Works For Me Wednesday - Recipes! July 2, 2008

Shannon asked for 5 ingredient or less recipes for this week’s Works For Me Wednesday.  Although, I’ve posted this recipe before, I thought it deserved a re-run!  Enjoy!

Egg and Sausage Muffins

1 pound cooked, drained sausage

12 eggs

1/4 cup cream

A dash each of salt and pepper

Optional ingredients according to your personal taste: shredded cheese, salsa, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, etc.

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray.  Spoon browned sausage into each tin filling halfway.  Mix eggs, cream, and other ingredients.  Spoon on top of sausage filling the tin nearly to the top.  Bake for 20 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 350 degrees.  Remove from oven and let sit for a few minutes.  Use a spoon or knife to gently remove from the tin.  Serve warm.  This recipe makes a dozen muffins.

These muffins can also be frozen to thaw for a later date, or pop one out of the freezer each night to thaw in the fridge for the next day’s breakfast.  Yummy!

Head over to Rocks in My Dryer for more great Works For Me Wednesday recipes!

Menu Plan Monday June 22, 2008

Well, after my blogging hiatus, I’m back to posting my weekly menus.  I was partly successful at following a menu while I wasn’t posting, but I think that everything that was going on contributed more to that than the fact that I wasn’t posting my menu here.  I still had a menu posted in my kitchen, but the events of certain days and weeks really steamrolled me at times. 

Hopefully, this week will go off without a hitch!  Without further ado, here’s this week’s menu!

Sunday: Rosemary Steak in Red Wine Sauce - NEW

Monday: Grilled Chicken with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce and Zuchini - NEW - Due to the tomato issue right now, I’ll be using a can of my organic fire roasted tomatoes from the pantry for my sauce.

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Beef Lo Mein - NEW - I’ll be using some roast and probably some chicken also from previous meals that I’ve got in the freezer for this dish to cut down on time.

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Chicken Alfredo with Mushrooms, Peas, Tomatoes and Penne - NEW -This isn’t something I’ve made before and it’s just going to be a bunch of things I’ll be throwing together.  No special recipe or anything.  Again, I’ll be using canned tomatoes from the pantry for safety, and leftover chicken from Monday’s meal to save time.

Saturday: Chili Rubbed Pork Chops - NEW - I’m not using cinnamon like the recipe calls for and will be mixing the spices with a tiny bit of worchestershire sauce to form a paste to rub on the pork chops before grilling them.

Wow!  I’m doing a lot of new dishes this week.  I’ll let you know next week how they all turn out.

Head over to I’m an Organizing Junkie for more great menus and recipes!

Menu Plan Monday May 11, 2008

I did have one change from last week’s menu, and moved the Chicken with Porcini Sauce to Sunday instead of cooking it Saturday.  It was my first time making this recipe, and let me just say YUM!  It’s definitely a keeper.  It took me longer than I like to spend on a weeknight, but I should be able to significantly decrease the time I spend making it after I’ve whipped it up a few more times. 

Here’s this week’s menu plan!

Sunday: Pan-Seared Chicken in Porcini Mushroom Sauce with Orzo

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Chicken Chaquilles - If this recipe is good, I’ll probably post it this coming Saturday for Saturday Stirrings.

Wednesday: Chicken Fried Rice - The recipe calls for pork, but I have leftover chicken so that’s what I’m using.

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pork Chops and Orzo

Saturday: Spaghetti Carbonara

Head over to I’m an Organzing Junkie for more great menus and recipes!

Menu Plan Monday May 4, 2008

Well, after things being crazy at work (which actually is the norm!) and my being REALLY sick the past week, I think I’m set to get back to my weekly menu posting.  It will actually be a relief since I’ve felt a bit lost having to wing it so much lately.  Of course when I was sick, I felt like actually getting something edible in front of The Bean was a triumph in itself!

This week’s menu is heavy on chicken.  But we like it, and these are dishes that will help me use up some ingredients in the fridge before they’re stored too long. 

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken - After the crockpot fiasco, my mom was kind enough to get me a new one for my birthday last week.  Thanks, Mom!

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Sweet and Tangy Sloppy Joes - The last of my deep freeze stash.  I’ll have to make some more soon to have on hand.

Wednesday: Chicken with Sun-dried Tomato Basil Sauce and Orzo pasta

Thursday: Leftovers 

Friday: Chicken and Pepper Jack Taquitos

Saturday: Pan Seared Chicken with Porcini Sauce - This will be a new recipe for me.  I know already that I’ll be leaving the chestnuts out since I don’t cook with nuts.  Also, I’ll be substituting regular onion for the shallots.  I’ll let you know next week how it turned out, and more importantly, if we liked it!

Head over to I’m An Organizing Junkie for more great menus and recipes!

Menu Plan Monday April 13, 2008

As happened the week before, I had to rearrange last week’s menu a bit.  The Honey Teriyaki Chicken Fingers got moved to this week since we had suprise inspectors at work which is the way of the world when you work in a long-term care facility. 

