April 4- April 10

The Baked Rice and Peas was such a success I plan on repeating it again this week for company!  We are entertaining family from out of town as well as hosting Easter Dinner for everyone.

Wednesday, April 4-  I'm thinking sausage with peppers and onions sandwiches along with a macaroni salad.

Lightened Up Macaroni Salad

Servings: 7 • Size: 3/4 cup Points: 3 pts

• 6 oz dry elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• dash of garlic powder (I am using Garlic Garlic)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine all ingredients and mix well. When pasta is done (do not overcook) rinse under cold water. Combine pasta with other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Chill before serving. 

 

Thursday, April 5- Company is bringing delicious Jersey pizzas with them.  We'll most likely grill them up on the BBQ.  Also homemade Brazilian cheese balls and chicken balls will round out our eclectic meal.  Dessert will be homemade Brazilian coconut balls!

 

Friday, April 6-  With house guests and cooler temps, I think I will bake a lemon and garlic chicken and serve the baked rice and peas.  If time allows I will pick up Virgina Rolls at my local Great Harvest Bread Company.

Baked Rice and Peas
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 173.7 • Fat: 1.5 g • Protein: 5.5 g • Carb: 34.4 g • Fiber: 2.0 g 

• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth (my notes add a little more liquid)
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/4 diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 5 oz (1/2 package) frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of tin foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes. Bake 50 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). When 50 minutes is up, remove from oven and let it sit for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice, (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.

Saturday, April 7-   Not sure yet if Grandpa is taking the girls out for their traditional CiCi dinner tonight.  Will need to wait and see about this evenings dinner.


Sunday, April 8-  Easter Dinner will consist of a deep fried turkey breast, grilled lamb, sweet potato casserole and Southern green beans.  I may pick up additional Virgina Rolls, if they are as delicious as I think they will be.  Dessert will be lemon squares and possibly a cheesecake.

Sweet Potato Casserole 7 WW Points  
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.

Serving: 3/4 cup

Calories: 376  Fat: 8.8g  Saturated fat: 1.4g  Monounsaturated fat: 4.1g  Polyunsaturated fat: 2.6g  Protein: 5.4g  Carbohydrate: 70.1g  Fiber: 3.8g  Cholesterol: 1mg  Iron: 1.9mg  Sodium: 115mg  Calcium: 97mg 

 

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

 

Monday, April 9-  Not sure yet what I will be preparing this evening.  Possibly my delicious chicken enchiladas, always a crowd pleaser!

Chicken Enchiladas  approx. 7 WW Pts.
1 lb chicken
4oz can of chopped green chile peppers (I'll be using my hot green chiles from last week's Box)
1 small onion
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp chili powder
Small Can of Enchilada Sauce
1 package of large sized soft flour tortillas
1 package Mexican cheese (or cheddar)

1. Heat large skillet on med/high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat pan
3. Cook chicken through about 8-10 minutes.
4. While chicken is cooking chop onion
5. Remove chicken to cutting board, add chopped onion to skillet and chili powder
6. While onion is cooking, dice up chicken
7. In a small bowl combine the can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of sour cream & 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Mix and set aside.
8. Once onion is tender add chicken, green chilies, about 1/4 cup of sour cream mixture & enchilada sauce (add enough to add moisture to skillet about 1-3 tablespoons) Stir and Heat through.
9. In a 9 x 13 baking dish lightly cover bottom of pan with the sour cream mixture.
10. Add chicken mixture to tortillas and roll up, place seam side down in baking dish. (tortillas can be touching each other in dish)
11. Cover tortillas with remaining sour cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese
12. Bake in a 350 degree oven covered for 20-25 minutes then uncover and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

**Meal can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to bake add 15 minutes to bake time or until heated through.

 

Tuesday, April 10-  It's just half the family for dinner tonight.  Company will have left before dinner and the other half of the family will be at golf lessons.  We either get take out or do pancakes for dinner.

 

March 26- April 1

The children were tracked out and we traveled during this time as well.  So my menus weren't always followed or even created during this time.  But now we are back to our typical schedule which also means better meal planning.

Monday, March 26-  We hit the week running with many after-school activities scheduled this week.  Tonight is soccer practice.  Therefore, I need a simply and easy meal to prepare between homework and running out the door for practice.  Fajitas for me and quesidillas for the girls tonight!

