Bock! Bock! This week I'm celebrating the original white meat - CHICKEN! This is my attempt to display how two roast chickens can feed a family of five for DAYS on end and in various ways. So read on for a lovely ride ... c'mon, don't be Chicken!
Monday, May 18th - Roast Chicken, Zucchini, & Mashed Potatoes
**Don't forget to make broth with your carcasses! It's the ultimate!**
Tuesday, May 19th - Chicken Tortilla Soup
**So, you guys can figure this out on your own probably, but just in case -- #1 I'm halving the recipe since it serves 10 & #2 Replace chopped, leftover chicken (not all of it) for the 4 chicken breasts and add it toward the end. Personally, I'm putting all the "soup" ingredients in the crock pot around noon, adding the chicken around three and feeding my family by 5 p.m. due to a ball game! REMEMBER cooking is versatile when you know what you're doing!**
Wednesday, May 20th - Fire Roasted Tomato & Feta Pasta with Chicken **the recipe on Allrecipes uses shrimp, but my family would revolt & possibly kill me, so I opted to use chicken instead**
Thursday, May 21st - Buffalo Chicken Sliders
Friday, May 22nd - Out to Dinner
Saturday, May 23rd - Shorty's Diner **although I may have to come up with something from the freezer instead because we may not have any leftovers!**
As my One year old would say, "Nummy! nummy! nummy! nummy!" For any of you neigh sayers out there - she's a baby & she eats everything we eat (unless it's too spicy - I alter some of that for her). She doesn't like everything, but I've been shocked by her favorites, which were beef stew and carne guisada - who knew?!
So, tap into your inner Pollo & get cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday, May 18, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Week of May 11th - May 16th
Happy Monday Ya'll !!
Was that a fantastic Mother's Day or what?! It was so nice to be pampered (aka - allowed to sleep in!). Back to the grindstone ... or the menu board - tomAto, tomato!
Once again, we have a hustling and bustling week ahead of us. Last week's dinners were divine, if I do say so myself; however, it left us with a ton of leftovers! So, we're starting this week out the way we usually end it, with leftover night.
Lucky me, for the menu this week, there is hardly any shopping to be done! What a wonderful gift in these lean economic times! Ok, ok, enough idle banter - let's get to the menu!
Monday, May 14th - Shorty's Diner
Tuesday, May 15th - Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Rice, & Refried Beans
Wednesday, May 16th - Spaghetti & Meatballs with Green Beans & French Bread
Thursday, May 17th - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Friday, May 18th - Out to dinner
Saturday, May 19th - Mini Pizzas (Cooper picked up a few boxes of Red Barron singles a few weeks ago ... it's like a "freebie")
There you go, a standard - no frills kind of week!
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Was that a fantastic Mother's Day or what?! It was so nice to be pampered (aka - allowed to sleep in!). Back to the grindstone ... or the menu board - tomAto, tomato!
Once again, we have a hustling and bustling week ahead of us. Last week's dinners were divine, if I do say so myself; however, it left us with a ton of leftovers! So, we're starting this week out the way we usually end it, with leftover night.
Lucky me, for the menu this week, there is hardly any shopping to be done! What a wonderful gift in these lean economic times! Ok, ok, enough idle banter - let's get to the menu!
Monday, May 14th - Shorty's Diner
Tuesday, May 15th - Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Rice, & Refried Beans
Wednesday, May 16th - Spaghetti & Meatballs with Green Beans & French Bread
Thursday, May 17th - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Friday, May 18th - Out to dinner
Saturday, May 19th - Mini Pizzas (Cooper picked up a few boxes of Red Barron singles a few weeks ago ... it's like a "freebie")
There you go, a standard - no frills kind of week!
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Week of May 4th - May 9th
This week I'm nodding my head at America ... and France with classic, comfort foods we all love.
