Back to Planning: What's For Dinner in October?

Ok, time to get serious about planning ahead again!

Here's what we're planning for dinner this month!

Brinner
Homemade Pizza
Chicken Marinara
Steak Kabobs
Chicken Veggie Pasta
Twice Baked Potatoes

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Steak with Mushrooms
Chicken and Fried Rice (looking for a good homemade recipe!)

BBQs (aka Sloppy Joes)
Chicken Chili
Burgers and Oven Fries
French Dip
Glazed Ham Steak
Joanie's Chili
Cornflake Chicken
Apple-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Any recipes we need to try next month? Please share!

Texas Caviar

So I have been without meat, dairy, and any kind of sweetner for the past 21 days, so I've had to get creative in what I eat - think vegan only stricter (not a diet, a fast leading up to Easter).

I would love to share some recipes that got me through these past three weeks, starting with my greatest discovery...



Texas Caviar.

Just so you know, I have always hated beans and peas of any kind - except plain old green beans. So I was a little skeptical about trying this dip.

I was SO pleasantly surprised. It is easy, yummy, and filling - what more could you want?

There are a lot of variations out there, but this is the Texas Caviar I enjoyed! Hope you do too!


Texas Caviar

Ingredients
1 can black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can Rotel, Mexican style
3 ribs celery, chopped
Cayenne pepper and black pepper, to taste

Directions
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour to combine the flavors. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Something new is coming...

Some very different kinds of recipes will be coming your way soon...

Things are about to change in less than two weeks...

But until then, stay tuned for chicken noodle soup, deer steaks and more yum!!!

Cranberry Chicken - A Freezer Favorite

I don't need to say much about this dish, except don't count it out before you try it!

I have made this freezer meal for many new mommies and I am ALWAYS asked for the recipe.

This recipe comes from the fabulous freezer cookbook "Don't Panic: Dinner's in the Freezer." What a wonderful resource! Worth the money and the time it saves you in meal prep!

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (15 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
8 oz catalina or russian dressing
1 packet of dry onion soup mix

Directions
Put chicken breasts in a gallon freezer bag.

Mix all other ingredients and pour over the chicken in the bag. Freeze bag flat in the freezer.

When you're ready to have it for dinner, pull it out of the freezer and thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight.

Pour all contents of the bag into a greased baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours.

I like to serve this with rice - delicious and easy!

A Few Successes this Month

Wow - January just flew by! Sorry for the lack of posts this month!

I have to pass along to two fabulous recipes we made this past month though.

#1 - A fabulous recipe for brisket from The Pioneer Woman. Stephen and I both loved how flavorful this meat turned out. It would be great for a large gathering or to keep leftovers in the freezer.

#2 - A moist turkey breast made in the crockpot from the Crockpot Lady. Even Little J gobbled down bite after bit of this delicious meal. I threw some carrots in the crockpot as well and they were wonderful!

Two great meals that required very little work and were fabulous! Give them a try soon!

Bread Machine Week: Honey Oat Bread

This recipe almost turned into a fail, but not because of the recipe.

An hour into the cycle, my son hit the start/stop button, which is a BIG no-no with my bread machine. I started to freak out.

But my hubby calmed me down and I realized I could finish it off myself - just let it rise once, kneaded the dough one more time, let it rise again and baked it in the oven.

Turned out FABULOUS! My favorite bread I've made so far - maybe ever!

Very soft, a little sweet, and I have to admit - I like the shape of oven-baked bread better than the machine. But I still love the convenience of the machine!

You have to give this recipe a shot!

Honey Oat Bread

Ingredients
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil
3 cups white bread flour
1/2 cup oatmeal, uncooked
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions
Combine ingredients in breadmaker per your manufacturer's instructions.

NOTE: Cook time is for the basic/white cycle (medium crust; 1½ lb loaf) using a BreadmanPlus bread machine; your machine may differ. (from Recipezaar user)

Because of my little interruption, I ended up baking mine at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and it was perfect!

Bread Machine Week: FAIL #1

After the Italian Herb Bread, I tried a Honey Grain Bread from the bread machine cookbook under the Whole Wheat category. Sounded good.

Turned out bad - hard, strange-looking and dry.

Oh well - on to the next recipe...

Bread Machine Week: Italian Herb Bread

**For those of you wondering, we have an Oster 2 lb. EXPRESSBAKE Breadmaker that we got as a wedding present 6 1/2 years ago. Never tried anything else, but works pretty well!**

Here is the first recipe I made to kick off Bread Machine Week!

It was under the French bread category in my bread machine cookbook.

The bread came out very tasty - nice crust, soft inside and great flavor! I am saving it for our spaghetti dinner on Thursday! I think it would be excellent for sandwiches as well.

The only change I made to this recipe was omitting the Parmesan cheese since I am not a fan. Let me know if you make it with the cheese!

Italian Herb Bread

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups bread flour
2 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp active dry yeast

Directions
Measure and add liquid ingredients to the bread pan.

Measure and add dry ingredients (except yeast) to the bread pan.

Use your finger to form a well (hole) in the flour where you will pour the yeast. Yeast must NEVER come into contact with a liquid when you are adding ingredients. Measure the yeast and carefully pour into the well.

Snap the baking pan into the breadmaker and close the lid.

Select "French" setting, choose crust color and start!

Bread Machine Week!

I got my bread machine out this weekend to make fabulous breadsticks.

And now that it is out, I am going to put it to work.

So I have declared this week "Bread Machine Week!" And with our frigid weather, the wonderful scent of baking bread is the perfect thing to be stuck inside with!

I have one loaf in the machine now. I plan to do another tonight. And so on and so on.

I will post the successful recipes as I go! Won't you share your best ones as well? Please?!

Heavenly Soft Breadsticks

Chicken Marinara was on the menu last night and nothing goes better with that than breadsticks. So I went on a search for easy, soft breadsticks. And Recipezaar delivered again.

I used my bread machine to make the dough and subbed all-purpose flour for the bread flour and they were perfect! Very soft and delicious!

I would love to try these as dessert breadsticks with cinnamon sugar on top!

Quick Soft Breadsticks

Ingredients
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
3 cups bread flour
2 1/2 teaspoons yeast

Directions
Make dough using your favorite method- bread machine, mixer or by hand.

Roll out into a 10x12 inch rectangle.

Cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide. (I would also cut them in half as they ended up very long.)

Give each strip a twist and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Let rise for at least 20 minutes or more if you have time.

Bake at 375 for 10-15 minutes.

Brush with butter and sprinkle with garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.

What's for Dinner in January?

I actually have my monthly menu figured out on the first day of the month!

Nothing too exciting, but here's what we're having for dinner this month...

Broiled Salmon
Chicken Marinara
French Dip
Pan-Seared Oven-Roasted Pork Chops
Spaghetti
Chicken Chili
Steak Soft Tacos
Pizza Pockets
Twice Baked Potatoes
Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir Fry
Steak - mmm, Steak
Chicken Tacos
Ham
Joanie's Chili
Chipotle Chicken Citrus Salad
Garlic Brisket
Lasagna
Cornflake Chicken
Brinner - Breakfast for dinner, that is
Homemade Pizza
Apple-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

What's on your menu?