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Menu Plan Monday

Ok folks.  Well, its been quite a long time since I've posted anything on here.  I've been working on my other blog (www.theproverbs31mama.blogspot.com).  I've also been busy growing a baby.  Hee hee.  Now I have 2 beautiful little girls.  Our family is very blessed!

But I wanted to revive this blog!  After all, what busy mama couldn't use more delicious, quick recipes!  So I thought I'd start off with a Menu Plan Monday!  I plan my meals twice a month (to coincide with payday).  Its been a while since I did a menu plan.  We've been flying by the seat of our pants lately.  But I find that when I don't do a menu plan, we just hemorrhage money.  We over spend on groceries AND eating out.  And we also end up in a cooking rut.  So this weekend I got to it and made my menu and then the BEST HUSBAND IN THE WORLD actually did the grocery shopping for me! I've got some old recipes that we love and some brand new recipes that we've never tried before!  And I plan to add the new recipes to the blog as I cook them, so keep an eye out!

Monday, 4-15 - Crock Pot Roast with Carrots and Onions, Mashed Potatoes, Squash and Onions, and Garlic Cheese Biscuits
Tuesday, 4-16 - leftover Crock Pot Roast, etc.
Wednesday, 4-17 - "Egg-cellent" Egg Salad Sandwiches
Thursday, 4-18 - Crock Pot Pineapple Chicken, Jasmine Rice, Baked Zucchini Sticks
Friday, 4-19 - Paula Deen's BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Bobby Flay's Coleslaw, Green Beans
Saturday, 4-20 - leftover BBQ
Sunday, 4-21 - Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken Tacos, Bobby Flay's Coleslaw, Mexican Rice
Monday, 4-22 - leftover Cafe Rio Shredded Chicken Tacos
Tuesday, 4-23 - Vietnamese Fried Rice
Wednesday, 4-24 -Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Thursday, 4-25 - Grilled Chicken, Rice, Green Beans
Friday, 4-26 - Fast Food (we are gonna be out and about)
Saturday, 4-27 - Sandwiches/ Fast Food
Sunday, 4-28 - Sandwiches/ Fast Food
Monday, 4-29 - Ham, Potatoes, and Green Beans Crock Pot Meal
Tuesday, 4-30 - Ham, Potatoes, and Green Beans Crock Pot Meal

Stay tuned to the blog!  If we like the meals, I plan to add the Crock Pot Roast recipe, the Pineapple Chicken recipe, and the Ham, Potatoes and Green Beans Crock Pot Meal recipe to the blog!

Chunky Chicken Salad

This is a recipe that I "created" a few years ago.  My husband and I LOVE LOVE LOVE this chicken salad!  It is seriously yummy!!!  (And everyone I've made it for has gobbled it up!)  But its not a "sandwich chicken salad."  Its way to yummy and chunky for that!  This recipe is best served with your favorite cracker!  :)

Luscious Lemon Sugar Cookies

OK folks.  I know.  I know.  Its been a while since I posted a recipe on the blog.  I've been SUPER BUSY the last couple of months doing blog reviews on my other site (www.theproverbs31mama.blogspot.com). But I'm back!  And I've got a KILLER sugar cookie recipe for you guys today!!!!

Neapolitan Cupcakes

I consider myself the "Cupcake Queen." That's a self-imposed title. It doesn't really have anything to do with my cupcake making abilities, its more about my love of making them! I'm always looking for a new way to make my cupcakes more fun, so when Kimber Cakeware sent me a set of Batter Babies to review, I was so excited! I immediately began to think about what I wanted to make. Then it came to me - Neapolitan Cupcakes!!! My husband LOVES Neapolitan ice cream. I mean, what's not to love? - Chocolate - Yum! Vanilla - Yum! Strawberry - Yum!

So, you guys get 2 posts for the price of one today! Yep! That's right! You get a product review AND a recipe! (Well, more of a recipe "idea." I used box mixes and store-bought frosting for this recipe because I wanted to get it done quickly so I could post it.)

For this recipe, I used 1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix, 1 box of Betty Crocker Super Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, and 2 cans of Betty Crocker Whipped Strawberry Mist Frosting. (This recipe will make approximately 3 dozen cupcakes.)

First, prepare the cake mixes according to package directions. Then, place paper liners in your cupcake pan(s). Place the Batter Babies into the middle of each cupcake liner like so...



