Sunday, January 29, 2012

Menu Plan Monday January 29th

We are at the beginning of a new week.

I am hoping that the cold that String Beane has had will make it's way out of our house soon. 

I am planning some easy meals this week so I can focus on my Super Bowl Party menu!

I love Super Bowl food.   I don't care too much for sports, in general, but throw in a good party and I am all over it.  I will post some football food later this week.

Monday
Potatoes and Glazed Carrots

Tuesday
Homemade Crunchwrap Supreme
Mexican Rice
Mandarin Oranges

Wednesday
(family favorite)
Sausage
Strawberries

Thursday
IMG_2340e
Rice

Friday
Fried Chicken
Broccoli
Corn on the Cob

What do you have on your menu for this week?

I am linking up at Menu Plan Monday.



Friday, January 27, 2012

Friday Favorites

Well it is Friday!  Woot!  Woot!

I am so glad to be starting the weekend.  Tonight I am actually going to the movies.  One For the Money is in theaters today!   I have LOVED reading Janet Evonovich's books about Stephanie Plum. 

My Mom got me hooked on them and she and I are going to see the movie tonight.  Just us.  No kids!  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited.

Here are some of my favorite finds for this week.  I am so excited about a night out that I might just make some of these for my family.

Portabella Pizza Bites
I love mushrooms! I also have a dear friend with some children with Celiac.  I think this would be a great meal option to take them.
This is definitely going on my menu plan for next week!

Mercy, yes!

IMG_2340e 
While I am at it with the key lime cupcakes, I might as well make this yummy looking chicken!


This is not about food, but definitely one of my favorite finds from Pinterest this week!  Who wouldn't love to get some of these precious gifts in the mail?  Nobody, that's who.


I am linking up with Finding Joy in my Kitchen.  What have you pinned this week?

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Chocolate Covered Fluffernutter Hearts


Do you ever have one of those days where you just need a little pick me up? 

Well, this is one of those days for me. 

I don't know what exactly I need a pick me up from, but I have just been a little in the dumps today.

Some of my current issues that might be to blame for my mood are:

String beane has lost two teeth and looks totally more grown up than usual.  I don't know why that depresses me, but it does. 

Butter beane talks non stop about nothing.  I feel partly responsible for this because I think non stop, pointless talking is hereditary.  Sorry Butter beane.

My little Jelly beane has just picked up the habit of doing a blood curdling screech when she doesn't get her way or is frustrated about something.  Nice. 

So, to help my mood, I made a chocolate covered fluffernutter treat.  You heard me.  It did make me feel better.  More loving.  Sweeter even.  You should make you some.


These are so simple to make.  Here is the low down.

Fluffernutter Ingredients
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tablespoons softened margarine (I used Fleishman's Unsalted because it is milk free)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Marshmallow Fluff

Directions
In a bowl mix all the ingredients with an electric mixer until it comes together into a yummy, fluffy, mixture of love. 

Use a small cookie scoop and scoop out some of the Fluffernutter mixture onto a pretzel twist.  Top with another pretzel twist to make a sandwich.  Press down slightly so you are sure it will stick together.  Wipe away any squished out Fluffernutter mixture.

Continue until you have used up all your Fluffernutter.  I got about 60 pretzel sandwiches.

Melt 2 cups of chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli Semi Sweet since they are milk free) with about a tablespoon of Vegetable Shortening in the microwave.  Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate chips are melted.

Dip each Fluffernutter pretzel sandwich in the chocolate and tap off the excess.  Lay on wax paper to set up.

Sprinkle with Valentine sprinkles if you want.  They are precious either way.

Eat six one and feel better. 


I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Menu Plan Monday January 23

We are in a new week.  It is spirit week at String Beane's school.

This morning he headed off to school wearing a crazy hat.  He liked it until we got close to school.  Then he started telling me he had wanted a Ben 10 hat.  I tried to convince him that Ben 10 is not crazy, and he is supposed to wear a crazy hat.  I had made him a blue falcon looking hat.  Trust me.  It was crazy looking!

Tomorrow is Team Spirit day.  The only thing hard about that is trying to find a Duke jersey in his size.  That is harder than it sounds.  Wish me luck.

Here is our menu plan for this week.

Monday
Rice
Broccoli

Tuesday
Homemade Tortilla Chips

Wednesday

Thursday
Salad
Corn

Friday
Mashed Potatoes
Green Beans

What do you have planned for this week?

I am linking up at Menu Plan Monday

Saturday, January 21, 2012

BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup

I have been on a bit of a cilantro kick lately. 