Tuesday, March 27-  I may not be home for dinner, in which case it's Mac N Cheese.  Should my plans fall through I will throw something together....

Wednesday, March 28-  I am thinking tortellini in a garlic white sauce with asparagus or a fresh salad.  I will use prepackaged tortellini and a powder sauce.

Thursday, March 29-  It's just us girls tonight.  I am thinking breakfast for dinner tonight!

Friday, March 30-  Grilled steak along with this tweaked rice recipe I came across on skinnytaste.com

Baked Rice and Peas
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 173.7 • Fat: 1.5 g • Protein: 5.5 g • Carb: 34.4 g • Fiber: 2.0 g 

• 1 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 14.5 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/4 diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 5 oz (1/2 package) frozen peas

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine all ingredients in a oven-safe baking dish with a lid. Place a piece of tin foil between the lid and the dish to ensure no steam escapes. Bake 45 minutes (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). When 45 minutes is up, remove from oven and let it sit for 10 more minutes to allow the steam to finish cooking the rice, (do not open, do not peek, do not stir to rice). After 10 minutes, remove lid and fluff with a fork.

 

Saturday, March 31-  I am thinking of grilling boneless pork strips and serve it along with baked beans and maybe some corn on the cob (most likely the frozen ones since it's way too early for fresh).

Sunday, April 1-  I would like to roast a chicken tonight.  If I do I will add some cut lemon into it's cavity along with some garlic cloves.  I plan on making Southern Green Beans and if there is any rice left from earlier in the week that will round out tonight's meal.  If we don't have any of the rice left, I'll pick up some small dinner rolls.

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

September 28- October 4

Our family skipped last weeks Produce Box.  This week we opted for the Fruit Box.  Our Box consisted of a quart of peaches, 2 quarts of apples, a watermelon, grapes and raspberries.

Since our Box is a fruit laden box, I sort inspiration from this blog and my cupbaords for this weeks menu.

Wednesday, September 28th- I defrosted a quart of my homemade sauce to serve over packaged gnocchi along with a garden salad and honey wheat bread.

Thursday, September 29th-  Taken from a previous post on this blog comes tonight's dinner, Fish Tacos.  The Fish Taco recipe was taken from allrecipes.com with a few modifications as follows.

Fish Tacos  WW Pts: 9

• Marinade
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 pound cod, cut into chunks
•  
• Dressing
• 1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
• 1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I might reduce to 1 tbspn)
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• salt and pepper to taste

• Chopped Cilantro
• packaged cole slaw mix
• 1 (10 ounce) package tortillas
• 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

Directions

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the fish in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake fish in preheated oven until it easily flakes with a fork, 9 to 11 minutes. (Fish can also be grilled)
4. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and slaw; drizzle with dressing.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 416 * Total Fat: 19.2g * Cholesterol: 43mg * Sodium: 709mg * Total Carbs: 38.5g * Dietary Fiber: 6g * Protein: 22.6g

Friday, September 30th- Hamburgers and Mac N' Cheese is dinner this evening along with slices of watermelon.  

Saturday, October 1st- Again taken from a previous post is this evening's meal.  Tonights meal had been in a Woman's Day magazine.

Italian Sausage and White Bean Bake Recipe WW Pts: 7

* 3 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 1/2 lb Italian sausages, cut crosswise into 2-in. pieces
* 3 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced into half-moons
* 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
* 2 15-oz cans white beans, such as cannellini, rinsed
* 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
* Kosher salt and pepper
* 2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausages until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2. Wipe out the pot and heat 1 Tbsp of the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices; bring to a boil. Stir in the beans, parsley, sausage, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Transfer to a 3-qt casserole dish.

4. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining oil and sprinkle over the bean mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts Yield 8 Servings
Calories 347 Total Fat 16g Saturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 25mg Sodium 1068mg Total Carbohydrates 34g Dietary Fiber 6g Protein 15g

Sunday, October 2nd- The  Candied Sweet Potato recipe was also posted previously.  I will also do a roasted chicken tonight.  However, I haven't completely decided if it will be the slow roasted recipe I have posted before a different recipe.

Monday, October 3rd- Since this is first day back into the school regimen since Tracking Out and we have soccer practice tonight, tonight's meal will be simple.  Most likely it will be quesidillas and fajitas.

Tuesday, October 4th-  Marinated Steak along with Southern Green Beans and sliced wheat bread will be this evenings meal.
Red Wine Marinade

• 1 cup Red Wine
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil 
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients; pour over steaks and refrigerate for 4 hours.  Remove steaks and grill.  Discard marinade.

