Pizza Friday :).....Sienna here we come!

Okay, so growing up EVERY FRIDAY was "Pizza Friday"....the type of Pizza varied but one constant was "Pizza Friday". Growing up in Virginia we had "Godfathers Pizza" which was a chain but I have fond memories of going there for pizza from time to time, or making pizza at home on french bread and a million other ways.....OR for a while we bought Totinos....the thin (and cheap) pizza that is still a staple in my home :) SOOOOOOOOO, fast forward to moving to Texas, high school, college, post college working in the "real world" etc....... All friends I met along the way have ALL been introduced to "Pizza Friday" and if they lived in the Dallas area most likely they were invited to a "Pizza Friday" at my parents house. It is just a great way to end the work week...no pressure for cooking/thinking, nothing too crazy, just gathering with friends or just our family for a beverage(those have improved as I matured :) and a slice :)

SOOOOOOOO, now that i've told you more than you ever wanted to know....guess what tonight's menu is.... PIZZA!!!

My tip is if you live in Coppell/Irving, TX and you have NOT been to Sienna Pizza and Pasta...GO NOW! We are there once a week I must admit....either for pick up or to eat there. They have watched both of my children grow from itty bitty to 6 and 3 :) and they are always there to greet them with hugs and lollipops at the end of dinner or pizza pick up :)

SO, Sienna Pizza and Salad is the meal for tonight!!!
I hope you all have a great weekend and find some time to relax and spend with those you love!

Thursday...a little late :)

Sorry for the delay....my mind is still foggy from Spring Break :)

Here is Thursday's Meal....SO GOOD and the best part about this is that you can freeze any or all...this is a great meal to take to a sick friend, or house with new baby, etc.... I have brought this to people and divided it up into Tupperware containers so they could freeze and bring out in single serve sizes, etc... And it only gets better after the freezer :) Yum

Sausage Vegetable Soup/Pasta

1lb sweet Italian Sausage(Johnsonville)
1 Lg onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic
3 14 1/2 oz cans of beef broth - or 43.5oz....yes I have a college degree but still have to really think about how much broth I need when i make this :)
2 141/2oz cans of diced tom - undrained....I usually add more b/c we like it with a little extra tom. but you can stick to the recipe if you like
8oz. can tom. sauce....and I usually add more to this part too :)
1 cup dry red wine....gee, what will I suggest here....pour yourself a glass too while you cook :)
2 carrots thinly sliced
1 Tblspoon sugar
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 small zucchini
1 9oz. pack of cheese tortellini
1/2 cup of parm cheese

1. Brown sausage - don't forget to remove the casing.....i would have not done this if they did not tell me :)
2. add onion and garlic while browning the sausage....enjoy the yummy smell :)
3. if you have not poured your glass of vino....do so now
4. Stir in broth, and next 6 ingredients into a big stock pot and simmer for a bit - I usually brown the sausage in a skillet and then add it to the big stock pot - and i drain the sausage a bit too.
5. add tortellini and zucchini during the last 10 minutes.....BUT if you are going to make a big batch and freeze you can do so and just freeze with the tortellini in it as well....it works just fine when you re-heat.
6. serve with parm. cheese on top and some crusty bread....okay and a nice salad to round out the meal :) OH and I also use the whole wheat tortellini - YUM...just as good and makes me feel better :) but you can add any and all vegetables to this as it is so yummy!

Tuesday...Taco Night/Wednesday...Chicken with wine :)

Okay, so I blanked on my post last night so here is the all too exciting Tuesday night dinner first and I will go ahead and post my Wednesday night dinner since it's a crazy kids activity night. :)

Taco Night
We do not re-invent the wheel here...pretty basic....
1 lb of lean ground beef
1 package of Old El Paso taco seasoning (prepare as directed)
Multi Grain Tostitos vs. taco shells (b/c we can NEVER buy shells that are not stale...if anyone has any tips on this, please share)
Cheese
Salsa
Black Beans
Tom/Onion, etc....

We basically use the chips to scoop and into our "mish mosh" of taco yummy-ness :) Sometimes we use tortillas instead but last night was the chip/taco night. :) YUM!

