menu plan for July 6-11

Looki\ng thru recipes i'm thinking of the following:

Chicken Enchilada casserole
Easy spanish rice
cheesy spaetzle (did not make this last week)
Oven baked Fajita

As always once I make a recipe I will post how it turns out.

Thank you for reading, LAURA

recipe review Cheeseburger casserole

Cheeseburger Casserole

Serves 6-8
Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 (8 oz.) can refrigerated crescent dough sheet
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup (sharp) cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• black olives, pitted and chopped, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. In a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat, brown ground beef until cooked through and no longer pink.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and drain off fat, leaving 1 tablespoon in the pan. Sauté onions until caramelized and golden in color. 10-12 minutes.
4. Return beef to Dutch oven and add olives (if using), mustard, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.
5. Season everything with salt and pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, then transfer mixture to a 9x13-inch baking dish and stir in mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
6. Unroll crescent roll dough and roll it out into a large, thin rectangle, that’s large enough to cover your baking dish.
7. Place it on top of beef mixture and use a sharp knife to cute 2-4 slits in it, to allow steam to escape.
8. Combine your beaten egg with 1 tablespoon water and lightly brush mixture over the top of your dough.
9. Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Recipe adapted from Pillsbury

Review - not going to make the cut.  first off:  i don't care for mustard.
This recipe had no tomato products and I think it was really missing that.

RECIPE REVIEW Taco casserole

Creamy Taco Casserole

Serves 6
Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
• 1/2 (14 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 (4 oz.) can green chilies, drained and chopped
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 (1.25 oz) packet taco seasoning
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Doritos or plain tortilla chips, as needed
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef until cooked through and no longer pink.
3. Drain fat, reserving 1 tablespoon, and sautè onions until softened and tender.
4. Return beef to skillet and season with taco seasoning, salt and pepper, then add green chilies and corn kernels to the skillet.
5. Transfer mixture to a large baking dish (9x13 or 11x15) and stir in cheese, salsa and chicken soup.
6. In a separate bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream and chili powder until smooth, then spread mixture over the beef and vegetables.
7. Place baking dish in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, then remove and gently push chips into the cream cheese surface.
8. Transfer to serving plates and serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Six Figures Under
very yumy!!!

Life is tough and then you fight thru the crap

OK i ADMIT THAT LIFE HAS BEEN TOUGH.

So what is girl to do when she starts to get all the thoughts in her head. . .  restart her blog and put them into words.  Who knows what i will chat about but so far I am working my way thru a pinterest board of eating and crafts.

So lets start with a menu plan to keep me on track for eating.  i seem to be on a Mexican kick right now.

Cheeseburger casserole
taco casserole
German mac & cheese - a celebration to my heritage (which is cheese spaetzel)

I need to look again i need like a crockpot meal something I can fix and heat while I am at cardiac rehab.  Since most recipes leave a great deal of leftovers this is all i will plan to get started.

Again thank you for coming back and I look forward to reading your comments,


Laura

Sad days

The past few days I have been very sad.  Thursday Oct 3 would have been my anniversary - 4 years. That leads to thinking and missing Greg.

Apples Apples and more apples

New product Jif Whips

I recently saw a commercial for Jif Whips.  A supposedly light peanut butter.  And being a confirmed peanut butter fiend I had to try it.  $3.59 with no coupon, 11 grams of fat; 2 being saturated fat, 60 milligrams of salt and 11 grams of carbs.

Ok not the best thing in the world to eat but oh so yummy.  I choose the peanut butter and chocolate. When I purchased it it was "healthier" than the Nutella.

I will look for coupons but will buy it again without.

Thank you for reading, Laura

Home clean up

So now I am back home and the clean up had started.  First have to get out all the cobwebs. Of course the first room I went into was the former man cave and smack right into a cobweb.  Eww gross!!!All cleaned up. Eww!!  Because you know I can't see them.

Then outside on the patio, messsy but not to awful bad.  My baby brother cleaned that up, Thank you Rob.

