Dinners 9-11

Slower cooker Steak and Potatoes-easy

 We couldn't decide if this dish needed to be eaten in a bowl or on a plate so we did both.  It still tasted good and was super easy.  Throw everything in the crock pot and 5-7 hours later (depends on your pot) viola!  Dinner is done.  We served it with cornbread because it sounded good. We didn't have any leftovers. 

1 1/2 lb beef tip steak, trimmed

brown gravy packet

1teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups sliced onions

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 teaspoon sugar

1 bag (19 oz)  frozen veggies (pick your favorite)

4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes-quartered

 Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  Place onions on bottom. Place meat on top of onions (my steaks were thinner cuts and it wasn't one piece of meat.  That might change cooking times for you).  Put everything else in the crock pot.  Turn it on low and cook about 5-7 hours depending on how your crock pot cooks.

Garlic Chicken

 We were rushed this night because of a last minute activity (we went to go look at a house, which we are moving to in 2 weeks.  aaagh).  This was an easy dish and can be prepared earlier or you can have the kids help chop things which will also speed up the process (I had Damon help me.  He said it was to involved for him).  Such a yummy and light Italian meal.  It can easily be turned into a vegetarian meal.  Just leave the chicken out. I got this recipe from the website The Sister's Cafe.  It has some really yummy recipes.

1 Tb olive oil

1 lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, sliced crosswise

1 tsp salt

1 Tb olive oil

6-8 cloves garlic, crushed (1 rounded Tb)

1/2 lb mushrooms, quartered (we left these out because we don't like them)

1/2 c green onions, sliced

3/4 c red or orange sweet peppers

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (undrained)

1/2 c chicken broth

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups dry bow tie pasta – cook as directed

1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped (may use fresh parsley)

parmesan cheese, grated

 

1. Fry chicken in oil over medium heat until done. Sprinkle with salt and remove from skillet. Keep warm. Cook pasta while chicken is cooking in separate pot.

2.Cook garlic in oil until golden. Add mushrooms, green onions and peppers – cook 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth, red pepper, cornstarch and salt. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Combine chicken, hot mixture, pasta and cilantro in a big bowl. Stir.  Add as much  fresh parmesan to as you like!

Cafe Rio pulled pork- soooooooooooooooooo gooooooooooood!!

           If you have never been to Cafe Rio you won't appreciate the dish as  much, but it is still good.  For the SoCal residents there is one in Orange County and also one in Redlands.  That's about it right now.  They are super good.  Their pulled pork is amazing.  I tried a version of it that I found online and Damon said we didn't need to go to the restaurant anymore because we could just make it at home!  It was that yummy.

• 2 pounds pork ( boneless pork rib meat)
• 3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• dash garlic salt
• 1/4 c. water
• 1 can diced green chilies
• 3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I used the whole can)
• 1 c. brown sugar

• Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag or a plastic bowl (I don't like creating more trash than necessary) to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.
• Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.
• In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.
• Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. 

 We used our meat and put them in tortillas and had burritos.  We added all the fixins we like, black beans, guacamole, sour cream cheese and of course tortilla chips

Dinner conversation while eating this yummy food.  I had to make myself stop eating it.

Winter Fun!

 We finally made it up to the slopes and what a beautiful day it was.  We went to Brighton.  We had a great day!

 The kids took ski lessons and Damon and I got 2 hours to ourselves to ski.  I think next time we go we will put them in 4 hour lessons or maybe Damon and I will just head up there one day while the kids are at school.  We have never been skiing with just the two of us.  The kids have always been there with us. 

 The kids all did a great job in their ski class.  It was amazing in the differences we saw in them.

 My boys crack me up.  I have one who goes down very carefully and more concerned about form and posture.  I have the other who just points his skis downhill and goes and likes to go off the trail through the trees.  I won't say which is which, but I'm sure you can figure it out!

That pretty much sums up the day.  We were all exhausted by the end of it.  We are already planning our next adventure up the mountain!

Dinner's 6-8 and Valentine's Day!

 Dinner #6-Mandarin Chicken Stir Fry

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained and 2 tablespoons syrup reserved

1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained and juice reserved

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon finely chopped gingerroot

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 package (6 ounces) frozen snow (Chinese) pea pods, thawed and drained

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

Mix vinegar, soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, red pepper, reserved orange syrup and pineapple juice in small bowl; set aside.
  
Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, gingerroot and garlic; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Stir in soy sauce mixture. Heat to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Stir in pea pods, onions and pineapple; heat through. Fold in orange segments. Serve over rice.  

Everyone except me was luke warm to this recipe.  We served it with chow mien and the kids liked that. 

 Happy Love Day!  It's not Valentine's Day without sugar cookies....

 or heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast.

#7  Ravioli Bake (it's not a very pretty dish, but it tasted really good)

1 jar (26 to 28 ounces) tomato pasta sauce (any variety)

1 package (25 to 27 1/2 ounces) frozen cheese-filled ravioli

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish 13x9x2-inches, with cooking spray.

 Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in single layer over sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

 Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in center. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. 

I used more sauce and also added garlic and ricotta cheese.  You could also add in extra veggies into the sauce like spinach or broccoli, or if you like meat in your dish add that into the sauce as well.  We loved this dish.  I also made this earlier in the day and then threw it in the oven when it was getting close to dinner time.  We served it with homemade rolls and veggies.

#8 Mexican Chicken and Beans

1 lb uncooked chicken breast strips for stir-fry

1 package  taco seasoning mix

1 can (15 oz)  black beans, drained, rinsed

1 can (11 oz) whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, undrained

1/4 cup water

Flour tortillas, if desired

Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken to skillet; cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center.

 Stir in seasoning mix, beans, corn and water. Cook over medium-high heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve with tortillas and tortilla chips.

We really liked this dish.  We thought throwing in some tomatoes, either fresh or canned (fresh would be better) would be a nice addition.  I also just used normal corn and added in my own fresh red and green bell peppers.   

Dinners 5- Mardi Gras

Celebrating Mardi Gras a little early because of  Cub Scouts Blue and Gold dinner on the real Mardi Gras.

Easy Jambalaya
One box Zataran's New Orleans Jambalaya
Water
Black Beans
Sausage

Follow the instructions on the box and you have a great dinner for Mardi Gras! We did two kinds, one with black beans, one without.  You can also add corn, or tomato sauce for a bit of a mix up.

 

Of course you can't celebrate Mardi Gras without a King Cake!!

and a little bit of craziness...We got to celebrate with family who used to live in Louisiana.  They've actually gone to the real Mardi Gras!

A Quick Trip "Home"

The kids had a few days off this last week so we decided to take a quick trip back down to California.  It was so wonderful to be back down there.  It was such a quick trip, but we managed to squeeze a lot in.

We left Wednesday after school and drove down to St. George.  We spent the night there and then Thursday we headed down to Mortensen Manor.  I met with the accountant to get our taxes done (joy).  Then we relaxed with the cousins.

Friday we got up and drove to Disneyland.  It poured rain on us during the drive, but when we got to the parks it was nice and sunny and warm (well, warmer for us 59*F).  We had a great day at the park.  There was a power outage for 45minutes and a couple of crazy storm clouds that would dump a ton of water and then disappear.  Noah went on Space Mountain and loved it.  There was hardly anyone there which is always nice.  It was a great day at the parks.

Saturday we drove down to San Diego.  We went to our house and cleaned out some stuff.  The kids got to go out to lunch with some of their friends and play at their houses.  Lily got to spend an hour with our old babysitter, Kaitlyn. I got to get my hair done and drive around Scripps.  We Love that neighborhood and miss it so much.  A very short trip, but a productive one.

Sunday we drove back to St. George and met Damon who had flown down from Salt Lake.  We drove back up through snow storms (yippie) and arrived back safe and sound.  A fast weekend trip, but super fun!

Dinners 3 & 4

Both of these dinners were a big success and prep time can be done early so that is wonderful.  I love having dinner prepared before the kids get home from school and the chaos begins.


Gluten Free Chicken Nuggets- who doesn't like chicken nuggets? (I doubled the recipe for the 5 of us and there wasn't anything left)

3 cups Corn Chex cereal-or any other brand

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika (I omitted this because I'm not a big fan)

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1 tablespoon milk

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1x1-inch pieces

 Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Crush cereal. (To easily crush cereal, place in plastic bag or between sheets of waxed paper, and crush with rolling pin.) 

