German Style Salisbury Steak with Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

For the steak:
4 strips of bacon
1 1/4 lb. ground beef chuck
1/4 c. onion, minced
1/4 c. fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

For the sauce:
2 medium onions, sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 c. beef broth
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. tomato paste
1/2 tsp. caraway seed
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the potatoes:
4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

For the steak:
Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Remove from pan and reserve 1 Tbsp. drippings.
Combine beef, onion, parsley, 1 tsp. salt, and pepper. Shape mixture into 4 separate patties.
Brown patties in skillet using reserved drippings. Remove patties from pan.

For the sauce:
Using the same pan add sliced onions, and mushrooms saute until onions are tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in flour. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
Remove pan from heat. Add broth, sugar, tomato paste, caraway seed, garlic, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Return pan to heat. Bring liquid to a boil for 1 minute to thicken. Return patties to pan, cover and simmer until meat is cooked through. Serve with sauce over patties with crumbled bacon on top.

For the potatoes:
Cook potatoes, parsnip and onion in a pot of salted water. Cook until potatoes are fork tender about 15 minutes. Drain vegetables.
Mash vegetables. Stir in sour cream and parsley until mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
If I were to think of comfort food this would be it. It is a meat and potatoes dinner. I used ground beef instead of ground chuck. I also used dried onions in the meat mix. I think the changes tasted good. When I make this again I will most likely omit the sugar. The sauce had a little bit of a sweet taste that I was not a huge fan of. Don't get me wrong it was good...I just think that would make it better.

Chicken and Spinach Salad Wrap

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. cajun spice
1/4 c. flour
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
4 strips bacon, chopped
1/2 c. braeburn apple, thinly sliced
1/2 c. red onion, slivered
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1/4 c. apple jelly
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
6 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. goat cheese, crumbled
4 flour tortillas, or flavored wraps

Directions:
Season chicken with cajun spice and salt than dredge in flour. Heat oil in skillet and cook chicken until cooked through. Remove from pan and slice. Wipe out pan and return to burner.
Saute bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain off all drippings but 1 Tbsp.
Add apple and onion and saute until softened.
Deglaze with vinegar. Simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated.
Add the jelly and mustard. Cook until jelly is melted and dressing has thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in bacon.
Assemble wraps with tortillas, spinach, chicken, dressing and sprinkle goat cheese on top. Roll tightly and serve immediately.

Makes 4 wraps. Total time 35 minutes.

Verdict:
Both Blake and I liked these. I used feta instead of goat cheese and it was yummy. The sauce that goes with it adds just the right amount of flavor. We used wraps instead of tortillas and I think it was a good switch. My only wish is that we had a gas burner to toast the tortillas a little. That would have made it extra good.

Shopping List

Produce:
braeburn apple
red onion (1) (1)
spinach
onion (4)
parsley (1) (1)
red potatoes (1 1/2lb.)
mushrooms (8 oz.) (1/2 lb.)
potatoes (4)
parsnip
shallot
garlic
cilantro
green cabbage
red cabbage
lettuce leaves
tomato

Refrigerated:
feta
sour cream
half and half
parmesan
butter
smoked mozzarella cheese (6-8 slices)

Meat:
chicken (3/4 lb.) (4)
bacon (4 slices) (4) (8 slices)
ground beef (1 lb.)
pork tenderloin
shrimp (24)

Other:
apple cider vinegar
apple jelly
dijon
tortilla/wraps
beef broth
tomato paste
marsala
bread crumbs
mayonnaise
pickled jalapeno
capers
lime juice
corn tortillas
kaiser buns
honey
cider vinegar
mustard
chipotle in adobo

Spices:
cajun spice
chili powder

Menu

Mon: Chicken and Spinach Salad Wrap

Tue: German Style Salisbury Steak

Wed: Smothered Pork Marsala

Thur: Shrimp Tacos with Jalapeno Tartar Sauce

Fri: Chipotle Chicken Sandwich with Bacon and Smoked Cheese

Tortilla Chip Chicken With Avocado Dip

For the chicken:
2 chicken breast, boneless, skinless, pounded thin
8 oz. tortilla chips
1/4 c. flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 c. bottled salsa
3 Tbsp. olive oil

For the avocado dip:
1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. lime juice
1 Tbsp. jalapeno, seeded, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

For the chicken:
Prepare chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
Pulse tortilla chips in food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish. Place flour in a second shallow dish, and in a third shallow dish, blend egg and salsa together with a fork.
Dredge both sides of chicken in flour, then dip in egg mixture to coat. Transfer to chip dish and coat.
Heat oil in pan and saute chicken until golden brown and cooked through. Serve with avocado dip.

