Menu Plan Monday, March 31, 2008

Good afternoon!

I am using an old logo because my "new" computer crashed and I'm on the "old" computer that works very slowly.....it's very frustrating, but it works.

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~ Ham Pot Pie, Garlic Bread Sticks

Monday~Pork Chops and Scalloped Potatoes with Green Beans

Tuesday~Mrs. Dash Meatloaf, Italian Oven Potatoes, and Steamed Corn

Wednesday~Lower Sodium Fried Chicken, Cheesy Potato Casserole, Tossed Salad

Thursday~ Taste of Home Cooking Show for me, leftovers for the family

Friday~Pizza and Wing Night

Saturday~Subs and Chips at camp (Our new camper is being delivered! WOO-HOO!)



Have a blessed week!
Lisa

Jelly Bean Bites

This is a recipe for one of our favorite Easter cookies. I totally forgot to make them before Easter, but am going to make them tonight. I found the recipe at http://www.brightideas.com/ years ago and have been making them ever since.

Jelly Bean Bites

1 bag STARBURST® Brand Jellybeans
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, soft
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk(s)
2 1/2 cups flour

What to do:
Cream butter and sugar in mixer until thoroughly combined.

Add water, vanilla and egg yolk and mix thoroughly.

Add dry ingredients. Dough should be firm.

Refrigerate for a half an hour.

Roll into balls and place onto parchment paper lined sheet pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and make an indentation on top of each cookie with thumb or spoon.

Add 3 STARBURST® Brand Jellybeans into the indentation of each cookie, return to oven for 8-10 minutes, or until set and light brown.

Makes 2 dozen Jellybean Bites.

Enjoy!

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, March 24, 2008

Happy Easter Monday!

I hope everyone had a blessed, happy Easter day!

Here's the plan for the week:

Sunday~Easter Dinner

Monday~Spaghetti with Meat Sauce, Veal Parmesan and Salad

Tuesday~Spiced Pork Chops, Mashed Potato Bake, Green Bean Casserole

Wednesday~Chicken Tacos, Salsa Rice, and Salad

Thursday~Poker Night at our House~ Sloppy Joes, Cheese and Meat Platter, Deviled Eggs, Pepperoncinis wrapped in Provolone and Salami, Assorted Chips and Brownies
The kids and I will eat sloppy joes and fries.

Friday~ Sub Sandwiches and Chips (DS has a hockey tournament beginning Fri. evening and running through Sunday.)

For more great menus, visit Laura at orgjunkie.com
Have a great week!

Lisa

Easter Menu

Here's a peek at what we're having for Easter dinner:

Baked Ham (I score my ham, then stud it with whole cloves. I pour 7-up over it for a glaze.)
Kielbassi
Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Pickled Eggs and Beets
Cranberry Sauce
Green Bean Casserole
Italian Easter Bread

Desserts:
Cream Puffs
Coconut Cheesecake
Lemon Bars

Beverages:
Coffee
Iced Tea
Assorted Soda
Wine


Have a blessed Easter!

Menu Plan Monday, March 17, 2008

I'm a bit late posting today due to computer issues. DH kindly hooked up our old computer late last evening and I've finally found a moment to post this week's menu. I'm thrilled that this is today's little thing at Home Sanctuary. I have a menu plan AND get points!! (the mouse on this computer is making me crazy!!)

Sunday~ Dinner at my mil's...Ham, mashed potatoes, veggies and dip, kielbassi and more

Monday~Lemon Basil Chicken and Creamy Italian Pasta Salad

Tuesday~Hockey Practice~ Pizza at our favorite pizza place

Wednesday~ Slow Cooker Steak with peppers, mushrooms, onions and gravy over egg noodles

Thursday~Stuffed Green Peppers, Mashed Potatoes and Rolls

Good Friday~ Fish, Cabbage and Noodles, Fruit

Saturday~ Dinner and Date Night with DH (I hope!)