 In medium bowl, stir together crushed cereal, cheese, salt, seasoned salt, paprika and garlic powder. In small bowl, stir together melted butter and milk. Dip chicken into butter mixture, then roll in cereal mixture to coat evenly. Place on cookie sheet.

 Bake 9 minutes; turn nuggets over. Bake about 8 minutes longer or until coating is light golden brown and chicken is no longer pink in center.



 Slow Cooker Alfredo Lasagna

 The picture doesn't do it justice, but it was really good and a great way to squeeze in some extra veggies. I also made homemade Italian bread because it is oh so yummy!

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

2 bags (14.4 oz each) frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry, thawed and well drained

2 cans (18 oz each) Progresso Recipe Starters creamy Parmesan basil cooking sauce

12 uncooked lasagna noodles

3 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (12 oz)

In this recipe I didn't add as much bell pepper or onion, but added broccoli and carrots, chopped into small pieces. 

In 12-inch skillet, cook sausage over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in vegetables and cooking sauce.

Spray 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the sausage mixture into slow cooker; top with 4 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the cheese. Repeat layers two more times--except do not top with remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. (Refrigerate remaining cheese while lasagna cooks.) Top noodles evenly with remaining sausage mixture, completely covering noodles.

Cover and cook on Low heat setting 4 to 5 hours or until noodles are tender. Sprinkle top of lasagna with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with basil. Cut into pieces, or spoon out to serve.

Super yummy and super easy.  Enjoy!!  

Dinner 1 & 2

Well the month of new meals has started.  It may not be a month straight, but 28 new meals are coming your way.  As we start this I know life will throw challenges along the way.  I am trying to be more calm about that.  So this month isn't just a new month of cooking.  It's about keeping calm and cooking on.

Dinner #1- Chicken Thai Pie
    This was good.  It tasted like eating egg rolls just in a pot pie.  I suggest serving this with a sauce.  Any Asian sauce will do.  We used a tangy sweet and sour sauce.

Thai Chicken Mixture

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon Thai red curry paste

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture

1/2 cup Bisquick mix(or any other baking mixture or make your own from scratch)

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Peanuts and sliced green onions to garnish.

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
  
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add green onions, cilantro, red curry paste and lime juice, stirring occasionally, until mixture is heated through. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup Thai chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto Thai chicken mixture in each muffin cup

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops of pies are golden brown. Ten minutes into baking, carefully open oven and sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon peanuts on top of each muffin. Close oven door and finish baking. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer; serve with sliced green onions. 

  Dinner #2-Super Bowl Sunday
     What better way to watch the big game then with nachos.  We didn't just have one kind of nachos, we had two.  So so yummy.  We all ate to much.

 Potachos

1 bag (32 oz) frozen potato nuggets

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed (we used ground beef instead)

1 can (4.5 oz)  chopped green chiles, drained

1/2 cup salsa

1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (6 oz)

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 cup sour cream

Additional toppings, as desired (thinly sliced green onion, chopped fresh cilantro, seeded and chopped fresh jalapeño pepper, sliced ripe olives, guacamole, additional salsa)

 Heat oven to 450°F. Arrange frozen potato nuggets in single layer on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake 24 to 26 minutes until hot and crisp. Line another cookie sheet or pizza pan with cooking parchment paper or foil.

In medium bowl, mix beans, chiles and salsa. Spread half of the potato nuggets on lined cookie sheet. Spoon half of the bean mixture over potatoes. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Top with remaining potatoes, bean mixture and cheese. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts.

Top with tomato and avocado. Serve with sour cream. Top with additional toppings as desired.

  
Kansas City BBQ nachos

6 cups triangle-shaped corn tortilla chips (8 oz)

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1 can (16 oz) spicy chili beans, undrained

1 container (18 oz) refrigerated seasoned shredded pork in original BBQ sauce

1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, drained, chopped (from 12-oz jar)(we left this out)

1 cup tangy vinaigrette-style deli coleslaw, drained (we left this out too)

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

 Heat oven to 400°F. Line 12-inch pizza pan or 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Spread half of chips evenly on pan. Sprinkle 1 cup of the cheese over chips.

 In medium bowl, mix chili beans, pork and jalapeños. Drop half of mixture by small spoonfuls over chips. Repeat layers with chips, cheese and pork mixture.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with coleslaw and green onions. Serve immediately.


Good luck and enjoy!!