Sheet Pan Herb Steak and Veggies

Sheet Pan Herb Steak and Veggies
- original recipe can be found here.

Super easy recipe and it was so good.  I mean lick your plate clean, good.  Yes, we really did lick our plates clean!  Whole 30 and Paleo Friendly.

• Ingredients:
• 1-2 pounds flank steak (or cut of your choice).
• 2 pounds baby red potatoes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 pound baby carrots
• 1/2 onion
• 3 tablespoons ghee or clarified butter
• 1/2 tablespoon dried parlsey
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Note: you don't need to measure out anything above.  Use your best judgment.  This is good, whole food.  We eyeballed most of it.

Instructions

1. Turn your oven on the broil setting (500 degrees)

2. In a saucepan, boil potatoes of 15 minutes, with a little salt

3. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper

4. Place the meat in the center of your sheet pan.

5. Arrange the carrots, potatoes, onions and carrots around the meet

6. Recommendation: Gently "smoosh" the potatoes so they will soak up the ghee and seasoning.

7.  In a small dish, melt the ghee and mix in the spices.

8. Brush the ghee mixture over the veggies and meat.  Once you are done brushing, pour the rest of the dish for added goodness.

9. Broil for 15 minutes.  Check after 10 to see if you need move some veggies around

10. If you like your steak a little more well done, broil longer, checking every 5 minutes.

Ramen Snack Mix

This wasn't my own creation, but I did adapt it a little.

The original recipe comes from Martha Stewart!

 

Turned out really good.  I put 1/3 cup into a ziploc bag, so they are already to go when I pack lunchboxes. 

Ramen Snack Mix
2 packages ramen, broken into small pieces (toss the seasoning packet!)
1 cup salted cashews (M's are raw)
1 cup salted peanuts (Ms are raw)
1 cup Honey Bunches and Oats with Almonds (Ms uses cornflakes)
3 tablespoons oil
4 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 cup fried or freeze dried peas
(Ms adds 1/2 t salt, but since I used salted cashews and peanuts I didn't)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a big bowl mix together ramen, cashews, peanuts, and cereal.  Add the oil and mix until coated.  Pour onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Spread mixture in an even layer.  Combine curry powder and cayenne pepper in a small baggie and sprinkle over the ramen mixture.  bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Stir halfway through!  Stir in peas and let cool before serving.

Makes 6 cups.

I didn't figure out my own nutrition facts, but here are Marthas:

Serving size 1/3 cup
Calories: 152
Fat: 10g
Sat Fat: 1g
Protein 5g
Carbs 13g
Fiber 2g

3 Bean Salad

I had come across a recipe that looked really good, but it required grilling and I don't have time for that... so I made my own version.

LOOK AT THOSE COLORS!!!

3 Bean Salad
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 cups Sweet Corn (or regular corn)
1 white onion, diced
1 can jalapenos
1 15oz can pinto beans,
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can kidney beans
Juice from one lime
2 tbls EVOO
1/2 bunch of cilantro

Serves 4 (I made this for 8, but after figuring out calories and eating it... we could of doubled it and been good, so stick with this makes 4 servings)

Drain the jalapenos.  Then Saute the jalapenos, onions and corn with the EVOO until onions are translucent and begin to caramelize.  Meanwhile, in a strainer dump all 3 cans of beans.  Rinse and mix together.  In a big bowl dump the beans, then add the corn mixture.  Add the juice from one lime and the cilantro. Mix well.  Enjoy :-)

Optional: Dice 2 avocados and add into mixture (nutrition facts do not include avocado)

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1/8 of above recipe
Calories: 222
Total Fat: 1g
Sat Fat: >1g
Chol: 0
Sodium: 628
Total Carb: 39
Fiber: 17
Sugar: 5
Protein: 10g

Egg McMuffin

I love McDonald's Egg McMuffins... and for 300 calories they are not a bad on the go breakfast... but you can save money by making them yourself!

My inspiration came from this post I saw on pinterest. (who doesn't love pinterest?  I have gotten lots of ideas from there, and have boards for everything from Breakfasts- to Organization- to Elephants! Follow me here!)

Muffin Eggs!? Awesome!!!

