Menu Plan Monday ~ March 15th!

If you are a regular visitor to this blog, I'm starting a new feature this week. I'll be sharing my weekly menu every week by joining Menu Plan Monday over at I'm an Organizing Junkie! Click here to see what others are having for dinner this week!

If you usually follow my other blog, welcome to my cooking blog! I hope you take a look around and enjoy some of my recipes. I'll be adding more this week so be sure and become a follower so you won't miss them! Most of them are easy, quick with not a lot of ingredients but high on taste because this Mom doesn't have time to spend hours in the kitchen or doesn't want to get out 20 ingredients to make dinner!

You an click on any of the items in red to take you to the recipe.

Monday - Crock Pot Chili and dinner rolls (which I put together last night while I was cleaning up the dinner dishes! We eat late on Mondays since Allison goes to gymnastics and if she eats before, she is sluggish and not focused. So I try to do either a slow cooker recipe or a casserole so it cooks while we are there.)

Tuesday - Chicken Fajitas

Wednesday - Scalloped Potatoes & Ham with Green Beans

Thursday - Spaghetti & Meatballs with Salad and Italian Bread

Friday - Shrimp Kabobs, Rice Pilaf and Broccoli

Saturday - Pork Tenderloin, Baked Potatoes & Corn

Sunday - Dinner at Grandma's.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braided Loaf!

Oh my goodness!!! This is amazing. I saw it last week on Rhoda's Southern Hospitality Blog and KNEW I had to make it!

I made it yesterday and now I can't walk into the kitchen without wanting another piece! It is truly delicious!

If you don't like blueberries, don't sweat it. It would be just as good with strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, canned drained peaches...well, you get the idea.

You can click on the link above in purple to see the recipe on Rhoda's blog. She made a couple of adjustments and the recipe below reflect those adjustments. This recipe is SUPER easy and I hope you try it!

Blueberry Cream Cheese Braided Loaf

Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg, separated
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, divided
1 (11 oz.) refrigerated breadstick dough
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed, drained and dried
2 tsp. water
2 Tbsp. orange juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl at med. speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg yolk and 1/4 cup confectioners sugar. Beat until well mixed. Set aside.
3. Remove breadstick dough from can. Unroll and separate dough into rectangle. Place dough horizontally on baking sheet. Press seams together to seal.
4. Spoon cream cheese mixture onto center third of dough.
5. Sprinkle blueberries over cream cheese mixture.
6. Separate dough at perforations up to cream-cheese mixture slightly stretching dough strips. Beginning at top edge of dough, braid strips to cover filling (this makes more sense as you are doing it). Tuck last 2 ends under at bottom of loaf.
7. In a small bowl, beat egg white and water with fork until blended to form an egg wash. Brush egg wash over braided loaf.
8. Bake until golden brown, approx. 20 minutes. Cool for at least 45 min.
9. In another small bowl, combine remaining 1 cup confectioners sugar and orange juice, whisking until smooth. Drizzle glaze over braided loaf before serving. Slice with bread knife.
10. Enjoy and try not to each too much!

Rhoda's braid was prettier than mine but you get the idea. Also, please don't comment on the condition of my baking sheet. I LOVE my old seasoned sheets! They work the best!

I know this looks a little brown but it's not that brown in real life. Just be sure to watch yours in the oven. My oven is a little hotter than it should be so I baked mine for 17 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Hash Brown Casserole!

I've seen this recipe called everything from party potatoes to funeral potatoes but we call it Hash Brown Casserole here in Western Pennsylvania.

Of course, it's another easy recipe...just my style.

I generally use store brands for everything in this recipe and it works just fine. I've also mixed in ham cut up in cubes and added green beans on the side to make it a complete meal. I don't make it very often because it makes a lot for my little family. I usually save it for family get togethers. My favorite thing to serve this with is barbecued chicken and lima beans. I don't know why, all the flavors just blend for me.

My family loves the topping and the original recipe wasn't enough for them so I double it. The recipe below reflects that change.

Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:
2 lbs. frozen hash browns
16 oz. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 sticks of melted butter (1 stick for base and 1 for topping so keep them separate)
4 cups corn flakes

Directions:
~Mix the first 4 ingredients and 1 stick of melted butter together well in a very big bowl.
~Add the hash browns to the mixture.
~Put the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish.
~Crush the corn flakes in a Ziploc bag.
~Add 1 stick of melted butter to the crushed corn flakes.
~Put corn flake mixture on top of base.
~Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr. 15 min.
~Let sit for 10 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Chilled French Apple Dessert!

