Weekly Menu

Wednesday: Fettuccini and bruschetta
Thursday:Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach, rolls
Friday: Pizza
Saturday:Chickpeas and Baby spinach
Sunday:
Monday:Butternut Squash Lasagna
Tuesday:Curried Butternut Squash Soup, home made crackers

Moon Rolls

I found these delicious rolls and am going to make them all the time, they are that great! For Keith's convenience we call them Moon Rolls, and he is eating his fourth or fifth one today. Which is always a good sign. They are super easy to make, and taste fabulous!

What You Need:

2 c. warm water, 110-115°
2 Tbsp. rapid rise yeast (aka bread machine yeast)
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. powdered milk
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. salt
5-6 c. bread flour
Softened butter

What To Do:

Pour water in a bowl and sprinkle yeast over the top. Allow to soften about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Dough will be a little sticky, but if it's really sticky add a little more flour. Allow to rise in bowl for 45 minutes. Punch down and allow to rise for another 45 minutes. Break into two equal pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each chunk into a large circle. Spread softened butter (not melted) onto entire circle. Cut into wedges with pizza cutter. (I do 12 for smaller rolls, or 8 for larger.) Starting with wide end of triangles, roll up like a crescent roll. Place on cookie sheets with pointed end tucked underneath (so it doesn’t pop open during baking) and bake at 400° for 10-14 minutes, or until just golden on top.

When we pulled them out of the oven we told Keith they were too hot to eat. So the little genius that he is found a hot pad, and pulled a roll off the pan and ate it out of the hot pad. I wished I had my camera there. It was hilarious! Also, while making these rolls I made a huge mistake. It was so funny, I had to get a picture of it. This is what happened to my egg.

Moral, never try a new recipe while pregnant.

Menus again

I have been thinking a lot lately. I have been having a hard time with budgeting. Meaning I make a great budget, I just have a hard time staying in the budget. So, I decided to do something about it. I am back to making a meal plan each week. And with that, a weekly shopping list. I will also be posting links to the recipes I use, or the new recipes in the following week, so look for new recipes each week!

This week's menu:

Wednesday: Turkey roll ups
Thursday: Skinny Enchilada Soup, corn bread
Friday: Pizza, cottage cheese salad
Saturday: Nachos
Sunday: Going to Mom's
Monday: Stew and Grandma's Rolls
Tuesday: Fettecuni Alfredo and Bruschetta

Some of these don't really need explaining *like the pizza, nachos and going to Mom's* but for the other things listed with no link the recipes will be coming as the week moves along.
None of the recipes this week are very in depth because I just don't feel like fixing large or extravagant meals right now. Not to worry, they will come back.

Buen Provecho!

Perfect with Apples

source

While I haven't actually made this yet, it looked like the best recipe out there. I am pretty excited to try it soon. Jeffrey loves caramel apple dip, and since I prefer to make it from scratch over buying it (always tastes better homemade) I decided I need this recipe. I hope it is as good as it sounds! After I make it I will let you know what I think.

What you need:

2 TBSP butter, cubed
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1-1/2 teaspoons water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sliced apples

What to do:

In a small saucepan combine the butter, sugar, milk, corn syrup and water. cook and stir it over medium heat until it is smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve with apples.

Good luck, and if any of you make this before I do, let me know how it goes, and how it tastes. Enjoy!

Here We Come a Wassailing

source

Interesting that Wassailing is a verb. I guess it is true, you can change anything into a verb or even an adjective. They did it in old English, so it must be doable now days!

Today I got an email from a friend of mine who asked me for my wassail recipe. It was then I realized I don't have it written down anywhere. It is just in my head. So, I decided I need to share it with all, since I am doing a fall menu right now. Nothing says fall like Wassail!

What you need:

1 jug Apple cider
Cinnamon sticks
Whole cloves
Orange slices
Frozen orange juice concentrate

What you do:

Pour cider into a large pan and put on the stove to simmer. Add 3-4 cinnamon sticks and about 1 tsp whole cloves (more or less depending on the strength you want them to have). Add a couple of spoons full of the oj concentrate. Slice up oranges (into circles) and let float in cider. Simmer until warm, or smell permeates through house. I generally let it sit an hour or two simply to let the flavors blend and to get the perfume throughout my house.

None of the measurements are exact, and they don't have to be. Play with it and make it how you like it. Enjoy!

Buen Provecho!

The Seediest

Halloween has come and gone, and now there are leftover pumpkins. I got a lot because the grocery store was giving away all their extras, so we got a few good ones. Pies and soup, here we come! I think I may even be adventerous enough to try and find a pumpkin juice recipe this year!

But first and foremost, what to do with those seeds?

I was reading If You Give a Mom a Moment and found this fantastic recipe. We love it! I don't think I will ever use another. Especially since Jeffrey loves worcestershire sauce. Try it, it is so warm and welcoming in your mouth. I can't think of any other way to explain it.

What you need:
1 1/2 TBSP butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 c raw whole pumpkin seeds

What to do:

Preheat oven to 275*. Mix together everything but pumpkin seeds. Then coat pumpkin seeds with butter mixture. Coat evenly. Pop it into the oven and bake for about an hour, stirring occasionally. Cool before eating. May result in burned tongue and fingers.

Buen Provecho!