Busy, Busy!

Here I am for a quick post--then it's time to get to more present wrapping, party planning and crafting. I LOVE this time of year! Here is what we're eating for dinners this week:

*Monday: Leftovers. We loved the Pork Tacos--I especially loved how easy they were!

*Tuesday: Never made Chicken Curry last week, and I have all the ingredients, plus Burke LOVES curry...

*Wednesday: Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

*Thursday: Penne with Spinach & Peppers--the kids LOVED this when I made it a few weeks ago, time for a repeat.

*Friday: Black Bean Cakes (with avocados)

*Saturday: Downtown for dinner & Christmas lights!

*Sunday: Leftovers (or Nachos)

New week.

Sorry for the absence of a post last week. I have no excuse, really. And I feel like between now and Christmas I am so busy, that dinners are going to be put on the back burner (haha). But planning them out always helps...so here's the plan:

*Monday: Baked Potatoes (or as my kids call them, "mountain potatoes". we like to top them with lots of corn, broccoli, peas, cheese, bacon, green onions, tomatoes and any other good stuff we can think of--making them like mountains.)

*Tuesday: Lentil Soup (we LOVE this stuff...)

*Wednesday: Chicken Curry with Rice

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Girl's Night! We'll be eating somewhere yummy...Burke will get to play chef here at home while I'm gone. ;)

*Saturday: White Bean Dip with crusty bread slices & fruit

*Sunday: Crock Pot Pulled Pork Tacos

Thankful Week.

Isn't Thanksgiving great? Don't you love how this time of year practically forces you to think about all that you have? It's such a great feeling to realize that no matter how difficult our circumstances, we have A LOT. Just being able to live on this earth is an incredibly special gift. I'll be spending my Thanksgiving day with my parents (Burke is working all day :( ) and children. As for the rest of the week, today is day #1 of potty training. We'll see if I end up getting dinner on the table each night...

*Monday: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas (thanks to my sister)
*Tuesday: We didn't end up having Lasagna last Sunday, so tonight we'll have Butternut Squash Lasagna...YUM!

*Wednesday: Leftovers & baking pies! I'll be making Apple Pie with THIS crust (with apple cider vinegar??!! Can't wait to try!) & Coconut Cream Pie

*Thursday: The Big Day! My menu today was sort of inspired by an episode of "Throwdown" that I happened to watch. Bobby Flay battled Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman), and SHE won! The food all looked amazing, so we'll see how it tastes. We'll be eating:

-Simple Turkey (I don't even do anything to mine. Maybe a little salt & pepper. I've had brined/seasoned/plain turkeys before, and they all taste equally as yummy to me! So I'm sticking with simple this year)
-Stuffing-I'll use a classic recipe similar to THIS one.
-Mashed Potatoes & gravy (I just make this up with the turkey drippings, flour, salt & pepper)
-Sweet Potatoes (simple again. I roast mine in the oven with a little butter & brown sugar until they are soft & golden)
-Brussels Sprouts (I have to have something green! And we don't do green bean casserole around here...)
-Cornbread Pudding
-Rolls
-2 pies (see yesterday's post)
-Pumpkin Bread Pudding (I know it's crazy, we're not having pumpkin pie. But this looks DELICIOUS, and I'm using the excuse that when I do my big turkey dinner on Christmas Eve, I'll make pumpkin pie then.)

*Friday: Are you kidding? Leftovers for the rest of the weekend..... ;)

Pumpkin Muffins & a Thankful Tree...

If you can't tell, I am so in love with this time of year. We finally got our "thankful tree" going, I made some delicious Pumpkin Muffins, and I've started planning our Thanksgiving feast. I am one happy girl. And by the way, those muffins really were amazing. I used part white flour/part wheat flour/part flax and applesauce instead of oil to healthify them a little. And they were still scrumptious. The children loved going on a walk one day to find sticks for our Thankful Tree. I added some yarn to a few of the branches, printed out "I am Thankful For ______" tags, and I love the things that have already been added. My favorite is Ryder's "being in this earth". ;) With Burke gone a lot these days, I'm not feeling super motivated to make elaborate dinners, so here is our simple menu for the week:

*Monday: Grilled Cheese & "Red Soup" (we like the store bought low sodium Red Pepper & Tomato Soup cartons. You can usually find them near the health foods, if not in the soup aisle.)

