO CLUE where my camera is. So these pictures are kind of crummy. Sorry, the cell phone camera is all I have today.

Ingredients

• 1 (21 ounce) can apple filling
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature (I used 1 cup Apple sauce)
  
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar (I had light brown sugar, so thats what I used)
  
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I used Whole Wheat flour)
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I didn't measure... but I know its a lot more than 1 teaspoon)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup raisins (didn't use this)
  
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (or this)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan. (I used 2 smaller pans, but I could have put it all in 1)


2. In a medium bowl, use a potato masher to break up apples in the filling; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Stir in eggs, apples, and vanilla extract until well blended.


Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir into apple mixture, then stir in raisins and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minute, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Wanna Bite?

Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins.

As part of Hip2Save's Holiday Challenge I am baking 3 different breakfast type foods.
The first of the 3 is the Blueberry Coffee Cake Muffins. I found the recipe here.

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used 12 tablespoons apple sauce instead)
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature ( I used organic Large Eggs)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup)sour cream (I used non-fat sour cream)
  
• 1/4 cup milk (I used non-fat milk)
  
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour)
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems (I cheated and used canned blueberries, drained them, and then used them)
  

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (again, I used applesauce instead of butter)

With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed.

Fold in the blueberries with a spatula

and be sure the batter is completely mixed.

(Instead of scooping batter into cups, I put it into a Large ziplock bag, snipped 1 corner and used that to fill the many different cups)

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top,

I made 12 cupcake size muffins, 8 mini loafs (star shaped), and 12 mini muffins.

and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

The only difference I can see between using butter vs apple sauce, is the rounded top on the muffins. These came out very flat, but they are (in my opinion) much more moist with apple sauce, not to mention less than 100 calories per large muffin or star loaf.

I had to HAD TO try one...

So yummy!!!

Happy Baking!

P.S. Don't judge the room of no furniture. lol. We moved from a 580 sq ft. apartment, to a 1400 sq ft house. We just ran out of furniture.

I got this recipe Here.

Zesty Beef Casserole

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 pound lean ground beef [again, I used ground turkey]
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped red pepper

1 (14 ounce) can of stewed tomatoes (with juice), chopped

2 cups medium egg noodles [I used whole wheat wide noodles]
1 (12 ounce) can of kernel corn (with liquid) [nope, still didn't use corn]
1 1/4 cups water
1 (4 ounce) can of diced green chilies
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope of taco seasoning mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup grated jalapeño Monterey Jack cheese

Sliced black olives, for garnish

Directions:

Heat cooking oil in large frying pan on medium. Add next 4 ingredients. Scramble-fry for about 10 minutes until beef is no longer pink. Drain.

Add tomatoes with juice. Stir.

Transfer to ungreased 3 quart casserole.

Add next 7 ingredients. Stir. Bake, covered, in 350°F oven for about 1 hour, stirring once at halftime, until noodles are tender but firm.

Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for another 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Garnish with olives.

Italian Potatoes & Chicken

So I don't remember where I found this 'recipe' or if i just made it up. Either way its good. This wasn't on my menu for the week. But, B really wanted it and I had all the ingredients except for the potatoes, so I went ahead and made it

Italian Potatoes & Chicken

I diced up roughly 8-10 red potatoes. We use more because B LOVES him some tatters

I had 5 thin sliced chicken breasts in the freezer

I stab the chicken breasts a bunch then pour the Italian Dressing over the chicken breasts
I had 2 partials bottles in the fridge

I used the red pepper Italian dressing to soak the chicken in
Then I stabbed the chicken a bit more.
I used my go to dish. My 13 x 9 glass dish
I poured a bit of the original Italian dressing to the bottom of the pan
Then I tossed about 3/4 of the potatoes on the bottom.

Next, I placed the chicken on top of the potatoes, and poured the rest of the dressing they were soaked in on top. Next I added the rest of the potatoes around the edges of the chicken

Then the cheeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeee... mmmmm. I love me some cheese. I used shredded parmesan. But I have also used mozzarella.

Then I placed it in the oven at 350 for 45-60 min. I'm still getting used to this oven, So I think after all was said and done it was over 60 min in the oven. and I ended up turning the temp up to 400* and putting tin foil over it. for the last 10 minutes.

It was so good, and we were so hungry... I forgot to get pictures of it before we ate it

but here it is after we were done stuffing our faces

It is seriously so good. We use this dish about every other week. SO nummmy.

Spicy Ranch Chicken

I know I've posted this recipe before, but this time... I have pictures.
Spicy Ranch Chicken

2 packets Hidden Valley Spice Ranch dressing mix
1 box Italian bread crumbs
1 package chicken

I found a non specific recipe on cooks.com and made it work for me.

I used 'chicken tenders' chicken from walmart

1) spray non stick spray on bottom of cooking dish
2) coat with bread crumbs
3) mix bread crumbs and ranch mix
4) coat both sides of chicken with ranch-crumb mix

5) lay in pan
6) cook uncovered at 350 for 30-60 min.

I cooked ours for 30 and it turned out perfect. with the smaller pieces it was done quicker than if it was a full on chicken breast.

I served it with boxed rice pilaf. just original style. With so much going on with the chicken I wanted to keep the side dish plain.


It was seriously SO good.
B doesn't normally eat 'breaded' chicken and he loved it.

B's Favorite Fall Soup

In a pinch last winter we were pretty tight on money and looking for things to make that we had around the house and that would not cost an arm and a leg to make.

My lovely friend has a cooking blog and we found this recipe there, and B's been in LOVE with it ever since. I made my own tweaks to it (like I always do) but man oh man is it good.

Quick Corn & Potato Chowder

2 cups water
2 cups milk
2 medium yellow, white, red potatoes (Skin on, chopped) (B is a potato guy, So I use 5 potatoes)
1 can corn - drained [we don't like corn, so we didn't use it]
1 chicken Bullion cube
sea salt, black pepper, basil, onion powder, celery salt, paprika
Corn starch & water
[we also add real bacon pieces to ours during the cooking process]

in a Medium sauce pan: add water, bullion cube & potatoes - Cover and cook until potatoes are tender (about 15 min.) [because I use more potatoes, I add another 1/2 cup water]

Turn the heat down to medium low and add the corn and milk. do NOT drain the potatoes, beause the starchy water will add flavor and thickness.

Mix and then add the seasonings [and bacon] to taste.

[I like to season this one a little more than she does. It looks like a lot, but towards the end it really cooks in]

Allow the chowder to simmer for 5-10 minutes.
while it simmers add the corn starch
* I mix the corn starch with some of the broth and some water in a separate bowl then add to the chowder. I found that if i just add the cornstarch straight to the chowder I end up with these doughy balls in the chowder.... no one wants that. *

Remove from heat and ladle into bowls.

Cheddar Biscuits

Biquick Mix
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
milk

Follow the directions on the box
I *believe* its:
1 1/2 cups mix
1/2 cup of milk
add the cheddar cheese.

I use the drop biscuit method of instructions

Plop 'em down on a greased baking sheet (cheese = need to grease! or you can use the non stick tin foil)

bake for 7-10 min

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.....
Enjoy!