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

July 27- August 2 Not a whole lot of cooking going on!

This week my Produce Box consisted of:

• 1 Qt. Peaches
• Green Beans
• 1 Personal Watermelon
• 6 Ears of Corn
• 1 oz. Fresh Basil
• Hot Pepper Variety
• Butternut Squash 

I never made the Peach cobbler last week.  So this week I will use my peaches to make that recipe.  

Delicious Peach Cobbler
4 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (if you don't have any you can easily make some- I did using a google search: 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour mixed with 3/4 teaspoon each baking powder and salt)
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional

-Preheat oven to 350
-Combine peaches, 1 cup of sugar & water in saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Put butter in a 3-qt. baking dish and place in oven to melt.
-Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if desired.
-Bake for approx. 1 hour
Can be served with whipped topping and/or ice cream. Refrigerate left overs.

I will roast and then puree the Butternut Squash and use it in place of the pumpkin puree in my Pumpkin Bread Recipe.  I will post this recipe separately.

Wednesday, July 27-  Between running to 2 Open Houses and it's my Birthday, I am not cooking dinner tonight.  Not sure what will be for dinner but I know for sure I won't be making it!

Thursday, July 28-  I will use some of the corn and green beans for a side salad, Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans and Tomatoes (recipe from myrecipes.com).  I will freeze the remaining corn to have at a later time.  I think my girls have had their fill of corn these past few weeks.  I will also make Apricot Glazed Grilled Pork Chops (whisk 2 tablespoons cider vinegar with 1/4-1/2 cup of apricot preserves, brush glaze on meat during last 5 minutes of grilling).  The meal will be rounded out with slices of watermelon.

Orzo Salad with Corn, Green Beans and Tomatoes (I will halving this recipe)

• 1 pound green beans
• 1 1/2 cups dried orzo pasta (8 oz.)
• 3 ears fresh corn (10 to 14 oz. each; see notes)
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes (12 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, and cut in half

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 2 quarts water to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse green beans, trim off ends, and pull off any strings. Cut into 2- to 3-inch lengths. Add beans to boiling water and cook until barely tender to bite, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain and immerse in ice water until cold; drain well.
2. Fill same pan with 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and cook until barely tender to bite, 8 to 11 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well.
3. Meanwhile, husk corn, discarding silk; rinse ears. Holding each ear upright in a large, deep bowl, cut off kernels close to the cob.
4. To make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, shallots, mustard, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.
5. In a large, wide bowl, mix orzo with 1/2 cup of the dressing. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Spread level. Layer corn kernels, green beans, and tomatoes over pasta. Pour remaining dressing into a container. Cover and chill both salad and dressing until ready to serve.
6. Shortly before serving, pour three-fourths of the remaining dressing over salad and mix gently to blend. Add more dressing and salt and pepper to taste. 

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 296
• Calories from fat: 46%
• Protein: 6.4g
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated fat: 2.1g
• Carbohydrate: 36g
• Fiber: 3.2g
• Sodium: 106mg
• Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Friday, July 29-  We will be attending my husband's family work event at the Durham Bulls Park.  Hotdogs, popcorn and a glass a beer are in my future tonight!

Saturday, July 30- My husband and I are going on a date night!  Again no cooking, glad those green beans will hold for a awhile!

Sunday, July 31-  Despite the fact that my husband and older daughter will be playing in a golf tournament tonight, I plan on making dinner for my little one and myself. It will simple like spaghetti and meatballs.

Monday, August 1-  I will use the remaining green beans for a garlic saute garnished with chopped tomatoes and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. (Heat olive oil, add 2-3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.  After washing, trimming and cutting the beans saute them in olive oil for 5-8 minutes.  You can add chopped tomatoes and saute for another 3 minutes or remove from heat and add tomatoes.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve.)  The green beans will be served with a grilled garlic seasoned steak and a loaf of warmed bread.

Tuesday, August 2- It's Mexican tonight!  I will use some of the peppers in a Mexican inspired dish and the remaining peppers will be frozen for later use in salsas and other meals.

July 13- July 19

This week's Produce Box contains:

• 1 Personal Watermelon
• 1 qt. Peaches
• 1 pint blueberries
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Butternut Squash
• Dixie Lee Peas (shelled)
• Pickler Cucumbers

I also ordered an add on of 4 ears of corn.