*Tuesday: Chicken Pot Pie

*Wednesday: Squash Pot Stickers & fried rice (my kids usually love pot stickers, and they LOVE dipping things. We'll see how the squash goes over. For the rice, I use sticky white rice, mix whatever veggies I have in--usually peas, chopped carrots, chopped red peppers, scallions, etc. I fry this in a tiny bit of sesame oil with salt, pepper & soy sauce. At the end I add 1 egg to my mixture, and stir until the egg is cooked. Sometimes I add chicken or chopped ham for a heartier rice.)

*Thursday: Baked Potato Soup + Cheddar/Jalapeno Biscuits (see recipe below--from HERE)
*Friday: Leftovers

*Saturday: Down Town Chicago Date. I'm super excited to ride the train, sans kids, meet my husband downtown and eat in peace & quiet. Believe me, I'll be savoring each & every bite.

*Sunday: Easy One Pot Lasagna & Salad

Sour Cream and Cheddar Biscuits

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1/4 pound sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
Drained and chopped pickled jalapeños, to taste (I used about 2 tablespoons)
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425°F. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Either cut the butter pieces into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or rub them in with your fingertips until well-combined. Stir in the cheddar, jalapeños and sour cream until the mixture forms a sticky dough. Pat it out to a 1/2-inch thickness on a very well-floured counter and use a 3 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to cut six rounds. Bake on an ungreased (or parchment-lined, if your baking sheets are as “weathered” as mine are) for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden on top.

Here you are...

Another week of dinners from the Morin home just for you:

*Monday: Leftovers--I feel like we ate ALL WEEKEND LONG, but it was such a fun few days. Thanks to the Wilkinsons for driving here to play with us!

*Tuesday: Chili and Sour Cream & Cheddar Biscuits. I'm SO excited to make this for the first time this fall! And since I'm in the process (again) of making large batches of babyfood, I'm using lots of squash & yams...I'll probably add some roasted veggies to the recipe. Feel free to join me. ;)

*Wednesday: Black beans & Rice--I actually didn't end up making these on Sunday because we had so much other food! So tonight we'll load our beans & rice with lots of veggies and some cheese.

*Thursday: Didn't end up making Chicken Enchiladas on Sunday either, so we'll make them tonight. And I can bet that we'll have some leftover beans & rice to go with!

*Friday: Chicken Pita with Tzatziki Sauce--I actually bought a large container of Tzatziki at Costco the other day. It was a sample, and it was SO yummy! I've been eating it every day with crackers, veggies, etc. The kids love it too. As soon as it's gone, I'll definitely be making my own!

*Saturday: Leftover night

*Sunday: Pasta with fresh Tomato Sauce-Growing up I had pasta most Sunday afternoons. It always seemed to hit the spot, and was so quick and easy to prepare. Now being the Mom, I'm glad I have kids that love pasta, and thankfully, it still 'hits the spot'. ;)

Busy Week.

Because of getting into town late last night from Michigan, and Burke + Haven leaving us this weekend for a Utah getaway (Congrats Aimee + Nathan...we'll be thinking of you!), this week is going to be a little crazy. I feel like I already have a fridge stocked with half eaten meals, and I also have SO much going on right now. So I think we'll have a couple leftover nights, maybe a treat night out with just me and my 2 big kids, and 1 or 2 homemade meals that I've been wanting to make. If you'd like to join in with our craziness, here's the menu:

*Tuesday: Leftover night (delish pizza from a restaurant in MI last night...more about that later)

*Wednesday: Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps - I'm going to marinate my chicken in THIS dressing and then cook it on the grill. I will then fill my "lettuce cups" (I like to use Boston leaf) with roasted peppers & onions and my chicken.

*Thursday: Leftovers again

*Friday: Zucchini Quesadillas.....yummmmmm. The kids and I are planning to have a movie night in our tent (camping in the living room, wahoo!). Which means we have to have smores. Since we won't be making a fire, we'll make THESE instead. Almost as good as real camping, right?!

*Saturday: Out to eat with my buddies. I'm SO excited about this date. We don't eat out much, and I think as long as we don't end up at Chick-fil-a, Panda Express or (*gasp*) McDonald's, it's going to be a super fun date--just Ryder, Ellery and me.