Chicken With Wine :)
1 tbl flour (salt and pepper in this mix)
1 tblsp olive oil
1 pound skinless boneless chicken - sliced into 8 cutlets and pounded thin (great way to get your frustration out at the end of the day :)
1 1/2 tblspn butter
10 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 lg shallot - finely chopped
1 cup red wine (for the dish...of course pour yourself one to drink while cooking too :)
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp fresh thyme

Combine flour, and about 1/4 tsp salt and pepper and coat chicken, shake off excess and in a large skillet heat olive oil over med/high heat. Working in batches, add chicken and cook, turning once until JUST cooked - about 5 min.
Transfer to a plate.
Add 1/2 tblspn butter and mushrooms next to the pan and cook and stir until browned - about 5 min. then transfer to the plate with chicken.
Stir in shallots and remaining butter 1 tblsp.
Add wine (and take a sip now) :) and chicken broth and simmer until reduced by about a 1/3 - about 5 minutes.
Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, add thyme turn to heat through, and season with salt. :)
Serve with rice or pasta, nice green salad and loaf of crusty bread and YUM! Enjoy....

Monday...."Time to make the doughnuts" :)

Okay, so you know the week is going to be crazy when you use your "easy dinner" on the first night of the work/school week :) Oh well...here is my "real" Monday night dinner....I promise I have better plans for the rest of the week!!!

Tonights Menu:
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER
Eggs(half egg whites and half good old fashion egg, yolk and all) scrambled with american cheese
Turkey Bacon
Grapes
Toast/Bagels

I know....So not impressive.....I can at least say our twist on the scrambled eggs is we put a slice of american cheese(or two depending on how many eggs/egg whites) into the eggs while they are in scramble mode :) so it all blends in....makes them a bit creamier and the kids will eat them - YAY...score for me as we all ate the same meal tonight! That is a good day! I add some of my left over salsa from Mi Cocina to my eggs. YUM!

Stay tuned....I promise more exciting meals tomorrow and the rest of the week!
Happy Monday!

Spring Break is over....Back to reality!!!

Okay, so this is my first blog/first post EVER and for the week....I am already impressed with myself as we are coming down from Spring Break....ROAD TRIP with two little ones (6 and 3) and now it's "time to make the donuts" :) back to reality of grocery store, making lunches, early bed time, shower time, picking out clothes, and the list goes on and on and on!!! BUT I am trying to get my post in before Sunday is over :)

SO...as I type my 6 year old daughter is yelling at me b/c (insert huge dramatic eye roll and sigh) she HAS to go ALL THE WAY downstairs to find a brush to brush her hair...I mean really...how does life get so rough for a 6 year old! :)

Okay, back to my dinner which was fab if I do say so myself and one of my fave's....especially since it is GRILLING time with this weather.

I forgot to take a picture until "after" the meal so I took a picture of the "ancient secret" to the secret recipe :)

Okay, here is the menu for tonight:

Grilled Shrimp Fajitas

Rice

Corn

Guacamole and Salsa

Grilled Shrimp....SUPER EASY and so yummy.

*Buy frozen bag of deveined and cleaned shrimp.

*Thaw

*Season in bowl with olive oil and a light coating of Tony's

*Grill in grill pan (the kind with the holes in the bottom) on grill for about 3 minutes per side. *You could also put these on skewers but the bowl is super easy.

*We also grill onions and tom....but forgot these at the store and really who is going to go back after you've endured the grocery store with BOTH your kids.

Guacamole and Salsa

*Stop by Mi Cocina on your way home (okay, you may have to have a frozen beverage as you will have to wait at the bar for your food....i mean really it's a sin not to) :) and pick up small order of guac and pint of salsa....YUM!

Serve with warm tortillas, rice and corn and TA-DA...the meal of champions!

(Now if you think my PICKIEST EATERS ON THE PLANET children ate this....wrong.....BUT I threw in some chicken nuggets for them and that just meant more shrimp for Drew and I) :)

Enjoy and see you tomorrow!

