Days 26 &27

Wednesday
Pesto!

An easy dish I make when time is low! Basically you cook Rotini noodles as per package instructions. While that cooks chop up half an onion, half a bell pepper, 1 large clove of garlic. Drain your pasta and put back in pot. Add the veggies then add your pesto. I get the cheap kind in a jar (same aisle as pasta sauce). I used to get the fresh stuff in the refrigerator section but it is wicked expensive (like my NE speak) up here. Toss the veggies and pesto together. I usually let it sit until its warm or even serve cold from the fridge. I served it with garlic cheese bread!




Thursday-
Tonight I will be making Veggie Fried Rice! In a wok heat olive oil. Once heated add thicker veggies (those that take longer to cook) like broccoli, carrots and bell peppers. Then add your thinner/smaller things- onion, garlic, cilantro. Then add your pre-cooked (cooled) rice. Toss and get the rice coated with the olive oil. Continue tossing and add soy sauce, I also usually throw in some black pepper.
Serve hot!

Day 25

Another busy day! I deep cleaned the house today (well at least the main living area). Doing this while juggling the three kids was fun! ;-) I was mothering, doing laundry, folding, cleaning, vacuuming, or moping something from 7am until 3pm when I was finally able to shower. It feels good to sit in my clean house.

Tonight I actually cooked twice! Noah requested Chili and Chips for dinner (aka Frito Pie)
To make chili;
1lb ground beef - browned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
1 can pinto beans
1 small can of tomato sauce
2 cups water
3 tbs Chili powder (this is a very rough estimate, I usually just use a regular spoon not a measuring spoon)
1.5 tbs Cumin (again rough)
Garlic powder

Add the tomato sauce to the meat.

Combine dry ingredients in a cup, add the two cups of water and stir. Pour mixture over meat and sauce. Stir well. Bring to a boil and let simmer. Add can of pinto beans. The longer the chili simmers the better it will taste.

Put yours chips (corn or tortilla chips work best) in a bowl. Pour the chili over the top. I usually add home made pico (chopped red and white onion, cilantro, tomato, garlic, salt, and pepper) and cheese.

This is what the family ate.

I went to a lovely friends house for a Brunch dinner :) I was planning on making a large omelet but it proved to difficult to flip so it was just a scramble. Basically it was scrambled eggs with pico (see above, duh.)

Everything tasted great. Now off to bed!

Days 23 & 24

Sunday
After I painted the twins room I made a quick salad. Both of the boys were not super happy about it but as soon as we started eating they were convinced. Yay for a healthy easy salad!

Monday-

Wow today has been busy!! I woke up with the kids at 6:30. After feeding and diapering them it was time to feed Nick and Noah. I made an omelet that I was very proud of and Noah had cinnamon and sugar toast! Nick was off to work and so was I! I got a load of clothes started, the kids settled, then I started painting a second coat in the babies room. Once I got that done it was time for the twins to nap. Finally got them down! Next lunch for Noah and I. And more clothes. Noah and I then worked on cleaning his very messy room (E woke up and entertained herself). Once it was under control, I started hanging his clothes and pulling out the things that no longer fit. Once we finished in there L woke and it was again time to feed and diaper the twins. More clothes. Nap time for Noah (Who begged me to make cookies while he was napping). Feeding and diapers, then nap time for the twins. Noah wanted cookies SOO I baked cookies. Started writing this and of course N and E woke.
Tonight for dinner I am making side dishes. I know sounds strange. Potatoes, green beans, corn, salad. Can't wait! I really want the baked potato and corn!

Failure and Redemption! AKA Days 21 and 22

Friday night I was very excited because we were having Shish Kabobs! I marinated some beef (the stew meat I purchase in bulk) and chopped onions, bell peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms. Turned the grill on low and threw my shish kabobs on. I asked Nick to keep and eye on them and turn them periodically while I mowed the lawn. I didn't anticipate the lawn taking as long as it did! The grass in one area was so high that the mower kept dying. Anywho, when I came up the shish kabobs were still on the grill!!! I opened the grill and sure enough they were charred beyond recognition!
"Nick! Why are these still on the grill! They are burned!!"
"Oh, I didn't think they were burned....."