*Sunday: As a welcome home, we'll have these yummy Stuffed Shells. I'm also working on perfecting my peach cobbler crumb topping. I attempted last Sunday and failed miserably. So tonight I'll switch up the filling and make some Strawberry Rhubarb crisp. For the topping I'll mix:
- 2 cups granulated brown sugar
-1 1/2 cups flour
-1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
-1 1/2 cups COLD butter
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 tsp nutmeg
-1 tsp salt

This week...

...we're eating:

*Monday: Shells with Grilled Chicken & Mozzarella Mondays are interesting these days because we now have soccer practice right at dinner time. I try to have it ready for Ryder to eat before we go, and I take a little picnic for Ellery, me and Haven to eat while we watch him play.

*Tuesday: Taco Salad & watermelon (summer can't officially be over until we've had this meal, right?)

*Wednesday: I've been wanting a good Panzanella lately. I love throwing a bunch of my favorite veggies in a bowl with some good crusty bread. I'll make one similar to THIS one. But you can really add whatever you like.

*Thursday: Baked Potatoes (with all the fixins')

*Friday: We're headed to Michigan for Labor Day weekend! But if I were staying here, I would probably make Grilled Barbecued Chicken with Corn & Radish Salad and THESE cookies (I admit, I made them last week as a celebration on the first day of school--quite possibly the BEST cookies I've ever made. I added some vanilla & chocolate chips to mine.)

It's August!

Holy cow! I can hardly believe that I have a little boy starting school in about 3 weeks. That is nuts. We're headed to the pool today, and I'm planning a super easy menu for these next last weeks of summer. Hope you enjoy your week!

*here is an EXCELLENT peanut sauce recipe. Super simple and goes with anything.

*Monday: Artichoke Bruschetta & green salad (I'm LOVING) all the fresh "local" veggies & can't get enough salads! I've also FINALLY lost those extra pounds (from my little Haven girl) thanks to all the greens. ;)

*Tuesday: Stuffed Tomatoes (I'm using our favorite stuffed peppers recipe with some garden grown tomatoes to stuff)

*Wednesday: Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce & corn on the cob

*Thursday: Roasted Red Pepper/tomato soup with pretzel bread panini's (soup & pretzel bread from Trader Joe's)

*Friday: Red Pepper Dip with Pitas

*Saturday: Spring Rolls (with the leftover Peanut Sauce)

*Sunday: Leftover day!

Hungry...

...and SO excited to be back on my normal schedule again! I'm hungry because we were eating so much/well on our trip, and now being home I'm back on my regimented wake up & exercise then eat breakfast routine (it feels SO good!). I promise my life doesn't completely revolve around food, but I am quite excited about several of these dinners. You see, I picked up this new book, and let's just say Ryder and I quite enjoyed browsing through. We literally sat on the couch and looked through every page oohing and ahhing over the yummies. So now for the meal plan:

*Monday: Salmon Kebebs with Cilantro Sauce , Lavash Bread & Carrot Pineapple Smoothies

*Tuesday: Since I loved my bruschetta so much last week, we'll have THIS tonight with a green salad

*Wednesday: Chicken & Broccoli Calzones--HERE'S a good recipe, but I'm swapping the sausage for chicken

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Burke's Birthday! He has requested one of our favorites-Eggplant Parmesan & simple Ice Cream Pie for dessert (I just learned yesterday that he used to have this for his "cake" every year on his birthday when he was little!) - see recipe below

*Saturday: We're attending a little one year old's birthday today and will be eating there!

*Sunday: Asian Noodle Salad

*and darnit, I just saw THESE....gonna have to find an excuse to make them this week!

ICE CREAM PIE DESSERT

Crust:

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Filling:

• 1/2 gallon vanilla Ice Cream
• 6 oz. pink lemonade

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients for crust together and press into a 9x9" pan (or pie plate)

2. Mix all filling ingredients together and pour over crust. serve frozen.

This week...

*It was a total "accident", but my bananas went rotten. I had to do something with them. Go HERE for the recipe. I added some cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla & chocolate chips to mine. And I made them in my itty bitty loaf pans for extra cuteness. As a warning, don't make this at 10am. It was an early lunch I couldn't turn down, and had my house smelling spectacular all day...making me want more and more.

