Aunt Lori's Chicken Tortilla Soup

4 Chicken Breast halves, frozen
1 Garlic Clove ninced
2 Tbs Margarine
2 14 1/2 Oz Cans Chicken Broth
2 14 1/2 Oz Cans Chopped Stewed tomatoes
1 Cup Salsa
1/2 Cup Chopped cilantro (optional)
1 Tbs ground Cumin


Combine all the above ingredients in a crock pot. Cover and cook low 8-10 hours. Shred chicken.
Spoon over shredded chedder cheese, sprinle with chips and top with Sour Cream - add Avacado (optional)


I love a good crock pot recipe! This was beyond easy and very good. We like hot and spicy so we added a little hot sauce to give it a kick. I also think I may add a jalapeno next time to add another flavor. Over all this is a keeper. Its still in the 90's here so I think I'll save it for a rainy or wintery day but I will def be making t again!

Menu Monday

This was my first time doing meal planning for 2 weeks and I think I like it. Here we are starting week 2 and I don't need to grocery shop or stress about what to make. All I had to do was adjust the meals to my work schedule so that dinner would be ready before 10 o'clock at night.

I saved the meals with ingredients would last the longest for this week to alleviate the need to run to the store. I am at a loss as to the most realistic, fresh and price conscience place to shop. I was going to our local grocery store, Publix, which I love they usually have a fantastically fresh produce selection but Walmart still is the best place to buy non perishables and paper products. I hate having to make 2 stops. I have been thinking of trading off and shopping each once a month - maintaining my bi-weekly trips. I would also like to frequent our local farmer market but my work schedule makes this a tad hard, We have a local Co-Op that I'd like to try and my BFF has a butcher she goes to for quality meat and great prices. In a perfect world I'd buy on of those vacuum sealers and shop the butcher and Walmart once a month and make weekly trips to the farmers market, but I am still at the trial and error stage of nailing down a routine that works for me. I'm open to suggestions and hearing about how you divi up your shopping.

Now on to the menu - here's what I have in store for the week.

Monday - Kielbasa Pasta - (well that's what I named it tonight) Its a meal I grew up on but we just called it Kielbasa  which is fine if it is the only form you eat it but should I find another dish with this ingredient it'd be hard to differentiate. All you do is saute carrot slices, kielbasa slices and an onion. Boil egg noodles and drain. Mix the two and volia a great smelling home and a flavorful dish on the table.

Tuesday - Taco Tuesday for the hubs and work for me, I'll take left overs.

Wednesday - Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Corn

Thursday - Aunt Lori's Chicken Tortilla Soup - Stay tuned as this is my family recipe for the week.

Friday - Lasagna & Garlic bread ( unfortunately I work 11-8 so Stouffers will be hosting this meal but its a good sub when there no time to make it from scratch)

Saturday the MR will be taking me out on a good by dinner as he's leaving to do more traveling for work.

Sunday will see me alone with the Pup but I have a wedding shower to go to for a co-worker and I going through my Dips and Desert recipes to try and work in a 2nd recipe for the week.

Best Blueberry Muffins

In a large bowl combine
1/2 Cup rolled oats
1/2 Cup Orane Juice


In another bowl Combine
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Veg Oil
1 Egg Beaten


add to oats and OJ mixture - mix until all is coated. Gently fold in 1 Cup blueberries. Spoon into muffin tin with liners.

Blend 2 Tbs Sugar and 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon  sprinkle over batter.


Bake at 400 for 18-22 mins- makes 12 muffins

Laura's Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

3 Tbs Butter
2 Tbs Flour
2 Tsp Salt
Pepper to taste
2 Cups hot milk
1 1/2 Cup Shreddd Chedder Cheese
6 Potatoes, pealed and sliced
1 Small Onion Chopped

Melt butter in a double broiler or sauce pan over medium heat. Add flour, salt and pepper. Cook stirring constantly until smooth, Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook stirring constantly until thickened. Add cheese and cook continue stirring until melted. Layer potato slices, onion and cheese sauce in a lightly greased  9x13 baking dish. Repeat layers.

Bake @ 350 for 1 hour

If you love scalloped potatoes this is the BOMB! I usually make the boxed ones but these were super easy and better tasting. I added ham so that it could be an all in one meal, and the turn out was a success - both of us went back for seconds and there is still enough for me to take for lunch. It was a rainy day and this is a perfect meal for that kind of weather or for a winter meal.