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday, May 4th - Ratatouille and Beignets for dessert (with all those veggies, you've got to have a little "nummy")
Tuesday, May 5th - Beef Stew **
Wednesday, May 6th - Chicken Pot Pie
Thursday, May 7th - Meatloaf with Fried Onions & Ranch Seasoning
Friday, May 8th - Out to Dinner
Saturday, May 9th - Breakfast for Dinner - heat up the griddle! We're cookin' up some flapjacks!
** Here is my personal Beef Stew Recipe:
1 lb. Stew meat
3 Carrots, sliced
2 ribs Celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloved minced garlic
3 medium potatoes
16 oz. can tomato sauce
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Water
1 tsp. Cardamom
1 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Oregano
2 Tbsp. Worstershire Sauce
1 shake Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Cut stew meat in small pieces, put 1/4 cup flour in ziploc bag, place meat in bag & shake to coat. Brown meat in stockpot, add onion, tomatoes, sauce, water, and spices. Bring to boil & let simmer for 1 hr. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Let simmer another hour. OR after browning meat, add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for five hours.
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday, May 4th - Ratatouille and Beignets for dessert (with all those veggies, you've got to have a little "nummy")
Tuesday, May 5th - Beef Stew **
Wednesday, May 6th - Chicken Pot Pie
Thursday, May 7th - Meatloaf with Fried Onions & Ranch Seasoning
Friday, May 8th - Out to Dinner
Saturday, May 9th - Breakfast for Dinner - heat up the griddle! We're cookin' up some flapjacks!
** Here is my personal Beef Stew Recipe:
1 lb. Stew meat
3 Carrots, sliced
2 ribs Celery, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloved minced garlic
3 medium potatoes
16 oz. can tomato sauce
15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Water
1 tsp. Cardamom
1 tsp. Paprika
2 tsp. Oregano
2 Tbsp. Worstershire Sauce
1 shake Tabasco Sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Cut stew meat in small pieces, put 1/4 cup flour in ziploc bag, place meat in bag & shake to coat. Brown meat in stockpot, add onion, tomatoes, sauce, water, and spices. Bring to boil & let simmer for 1 hr. Add potatoes, carrots, and celery. Let simmer another hour. OR after browning meat, add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for five hours.
A Little Recap
If you're looking at this for the first time, you need to go to the first posts I wrote called Grocery Shopping 101 and Condensed Soup - they're essential in your quest to lower that grocery bill.
After speaking today in church about lowering your grocery bill, I realized there is more that I need to share. Here are some essential key points you need to know in order to become a savvy consumer & chef:
I like to cook (duh!) and I also like meals to be special, so I grow my own. I grow my own herbs - that is. It only takes a couple of pots or a square foot of ground to have a nice, healthy herb garden. I planted a teeny tiny rosemary plant about five years ago. Today, it is a ginormous, beautiful mound - which we cut from on a weekly basis. This year, I claimed about five square feet of ground and planted onions, basil, sweet basil, lavender, and catnip (for the meow meows). I'm already reaping (har har) the benefits of my forethought.
Last thing - get everyone involved. My husband never thought about buying us bread from a bakery near his work until he saw how expensive artisan breads were at the grocery store. Now that he knows how much our family loves a good Sourdough and 9 Grain, he picks up a couple loaves a week and saves us around $4/week. Good job! The kids also pack their own lunch. They love it, they have control over what they eat, and they are learning time management. We save roughly $15/week due to their good habits. That amounts to $540 per school year!! Wow! I bet they'll love having more money to apply toward college!
Cooking for your family and teaching your children about meal preparation and budgeting is an act of love. We all need to eat. Nourishing your families' bodies can save you time, money, and heartache while enjoying the feeling of a job well-done and assuring yourself that you are doing all you can to keep your family healthy - both physically and fiscally.