I tried to eat the charred remains of my dinner but we ended up getting a pizza! So that meal was a total FAILURE! At least I cooked at home even if it was inedible!

Saturday
After Friday's failure I was determined to make something great! Pasta Primavera was my goal.
I sliced up some zucchini, yellow bell peppers, onions, and garlic. In a pan I sauteed them in olive oil. Then added the pasta (I used spagetti noodles). Once I had gotten the noodles covered in the olive oil I added the red sauce and tomatoes (home made).
Toss that around until the noodles are covered. Plate and serve with Parm or Mozz.

Everyone loved it! Redemption!

Red Sauce
-1 can Tomato sauce
-1 can Tomato paste
-1 can chopped italian tomatoes
Garlic Powder and Garlic
Basil
Oregano
(or use an Italian seasoning)
Salt

Day 20!

I made stuffed chicken breast.

In a pot combine chopped broccoli, onions, bell peppers, garlic, and olive oil. Toss and cook on medium until the peppers and broccoli are a bright green. Set aside

In the thickest part of the chicken cut a pocket. I didn't make mine deep enough so try to get as far into the chicken as possible. Salt, Pepper, and Garlic powder. In a skillet brown the chicken breast (it will not be cooked all the way through). Stuff the broccoli mix in the chicken. For some added taste add mozzarella to the stuffing.

Heat oven to 350*. Cook chicken in a covered dish for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add more Mozzarella on top of the chicken. Cover and put back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove, plate and enjoy! There will be some juice/broth in the dish; it taste amazing as a thin gravy.

Day 18 and 19

Another oh so good meal that we started eating before I had the presence of mind to snap a picture.

Slow cooker pork chops and gravy over rice.

Around 11am I put 3 (frozen) pork chops in my crock pot. I added a large amount of garlic, 2 cups of beef broth, 2 cups of water, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. That cooked on high until about 4pm. I checked it and turned the chops through out the day.
4pm- Heat olive oil in pan. I browned the outside of the chops. Then added the juice with a bit of flour and water to thicken. That simmered on low until it we were ready to eat at 6:30. The pork chop was so moist it fell right off the bone. I served them over rice with the gravy.


Tonight we had waffles and eggs.


Another allrecipes.com recipe
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/waffles-i/detail.aspx

Day 17

HAMBURGERS!! oh and left over beans (which were SOOOO yumm)

Day 16 Rice and Beans!!

It sounds so easy! But I made it all from scratch!
So sorry I really don't feel like trying to figure out my recipe. Essentially I threw a lot of stuff together and made good food. It took several hours. If you are really interested email me. :-)

Rice (same as a few nights ago)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-rice-ii/detail.aspx

Days 10-15

Monday- I didn't feel like going shopping so I got creative with what I had in the house. We had home made Pizza
For the crust I used a recipe from Cooks.com. I didn't have yeast or pizza dough so I searched for a recipe that would work

2 1/2 c. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder (if using baking soda use half and omit salt)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
3/4 to 1 c. water
Mix dry ingredients. add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.
The dough will be soft, not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 minutes.

Bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes.

It was very good! I coated it with a little olive oil, garlic powder and salt for some added flavor.
For the sauce I usually make a jar of it and keep it around the house
Mix together
1 can Tomato Sauce(14oz)
1 can tomato paste(6oz)
1 can of diced italian stewed tomatoes
I then add basil, oregano, fennel seeds, and garlic

Once you roll out your dough and add your sauce top with your favorite toppings. Cook at 400* until done (varies depending on toppings and crust thickness)


Tuesday- Linguine with Olive Oil and Garlic or Aglio et Oglio
1lbs of Pasta
Garlic
Parsley
Olive oil

Chop your garlic and parsley. Heat olive oil in pan, add garlic and cooked pasta and toss. Add a little garlic powder and salt.
Toss in your parsley for a delicious light pasta dish.