Laura's Grilled Flank Steak

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
3/8 Cup Veg Oil
1 1/2 Tbs Oriental Sesame Oil
5 Garlic Cloves minced
3 Tbs minced Ginger
6 Green Onions White and Green parts trimmed and minced
1 (2-21/2 lb) Flank steak
Salt
Fresh ground pepper

Process first 6 ingredients in a blender for 1-2 minutes
Reserve 1/3 of marinade for basting
Rub Steak with salt and pepper
Combine steak and Marinade in large zip lock bag for 1-2 days
Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade
Grill steak 4-5 inches above hot coals for 5 minutes each side for rare - or to your liking
Basting occasionally with reserved marinade - Steak may also be broiled

TIP - always bring meat to room temp before grilling to reduce cooking time and ensure more even cooking.

This was very simple and taste. I love prepping food the night before so that when I get home from work dinner is effortless and delish! I am not very good at choosing meat so I admit I took quite a while searching out with Steak to buy and honestly I don't remember what I picked and will have the same look of confusion next time i am in the Meat section of the grocery store. I added a baked potato and a summer salad that my sisters MIL made while I was in NY. Tomato, Cucumber and Onion drizzled with Oil and Vinegar salt and pepper. I still need to work on my proportions because hers def tasted better than mine but i'll keep at it.

Missin My Kitchen

This summer has thrown me thru a loop. With me changing job locations and a husband who likes to globe trot - we lost all semblance of normalcy and routine. I wont lie it took a much bigger toll on me that I expected and the last 2 months have been pretty tough.

 Mentally I have been counting down to September when I expected things to slow down. It has been my excuse for every thing. When will I start to eat healthy? In September. When will I make it back to church? In September. When will I keep my house clean? In September. When will I start working out? In September. Well I've got 2 weeks and a lot to do so I'm attempting a just start.

I spent last week with my family in New York and then we spent the weekend in MD with the Hub's family celebrating the BEE-U-Tee-Ful wedding of his brother! After a nightmare of a Southwest flight we made it home at 1am. Thankfully I was off today and took advantage of the day to get my Sh*t together. DR appointment rescheduled - check, Bills paid - check, Vet price quotes for neuter and shots - check, Mountains of dirty clothes washed and folded - check. but the biggest thing to tackle - grocery shopping.

It all started with a "little" List

That turned into this

That finally enabled me to bring back MENU MONDAY for 2 weeks! And the double bonus - I will tackle 5 family recipes! Tomorrow marks 10 months in and I still have a lot of cooking and baking to complete or else I may request an extension to complete this experiment!

Woo hoo this excites me! So here is whats planned for this week.

Monday

Chicken Pot Pie - by Aunt Jeanne

Cheesy Rice & Beans - by Aunt Jeanne

Tuesday

Taco Tuesday - @ Tijuana Flats

Wednesday 

Flank Steak - by the Newest MRS. Fij (as of Saturday to be exact)

Baked Potato

Tomato Salad

Thursday

Ham

Scalped Potatoes - again by the new MRS

Friday

Grilled Chicken & Veggie Skewers

Grilled corn on the cob

Stay tuned for more recipes, reviews and menus!

Aunt Jeanne's Cheesy Rice and Beans

1 Cup uncooked Brown rice
1 Can drained Red beans (or half and half red & Black)
3 Tbs Margarine
1 Cup chopped onions (red/green peppers optional)
1/2 Cup chopped Celery
16oz can chopped tomato
2 Tsp chili powder
1/2 Tsp salt
2 Cups shredded cheddar of jack cheese


Cook rice
Saute onions, peppers and celery in margarine
stir in tomatoes, chili powder and salt
In a casserole dis layer mixture, rice and cheese
repeat and end with cheese

Bake at 350 45 mins

Aunt Jeanne's Chicken Pot Pie

2 pie Crusts
3 Cups cooked cubed Chicken
1 Can All Veggies drained
1 Cup Chicken broth
1 Cup milk
4 Tbs butter
4 heaping Tbs flour

Cook and thicken with flour. Pour into uncooked pie crust
Bake at 425 for 25-30 mins