After speaking today in church about lowering your grocery bill, I realized there is more that I need to share. Here are some essential key points you need to know in order to become a savvy consumer & chef:
- Have a budget
- Make a weekly menu
- Get everyone involved (if you don't teach your children, you'll be sending them $ later)
- Use what you have
- Grow your own
I like to cook (duh!) and I also like meals to be special, so I grow my own. I grow my own herbs - that is. It only takes a couple of pots or a square foot of ground to have a nice, healthy herb garden. I planted a teeny tiny rosemary plant about five years ago. Today, it is a ginormous, beautiful mound - which we cut from on a weekly basis. This year, I claimed about five square feet of ground and planted onions, basil, sweet basil, lavender, and catnip (for the meow meows). I'm already reaping (har har) the benefits of my forethought.
Last thing - get everyone involved. My husband never thought about buying us bread from a bakery near his work until he saw how expensive artisan breads were at the grocery store. Now that he knows how much our family loves a good Sourdough and 9 Grain, he picks up a couple loaves a week and saves us around $4/week. Good job! The kids also pack their own lunch. They love it, they have control over what they eat, and they are learning time management. We save roughly $15/week due to their good habits. That amounts to $540 per school year!! Wow! I bet they'll love having more money to apply toward college!
Cooking for your family and teaching your children about meal preparation and budgeting is an act of love. We all need to eat. Nourishing your families' bodies can save you time, money, and heartache while enjoying the feeling of a job well-done and assuring yourself that you are doing all you can to keep your family healthy - both physically and fiscally.
Week of April 27th - May 2nd
Monday, April 27th - Steak Quesadillas, Rice, & Refried Beans
Tuesday, April 28th - Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, & Noodles
Wednesday, April 29th - Quiche (buy a rolled Pillsbury crust - cook it (with foil covering) at 425 degrees fro 8 min. - remove from oven and decrease temp to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl mix 4 eggs with 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 cup cheese, dash nutmeg, 3/4 cup diced ham. Pour into pie crust and bake for 40 min. or until center is set. - make 2 Quiche if you have hungry, hungry hippos!)
Thursday, April 30th - Out to Dinner (Sam's Pizza Night)
Friday, May 1st - Hot Wings & Tater Tots
Saturday, May 2nd - Hamburgers & Corn on the Cob
That may not sound like a very healthy week; however, the steak was lean, chicken grilled on a Foreman, Hot Wings baked in the oven, and Hamburgers made with 90% lean beef. I love food enough to eat "unhealthy" foods in a healthier way! It's not that hard!
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Tuesday, April 28th - Grilled Chicken, Broccoli, & Noodles
Wednesday, April 29th - Quiche (buy a rolled Pillsbury crust - cook it (with foil covering) at 425 degrees fro 8 min. - remove from oven and decrease temp to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl mix 4 eggs with 1/2 cup milk, 1 1/2 cup cheese, dash nutmeg, 3/4 cup diced ham. Pour into pie crust and bake for 40 min. or until center is set. - make 2 Quiche if you have hungry, hungry hippos!)
Thursday, April 30th - Out to Dinner (Sam's Pizza Night)
Friday, May 1st - Hot Wings & Tater Tots
Saturday, May 2nd - Hamburgers & Corn on the Cob
That may not sound like a very healthy week; however, the steak was lean, chicken grilled on a Foreman, Hot Wings baked in the oven, and Hamburgers made with 90% lean beef. I love food enough to eat "unhealthy" foods in a healthier way! It's not that hard!
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday, April 20, 2009
Week of April 20th - April 25th
It's all business this week! Last week we were surprised by our friends who took the kids out to dinner on Friday - so we've moved Baked Potatoes to this week (fyi - we love our papas, but we're not seriously potato crazy!)
Monday - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Tuesday - Carne Guisada
Wednesday - Chicken Cordon Bleu
Thursday - Out to dinner - it's a crazy night at our house, so "Hi Ho! Hi Ho! Off to the drive thru we go!"