*Monday: Leftovers

*Tuesday: Baked Potatoes (we load ours with broccoli florets, diced tomatoes, green onions, shredded cheese and any other toppings I have on hand)

*Wednesday: Wet Burritos (see recipe below) with roasted corn & avocado salsa (I buy frozen roasted corn from Trader Joes, mix it with diced avocados, tomatoes and diced onions and squeeze fresh lime juice over all)

*Thursday: Chicken with green beans, roasted squash and Baked Brown Rice (recipe from last weeks post)

*Friday: Leftovers

*Saturday: SMOQUE! I've been waiting to try this place. We're going with friends who are in love with the food. And it's been featured on Diners, Drive-in's and Dives, so it has to be good!

*Sunday: Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes (I know it's getting warm for soups, but I've been wanting to try this one...and with 1:00 church, I LOVE using my crock pot)


WET BURRITOS

-1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained (or ground turkey)
-1 can refried beans, divided (I use lowfat/fat free)
-1 pkg. chili seasoning mix, divided
-1 pkg. taco seasoning mix, divided
-1 can condensed cream of tomato soup
-1 pkg. large flour tortillas (I have also used whole wheat before and love those...)
-Shredded Cheese (about 1 cup)

Toppings (in amounts desired):
-lettuce, shredded
-tomatoes, diced
-onion, chopped
-sour cream
-black olives, chopped
-shredded colby/jack cheese
-avocados, sliced

In one saucepan combine half of the refried beans (about 1-1/2 c.), half of the chili seasoning, half of the taco mix, and the tomato soup. Add a soupcan of water; stir and heat ingredients through. This is the sauce.

In another saucepan, combine ground meat, remaining refried beans, taco mix and chili mix. Fill up chili mix packet with water and add to meat mixture, then mix ingredients and heat through.

To assemble: Place 2-3 TBLSP meat in center of each tortilla; fold sides to center and roll up. Place each one in a 9x13 pan; cover with sauce; then sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 350* for about 10 minutes or just until warmed through and cheese is melted on top.

*I always use fat free Refried Beans, ground turkey (instead of beef) or chicken, and whole wheat tortillas to keep these a little more healthy. The sodium from the chili/taco mixes might put this dish over the top, but I'm not too worried. ;)

repeat week.

Since we are leaving for Utah a week from today, and it has been requested that we "repeat meals" instead of trying new recipes this week, we are having some of our favorite dishes (even if we just had them last week. Take that as us Morins saying, "try this recipe! It's SO good!"). Here they are:

*Monday: Leftovers

*Tuesday: "White" Macaroni & Cheese & Steamed Broccoli

*Wednesday: Carmelized Onion and Lentil Soup (didn't end up making this last week, but really want to try it)

*Thursday: Chicken Tostadas (Oooo, they are good...and easy!)

*Friday: Eggplant and Mozzarella Melt - I promise--you LIKE Eggplant! ;)

*Saturday: SDSU vs. BYU game=veggies/hummus, homemade chips (Slice corn tortillas like a pizza, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Then bake in a 350* oven for about 15 minutes or until crispy)/guacamole or salsa

*Sunday: Pot Roast (slow-cooker) with red potatoes

Happy LOVE day!

*biscuits were made last Friday...and were super tasty!

Happy Valentine's Day! And the beginning of a great week...I can just feel it! Today will be filled with preschool Valentine's party, Doctor appointment, grocery shopping, decorating, and EATING! Here is our not too shabby menu for the week:

*Monday: All things heart/red. To continue our tradition, we'll have heart shaped pizzas. I think I'll shape the dough into individual hearts, and let everyone cover with their favorite toppings. Luckily, I have Trader Joe's to make my dough and delicious pizza sauce for me. We'll have things like pepperoni, tomatoes, peppers, ham, pineapple, onions, cheese, etc. to top.
For dessert we'll have molten chocolate cakes with Trader Joe's peppermint jojo's ice cream (any hopes of me losing this baby weight were ruined when I discovered this ice cream the other day...).

*Tuesday: Grilled Chicken Tostadas

*Wednesday: Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Simple Carmelized Onion and Lentil Soup & homemade bread

*Saturday: Game Day. We've had fun watching BYU games on Saturdays...and making it a party with "game food". Today I'll make more guacamole (it's a favorite around here), and possibly a fruit pizza (I'll use this recipe for the cookie crust). Don't you always need an excuse to make a fruit pizza? I do.