It is really a delicious addition to a lot of recipes.

I bought a bunch of cilantro when I tried making Thai Chicken Pizza, which was beyond yummy!, and I did not want to waste what I had left, so I tried some other recipes that called for cilantro.  I am really falling in love with the stuff.

One of the recipes I tried was BBQ Chicken Pizza soup.  When I found this recipe, I thought is sounded sort of intriguing and good at the same time.  I am so glad I tried it.  Our whole group liked it.


It was really good.  I mean really good.  I scooped out mostly "the stuff" for my little beanes and they all liked it.  Even String beane at it, which was nothing short of a miracle. 

I found the original recipe here, and altered it just a tad.

You should really make this for yourself.  It is so good!

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
11 oz can corn with peppers, drained
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded.  I baked mine in the oven.
1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth
1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Salt
1/2 Cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions
Heat oil into a medium pot over medium heat.  When hot, saute onions for 5 minutes or until softened.  Stir in garlic, corn and chicken breast; mix to combine.  Pour in chicken broth, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt and cilantro leaves.   Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to serve.  Garnish each bowl with a fresh sprig of cilantro.

This serves 4-6 people. 

Here is a picture a little bit closer up. 

This soup is also pretty low fat and calories.  All in all, a great soup for those of  us not doing so good on our New Year's resolutions! KWIM?


I am linking up at Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!


Friday, January 20, 2012

Friday Favorites

Today is Friday!  I love to post about my Favorite finds.  I am linking up at Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  Go by and check out what everyone else has found this week.  There are always such great recipes and ideas there.


How good do these look?  I can't wait to try these.

This is on our menu for next week.  I will let you know how it turns out.

Tamale Cups
These look great!  I think my family will eat these up.

Snowman in a Jar
This is one of the cutest ideas I have ever seen!  What a great gift idea.

sweet-heart-crispy-treat-valentines-day-recipe-photo-420-FF0202ALM4A01
Valentine's Rice Krispies
I think I will have to make these for String Beane's kindergarten class.  They look so cute and full of love!

What did you bookmark or pin this week?  



Monday, January 16, 2012

Melting Snowman Cookies

So I have totally confessed about my Pinterest obsession.

Sometimes a little obsession can be a good thing.

Like in the case of a cute cookie.

I found this idea on Pinterest and adapted it to be allergy friendly for String Beane and his kindergarten class.

The results were really cute!  Everyone in String Beane's class loved them and gobbled them up.

Jelly Beane and Butter Beane were equally impressed.  I think they are just about the cutest cookie in the land. 

All I had to do was get a tube of Pillsbury Sugar cookie dough and slice and bake as directed. 

I used this recipe for Royal Icing.  When the cookies were baked and cooled, I spooned some royal icing over the cookies. 

Then I heated the marshmallows in the microwave for about 30 seconds, until they started to puff up a bit.  I put the marshmallow on the cookie. 

Then I tinted the remainder of the royal icing in black, orange, and blue.  I piped the icing on using a #2 decorating tip.

There you have it. 

I am linking up at Metamorpahisis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Menu Plan Monday January 16

We had some winners and some losers last week. 

The winners were definitely the Low Fat Tex Mex Chicken and Rice and the BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup.  They were both really good.  I am going to move both of them to the family favorites.

I am sad to say that the hummus night was a bust.  We tried two dessert hummus recipes and I served them up with fruit and graham crackers and marshmallows.  While I thought they were both good, especially the cookie dough hummus, no one else would touch them.  I ended up serving hot dogs.  But, we still had a fun family night.

This week I am still trying some new finds and mixing in some oldies but goodies.

Monday
Everyone is off work and out of school!
Ham burgers on the grill
French Fries
Strawberries

Tuesday
IMG 2301 1 Spaghetti Pie
Garlic Bread
Salad

Wednesday
Salad

Thursday
Rice
Broccoli

Friday
Thai Chicken Pasta

What is on your menu this week?  Do you mostly try new recipes or do old faithfuls? 

I am linking up again with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out what is on everyone else's menu.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Who said that lightning doesn't strike twice? 

Last week I posted a recipe for Lemonade Cake.

It was one of the first recipes that I have made that String Beane actually really liked.  He is double hard to please in the food department.  He has severe food allergies and he doesn't give a hoot about food.  I can accept the food allergies easier than the not caring about food part.  That is the opposite of me and I just don't understand it.  Put the two problems together and you just don't get too many excited days cooking for him.