Wednesday- Chicken Fajitas
Marinade- 1 lime, Cilantro, 2 large cloves of garlic, 2tbs olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder. Pour into a ziplock bag and put in chicken. Shake and let soak. I let it marinade for several hours.

The Chicken breast were very thick so I pounded them down. Grill on med/low until done.
Served them on flour tortillas with grilled veggies (bell peppers and onions), cilantro, cheese.

We don't often find good tortillas up here so a trick to make them taste better; in a heated skillet add a little olive oil and heat tortilla until it starts browning, do the same on the other side. Makes them taste a little more like home made.



Thursday- Beef, Broccoli, and Bell Peppers with Rice

In a crock pot add 1lb stew meat, 2 cups beef broth, onions, salt, pepper, garlic, and garlic powder (you may need to add another cup or two of water throughout the day). Let cook all day on high.

About an hour before dinner in a heated skillet add olive oil, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and broccoli. Sautee for about a minute. Using a slated spoon remove the meat and add it to the skillet. Then using a ladle add as much juice as you would like. I add quite a bit, that way it can simmer down. Allow meat and veggies to simmer for an hour.

Serve over white rice.


Friday- Breakfast!!
We have a very tasty Bacon, Egg, Onion, and Bell Pepper sandwich. No pictures because we ate them quicker than I could snap!

Saturday- Spanish Rice

We attended a gathering of friends and had BBQ but I brought Mexican/spanish rice and cookies.

Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Cookies
2 1/2 cups flour
1tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
1 1/2 tbs cinnamon
1lb butter
1tbs vanilla
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg


Cream together Soft butter, White and Brown Sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and mix well. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to cream mixture. Once mixed using a cookie scoop, scoop on to un-greased pan. Using a spoon flatten dough a little. Top with a mixture of white or brown sugar and cinnamon.
Bake 350* for 8-10 minutes

Mexican Rice- I use the following recipe from my fave recipe website; AllRecipes.com
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-rice-ii/detail.aspx

Day 9

We had super delicious sandwiches. Ham, Chicken, and Genoa Salami w/ Chedder, Onion, Lettuce, and Tomato.
Now I am sitting here listening to Noah and Nick play with his new playmobile ambulance. The "sick" guy is throwing up. Fun!

Noah- "He is burping and sneezing and throwing up!" lol

Day 8

Oh how I didn't want to cook last night. But I pushed through and made a simple meal. HOTDOGS! ;-) These aren't your nasty ballpark franks though. They are the all beef, kosher, natural casing yumminess. I also sautéed some garlic, onions, and cilantro to put on top of the dogs for some added flavor. Easy peasy.


I felt a little more like cooking this morning (even in my slightly hungover state). So I made scrambled eggs with onion, tomatoes, green chili's, ham, cilantro, and cheese. Nick and I ate the eggs with a toasted onion bagel.

I am not sure what we are going to be doing for dinner tonight. I still haven't decided on my menu for next week. I have some work to do.

Day 7

Pork the other white meat!

When I was kid I was not a fan of Pork Chops. They were usually either shake n bake or pan fried. In my humble opinion the best way to cook them is on the Grill!
YUM!
On med/low heat I cook the chop for about 8 min on each side (unless they are thin chops). I drizzle the chops with olive oil then salt, pepper, garlic powder, and I added some red pepper for a little kick. They were so juicy! We had carrots and potatoes with them. The potatoes were chopped and boiled, buttered, salt and peppered. Carrots were also boiled. I tossed them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

I will be working on next week menu. We will likely have some easy meals this weekend. 7 days down!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

It still amazes me how happy baking makes me. Today I made a wonderful Chocolate Chip Cookie

1 cup butter (soften)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tbs vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 cups Flour
2 cups (one bag) Chocolate chip

Cream together your soft butter and sugar. If you forgot to set your butter out earlier in the day set it on a plate while you preheat your oven. Don't let it melt.
Once you have creamed the butter and sugar together add Vanilla and mix. Then add egg and blend completely before adding dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients. Slowly blend them in with the cream mixture. Once everything is mixed well add Chocolate chips, sturing in with a spoon.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough out onto un-greased cookie sheets. Cook in pre-heated oven at 325* for 10-12 Minutes.
Makes 3 dozen

Day 6

I made Grilled Chicken with Pasta and Garlic bread.

Two large chicken breasts fed all of us. I pounded the chicken until it was thin. Then drizzled the chicken with olive oil and seasoned with Garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. On a preheated grill (med/low heat) I cooked each side for 5-8 minutes. The heat was low so it cooked slow and retained a lot of juice!

For the pasta I cooked rotini noodles (per the box instructions) and then tossed with olive oil, garlic, garlic powder, parsley, salt, and pepper. The garlic bread was just store bought and heated in the oven.
It all made for a great dinner!

Day 5

Today was a bit easier. The twins took naps a bit more willingly but instead of keeping a schedule I just waited for them to show the tired fuss. It was easier getting them down at that point. So lessoned learned. I stick to their schedule; even though it's sporadic at best, they don't stick to mine.

Tonight we had a Salad with onion, garlic, cilantro, carrots and broccoli. I also grilled some corn because sadly it was about to turn and I refuse to waste food. I am just pleased that Noah is now eating some veggies, even if they have salad dressing on them. Can't decide what to make tomorrow. I am thinking grilled chicken with maybe a garlic pasta side.

Day 4

Yesterday was a rough day, but I pushed through and made all our meals at home.

We had my version of Carne Guisada. It was good, not exactly like I wanted it but it still tasted yum.

In a crock pot I put about 1lb of stew meat chunks. I purchase my meat in bulk so I get these pre-cut stew meat chunks and use them for everything but stew. Anyway I add 6-8 oz of tomato sauce, 6-8 oz of diced tomatoes with green chilis, onions, cilantro, and that same chili/water mix I use on my chili. Turn the crock pot on high and let it cook for 6-8 hours. You want the meat to shred and fall apart.
I served this on corn tortillas with onion, cilantro and cheese. For Noah I used a hard taco shell; he doesn't dig on the corn tortilla yet.

Hoping for a smoother day today!

Day 3

Today was Noah's first day of camp! It was very exciting for us all! Noah is usually a very out going boy, but recently in large unfamiliar groups he hides behind my leg. Today happened to be one of those days. When we arrived (after he had cereal and toast for breakfast and I had my usual bagel with cream cheese) kids were all over the place and he really wasn't sure what to do with himself. Once I got him settled in the twins and I were able to head out. When I picked him up he was sweaty and had a blast. It was nice having some time with just the twins.




For lunch we all had something different. I sent Nick with left over pasta, I had left over tacos, and Noah had a sandwich.

Dinner- I decided to make a vegetarian meal tonight. For all you Texans out there thinking WHHHAAATT??? The family and I have started eating a lot less meat. 1. it's better for our body and 2 its better for our pocket book. So for our meal I made stir fry veggies with white rice. I cut up red and green bell peppers, red and white onion, garlic, carrots, broccoli, and cilantro. Seasoned with garlic powder, a little salt, and pepper. I used about 2 tbs of olive oil and a small amount of soy sauce and sautéed the veggies. Yum Yum!! Even Noah ate all his carrots and broccoli!



The rest of the week I have meals planned- Carne Guisada, Salad, Pork Chops, and Grilled Chicken. For side dishes I have Corn, Potatoes, Beans, Mixed Veggies, and Rice.

Till mealtime!