A Tuesday Meal

I bought a huge turkey breast just for this recipe.  It looked so yummy in the photo and so easy to make.

Source:  allrecipes.com

One problem.   It calls for one envelope dry onion soup mix, which we cannot have.  It didn’t take me long to find a recipe to make my own.  Again, one problem.  Calls for beef bouillon powder.  We cannot have that either.  Sooo, what to do…

I make the Onion Soup Mix minus the beef bouillon.  Source:  Food.com

• 3/4 cup instant minced onion
• 1/3 cup beef bouillon powder
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
About 5 tablespoons of mix are equal to 1 1¼-ounce package.

Then I prepared the turkey breast according to the recipe.  Easy-peasy!

Crockpot Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 (6 pound) bone-in turkey breast
• 6 TB of the above onion soup mix
• 1 TB of beef broth (all natural)

Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry (I didn’t pat dry). Cut off any excess skin, but leave the skin covering the breast. Rub onion soup mix all over outside of the turkey and under the skin. Place in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 1 hour, then set to Low, and cook for 7 hours.

Served with:  Left over rice, gravy from the turkey, and raw veggies.

Verdict:

• Me:  Way easy to make.  We got home later than expected so the turkey breast was a little dry.  I liked it and will make again.
• Husband:  He liked it and wants it again, but served on time.  lol
• The Violinist and Pea #1 liked it served with BBQ sauce.
• Pea #2 liked it a little.
• The Son:  Never touched it.

There was plenty left over for another meal, but no one ate it and I threw it out. Next time I’ll be better prepared for a second meal.  Turkey pot pie, or turkey salad.  Neither of which the kids will eat.  Oh, who cares. 

I want this for my kitchen.  You can find it at ARTworks.

A Tuesday Meal

From yesterday’s post, you know I have made meatball.  These freeze really well, but I just saved them for the next night.

To have A Tuesday Meal ready, place in a bread machine:

• 1 1/3 cup of flat beer
• 2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 TB sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 TB Butter
• 1 1/2 tsp yeast

Set on dough cycle and set the timer for the dough to be ready when you get home.    

Remove dough.  Cut into fourths, cut each piece into sixths.  Roll each piece into round/flat pieces.  Place on slightly oiled cookie sheet.  Let rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.   And wah-lah ,  you have cute little rolls that are slightly crunchy on the outside.

Now onto the meatballs!

Sir Husband made a gravy with beef, onions, and mushrooms (dried from last year).  Smothered the meatballs with the gravy.   We served the meatballs with the gravy over wide egg noodles.

I took one of the rolls and dug out the center.  Then placed one meatball with some gravy in it.

It fit perfectly and was sooo cute!

 

It was also so yummy!!

We had left over sauteed squash for a veggie.

So that was the easy meal I came up with for  A Tuesday Meal.

Verdict:

• Me:  Loved the meatballs, gravy, and noodles.  Loved the meatball mini sandwich.  I was the only one who would even try it.
• Husband:  He loved everything, including the rolls.  He just didn’t put them together.
• The girls:  Ate a few meatballs and noodles.  No gravy.  Several rolls.  They love bread.
• Sir Son:  He ate one meatball, no gravy, and one noodle.  He’s hungry.

Muffin Tin Meatloaf

This was actually made Friday and Saturday this past week, but it would work for a Tuesday Meal.

Amish Muffin Tin Meatloaves  (I double the recipe.)

Source:  In the Kitchen with  Jessica   Go buy it.  It’s for a good cause.

• 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1 c. soft bread crumbs
• 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (I use onion powder because all of my children have a gag reflex when it comes to micro amounts of onion chunk in their food)
• dash of dried thyme
• 1/4 cup ketchup  (we use only  Publix organic ketchup due to food allergies.  It is SO GOOD)

Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, tomato sauce,eggs, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, onion, and thyme. Mix well.  Place about 1/3 cup of mixgture in a lined muffin tin.  Top each with loaf with ketchup and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

I use a large cookie scoop to make the meatloaves and I do not use lined muffins.   After filling the muffins I make a dent in each with the back of the scooper, which makes a nice place for the ketchup.  🙂

With the left over meat, I make a batch of meatballs.  These are saved for the next day, (A Tuesday Meal).

Come back tomorrow for A Tuesday Meal and find out what I did with the meatballs.

Enjoy!!