The new recipe I tried last week, the Upside Down Sausage and Mushroom Pizza, was good the night I made it, but leftovers the next day were even better.  It seems that this is one of those dishes that is better after the flavors have the chance to meld a bit.  When I made it, I used regular ground breakfast sausage since that’s what I had on hand.  I also left out the olives since we don’t care for them at our house.  I pureed the onion and will likely cut down on the amount I use next time since T said the onion flavor was a little strong for him.  I also used a whole jar of pizza sauce and dumped in some oregano and basil instead of using some pizza sauce and some pasta sauce.  Next time, I’ll probably try it with ground turkey or beef browned with garlic and throw in some sun-dried tomatos and perhaps a few roasted red or yellow peppers along with some fresh herbs.  Hmmm…I wonder if some artichoke hearts or some spinach would be good in this too.  We’ll see.  While it was definitely good, it is a recipe that I’ll continue to tweak to adapt it to our personal tastes. 

The only new recipe for me this week is the Honey Teriyaki Chicken Fingers.  I’ll give you my feedback on that one when I post next week’s menu.

Without further ado, here’s this week’s menu plan.

Sunday: Honey Teriyaki Chicken Fingers with Sesame Seeds

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Spaghetti and Meatballs

Wednesday: Stromboli 

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Bacon Cheeseburger Roll-Up (requested by my sweet husband)

Saturday: Crock Pot Chicken

Head over to I’m An Organizing Junkie for more great menus and recipes!

Ice Cream Bean April 9, 2008

Having signed The Bean up for numerous birthday clubs, we’ve been getting a slew of emails good for free birthday treats.  The other day, we stopped off at Baskin Robbins so she could enjoy her free, birthday ice cream cone.  It was the first time she’s had an official ice cream cone, so of course, I took the camera to document the experience for posterity. 

 

Menu Plan Monday April 7, 2008

Well, last week’s menu didn’t quite go off at planned due to The Bean being sick…on her birthday no less.  Poor thing.  So there are a couple of dishes from last week’s menu that have been relocated to this week’s menu plan. 

Sunday: Crock Pot Pork Loin with Apples

Monday: Upside Down Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Tuesday: Leftovers

Wednesday: Honey Teriyaki Chicken Fingers with Sesame Seeds

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Pancakes with Strawberries, Bacon and Scrambled Eggs

Saturday: Chicken and Pepper Jack Taquitos

Head over to I’m An Organizing Junkie for more great menus and recipes.

Saturday Stirrings - Crock Pot Pork Loin With Apples April 6, 2008

This is cooking away in my crockpot as we speak.  It’s smelling really delicious, so I’m anticipating it will taste wonderful when it’s done.  It’s my first time making this dish, but the prep was so simple and quick. 

***** UPDATE*****

I just took this out of the crockpot, and oh my word is it tender and tasty!  T tasted it and tried to walk off with the entire dish and a fork.  It is more than we can eat in a meal or two, but will freeze easily and will lend itself to adding of BBQ sauce for pulled pork sandwiches.  Yummy!

Crock Pot Pork Loin with Apples

1 pork loin/roast

1/2 cup chicken broth

4 medium apples

juice from one lemon or 3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Brown the pork loin in a pan on the stove.  Cut the apples into 8ths and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the apples.  Nestle the pork loin on top of the apples.  Pour the chicken broth over the apples and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cook on low 6 - 7 hours. 

To serve, remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on platter tented with foil.  Let rest for 15 minutes.  Carve and serve with apples.

Head over to It Coulda Been Worse for more great recipes!

Menu Plan Monday March 30, 2008

Here’s this week’s menu.  Both Friday’s and Saturday’s dishes are new recipes for me, so I’ll let you know next week how they turned out.

My parents (AKA Gran and Paw) visited this weekend and enjoyed the Spicy Wok Seared Shrimp from last week’s menu.  Mom even had me email it to her so she could make it at home.  There you go…Two more endorsements.

Sunday: Crockpot Chicken

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Mamaw’s Spaghetti and Meatballs

Wednesday: Chicken Quesadillas

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Upside-Down Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Saturday: Crockpot Pork Loin with Apples

Head over to I’m An Organizing Junkie for more great menus and recipes!

Saturday Stirrings - Shrimp Alfredo March 29, 2008

I just dumped all this in a pot one day and it tasted pretty good.  It’s easy and basically fool-proof, but people will think you spent a lot more time on it than you did.  It’s also a good dish for adding to or adjusting based on your own personal preferences.   

Shrimp Alfredo

1 pound, peeled and de-veined shrimp

1 jar prepared alfredo sauce of your choice

 about 12 - 16 ounces of whole wheat linguine noodles

about 6 seeded and diced roma tomatoes

8-10 ounces of sliced mushrooms

olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

parmesan cheese

Put the pasta on to boil per package directions.  Saute the mushrooms in olive oil until browned and set aside.  Saute the shrimp and garlic in the olive oil.  Add in the alfredo sauce and mushrooms; stir until heated throughly.   Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes.  Toss with the cooked, drained pasta.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Head over to It Coulda Been Worse for more great recipes!