Weekly Menu

Here is our menu for the week.

Monday: On Your Own Night (salad for me)
Tuesday: a crockpot recipe-Chuck Roast Barbecue, sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Manicotti (new recipe) and garlic bread
Thursday: Breakfast pizza (new recipe) and fruit
Friday: Crockpot recipe-Mexican chicken dip (new recipe)
Saturday: ?? I think there is a Razorback game getting in my way of the bacon wrapped shrimp I was hoping for...
Sunday: Pizza/out

What are you having this week?

Reba

Zippy Paprika Chicken

So...

I forgot to take a picture until after we had started dinner. Oops!


I made this recipe once a while ago but have since lost it. Not long ago, I was moving some of the posts from my now private blog The Cloud Chronicles to the public version (without family info) at The Cloud Crew. (If you want an invite to the private version, just comment or send me an e-mail.) Anyway, I have to "proof" the entries to edit out personal info for the public blog. That is where I saw that I mentioned this recipe and how much Hunter liked it. I started searching for the recipe. I couldn't find it. I am SOOO very thankful for google. Just a few clicks of the keystrokes, and there is was...

Zippy Paprika Chicken from the Simple and Delicious magazine (one of my favorite food magazines)

I followed the recipe fairly closely.

Here is their recipe, with my suggestions/changes in ( ).
Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp Southwest marinade mix (dry)
  
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper (I used freshly grounded)
  
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I used six because of our family size)
• 2 tbsp Crisco® Olive Oil (I just used generic)
  
• 1/4 cup water (I doubled)
  
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (I doubled)
  
• 5 tsp lemon juice (I doubled)
  
• 1/2 cup sour cream (I doubled)

Directions:

• In a large resealable ziplock, combine the paprika, marinade mix, salt and pepper; add chicken. Seal bag and shake to coat; refrigerate for 10 minutes.
• In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side. I will say this took longer for me. I am not sure if it was because of the size of the chicken breasts, that my skillet was so full, or that my chicken wasn't completely defrosted. For whatever reason though, it took at least twice that amount of time. Remove and keep warm.
• Add the water, soy sauce and lemon juice to skillet; cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream until blended. Serve with chicken.

I served this with brown rice which was a nice complement to the chicken. The chicken does have a little kick but it isn't overly spicy. My kids really enjoyed it though (and maybe hubby...he didn't say) and asked that I make it again sometime.

Thank you to Simple and Delicious for the recipe (and for having it online so I could find it again).

Reba

Fresh Strawberry Pound Cake

Confession: I have never made this cake. However, every year for my birthday, my mom makes this cake at my request. It is the one and only time I get to eat it during the year. That may be for the best. I could eat the whole cake. Every week. My favorite way to eat it is with a big scoop of (light) ice cream...I love them mixed together. And just for the record...NO chocolate. That is a big surprise for those who know me and my love for chocolate.

Anyway, thanks to my mom for sharing the recipe.

CAKE:
1 white cake mix
1 cup fresh strawberries, crushed
1 3 ounce package strawberry flavored Jello
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, room temperature


GLAZE:
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup strawberries, mashed


Combine cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl; mix for 3 minutes.

Pour into a well greased and floured tube pan.

Bake at 325° for 45-55 minutes or until cake tests done.

Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes; remove to a serving plate.

Combine glaze ingredients until smooth and spread over cake.'

It has to be healthy, right? It has fruit in it. :)

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe came from my friend Leann. She and her husband had her family over one night for dinner. I couldn't stop eating those enchiladas. I don't make them often because about half of my family will eat them but I sure do enjoy them when I do. They also are great to make ahead of time (like the night before) or for meals you are delivering. Make them then bake them later.

Anyway, here are the ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, boiled (I usually just boil some tenderloins)
8 oz cream cheese, softened (I use light)
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped onion (I don't use quite that much because the kids balk at it)
2 cans red enchilada sauce (mild)
1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese (I use the 2% Mexican cheddar)
1 package tortillas

Directions:
Pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.

Mix cream cheese and milk.

Add chicken (cut into small pieces) and onion.

Spoon 2 to 3 tbsp of chicken mixture in middle of tortillas and roll up.

I can usually fit a whole package of filled tortillas in the pan if I roll them tight enough.

Pour rest of enchilada sauce on top and then sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

My favorite way to eat them is to dip tortilla chips into the enchiladas. I love the contrast of textures.

Enjoy!

Reba

Weekly Menu

I still need to add a couple of recipes and hope to this week. School has started (and we still have lots of after school activities) but I am really trying to stick with cooking rather than take out. :) Sometimes easier said than done.

