A Better Burger

Not long ago a friend of mine from high school raved about a burger he had grilled.  He shared the recipe but I couldn't remember the whole thing.  Then I saw a recipe for a "Best Burger Ever with a Special Sauce" on Pinterest. As I read it I realized it was very similar to the recipe my high school friend had shared.  And it just sounded good, so I thought, "Why not try it?"

I am not a risk taker in my regular life but for whatever reason in the kitchen, I am not afraid to try new things.  Sometimes it is with success.  Those are typically the recipes I share here. Other times, not so successful...I usually just leave those behind me. :)

Since I am sharing this, I think you can easily conclude it was a success.

I followed the recipe for the most part, just making some minor changes based upon comments I had read about it.

Oh, I will admit, I was a little nervous.  My husband is typically the burger maker in the house.  So I had high standards to uphold.

Anyway, this is nothing major but it was a nice change from just a plain old burger.

Oh, the reason I call it a Better Burger is simply because next time I will change it up just slightly and I did not make the special sauce since my family is so very picky...

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef (I made 8 hamburger patties with that...and I did NOT use the leanest beef.  This needs a little fat to it)

1/4 cup Sweet Ray's barbecue sauce (that was our favorite part...I am sure any barbecue sauce would work but I highly recommend Sweet Ray's)

about 1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese (I used Cheddar Jack, and while it was okay, I don't know that the burger truly needed it IN the burger unless it is what holds it all together)

seasoned salt (to taste)

onion salt (to taste)

freshly ground peppercorn (to taste)

Directions:
Mix all of the ingredients in a big bowl. Add barbecue sauce sparingly.  Though it is good and gives good flavor to the beef, too much and your burger will NOT stay together.

If I had had more time, I would have let it sit in the fridge for a while to really get that barbecue sauce mixed in with the beef.

Shape into patties (about 1 inch thick).

Make about 1/2 inch indention in the center of the patty.  I had a hard time doing that for some reason.

Cook on a grill, skillet, or griddle.  I had read several comments that this burger tended to fall apart, so I cooked it on our pancake griddle (electric) since we have had success with burgers on it.  It took a little while longer than a typical grill but nothing fell apart.  Cook until it is to the desired doneness, flipping at least once.

Serve on a bun.

Enjoy.

Like I said, nothing fancy.  But I will say the Sweet Ray's barbecue (nope, not getting paid to advertise) makes this burger.

Yum.

Reba

Butter Beef

Yes, another Pinterest recipe.  Or at least I saw the picture on Pinterest then followed the link to the recipe.

It looked yummy.  It uses fairly inexpensive ingredients.  And it is a crockpot meal.

I knew I had to try it.

So last week, mid-morning, I put my ingredients in the crockpot.

I left the house for a while.

When I came back, I could smell it cooking.  It smelled good.

My stomach was growling.

And then I had to wait a few more hours to actually eat it.

I really liked it.  My oldest child did too. The two younger kids ate it okay.  And hubby liked it but I don't think he loved it.

That is okay.

I will make it again.

The one difference is that I may try it with mashed potatoes or rice next time.  My husband is not a big egg noodle fan.

Other than that, I will likely make it the same way.

I did change the recipe a little from the original after reading some comments/suggestions.

But even adding a couple of things, it was a very simple recipe.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs stew meat (cubed...I just buy it that way...it is fairly inexpensive)
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 stick of butter (I HIGHLY recommend using unsalted because this is a fairly salty food)
1 jar sliced mushrooms (totally optional...I just like mushrooms)
about 1/2 cup red cooking wine

Directions:
Place the beef and stick of butter in the crockpot.

Sprinkle the onion soup mix on top of the beef. 

Add the mushrooms and red cooking wine.

 Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5. 

Stir occasionally.

I did add a little cornstarch at the end just to thicken up the gravy a bit.

I really liked it.  It is obviously not the healthiest meal (stick of butter) but I have made others that were even worse (healthy wise...not flavor wise).  I will definitely be using this recipe during the school year when I need a meal ready for me at the end of a crazy day!

Enjoy!

Reba

A Menu...Part of One Anyway

I have another recipe I want to post.

But not today.

Today I am posting my menu.

It is shorter than usual.

That is because I haven't thought past Wednesday. :)

Lots to do this week.  I will share more soon.