Egg McMuffins

12 eggs
12 slices of uncured Canadian bacon (we like Jones brand)
6 slices of Provolone cheese (you can use whatever cheese you want, we had this on hand)
6 English muffins

Serves 12 (or 4 people for 3 days of breakfasts :-))

First cook your eggs... Spray a 12 hole muffin pan with cooking spray. Crack an egg into each slot...  You can leave them as is, or use a fork and mix up the yellow and white parts... Cook in a 350 degree over for 12-15 minutes... Let cool.  Usually as they cool they separate from the edges, if not use a knife.

While your eggs are cooking open and set out your English muffins... you are only using 1 half for each sandwich (saves on calories and carbs!).  Cut each slice of cheese in half and place one half on each muffin top (I folded mine in half again because I didn't want the cheese hanging over the edge of the muffin so it was less messy).  Then place 1 slice of Canadian bacon on top of the cheese.  When your eggs are done, put one egg on top and your done!  Let cool completely and wrap each one individual (or put each in their own zipploc baggie).  Put the individual portions  into one big gallon bag and stick in the freezer.  Pop them in the fridge the night before you eat them.  Microwave for 30-60 seconds and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 egg mcmuffin
Calories: 183
Total Fat: 9g
Sat Fat: 4g
Chol: 209
Sod: 300
T Carbs: 13
Fiber: 4
Sugar: 71
Protein: 16

Italian Wraps

I came across a recipe for some Italian Wraps in a magazine... but did not like the 603 calories!!!  600 calorie meals are bad if you eat light the rest of the day.  If you family is like mine, we make double servings of each dinner item, and eat the leftover for lunch the next day, which means all my meals need to be between 400-500 calories so that if I have two higher calorie meals, that we don't go way over what we (ok really I since I am the one on a fitness plan) should be having each day.  So I revamped the recipe and was able to bring it down to a very doable 473 calories!

 ITALIAN WRAPS
8 10-inch tortillas
8 tsps olive oil mayonaise
40 slices of thin sliced Salami (I used Citterio)
8 slices thinly sliced Provolone Cheese
4 red peppers, cut into thin strips
4 cups loosely shredded lettuce (arugula, romaine, red leaf)

Serves 8

Spread 1 tsp of mayo on each tortilla.  Then add 5 slices of salami onto each tortilla.  Next, cut the provolone in half and place to pieces onto each tortilla.  Add half a pepper onto each tortilla, and 1/2 cup of lettuce (or a small handful).  Roll up and use a toothpick to secure.  Enjoy!

Nutrition Info
Serving Size: 1 wrap
Calories: 473
Total Fat: 26g
Sat. Fat: 11
Chol: 77
Total Carbo: 31
Fiber: 1.5
Sugar: 3.7
Protein 28

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what we are eating this week..... (recipes in bold will be added as the week goes on)

Monday
Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Quesadillas
Nutrigrain Apple Cinnamon Bar
Digiorno 200 Calorie Serving Personal Pizzas
1/3 cup Cottage cheese and a Mixed Fruit Cup
Italian Wraps

Tuesday
Egg McMuffin
Apple, Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge, 5 Pita Crackers
Italian Wraps
Yogurt (Yoplait Light Boston Cream Pie)
3 bean Salad

Wednesday
Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Ramen Snack Mix
3 Bean Salad
Apple Sauce
Ravioli with Tomatoes + Basil (Hubby ended up making this, and he changed it some so will have to get the recipe later)


Thursday
Multigrain Chocolate Chip Pancakes (canceled till next week- egg mcmuffins instead)
Nutrigrain bar
Ravioli with Tomatoes + Basil
1/2 cup Cottage cheese and Mixed Fruit Cup
Smoked Gouda, Turkey + Arugula Sandwich and Sun Chips (canceled- went out instead)

Friday
Cake Batter Protein Shake with Chia Seeds (canceled-had the rest of the jimmy dean quesadillas instead )
Apple, laughing cow Cheese Wedge,5  pita Crackers
Gouda, Turkey + Arugula Sandwich and Chips
Yogurt
Tilapia Piccata and Frozen Veggies (Canceled- ordered in instead)

Saturday
Cereal, Oatmeal, or Smoothie
Ramen Snack Mix
Tilapia Piccata and Frozen Veggies
Apple Sauce
Healthy Choice Meal

Sunday
 Cereal, Oatmeal, or Smoothie
Nutrigrain Bar
Healthy Choice meal
1/2 cup Cottage Cheese and Mixed Fruit Cup
Lean Pockets and Chips

Very happy with this week's menu.  I have started moving prepared items to Saturday, Sunday, and Monday so I don't have to cook on the weekends when we seem to be super busy.  Also we are trying some new breakfast and snack options, as well as some new dinners.

