Lunchbox Idea

I thought I would post a recipe I found recently for a pretty healthy zucchini bread . . . I have been putting it in the kids' lunches spread with cream cheese and calling it a "sandwich".  Yes, I am grasping at straws, but I'll take whatever I can get!! :)

GREEK YOGURT ZUCCHINI BREAD
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (the recipe called for vanilla, I used plain.  Vanilla adds a lot of sugar and this bread was delicious with the plain)
1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I added a bit more to make up for the yogurt)
1 large egg
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 TBSP honey
3 TBSP mashed very ripe banana
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar (I admit to using less) :)
1/2 cup oat flour (blended oats)
1 cup whole wheat or white whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (I use more)
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease and flour one bread pan.

In a bowl, stir together yogurt, vanilla, egg, coconut oil (measure when melted), and honey.

Mash the banana really well and stir in banana and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, stir together the oat flour (measured AFTER blending), whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Mix together dry and wet.  Do not over mix.  Stir in zucchini and optional ingredients.

Pour into orepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean and the bread begins to pull away from the side of the pan.

Booher plan

Well, here's to another week of pulling teeth to come up with a menu plan!  Thanks for your ideas . . . They definitely helped fill my list.

Weds: grilled fish, roasted smashed potatoes, broccoli, Tom-eggplant-basil-mozzarella-salad

Thurs: lasagna, green salad

Fri: hamburgers, oven fries, green beans

Sat: OUT TO DINNER, YEEHAW! Kids get mad and cheese and peas

Sun: Build your own salad night (note: my kids will not eat a "put together" salad.  However, if you put all the ingredients in little bowls across the counter and let them build it themselves, they think it is the coolest thing ever.  Go figure!!)

Mon: chicken scampi

Tues: crock pot potato soup, fresh bread, leftover salad

Have a great week! 

Kathy

Creamy Chicken Soup

This is a quick recipe that I modified from here.  Here is the basic recipe:

Chicken pieces from one rotisserie chicken
4 cups of water
1/2 of one bouillon cube
4 cups of milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
Pasta of choice (I originally used broken up lasagna noodles, but this week I plan on using small circle pastas)
Veggies of choice

Nick took the chicken off one rotisserie chicken and I boiled it with four cups of water and half of one vegetable broth bouillon cube. (We have big bouillon cubes and the chicken already has seasonings, that is why I used only half) I added four cups of milk, one quarter cup butter and one quarter cup flour, and mixed it all up. Once that boiled, I added an entire package of broken up oven-ready lasagna noodles. I cooked everything until the noodles were soft. You could add any vegetables you want to this soup: potatoes, carrots, broccoli, peas, you name it.  The vegetarian version is sticking with only vegetables :)

Reed Meal Plan September 21st - 27th

Like Kathy, I like to plan our meals a week in advance.  Due to our crazy schedule, I may mix around the days to suit our time.  Because I am the only vegetarian in our family, all our meals are what I call "pull apart" meals.  Basically, this means I take a recipe or meal and pull it apart to make the meat separately.  I also have a protein replacer instead of the meat.

So here's what's on the menu this week :)

Monday: Chicken Tacos

Tuesday: Cream of chicken / cream of potato soup (I'll post the recipe this week)

Wednesday: Stuffed peppers / tomatoes with cheesy rice and turkey italian sausage

Thursday: Chicken and mac & cheese

Friday: Meatloaf and mashed potatoes

Saturday: Breakfast

Sunday: Nick's choice (I'm going to be gone all day so Nick gets to pick :) )

Have a good week! 

-Amanda

Chicken Scampi

This is one of my favorite go-to meals.  A friend of mine shared it on her blog a few years back and it has stuck.  I like it because it is quick easy and mainly made of pantry staples as well as whatever veggies I have in the fridge.

~
CHICKEN SCAMPI
Ingredients:
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 t. parsley
- 1/8 c. lemon juice
- 1/4 c. white wine (or chicken broth)
- 1/2 c. olive oil
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1 t. garlic powder
- 2 t. oregano
- 1/4 c. chili sauce
- 2 to 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- Romano cheese, grated
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients. Bake at 450 degress for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve over angel hair pasta with grated romano cheese. Serves 2 to 3 people.
**Also try adding fresh broccoli and/or mushrooms for variety.

Note: I have personally never made it with mushrooms, but I have used red and green peppers, asparagus, grape tomatoes and broccoli, all great!

--Tracey

Homemade Pizza

I thought I would also get the ball rolling with our tried and true pizza recipe.

CRUST:
In food processor or by hand mix:
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
While machine is running, add (at the same time):
1 cup lukewarm water
1-2 TBSP of olive oil

Run machine or knead until dough is elastic . . . 2-3 minutes.  Put in an olive oil-greased bowl. Turn dough over so both surfaces are coated.  Top with plastic wrap.  Let rise til doubled.

SAUCE:
Combine:
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried or 2 TBSP fresh chopped basil
1 tsp dried or 1 TBSP fresh chopped oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 475.  Sprinkle cornmeal on a rimmed tray.  Dump dough out of bowl directly into pan and spread out with your hands.  Pre-bake crust for 7 minutes.  Add sauce and all desired toppings and cheese.  Bake for another 7 minutes.

Enjoy!

Booher Dinner Menu Plan Sept 16 - 22

Welcome!

I thought I would get the ball rolling by posting our meal plan for the week.  First . . . A disclaimer!!  I am totally a planner and list-maker, so I plan all our meals a week in advance.  That doesn't mean I follow it to a T.  Believe me, some nights the meal plan is just not going to work, and we do whatever it takes.  I realize that not everyone is as um, "detail oriented",  (ahem) as me . . . So do NOT be intimidated and think you need to post a plan like this.

Anyway, anything at all you want to post would be great!  There is nothing "too much or too little".

Without further ado . . . .

Wed: Glazed salmon and rice bowl with snow peas
Thurs: Flank steak, broccolini, roasted butternut squash
Fri:  Spiced chicken thighs over polenta, pear and arugula salad
Sat: Parish PIG-nic  :)
Sun: Black bean tostadas (sooooooo easy)  DESSERT NIGHT: Baked Alaska!  (Not kidding, my mom was joking about it . . . I had no idea what it was and had to google it . . . now I am thinking of making it!  If I don't, we will probably hit the Tastee Freeze if the weather is nice.)
Mon: Breakfast for Dinner
Tues: Pesto Pasta ala Fridge  (ie, pasta, pesto, and whatever I have sitting around)

P.S.  You will be able to tell from my meal plans when Liam is out of town . . . Lots of breakfast for dinner and easy pasta stuff those nights! :)

Have a great week,
Kathy