*Sunday: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast & these potatoes

February

It's February. I kind of love this month. Maybe it's just because I feel like so many people around me hate it and are always complaining about how cold/dark it is. Can you pity a month? Although I'm excited when I think of heading to the pool on a sunny day, I actually welcome the frigid, snowy air. So here's to a week of cooking cozy comfort meals...because whether you like it or not, it is freezing outside...

*For the rest of my life I will ALWAYS make chicken pot pie with a phyllo dough top...it is TOO good. And baking it in individual ramekins for the kids makes it look extra cute--and is a special treat for each child to have "their own"!

*Monday: Chicken Pot Pie

*Tuesday: Roasted Sweet Potato and Spinach Risotto (my Mom made this a couple weeks ago and I had a taste---SO DELICIOUS! I actually had a similar tasting dish at a nice restaurant a couple months ago...)

*Wednesday: Leftovers

*Thursday: Soy-Glazed Salmon with fluffy mashed potatoes and roasted Brussels Sprouts (I roast mine in the oven with a little olive oil/s&p until they are golden brown. You can also add some balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, etc. for some extra flavor.)

*Friday: Chili (I HAD to use this recipe after watching the video...who knew watching Jimmy Fallon cook could be so entertaining?!) & sweet potato biscuits (sweet potatoes 2 times in one week!)

*Saturday: Leftovers

*Sunday: Spaghetti with red sauce & Bruschetta

Back at it...

I know it's been over a month since I last posted. I'm going to blame it on having a baby. Cause we've definitely been eating well. So I guess it's time I get sharing my ideas again. Here is this weeks menu-

*Monday: Spinach Lasagna Rolls with salad and garlic parmesan crusty bread (from Trader Joes)

*Tuesday: Crock pot Teriyaki Chicken with vegetables (boneless/skinless chicken tenders, frozen oriental vegetables and teriyaki sauce in a slow cooker for 3 hours at high heat or 4-6 hours on low heat) and Jasmine Rice

*Wednesday: Leftovers

*Thursday: Loaded Baked Potatoes

*Friday: Homemade Pizzas

*Saturday: Leftovers

*Sunday: SUPER BOWL PARTY! I'll be sharing my super easy/tasty guacamole. I use 6 ingredients, and I never measure: avocados, diced tomatoes, chopped purple onion, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice and salt. Mix all ingredients together just enough to incorporate (but I like to keep it fairly chunky).

Other yummies I've made in the last month that you should definitely try are:

*Cauliflower Gratin
*These cookies (may be my favorite cookie--ever. I used Trader Joe's English toffee, and crushed it myself. I don't think these would be near as yummy with store bought toffee bits, but I'd be willing to give it a try!)
*Split Pea Soup
*Buttermilk Biscuits (soooooo buttery good)
*more granola (I've been making this almost weekly. Put it on yogurt, eat it with a bowl full of milk, or just grab a handful as a snack)
*Chicken Fajitas
*my favorite salmon

...and much more! Happy 2011!

Getting Huge...

My belly is rapidly growing, making certain things a little more difficult. And also seeming to take certain motivations away--like lots of cooking. However, there are a couple recipes that I've been waiting to try, so here is what we'll eat this week:

*Monday: Two Toots. For weeks now, we've been telling Ryder we would take him here to eat...so for FHE tonight, this is where we'll be!

*Tuesday: Chicken Chili with Cornbread Croutons

*Wednesday: As recommended by Martha, we'll use our leftover chili to make Chicken Chili Nachos

*Thursday: Burke is headed to New Jersey today. We will have spaghetti for dinner (since the kids and I could eat it EVERY NIGHT, but Burke doesn't care for it).

*Friday: Sesame Shrimp with rice and steamed Snow peas

*Saturday: I'm headed downtown for the Renegade Craft Fair...the kids will be with a sitter...maybe pizza for dinner???

*Sunday: Burke is off to Pennsylvania today. We'll probably have pita chips & home made hummus for dinner and maybe some roasted butternut squash.

Easy Peasy--

This week I am SWAMPED with being the "ticket manager" for a production our Stake is putting on. It runs from Wed.-Sat. and I have been at the computer for a good 9 hours today taking phone calls/answering emails. That said, we are having the easiest week of dinners I can possibly think of. My family is lucky they will even be fed. The previous post will show the only thing I've eaten all day. ;)

*Monday: Leftovers (had the Noorda's over last night for our salmon/pesto with mashed potatoes and a few other yummies. We also still have some soup for last week--the perfect thing to reheat & eat!)