The best advice for a preplanned menu- always be willing to change it.  Due to some things that came up, we changed some of our items.  Hubby and I went out for two nights, and I didn't get a chance to make one of the breakfast items, but it is still great having a preplanned menu- you never have to worry about what's for dinner!

* Shared on I'm an Organizing Junkie, Menu Plan Monday


*Menu items may change as the week goes on, also menu items might become more specific as the week goes on.

Pesto Egg Sandwich

I have been working out a lot lately (10% to my goal weight!) and today I was craving eggs (probably needing the protein).  So after not finding a recipe to fit my wants/needs... I made my own... Enjoy

-Picture to come soon-

Pesto Egg Sandwich

2 slices of bread
1 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 tbls of basil pesto
.5 oz of sun dried tomatoes
1 egg

Toast the bread.

Hard boil the egg- put in saucepan fill with cold water, bring to a boil on medium-high heat, boil for 12 minutes, rinse with cold water.

Spread the cream cheese on one side of each bread.  Spread the pesto on top of the cream cheese.  Add your sundried tomatoes to one of the bread slices.  Slice the egg and put on the other bread slice, put together.  Eat and Enjoy....

Nutrition Info
-Note: my bread wasn't the best so I will post nutrition info with both the bread I use and without the bread... just add your nutrition facts from your bread to the without to get your totals.
-Note: If you wish to add a second egg to make it a fuller meal, here are the nutrition facts- add to the info below to get your new total- Calories: 70, Total Fat 10g, Cholesterol- 213mg,Total Carbs: 1g, Protein: 6g
- Note: We used store bought pesto, which caused the sodium to be high.  The info for the pesto was: Calories: 82.5,Total Fat: 7.5g,Cholesterol: 3.75mg,Sodium: 157.5mg,Total Carbs: 2.25g,Fiber: 1g,Sugar: 0 g,Protein 1.5g

With/out bread:
Calories: 216
Total Fat: 12g
Cholesterol: 235mg
Sodium: 234mg
Total Carbs: 9g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 4 g
Protein 11g

With the bread I used (will have to look what kind/brand)
Calories:416
Total Fat: 14g
Cholesterol: 235mg
Sodium: 614mg
Total Carbs: 47g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 10 g
Protein 21g

Modified Hot Cross Buns

This Easter we are going to try these.... thought I would post the recipe in case you wanted to too.  This recipe was in the April 2012 Cooking Light magazine.  It modified the classic Hot Cross Buns to make it healthier.  (Calories-Classic 268, Makeover 179; Saturated fat- classic 4.8 grams, makeover 1.4 grams; sodium- classic 227 milligrams, makeover 111 milligrams.)

Hot Cross Buns have long been a Good Friday and Easter tradition. The icing on the buns is in a cross to symbolize the crucifixion.  It was even turned into a nursery rhyme..

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns!If ye have no daughters,
Give them to your sons.
One a penny, two a penny,
Hot cross buns

While many people associate these with Christianity... they actually have pagan origins, with the cross representing the four phases of the moon.  They were adopted by the Christian missionaries and in the 1300s a monk passed them out to his church on Good Friday.  And a tradition was born....

Now you can make them your own tradition...

Hot Cross Buns

Hands on time: 40 mins

Total time: 3hr and 15 mins.