For the avocado dip:
Puree avocado, milk and sour cream in blender. Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth.

Makes 2-3 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
We have had this before and like it. This time around I used Pace as the salsa because that is what we had on hand. I think next time I make it I will use a salsa with a little more kick. I really enjoy the avocado dip that goes with this. It adds that certain something.

Tempura With Gingered Soy Sauce

For the tempura:

vegetable oil for frying

tempura coating (found dry in a box)

With tempura you can pick whatever you like so here are some ideas

cod, cut into pieces

shrimp

red onion, thinly sliced

peppers, seeded and thinly sliced

broccoli, cut into small florets

green beans

asparagus, cut into pieces

mushrooms, stemmed and quartered

For the sauce:

1/4 c. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 green onion, thinly sliced (green and white parts)

For the tempura:

Prepare batter according to package directions.

Heat oil.

Working in small batches coat vegetables and fish lightly in batter. Fry in oil until lightly browned on outside about 1-2 minutes for vegetables and 3-5 minutes for fish. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and place on napkins or drying rack. Serve immediately with sauce.

For the sauce:

Combine all ingredients and let stand at least 10 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Makes as much as you want. Total time varies.

Verdict:

I like tempura but don't make it very often because it involves frying and lets face it no one likes the way that makes the house smell. But I love when we do have it. It is yummy when it is hot and tolerable when it is warm. I definitely wouldn't eat it when it is cold. The sauce is a must.

Breakfast Strudel

Ingredients:
1 box puff pastry dough
2 Tbsp. butter
1 c. frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
1 c. red or green pepper, seeded, diced
1/2 c. onion, diced
1 c. ham, diced
12 eggs
2 Tbsp. green onion, thinly sliced
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thaw puff pastry dough according to package directions.
Melt butter in large skillet. Add potatoes and cook until starting to brown. Stir in bell peppers and onion. Saute about 3 minutes then add ham.
Whisk together 11 eggs and green onions. Add them to pan and scramble until set. Off heat stir in cream cheese until blended.
Unfold pastry and using a rolling pin roll out dough length wise to 12 x 10".
Cover baking sheet in foil and place rolled out pastry dough on baking sheet. Using a knife cut strips on both sides every 1/2 inch at a 45 degree angle (making sure to keep it attached to center). Place half of the egg mixture down center of dough. Braid dough over egg mixture alternating sides using strips.
Combine the remaining egg and water. Brush lightly over top of strudel. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden.

Makes 2 strudels. Total time 45 minutes plus thaw time.

Verdict:
The strudel was surprisingly simple to make. I was a little worried about the braiding process but when it cooks up it doesn't really matter what it looks like. If you were just going to make this for a normal size family I would definitely cut the recipe in half. I made the whole recipe only to find out that it made two strudels. That is a lot of food. Everyone seemed to love it. The kids ate the eggs in the middle but not the crust part. The rest of us ate it gladly. Blake had it for lunch the next day and liked it some much that he sent me a text to tell me how good it was.

Chicken Pomodoro

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/4 c. flour
2 T. vegetable oil
1/4 c. white cooking wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. tomatoes, chopped
2 T. heavy cream
1/2 c. green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
Season chicken with salt and pepper and coat lightly with flour.
Saute chicken in oil until brown and cooked though. Remove from pan and set aside.
Deglaze with white wine until nearly gone.
Add broth and lemon juice. Return chicken to pan and cook each side 1 minute more. Transfer chicken to plate.
Finish sauce with tomatoes, cream and green onions. Heat through. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Make 3-4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I like this chicken. It does have a lemony flavor but don't take that the wrong way. Blake doesn't normally like lemon flavored food but he does like this. Give it a go. Cook it with some noodles on the side and you will be set.

