Today is Monday....

Today is Monday....Monday Green Beans...OK, not really, Monday was Sour Cream Enchiladas.  lol...but that song is going through my head right now.  If you are not familiar with it, look for this book at your local library, or buy it at your favorite bookseller.  I miss my little ones being....little.  hee hee  One of the librarians at our local library used to sing this song at story time every week.

So, Monday was Sour Cream Enchiladas.  I love enchiladas and I am trying to get the family back to meatless Mondays.  You can find the recipe over at Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen.  They were delicious.  Although, as usual, someone decided they prefer regular, plain cheese, enchiladas to these.  Sigh, but...it is nice to add something to the rotation.  hee hee

Tuesday we had Chicken Tortas.  For those of you unfamiliar with Tortas, it is a Mexican sandwich.  For these I fried some chicken breasts (a real treat that Brighton had been begging for, I don't like to fry ) and added jalapeños, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, and avocado...all on a fresh roll.  (be sure to scoop out some of the extra bread.  Here is a tasty recipe at Food Network if you need one.

Wednesday we had Tacos.

Thursday was Macaroni and Cheese with broccoli.  Boring, but the children love it.  I won't bore you with a photo.

And finally, Friday Phil came home and made smothered pork chops.  Which, I don't have a photo for because, well..we were in a hurry to eat so we could get to Mackenzie's parent observation at ballet.

Well, not really any recipe to share since everything is fairly simple.  So...let's get onto the good stuff.  

Last week, one of my lovely little darlings did not appreciate me trying to expand their horizons with sweet potato fries.  And that little darling is my son!  So, Cindy d...send me your address and I will get these goodies out to you.  

For now I am off to start tonights dinner.   But I will be back later this week with lots of things to share, cards and layouts and boxes, OH MY!

Hugs.

Nancy

Menu Monday

Well, Menu Sunday this week because tomorrow Ideas For Scrapbooker's is celebrating it's 1 year anniversary with a blog hop.


But before I get to the menu, I wanted to share this tag I made.  This tag is for the Cricut Circle weekly challenge.  We were to use the colors orange, tan, burgundy, and grey.  Of course we needed to make at least 2 cuts as well.  I cut the flowers and flourishes from my Serenade cartridge and the title from Lyrical Letters.  Lots of inking and a fun distress technique that I will put up soon.

This week, much better than last.   I would say that no meals were a flop!  Horray me!!!!


Monday - Cheese Enchiladas.

Tuesday - Tacos.  I wasn't home, so Phil cooked...and that means no photos.  sigh


Wednesday - Tortilla Soup - Delicious!  Love the contrast of flavors

Thursday - Chicken Pot Pie - I cheated a bit and bought frozen puff pastry...no one cared.  lol  Ainsley didn't just love it.  I guess the pearl onions just weren't for her.  Next time I will probably leave them out.  I made them individual so that they would stay fresh.

Friday - BBQ Beef Sandwiches...yum!!!  These were a fave this week.  So this is the recipe I will share.

Pulled Braised Beef Sandwiches

3 ounces tomato paste
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 lb. chuck roast
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tbs olive oil
2 onions diced.

In a small bowl, stir together tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar Worcestershire, mustard, and garlic.

Season meat with salt and pepper.

In large skillet heat oil over high heat.  When hot, brown the beef, 3-5 minutes per side.  Transfer to plate.  Add onions to pan and cook, stirring a few times, till nicely browned.  Add  a bit of red wine if you like to deglaze the pan, making sure to scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.

Put half the onions in the cooker.  Place the beef over the onions.  Smear the tomato mixture on top.  Pour any meat juices from the plate over the roast.  Cover and cook on LOW 5-7 hours.

Serve on hamburger buns or french rolls.  Top with coleslaw and bar-b-que sauce if desired.

Yum!!!!

Well, thanks for dropping by.  Be sure and come back tomorrow for the blog hop!


Hugs.


Nancy

Food, Fun, and a Winner!