Since I've been posting all those calorie rich recipes lately, I thought it's time that I slim things down.

This recipe is a Weight Watchers dessert and has a POINTS® Value of 4 per serving.

I wasn't too sure about it but it was surprisingly delicious. Curtis and Allison both gave it a thumbs up.

Chilled French Apple Dessert

Ingredients:
27 average cinnamon graham crackers squares
2 1/2 cups canned sweetened chunky applesauce
6 oz. light artificially sweetened vanilla yogurt
1 cup lite whipped topping
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Line bottom of an 8-inch square pan with nine graham crackers.
2. In a small bowl, combine applesauce and yogurt.
3. Pour half of mixture onto graham crackers, layer with nine more crackers and repeat. Top with remaining nine squares.
4. Spread whipped topping over top and sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired. Chill 2 hours. Cut into 8 pieces and serve.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Calico Baked Beans!

Don't you just love great baked beans? I know I do!

This recipe come from my BFF's Mom, Sandy. She's like my second Mom and graciously passed this recipe to me when I fell in love with it.

:::WARNING!::: This recipe makes a lot! Really! I mean it! So if you only have a few people in your family, you will be eating it for days or you can freeze half of it for another time. I always make it for a party because I'm afraid that if I have it for days at a time, I'll not like it anymore. You know. Too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing.

Calico Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 lb. bacon
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 medium can of Campbell's Pork and Beans
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Lima Beans (drained)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard

Directions:
~Cook off 1 pound of bacon, drain and when cooled, crumble.
~Brown 1 pound of ground meat with chopped onion. Drain grease.
~Add all ingredients into a big bowl and mix together well.
~Bake at 350 degrees covered in oven safe cookware for 45 minutes.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Almond-Orange-Peach Crescents!

A few years ago I saw Rachael Ray make Almond-Orange-Apricot Crescent Rolls on her 30 Minute Meals show. I liked the idea but I didn't have apricot or sesame seeds so I improvised and used what I had on hand.

These have now become a favorite with the Farmer's Breakfast Casserole in our family. See previous post for that recipe.

Almond-Orange-Peach Crescents

Ingredients:

1 package of Pillsbury crescent roll dough

3 Tbsp. orange marmalade

3 Tbsp. peach preserves

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

~Preheat oven to the instructions on your crescent roll package.

~Roll dough out on a cookie sheet and break apart triangles.

~Combine orange marmalade and peach preserves in a bowl and stir well with a teaspoon to break down the preserves to a spreadable consistency.

~Using the back of the teaspoon, spread a thin layer onto the crescent dough and roll it up per the package directions.

~Using a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg on top of the rolled crescent and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.

~Bake per package instructions until done or lightly golden. Serve warm.

Note:

~Substitute apricot, pineapple, cherry, red raspberry, strawberry or blueberry preserves for the peach. Yum! You are only limited by your imagination.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole!

I found this recipe online about 7 or so years ago. It's from the Strutton Inn Bed and Breakfast in Custer, South Dakota. I'm so glad I printed it out and didn't lose the recipe because the link I have bookmarked doesn't work anymore.

Anyway. I needed a way to make a quick breakfast on Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings before we start our travels to my parents' and Curtis's parents' homes. Although I did make it the other night for dinner and everyone was so excited. I guess I need to make it more often instead of just on the holidays.

This recipe is perfect because I make it the night before and pop it in the oven in the morning before anyone gets up. It's easy to put together and there isn't any prep in the morning so there is less clean up too!

Farmer's Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup cooked ham or Canadian bacon, diced
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
4 eggs, beaten
1 12oz. can evaporated milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt

Directions:
~Grease a 2 quart square baking dish. Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of the dish.
~Sprinkle with cheese, ham, and green onion.
~In a medium bowl, combine eggs, milk, pepper and salt. Pour egg mixture over ingredients in the baking dish. (At this point, you can cover the dish and refrigerate over night or several hours.)
~Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until center appears set. ***If the casserole was made ahead and chilled, you will need to bake it for 55-60 minutes.
~Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Notes:
~Instead of ham, try with ground pork sausage that's already been browned and drained.
~Try substituting pepper jack cheese for the cheddar.
~Can substitute 1 cup frozen egg product for eggs.
~Can use evaporated skim milk instead of regular for a lighter recipe.

Stop back tomorrow and see what I serve with this casserole!

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Shrimp Kabobs!

