Meal Plan Monday

This weeks's menu and "Kitchen Projects"


Meals:
Salad
Tacos
fancy mac-n-cheese 
chicken alfredo
beef stew
green chili
leftovers


to make aka "kitchen projects":
something sweet
strawberry pretzel pie
homemade magic shell

I had made this as a cake a few years ago for St Patty's Day-

this year I made cupcakes for my 37th Birthday!

Wow, 37 ~ I still feel 18,

Lovin' it!

Here's the cupcake batter I used this year- super moist and super yummy
;)

Jar Cupcakes

These look so cute and I bet they are yummy!!!

I found the link at Our Best Bites,

you can find the instructions here.

Please let me know if you try them,

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: quiche
Tuesday: swiss cheese chicken
Wednesday: taco bake
Thursday: grilled chicken on salad
Friday: chicken alfredo (Sarah returns!!)
Saturday: pizza
Sunday: roast, make open faced sandwiches with it


more menus over here

Meal Plan Monday

Monday: Chicken pot pie 
Tuesday: chili with Trader Joe's corn bread
Wednesday: Baked spaghetti
Thursday: Steak-ums
Friday: pizza
Saturday: date night - Pork tenderloin
Sunday: chicken quesadillas


breakfast: cereal, eggs, pancakes, blueberry muffins
lunches: sandwiches, lunchables
snacks: brownies, ritz, bake something, strawberry pretzel delight 

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin w/Blue Cheese Sauce

This is a little time consuming but so worth it- very yummy!!

Thanks to whoever shared in the comments it was from Victoria Magazine years ago. I inherited a worn out photo copy barely readable from someone, some where down the line :)

Supplies:

1-2 pounds pork tenderloin (usually in 2 pieces) marinaded in Mimi's marinade

Apricot-Pecan Stuffing

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3/4 cup finely chopped shiitake mushrooms (2 ounces)

1/3 cup toasted, chopped pecans

1 slice whole wheat bread crumbled into soft crumbs (1/2 cup)

8 dried apricot halves, finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (1 ounce)

1 Tbsp finely minced fresh sage or 1 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Blue-Cheese Cream Sauce

1/2 cup vermouth or dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

Marinade pork for 12-24 hours

cut 2 inches from smallest end of each tenderloin to be used in stuffing below

to make stuffing:

1. finely chop reserved 2 inches of pork and saute in oil over med-high heat until light brown

2. add mushrooms and saute 2 minutes, remove from heat and cool

3. In medium bowl combine pecans, crumbs, apricots, 1/4 cup blue cheese, sage and cayenne pepper. Mix well. Stir in pork mixture with juices. Mix until well moistened.

To assemble:

1. Line 13x9 inch baking dish with foil. Oil the foil and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Using the long handle of a wooden spoon, push a hole lengthwise through the center of each tenderloin from tip to end. Stuff each tenderloin with half the stuffing, pushing stuffing into meat cavity with same spoon handle. Work from both ends of meat toward center. Arrange tenderloins in baking pan.

4. Roast at 400 for 30-40 minutes until thermometer inserted into center registers 160-165 degrees F. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes.

to make Blue-Cheese Cream Sauce

1. While meat is roasting, in medium saucepan, reduce vermouth to 1/4 cup. Stir in cream. Boil gently until reduced to 2/3 cup, whisking often. (watch carefully, cream will boil high in pan). Remove from heat.

2. Place pan in skillet of hot water over med-low heat. Whisk in 1 cup blue cheese until smooth. Keep warm in water bath, whisking occasionally.

to serve:

1. cut roast into thick slices. Serve with cheese sauce.

Strawberry Pretzel Pie

This week's dessert brought to you by Amanda.

It didn't really have a name but I made one up, this is perhaps my new favorite dessert.

Strawberry Pretzel Pie

Ingredients:

crust:

2 cups crushed pretzels

1 1/2 sticks of butter

3 Tbsp sugar

Filling and topping:

2 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 container cool whip

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1 box strawberry jello

16 oz frozen strawberries (or fresh but frozen work best)

To make crust:

1. Melt butter in microwave

2. mix in pretzels and sugar

3. press into bottom of 9x9 pan or similar

4. bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, cool

Filling:

5. mix cream cheese, 1 container cool whip and 1 cup sugar

6. layer on top of baked crust

Topping

7. boil 2 cups water

8. sir in 1 box of jello and strawberries

9. pour on top of filling

10. let dessert set for 3-4 hours - or if you're pressed for time place it in the freezer for and hour and it seems to taste just as yummy

Enjoy with a friend because desserts with friends cut the calorie count in half ;)

Yellow Squash Muffins

Yellow Squash Muffins

ingredients:

2 lbs yellow squash, about 8 med.