Penne With Two Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Ingredients:
6 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
coarse salt and pepper
12 oz. penne pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:
Boil large pot of water and cook noodles. Reserve 1/2 c. pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside. In pasta pot heat oil. Add cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, garlic and pasta water. Cook until cherry tomatoes soften, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add pasta, mozzarella cheese and green onions to pot. Season with salt and pepper.
Toss to combine.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
I liked this. I do like sun dried tomatoes quite a bit. I used the sun dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and garlic. They were tasty in this. Blake liked it too and Gavin even had 2 helpings. That is a shocker.

Shopping List

Produce:
tomatoes (1/2 c.) (1 pint cherry tom)
green onions (1/3 c.) (1) (1/4 c.)
green or red pepper (1 c.)
onion (1/2 c.)
red onion
peppers
broccoli
mushrooms
asparagus
ginger (1 T.)
avocado
jalapeno
cilantro
garlic

Refrigerated:
heavy cream (2 T)
cream cheese (4 oz.)
orange juice
parmesan
sour cream
fresh mozzarella (6 oz)

Meat:
chicken (4) (2)
eggs (12) (1)
ham (1 c.)
cod (1 lb. or more)

Other:
white wine
lemon juice
chicken broth
soy sauce
flour
salsa
lime juice
tortilla chips
penne pasta
sun dried tomatoes

Freezer:
puff pastry (1 box)
hash browns (cubed)

Menu

Mon: Two Tomato Penne with Mozzarella

Tue: Chicken Pomodoro

Wed: Breakfast Strudel

Thur: Tempura

Fri: Tortilla Chip Chicken with Avocado Dip

Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas

Ingredients:
4 burrito sized flour tortillas
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 c. shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 zucchini, quartered length wise, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 c. sour cream
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Place tortillas on large baking sheets and brush with olive oil and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and tortillas are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Heat oil in large skillet.
Add zucchini and garlic, season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini is crisp tender.
Add shrimp and cook until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Stir in lime juice.
Spoon shrimp mixture over tortillas and top with sour cream and green onions.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes.

Verdict:
I made the shrimp and zucchini part of this then realized that we didn't have any tortillas. Ooops. So we ate it plain with rolls on the side instead. I think it would be really good on some tortillas with cheese.

Corn and Shrimp Chowder with Bacon

Ingredients:
6 ears corn, husks and silks removed
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 green onion, white and green parts separated, thinly sliced
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. flour
3 c. whole milk
1 tsp. seafood seasoning
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
2 c. water

Directions:
Cut off tip of each cob. Stand corn in bowl and using knife slice downward to release kernels. Scrape the length of each corn with a spoon to release pulp. (This adds flavor and helps thicken the chowder.)
Cook bacon in large sauce pan until crisp. Remove bacon leaving drippings.
Add green onion whites and potatoes to pan. Cook stirring until onions have softened.
Add flour and cook stirring, 1 minute. Add milk, seafood seasoning, thyme and water.
Boil and then reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender about 10-12 minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook until shrimp are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and top with bacon.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
I don't think it was a wise decision on my part to make warm chowder on a warm day. I didn't really enjoy sweating through the meal. I thought it was tolerable. I ate my portion and did not have seconds. I did fish out some of the shrimp left in the pan though.

Yogurt Marinated Chicken

For the Chicken:
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
5 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 c. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. garam masala
8 skinless chicken drumsticks, (I don't like chicken on the bone so I used 4 chicken breasts cut in half)
olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

For the salad:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, sliced crosswise
1/4 c. cilantro
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper

For the chicken:
Mix in a blender onion, garlic, and ginger until smooth. Place mixture in large bowl and mix in yogurt, garam masala, salt and pepper.
Add chicken, toss to coat and let marinade for 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
Heat grill to medium. Remove chicken from marinade, wiping off excess. Oil grates. Grill chicken until cooked though.

For the salad:
In a small bowl combine cucumber, onion, cilantro, olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 25 minutes + marinating time.