Sir Husband Cooks

Chicken Marsala

Sir Husband has the talent of being able to taste foods at resturants and figure out how to make it at home.  I don’t.  It works for me.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients:

• onions
• garlic
• some kind of herbs
• chicken broth
• boneless/skinless chicken breasts
• spinach
• butter
• butter
• heavy cream
• Marsala

Cook onions, garlic, and mushrooms in butter.  Set aside.

Slice chicken and cook in butter and olive oil.  Set aside.

In another pan mix, some kind of herbs, butter, and heavy cream.

Add some wine.

Add salt and pepper.

Add some more wine.  Drink what is left in bottle.

Then mix the onion stuff, chicken stuff, and the heavy cream/wine stuff together.  Somewhere along the line, he added the spinach.

Serve over pasta, but don’t dump the pasta into the sink like I did.

Sorry, I can’t tell you the exact ingredients or the measurements.  If I learn this, then Sir Husband may expect me to cook more.  It would ruin our Mutualistic Relationship.

I would also have to start using tons of butter and heavy cream in every  meal.  My backside would be much bigger than it is now.

This was a whole stick of butter.  What you don’t see was put in this meal, with the heavy cream.

Another reason I don’t want to know how he cooks, is the fact that he uses every single pot, pan, and utensil; in. the. state. of. Florida.  I’m a one or two pot type of cook.

Hmmmm.  Come to think of it, this isn’t a Mutualistic Relationship; where we both benefit.  More like a Parasitic Relationship.  He cooks and eats.  I have to clean his mess.

It works for me!

Thank you, Honey, for a lovely meal!  ♥♥♥

How to make a bird’s nest and eat it too.

Number two daughter is taking Exploring Creation with  I, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day at the co-op.  After seeing these adorable bird’s nests made by a fellow homeschooler, we decided Number Two Daughter aka Pea #1 should make them.

Ingredients:

• Mud:  chocolate chips and peanutbutter
• Grass:  Shredded wheat
• Sticks:  Chow mein noodles
• Eggs:  Jellybeans

Melt together:

• 2 cups peanutbutter
• 2 cups chocolate chips

Add in:

• 2 cups shredded wheat, crumbled
• 3 to 4 cups of chow mein

Take a hand full and shape into a bird’s nest.  Place on a cookie sheet that has been covered in wax paper.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.  Place two to three jellybeans in the center of each nest.

They will be enjoyed by all the other children.  🙂

 

 

This Weeks Dinner Menu

Sunday:

Chickenless Chicken Rice Casserole and tossed salad.

Monday:

Snack – Frozen Fruit Cups

Tacos, soft torillas, torilla chips, refriend beans, salsa and other toppings.

Tuesday:

Roasted Chicken or on the grill if A.C. is not working, rice, steamed broccoli, and whole wheat rolls

Wednesday:

Spaghetti, green beans, and whole wheat garlic bread

Thursday:

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Friday:

Cheese Pizza

Saturday:

I have no idea.

Summer Snack – Frozen Bananas

Frozen Bananas on a stick.

You need:

• Fresh Bananas
• popsicle sticks
• Yogurt
• Ground Flaxseed
• Chocolate chips

Peel and cut bananas in half.

Place a wooden popsicle  stick into each one.

Place on parchment paper.

Dip each banana into yogurt.  I used Stoneyfield Orangic Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt.

Sprinkle with ground flaxseed and place chocolate chips on each.

Freeze until hard, place in a freezer container until ready to eat.

This got thumbs up from Sir Husband, Pea #1, and myself.  Sir Son can not eat bananas, Peas #2 doesn’t like bananas, and The Violinist just didn’t try one.

Changes I made for the second batch:  I mixed the flaxseed right into the yogurt before spooning it onto the banana.  Left off the chocolate chips because Pea #1 really didn’t like them.  I’m ok with that!    I also used Stoneyfield Low Fat Strawberry yogurt, which was liked more than the vanilla.

Enjoy!

Summer Snacks – Take 1

Every week, maybe twice, I will be posting some great summer time snacks.   For today the snacks are Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins and Chocolate Chip Muffins.  Both are girlie approved.  Sir Son will not eat any muffins or my bread, so he doesn’t count.

The next time I make these, I will be making nine.  Twelve muffins came out short.  I didn’t have mini-chips, so I used the regular kind and they worked out just fine.  Half of this batch is in the freezer.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

1 egg

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.

2. Place the egg, sugar, milk, canola oil, vanilla and mashed bananas into a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix with hand mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth.

3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl or stand mixer. Mix until batter is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer or set aside the hand mixer. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.

4. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full with the batter.

5. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let cool a few minutes, then remove muffins from the muffin tin. Let cool another 5-10 minutes, then serve.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
Ingredients1 egg1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup milk 1/3 cup vegetable oil1 teaspoon vanilla2 ripe bananas, mashed with fork1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 muffin cups.
2. Place the egg, sugar, milk, canola oil, vanilla and mashed bananas into a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix with hand mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl or stand mixer. Mix until batter is smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer or set aside the hand mixer. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
4. Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full with the batter.5. Bake at 350 for 16-18 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.6. Let cool a few minutes, then remove muffins from the muffin tin. Let cool another 5-10 minutes, then serve.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The muffins below came out great.  I even got twelve high-rise muffins.  I reserved six of these to take to a friend who had surgery.  She asked for the recipe, because she has never tasted anything like them.  I’ll be making another batch of these to put in the freezer for the summer.  The recipe comes from Mr. Breakfast.   No picture of these. 😦

Enjoy! ♥

Chocolate Chip Muffins

(12 servings)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour  (I used 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 1/4 cup of all-purpose)
• 1/3 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup butter — melted and cooled   (I used 6 TB)
• 2 eggs – beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 package (12 oz) chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans — chopped   (I didn’t use)

Preheat oven to 400 F. and grease up twelve muffin cups. 

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, stir together milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla until blended. Make a well in center of dry ingredients; add milk mixture and stir just to combine. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. 

Spoon batter into muffin cups; bake 15-20 minutes, or until a knife inserted in center of one muffin comes out clean. Remove muffin tin to wire rack; cool 5 minutes and remove from tins to finish cooling. 

Serve warm.

SMACK those oats!

Several years ago, we purchased a hand operated oat flaker. The hand operated flaker cost, at the time, less than half the price of the flaker for my electric mixer. I look at it this way, I saved some money and I get a workout. 🙂

We just place the oat groats in the top container, turn the little knob and wha-lah… flat oats come out the bottom part into a cup. We affectionately call this SMACKING oats.

My husband has oatmeal almost every morning for breakfast. He has one of the kids smack the oats, fill two containers and then he makes the oatmeal at work. My second daughter and I are the only other people in the household that like oatmeal.

The night before, we grind one cup of oats, then add one cup of water and one tablespoon of plain yogurt. We let this sit overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, we add one more cup of water, a sweetner like honey or maple syrup and cook for less than 5 minutes. This is the old fashion way of making oatmeal. It use to be on the Quacker Oats package, but it was taken off because of housewives complaining it was too much trouble to soak the grains overnight (so I heard).

The reason to soak the grains over night, is to help oat become digestible. Ever get a tummy ache from eating oatmeal or granola? It’s because the grain is indigestible.

According to Nourishing Traditions we should NEVER eat granola because it is extremely indigestible.  But I don’t pay attention to a lot of things in this book.   😀 I like granola every once in a while. Tonight I have 8 cups of granola in the dehydrator right now. It is good sprinkled on vanilla yogurt or eaten as a snack.

Granola

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
8 cups of smacked oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup toasted wheat germ

Mix dry ingredients.

Heat on low: honey, oil, and vanilla and add to the dry ingredients. Mix well, getting everything wet.

Place on trays in the dehydrator and dry overnight at 118 degrees. Or bat at 300 for 20-30 minutes, stirring well every 10 minutes.

You can add just about anything you want to the granola. We do not add nuts, because of allergies in the family.

Yummy-yummy!

Weekly Menu

I’m late with this…really, really late.

• Saturday:  Garlic Beef Enchiladas, with homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas.    This was last Saturday.  Told you I was late.
• Sunday:  BBQ Chicken, red potatoes, tossed salad.   
• Monday:  Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Tuesday:  Hot and Spicy Sloppy Joes, Homemade WW. Buns, and corn.
• Wednesday:  Parm. Chicken, tossed salad, Garlic Ring.    I’ll type out the recipe for Parm. Chicken one day.
• Thursday:  Uh….  I don’t have a recipe for this either.  Someone needs to give it to me.
• Friday:  General Tso’s Chicken, steamed veggies.  Ice cream for dessert; it’s family night. 
• Saturday:  Blackened Chicken, rice, rolls, steamed veggies or tossed salad.
• Sunday:  Something really beefy, like steaks.  😛