• Rolls:
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• 1/4 cup warm orange juice (120° to 130°) $
• 19 ounces all-purpose flour (about 4 1/4 cups), divided $
• 4 1/2 ounces whole-grain pastry flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind $
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon grated whole nutmeg
• 1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup warm fat-free milk (120° to 130°)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted $
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten $
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 large egg white $ 
•  
• Glaze:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation

1. To prepare rolls, combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Drain fruit in a colander over a bowl, reserving fruit and juice.
2. Weigh or lightly spoon 18.5 ounces (about 4 cups plus 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour and pastry flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, salt, and next 5 ingredients (through yeast) in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; mix until combined. Combine reserved orange juice, fat-free milk, honey, butter, and 2 eggs in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. With mixer on, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed 7 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Add reserved fruit. Knead 2 minutes or until smooth and elastic; add enough of remaining 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm, dry place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide into 24 equal portions; roll each portion into a ball. Place rolls in muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white; stir with a whisk. Gently brush rolls with egg white mixture. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until golden, rotating pans once during baking. Remove from pans; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack.
5. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 20 seconds or until warm. Spoon glaze into a zip-top plastic bag. Seal bag; snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag. Pipe a cross on top of each warm roll.

 Chad and I will be modifying this recipe a bit more.  I am allergic to orange juice, so we are going to try substituting limeade.  Also I couldn't find currants anywhere.  Search 5 places.  So we will be using dried cranberries... I will let you know how they turn out.

If you make these, let me know what you thought! 

Update: I think I cooked them too long, they got hard, but had good taste to them. 

Crock Pot Pizza

I found this recipe somewhere online, but when I went to print it... it didn't print the site address, so I am not sure where it came from.

Recipe
a jar of your favorite sauce- we used 2 jars that we had in the cupboard
your favorite pizza toppings- we used a red pepper, yellow pepper, onions, garlic, bacon, pepperoni, ground beef, and olives
1 tube of pre made biscuit dough
1-2 c of your favorite cheese

Pour the sauce into a Crock Pot first.  Then add your veggie toppings (we sauteed the onions and garlic before adding them).  Cook any meat you are using.  Then, add meat on top of veggies.  Open the dough and tear into quarter sized pieces and drop on top of the contents of the crock pot.  Cook on love for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3.  Add your cheese then cook for another 15-30 minutes (depending on how you like your cheese).  Cut into wedges and serve.

I had never heard of cooking pizza in a crock pot, but I thought why not.

 This is what it looked like before cooking.

And this is what it looked like after. I was a little worried on how I would get it out of the pot... I mean would the sauce cause it to be mush...

This was how it looked plated.  It came out pretty easily... We used a spatula to get what we could out and then just used another spatula full of sauce.

The only thing I would change with this recipe... would be to not let my husband touch it.  He added some extra spices to the sauce, because it was cheap store brand.... and he got a little too excited with the pepper and it was a bit spicy!

Crock Pot Chicken

Another recipe that I am not sure where it came from

Recipe
1 cup baby carrots or 2 to 3 medium carrots, sliced
1/2 c chopped onion
1 rib celery, sliced
2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
4 med potatoes, quatered
3-3.5lbs chicken
4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 cups strong chicken brother, condensed or made with double bouillon
little salt and pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil

Layer carrots, onion, celery, green beans, potatoes, chicken and bacon.  In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over the rest.  Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

A new twist on an old standby.  The bacon really adds some good flavor to this meal.(doesn't bacon make everything better!)  This was really fast and easy to prepare.  I used the rest of some chicken thighs we had, but you can use whatever kind of chicken you want...even a fryer chicken. 

BBQ Beef Sandwich

I have no idea where this recipe came from... I found it in our recipe folder one day....

Recipe
3lbs stew meat
1/2c water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1tbsp minced onion
1 can tomato sauce (15oz)
1.4c brown sugar
1/4c ketchup
1/4c mustard
1 dash Worcestershire sauce

In Crock Pot place meat along with 1 cup water a bouillon cubes.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours (high 3-4).  remove meat and shred with a fork after cooking and retain 1 cub of the juice from cooking.  Add rest of the ingredients to shredded meat.  Put in crock pot and cook on low 3-4 hours.  Serve over hamburger buns or your favorite rolls.

These were really good.  I decided to cook this because my husband loves BBQ (I do not) and I wanted to do something for him.  I chose to cook the meet on high for 3-4 hours, then do the rest on low, so that it didn't take 12 hours to make (I never get up to the kitchen in time to cook anything for 12 hours!).  We loved this, will probably make again.