Anyway...

I stuck to last week's menu fairly well.  The one change was that we went out to eat last night (with gift cards...my favorite way to eat out :) so we moved that meal to today.

Sunday:  Hamburgers (new recipe), oven baked fries (I LOVE these things...LOVE), milkshakes

Monday:  Ciabatta pizza bread, chips

Tuesday: Quiche with a hashbrown crust (new recipe), watermelon for dessert

I am also making a dessert for something at church that day...trying a new recipe. I sure hope it tastes as good as it looks in pictures. :)

Wednesday:  On Your Own Night

And that is where the planning stops for now.

What is for dinner at your house this week?

Reba

Grill(less) Chicken Tenderloins

I needed a good chicken recipe for tonight.  I have several I thought about making but I was in the mood to try something new.  So I decided to give this recipe a try.

I mean, it basically has four ingredients.

Four.

How can you go wrong with four ingredients?

I made this up this morning, threw it all in a ziplock bag and let it marinate until this evening.

It took about 40 minutes to cook but didn't require a lot of attention so it gave me a chance to make my mashed potatoes and heat up some rolls. I think this would be really good with rice too.

You will notice mine is "saucier" than the original recipe (site above).

I used more chicken so I double the marinade recipe which was probably too much. However, I really liked the sauce even though I didn't get the "grilled" look that the original chef did.  I poured some over my mashed potatoes.  So I am not sure I would do it much differently.

I will definitely be throwing this into our recipe rotation.  I think when school is in session, this will be a good one to make up in the morning, refrigerate to marinate, then cook when I get home.  It was easy and tasty.

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (I used about 12 tenderloins) or chicken breasts cut into strips...I just think tenderloins are easier to use

1 bottle of Zesty Italian dressing (the recipe calls for 1 cup which is about half the bottle...I doubled it)

2 tsp (or double if you are me :) lemon or lime juice (I used lemon because that is what I had on hand)

3 tsp honey (or double if you are me :)

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a gallon ziplock bag.

Refrigerate for at least an hour.

When you are ready to cook, pour the entire contents into a large skillet.

Cook over medium heat. 

I flipped the chicken occasionally and stirred around the juices.

At first it seems really watery.

But it does thicken as it heats.

Toward the end, I kicked the temperature up a bit to a medium high since I had so much sauce.

After about 40 minutes, it should be really thick.  Really push the chicken into that thickened sauce.

It almost has a sweet barbecue taste.

Yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Butter Cream Chicken

We have actually have had this recipe twice now.  I don't know why I didn't blog about it the first time because we loved it then, and we loved it again last week.  Maybe because my gravy wasn't as thick as I thought it should be.  Or my camera wasn't on hand.  Or the stars weren't aligned.  Who knows.

Last week I was trying to figure out the menu. I needed a good chicken recipe.  My husband came in and offered to help me think of one.  He had one in mind but I couldn't remember which recipe it was. So we scrolled through Pinterest together until we found this recipe under my "Tried and True". 

So I made it this past week.

And I made what I thought was plenty.

Except apparently it wasn't.

There was NONE left.

I almost started crying when I realized that.

None.

I really had hoped for a little bit for my lunch the next day.

My family has already told me that next time I must make more.

Yes, it is that good.

It is a little time consuming but worth it.  I promise.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (I used my usual chicken tenderloins...they are so easy to cut to me)

1 1/2 sleeves Ritz crackers (I used low fat), ground into crumbs.  I usually throw them in a bag and pound them with a mallet. This time I threw them in my mini food processor.  Oh wow. How did I not know how easy that was???

Olive Oil

1 cup chicken broth

4 Tbsp butter (I did use my Smart Balance since it is lighter)

1 cup + 2 Tbsp half and half (I used the light)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbsp cornstarch

salt and pepper


Directions:
Cut the chicken into small chunks (much easier with kitchen scissors).  Place in a plastic ziplock and pound flat with a mallet or whatever you have on hand like canned food.  Just so you know, I am pretty sure pounding with a mallet is therapeutic.  


Put the cracker crumbs in the ziplock bag with the chicken and shake your cares away (while coating the chicken).

I usually add a little salt and pepper at this point, all two times I have made it and all. :)

Add about 5 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and heat on medium high.

When the oil is nice and hot, throw the first batch of chicken into the skillet.  I did two batches for this meal. I should have done three.

Cook until the bottom is a nice golden brown color.  Then flip the chicken over.  That should be about 3-4 minutes each side.  Obviously, when you are working with chicken, you don't want any pink.

After the first batch is done (I put mine on a plate with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil so that it doesn't end up on my hips...), add a little more oil and cook the second batch in the same manner.

After that batch is done, cover with aluminum foil.  Now it is time for the sauce.

Add the butter and the chicken broth to the skillet.  Don't worry about any little extra crispies on the bottom. They just add flavor to the gravy.

Whisk the mixture around a bit.

Add 1 cup half and half and the dried thyme.  Whisk around.  Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the 2 Tbsp half and half and the 2 Tbsp cornstarch.  Stir together until smooth. 

Pour the cornstarch mixture into the skillet and whisk around.

Let it come to a boil again.

When it is thick enough, add a little salt and pepper to taste and serve with the chicken.

The only trouble I had making this recipe was getting my gravy to thicken.  I kind of wonder if it is because I use all light ingredients.  To solve this, hubby and I just threw in a little more cornstarch to thicken it up.

The only change I may make is next time I may try making the gravy in a small saucepan while cooking the chicken and adding it to the skillet at the very end.  That way my chicken will still be hot, and the gravy will have more time to thicken.  I don't know if that will work but it is worth a try.

Regardless, it is good stuff.

We ate it with brown rice, salad, and cheesy breadsticks.

And like I said, there was none left.

None.

Reba

Menu Time...

I have one recipe from last week that I still need to share.

But first things first.

I have to share my weekly menu.

Not sure anyone really cares but it is good for me.  Keeps me on task.

And Lord knows, with this crew, I need to be on task.

Oh, quick review...I think I actually stuck with the menu for last week!  Woohoo!

Anyway, here is the proposed menu for the coming week.

It is a different kind of week here, with two headed for the College World Series (as fans, not players), one headed to church camp, and two others in day camps.  It is my one truly crazy week of the summer.

But we still must eat, whether it is two of us or six.

Or in tonight's case...nine.

Saturday:  Shrimp boil (grilled), salad, asagio garlic bread

Sunday:  flank steak (grilled), Oriental salad, black eye peas, hashbrown potatoes, rolls, and chocolate pound cake (with ice cream) for dessert.  We are celebrating Father's Day with my parents and grandmother.  The cake is a belated birthday cake for my now 40 year old husband.

Monday:  Ham/Cheese sliders, sweet potato chips

Tuesday:  Chick Fil A (request of the birthday girl...yes, this makes three birthdays in our family for the month of June)

Wednesday: Butter beef over egg noodles (new recipe), garlic bread, carrots and Ranch

Thursday: Grilled chicken tenderloins (new recipe), potatoes (haven't decided what kind yet), rolls

Friday: Braided spaghetti bread, Caesar salad

Saturday:  Hamburgers (grilled), oven fries, homemade ice cream

I think that about covers it, though you never know.  Things are always subject to change around here...

So, what is for dinner at your house this week?

Reba

Oreo Layer Dessert

The other day my hubby had a birthday. I won't say which one but I will say that it was a milestone one. :)

His very favorite dessert is chocolate pound cake, with chocolate pie as a close second.

But we were heading about an hour away to visit some friends at the lake.

I wasn't so sure that either of those would hold up well on the very curvy drive.

So I decided to try something new.

Like an Oreo Layer Dessert.

Yes, I found the link on Facebook.

If you go to the original site (see link above), then you will see a much prettier picture.

Anywho...

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
One package of Oreos, crushed (either via a food processor which I don't have or a good old ziplock and a rolling pin and lots of arm exercise)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 large package of chocolate pudding (instant), made up according to directions on the package

2 containers of Cool Whip (I used light...every little bit helps, right?)

1 box cream cheese (I used light. I think next time I would use the whipped...)

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Remove 1/2 cup Oreo crumbs to reserve for the top of the dessert.

Pour all of the other Oreo crumbs into the bottom of a 13x9 pan.  I didn't spray first, but I think in the future I would.

Pour melted butter over the Oreo crumbs.  Press down to form a "crust".  I used an inverted ziplock bag with my hand inside to keep the crumbs from sticking to my fingers.