Smoothies and baked goodies as well as snacking will use up our watermelon, peaches and blueberries.

Wednesday, July 13- Tonight I will try my hand at homemade Moussaka.  I will take the recipe's advice and make the meat filling earlier in the day.  I will assemble everything but the bechamel in the late afternoon.  Then shortly before baking it I will make the bechamel sauce to pour on top and then bake.

Moussaka- reprinted from Simply Recipes

Meat sauce

• 2 pounds ground lamb or beef
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 4 chopped garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 cup red wine
• Zest of a lemon
• 2 Tbsp or more of lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Bechamel sauce

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups whole milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

The moussaka

• 3 large globe eggplants
• 1/2 cup salt
• 8 cups water
• 2-3 Yukon gold or other yellow potatoes
• 1 cup grated mizithra cheese (or pecorino or Parmesan)
• Olive oil

Prepare the meat sauce
1 Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and brown the ground meat. By the way, the meat will brown best if you don't stir it. Add the onions about halfway into the browning process. Sprinkle salt over the meat and onions.
2 Once the meat is browned and the onions have softened, add the garlic, allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, oregano and tomato paste. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

3 Add the red wine and mix well. Bring the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat and continue to simmer gently, uncovered for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Add the lemon zest and the lemon juice. Mix well and taste. If the sauce needs more acidity, add more lemon juice.
Set the sauce aside.

Prepare the potatoes and eggplants
4 Mix the 1/2 cup salt with the 8 cups of water in a large pot or container. This will be the brine for the eggplants.

5 Slice the top and bottom off the eggplants. Cut thick strips of the skin off the eggplants to give them a striped appearance. A little skin on the eggplant is good for texture, but leaving it all on makes the moussaka hard to cut later, and can add bitterness, which you don’t want. (Some moussaka recipes leave the skin on and have you slice the eggplants lengthwise, which is an option if you prefer.) Slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch rounds and drop them into the brine.
6 Let the eggplants sit in the brine 15-20 minutes, then remove them to a series of paper towels to dry. Place a paper towel down on the counter, layer some eggplant on it, then cover with another sheet of paper towel and repeat.
7 As the eggplants are brining, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds. Boil them in salted water for 5-8 minutes – you want them undercooked, but no longer crunchy. Drain and set aside.

8 To cook the eggplant, broil or grill the rounds. You could also fry the eggplant rounds but they tend to absorb a lot of oil that way. To grill the eggplant rounds, get a grill very hot and close the lid. Paint one side of the eggplant rounds with olive oil and grill 2-3 minutes. When they are done on one side, paint the other side with oil and flip. When the eggplants are nicely grilled, set aside. To broil, line a broiling pan or roasting pan with aluminum foil. Paint with olive oil. Place the eggplant rounds on the foil and brush with olive oil. Broil for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned on one side, then flip them over and broil for a few minutes more. Set aside.

Prepare the béchamel
9 Heat milk in a pot on medium heat until steamy (about 160 degrees). Do not let simmer.
10 Heat the butter in a small pot over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, slowly whisk in the flour. Let this roux simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes. Do not let it get too dark.
11 Little by little, pour in the steamy milk, stirring constantly. It will set up and thicken dramatically at first, but keep adding milk and stirring, the sauce will loosen. Return the heat to medium. Add about a teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg. Stir well.

12 Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk to combine. Temper the eggs so they don’t scramble when you put them into the sauce. Using two hands, one with a whisk, the other with a ladle, slowly pour in a couple ladle’s worth of the hot béchamel into the eggs, whisking all the time. Slowly pour the egg mixture back into the béchamel while whisking the mixture. Keep the sauce on very low heat, do not let simmer or boil.

Finish the moussaka

13 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Layer a casserole with the potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top the layer of potatoes with a layer of eggplant slices (use just half of the slices).

14 Cover the eggplant slices with the meat sauce. Then layer remaining eggplant slices on top of the meat.

15 Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Ladle the béchamel over everything in an even layer. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
16 Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.
Let the moussaka cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: Serves 8.

 

Thursday, July 14- Dixie Lee Peas and Rice with BBQ Chicken will be dinner tonight.