*Tuesday: Grilled Cheese (with veggies) on Pretzel Bread & T.J.'s tomato soup

*Wednesday: Pizza (thanks to Trader Joes for providing yummy whole wheat pizza dough. I'll probably be selfish and throw some tomatoes, basil and fresh mozzarella on top for an easy/fairly healthy pizza. With fresh Mozz. you don't even need sauce...it is SO GOOD!)

*Thursday: Breakfast dinner--eggs, Trader Joes Pumpkin Pancakes & fruit

*Friday: Black Bean Burgers (from Costco--my husband tells me these are way too high in sodium...but we're having them anyway;) with Sweet Potato fries

*Saturday: Out to eat! Burke and I are taking Ryder on a "date" to dinner and then to go watch The Savior of the World!

*Sunday: Missionaries coming for dinner--Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo (thanks to Hunter, Ryder is now HOOKED, and asks for this all the time! See recipe below...) with garlic bread and green salad. And this with vanilla ice cream for dessert.


CHICKEN & BROCCOLI ALFREDO

-4-5 c. broccoli florets
-2 TBSP olive oil
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
-1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
-1 2/3 c. whipping cream (or 1 c. whipping cream + 2/3 c. skim milk)
-1 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
-1/2 c. grated monterey jack cheese
-3/4 pound penne or mostaccioli, freshly cooked

Steam broccoil florets until just tender, about 3 minutes, set aside.
Preheat broiler. Butter 13x9 inch broiler-proof baking dish. Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in heavy large dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, saute' chicken strips until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken strips to bowl. Add sliced red bell pepper to dutch oven and saute' until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese and all of the monterey jack cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly (5 minutes). Add chicken strips and any juices in bowl to sauce. Add freshly cooked pasta and steamed broccoli and toss until sauce coats mixture. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over top. Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes, and serve.

Another weekly menu...

Here's what we're eating this week for dinner:

*Monday: Leftovers

*Tuesday: Salmon with Hoisin Sauce and Spring Vegetables

*Wednesday: Baked Shells with Winter Squash & steamed Cabbage

*Thursday: Tomato-Basil Bisque (see recipe below) with homemade white bread (best recipe--see below), spinach salad and apple pie (I'm taking dinner to a family--and I get to meet the cute new little Bella! So excited!)

*Friday: Fast Chicken Fajitas with a little guacamole...it's been way too long. ;)

*Saturday: Leftovers

*Sunday: Spinach & Prosciutto Lasagna (didn't get to try this last week, and Ryder really wants to...)


TOMATO-BASIL BISQUE

-6 celery ribs, choped
-1 large onion, chopped
-1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
-1/4 c. butter, cubed
-3 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
-1 TBSP tomato paste
-3/4 c. loosely packed basil leaves, coarsely chopped
-3 tsp sugar
-2 tsp salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

In a a large saucepan, saute celery, onion and red pepper in butter for 5-6 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the basil, sugar, salt and pepper; cool slightly. Transfer half of he soup mixture into a blender/food processor. While processing, gradually add cream; process until pureed. Return to the pan; heat through (do not boil).


LOTTIE ROBERT'S BREAD (my Mom got this from Relief Society probably 30 years ago!)

-2 pkgs. dry yeast
-1/2 c. warm water
-1/4 c. sugar
-1/4 c. shortening
-1 TBSP salt
-1 c. warm milk
-3/4 c. warm water
-6-7 c. flour

Soften yeast in 1/2 c. warm water. Measure flour by lightly spooning into cup and leveling off. In large bowl (or mixer) blend sugar, softened shortening, salt, milk, 3/4 c. water. Add 2-3 c. flour and beat with mixer until smooth. Add yeast. Gradually add remaining flour to form a moderately stiff dough; working it in first with spoon and finishing on a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8-10 mins). Place in greased bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover to keep air out; let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk.
Punch down dough; cover and let rise until nearly double again. Knead to remove air bubbles. Dived into 2 portions and let rest 10 mins. Place in well-greased loaf pans, seam side down and covered. Let rise until dough is nearly doubled. Bake in 350* oven until loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped, about 30 mins. Remove from pans immediately; cool on wire racks.

fall, finally!