A little something extra...for breakfast, lunch or dinner

mine collapsed in the center when i took them out of the oven. but my 2 year old - who HATES all things eggs - ate 3 bites before deciding he didn't like it. That is a HUGE success in my house! 

Saturday: Get a sitter, order pizza

Okay. That's cheating. So I'll post a recipe even though I'm most likely not cooking on a Saturday night.

How about this one:
Baked Orange Roughy Italian Style with rice and steamed veggies
Prep time 15 minutes or less
Cook time 15 minutes

Ingredients
1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 pound orange roughy fillets
1/4 cup butter melted
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400
Coat a medium baking dish with non-stick coating spray
In a shallow bowl mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, romano cheese, garlic powder and salt.
Brush both sides of the ourange roughy fillets with butter and dredge in the bread crumb mixture
Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with parsley
Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Calories 242 Total Fat 4.4g and Cholesterol 105mg

Friday: Cerveza Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Heavy on the Cerveza)

used one for the recipe. drank 2

i highly recommend this approach

mine didn't turn out as pretty as the cook book one, but what it lacked in presentation it made up for in taste!

I added the diced veggies to the actual mix and it was kinda heavy on the carrot taste (much to my husbands disappointment) so maybe next time I'll add less of the carrots/celery. 

Thursday: Spaghetti Pie

Wednesday: Rice Balls

Those were a huge hit for both picky hubby and super picky toddler! Here's where I suggest cutting corners: buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken instead of preparing the chicken the way the recipe suggests. And use baby food (earths best) sweet peas and creamed spinach medly puree and wow! I made one batch with the pea/spinach puree and the other batch with sweet potato babyfood and the spinach one was so much better!
You probably don't need it, but as a side dish, I threw some frozen sweet potato french fries on a cookie sheet, sprinkled them with salt and pepper and baked em at 350 until they seemed right. Nothing but the fanciest for my family!

Tuesday: Korean Barbecue Beef

Oh man! My husband went NUTS over this and said it was truly the best meal I have ever served up.

I added some sugar snap peas that I just steamed in the microwave (of course, I was the only one who ate those). We will absolutely be eating this meal again. 

Monday: Mexican Hodge Podge

This is my helter-skelter recipe that I go to in a pinch. I thought I'd start off the menu list with this one to really impress you all with my kitchen artistry!

Lets say I made beef soft taco's a day or so ago and I have lots of leftover ground beef. My family isn't really jazzed about leftovers. So I turn that into what I like to call Mexican Hodge Podge. 

Take the ground beef (however much you've got), a can of Mexican corn (drained), dump some salsa, a handful of shredded cheese, maybe a drained can of Rotel (drained), a bag of Uncle Bens 90 second microwave Spanish rice and a dollop of sour cream and mix that all up in a bowl. 

Microwave and......Voila! Mexican Hodge Podge. 

It's really, really good.

(maybe a little high in sodium, but it's quick, easy and a crowd pleaser for sure)

You could Jessica Seinfeld it with some kind of veggie puree. But I'm gonna keep this one just the way it is for now!

I'd post a picture, but then you probably wouldn't make it!

Sunday: Turkey Chili

Serve it up hot with some Jiffy corn bread and YUMM! Sneaking in veggies into something we all enjoy. But I only put in about half or even 1/3 of the beans. They just aren't my favorite.

Alli's Recipes for this week

I'm so glad to be a part of this blog!

And as you might guess by my ideas for the week, I'm no rock-star in the kitchen. So I'm just gonna share with you some easy recipe's straight out of some cook books that have been a hit with my family.

I might also preface by saying my husband is a SUPER picky eater as is my 2 year old. I am no health-guru but I do try to avoid eating and serving a bunch of junk. But for the sake of time, and to please the fussy eaters in my house, I do find I've been going for the quick fix, which is usually not nutritious.

 Therefore, let me introduce you to my new FAVORITE person: Jessica Seinfeld. She probably hates me though since I literally copied and pasted many of her recipe's into this blog.

