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Monday, June 22, 2009

A couple of recipes...

Hey guys!
I just wanted to share a couple of really good recipes I've come across recently--blueberry muffins & banana bread. I'm sure you can find dozens and dozens of recipes for these two...but, I think these recipes are pretty fantastic! I hope you'll try them.

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
  2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, brown sugar & white sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top.
  3. Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.
**NOTE** I doubled this recipe to make big muffins. You just fill the muffin cup right to the very top. By doubling the recipe, it made 14 big delicious muffins! :)


Banana Bread

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
This is very, very good. I sometimes sprinkle in just a tiny bit of cinnamon & nutmeg, too.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Menu Monday 06.15.09

Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I posted here. Last week just flew by! Here's what we have on the menu until the end of the month. I'll be trying some new crockpot recipes--it's just way to hot to cook something in the over for more than a few minutes. We had a great dinner tonight in the crockpot & I'll share the recipe at the end of the post. And, as usual, you'll see some repeats from my previous meal plan because we didn't end up making them as planned before.

6.15--Crockpot Sante Fe Chicken over rice with refried beans
6.16--Leftover Sante Fe chicken served in flour tortillas, with chips & salsa
6.17--Beef, Cheddar, and Tomato Macaroni with broccoli
6.18--Broiled Tilapia Parmesan, with mashed potatoes & sweet peas (This recipe is really yummy, but Scott has requested no more tilapia for awhile after this...he's just not a tilapia fan!)
6.19--Beans & Cornbread
6.20--Vacation
6.21--Vacation
6.22--
6.23--Quiche, biscuits, bacon
6.24--Spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread
6.25--Barbecue chicken, pasta salad, sauteed zucchini
6.26--Barbecue chicken pizza made with leftover chicken
6.27--Steak, baked potato, salad
6.28--Taco Salad
6.29--
6.30--

Ok, so I've got some gaps in my menu...please post any great dinner ideas you'd like to share!
And, here's the recipe for our dinner tonight...

CROCKPOT EASY SANTA FE CHICKEN

1 15 oz can black beans -- rinsed and drained
2 15.25 oz cans whole kernel corn -- drained
1 cup bottled thick and chunky salsa
5 or 6 skinless boneless chicken breasts -- (can use frozen) (and I only used 3 large breasts)
1 8 oz brick cream cheese -- low fat is fine
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a slow cooker, mix together the beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa. Top with the chicken breasts, then pour the remaining salsa over the chicken.

Cover and cook on the high heat setting 2.5-3 hours (I cooked it on low for 5 hours), or until the chicken is tender and white throughout; do not overcook or the chicken will toughen.

Remove the chicken and cut into bite sized pieces (I shredded it...it seems to me that when you shred cooked chicken you have so much more than when you leave it whole...and I like to save a buck!). Add back to the slow cooker.

Add the cream cheese (cut into cubes to melt faster), and turn slow cooker to high heat. Heat until cream cheese melts and blends into sauce.

Serve over rice. Top with shredded cheese.

I really look forward to serving these leftovers in a tortilla--a yummy burrito!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Menu Monday 06.01

Here's what we have on the menu for the next 2 weeks. I'll also post our favorite recipe from my previous menu plan.

Monday--leftover spaghetti & garlic bread
Tuesday--scrambled eggs, bacon, & cheesy grits
Wednesday--Chicken Noodle Casserole, french bread
Thursday--Beans & Cornbread with salad
Friday--Taco Melt with refried beans
Saturday--we have a wedding to attend that night
Sunday--Chicken Bacon Crescent Ring (potluck dinner for Bible study)
Monday--Broiled tilapia parmesan, broccoli, stuffing
Tuesday--Santa Fe Chicken over rice with cheese
Wednesday--Chicken Spaghetti, salad
Thursday--leftovers
Friday-Sunday--out of town

Our favorite meal from the previous menu plan was Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken. Not only do I love the simplicity & ability to cook it in the crockpot--the flavor is delish!! Oh, how I love the sauce! We've served it many different ways--over rice, pasta, even biscuits. I normally remove the chicken breasts and shred them up and return to the crockpot before serving. Here ya' go!

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 envelope italian salad dressing mix (I use the zesty italian mix)
1/4 cup water
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened (I use reduced fat)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
hot cooked rice or noodles

Place chicken in slowcooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. cover and cook on low for 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken. Cook 1 hour longer or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice or noodles

Monday, June 1, 2009

Monday Monday

A fresh start to a new week...

This morning I attended training at the Watermelon Patch. I think I'll really enjoy working there--they have so many fun activities, events, and parties--from laser tag to "girls just want to have fun" to art & cooking, and many more! In fact, I have several business cards which I have been instructed to give out that entitle you to ONE FREE CLASS! Check out their website to see all the classes that are available. Leave me a comment and I'll be glad to get a card to you.

After the training Mom, Mimi, Taylor, Ella, and I went to eat lunch at one of our favorite places--San Miguel. We all love Mexican food--especially Mimi & Taylor. Two people who don't eat much but can really put away some chips, salsa, & tacos!! :) Taylor also loves the music there and was shaking her groove thang in our booth!! Oh, my sweet, quiet, & shy Taylor--what happened?!?! Well, she's still pretty sweet, but she has quite the energetic & funny personality now.

Tonight I headed back to they gym after missing what seems like an entire month from working out. It was good to get back on the elliptical machine, but here it is nearing 11:30 and I'm still WIDE AWAKE! That's what happens when I don't get home from the gym until 9.

Ella had 2 firsts today! I pulled out the doorway jumper that Taylor loved as a baby. Guess what..Ella loves it, too! She's always kicking her legs and seems really strong. She just grinned and smiled at Tay and I when I put her in the jumper. I'm glad to have something I can put her in for a few minutes to keep her happy! After the jumper, I gave her a few bites of rice cereal. I think she loved it! She was starting to fuss since the jumper wore her out & she fell asleep shortly after that so she didn't eat much. But, we'll try again tomorrow. I'll take some pics and post them.

Well, I guess I'll go lay down & hope that I fall asleep soon.
I hope everyone else had a great Monday!