Have a blessed, holy week!


Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, March 10, 2008

Happy Monday!

I've been battling the flu since last Sunday, and am finally getting it together and able to function. It's been tough. Last week's menu wasn't used because each night was something quick or easy instead. John was also sick, so we were quite the pair!

Here's the plan for this week:

Sunday~ Spaghetti, Veal Parmesan, Tossed Salad

Monday~ Spiced Pork Chops, Steamed Brown Rice, and Green Beans

Tuesday~Enchilada Bake, Salad

Wednesday~Grilled Steak, Loaded Baked Potatoes, and Corn

Thursday~ Bisquick Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Country Gravy

Friday~Battered Fried Fish, Macaroni and Cheese, Applesauce

Saturday~ Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches and Potato Salad

I just linked the Spiced Pork Chops recipe. It's one of our favorites and I've been making it for most of our years of marriage. The recipe is from a 1997 issue of Taste of Home magazine. It is filled with sodium, so I am going to substitute no salt ketchup when I make it this week. Hopefully it's just as yummy!

Have a week full of blessings,
Lisa

Coconut Cheesecake

One of the gals at Magical Holiday Home asked for this recipe, so I thought I'd just post it here. It's from an Ultimate Philly Cheesecakes recipe book that I got at least 10 years ago from Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese.

Coconut Cheesecake

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup cream of coconut
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 graham cracker pie crust (6 oz.)
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1/2 cup BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, toasted

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, cream of coconut, sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended.

POUR into crust.

BAKE 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Top with whipped topping and toasted coconut just before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

I also add jelly beans to the top of the cake for Easter. You could even serve it from a basket.

Enjoy!

Lisa

Menu Plan Monday, March 3, 2008

March is here! That means Spring is on the way! HOORAY! I'm tired of the cold and snow.

Last week, we didn't get the BBQ Chicken Pasta made or the Wedding Soup on Saturday because we had errands to run. (see We did it! ) Hockey season is officially over, so our evenings will once again be ours until a tournament later this month. Here's this week's plan:

Sunday~Crockpot Roast Chicken (see below), Mashed Potatoes with Gravy, Steamed Corn

Monday~BBQ Beef Fajitas, Seasoned Rice and Baked Beans

Tuesday~ Chicken Shephard's Pie (using the leftover chicken from Sunday) and Salad

Wednesday~ Slow Cooker Pot Roast with potatoes and carrots

Thursday~ Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

Friday~ Fish Fry from Church

Saturday~Italian Wedding Soup


I made the Crock Pot Roast Chicken today for dinner. It was delicious! I rinsed out a whole chicken, stuffed the cavity with one small onion, quartered and 3 cloves of smashed garlic. Then I rubbed ground sage, a wee bit of salt, paprika, garlic powder and Mrs. Dash garlic and herb seasoning on the outside of the bird. I placed 3 aluminum foil balls on the bottom of the crockpot and poured in a can of low sodium chicken broth over them, then placed the chicken on top. I cooked it on high for 2 hours and low for 5 hours. It was fall off the bone tender and very flavorful. The juices in the bottom of the crockpot made wonderful gravy. I just poured it into a pan and added a slurry of flour and water, brought it to a boil and let it simmer, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. It was yummy!

Have a wonderful week! Be sure to check out more great menus at Orgjunkie


Blessings,
Lisa

We did it!

Well folks, we finally did it, we purchased a shiny, new travel trailer to replace our 1979 Coachman. That's a picture of old faithful from yesterday when we did the final clean out at our permanent site.

Our new trailer will be delivered sometime this month. It's a 2008 Conquest. We're very excited about camping this spring, summer and fall. The new trailer will extend our camping season, as well as give us some ease in sleeping arrangements, and more room inside on rainy days. We plan on replacing the tired, worn, ugly deck this spring. Here's a picture of our new trailer:

Quite an improvement, huh?!

Blessings,

Lisa