My BFF, Susan, and I were chatting on the phone the other day about adding more fish and seafood to our meal plans. I love fish and seafood but don't cook a whole lot of it.

Coincidentally, I just happened to have Shrimp Kabobs on my menu this week to use up some I had in the freezer.

I usually make them the same way but this time I decided to check out some recipes on the web. I took the base of one and then put my own spin on it. I baked these in the oven because it's in the middle of winter and we are having a snow and wind storm but I can't wait to do them on the grill when it warms up outside.

Shrimp Kabobs

Ingredients:
1 lb. of shrimp (I used 31-40 deveined with tails off)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic (I use the minced garlic in a jar)
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. black pepper.

Directions:
~In a measuring cup mix together olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, parsley and black pepper.
~Rinse and drain shrimp.
~Place shrimp in a quart size zipper freezer bag and add marinade to the shrimp. Seal bag well and toss around to make sure all shrimp are coated well. Place in refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours.
~After two hours, take out of refrigerator and place shrimp on skewer. Discard marinade.
~Grill or bake at 350 degrees until shrimp turns pink. Mine only took 10 minutes. Grilling will probably take shorter. Just be sure not to overcook the shrimp or it will turn rubbery.

Notes:
~This is a marinade so be sure to prep this at least 2 hours before cooking.
~If you are using metal skewers, be sure to oil them before you add the shrimp to them.
~If you are using bamboo skewers like I do, you will need to soak them in water for a couple of hours. This will prevent them splintering and catching on fire in the oven or on the grill.

Before Cooking:

After Cooking:

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie!

Have you noticed that 90% of the recipes I post on my blog are easy peasy lemon squeezy?

I love easy! I don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen every day! In fact, I don't know many wives and Mothers that do have the time. Anyway. I think it's pointless to do everything from scratch when there are so many great products out on the market these days.

In this recipe, I took advantage of one of those products...already prepared pie crusts that you find in the dairy section at the grocery store. Using them enables you to make this pot pie in minutes.

Another thing that I also pick up sometimes when they are on sale is the baked chickens that the grocery stores carry. I will bring it home, clean it and freeze the chicken so I can use it in recipes later. It cuts my cooking time tremendously!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 box of Prepared Pie Crusts, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes
1 - 1 1/2 lbs. of Chicken, cooked and diced
1 1/2 cups of Frozen Mixed Vegetables
1 can of Diced Potatoes, drained
1 can of Cream of Chicken Soup
Salt and Pepper, to taste

~Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
~In a large bowl, add prepared chicken, frozen vegetables, diced potatoes, soup, salt and pepper.
~In a pie plate (I use a glass one), line the bottom with one of the prepared pie crusts.
~Put the chicken, veggie and soup mixture in the pie plate on top of the first crust.
~Cover with the second pie crust. Fold the edges under the bottom edges and pinch the two together.
~Using a sharp knife, cut some air holes into the top crust so pie doesn't build up steam and explode.
~Cover the edges of the crust with foil so it doesn't burn before the whole pie cooks.
~Bake with the edges covered for 20 minutes.
~After the first 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 20 minutes.
~Let sit for 10 minutes to set.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham!

Yum! This is the ultimate comfort food!

I try not to make it too often because it's not that great for the hips or the arteries!

The recipe below is my got to scalloped potatoes & ham recipe. I have another one for the slow cooker but this one is way more delicious!

I do have to admit here that don't always follow the recipe exactly. I like mine saucy so I end up putting in more milk and cheese to the roux. The picture below is when it came out really saucy but it was perfect after I let it sit a while. Also, if your family likes onions, feel free to chop up a medium one and throw it in with the potatoes and ham.

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 cups milk
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
5 cups potatoes, washed & sliced
3 cups ham, cooked and diced

Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Put sliced potatoes and diced ham in a large bowl and set aside.
~In a large sauce pan, melt butter over low to medium heat. Then whisk the flour in and continue to whisk and cook for about 1-2 minutes. It will be dry but it's important for you to cook off the raw flour taste and allow the butter and starch granules to mix.
~Remove from the heat and slowly mix in the milk.
~Return the pan back to the heat and cook until it's a thick and bubbly white sauce.
~Remove from heat and add in the pepper and cheddar cheese. Stir until the cheese melts.
~Add white/cheese sauce to potatoes and ham and mix well.
~Put into a well greased 9 x 13 baking dish and cover with foil.
~Bake covered for 30 minutes.
~Uncover and bake for 1 hour more.
~After you remove it from the oven, let it sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen!