Believe in the Magic Traci Diary

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  • Iced coffee

    In 2007, I was introduced to a drink called iced coffee. My sister and I went to Pittsburgh for my paternal grandma’s funeral, and I remember driving 2 different McDonalds to try their iced coffee. It was there I discovered their iced coffee was too sweet for my liking.

    My favorite place to get iced coffee is Tim Horton’s. You can customize it to your liking. I think that school year, I stopped at Tim Horton’s almost every day. I’ve now stopped going there as often.

    I’ve seen different recipes on how to make the concentrate. I decided I needed to try it out and was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out.

    Warning: The concentrate takes 10 to 12 hours to “brew.”. Then it takes a while to strain to get rid of the coffee grounds. But it’s totally worth the wait.

    20120801-120527.jpg

    Iced Coffee

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 1.5-quart container
    • cheesecloth or coffee Filter
    • Colander
    • Mixing bowl
    • Container to store the concentrate in
    • 1 c. Ground coffee
    • 32 oz. cold water
    • additional ingredients: milk, creamer, sugar, ice (Whatever you like in your coffee)

    Steps:

    1.  Put ground coffee in a container.
    2. Pour 32 ounces of cold water over ground coffee.
    3. Put the container in the fridge or kitchen counter for 10 to 12 hours.
    4. Using either a cheesecloth or a coffee filter, line a colander. Place the colander over a bowl.
    5. Slowly pour the coffee into the colander.
    6. Allow the coffee to drain through the cheesecloth or coffee filter. (Replace the coffee filter as many times as needed.)
    7. Place the concentrate into another container. Refrigerate the concentrate for up to a month.

    To make iced coffee:
    I use 4 ounces of the concentrate. I add 2 ounces of milk and a little bit of creamer, and then a few ice cubes. Lastly, I shake it up or stir it up. Then I enjoy my creation.

    Printable Recipe

  • Menu Planning ~ August 2012

    Two things I got done this weekend after getting back from vacation.

    1st thing:  I bought bulk amounts of chicken and pork.  I’m stocked up with hamburgers currently, so I didn’t need anymore.

    2nd thing:  I cleaned out my freezer and made an inventory of what was in the freezer.

    3rd thing:  I made ready-to-go oven/grill/skillet meals.

    Since I did these things, meal planning was easy.  My meal plan has only the main dish.  Depending on what I have in the house, I will determine the side dishes and veggies during the month.

    Week of Jul. 30

    Mon. – Pot roast, potatoes, mixed veggies, raw broccoli, salad
    Tues. – Pork fried rice, egg rolls, fortune cookies
    Weds. – Breakfast for dinner (eggs, pancakes, sausage, or bacon)
    Thurs. – BBQ chicken legs, mac, and cheese, corn
    Fri. – Sloppy Joe biscuits, chips, broccoli
    Sat. – Hamburger patties w/ homemade hamburger buns, homemade fries, raw veggies
    Sun. – dinner w/ in-laws

    Week of Aug. 6

    Mon. – brown sugar ham
    Tues. – taco bar (hamburger or chicken)
    Weds. – buttermilk grilled chicken
    Thurs. – apple cinnamon bratwurst
    Fri.  – spaghetti
    Sat. – ham and pineapple fried rice
    Sun. – dinner at in-law

    Week of Aug. 13

    Mon. – aloha pork, rice
    Tues. – homemade pizza
    Wed. – either Polish sausage or smoked sausage
    Thurs. – homemade hamburger helper, veggies
    Fri. – chicken ranch tenders
    Sat. – Cincinnati chili over spaghetti
    Sun. – dinner at in-laws

    Week of Aug. 20

    Mon. – grilled cheese with tomato basil soup
    Tues. – hamburgers with homemade French fries
    Wed. – apricot pork chops
    Thurs. – breakfast for dinner
    Fri. – chicken marinated with raspberry vinaigrette
    Sat. – steak
    Sun. – dinner at in-laws

    Week of Aug. 27

    Mon. – brown sugar ham
    Tues. – sloppy joes
    Wed. – bbq shredded chicken sandwiches
    Thurs. – spaghetti
    Fri. – pot roast, mashed potatoes
    Sat. – dinner with family
    Sun. – dinner at in-laws

  • Chunky Vegetable – Sausage Pasta Sauce

    Last week, I cleaned out my corner appliance cabinet. It’s in this weird shape that makes it a good place to store appliances. While cleaning it out, I pulled out my food processor and used it more faithfully.

    Today I decided to make spaghetti for supper, a family favorite. I made a sauce of fire-roasted tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, onions, and sausage and then served it over whole wheat pasta. Hubby gave it two thumbs up and then went back for seconds. The Imaginative One doesn’t like sauce, so he didn’t want to try it.