Sorry, but I am just one of those people who can't get enough of fall. I LOVE when the air begins to chill, and I can break out the sweaters/boots. And I even get a little excited for winter. Go ahead, hate me. But I like that I don't have to feel depressed half of the year because I'm cold. :) One reason the cooler weather is so amazing to me is all of the baking/cooking opportunities I can take advantage of now that it isn't so hot out! So get ready for some home-cookin' casseroles and lots of warm soups!!! I'm SO excited!!!

*Monday: Never got around to our Salmon & Roasted Root Vegetables yesterday for dinner (we were too busy eating cinnamon rolls!). So we'll try it tonight!

*Tuesday: Sweet Potato Soup with Blue Corn Tortillas

*Wednesday: Spinach & Prosciutto Lasagna

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Tamale Pies

*Saturday: Steak with Roasted Carrots & Onions

*Sunday: Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo (Ryder is begging for me to make this again!) with a green salad

Back at it...

Finally!!! I'm home! And ready to get cookin'! Here is our menu for the week--

*Monday: Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

*Tuesday: Red Lentil Soup with Sage & Bacon

*Wednesday: Stuffed Peppers with Cheddar and Sage Biscuits

*Thursday: Leftovers

*Friday: Portobello, Broccoli and Red-Pepper Melts

*Saturday: Spaghetti & French Bread

*Sunday: General Conference! *Breakfast=Cinnamon Rolls & Mini Frittatas *Dinner=Salmon & Roasted Root Vegetables

Dinner at the Morins...

I can hardly wait for next week...it will be September! I have loved summer time, but am SO ready for all things fall (including more cooking/baking). I'm ready to be done with the grill, and start wearing sweaters. :) Here's to one more week of easy dinners that don't make my home feel like an oven...

*Monday: BBQ Chicken wraps--see recipe below

*Tuesday: Fish Tacos

*Wednesday: Best Bruschetta Ever--see recipe below--(how's that for an easy dinner?!) with corn on the cob

*Thursday: Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo--see recipe below

*Friday: Leftovers

*Saturday: Triathlon day! This time it's Burke's turn!

*Sunday: Grilled Cheese with Tomato & Basil and German Potato Salad


BBQ CHICKEN WRAPS

-1 2lb. roasted chicken, skin discarded, meat removed from bones and shredded
-1/2 c. prepared bbq sauce
-1 c. canned black beans (rinsed)
-1/2 c. frozen corn, thawed/canned corn, drained
-1/4 c. reduced fat sour cream
-4 leaves romaine lettuce
-4 (10 inch) whole wheat tortillas
-2 limes, cut in wedges

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, bbq sauce, beans, corn and sour cream; stir to combine. Cook until hot, 4 to 5 minutes.
Assemble the wraps by placing a lettuce leaf in the center of each tortilla and topping with one-fourth of the chicken mixture; roll as you would a burrito. Slice in half diagonally and serve warm, with lime wedges.
*I will probably add tomatoes and avocados to ours...

BEST BRUSCHETTA EVER

-2 tomatoes, diced
-1 tsp. dried basil
-4 TBSP grated parmesan cheese
-2 TBSP olive oil
-1 clove garlic, crushed
-salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and chill in refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve on toasted bread slices. Top with sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

CHICKEN & BROCCOLI ALFREDO

-4-5 c. broccoli florets
-2 TBSP olive oil
-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
-1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
-1 2/3 c. whipping cream (or 1 c. whipping cream + 2/3 c. skim milk)
-1 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
-1/2 c. grated monterey jack cheese
-3/4 pound penne or mostaccioli, freshly cooked

Steam broccoil florets until just tender, about 3 minutes, set aside.
Preheat broiler. Butter 13x9 inch broiler-proof baking dish. Heat 2 TBSP olive oil in heavy large dutch oven over medium-high. Working in batches, saute' chicken strips until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer chicken strips to bowl. Add sliced red bell pepper to dutch oven and saute' until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add whipping cream, 1 cup grated parmesan cheese and all of the monterey jack cheese. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly (5 minutes). Add chicken strips and any juices in bowl to sauce. Add freshly cooked pasta and steamed broccoli and toss until sauce coats mixture. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup grated cheese over top. Broil until just golden on top, about 3 minutes, and serve.