In the garden were some plants that apparently sprouted after last years garden; 2 tomatoe plants (with baby cherry ones) some collard greens and a bunch of cat poo. (darn stray cats). And a tree full of apples :)

Working on getting everything cleaned up and reorganized.  My neighbor is planning on tilling the garden for me once the tomatoes are all done.  And the plans for 2014 garden are milling around in my head.

So I am back home

Life has begun.  Not quite sure how to go one without Greg but I have survived the past week alone here. The house is so quite with no one to help make any noise.  And I do get to watch whatever TV I want whenever I want like this morning at 5:30 am.

And since my freezer took a break a few months ago, I have an empty freezer to fill back up.  But I am not really shopping. with all the canned goods I have no need to shop.   And since my meals tend to end up lasting for 3 days - really no need to cook. 

I did do some cooking at my parents house and found out something (the hard way). I do not care for beer can chicken.  But I do have a few other recipes to try out.

Back home

I've moved back home.  I'll start posting in the next couple of days.

Life for the past 5 monrgs

What can I say? first I go into the hospial, then my hsuband passes away. then during my surgery I have a stroke then rehab. Time has healed my wounds (barely) and I am ready to resume life and my posting.  Bear with me for a short bit of time and I'll be back.

Recipe review Spicy African chicken stew

Spicy African chicken stew

Pillsbury Casseroles, Soups and stews

Oct 1994

Q Tbsp oil

1 lb. chicken cut in 1 inch pieces

1 ½ cup chopped onions

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 (28 oz) can whole tomatoes, undrained but chopped

¼ cup creamy peanut butter

½ tsp chili powder

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

3 cups cooked rice

½ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Heat oil in large dutch over or large pan until hot.

Cook chicken, onions and garlic for 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Add in tomatoes, peanut butter, chili powder, salt and red pepper flakes.

Bring to boil and reduce heat.  Simmer covered for 35 minutes.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with peanuts. 

 6 servings

Review: this meal was ok, nice flavor even with cutting down the red pepper for hubby's flavor issues.  I probably won't make this again.

Thanks for reading, Laura

Today's freebies and the hitchhikers

So not free but Christmas markdown and we all know (or now you know) that I collect rubber ducks.

 

Today’s freebies from the weekly grocery trip:

Gallon of milk (Mperks from Meijers)

2 tubes Colgate toothpaste (actually I made 50 cents off these thanks to 2 75 cents manufacturer coupons and a $1 ecoupon)

bar of Lava Soap

2 Reach toothbrushes ($2 manufacturer coupon and a great sale)

1 Reach Floss ($1 manufacturer coupon)

3 Powerade Zero ($3 off 10 e coupon)

1.25oz bottle Diet Coke (coupon on the 12 packs)

1 Good N Natural bar (free coupon)  I really like these they make great snacks for after work

10 oz can Red Gold tomatoes (Catalina)

thank

Slow cooker Enchilada Casserole

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 3 hours

Serves: 4

9 6 inch corn tortillas

15 oz canned enchilada sauce

1 15 oz can black beans; drained and rinsed

2 cups frozen corn

2 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Toast tortillas, turning once, until lightly spotted.

Reserve 2 Tbsp sauce

In a bowl combine rest of sauce and beans

Spray the insert with non-stick spray

Layer 3 tortillas along bottom, you may need to break them up to fit your insert.

Spread with half of the bean mix.

Cover with some of the corn and then 1 cup cheese

Repeat one more time

For third set of tortillas place them in and cover with the reserved sauce and the last of the cheese.

Cover with lid and cook on low for 2-3 hours.  You want the cheese melted and the edges crispy.

 Looks good doesn't it??  My review is that it was very yummy but really get those tortillas crispy.  I think that crispiness adds to the dish.  Now hubby is a carnivore and I knew as is this would not make him happy; So I broke into my home-canned chicken and added it with the sauce and bean mix.

Menu plan for Dec 30 2012 - Jan 5 2013

First of all happy New Years to all.  May 2013 be your best year for whatever you endeavor.  I did something different with the plan this time with 5 days off of work I didn't plan what days to cook what.

