Mealplan Monday #17 and kid on a bike

This week I am digging through my recipe box for some tried and true favorites.  Only one or two involve the oven.  The temps have been a shade cooler and thank goodness for the rain last week!  

Monday - Pizza Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans
Tuesday - BBQ Chicken Salad, brownies for dessert
Wednesday - Sausage and Bean crock, acorn squash
Thursday - Mediterranean Herb Crusted Tilapia, garlic butter fettucine
Friday - Freezer Meal
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Hot dogs, turkey chili, chips, watermelon

Too bad a certain kid isn't as perky as the landscape!

Gina

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Bread and Butters

I usually get my pickles from my mother, who loves growing cucumbers and canning the results, but this week I thought "why don't I just make my own?"  Pickles are such a great Summer thing...finding a recipe on the internet took two seconds and I picked the most basic one and changed it up to my taste.

 

 

Bread and Butter Pickles by me!

4 c. thinly sliced cucumbers

1 c. thinly sliced onion

2 t. kosher salt

1 c. cider vinegar

3/4 c. sugar (though next time I will increase to 1 c.)

1 T. mustard seed

1 t. celery seed

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 minced garlic

Prepare your jars.  I boil the lids and rims in a big pot of water for 5 minutes, then pour the water into to jars I'm going to use.  Then, add more water to that same big pot and get it boiling.  Make the brine in a medium sized pot: bring the vinegar and sugar to a gentle boil, add the mustard seed, celery seed, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic and boil gently for another couple of minutes while you layer the cucumbers and onions in your jars.  Pack them in, but leave enough space for the brine between the layers.  Pour the hot brine into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch head space in each jar.  Clean threads, apply lids and rims, process for 5 minutes in that big pot of boiling water.  (I like them crisp, but not raw and processing them helps them seal, too)  Set jars upside down on counter for 5 minutes, then right side up, until you hear the lids ping (pop?).  Cool.  Store in pantry or fridge.

 

The only downside I see to making pickles is the smell.  

The upside is that now I have several jars of them to eat on my sammies! 

Gina

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Mealplan Monday #16 and Dr. Martin's Mix

Brilliant idea not from me:  To make freezer meals, line a casserole dish with foil, fill with food, then freeze.  When frozen, pop out of dish and store in clearly labeled zip-loc bag.  Saves space, keeps dishes available.  Just pop the food back into a dish, thaw, and bake.

Monday - Cheesey Chicken Tater Tot Casserole, summer squash
Tuesday - Burgers, crock pot beans, chips
Wednesday - Ham sammies on Hawaiian bread, cream of broccoli soup
Thursday - Jude's Chicken Casserole (freeze half), carrots
Friday - Freezer Meal - Pasta Bake, green beans
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Dr. Martin's Mix*, salad

Crockpot meals can just go directly from big zip-loc bags to the crock, frozen.  And zip-locs are so easy to label.  By the time school starts back up, I will have this freezer stocked!

*Here is the recipe for Dr. Martin’s Mix, exactly as Peg Bracken wrote it 60 years ago:

Dr. Martin’s Mix
(It takes about seven minutes to put this together. Dr. Martin is a busy man).
Crumble 1 to 1 ½ pounds of pork sausage (hamburger will do, but pork is better) into a skillet and brown it. Pour off a little of the fat. Then add:
1 green pepper, chopped
2 green onions, (also called scallions) chopped
2 or 3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups chicken consommé or bouillon
1 cup raw rice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Dr. Martin then puts the lid on and lets it simmer at the lowest possible heat until he goes out and sets a fracture. When he comes back in about an hour, his dinner is ready. 

I only cook it for 25 minutes, but my heat is probably higher.  
Enjoy!

Gina

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I want them to grow up, just not so fast!

We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, 
yet we forget that he is someone today. 

Childhood is but the blink of an eye, but
do we ever outgrow swings?

Gina

Go 4th 2012

We spent Wednesday enjoying our liberty to pursue relaxation! 

Bubbie and I went shopping and enjoyed the pool, while Hubby played with his new camera.  Scout went on a bike ride to do some photography, and Firstborn and The Girl were in and out all day.  We feasted on Elgin sausage, Buffalo grilled chicken, homemade potato salad and that poke cake. Then in the evening, we trekked to Cedar Park to watch the fireworks.  Apparently there were a billion other people with the same idea.

 

We found a place about a block away and made our way to Milburn Park where there was plenty of room for everyone.

We found a patch of park, spread out a quilt, and enjoyed sunset and cool breezes.

 We were just yards away from Ground Zero.  This is the closest we've ever sat. 

 Thank goodness these guys were handy.

It wasn't long before the sun set. We had no beer, no cards, no chairs - just the four of us on a blanket enjoying the evening. 

 

 

I could barely hold my camera still! Scout got some impressive shots, as always:

 

 

I admit I might have shielded my eyes and covered my ears a time or two!  All around us people were saying "WOW" and there was applause from everyone after the show. 

What an exciting way to end a perfectly relaxing day!

Gina

Strawberry Icebox Poke Cake

We slept in and took it easy this morning and plan to BBQ later in the day.  How great to live in this country where we can spend the day as we please, in peace and prosperity - God Bless America!  To go with our cookout,  I wanted to make a patriotic poke cake that includes strawberries and cream cheese - a little different than the ones I usually make.  And I think I created a new hit!

Strawberry Icebox Poke Cake

1 box white cake mix, prepared in a 13x9 deep dish

1 box berry blue Jell-o

1 qt. fresh strawberries

1 small tub Cool Whip

1 8 oz. brick cream cheese

1/2 c. powdered sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 1/2 T. cornstarch

1 cup water

red food coloring

After your cake has cooled a little from the oven, poke it all over with a fork.  Mix the jell-o with 3/4 cup boiling water until dissolved and pour over the warm cake.  Set aside.

 

Don't worry - it will turn out looking blue!

Set the cream cheese out to soften and wash and quarter the strawberries.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 3/4 c. granulated sugar, the cornstarch, and 1 cup water.  Cook until thick and clear.  Turn off the heat and stir in a few drops of red food coloring, then add the strawberries.

 

 Pour them over the cake.

Let it cool.  This will ensure that your frosting won't get mixed up in your strawberry glaze. Then mix up the frosting: Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth and fold in the Cool Whip.  Spread over the cake, then refrigerate it for a couple of hours.

  Happy 4th of July!

Gina

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Mealplan Monday #15 with a delicious burger idea!

Last week the boys and I happened upon a discovery that led to a delish burger for lunch: Pimento Cheese Spread!

I bought a little of it in the bulk prepared foods area of Central Market.  Nothing like the orange variety you get in the grocery store.  Not even close.

We slathered it on both sides of bakery buns, then piled on burger patties, sliced tomato, and romaine.  It was so good I think I ate it in about 30 seconds. And the burgers were already cooked so it took 5 minutes to heat them up and assemble.  

Genius lunch!

Monday - Marmalade Curry Chicken, couscous, corn
Tuesday - Salisbury Steaks, Mashed potatoes, brussels sprout
Wednesday - Happy 4th!  Grilled sausages, coleslaw, pot of pintos
Thursday - Chicken Piccata, rice, broccoli
Friday - Shredded Korean Beef tacos, pico, salad
Saturday - Dad grills
Sunday - Taco Salads

I'm pretty sure we're going to have to do these for lunch again real soon!

Gina