Friday - Burgers & Fries
Saturday - Shorty's Diner
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Tuesday - Carne Guisada
Wednesday - Chicken Cordon Bleu
Thursday - Out to dinner - it's a crazy night at our house, so "Hi Ho! Hi Ho! Off to the drive thru we go!"
Friday - Burgers & Fries
Saturday - Shorty's Diner
Happy Cooking!
The Glamorous Chef
Monday, April 13, 2009
Week of April 13th - April 18th
Happy Monday!
Did y'all try the Lemon Basil Pesto Flat Iron Steak?! Holy Cow!! Delicioso! I used New York Strip b/c I have no idea what a flat iron steak is & they were awesome. Seriously, seriously a taste sensation. In fact, we had leftover steak, which is being used in Monday's dinner this week. I'm using my noggin for sure.
We have a busy busy week with two early baseball games. This week's menu is as easy as it gets!
Monday - Steak Quesadillas - just in case you don't know how to make a quesadilla (I call it my Mexican grilled cheese) ... thinly slice the steak, butter one side of a tortilla, place (buttered side down) in a warm skillet, sprinkly with cheese, lay steak on cheese, sprinkle with more cheese, top with another buttered tortilla (buttered side facing up), heat till cheese is melted, flip, lightly brown other side and you're done!
Tuesday - Beans & Jalapeno Cheddar Bread -- Don't tell me you threw that ham bone away from Easter dinner!! If you kept it, soak a bag of beans overnight, throw them in the crockpot the next day with your ham bone, add your favorite seasonings, some onion, maybe a pepper, water to cover beans, and cook all day long. About an hour before dinner, add some of that yummy leftover ham, heat through and serve with cornbread or whatever bread you choose. We are benefitting from one of Cooper's work colleagues who bought a loaf of Cheddar bread and then heard the unfortunate results of his Cholesterol test. His wife forbid him from eating anymore cheese bread --- sad for him, lucky us! This meal makes me love being a Southern Girl. My Dad always made the best beans. It's comfort food all around!
Wednesday - Out to Dinner (gotta love Enchilada Night at El Chico)
Thursday - Quiche -- more left over ham? Throw it in a Quiche!!
Friday - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Saturday - Shorty's Diner
Did y'all try the Lemon Basil Pesto Flat Iron Steak?! Holy Cow!! Delicioso! I used New York Strip b/c I have no idea what a flat iron steak is & they were awesome. Seriously, seriously a taste sensation. In fact, we had leftover steak, which is being used in Monday's dinner this week. I'm using my noggin for sure.
We have a busy busy week with two early baseball games. This week's menu is as easy as it gets!
Monday - Steak Quesadillas - just in case you don't know how to make a quesadilla (I call it my Mexican grilled cheese) ... thinly slice the steak, butter one side of a tortilla, place (buttered side down) in a warm skillet, sprinkly with cheese, lay steak on cheese, sprinkle with more cheese, top with another buttered tortilla (buttered side facing up), heat till cheese is melted, flip, lightly brown other side and you're done!
Tuesday - Beans & Jalapeno Cheddar Bread -- Don't tell me you threw that ham bone away from Easter dinner!! If you kept it, soak a bag of beans overnight, throw them in the crockpot the next day with your ham bone, add your favorite seasonings, some onion, maybe a pepper, water to cover beans, and cook all day long. About an hour before dinner, add some of that yummy leftover ham, heat through and serve with cornbread or whatever bread you choose. We are benefitting from one of Cooper's work colleagues who bought a loaf of Cheddar bread and then heard the unfortunate results of his Cholesterol test. His wife forbid him from eating anymore cheese bread --- sad for him, lucky us! This meal makes me love being a Southern Girl. My Dad always made the best beans. It's comfort food all around!
Wednesday - Out to Dinner (gotta love Enchilada Night at El Chico)
Thursday - Quiche -- more left over ham? Throw it in a Quiche!!
Friday - Loaded Baked Potatoes
Saturday - Shorty's Diner
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