Her cook book does recommend making a bunch of vegetable and fruit purees in advance. Ideas for that are listed below. But like I said, I'm no chef and couldn't care any less to find the time to spend in the kitchen so I tend to buy up baby food that is already pureed veggies in order to save time (costs more, but for me, time is money so it's a wash...plus I feed it to my 7 month old anyway, so it works for me).

Hope you enjoy this week's recipe ideas!

Thanks to all the contributors to this blog (especially Monica for coming up with this great idea) for helping me improve my culinary skills these past few weeks. My family is most appreciative!

Gwen's Week

Hello Fellow Mamas!! I am not a blogger or a cook, so this should be fun!! I have 2 boys who are constantly on the run with Basketball, Football, Baseball & Swim Team... YES, that is just this Spring!! Dallas is nuts about sports!! Many nights we are not home until after 7pm, so dinners are often rushed or grabbed on the way home. The menus I am posting are a combination of meals I wish I had time to prepare more often and a few of our "go-to" meals in a rush.

SATURDAY

Grilled Salmon

1/2 pound per Adult (or growing youth appetites)

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Thyme

Lemon

Rub a small amount of Olive Oil over Salmon. Add Salt, Pepper & Thyme to taste. Grill skin side down for about 8 minutes, flip and cook until flaky. Add lemon if desired and serve.

Sides

Steamed Asparagus

Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (original NOT fast cooking)

SUNDAY

Beef Brisket

2 oz. Liquid Smoke

1 Tablespoon Salt

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper

1 Tablespoon Sugar

2 Tablespoons Lea & Perrins

2-3 Tablespoons A-1

2 Cups Vinegar

2 Whole briskets

Combine 1st 8 ingredients in a saucepan & bring to a boil. Let cool. Pour over briskets and marinate overnight in fridge. Cover briskets & marinade with foil and cook for 6 hours @275. Remove Briskets from marinade & toss out the marinade. Slice & Serve.

MONDAY

Rotisserie Chicken from Tom Thumb $5.99!!

Signature Cafe' brand Mashed Potatoes

Signature Cafe' brand Homestyle Gravy

Veggie of choice

Note: Signature Cafe' brands are usually right below the rotisserie chicken. My boys LOVE this one (if I don't do it too often)

TUESDAY

Chicken & artichoke Hearts with Mushrooms

6 chicken breast halves skinned

1 stick butter

1/2 to 1 pound fresh mushrooms

2 Tablespoons flour

1 can chicken broth

1/2 to 1 Cup cooking sherry (or if you are drinking and cooking... what ever white wine you please)

1 14oz can artichoke hearts

Saute chicken in 1/2 stick butter - put aside. Saute mushrooms in 1/2 stick butter. Make a paste with flour and some chicken broth, then add remaining chicken broth & sherry. Pour over chicken & mushrooms. Simmer on low for 30-45 minutes. Add artichoke hearts during the last 15 minutes. Serve over rice. I usually use the Uncle Ben's boil in bag white rice... easy and good.

WEDNESDAY - It's the boys turn to make dinner!!

Pizza Crescent Rolls

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Hormel Pepperoni

Mozzarella Cheese Shredded

Any Pizza or Spaghetti Sauce

Place the Crescent dough triangles on an un-greased cookie sheet. Have your children add sauce, pepperoni & cheese to their liking, roll and bake according to the directions on the tube.

THURSDAY

Beef and Noodles

4 pounds Sirloin Tip Roast (or stew meat)

2 Tablespoons butter

1 package AuJus

1/2 Cup diced onion

Flour

2 Beef Bouillon Cubes

8oz Egg Noodles

Cut beef into bite sized cubes cutting off all fat (or go quick and easy with pre-cut stew meat). Saute beef in butter until browned. In a separate pan, mix AuJus package according to directions. Pour over browned beef in pan. Add onion and cook over low heat (just boiling) for 2 hours. Add a flour paste during the last 30 minutes. Serve over Egg Noodles which have been cooked with beef bouillon cubes.

Sides

Rolls

Veggie of choice or Salad

FRIDAY

Treat yourself - GO OUT TO DINNER!!

or... make sandwiches with Sunday's left over Brisket.

Have a GREAT week!

Gwen