Dixie Lee Peas and Rice

• 3 or 4 strips lean bacon, diced
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 cups fresh Dixie Lee peas
• 1/2 cup uncooked, white, long-grain rice
• 2 cups water (or half chicken broth and half water)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
  

In a deep pot, saute bacon 2 or 3 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Continue cooking until vegetables soften slightly and bacon is crisp. Stir peas into the pot; pour in water. Reduce heat to low. Add rice.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until the rice is done. Remove from heat and let the pan sit with the lid on 5 minutes.  Toss mixture lightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Friday, July 15-I will use my butternut squash to make my Butternut Squash Casserole.  I will also grill some pork chops and serve it along with the corn on the cob.

Butternut Squash Casserole- from Williams-Sonoma

Casserole:

4 cups butternut squash puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Topping:

1 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a casserole dish (4 - 6 cup capacity).

2. Combine squash puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, orange extract, salt, flour, eggs and melted butter. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

3. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and the brown sugar. Sprinkle over top of the cooked casserole and return to the oven to brown for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Saturday, July 16- Tonight we are going to a BBQ at a friend's home.  No cooking tonight!

Sunday, July 17-  I will make my Southern Green Beans with a grilled steak and Garlic Red Potatoes.

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Garlic Red Potatoes

2 lbs. red potatoes quartered

1/4 cup butter melted

3 cloved of garlic minced

dash of salt, basil and Tastfully Simple's Onion Onion

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven 350

Place potatoes in shallow baking dish

In a small bowl mix butter, garlic and spices.  Pour over potatoes and toss to coat.

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over potatoes.

Bake covered 30 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Monday, July 18-  We still haven't had the fish I have been wanting to make.  As long as the market has something on sale, it's fish tonight!  Will re-post with the actual meal later in the week.

Tuesday, July 19-  If I have leftovers, it will be a leftover night to make room for my next Produce Box!

Menu August 25- August 31

This week's Produce Box contained 2 small Butternut Squashes, a personal Watermelon, 5 Peaches, 2 large Tomatoes, 1 Sprite Melon, a bottle of local Muscadine Grape Cider and 2.5 lbs. of Sweet Potatoes. My husband is eager to try the cider. If it's too sweet for our liking rather than use it as a drink, I'll use it in my cooking maybe to saute with or as a marinade.

Last week's menu was shaken up a bit. We treated our daughters to dinner out Saturday after a great day of soccer games. The butternut was used as the filling in homemade ravioli and the remaining puree was used in muffins.

The ravioli tasted like stuffed pumpkin pie pastas! The muffins didn't turn out quite like I had expected. They were very dense and not as sweet as I had hoped. I'm not sure if I would make them again.
As much as we love the marinated shrimp, again that meal had been scratched from our menu. There is always hope for this week! I kept the Mexican theme but in place of the Squash and Zucchini Burritos I made my delicious Chicken Enchiladas.

Chicken Enchiladas
1 lb chicken
4oz can of chopped green chile peppers
1 small onion
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp chili powder
Small Can of Enchilada Sauce
1 package of large sized soft flour tortillas
1 package Mexican cheese (or cheddar)

1. Heat large skillet on med/high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat pan
3. Cook chicken through about 8-10 minutes.
4. While chicken is cooking chop onion
5. Remove chicken to cutting board, add chopped onion to skillet and chili powder
6. While onion is cooking, dice up chicken
7. In a small bowl combine the can of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of sour cream & 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Mix and set aside.
8. Once onion is tender add chicken, green chilies, about 1/4 cup of sour cream mixture & enchilada sauce (add enough to add moisture to skillet about 1-3 tablespoons) Stir and Heat through.
9. In a 9 x 13 baking dish lightly cover bottom of pan with the sour cream mixture.
10. Add chicken mixture to tortillas and roll up, place seam side down in baking dish. (tortillas can be touching each other in dish)
11. Cover tortillas with remaining sour cream mixture and sprinkle with cheese
12. Bake in a 350 degree oven covered for 20-25 minutes then uncover and bake additional 5-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

**Meal can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to bake add 15 minutes to bake time or until heated through.

In addition to the peaches from our Box, my husband brought home fresh peaches he got from a co-workers farm. With all these fresh peaches, I plan on making one entree and a dessert, Peach Pound Cake.

Wednesday- Simplicity tonight. It's Mac N Cheese with fresh fruit for the girls and a grilled cheese sandwich or leftovers for me tonight.

Thursday- Since it's soccer practice tonight, set right in the middle of mealtime, I think I'll make something quick and easy. Cheeseburgers with Tortellini Salad and watermelon from our Box is on the menu.

