Month: February 2012

Main Dish, Meat, Recipes

Brown sugar ham steak

traci

I’m embarrassed to even call this a recipe.

We had ham steak for dinner. I decided to fry it up. As it was cooking, I sprinkled about a tablespoon of brown sugar on both sides. Then I sprinkled another tablespoon of brown sugar on one of the sides. The Imaginative One raved about the taste. He has already asked for it to be on the menu again. Score!

Brown Sugar Ham

Stars of the recipe:

  • Ham steak
  • 3 or more tablespoons of brown sugar
  • Cooking spray

Steps:

  1. Warm up pan to medium heat. Spray with cooking spray or use a tablespoon of butter.
  2. Place ham steak in pan. Sprinkle one side with brown sugar.
  3. Flip it over and sprinkle the other side with brown sugar.
  4. Cook until browned and then brown the other side.
  5. You may add more brown sugar if wanted.
  6. Take out of pan and serve.
  7. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

There is no picture of the ham because this was all that was left.

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Menu planning

Menu planning Monday – February 20

traci

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We are on our way home today. This weekend was a lot of fun. All of us recommend the Carnegie Science Center, Mt. Washington overlook, and the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

Tomorrow we are back to the daily grind. So I have to menu plan.

Monday – out to eat

Tuesday – crockpot ravioli, garlic bread, applesauce

Wednesday – hamburger veggie soup, cheese muffins

Thursday – BBQ chicken Sammies, some sort of side dish, veggies

Friday – fried ham steak, rice pilaf, peas

Saturday – eat whatever you want might

Dessert, Recipes

Toffee Brownies

traci

We planned a weekend getaway. The boys and I both had four days off this weekend because of President’s Day and parent-teacher conference comp. day. So we decided to take a road trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I haven’t been back to Pittsburgh in 2.5 years so it was time to visit it again. I love this place. Maybe not the driving because it can get crazy.

I decided to make some cookies and brownies for the trip. You can’t go wrong with some yummy treats. Tonight I went to visit my aunt and took the container of brownies and the Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies to her house. She raved over the brownies as she reached for a second one. Then she told me they were the best brownies she had eaten. She couldn’t believe I made them from scratch.

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Toffee Brownies

Adapted from Food Network Magazine March 2012

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 3/4 c. granulated sugar (I used 1/2 cup agave nectar instead.)
  • 3/4 c. light brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup of toffee chips, divided

Steps:

  1. In a saucepan, melt butter and semisweet chocolate chips over low heat, stirring.
  2. Off the heat, whisk in light brown sugar and granulated sugar (or agave nectar).
  3. Cool slightly.
  4. Whisk in eggs, one at a time.
  5. Stir in vanilla.
  6. Stir in flour and salt.
  7. Fold in 1/2 cup of toffee chips (Heath bar chips).
  8. Spread into a 13 by 9 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
  9. Top with 1/4 cup of toffee chips.
  10. Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.

Printable Recipe

 

Menu planning

Menu Planning Monday ~ February 13, 2012

traci

This is going to be a strange week.  I’m going to be staying late at work on Monday and Wednesday for parent teacher conferences.  They are going to be providing meals for the staff so I don’t have to worry about my dinners.  Usually I cook Hubby and the boys’ dinner in the crockpot and then take the left-overs for my lunch the next day.  This week we are getting lunch provided for us on Tuesday.  On Wednesday and Thursday, we are bringing in ingredients and making taco soup for lunch.

Since the boys and I are off for a 4 day weekend, we are going to go away.  So we are not going to need suppers for Saturday, Sunday, or Monday.  I’m going to cook Friday night’s dinner Thursday and then heat it up once we get to the hotel.  I’ve already had Hubby ask the hotel if they have a microwave and fridge.  I’m going to also bring lunch items so we won’t have to worry about eating out for lunch.