2 eggs

1 cup butter melted

1 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven 375 degrees

1. wash squash thoroughly, trim off ends, cut into 1 inch slices

2. cook squash in a small amount of boiling water until tender, about 15-20 minutes

3. Drain and mash squash and measure into 2 cups

4. Combine squash, eggs and butter, set aside

5. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl and make a well in the center

6. Add squash mixture and stir until moistened

7. Spoon into greased muffin pans, fill 3/4 full

8. bake for 20 minutes

enjoy with tons of butter and a large glass of milk

Margarita Pizza

This week our Psalms Bible study made this delicious meal together.

Brought to you by Gabrielle.

Margarita Pizza

Ingredients:

1-2 pizza crusts (we like Publix pizza dough)

1 jar pizza sauce

16 oz mozzarella cheese

4 cloves minced garlic

10 basil leaves

itlaian seasoning

2 big tomatoes

Parmesan cheese

red pepper

1. roll out the dough

2. top with sauce, seasoning and garlic

3. slice tomatoes super thin and place 1 tomato on top of sauce

4. shred cheese and top pizza with cheese

5. place whole basil leaves on top of cheese

6. top with remaining sliced tomato

7. bake according to dough directions

8. cut and enjoy

We ate ours this week with a nice salad with a fresh cucumber from my garden :)

Fancy Mac-n-Cheese

This weeks meal brought to you by Elizabeth.

You'll never go back to plain 'ol mac-n-cheese.

Fancy Mac-n-Cheese

ingredients:

2 boxes of bow-tie pasta

6-8 slices of bacon

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups Gouda cheese, grated

1 large onion

salt and pepper

parsley

butter

chicken- 3 boneless, skinless breasts (optional)

1. Braise chicken breasts and slice into think strips

2. cook pasta according to package

3. fry bacon on stove top, remove bacon and set aside

4. dice up onion and saute in bacon grease, we prefer the onion a little crisp- while cooking onions chop bacon into bite size pieces

5. in a large stock pot combine onions and bacon

6. stir in cream over med-heat until bubbling begins

7. slowly add grated cheese, stir until smooth

8. add cooked chicken and pasta, mix until sauce coats everything

9. serve and enjoy :)

We made this the 3rd week of our Psalms Bible study along with this dessert.

To see week 2 recipe go here. (link up soon)

To see week 1 recipe go here.

Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter filling ingredients:

6 ounces of softened cream cheese

1/2 cup Peanut Butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

Brownie ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

3/4 cup Cocoa

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, grease a 13x9 inch pan

2. Prepare peanut butter filling by mixing all the PB ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and creamy, set aside

3. Place butter in microwave safe bowl and melt

4. Stir sugar and vanilla into butter

5. Add eggs one at a time, beat well with spoon after each addition

6. Add cocoa, beat until well blended

7. Add flour, baking powder and salt, beat well

8. Stir in chocolate chips

9. Remove 1 cup of the batter, pour remaining batter into prepared pan.

10. Spread peanut butter filling over top

11. Drop reserved batter by teaspoonfuls over filling

12. Using a knife, gently swirl through top layers for marble effect

13. bake 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean

14. Cool on rack, cut into yummy pieces, enjoy with milk or your favorite coffee

15. Share a piece with a friend

We ate this along with Fancy Mac-n-Cheese n the 3rd week of our Psalm Bible study.

Chicken Club Brunch Ring

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, snipped
1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
1 (10 ounce) can white chicken meat, drained and flaked
4 slices bacon, crisply cooked, chopped
1 cup finely shredded swiss cheese
2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 -2 large plum tomato, thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper
2 cups shredded lettuce
Change Measurements: US Metric

Directions:
Prep Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

1 Preheat oven to 375°F.
2 In a bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard.
3 Snip parsley.
4 Chop onion.
5 Add parsley and onion to mayonnaise mixture; mix well.
6 In a 2 quart bowl, flake chicken with a fork.
7 Chop bacon.
8 Add bacon, 3/4 cup swiss cheese, and 1/3 cup of the mayonnaise mixture; mix well.
9 Unroll crescent dough, separate into 16 triangles.
10 Arrange triangles in a circle on a 13-inch baking stone with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center and points toward the outside (there should be a 5-inch diameter opening in the center of the stone).
11 Scoop the chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.
12 Bring outside points of triangle up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center or ring (filling will not be completely covered).
13 Slice tomatoes, cut slices in half.
14 Place 1 tomato half over filling between openings of ring.
15 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.
16 Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup swiss cheese.
17 Using a v-shaped cutter, cut around bell pepper.
18 Separate halves; remove membrane and seeds.
19 Fill with remaining mayonnaise mixture; place in center of ring.
20 Arrange lettuce around the pepper.

We made this the first week of our Psalms Bible study.

Authentic Red Velvet Cake

Paula Deen’s Red Velvet Cupcakes from Food Network

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake tins about 2/3 filled. Bake in oven for about 20 to 22 minutes, turning the pans once, half way through. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1 pound cream cheese, softened
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Chopped pecans and fresh raspberries or strawberries, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.

Garnish with chopped pecans, fresh raspberry or strawberry, or sprinkles.