Blend cream cheese until nice and smooth (which is where I think the whipped would come in handy).  Add in powdered sugar.  Mix.  Then fold in ONE container of cool whip.

Place cream cheese mixture on top of Oreo crust.  Spread.

Spread on the chocolate pudding as the next layer.

Top with the second container of Cool Whip.

Sprinkle reserved Oreo crumbs on top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

It was good stuff.

Reba

Herbed Pizza Crust

I guess I should have taken a picture of the crust before I put toppings all over it.  By the way, the pepperoni started out all over the pizza, but as it baked, the cheese shifted which means the pepperoni did too. :)

Anyway, as I mentioned yesterday, I was in the mood for pizza.  I am almost always in the mood for pizza.  And though I sometimes use store bought crusts, I really wanted to try one on my own.  I have tried before and it was okay but not great.  So this time I was looking for something different.

The problem I found with most recipes was that they took hours.

I mean, I am home during the summer, but I don't want to have to keep running back and forth to the kitchen to punch down dough or knead or whatever.

So I wanted something faster.

Yet the pizza crust I tried last time (that was just okay) had been fast, so I didn't want too fast.

Make sense?

Are you following me?

I know, I know, I tend to ramble.

Anyway, I happened upon this recipe and thought, "That is just what I am looking for..."

And after all was said and done, I can say it was.

It was just what I was looking for.

It is not something I could do spur of the moment or even during a school week typically (more of a weekend event) but if I have time, this is the the recipe I want to use!

I basically followed the recipe with only minor changes.  I did double the recipe because I needed two pizzas (around 12-13 inch pans), and had no trouble doing that in one mixing bowl.

Ingredients (for one 12-13 inch pizza):
 1 cup warm water (not too hot, not too cold :)

1 Tbsp olive oil (or butter, but I am personally an olive oil fanatic so that wasn't really a choice to me)

2 Tbsp sugar (or other granulated sweetener...I am just partial to real sugar)

1 tsp sea salt

1 Tbsp dry active yeast (If you buy the little envelopes, there is likely one tablespoon in each envelope)

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano (I had some fresh but didn't use it; I am sure it would have been good though)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 3/4 cups flour (I used all purpose)

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine the oil, sugar, spices/herbs, salt, and yeast.  I tried doing this with a mixer but really think I would have been better off mixing by hand.

Add warm water until yeast is dissolved thoroughly.

Gradually add the flour until you have a workable dough.

Knead on a clean, dry surface for about 8 minutes.

Place the dough back in the mixing bowl and cover.  Place in a warm spot.  Let it rise for about an hour until nearly doubled.

Remove from bowl and press onto a pizza baking stone or a cookie sheet (or a metal pizza pan).  I just had some metal ones. I really wish I had a couple of stones because I really think it would cook the crust that much better.  Looks like I have something to add to my birthday list...

Anyway, cover with desired toppings and bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for 18-20 minutes (until cheese is melted and the crust is beginning to turn golden).

I really liked the addition of the herbs to the crust. Yum.

It is a very filling crust too. Probably kept me from eating more pizza than I needed to. :)

Oh, and I learned today that a good way to reheat pizza is to place the desired pieces on a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet.  Turn the oven to 450 and let it cook for about 10 minutes.  It made the crust nice and crisp and the cheese re-melted just right. :)

More soon,
Reba

4 Cheese White Pizza

I have been in the mood for pizza for a while.  My dear husband promised me when he got a job (I don't remember if I mentioned on this blog but his position was eliminated unexpectedly a couple of weeks ago) that I could order a pizza from my favorite Chicago pizzeria (it is shipped on dry ice then baked here :).  And I have been dreaming about it.

Except this job thing is more complicated than I thought.

Not in a bad way. 

He is just not rushing into any decisions, exploring options (and doing some work while he waits).

Meanwhile, my pizza craving has intensified.

And while we haven't given up eating out, with three birthdays this month, our eating out budget is used up.

So I decided to make some homemade pizza.

Sometimes I buy ready made pizza crusts and we create our own.

But today I was in the mood to make it all.

The crust.

The sauce.

The pizza.

When I saw this recipe via Pinterest, I knew I had to create a similar pizza.  It has everything I like in a pizza.  Crust.  Olive oil.  Garlic.  And cheese.  Lots of cheese.