Tortellini Salad
Cheese Tortellini
Diced mozzarella Cheese
Diced Salami
Tomato
Diced Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian Dressing

Cook tortellini per bag directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add noodles to large bowl. Add cheese, salami, tomatoes and seasonings. Pour dressing over mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate until cold. Before serving, stir salad and add more dressing if needed.

Friday- I will make one of my favorite dishes, Sweet Potato Casserole, served with pork chops and Southern Green Beans.

Sweet Potato Casserole
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.
   

Southern Green Beans
4 slices bacon
1 large onion sliced
4 cans green beans
salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.
In bacon fat fry onion until tender.
Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add bacon.
Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Saturday- I have intentions to make from last week's menu, the Grilled Shrimp Skewers. The recipe actually calls for apple but we have always omitted it. The spicy yet sweet flavors of the marinade are to die for! This has quickly become one our favorite ways to prepare grilled shrimp. I will serve it with perhaps some cheese and broccoli couscous and corn on the cob bought at DJ's Berry Patch, if there is any left. Between Soccer games and Birthday parties I might find myself too tired to cook. So this is my "removal" meal. Since I have all the ingredients on hand and the shrimp is frozen I can always hold this meal for another night. I can also use the corn with tomorrow's meal if necessary.

Sunday- Peach and Honey Chicken served over rice. I found this recipe online but wanted to change it up some. I hope my changes result in a tasty and savory dish.

Peach and Honey Chicken
Generous turn of Olive Oil
1 clove minced garlic
4-6 chicken breasts
1/2 onion, sliced
5 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup water
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1-3 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 peaches, peeled and sliced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook for a minute or two until the garlic softens and mellows.
2. Stir in the sliced onion. Cook and stir until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes, then stir in the honey, soy sauce, ginger, and 1 cup of water.
   
3. Add the chicken to the skillet, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, spread the lemon slices overtop, cover with a lid, and simmer until the chicken is tender and no longer pink, about 10-15 minutes.
   
4. Once the chicken has cooked, remove to a serving platter and keep warm. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of water, and stir into the simmering sauce. Add the peaches, and chicken and cook until the sauce thickens and returns to a simmer. Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Monday-With these cooler nights, I was inspired to make some soup (I'm longing for those cooler days of Fall.) I plan on making Butternut Chicken Vegetable Soup. I will be making some modifications to this recipe which will include substituting the kale with spinach, adding 2 cans of beans, using less broth and chicken broth and adding cut up chicken. Some crusty bread will go nicely with tonight's meal.

Tuesday- If the leftovers have not been devoured for lunches, then it's leftover night to make room for Wednesday's Box. But if the fridge is sparse, I am thinking a nice grilled steak with mashed potatoes and peas.

Menu for August 18- August 24

This week's Produce Box included 2 lbs. of Roma Tomatoes, 2 Bell Peppers, a Banana Pepper, 5 Peaches, 1 lb. of Red Potatoes, 2 Butternut Squashes, 1 lb. of Grape Tomatoes and a Sprite Melon.

Wednesday- Tonight is a busy night with our family eating in "shifts" due to our crazy schedule. Therefore, the kids will be having some chicken nuggets with peaches and grape tomatoes and my husband and I will have chicken salad sandwiches tonight. I'll add some cut up grape tomatoes to our chicken salad.

Thursday- We will be having Mexican tonight. I'll make cheese quesadillas with a side of fresh tomatoes, from our Produce Box, for my girls while the grownups feast of Beef Tacos. I'll saute the some bell pepper from our Box in olive oil. If I find the time I'll whip up my husband's awesome salsa using the roma tomatoes and peppers from my box.

Friday- From last week's menu, I plan on making the Grilled Shrimp Skewers. The recipe actually calls for apple but we have always omitted it. The spicy yet sweet flavors of the marinade are to die for! This has quickly become one our favorite ways to prepare grilled shrimp. I will serve it with perhaps some cheese and broccoli couscous and corn on the cob bought at DJ's Berry Patch. (Picture reproduced from allrecipes.com)

Saturday- Tonight I am thinking of trying something different with my butternut squash. Our Produce Box newsletter had a recipe for Glazed Butternut Squash. I'm intrigued, we'll see. I'll serve it along with grilled chicken and oven rolls. (I'll post the recipe later on.)

