It has come to this

I have realized in the last year since going back to work that finding the time to post in my blog has been challenging to say the least. Recently, I decided that the VERY least I can do is post the links to the recipes that I find on the internet with a little one liner from me on my Meal Plan-it Facebook Page. If you'd like to see what I have been cooking and my thoughts, be sure to "Like" me. :)

Meal Plan-it Facebook Page

Thank you for visiting and I wish you and yours many happy dinners around the table! 

Jill

Meal Plan ~ Week 31 & 32 2011

Well, after a LLOOONNNGGG hiatus I thought it was about time that make a come back. I have been Uber busy with full time work, two young boys and school. It's been crazy to say the least.

I apologize for the posts being non existent for so long and although I cannot promise that my posts will not be sporadic, I DO vow to give you some Meal Plans now and again and provide you with all the recipes.

Meals that totally shine will be given a review (or the ones that bomb, to warn you). If I do not have a recipe, review or photo of a meal that interests you, drop me a line and I'll be sure to help you out. 

So, without further a do here are this week and next week's Meal Plans ~ I do hope you enjoy! 

Week 31

Monday - Amazing Veggie Burgers served with Corn on the Cob

Tuesday- Firecracker Chicken Stir-fry

Wednesday - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup (No Recipe)

Thursday -  Cheddar Cheese and Beef Casserole

Friday - Creamy Stove Top Tuna Casserole

Saturday - Korean Pork with Asian Slaw, served with Rice

Sunday - Mushroom Smothered Salisbury Steak, served with Mashed Potatoes and Green  Beans

Snack -  Sneaky Snack Bars

Week 32

Monday -Slow Cooker Chicken Curry served with Rice

Tuesday- Perogies and Farmer's Sausage (No Recipe)

Wednesday - Creamy Pesto Chicken Bake

Thursday - Spanish Rice (No Recipe)

Friday -Totally Tubular Pasta

Saturday - Backyard BBQ ~ Burgers (No Recipe), Quinoa Salad

Sunday - Left overs (Maybe)
Snack - Raisin Bran Applesauce Muffins

Pork and Peanut Skillet

This was another one of those meals where I found the ingredient combination too zany not to try. Parsnips, Raisins, Pork Peanuts, Rice and Curry... sounded crazy to me, but it turned out tasty indeed. I also loved that it was a one pot meal and it was ready in under an hour. My son wasn't crazy about it, but both my husband and I enjoyed it immensely. I forgot to take a photo of my meal, so I have included the photo from the Betty Crocker Website... looks great, hey?

Go to Recipe!

Sugar Cookies with Icing

Here are a couple recipes that I have used NUMEROUS times without fail. These sugar cookies are delicious and moist (so long as you don't over cook) and the icing dries to a super shiny lacquer-like finish. Once the cookies cool completely I ice them and then let sit out to dry for a couple hours. The icing gets to be hard enough that you can stack them one on top another and the icing stays put! I always cook my cookies for 6 1/2 minutes in a 400* F Convection oven and they turn out awesome. 

This a fabulous, easy, no-fail sugar cookie recipe that you are going to want to save. And they work beautifully for any occasion... as you can see this time it is a Valentines Day Party so I tinted the dough pink. 

Go to Recipe!

Happy Valentine's Day!

-Jill

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas

Well, these taste exactly like they sound, Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas. Although a little strange in flavor, they are good, but even loaded with the morsels, the jig was up and my son didn't want to eat his, all he did was pick out the chocolate and leave the rest.

These cookies are not that attractive, and there are WAY too many chocolate chips (yes that is possible). I included the walnuts thinking that might help mask the crunch of the chickpeas, but it did not, they are there and there is no denying it. 

With a little tweaking these might be great, but I will probably move on and try a different recipe... Do you have one for me??? 

Go to Recipe!

Parmesan Bow Tie Skillet

Another quick and simplistic meal from Kraft.com. I did not have any ricotta cheese, so I subbed out cottage cheese that I "mushed" with the back of a spoon until it resembled ricotta cheese consistency and I don't feel like that replacement hindered the meal at all. Not gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, but it was good enough to fill our bellies and our son LOVED it. 

Go to Recipe!

A New Vibe and Some Energy

Today I got crafty with my blog (it was feeling a little tired to me) revamping it and giving it a whole new vibe... I'd love to hear what do you think. I made the Header and Buttons myself on Picnik.com and found the background at Hot Bliggity Blog, I LOVED so many of their backgrounds, it was hard to choose. I will be editing and tweaking things over the next few days so keep coming back to see the end result.

I also made this week's baking: Energy Bars. They were a snap to make (no baking required), but I found that they were a little too gooey to be called a bar per-say, more like a gooey peanut butter honey fudge. I think they need more "stuff". I had added 1/2 Cup raisins already, so to that I would add another 1/2 Cup Oatmeal or some Toasted O Cereal. I have a bag of Heritage O's Ancients Grains Kamut, Spelt and Quinoa O's that would be awesome in this bar! I will definitely be trying this again with my additions. 