    Chunky Vegetable – Sausage Pasta Sauce

    Stars of the Recipe:

    • 1/2 pound Italian Sausage
    • 1 to 2 carrots, peeled and ends cut off
    • 1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes (I used garlic fire-roasted tomatoes.)
    • 1 zucchini, with ends cut off
    • 1 small onion, peeled and ends cut off
    • Italian seasoning, to taste
    • 1/2 box of dried pasta (I used whole wheat thin spaghetti.)

    Steps:

    1. Brown the sausage and then drain it.
    2. Meanwhile, shred the carrot(s).
    3. Place the shredded carrots into a saucepan.
    4. Place tomatoes, zucchini, and onion in the food processor and dice them into small pieces.
    5. Place the mixture in the saucepan.
    6. After the sausage is browning, place it in the saucepan with the carrots and tomato mixture Season with Italian seasoning Mix together.
    7. Warm the sauce in the saucepan. at med. heat until bubblin  Then turn down to low.  (About 10 to 15 minutes)
    8. Cook the pasta.
    9. Serve the sauce with the pasta.

    Printable Recipe

  • 7 up biscuits

    A few weeks ago, I was introduced to this wonderful blog called Plain Chicken. I found many recipes I want to try. Many of them look delicious.

    One of the recipes was for 7-up biscuits. I’m always on a search for biscuit or roll recipes. We enjoy having bread with our dinner not daily but a few times during the week. Hubby and I loved them. Then I took some over to my mother-in-law to share with her. She and both my father-in-law gave their seal of approval.

    I love the ease of the recipe and that it calls for only four ingredients! They remind me of Popeyes biscuits.

    7 cup Biscuits

    via Plain Chicken

    Stars of the recipe:

    • 2 c. Bisquick or baking mix
    • 1/2 c. sour cream
    • 1/2 c. 7 up
    • 1/4 c. melted butter (half stick)

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
    2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix, add 7-up. The dough is very soft and will get all on your hands.
    3. Meanwhile, put a 9-inch square pan into the oven to melt the butter.
    4. Sprinkle biscuit mix on a board or table. (I use a cutting board.)
    5. Pat the dough out and then cut the dough using a biscuit cutter or glass. (I used a small juice glass.)
    6. Pull the pan out of the oven and put the cut biscuits in the pan.
    7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

    Printable Recipe

  • Menu Planning Monday ~ Week of July 9, 2012

    This week is going to be a little different.  Two years ago, the Imaginative One wanted to attend as many Vacation Bible Schools as possible.  This year the Wee One wants to do the same thing.  We are limiting the number, though, because of other obligations.  They attended 2 a couple of weeks ago and are attending one this week.  It is in the evening, which is great because they have swimming lessons in the mornings.

    Anyhoo, they are providing dinner for the kids on the four nights they are attending the Vacation Bible School.  This makes my menu planning interesting.  I’m only cooking 2 times during that four nights, and my hubby and I will eat the leftovers on the other 2 days.  

    Then on Saturday, we spend time with family for a birthday party.  I don’t know what we will do for supper that night.  It will probably be eating out or something out of the freezer.  We may go out with my mother.  Hubby is probably going to be on his own.

    Monday – chicken marinaded in raspberry dressing, roasted multi-colored potatoes, brown sugar carrots, either 7-up biscuits or weeknight rolls

    Tuesday – left-overs from the night before

    Wednesday – The Imaginative One’s 9th birthday!!!  ~ Lasagna Biscuit Cups, peas, salad for me

    Thursday – left-overs from the night before

    Friday – Celebrating the Imaginative One’s birthday with his special dinner (He gets to request his dinner.) – smoked sausage, fried potatoes in the oven, corn on the cob.

    Saturday – ??????

  • S’Mores Bars

    The Imaginative One is very laid back.  Hakuna Matata could almost be his theme song.  He’s been like that since he was in utero.  The boys are allowed to pick what they want to do for their birthday.  The Wee One had a list of things he wanted to do for his birthday.  He also had a list of what he wanted for presents a mile long.  Okay, maybe not that long, but he knew what he wanted.  The Imaginative One is the exact opposite.  He doesn’t know what he wants to do for his birthday, and people are having difficulty figuring out what to get him for his birthday.

    Last month, I found a recipe for these S’Mores Bar and tried them out.  The Imaginative One loved them so much that he wanted them instead of a cake or cupcake for his birthday.  Yeah!  He made a decision.

    Since my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew were in town, we decided to celebrate his birthday four days early.  We ate a delicious brunch and then sang to him.  Everyone enjoyed these bars.