You may notice that some of this menu reflects last week's menu...sometimes we just have to be flexible around here when things arise.

Anyway, here it is:

Sunday: flank steak, hashbrown potatoes, garlic bread, salad, black eye peas, leftover strawberry cake (recipe coming soon)
Monday: crockpot tostadas, salsa and chips
Tuesday: ham and cheese cups (new recipe), fruit
Wednesday: zippy paprika chicken (new recipe), brown rice, carrots/snap peas, French bread
Thursday: On Your Own Night
Friday: Baked Cheesy Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Saturday: Pizza (out)

What is for dinner at your house?

Reba

Super Salad

Lately I have been in the mood for salads for lunches. When I combine them with the Strawberry Smoothie to drink and a little crusty bread/olive oil, I am a happy camper. I had a salad this summer at a restaurant that I LOVED. However, it is not convenient for me to go there often nor do I have the money to spend every time I am in salad mode.

One day at the grocery store, I thought, "Why go to a restaurant to buy a salad when I can make my own?"

This is totally cheating in some ways. I cook NOTHING for this. And it isn't anything new or terribly creative. But I will share anyway.

I just get a bag or a container of mixed greens, depending on my mood. (Spinach is a favorite). Then I add sliced avocado, grilled chicken (I buy the Oscar Meyer brand in the deli section...southwestern flavor is my favorite), sliced roasted almonds (found in the produce section at my grocery store), some croutons, and a little cheese (either Parmesan or feta). Then I top with just a little dressing; my favorite is Vidalia Onion dressing. I am not an onion person but I LOVE this dressing.

Mix together...voila!

What do you like to put on your salad?

Reba

This Week's Menu

I do have a recipe coming but tonight I am going to go ahead and post my weekly menu. This week is a bit crazier than normal with school starting and sports and open houses. So cooking will be a bit restricted this week. No new recipes either. The good news is I have gone to the grocery store and have the ingredients (except somehow I forgot milk) ready for the week!

Sunday: Breakfast- Pumpkin Muffins, Dinner- Out (Hunter and I are going to the movies, Mark and the other kids will probably pick something up)
Monday: Sandwiches/Lunchables, probably a salad for me
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes and sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Cream Cheese Chicken, Brown Rice, Salad or Carrots/Snap Peas
Thursday: Sandwiches/On Your Own
Friday: Shakes/Popcorn
Saturday: Flank Steak, Black Eye Peas, Katie Bread, Potatoes
Sunday: Crock Pot Tostadas, Salsa and Chips

What are you having at your house?

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Before our vacation, I bought a big bag of red potatoes for a crockpot potato recipe. Unfortunately, life got crazy, and we didn't use them. When I returned from vacation this week, I decided to check them out. Other than an eye or two, the potatoes were in good shape. I needed something "potato" for my meal but something that could be made without a crockpot since that would be in use. I did a quick google search and found a couple recipes then ultimately used the recipe on the back of my Lipton Dry Onion Soup Mix.

I know this is not really anything new but I wanted to share anyway. I could have eaten the whole pan of potatoes by myself. Yum.

Ingredients:
3 lbs red potatoes (or regular/Idaho), washed and quartered
1/3 cup olive oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Directions:
Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan (I just use cooking spray).

Place the potatoes in the pan.

Mix the olive oil and dry onion soup mix together; pour over potatoes.

Confession: It would probably easier to mix all of the above in a bowl or a ziplock bag first. Also, I added some minced garlic and fresh ground black pepper. And I added a little more olive oil just for fun.

Stir the potatoes to thoroughly coat.

Bake at 425 for about 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

This Week's Menu

As you may have guessed, I was on vacation last week. My menu was pretty much seafood every day. Except I didn't cook any of it. That made it taste even better. :)

Anywho, here is my projected menu for the week. I start back to school, and a couple of our kids start sport activities. So I am not completely positive what the week holds yet.

Sunday: On Your Own. We had to be creative since we didn't get home until 4:30 AND we didn't feel like going out to the grocery store. No milk, limited ingredients. I have since shopped.

Monday: Fall Pork Tenderloin, Red Potatoes, Garlic Bread, Black Eye Peas

Tuesday: Eggs and Cheese, Bacon, Toast, Fruit

Wednesday: Mostaccioli, Salad, Garlic Bread

Thursday: On Your Own Night

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas and Chips (recipe coming)

Saturday: Something grilled...burgers maybe?

What are you cooking this week?

Reba

Out of Pocket

Out of town, out of pocket. I am not cooking a lick this week...hope to be back blogging on here again soon. :)

Reba