Sunday- Tonight we will be having Grilled Rosemary Pork Chops accompanied with Southern Green Beans and Rosemary Red Potatoes.

Southern Green Beans
4 slices bacon
1 large onion sliced
4 cans green beans
salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.
In bacon fat fry onion until tender.
Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add bacon.
Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Monday- This has become one of my favorite new dishes, Squash and Zucchini Burritos. I discovered this dish through a friend. Thereafter, I added my twist and viola! A sumptuous summer dish! Of course I'll only be making this dish if DJ's Berry Patch has the squashes.

Tuesday- There is good chance tonight will be leftovers to make room for our next Produce Box delivery!

Back to Basics Aug. 11-Aug. 17

Back to Basics

The contents of this weeks Produce Box were not among my family's list of favorites. So we skipped this weeks delivery. Now what is a girl suppose to do without her weekly Produce Box? That brought me back to basics.

Before I discovered the Produce Box and later in the early winter, I will be left to my own devices to plan my weekly menu. Where do I start?

My freezer and refrigerator are my first stops. Based on what I have stock-piled from previous meat sales will begin to shape my weekly menu. Any fresh produce that needs to be used up? This too will influence my menu planning. My last kitchen stop will be my cupboards and pantry. A couple of cans of black beans? Might inspire me to make chili or a Mexican dish. Lastly, I take into account what I currently have on hand and delve into my cookbooks and the internet for final inspiration.

Of course outside factors will shape my weekly menu too. Wednesdays my husband is usually not home for dinner. Therefore, I plan a simple meal or even a meal he isn't too fond of that evening.

It is Summertime and fresh produce is bountiful at local farm stands and farmer's markets. I plan on making what has become a weekly stop for me at DJ's Berry Patch to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables.

Wednesday- My girls and I are on our own for dinner tonight. At present time I am not sure what simple meal I will whip up but a good guess would be grilled cheese sandwiches or breakfast for dinner. Or maybe I'll treat the girls to Chick-fil-a (their favorite restaurant).

Thursday- Today's meal was actually the last dinner I decided upon. I think reading a recent Facebook post from a friend planted the inspiration of tonight's dinner, Flour Tortilla Pizzas. I'll use shredded mozzarella cheese, my homemade tomato sauce, slices of fresh tomato & onion and sliced chicken to make these up. I will season and cook the chicken earlier in the day and then use slices for the pizzas. I will also add some herbs and spices to kick up the flavor for our pizzas! I buy chicken breasts in bulk at BJ's so we always have chicken on hand. I made up homemade sauce over the past 2 weeks, so that was already on hand. I picked up some of the fresh produce on my weekly visit to DJ's Berry Patch.

Friday- I plan on cooking up Risotto with Tomato, Corn and Basil along with some Italian Sausage for dinner. A bottle of wine and fresh bread will nicely round out tonights meal. I enjoy making homemade risotto so of course I have an ample bag in my cupboard. Since I had a weekly menu plan, I was able to pick up the produce for this recipe while I made my trip to DJ's Berry Patch.

Saturday- This has become one of my favorite new dishes, Squash and Zucchini Burritos. I discovered this dish through a friend. There after, I added my twist and viola! A sumptuous summer dish. I will not use all the tortillas for Thursday's meal so I will use the remaining burrito wraps for this meal. I had canned black beans and salsa verde in my pantry. And of course with some pre-planning, the produce I picked up on my trip to the farm stand.

Sunday- I plan on making Grilled Shrimp Skewers. The recipe actually calls for apple but we have always omitted it. The spicy yet sweet flavors of the marinade are to die for! This has quickly become one our favorite ways to prepare grilled shrimp. I serve it with the remaining risotto I made Friday and a green salad. I usually have frozen shrimp in my freezer.

Monday- Again I buy most of my meats in bulk at BJ's. Unless the local grocery store is running a particular sale on a certain meat I find the prices normally lower at bulk stores. With an extra freezer in our garage storage isn't a problem. I recently restocked pork chops.

Tonight we will be having Grilled Rosemary Pork Chops accompanied with Southern Green Beans and Rosemary Red Potatoes.

Southern Green Beans
4 slices bacon
1 large onion sliced
4 cans green beans
salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.
In bacon fat fry onion until tender.
Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add bacon.
Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

Tuesday- There is good chance tonight will be leftovers to make room for our next Produce Box delivery!

**pictures of food reproduced from allrecipes.com to depict recipe results**