    S’Mores Bars

    via Recipe Shoebox

    Stars of the recipe:

    Crust:

    • 1/2 c. of butter, softened (1 stick of butter)
    • 1/2 c. sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tsp. vanilla
    • 1 & 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
    • 1 c. ground up graham crackers (I use honey graham crackers.  Use a food processor to ground them up.)
    • 1 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt

    Topping:

    • 8 oz. container of marshmallow fluff
    • 12 graham crackers broken up into pieces, do not ground them up
    • 6 Hershey bars broken up into pieces or 1 c. milk chocolate chips.
    • 2 – 3 c. mini marshmallows

    Steps:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    2. Cream together the butter and sugar until well mixed and yellow.
    3. Add the eggs and vanilla.  Beat until incorporated.
    4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and ground-up graham crackers.  Mix until incorporated.
    5. Grease a 9 by 13 baking pan.  Press the dough into the pan evenly.
    6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
    7. While the crust is baking, get the topping ingredients ready.
    8. When you take the crust out of the oven, turn the oven up to 450 degrees.
    9. After the crust is finished baking, spread the marshmallow fluff over the warm crust using a greased spoon or spatula.
    10. Sprinkle the top with first the chocolate, then the graham crack pieces, and then the marshmallows.
    11. Place back in the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the marshmallows are melted and toasted.  DO NOT walk away from the oven.  (Mine took only 5 minutes.)
    12. While it’s still warm, cut it into pieces.
    13. Enjoy!!!

    Printable Recipe

  • Meal planning week of June 25

    This week is busy!  We are going to 2 vacation Bible schools.  One is in the morning, and the other is in the evening.  I also have a meeting at work on Wednesday afternoon, the Wee One has an activity at the local library on Thursday afternoon, and the Imaginative One has an activity at the local library on Friday afternoon. 

    Monday – chicken tenderloins marinated in soy and Italian dressing, rice, and veggie

    Tuesday – smoked sausage, roasted potatoes, and veggie

    Wednesday – spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

    Thursday – quesadillas and veggies

    Friday – breakfast for dinner

    Saturday – homemade pizza, salad

  • French Toast Mini Muffins

    This weekend we went on a weekend getaway. The hotel we would be staying at didn’t provide a complimentary breakfast. We could have gone to a restaurant for breakfast, but I decided it would be better if I made something for us to eat. I had made these before but had lost the recipe. As I was going through things in my house, I found the recipe and decided these would be perfect.

    When the Imaginative One tasted them, he fell in love with them. He kept complimenting them on how good they tasted. He also told me not to lose the recipe again.

    French Toast Muffins

    Stars of the recipe:
    Muffins:

    • 1 and 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour
    • 3/4 c. sugar
    • 2 tsp. baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
    • 1/2 c. milk
    • 1 egg beaten
    • 1/3 c. butter melted

    Topping:

    • 1/2 c. sugar
    • 1 tsp. cinnamon (or more to taste)
    • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
    • 1/3 c. butter melted

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
    3. Add milk, egg, and melted butter.
    4. Mix thoroughly.
    5. Grease and flour small (mini) muffin tins.
    6. Fill 1/2 full and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until lightly brown.
    7. Remove from the pan immediately.
    8. While the muffins are baking, melt the butter. Mix the vanilla into the butter. Combine the sugar and cinnamon.
    9. After the muffins are baked, dip them in butter and roll them in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

    (This recipe made 30 mini muffins.)

    Printable Recipe

  • Menu Planning ~ Week of June 18

    I haven’t made a meal plan for a while.  I had meal plans, but they were more fluid and subject to change, so I didn’t post them.  This week I have a definite plan in mind.

    Monday – crockpot enchiladas, black bean salad

    Tuesday – chicken lemon pasta, salad, garlic bread

    Wednesday – pork chops, baked rice, corn on the cob

    Thursday – date night, boys are having chicken nuggets and French fries

    Friday – Wee One’s 7th birthday – bacon-wrapped hot dogs, potato salad

    Saturday – out to eat – a mini vacation

    Sunday – out to eat – a mini vacation

  • Menu Planning – Week of May 21

    Monday – bbq ribs, sour cream and chives pasta, mixed veggie

    Tuesday – chicken nuggets and french fries, veggies (I’m staying late at work, and I’m letting the Wee One choose dinner.  This is his choice and a rarity at the house.)

    Wednesday – Asian chicken legs, rice, veggies

    Thursday – hamburgers, roasted potatoes, veggies

    Friday – chicken quesadillas, Spanish rice, corn

    Saturday – green beans, ham, and potatoes

    (I don’t list the veggies because I have different ones in the freezer.  I ask the boys what they want while I’m preparing dinner.)