Menu 11/4-11/13

Breakfasts: (rotates)
Breakfast Sandwiches, Waffles/Sausage, Cereal/Smoothie/Oatmeal

Snacks: (rotates)
Granola Bar/Cheese, Yogurt/Almonds and Fruit Leather

Lunch/Dinner (whatever we have for dinner, we have for lunch the next day)
Friday- we went out to eat
Saturday-Chicken Patties (from Costco) with Chips and Fruit
Sunday-BBQ Beef Sandwich(recipe) and Rice Casserole (recipe)
Monday-Pita Cheeseburgers (from Costco) with Chips and Fruit
Tuesday-Crock Pot Chicken (recipe)
Wednesday-Deli Sandwiches with Chips and Fruit
Thursday-Chicken patties(from Costco) with steamed veggies
Friday- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pesto Sauce and Veggies (from Costco)
Saturday-Chicken Pot Pies(from Costco) for the in laws, Chad and I went out with my family
Sunday- Crock Pot Pizza (recipe)

This month I am trying to get the menu planning and menu posts lined up with my new monday schedule, which is why this post has a bit more days than normal.  After next week my menus will be starting on Monday too... so I am slowly getting there.

Menu Plan 11/14-11/20

Here is the Burke Family Menu for this week:

Breakfast: (rotates)
-Waffles/Sausage, Breakfast Sandwiches, Muffins

Snacks (rotates)
Granola Bar/Applesauce, Yogurt/Almonds and Fruit Leather

Lunch/Dinner(whatever we have for dinner, we have for lunch the next day)
Monday-Quinoa Burger (recipe), Veggie Chips, Fruit
Tuesday- Pita Cheeseburgers (from Costco), Chips, Fruit
Wednesday- Sante Fe Chicken (recipe)
Thursday- Chicken Patties (from Costco), Rice Casserole (recipe)
Friday- Frozen Pizza and Veggies
Saturday- Deli Sandwiches, Chips, Squash Bites
Sunday- Baked Potato Soup (recipe)

Usually I only have 3 dishes that I make throughout the week, but this week we have 4... however, all but the Quinoa Burgers are Crock Pot Meals (which are my favorite type).  You can look for these recipes to be posted later in the week after the dish is cooked.

I have decided to start posting my menus on a site that does a linky for menus.  If you need more menu ideas, head over there and check out the site.

*This menu has been linked to: Meal Plan Monday

Menu Planning

Today, over on my other blog, I explained our menu planning and grocery list.  If interested you can read the entry here.... It might give you a better idea of how our menu is created as well as maybe some ideas you could implement for your own menu planning.

Crescent Wrapped Brie

If this doesn't look amazing to you... just trust me it is.  This is a recipe from my wonderful mother.  Her and I have been making this for many many years.  Very Simple to make too.

Ingredients:
A Round of Brie
A package of Crescent (think Pillsbury)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet or pie plate with cooking spray.  Lay out your 8 crescents in a star pattern, with points facing out.  Make sure some are overlapping so there is no empty hole in the middle.  If you don't like the taste of brie rind (i don't) scrape it off with a knife.  Then place the brie on top of the rolls, in the middle.  Next, fold the points over on top of the brie.  Maneuver them so your brie is mostly covered.  Bake for 15 mins or until crescents are golden brown.  Enjoy.

In the above picture I cut the round in half so the cheese would ooze out.  This is my favorite way to eat Brie.  And I can never finish it in one sitting.  Best to share with a friend.

Sweet Hot Bean Dip

Recipe from here

Ingredients:
1 (8oz) block of cream cheese, softened
1 (15.5oz) can of bushes chili starter beans
1 jar of salsa (8.5 oz)
1-1.5 cups grated cheese of choice

preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray.  Spread cream cheese evenly over bottom of the dish.  next using the lid of the can, drain the liquid from the beans (do not rinse) and evenly spread on top of cream cheese.  Pour salsa on top of the beans (using enough to cover them).  Bake for 30 mins. or until edges begin to bubble.  Remove from oven.  Add the shredded cheese (enough to cover salsa) Place back in over just long enough to melt the cheese (about 5-8 mins). 