On this weeks menu is:
Macaroni & cheese (homemade)
Slow cooker Enchilada
Salisbury steaks and mashed potatoes
African Stew (looks so good - it has peanut butter in it)  and yes I will post the recipe once I make it.
Ham & cheese casserole

Extras to make on the side:
dried beef cheeseball
Cobb salad
banana bread

Looks like I am one day of main meal short but I'll figure out something to fill in that day.

Thank you for reading,  Laura

Ah the joys of bargain hunting

Finally the Christmas season (and the extra working hours) is over.  I was able to start working on my coupon shopping again.  Today's bounty included: 4 Hormel microwave dinners (39 cents each); 5 Hormel sandwich makers (also 39 cents each), 12 Red Gold tomato products (9 cents each); 9 bottles of Ibuprofen (24 count) that were 49 cents each.

Blessings, Laura

Morning thoughts during a bus ride

Just some of the random things that go thru my mind while riding the bus to work.

#1 My boss must hate me to make me get up this early.
#2 Oh mercy these kids are so awake and loud.
#3 Oh this bus is nice a cozy warm on a cold morning.
#4 Oh look ducks down sitting on the river.  Which leads to do their bottoms get cold?
#4 What a nice picture that shot of the old lever style bridge with the High Level bridge in the background. (That will wait until Spring.)
#5 A new Mexican restaurant just opened.  (As the tummy starts to grumble)
#6 pretty artwork in the Hispanic area.
#7 The city really needs to upgrade Broadway - lots of potholes.
#8 The zoo is so pretty and hopefully they have left one or two strings of lights on.  By the way they didn't after all it is after 9 am.
#9 the park right across the street from the zoo is empty.  During the Spring, Summer and Fall it is so full that to have a table you must get to the park and stake your claim by 9 am.
#10 The bus goes on down the road, twisting and turning and stopping to drop off people.
#11 We drive by one of my co-workers apartment and I wave hi but she doesn't wave back.  Could it be that she is not out but in her nice warm apartment?

#12 the ride is over and its my stop.  time to get into work and start my day.

Blessings, laura

Various pictures

One of the benches.  It was decorated by some local art students.

A Lion that is on one of the buildings Downtown.

Now this one is an old hotel that is now residential housing.  Very ritzy and upper class.  But when I see this window and the balcony all I can think of is Rapunzel Rapunzel let down your hair.

I took these pictures the same day I was Downtown for the circus.  I enjoy walking around Downtown and checking out all the different architecture.

Thank you for checking my blog out today and may you be blessed, Laura

Serene Saturday

Last week we had a few days of fog.  I went out back to snap some pictures and took this one of Miss Maple.  I wasn't sure if I should title this serene or spooky but chose serene.  I love Miss Maple not only is she beautiful in the Spring with her new green leaves.  She is beautiful in the summer with her very full body of leaves that hang over us as we sit under her.  In the Fall when those same green leaves turn red, orange and yellow and shower whoever is brave enough to sit under with the leaves.  Even in the winter her limbs are so thick that the snow collects until it can't hold anymore and then drops snowballs on us.

I hope that in your life you have a tree such as Miss Maple.

Thank you for reading and may God above bless your life, Laura

Christmas lights at the zoo

  Our zoo's tree was named one of the nations best.  Now granted I maybe biased but I agree.  I've been watching the zoo workers hang the lights including the "Big tree".  I think the lights are just beautiful.  Here are some facts that the zoo posted on their Facebook page.

The Toledo Zoo Some interesting facts about these decorations and the Zoo's energy to power them:

1. The lights on the Big Tree are all LED lights which, besides being dazzling (as you can see), are more energy-efficient than traditional lights. Zoo-wide, more than half the lights at the Lights Before Christmas are now LED lights, and we are gradually increasing that percentage.

2. We carefully dismantle the lights at the end of each season and re-use them the next year.  PS One thing that they do not mention here is that the checking of all the strands starts in September and yes they go thru each and every light on each and every strand.

3. Part of the energy to power and heat the Zoo comes from solar panels, a wind turbine and a geothermal system.