I did make a regular pizza for the rest of the crew.  (Pepperoni and cheese)

This one was for me.  I did let a couple of my kids try it though. :)

Now for the actual pizza, I used a different crust recipe which I will share tomorrow.

This recipe is just for the actual topping.

I used the original recipe as a guide, but changed things a little.  And I didn't truly measure very much. :)

Ingredients:
a crust, ready to bake

3 Tbsp olive oil

Minced garlic (around 3 cloves)

Ricotta cheese (I used light :)

Mozzarella cheese (I used fresh, about 7 ounces)

Feta cheese crumbles (I used in place of goat cheese)

Parmesan, shredded

Fresh basil, thinly sliced

Directions:

Mix garlic and olive oil.  Spread about 2 Tbsp on the uncooked crust, leaving a "crust" around the outside edge.

Layer (I don't think order really matters, though I put the Parmesan on top since it is the "lightest" cheese) the four cheeses all over the crust.

Place some fresh basil slices around the top of the pizza.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil/garlic over the top of the pizza.

Bake for about 18-20 minutes.

The original recipe said at 450 degrees.

The crust recipe said 400.

I went with the crust recipe's direction since I was cooking two different pizzas.

I just kept an eye on it.

Then as soon as it was ready, I had it out on my plate, ready to eat.

Yum.

I limited myself to 2 pieces since it was approximately 300 calories a slice.

However, I wanted to eat more.

Yum.

More soon,
Reba

Meals and Menus...

Some weeks the menu just comes together for me with ease. Other weeks, like this one, I have a few meals in mind but have trouble filling in the gaps.  At one point, I was stretched out across the bed, perusing different recipes on the computer.  Hubby came in (I think he was escaping from the kids :) and even assisted me by brainstorming some things that sounded good to him.  It was kind of nice collaborating together on that...that is a treat!

Anyway, here is the proposed menu.  But I am not sure how set in stone it is. :)

Saturday:  The Girls' Birthday celebration...it was at the ballpark. So we ate popcorn and hot dogs.  What else do you eat at a ballgame? :)  I did make one thing...their birthday cake with buttercream frosting.  Oh, how I love me some buttercream frosting.  Too much I think...

Sunday:  Grilled pork tenderloin (we buy the preseasoned when they are on sale...tonight we had a 3 cheese Italian and a Southwest Peppercorn tenderloin),  fingerling potatoes, black eye peas, and dinner rolls

Monday:  Breakfast- pumpkin muffins, Dinner- homemade pizza

Tuesday:  Chile Colorado burritos (new recipe), chips/salsa

Wednesday:  OYO due to some family activities (though I will possibly be making a dessert for a special someone's happy birthday...)

Thursday:  dinner out (belated MILESTONE birthday celebration for a special hubby :)

Friday:  Butter cream chicken (which I made once before but for some reason never blogged about...hubby requested this one again), brown rice, carrots/Ranch, cheese filled breadsticks

Saturday:  Breakfast- donuts, Dinner-Grilled Shrimp Boil Kabobs, salad, bread of some sort...

So...what is for dinner at your house this week?

Reba
PS I pretty much stuck with last week's menu with the exception that we unexpectedly had overnight coffee cake rather than pumpkin muffins one morning.  And Friday night for dinner, we went the easy route and had shakes and popcorn for a family movie night at home. :)

Seasoned Swai

I have been craving Swai again recently (not to mention I love how cheap it is for our family of 6), but I was afraid I would burn my crew out on it if I keep cooking it the same way.  (I, myself, could eat the panko-encrusted version any day of the week...)

So I did a quick search via Pinterest and found a recipe for tilapia.  I thought, "Why couldn't I try this with Swai?"

And that is exactly what I did.

I was a little worried just because some of the ingredients indicated "spicy" to me which doesn't always go over well with my crew.

But thankfully it really wasn't.

It was just nicely seasoned.

And even better, it was baked.

Good flavor, low calorie. My favorite combination.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil (I actually used more like 1/3 mainly because that is where my measuring cup started...)

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ginger

fresh ground pepper (I just ground it on the spot and guesstimate...the original recipe calls for 1 tsp)

1 tsp dried mustard

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp chili powder

a pinch cayenne pepper

swai fillets (I used 6 and had plenty of seasoning)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix all of the seasonings in with the olive oil. 