Go to Recipe!

Meal Plan Month 2 ~ 2011 - February

It's a new Chapter, new Format kind of day here... 

Lost are the days of the weekly meal plans. To cut back on time spent blogging I will be posting monthly plans. I will be including some old favourite meals (which I will not be re-reviewing) and a few new comers. The old standbys will have a link to my last review followed by a link to the recipe, new recipes will be reviewed in a timely manner. With going back to work full time, my husband has agreed to cook dinner every Wednesday to give me some time with our boys. 

As this is my first full month plan, please comment and let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you! 

Welcome to "Link-a-palozza"... :)

Monday Jan 31 - Prosciutto Chicken served with Mashed Potatoes and Broccoli

Tuesday Feb 1 - Parmesan Bow-Tie Skillet served with Tossed Salad - new

Wednesday Feb 2 - Crispy Fish Bake served with Tossed Salad

Thursday Feb 3 - Cheese Enchilada Verde served with Couscous and Veg

Friday Feb 4 - Speedy Peanut Chicken Stirfry

Saturday Feb 5 - 4 Cheese Penne (Dashing Dishes Meal)

Sunday Feb 6 - Mushroom Smothered Salisbury Steak served with Mashed Potatoes and Veg

Weekly Baking - Energy Bars - new

Monday Feb 7 - Oriental Chicken Salad

Tuesday Feb 8 - Totally Tubular Pasta served with Tossed Salad

Wednesday Feb 9 - Perogies and Sausage (no recipe)

Thursday Feb 10 - Creamy Stovetop Tuna Rotini 

Friday Feb 11 - Chickpea and Tomato Curry served with Rice

Saturday Feb 12 - Speedy Sausage and Bean Ragout served with Salad

Sunday Feb 13 - Pork and Peanut Skillet - new

Weekly Baking - Chocolate Chip Cookies with Chickpeas - new

Monday Feb 14 - Mandarin Chicken (Dashing Dishes Meal)

Tuesday Feb 15 - Hay and Straw Pasta served with Salad

Wednesday Feb 16 - Spanish Rice (my Husband's Specialty - no recipe)

Thursday Feb 17 - Grilled Cheese Sandwich and Tomato Bean Soup (no recipe)

Friday Feb 18 - Tuna Cakes Served with Rice and Corn

Saturday Feb 19 - Veggie Burgers, Cabbage and Carrot Stirfry and Sweet Potato Fries

Sunday Feb 20 - Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Bundles served with Mashed Potatoes and Veg

Weekly Baking - Chocolate Zucchini Bread -new

Monday Feb 21 - Lentil Sloppy "Jo's" (Dashing Dishes Meal)

Tuesday Feb 22 - Southwest Chicken Pizza

Wednesday Feb 23 - Kitchen Sink Stirfry

Thursday Feb 24 - Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar Glaze served with Quinoa and Lentils - new

Friday Feb 25 - Lemon Pepper Orange Roughy served with Baby Potatoes and Broccoli- new

Saturday Feb 26 - Korean Pork with Asian Slaw served with Rice

Sunday Feb 27 - Meatloaf (no recipe) served with Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Corn

Weekly Baking - Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

If you haven't subscribed to Meal Plan-it yet, this is a taste of what you missed last week. Be sure to click "Like" or "Subscribe" to follow me and get all my updates in real time. :)

Have a fabulous week!

for more meal plans and organization advice visit Organizing Junkie!

-Jill

Thai-Style Coconut Chicken

I love ethnic cuisine! I mean ALL different kinds. Not only does the meal usually taste fabulous, the aromas that circulate my house while I am cooking are amazing. Tonight was coconut, lime and cilantro which made me think of the song "Lime in the Coconut" which I still cannot get out of my head. This was a super speedy, VERY tasty and refreshing dish. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs in place of the breast and I found the meat was quite moist.

Go to Recipe!

Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

I'm so clever!!! ha ha ha! This was a fabulous alternative to the box of florescent orange noodles and cheese sauce that my son has come to cherish. I knew that he would pick out the peas, but he had no idea that he ate sweet potatoes with every bite! It was quite tasty, but I think I may add a few spices to it next time as the flavour was a little flat for my liking. Mustard powder and paprika might brighten it up a bit. 

If you have a child who LOVES cheesy noodles, this is a perfect recipe for you to try. (P.S. I used my pre-frozen puree) All I did was roast the potatoes with skin on for about 50 minutes (until soft) let them cool to the touch and then the skin just peeled right off and there was no waste. Pureed them and put 1/2 cup portions in zip top bags and froze. When it came to making supper tonight I just thawed 2 bags and, viola, supper was done in 20 minutes. :)

Go to Recipe!