Verdict:
Sarah came over last night for dinner so she ended up being one of the guinea pigs. I changed a couple of things about this recipe to suit me. I used boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in half. I also didn't use the grill because ours is still in Vegas. (sigh) So instead I lined a baking sheet with foil sprayed the foil with Pam cooking spray and broiled it in the oven. Cutting the chicken in half allowed the chicken to cook quickly. I waited until one side started to brown and then I flipped the chicken allowing the other side to brown too. The chicken has a very Indian flavor. It was yummy. I think it turned out quite nicely. Sarah said it was delicious and was definitely going to be making it herself. The cucumber salad was also a good pairing. Yum. I will be making this again...soon.

Pasta Salad With Feta and Arugula

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. gemelli pasta, cooked and drained
1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 c. crumbled feta
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Dijon
1 bunch arugula, torn
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Cook pasta in salted water until done. Drain and rinse pasta in cold water.
Toss pasta with beans and feta.
Make dressing in a bowl, whisking together oil, vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve by tossing salad mixture with dressing, arugula, and onion.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
It was cool and fairly light. My noodles were a little undercooked for my liking and the beans that I had seemed to be a little hard too. I think I would have liked it more if those two things didn't play a part. I probably won't make it again. I spent a little more on the Arugula than I would like to. I think that that played a part too.

Shopping List

Vegetables:
arugula (8oz.)
red onion
onion
garlic
ginger
cucumber
cilantro
parsley (3 Tbsp.)
zucchini (2)
green onion (3) (8)
corn (6)
baking potatoes (2)

Refrigerated:
feta (3/4 c.)
greek yogurt (1 c.)
butter (2 Tbsp.)
monterey jack shredded cheese (1 c.)
sour cream (1/2 c.)
whole milk (3 c.)

Meat:
chicken (1 1/2 lbs.) (1 lb.)
shrimp (1 lb.) (1 lb.)
bacon (4 slices)

Other:
gemelli (this is a type of pasta)
cannellini beans (1 can)
olive oil
red wine vinegar
dijon
lemon juice
flour
white wine
burrito sized tortillas
lime juice

Spices:
garam masala
seafood seasoning
dried thyme

Menu

Mon: Pasta Salad with Feta and Arugula

Tue: Yogurt Marinated Chicken

Wed: Corn and Shrimp Chowder with Bacon

Thur: Chicken Cutlets with Herb Butter

Fri: Shrimp and Zucchini Tostadas

Chicken and Marinated Zucchini Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 zucchini, sliced into ribbons
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. lemon zest, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, pounded thin
fresh parsley
1 loaf Italian bread, halved horizontally and hollowed out
1 handful almonds, toasted
romaine lettuce


Directions:
Slice zucchini using vegetable peeler.
Combine with onion, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and let stand 30 minutes.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and broil until cooked through. Let cool and then shred. Add to marinated zucchini mixture with parsley and almonds. Make sandwich using chicken mixture and romaine.

Makes 4 sandwiches. Total time 30 minutes

Verdict:
I was a little leery about these. The chicken was good. The sandwich as a whole was OK. If you happen to have all of the ingredients on hand than go for it. But I wouldn't go out of your way to make these.

Hay and Staw

Ingredients:
4 oz. dry spinach spaghetti
4 oz. dry spaghetti
3 c. tomatoes, diced
1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, diced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 c. fresh basil, thinly sliced

Directions:
Boil large pot of water and cook spaghetti according to package directions.
Combine tomatoes and mozzarella in large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add drained hot pasta.
Saute garlic in a pan for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Pour hot oil and garlic over pasta mixture. Toss to combine.
Garnish with basil.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 20 minutes.

Verdict:
I have never been able to find spinach spaghetti. I can only find spinach fettuccine so I use that instead. This dish is fresh and light. I told Blake that we were having it this week and he made a little giddy "Oooh when?"

BBQ Chicken Pizza

For the topping:
1/2 rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 c. BBQ sauce (I like sweet baby rays)
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

For the crust:
1 frozen bread dough

Making the Pizza:
Thaw bread dough.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Spray pizza pan with pam. Roll out dough and place on pizza pan.
Mix together BBQ sauce and chicken. Spread chicken mixture evenly around dough making sure that you keep the chicken mixture in the middle to a minimum otherwise it will not cook through.
Sprinkle cheese on top of chicken.
Add onions.
Season with kosher salt and pepper.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden and cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 40 minutes.