Now onto the meals:

Monday – Complete BBQ chicken dinner in the crockpot, left over biscuits

Tuesday – ham and pineapple fried rice, veggies

Wednesday – Mediterrean chicken over angel hair pasta, corn

Thursday – hamburger and veggie soup, crackers or cheddar muffins

Friday – Stromboli – One cheese and one pepperoni, salad, applesauce

Saturday – Out to eat

Sunday – Out to eat

Monday – Out to eat

Menu planning

Menu Planning Monday ~ Week of February 6

traci

Successful dinners last week:

Paprika Chicken

Paprika Chicken

Fried Ham with peas and applesauce – One of Hubby’s favorite meals

Beer Braised Beef over rice – The Imaginative One loved the smell of it cooking and then loved the taste.

Roasted PotatoesRoasted Potatoes 

Breaded Pork Chops, Rice Pilaf, and Wilted Spinach

Now onto this week’s meals:

Monday – Sloppy Joes on homemade hamburger buns, cheese puffs, raw carrots

Tuesday –  Crockpot chicken, roasted potatoes, veggie

Wednesday – Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread

Thursday – Ham and cheese quiche, biscuits

Friday – Chili Mac over elbow macaroni, crescent rolls, salad, veggie

Saturday – Eat whatever you want night

Pantry Challenge, Recipes, Side Dishes

Roasted Potatoes

traci

I’ve been working on perfecting this side dish for years.  I’ve finally found the best method to make tasty potatoes that are cooked all the way through and have crispy on the outside.

I cut each potato into 16 pieces so they cook up faster.

Roasted Potatoes

Stars of the recipe:

  • small potatoes (We like yellow potatoes.), cut into smaller pieces (I cut them into 16ths)
  • extra virgin olive oil (Enough to coat the potatoes.)
  • spices (Use your favorite spices ~ I like to use seasoning salt.)

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Cut up the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl.
  3. Drizzle olive oil over the potatoes.  (You only want enough to coat each potato).
  4. Sprinkle the potatoes with spices.
  5. Mix up the potatoes, olive oil, and spices.  (I use clean hands to do this.)  Make sure each piece of potato has olive oil on it.
  6. Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
  7. Sprinkle more seasoning on the potatoes.
  8. Put the cookie sheet in the oven.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping the potatoes over once while they are baking.

Printable Recipe

This post has been linked to Every Day Mom’s Sunday Dinner.

Chicken, Main Dish, Meat, Pantry Challenge, Recipes

Paprika Chicken

traci

We had this for dinner on Monday.  When I asked Hubby if he liked it, he told me that it was rude to talk with their mouth full.  I take it that he liked it a lot.

Paprika Chicken

Stars of the recipe:

  • 3 lbs chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 tomato, chopped (You can also use diced tomatoes in the can.)
  • oil as needed
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 3/4 c. chicken broth, divided
  • 2 Tbsp. paprika
  • 1 C. sour cream

Steps:

  1. In a large pot, saute the onion, garlic, and green pepper in oil until soft, add the paprika and mix well.
  2. Add the chicken, tomato, and 1 cup of the chicken broth.
  3. Bring to a boil then turn down to low to simmer.
  4. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
  5. Add remaining chicken broth and sour cream, stir to mix and serve immediately over rice or egg noodles.

Printable Recipe

Cookies, Dessert, Holiday/Christmas, Pantry Challenge, Recipes

Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies

traci

I love cookies.  They are one of my favorite desserts.  Like a Lay’s Chip, you can’t eat just one.

So last week, when Cookies and Cups posted a recipe for Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies, I knew I needed to try it so I can put it in my growing cookie recipe “file.”  These cookies were so easy to make with only four ingredients.

Everyone who has tried the cookies has given it a thumbs up.  They are extremely moist which is a plus.

Peanut Butter Cups Chocolate Cookies

Cookies and Cups

Stars of the recipe:

  • 1 Chocolate cake mix (I used Devil’s Food cake because that’s what I had at the house.)
  • 2 Lrg. Eggs
  • 1/3 cup of Canola Oil
  • 1 8 oz. bag of Reese’s Minis

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°
  2. With your mixer, beat together cake mix, oil and eggs until combined.
  3. Pour in entire bag of Reese’s Minis.
  4. Mix on low until Reese’s are evenly incorporated.
  5. Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2″ apart. Cookies will spread. (I used pan release from my local candy /cake supply store instead.)
  6. Bake for 8-9 minutes.

Printable Recipe