I first found this recipe on pinterest.  We doubled our recipe since we were taking it to a get together.  I also used one can of a sweet starter bean and one of a regular starter bean... I wanted to give it a different flavor.  We used our favorite mexican blend of cheese.  This was pretty good.  I think i either used too much shredded cheese or cooked it to long with the cheese, because the shredded cheese was a little firmer than i wanted and it made it hard to stick a chip in without it breaking.  We had about half leftover when we got home... it didn't last through the next day.

Crock Pot Corn Chowder

Original Recipe here

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
2pkgs frozen corn (10 oz each)
1 can cream style corn (16 oz)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 c water
1/2 c onion, chopped
2 c potatoes, diced
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 can chicken broth (16 oz)
1 c milk
1.4 c butter
corn starch

In skillet, fry bacon until crisp, remove and reserve.  Add onion and potatoes to bacon drippings, saute for 5 minutes.  Combine everything in Crock Pot except butter and milk.  Cover and cook on low 7 hours.  Pour 1.2 mixture into blender and puree until almost smooth.  Return to Crock Pot with milk and butter.  Cover and cook for 1 more hour.

I think this turned out good.  It was my first time ever making chowder.  We used the rest of the corn and potatoes from earlier in the week.  (the potatoes where those small finger length potatoes that come in 3 colors... which is why my picture may have more color than yours will- it was what we had).  Of course I forgot to get it started early so I had to cook mine on high for 4 hours instead of low for 7.  That may be why we had to use corn starch to help thicken it up some, because ours was still pretty creamy.  However, I liked this and will probably use it again.

Slow Cooked Texas Stew

I can't find where this recipe is from, it seems to have disappeared.

Ingredients:
2lbs beef tips, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 can mexican style stewed tomatoes (14.5oz)
1 can condensed beef brother, undiluted (10.5oz)
1 jar mild picante sauce (8oz)
10 oz frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
3 carrots, cut into 1.2 inch pieces
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4c all purpose flour
1/2c water

Combine first 10 ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook, covered, on high for 3 to 4 hours or until meat is tender. Stir together flour and water. Stir into meat mixture and cook on high for 1 hour.


Simple, easy! We used stew meat instead of beef tips and baby carrots instead of regular carrots. This was amazing. Everyone loved it. It cooked all day long and just smelling it was enough to make me hungry.

Creamy Chicken with Vegetables

The original recipe is here.

Ingredients:
3-4lbs of chicken
2lbs new potatoes, cut in half
1/2lb baby carrots
1 lg onion, cut into eights
1 can chicken broth (14.5oz)
1 c sour cream
3tbsp all-purpose flour

In crock pot stir all ingredients except sour cream and flour. Cook on low 10-12 hours (high 4-6) or until chicken is tender. In small bowl stir together sour cream and flour. Stir into chicken mixture. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until thickened (5 to 6 mins). Season with salt and pepper.


Very simple and very good. We used the bone in thigh Chicken we buy in bulk at Costco. Everyone got one piece of chicken and some veggies. This was really good. Perfect meal for those yucky weather days we have been having lately

Menu 10/28-11/3

No new breakfast or snacks. Sorry, I know some of you really enjoyed the breakfast and snacks I have posted, we are just too busy right now. I have accepted the fact (and I hope you can too) that we will only be making 2 or 3 meals a week and the rest will be store bought stuff.

However... I do have two new dinner/lunch for you and it's good....

First, we did try Costco Pita Cheeseburgers this week... they are pretty good. We also had the rest of the Asparagus and Gruyere ravioli we had before. And we added Frozen Chicken Pot Pies from Marie Callendar to our repertoire... they are good as well.


Now on to the new menu item.... Creamy Chicken with Vegetables and Texas Stew!

Not only that but as an added bonus, Chad and I went to my sister in laws house on Saturday and I am sharing the two recipes we took-Crock Pot Corn Chowder and Sweet Hot Bean Dip.

And just for the fun of it I am sharing a favorite comfort food of mine.... Crescent Wrapped Brie....

And just so you know... I actually have pictures for some of these!