I struck gold again!  This week I tried a new cookie recipe.  It was a gold mine!  My String Beane L.O.V.E.D them!  LOVE.  He ate two as soon as he got home from school and then he kept going to the kitchen trying to find the rest of them.  I even got to pack some homemade cookies in his lunch box and he ate them!  It was great.  This is a definite cookie keeper.  Here is the recipe.


If you know me at all, you know that I got the original recipe from Pinterest.  I modified it to be milk /dairy free.

Ingredients
1/3 cup peanut butter (creamy is what I used)
1/3 cup nuts, chopped (I used pecans)
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup {1 stick} butter, room temp (Flieshmann's Unsalted Margarine)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup quick cooking oats

Directions
Combine peanut butter and chopped nuts in the food processor and mix until almost smooth
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt, set aside
In a large bowl, beat together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy
Add peanut butter mixture and vanilla, beat to blend well
Beat in egg
Add dry ingredients, mix well
Add oats, mix well
Beat well for another minute
Cover with plastic and place in fridge for at least an hour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray
Drop dough by spoon or use a small cookie dough scoop
Bake for 8 minutes, and then turn the pan
Continue baking for 3-5 minutes more
If you want a soft cookie, slightly under bake them {11 minutes} if you like a crisp cookie, bake them for 13 minutes. For the soft cookies, they will look a little doughy in the middle, but don't worry, they continue baking a bit after you remove them from the oven.

These cookies are truly wonderful!  You should go make you some now.  And if you have a child who is allergic to milk, but has just passed his peanut and tree nut food challenges and is super hard to impress in the kitchen you should make a double batch of these ;-)!

Here is one more look at these lovely things.


I am linking up at Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Friday Favorites

Friday is here again and it is time to post my Favorite Finds for this week.

I love to look at Pinterest.  I think I have a slight addiction. 

All of my finds this week are coming from Pinterest.

Here are my top 5 favorites.

IMG 2301 1 Spaghetti Pie
This looks so warm and cozy to me.  I think can make it safe for String beane.  I am going to give this one a try.

Tacos are always a hit here.  This recipe looks great!

After the huge success of the Lemonade cake, I think I am going to try more lemon flavored things around here.  I like the accolades!

I am pretty sure that I would eat ALL of these.

I will do something close to this for String Beane's Valentine's Day party.  Too cute.

I love this idea!  I am going to make these for my little ones.

I am linking up again at Finding Joy in my Kitchen.  Go by and check out what is at the top of everyone else's list!


Monday, January 9, 2012

Menu Plan Monday January 9

Hi.  My name is Mamie and I am addicted to Pinterest

There.  I have said it.  I feel so much better. 

Truth is, I can't stop looking at Pinterest.  I feel so crafty and and like I can do things when I look on there.

Everything looks so good and fairly easy to do.  So this week, I my menu plan is via Pinterst.  Only one night will we  be eating something we have eaten before.  And it is a family favorite.  So one night, I feel fairly certain my people will eat.

Here goes:

Monday

Broccoli

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday
 Sausage Pancakes

Friday
We are going to have a Family Fun night!  Sneaky Chef food and a movie.  I will let you know how it goes.
January 6th 067

Assorted Fruit and crackers

I will let you know how this Pinterest menu works out.  I am feeling very confident.  I am most excited about the hummus night.  Check out those recipes.  How could they be bad?

I am linking up again at Menu Plan Monday.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Friday Favorites

How come when you start a new diet, everything seems like it would taste so good? 

It is not fair.  Day 6 of the new diet and I am already not doing so good.

My little Jelly beane dropped nursing as her New Year's resolution apparently.  So now I have a little excess weight that needs to come off.  I don't really think it is very fair to gain weight when you stop nursing.  It would seem like it would be more fair to lose a little when you stop nursing.  Especially if it was not totally your idea to stop nursing.  Thank you Miss Jelly Beane.  I will try not to be resentful towards her.

Any the who, thanks to Pinterest, I have seen some yummy and very tempting new things to try - one day!

Here are my top 5.

Seriously?  They knew cookie dough was my weakness.

I think I will give this one a try and see if I feel healthy.


My college roommate is coming to visit this weekend. I think I will make this for us!

Nothing healthy or low fat here,  but it looks good.
Banilla Sandwich Cookies Bakers Royale 2 copy BaNilla Sandwich Cookies
These are so cute I think I will have to make them for "the little Beanes".  I just need to find some vanilla wafers that do not have milk in them.

What are your top finds this week?  I am linking up again at Finding Joy in My Kitchen.

Have a great weekend.