Verdict:
I hate to toot my own horn but I have never had anyone say that they did not love this. Actually I have had people tell me this is the best pizza they have ever had. So there you have it.

side note: even if you don't like onions I still recommend that you add them and then remove them before you eat the pizza. I have made it before with out onions and it just isn't as good.

Gnocchi and Garden Vegetables

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, quartered and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 package frozen gnocchi (15-16 oz.)
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet.
Add zucchini and garlic season with salt and pepper.
Cook stirring occasionally, until crisp tender about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and cook stirring until juicy. About 2 minutes.
Boil large pot of water and cook gnocchi according to package directions.
Reserve 1/2 c. cooking liquid. Drain and add to skillet.
Toss gnocchi adding enough liquid to create sauce. Remove from heat. Add basil, Parmesan, butter, and lemon juice.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
We were suppose to have BBQ Chicken Pizza tonight for dinner but I realized that our cheese grater is packed somewhere. Lets face it...I will buy a new one instead of trying to find the old one.
I have never had gnocchi before so I was a little excited and a little nervous. I looked down all of the frozen isles at Walmart to try and find gnocchi frozen. No luck. I had seen it before with the pasta at a grocery store in Vegas so I figured it was the same here and lucky for me it was. I bought the kind that is in a plastic container and vacuumed sealed. For me this meal cooked super quick. I actually had to slow it down some so that it would be ready right when Blake got home. I thought it was good. I liked the zucchini and the sauce. I didn't have any grape tomatoes so I just used chopped plum tomatoes. I also added more Parmesan. I think both of those changes were good and if you are going to make this I would recommend adding more cheese. The gnocchi was a little heavy for my liking. At $3 dollars a package I thought it was good but if I was being frugal I would just use penne instead.

Grocery List

Produce:
red onion (1) (1)
plum tom. (3 c.)
garlic
basil (1/2 c.) (1/4 c.)
zucchini or squash (2) (1)
grape tom. (1 pint)
lemon
parsley
romaine

Refrigerated:
monterey jack cheese shredded (2 c.)
fresh mozzarella (1/2 lb.)
parmesan cheese
butter

Freezer:
frozen bread loaves

Meat:
chicken (1 lb. boneless skinless)
rotisserie chicken

Other:
bbq sauce
spinach noodles and regular noodles that are the same variety
gnocchi
lemon juice
loaf french bread

Shopping List

I think in order to make this easier I am going to make it color coded. That way you will know what ingredients to get or not get depending on what meals you have that week. So the coloring will go as follows:

Monday = red
Tuesday = orange
Wednesday = green
Thursday = blue
Friday = purple
anything in black is either a multiple item or an item where you buy one and will use it for many different meals.

Then they will be sorted into categories. Such as produce, refrigerated, freezer and regular isles.

Anything else you would like to see let me know.

Lentil Casserole

For the Casserole:
6 c. chicken broth
1 1/2 c. lentils, uncooked
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. brown rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1 small can diced chilies

For toppings:
cheddar cheese, shredded
tomatoes, diced
olives, sliced
green onions, sliced thin
cilantro, minced

For the Casserole:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all ingredients together in a oven safe dish. Cover and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours or until lentils and rice are cooked through and no liquid is left.
Place cheese and any other toppings on casserole and heat through.

Makes: a lot. Total Time: 15 minutes plus cooking time

Verdict:
When my mom first made this growing up I told her I would not eat it. It does not look good. She made us try it and I am glad I did. I enjoy it quite a bit. The nice thing about this is that you can use dried ingredients that you have in your cupboard like: onions, chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth and today I used garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. It was still good. We like to eat it with sour cream and salsa. Everything is better with those right?

Quick Question

Would it be helpful if I did a grocery list that you could copy and print out that included all of the ingredients for the week?

Menu

So I am back and ready to attack...well kind of. I think I am going to do a kind of recession week. All the meals will have just a few ingredients. Most of the stuff you will probably have on hand and for the select few of you that have gardens it should be even better. We also don't have our scanner out so for those of you that are expecting professional pictures, I am sorry.

Mon: Lentil Casserole

Tue: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Wed: Hay and Straw

Thur: Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

Fri: Chicken and Marinated Zucchini Sandwich