Brush the seasoning on both sides of the swai on the parchment paper.

Pour the remaining seasoning mix over the fillets on the baking sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

I served ours over a bed of angel hair pasta. We were going to have the Oriental salad with it but there was a cole slaw incident.  So we had carrots and Ranch instead.  We also tried the new Crescent rolls with garlic/herb flavor...

I guess it was pretty good.

There were no leftovers.

Again.

:( 

Boo for me.

Reba

Smores Bars

I love Smores, but we do not go camping very often. And we do not have an outdoor fire pit.  So other than an occasional "smore" made over candlelight in the winter, I don't get to indulge very often.

Since I am trying to lose weight, that may be for the best.

Until Pinterest.

Someone posted a picture of "smores bars".  I followed the link and found a not too difficult recipe. 

Darn.

Now I had to try them.

So this morning, Child 4 joined me in making this dessert.  It was his turn to cook with me. He had suggested brownies, but thankfully, he is still easily swayed.  I suggested this recipe instead.  And that is what we made.

I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.

I typically can stay away from sweets fairly well.  Usually one small piece, and I am good.

Except for some reason, with this dessert, I wasn't. 

I kept going back to nibble.  And nibble.  And nibble.

I finally put a plea on FB (half in jest, mostly not :) asking for someone to take it off my hands.

A sweet friend offered.

The children nearly wept until I showed them I was keeping one piece for each of them. 

The rest went home with my friend's husband.

Otherwise I might have been in and out of the kitchen all night, totally negating this whole weight loss thing I am trying to do.

However, there are still four pieces in there...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature (Okay, I never remember to pull it out in time, and didn't this time either.  But it worked.  I used Blue Bonnet Light in hopes it would save me a few calories :)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (I used about 5 or 6 whole crackers which was just about what I needed...child 4 then got to use his muscles to "pound" them into crumbs with a meat tenderizer...)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 king size milk chocolate bars...I used the one and only Hershey's

marshmallow creme fluff (NOT melted marshmallows)...the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups. I didn't bother measuring. I just made a layer of it, using almost all of the Fluff container


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease an 8 x 8 pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light.  That is probably easier if you remember to have your butter at room temperature. :)

Beat in egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.

Pour into butter mixture and mix on a low speed.

Divide dough in half.  Press half of it into the bottom of the baking dish.  I spooned out half of it, then used parchment paper to "press" the dough which won't seem very "doughy" so it wouldn't stick.

Place the chocolate bars side by side to create a layer. I had to break a little of one of the bars to get it to fit.

Next layer the marshmallow fluff. After reading suggestions by others, I dipped a frosting spreader in hot water before dipping into the marshmallow fluff.  It helped a LOT in keeping it from sticking to the spreader.  And it spread pretty well!

Finally, put the remaining dough on top. I again just spooned what was left on top of the fluff. Then I used the parchment paper to spread it out.

Bake for 30-35 minutes (until browned).  Cool before cutting.

I did NOT refrigerate the leftovers since it was all cooked. I just covered and left it out.  Unfortunately that is what led to the snacking...yum.

Happy cooking!
Reba

The Up and Coming Menu for the Up and Coming Week...

We stuck to our menu fairly well last week. I didn't ever get to make the shrimp/linguine I had planned due to some kid activities. But that was okay. I used the shrimp tonight (we are saving steak for another day).  And much to the kids' disappointment, we did not have shakes and popcorn last night due to an unexpected (and free!) date night. But that was okay too. At least for me. :)

Here is the proposed menu for the week. Always subject to change of course. And it probably will.

Saturday (tonight):  Key West Shrimp and Chicken Kabobs (grilled), almond rice pilaf, cheese stuffed breadsticks, carrots and Ranch.  This was our 2nd time to have this. I made more than last time and we had NO leftovers other than some rice. It is a hit!

Sunday:  Pot Roast Pizzaiola, Roasted Baby Bakers (Schwans), Rolls, Caesar salad

Monday:  Chicken Spaghetti, garlic bread, leftover salad, Smores dessert (new recipe)

Tuesday:  Birthday Celebration (out) for child 2

Wednesday:  Sloppy Joes and sweet potato fries

Thursday: Panko encrusted swai over angel hair pasta, raw veggies, some sort of bread

Friday: homemade pizza

What is for dinner at your house this week?

Reba