I would strongly suggest buyiny TWO sets of the Batter Babies.

They come in sets of 6, so your baking will go a lot quicker with more than one set.

Fill one side with yellow cake batter and the other side with chocolate fudge batter...



No Fail, Easy Pork Chops

I am constantly on the lookout for yummy easy make ahead meals.  I made this 1 up and you can alter to suit your tastes but here is my version.  Remember, I feed 6 pigs people so adjust accordingly.

2.5 pounds bone-in pork chops
garlic powder
salt
pepper
brown sugar
broth

Wash the pork chops(I don't know why but I saw it on the food channel so I do it).  Place them in a baking pan(needs to be deep).  Rub them with garlic powder, S&P, and brown sugar on both sides.  Pour broth over chops in pan to make about 1/4 inch in the bottom.  Cover tightly and bake on 300 for about 3 hours.  They will be so tender that you will have a hard time getting them out of the pan in 1 piece.  I serve them over rice or potatoes.  Easy and yummy!

Terrific Tortellini Bake

A few months ago, I bought a package of  Buitoni refrigerated Herb Chicken Tortellini while I was shopping at Publix.  It was just calling my name.  (And I think it may have been on sale, which probably had a lot to do with it.)  ;)  I threw it in the freezer and then began to debate what to do with it.  I looked at all sorts of recipes, but couldn't find one that suited my family's tastes.  So, I decided to just wing it! 

Again, as I've mentioned MANY TIMES before, there are 2 things I love:(1) a recipe that's easily adaptable, like my Kitchen Sink Pasta Salad, and (2) a recipe that can be prepped ahead of time (during my little one's naptime) and then just be tossed in the oven.  This recipe fits both of those categories PERFECTLY!!!  In the morning, I baked the chicken breast & let it cool.  Then, while my little one slept, I boiled the pasta, shredded the chicken, mixed it all together, and poured it in my baking dish.  Then I just covered it in foil and put it in the fridge. About half an hour before it was time to bake it, I took it out of the fridge (to take some of the chill off). Voila! This is PERFECT because I'm often exhausted by the end of the day - having a toddler will do that to you - so just being able to throw something in the oven is HEAVENLY!

As far as being adaptable, this recipe is TOTALLY adaptable!  I used an Herb Chicken Tortellini, but you could use cheese tortellini, or even your favorite refrigerated ravioli!  You could also use ground beef in this recipe instead of shredded chicken - or even Italian sausage!  Use whatever type of pasta sauce you like too!  (I used a chunky mushroom pasta sauce because, well, we love mushrooms!)  You could even use a cream-based sauce (like an alfredo sauce) if you like.  Throw in some veggies too! - Maybe some green peas!  Make this dish your own!  :)

Chicken Tamale Pie

As I've mentioned SO many times before, I love a meal that I can prep ahead!  My little one takes a nap in the early afternoon, so I love to be able to do meal prep while she's asleep.  It makes my life easier.  Plus, it gives me more time to play with my angel!  :)  Another thing I LOVE is cornbread!!!  My pantry is ALWAYS stocked with Jiffy!  :)  Seriously, I don't know what the deal is with me and cornbread, but its deep and its real!  I previously posted a recipe for Chicken Cornbread Dressing - which is one of my FAVORITES!  So when I found this recipe for Chicken Tamale Pie, I KNEW I had to try it!  It was something I could prep ahead (bake the chicken and make the cornbread during naptime) and its made with cornbread!  Holla! 

I changed the original recipe - quite a bit - to fit my family's taste.  And boy was it tasty!!!  :)  Just to explain HOW GOOD this was, let me tell you about my hubby.  He's a thinker.  He likes to really think about it before he gives me his opinion on a new recipe.  That drives me crazy!  I'm extremely impatient, so I hand him a plate and a fork, and as soon as he takes the first bite, I say, "What do you think???????"  He always says, "I don't know.  Let me finish my plate first and I'll tell you."  (I'm not making fun of him.  In fact, I love that he's that way.  I really know if he likes what I make because he takes time to make up his mind.)  But, anyway, back to this recipe...  Tonight, he took ONE bite and said, "This is good!"  That is SO UNUSUAL for him!  I knew I had a winner!!!  And my little one - who has been going through that "picky toddler stage" - just DEVOURED this!  I love it when a new recipe goes over this well!!!  :)