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 ;)