Thanks for all the fun comments on the new menu/recipe part of my blog.  I really enjoyed reading them all.  I look forward to sharing more recipes, menu ideas, successes and failures...yep, failures.  I had a big one this week!  lol  Be sure and check back on Monday to hear all about that!  lol  I also wanted you to know that my menus and recipes are not necessarily going to be quick and easy.   While I like simple as much as the next girl, that isn't my main focus.  I want something that can be held for hours so that people can come and go...so for our big salads...that means lots of chopping, and for sauces and soups, that can mean hours of simmering.  I know it isn't for everyone, but it is what works for us.


Speaking of us, life here seems to be moving at 100 miles a minute.  Life is good, albeit crazy.  Earlier this week I submitted my Special Bond layout to my gallery at Webster's Pages and was thrilled to find my layout chosen as this weeks banner.  


And speaking of banners....I made this for the Cricut Circle blog monthly challenge.  The challenge was to use the shadow feature, some type of embellishment on the die cuts, patterned paper and celebrate creativity.  I chose to make a banner...surprise, surprise, for my friend Heather.  I love making projects, but I just don't have room for anymore.  

Cricut Cartridges - French Manor, Forever Young, Christmas Card, Plantain Schoolbook, Serenade Solutions, Making Memories papers, Prima pearls and gems. Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on seam binding.

And finally, a winner.  We had 7 comments on the post about the new menu Monday.  Ainsley drew the name, this time from my camera bag and pulled.....

Heather!

Well, off to get a few things done around the house before bed.  Swim meet this weekend.


Hugs.


Nancy  

Menu Monday

As promised, I am back today with a new feature.  Menu Monday!  woo hoo!!!!  


As you have probably gathered, I am crazy busy these days with driving kids.  Ainsley is the first out to the pool, quick run back to the house (45 minutes round trip) to feed Brighton and Mackenzie dinner before running Mackenzie to the ballet and then back to the pool to get Ainsley dropping Brighton for his practice..  Finally home and dinner for Phil, Ainsley, and I. 


I leave with Ainsley at 3:45 and make it back to the house for my dinner at 6:30.  Phil and I alternate between picking up Mackenzie at 7:30 and Brighton at 8:30. Well, needless to say, the crock pot, salad bowl, soup pot, and casserole dish have become my best friends.  lol  


And, you may or may not know that we are really picky eaters.  Not picky as in we don't like certain foods, but picky in that we try to only eat whole foods.  So, that means I need to get creative.  And I thought I would share my successes...and failures.  This is a whole new way for us to eat.  In the past we have always had dinner as a family fresh cooked each day.


Since we make our menus on Saturday and shop the farmer's market and grocery on Sunday, I thought on Mondays I would share our menu from the week before.  And, I will share one of the recipes that the whole family loved and enjoyed.


Monday - It is always meatless Monday.  This week, burrito bowls.  Pinto Beans and lots of yummy toppings.  The kids love this one.   I will have to remember to take a photo and give you the recipe for this soon.

Tuesday - Taco Salad

Wednesday - Baked Rigatoni

Thursday - Red Chili

Friday - Baked Potato Soup (another meatless...well, almost meatless dish)


And, since my good friend Heather already asked...the recipe for Baked Potato Soup.


Baked Potato Soup


Ingredients 
6-8 slices bacon, crisp with drippings
1 c. onion
1 clove garlic minced
2/3 c. flour
2 c. heavy cream (warm)
6 c. chicken stock (hot)
4 c. diced peeled baked potato
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp dried basil  
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
1 c. grated cheddar
1/4 c diced green onion.


Saute onion and garlic in bacon drippings.  Add in flour, stirring to combine.  Cook for 5 minutes, not enough to brown, but getting rid off the flour taste.  Add in cream and stir till thick and bubbly.  Begin adding in stock a bit at a time.  Once all is combined bring to a boil and add seasonings and potato.  Top with cheese and green onion.  Yum!!!!!

As you can see....I didn't get photos of every nights meals. But, this was a bit of a last minute idea.  And why?  My life is crazy and I thought it would be good to share how we cope; and because last week Michael Pollan game to Google for a talk and gave everyone a copy of his latest book Food Rules.  

Well, being that I love Michael Pollan and already have this book, I thought I would give it to one of my followers.  So, here is the deal.  Be a follower of this blog and leave me a comment and on Friday I will pick someone to send this book to from the comments.  Sounds like fun, huh?  


Hugs.


Nancy